Jesus, Barabbas, And The Rest Of Us

 

“And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.  And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. 

Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee?  And he answered him never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.  Now at that feast the governor was wont to release to the people a prisoner whom they would.  And they had a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.” (Mt. 27:11-16)

“Barabbas was a robber…” (Jn. 18:40)

 “…which lay bound with them who had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection…” (Mk. 15:7)

 “Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?” (Mt. 27:17)

“…the chief priests persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas and destroy Jesus.” (Mt. 27:20)

 “Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?” (Mt. 27:22) “What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews?” (Mk. 15:12)

They all say unto him, Let him be crucified. ((Mt 27:22) “Crucify him…” (Mk. 15:13)

“And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done?” (Mt. 27:23, Mk. 15:14, Lk. 23:22) 

“But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.” (Mt. 27:23)

“Crucify him.” (Mk. 15:14)  “Crucify him, crucify him.” (Lk. 23:21)

 “When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.

Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.” (Mt. 27:24-25)

  

What the death of and resurrection of Jesus meant to Barabbas:

  

As far as this criminal was concerned, he was free to go about living his life as he pleased; a life of crime, rebellion, and pleasure.  He probably never even scarcely comprehended the significance of the condemnation of Christ in his place and if he ever heard word of the resurrection of our Savior, he probably thought nothing of it.

 

What the death of and resurrection of Jesus means for the rest of us:

 

Forgiveness of sins and redemption, reconciliation to God from whom we were once estranged because of our sins, eternal salvation, transformation, a certain hope, a sense of purpose, liberation from death, and a new world that will be free from sin, death, and the curse from which all kinds of pain, grief, sorrow, suffering, hardship, and evil have come.

When God created the world, He created it to be a world of peace and harmony.  There was no death because there was no sin and there was no grief, pain, suffering, or hardship of any sort.  Man was in harmony with nature and in perfect unity with His Maker until the first man Adam, and his wife, Eve, from whom all us descend, disobeyed their Maker by eating the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. (Gen. 2:16-17)

In that day, sin entered into them and from them and as a consequence, they eventually died as a consequence, as was the warning to them in the day that they ate from the tree forbidden to them.

And the sin that entered into Adam was then inherited by all of humanity and is the reason why we all sin and fall short of the glory of God, (Rom. 3:23) why we all die (Rom. 5:12) and are born estranged from our Maker.

Sin is more than just an outward behavior, action, or even the nature of one’s speech.  It is the corrupted condition of human nature that influences not only our actions and the things that we say, but it also perverts our very thoughts, misguides our emotions, clouds our judgment, warps our understanding and way of thinking, and corrupts our motives.  Sin never appeals to anything spiritual but always appeals to those things that are sensual, carnal, and that which may seem pleasurable.

That is not say that everything that is carnal, sensual, or gives us pleasure is sinful, but all things sinful find their power in that which is carnal, sensual, and leads us to take pleasure in things that are displeasing in the eyes of our Lord and go against that which was His perfect design.

The effects of sin go beyond what we can even comprehend, tainting, perverting, corrupting, twisting, marring, and destroying everything that it touches, not only affecting man, but also the entire creation itself which why it is written, “that the creation groaneth and travaileth in pain” alongside us. (Rom. 8:22)

It is for this reason that we are born separated from our Maker and why no one who remains in their sins and dies in that condition will be able to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven because that which is incorruptible, pure, and holy cannot dwell with that which is sinful, corrupt, and impure lest the holy become unholy, the pure become impure, and the incorruptible become corrupt.

It is also the reason why no matter how good and upright we try to be and no matter how many good works we perform, we will always fall short of that moral standard of perfection required of us by our Creator because of sin always being present in us.

In order for us to meet the moral standard of perfection, not only must our every action and word be in compliance with the laws and precepts set forth by our God, but so must every thought and motive of ours as well.

One bad thought, one lie, and one bad action is enough to condemn us before the holy God before whom all men will have to stand before and give an account for everything that they have done and enough to deny us entry into Heaven where He is present.

And a day is coming when the sin of man will one day reach its full measure and must be punished because the God who made our world, cannot in His goodness, allow evil or sin to abide forever lest all should be consumed by it and everything fall into perpetual darkness and yet God takes no pleasure in punishing anyone but instead would rather show mercy and grant redemption to the repentant sinner for He is a God of love and mercy desiring to bestow His lovingkindness upon all who are willing to receive it and submit themselves to Him and yet He cannot in His holiness allow sin to go unpunished; the punishment for sin being severe.

But God has provided redemption for all those willing to turn away from their sins that both satisfies the penalty demanded for sin and yet provides the forgiveness of sins for those willing to accept this act of redemption on their behalf.

The redemption that God offers us is not a redemption achieved by our own goodness or performance which is tainted by our sinful and corrupt nature, but rather the forgiveness of sins made possible for us is an act of goodness done for us by the incorruptible God who made us, not desiring that we should be separated by our sins from Him for all eternity and remain in perpetual darkness and cut off from His presence, but that we should be reconciled unto Him and that we should dwell with Him forever and in His presence being in perfect unity with Him, just as it was intended to be in the beginning.

