HOST: Ron House
SPONSOR: Start2Finish
Now at the feast he used to release for them one prisoner for whom they asked. And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas. And the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he usually did for them. And he answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead. And Pilate again said to them, “Then what shall I do with the man you call the King of the Jews?” And they cried out again, “Crucify him.” And Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him.” So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.
Can you for a moment put yourself into the shoes of Barabbas? A convicted criminal—a robber, a murderer, a rebel—condemned to die by crucifixion. Even the most hardened of criminals shuddered at the thought of this most torturous form of death. On this day, possibly the day that you are scheduled to die, you are taken from your cell and rushed to the platform overlooking the frenzied crowd. Then, before you know it, and for reasons that you do not understand, they have chosen you to be released. You are not going to die today. This innocent Man will die instead. Though we don’t like to admit it, that is our story. Like Barabbas, we are lawbreakers, convicted of transgressing God’s law with our sins. Because of those transgressions, we are subject to death (Romans 6:23). But there is Jesus, standing in our place, paying our price, accepting our punishment. We are released from our guilt while He suffers in our place. That is our story! Barabbas represents us!
Why do you think that Jesus was willing to suffer for us?
Don’t forget to pray and have a great day!
