The Redemptive Story Of Jesus Christ and Barabbas:
Matthew 27:15- 26
(Jesus and Barabbas)
(15 and 16 BARABBAS AND THE PASSOVER)
We see the story of Jesus Christ going to the cross and everything seems epically and so much dramatic. Then there is this character that seems to interrupt everything. This character comes into the story and everything seems not understandable. His name is BARABBAS. We don't even know much about him except that he is
1. Murderer
2. Leader of an insurrection
3. Rebel
I asked myself, why is he even mentioned in the Bible and sometimes I don't get it. This is a story about Jesus Christ going to the cross and why Barabbas?
So in this moment Pontiors Pilate was like, I hold the destiny of two men in my hands. I know there is a tradition of the Jews and every Passover I will have to release one prisoner for you.
(17 THE QUESTION IS THROWN IN)
Pilate stands up in front of the crowd and asked whom should he release. It was Jesus the son of God verses Barabbas the thug and the rebel. Pilate was like "Alright! Whom do you want?! "
*Let's take a look at Barabbas :
This guy is thug, a murderer, a rebel, a thief, a cheat. A man who should be on the death row, a man who deserves to die. He deserves no mercy at all. Everyone knows he's a criminal. He deserves the chains, the flogging, the insults. He deserves to be pierced.
*Let's take a look at Jesus Christ :
Now what has Jesus done? All he has been doing is to heal the sick , to deliver , restore, set free the bondage, and going about doing just good. The blind see, heal the lame, raise the dead.
(20-26 BARABBAS IS CHOSEN OVER JESUS CHRIST)
Now back to Pilate's question. Who do you want? He asked the crowd. And they knew about Barabbas and Jesus Christ our Lord. They knew their character and behavior in the city.
But they shouted "WE WANT BARABBAS!"
After reading this I was like "what!!" "Barabbas?"
They kept shouting and they preferred Barabbas. The soldiers walk up to Barabbas and unchained him and put the chains on JESUS. And Barabbas was like "Yeah the people love me, I don't know about this Jesus guy but all I know is that my people love me. Now when you look at this guy, there seems to be no conscience found in him. The bible didn't record anything of him going to Jesus to say thank you for setting me free. God knew this would happen. Jesus was not angry and he didn't complain. He knew the will of the father and he kept quiet. Jesus Christ was like. "Alright father, let them have Barabbas, I know I haven't done anything wrong but let them have Barabbas" For he knew God had to treat Jesus like Barabbas so he can treat Barabbas like Jesus. Barabbas thought it was the love of the people that set him free. No no no. It was the love of the father in heaven.
Revelation:
When get deeper into this story, I realized who Barabbas really is. That's me, that's you, that's us.
When I was reading this scripture, I felt God speaking to me and he said "I love Barabbas, I love him"
And I was like "God he's a bad man" and God said "Yes I know but I love him" And I said "Lord Barabbas wouldn't probably acknowledge the free gift of life, he won't appreciate it " But God said "Yeah but I love Barabbas "
The Bible says "While we were still sinners Christ Jesus died for us"
God sent his son to die for Barabbas and he knew he would never appreciate and acknowledge the free gift. And it applies to believers who says "Yes I was saved by grace but now that I'm in a deep trouble , affliction, pain and bondage , I better work hard, and do all best to get myself out " You can never over sin by your own. You are no much for the powers of darkness.
What?! To get yourself out? No you won't and you can't! That's the opposite of the gospel. Are you bound? Hopeless? , are you held under temptation? Is this sin life controlling you? What are you going to do?
Someone will say "I'm gonna shake myself free, I better work it out myself. No! You can't! You have no power to fight the enemy. This is a spiritual warfare. You can't do it with your strength. Your Own money, your own wisdom, your own power, your own degrees, your own marriage ,your own devotion, your own goodness, will never save your marriage, will never save your kids, will never save your life, will never save your job.
There is only one way, just only one and he is the one who took your place . He is the one who stood silently on the platform with Pilate and said "Yes let them have Barabbas I will take the blame and the shame"
We go wrong, we sin, we make mistakes and sometimes we hate ourselves and we know we deserve the outcome, we deserve punishment, we deserve the same and we deserve the blame.
Jesus Christ stood on the cross and he said "no my child, you don't deserve it all, let me have your pain, let me have your shame, let me have your cry "
And we know we deserve the pain and suffering. We brought it upon ourselves. We deserve punishment for our sins but Jesus said "no my child blame it on me"
Let's say we are Barabbas and we stood on the platform with Pilate and Jesus and with Pilate's question we answer that we deserve the blame, we deserve the shame, we deserve the punishment, we deserve the guilt. But Jesus will answer that son, put it all on me, let me have them. I will bear your pain, I will bear your cry. I will bear the sin.
It is our responsibility, it is the out come of our disobedience, it is our punishment. Jesus shouldn't do that for us. This is injustice, it is not fair to do that to him, to let him go through that for being innocent.
We can play church games, we can pretend some people are better than others , we can all see that others are blessed, favored, lifted and honored but it is God who does all these things. It is not by our own devotion, service, goodness and self-righteousness . The greatest challenge here with Christians is believing in the gospel. It takes our faith to believe in the righteousness of Jesus Christ, the redemption message of Christ Jesus. Haven't you heard of the love of God? The agape love of God? A love which has no ending? Bring your heavy loads and he will give you rest.
Barabbas was standing in the comfort place, the place of forgiveness and acceptance, seeing Jesus being whipped and insulted, Jesus was humiliated , taking the place of a sinner he didn't deserved. It didn't bothered him, he humbly accepted the guilt and shame.
It is Jesus Christ, it has always been Jesus and it will always be Jesus and it hasn't stopped being Jesus. Jesus is faithful, Jesus is Lord. It takes your faith, to accept him and believe in the gospel and you are free while he takes your sins and your burden.
GRACE AS A SUBJECT:
Grace is most talked about subject when it comes to Christianity. Many people are enjoying grace. You are enjoying grace I am enjoying grace and everyone else is enjoying it too. But it seems grace is being taken advantage of. Grace is defined unmerited favor, undeserved favor. Grace is something we don't deserve yet we have it.
And whenever we talk about grace, we talk about Jesus Christ our Lord. Grace was birthed through Jesus Christ. He's the face of grace. He gave us something that we don't deserve. He took our sins and died on our behalf. Now Jesus' death is being taken advantage of. Some people say "Because Jesus will forgive me I will sin. Some people sin intentionally, knowing that it wrong yet they hate it.
Romans 6:1,14 , 15
Ladies and gentlemen I'm here to announce to you today that grace has a limited time.
There's an appointed time to end grace for every person.
It is either Jesus Christ comes or death take us.
©Pastor Bismark Acheampong Fresher
bismarkfresherministries@gmail.com
+233504082757
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