(Luke 23: 18-21) 18 Then a mighty roar rose from the crowd, and with one voice they shouted, “Kill him, and release Barabbas to us!” 19 (Barabbas was in prison for taking part in an insurrection in Jerusalem against the government, and for murder.) 20 Pilate argued with them, because he wanted to release Jesus. 21 But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”
What is your Barabbas? What’s the thing in your life that represents your willingness to trade just about anything to replace Jesus? What do you continually release into your life that pushes Him into the corners of your heart and mind? What is it…the thing that crucifies Him time and again?
You already know what it is. I am guessing it popped up in your mind almost immediately. That’s the thing about sin…it’s a problem that we know we have in our lives. Everyone has a Barabbas or two. We’ve all compromised at some point. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” All. That means every person — you…me…your parents and grandparents…even Mother Teresa and the Pope! By our very nature, humankind has a sin problem.
Jesus said (in Luke 9:23-25), “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?” He hadn’t even been crucified yet, but Jesus knew what was to come, and He also knew the burden that would sometimes come upon us as a result of following Him. He knew the weight of the cross before He ever carried it, and He knew that in our human weakness we would at times get sick of that weight and drop the cross in the middle of the road. That’s why He said to take it up daily. Every day is a fresh start.
22 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3: 22-23)
We don’t have to start over from the beginning. God is merciful. We are able to pick up where we left off, never looking back at what we left behind. His mercies are new every morning. Each time the sun rises, both literally and figuratively, we have a clean piece of paper on which to begin writing the next chapter…brand new…but we still have to carry that cross. Serving Christ requires a sacrifice of self…of sinful nature and the desires of our flesh. We have to start crucifying our own selves…putting that “Barabbas” on the cross where it belongs…and stop sending Jesus back to His cross. He’s already made that sacrifice, and once was enough to cover every sin…ever. We have to stop trading Him in for what we desire in the moment. Romans 12: 1-2 tells us, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
The choice is completely in our hands. Because of God’s love and grace, we have been given the freedom to choose Him, or to keep Him at arm’s length with our sin. So think about your own Barabbas, and you decide.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, when my cross gets heavy, I know that you will help me carry it. When I drop it, You will right there beside me…to help me pick it back up and keep moving forward. I see my “Barabbas” for what it is. Give me the strength and courage to choose You every single time. Amen.
Living The SpiritLife 