Jesus or Barabbas (short)

What a powerful testimony of God’s love.

Here’s a story of a girl whose path seemed layed out for her.

An alcoholic father, a drug addicted mother.

For a large majority of kids in that environment, they will most likely head down the same path.

But Amy came to realize that didn’t have to be her story.

God sent people into her life like her friend in 6th grade, Jeff Walker and her eventual husband Chris to plant those seeds of truth in her.

And even though the enemy tried to tell her that she was worthless and alone.

That she was unloved.

She realized the truth of what Jesus did for her on the cross.

Her story goes along perfectly with what I shared this morning at our sunrise service.

I talked about this man that randomly appears in the story of Jesus going to the cross.

His name was Barabbas.

Barabbas was a rebel, a thief, and a murderer.

And at one point in the story of Jesus’ crucifixion Pilate has the people choose between these two men.

It was custom every year at passover to release one prisoner that the people choose.

And Pilate who himself thought Jesus was innocent gave the people the choice to pick between Jesus and Barabbas.

You would think it would be an easy choice.

A thief and a murderer.

Or a man who healed the sick and made the blind see.

But they chose Barabbas!

So the soldiers come and unlock his chains and he goes free.

Jesus just stands there without saying a word.

And when you first read this story you might think why is this random guy thrown into this story of Jesus and the cross.

It’s because what Barabbas symbolizes is life changing.

When you really look at this story you realize something.

You realize that Barabbas represents you.

He represents me.

You see God loved Barabbas.

But he’s a bad man!

God wanted him to go free.

But that doesn’t make any sense. God knew that he would probably walk away and never acknowledge the free gift that has been given to him.

Jesus went to the cross knowing that many people still would not acknowledge who He is.

But He did it because He wanted to make sure we ALL at least had a chance.

Romans 5:8 NIV “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Jesus took our place like he took Barabbas’!

HE messed up. HE deserved to be punished.

But Jesus took that penalty for him.

And because of what Jesus did we can be free.

Free from sin, guilt, from shame, etc.

Sometimes we put ourselves in Barabbas’ shoes and act like we can’t go free because we deserve this pain, this guilt, this punishment.

Jesus says receive my gift!

Jesus went to the cross so we could be free.

You might say, “But you don’t know what I’ve done.”

I don’t have to know because I know WHAT JESUS did on the cross!

Think about what Jesus went through for you.

Matthew 27:29-30 NLT “ They wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head, and they placed a reed stick in his right hand as a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mockery and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!” 30 And they spit on him and grabbed the stick and struck him on the head with it.”

Isaiah 53:5 NLT “But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.”

Isaiah 52:14 NLT “But many were amazed when they saw him. His face was so disfigured he seemed hardly human, and from his appearance, one would scarcely know he was a man.”

Jesus went through that for you!

All He asks in return is for you to live for Him.

Read “The Wounded Warrior”

“They started spitting on him, insulting him. They pulled out chunks of his beard. They jammed a crown of thorns into his skull. They took him to the whipping post, and tore his back to shreds with a cat-o-nine-tails. Those are the historical facts written down for us to read. Here are the spiritual facts: When they hit Jesus, they were hitting him for you. When they spit on him, it was because of you. When they insulted him and pulled out his beard, it was meant for you. The Wounded Warrior went to battle for you. Hell came at him with everything in its arsenal. Someone hit him and jerked out bits of his beard because someone someday in a drunken stupor hit you. It’s called abuse. Jesus knows what it feels like. Someone spit on him and called him a series of nasty names – including racial slurs – because evil men with hate in their hearts would do the same later to the black man or to Jews and others. It’s called prejudice. Jesus knows what it feels like. When they whipped him, he felt much more than the 39 stripes they tore into his back. He began to feel sickness like you or I have never known. With every lash came a series of illnesses. Cancer, emphysema, AIDS, Muscular Dystrophy, sugar diabetes, multiple sclerosis, liver disease, kidney disease, heart disease, asthma, blindness, leprosy, malaria, ….those pieces of bone and glass on that cat-o-nine-tails would rip into his flesh, and Satan would spread more infection throughout Jesus’ body. And The Wounded Warrior was willing to take it for you and for me. The Satanic crowd cried out, “Crucify Him!” and The Wounded Warrior was sentenced to die. They took him out into the streets, stripped him, and forced him to carry the heavy crossbeam across his bloody shoulders. That’s what you could see. What you couldn’t see was the weight of sin he picked up with it. The Bible says, “he carried our infirmities….the punishment that brought us peace was upon him…the Lord laid on him the iniquities of us all.” The demons could smell blood. They could see The Warrior was getting weaker. So they attacked relentlessly. They hit him with murder. They pushed him to the ground with rape, incest and lies. Drunkenness and drug overdose were heaped on his back. Abortion, adultery, prostitution, homosexuality – every sin you can think of was added to the weight. He carried much more than the crossbeam. He carried the weight of the sins of the world on his shoulders. Remember how you felt when you were weighted down by the guilt of your sin. Now, multiply that guilt and shame times every man and woman who would ever live. That’s what Jesus carried. He was a Wounded Warrior.”

My challenge to you today is to remember exactly what Jesus did for you on the cross and what it represents.

How like Barabbas he took our punishment so we can be free.

Altar Call