Calvary's Three Crosses" Pastor Tony Pitt

Three crosses at Calvary frame an exposition of Luke 23–24 that contrasts three human responses to Christ and points to both personal forgiveness and future hope. The center cross functions as the cross of redemption: the sinless one voluntarily bears the iniquity of humanity so that sinners might receive righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21; Isaiah 53; 1 Peter 2). The left-hand cross becomes the cross of rebellion, where a man demands immediate relief and refuses repentance, illustrating the difference between knowing about Christ and trusting him for salvation. The right-hand cross becomes the cross of repentance, where a condemned thief confesses his guilt, recognizes Jesus’ innocence, and receives the assurance of paradise in a single moment of faith.

Scriptural anchors underscore every point: the proclamation of forgiveness even amid derision, the prophetic fulfillment of suffering and rising (Luke 24), and the practical call to confession and continued walking in the light (1 John 1). The empty tomb shifts the focus from death to resurrection—the living Christ vindicates the atoning work on the cross, gives meaning to forgiveness, and guarantees a future bodily rising (1 Corinthians 15). The narrative moves from legal penalty to relational restoration: sin’s wages meet substitutionary payment; repentance opens the door to cleansing; and resurrection secures the promise of reunion with God and with redeemed loved ones.

Expectation of Christ’s return ties the crucifixion and resurrection into an ongoing eschatological hope. The promise of a corporate gathering at the Lord’s coming (1 Thessalonians 4) reframes present losses and suffering, not as final defeats but as motifs within a larger divine plan of restoration. The offered assurance operates simply and repeatedly: confession brings full forgiveness, walking in the light sustains fellowship, and clinging to the cross of redemption leads to the cross of repentance and life. The whole arc calls for decisive spiritual posture—either rebellion that rejects the cross’s meaning or repentance that receives its gift—and points forward to the consummation when suffering, pain, and death give way to an everlasting, renewed creation.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Three crosses illustrate human choices The three crucified men model three distinct spiritual postures: one who dies for sin (redemption), one who dies in sin (rebellion), and one who dies having turned from sin (repentance). This arrangement makes salvation both forensic and existential: legal penalty is paid, but personal response still matters. Attention to which cross a person embraces reveals both present standing and eternal trajectory. The arrangement challenges any flattened, one-size-fits-all view of religion. [08:03]
• 2. Christ's sacrifice provides exclusive redemption Scripture portrays Christ as sinless who was made sin on humanity’s behalf so that people might become God’s righteousness through him. That substitutionary exchange addresses the legal problem of sin—wages paid—while opening a relational path to restored fellowship with God. The redemptive work remains uniquely efficacious and decisive within this framework; no other religious figure accomplishes this double movement of bearing sin and imparting righteousness. Redemption therefore invites trust in Christ’s singular atoning act. [09:09]
• 3. Unrepentance leads to eternal destruction The unrepentant thief demonstrates how immediate self-preservation can mask eternal loss: wanting escape without turning from sin preserves the wage of death. Knowledge about Jesus without the will to submit amounts to a rejected offer and produces spiritual ruin. The Bible consistently links refusal to repent with inescapable consequence; moral autonomy that resists divine correction becomes the road to destruction. The dilemma presses for an honest appraisal of motives. [15:54]
• 4. Repentance secures assurance of salvation The repentant thief models swift, humble confession: acknowledgement of guilt, recognition of Christ’s innocence, and a direct plea for remembrance that receives an immediate divine promise. This encounter shows that salvation can occur in an instant when the heart truly turns, and that divine grace meets contrition with concrete assurance. Repentance reorients culpability into trust and produces the certainty of pardon and eternal fellowship. [19:08]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:27] - Reflections on past service
• [04:08] - Resurrection weekend framed
• [06:01] - Luke 23: Crucifixion scene
• [08:03] - Three crosses: overview
• [08:47] - Cross of redemption explained
• [13:45] - Cross of rebellion examined
• [18:24] - Cross of repentance explored
• [24:52] - Empty tomb and resurrection
• [28:50] - Second coming and hope
• [31:07] - Closing exhortation and hymn

Bible reading: Luke 23:32-43 (ESV)
Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.” One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Observation questions

1. What are the three different responses to Jesus displayed by the three men on the crosses?
2. What specific words did the repentant thief use to acknowledge his own guilt and Jesus’ innocence? [19:56]
3. What was the immediate, tangible promise Jesus gave to the thief who asked to be remembered? [19:35]

Interpretation questions

1. The sermon described the three crosses as representing three distinct spiritual postures. What is the fundamental difference between the man who died in sin and the man who died to sin?
2. The unrepentant thief said, “If you are the Christ, save yourself and us.” [13:45] How does this request reveal a desire for relief from circumstances rather than a desire for redemption from sin?
3. The repentant thief asked to be remembered in Jesus’ future kingdom. [19:08] Why was this request an act of faith, especially considering Jesus was also dying on a cross?
4. How does the resurrection of Jesus, mentioned in Luke 24, give meaning and power to the forgiveness promised on the cross?

Application questions

1. The three crosses illustrate a choice every person must make. [20:59] Which of the three postures—rebellion, repentance, or relying on redemption—best describes your current response to Jesus?
2. The repentant thief received immediate assurance of salvation the moment he turned to Jesus. [19:35] If someone were to ask you, “How can I know for sure that I am forgiven and have eternal life?”, what would you tell them based on this passage?
3. The promise of a future resurrection and reunion with Christ reframes present suffering and loss. [30:48] What is a current hardship or loss you are facing that can be viewed differently through the hope of the resurrection and Christ’s return?
4. The sermon mentioned that “there is a difference in knowing about Jesus and knowing him personally.” [14:32] In what practical ways can a person move from simply knowing facts about Jesus to having a personal, trusting relationship with him?
5. The offer of forgiveness is simple and repeated: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.” [22:49] What keeps you from readily confessing your sins to God when you become aware of them?
6. The hope of a world with no more pain, suffering, or death is guaranteed by Christ’s resurrection. [21:39] How does this certain future hope impact the way you live your life and treat others today?