This redemption by which the forgiveness of sins is now offered has been done by way of an incorruptible and untainted sacrifice made on our behalf by Christ Jesus who came to us as God incarnate (Jn 1:1-4) to take the demanded penalty for all sins and the sins of all mankind upon Himself; the sinless dying in the place of the sinner thereby satisfying both the demanded penalty for sin and purchasing redemption for all who call upon Him for the forgiveness of sins, placing their trust in Him alone for their salvation.

It was for us that Christ suffered condemnation and rejection at the hands of a people who chose to have a notorious criminal and insurrectionist freed instead of the righteous Son of god.

It was for us that He suffered the ridicule and mockery.

It was for us that He suffered the beatings and the scourging.

It was for us that He was nailed to a cross.

It was for us that He became the very sin from which the Father in Heaven had to turn His face.

It was for us that Christ experienced a separation from God that is experienced for all eternity by they who die in their sins.

and it was for us that He died; His untainted blood shed to take away the sins of tainted man

and then afterwards, being raised from the dead so that we would be justified in Him, (Rom. 4:25) showing Himself to be that perfect and acceptable sacrifice before God so that anyone believing upon Him for the salvation of their soul may be saved. 

Not only by His resurrection was the sacrifice on our behalf shown justified, He also by His resurrection conquered death, making our liberation from death certain when they who die in Christ are raised up into incorruptible bodies and we who are alive are changed also into an incorruptible form in which sin no longer resides and is no longer subject to death (1 Cor. 15;51-55, 1 Thess. 4:13-18) and the day is coming when creation itself will be liberated from the curse of sin and death’s reign when it is made anew (Rev. 21-22) for in that new heaven and earth, there will be no sin, no death, and no curse.  There will be no suffering, sorrow, pain, or hardship of any sort because all of those things will have passed away; sin eliminated, death abolished, and the curse lifted.

 

Without the resurrection, the sacrifice would have been made meaningless.

Without the resurrection, there would be no hope of escaping death.

Without the resurrection, we would still be under sin.

Without the resurrection, all things would remain under a curse.

But because Christ rose from the dead, the sacrifice is justified and thereby making us who trust in Christ justified in Him and by His resurrection, He has demonstrated His power over death and thereby giving us the hope that we ourselves will one day be liberated from death itself even though we remain subject to die presently and that all things will be restored according to the perfect will of the Heavenly Father. 

But that restoration begins with the submitting ourselves to Christ who died and rose again on our behalf at which point we then are transformed into a new creature; (2 Cor. 5:17) one no longer serving sin, but giving ourselves over to that which is good and pleasing in the eyes of God out of our love for Him and gratitude for the salvation so graciously given to us by our faith in Christ and in the sufficiency of His sacrifice on our behalf, no longer placing our hopes in the things of this world, but looking forward to a better world to come,

no longer seeking the praise and approval of men, but rather being content with the praise and honor of God,

no longer walking in the lies that fill this evil world but desiring only to walk in the truth that comes from God who is the source of all truth,

no longer walking in our own strength or in the power of anything that is of this world, but in the power and authority of God,

no longer confined to an empty meager existence, but living to serve the Kingdom of God and to bring as many as willing into it,

no longer seeking to store up wealth on earth, but instead work to store up treasures in Heaven.

It is because of this very transformation and rebirth within our souls that it is written that the Kingdom of Heaven lives within us (Lk. 17:21) through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:30) given to us upon our coming to Christ in faith; that Kingdom that we shall one day see with our own eyes when we see our Redeemer and our Creator face to face.

Now, imagine yourself in the place of Barabbas; a convicted criminal charged with any number of crimes and wickedness imaginable and alongside you an innocent man who has done nothing do deserve punishment and has not been known for anything evil or scandalous but only for those things that are good and honorable.

You are expecting to be punished for your evil and life of crime.  You may even be expecting to be put to death, but instead this innocent person is made to die in your place and you are set free?

How would that make you feel?  Would you continue go on living your life as you did before?  Or would you find yourself asking the question as to why an innocent man would die in your place?  Would it ever cause you to rethink the course of your life?  And would you ever live your life differently than you did before?

Jesus did not have to die for our sins and suffer the demanded penalty in our place, but He did so because He was not willing that any should perish but that all would come to repentance (2 Pet. 3:9) He did so because He created us and loves us.  It was out of love that He came to earth to give Himself up as the sacrifice required to take away the sins of all.

What it took for God to send His only begotten Son to serve as the needed sacrifice for our sins and what it took for Christ to undergo the immense suffering that He did on our behalf is beyond imagining and unfathomable.  It is beyond what mere words can possibly express when we actually take some time to ponder and think about how great a price was paid for our salvation.

For all we know, Barabbas, when he was set free, did not likely give it a second thought about the significance of what Christ was about to undergo and why.  He could have cared less about the news that spread of the resurrection as well.  But then again, isn’t that the attitude of many in the world today when they hear the good news; the Gospel of salvation made possible by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for our sins?  That seems to be the attitude of many in the Church today:  There may be many within our congregations who profess to have accepted Jesus as their Savior and their Lord.  They may claim to be His followers and may very well be active in the Church setting but their lives outside of the four walls of the Church building and apart from the congregation are anything but.

And yet even within the four walls of the congregation the sacrifice made on our behalf is not being treated with the appreciation that it should be and nor is the God who made that sacrifice on our behalf feared and approached with the reverence that He should be approached with.  The message is either added to or detracted from and I cannot even begin to tell you in how many ways that is, only that in many churches and denominations, the purity of the Gospel has been lost in one way or another and if we really want revival and a Great Awakening, it is going to have to begin in the house of the Lord.  Our faith needs to be more than just a weekend hobby and our Lord needs to be included in more than just the four walls of the church or even in the four walls of our home.  He needs to be included in every part of our lives and honored in everything we do.

Our congregations need to return to the authority of scripture and with the return to the authority of the scripture by which the Gospel is delivered, there will be a return to the purity of the Gospel as it was preached in the days of the Apostles.

Fear of and reverence for our Savior needs to return to the ranks of the saints and we need to commit ourselves to being conformed to the things of Christ and not to the ways of this present world or even the respective culture in which we live so that we may be the light for Christ that we were meant to be and to be the profitable servants and followers that He has called us to be.

But for those of you who have yet to come to Christ, know that just as He died for the sins of Barabbas who had no idea of the significance behind his release and the sparing of his life, He also died for your sins to and took upon Himself that penalty for sin that we would otherwise have to bear for all eternity if we should die in our sins.

For those who are willing to call upon the name of the Lord Jesus to save them out of their sins, there will be no need for them to face the punishment that is to come upon all those who refuse to repent, but they will be welcomed into and made a part of the Kingdom of God and be free of all evil, suffering, and hardship, but for those who persist in rejecting the offer of redemption made on their behalf and who insist on clinging to their sins, then there is nothing to look forward to except an everlasting punishment terrifying beyond imagination; a place of everlasting darkness and ongoing pain and torment from which there will be no rest or relief. 

But God is not willing that you should face a never-ending judgment.  He would rather that you would dwell with Him in the Heavenly Kingdom which is why He is constantly, and in every way He can, calling out to our hearts, our conscience, our minds, and our very souls to repent of your sins by which you will receive nothing more than an eternity of misery no matter how pleasurable they may seem at the present moment.  Sin may be pleasurable for a season, but its end result is always misery and for those who die in unrepentance, there is only a terrifying and everlasting judgment to look forward to and it is because that our Lord takes no pleasure in punishing anyone that He is constantly at work persuading as many as He can of the truth of the Gospel and their need for repentance.

Every person will come to make a choice about where they will spend eternity.  And the choices set before us are either in Heaven with our Maker or in the darkness and torment of Hell apart from Him for all eternity. 

If you sense the Spirit of God, in any way, shape, or form, calling upon you to repent of your sins and embrace Christ, do not hesitate for one moment.  There is nothing in this life that is worth risking your eternal soul for.  There is no job, no career, no sinful pleasure, and no relationship that is worth spending eternity in Hell for.

If you would like to ask Jesus into your heart to be your Savior and Lord and to save you from out of your sins, here is an example of what to pray if you are not sure of what to pray:

 

"Lord Jesus I need you. 

I realize that I am a sinner

who has fallen short of the glory of God

and that my goodness falls short

of His standard of Moral perfection.

Please forgive me of all of my sins.

Come into my heart and into my life

to be the Savior and Lord of my life.

Make me into the servant and follower

that you want me to be.

In your name Lord Jesus, I pray.

 

Amen."

 

Know that God is not concerned with the words that you use to call upon Him forgiveness, but with the attitude of your heart and if you have, with all sincerity, have asked Christ to forgive you of your sins, placing your trust in Him only for your salvation and in nothing else, then your sins are forgiven and your place in Heaven is certain.

Scripture references:

 

1.  Matthew 27:11-16

2.  John 18:40

3.  Mark. 15:7

4.  Matthew 27:17

5.  Mathew 27:20

6.  Matthew 27:22

7.  Mark 15:12

8.  Mark 15:13

9.  Matthew 27:23

10.  Mark 15:14

11.  Luke 23:22

12.  Luke 23:21

13.  Matthew 27:24-25

14.  Genesis 2:16-17

15.  Romans 3:23

16.  Romans 5:12

17.  John 1:1-4

18.  Romans 8:22

19.  Romans 4:25

20.  1 Corinthians 15:51-55

21.  1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

22.  Revelation 21-22

23.  2 Corinthians 5:17

24.  Luke 17:21

25.  Ephesians 4:30

26.  2 Peter 3:9