I Am Barabbas

I am Barabbas. Maybe not today or in this particular moment, but it’s a role I am familiar with. Who is Barabbas? He was the guilty one. His crimes many, his heart not right. His history was ugly and scarred. Tainted. I feel sure This wasn’t the first time he was guilty. The book of Matthew says he was a notorious prisoner. Luke says he was a rebel, a murderer and had committed insurrection. The book of John says he was a bandit. He’s not someone I would vote to be released in my community or around my children. In comparison to Jesus, He deserved to die.

Rebel? Sure. Anyone who has lived beyond their teenage years knows this is true about ourself in one way or the other. Rebel. I am Barabbas. I have been a notorious prisoner many times in my life. I have allowed myself to believe the things the enemy whispers to me and have allowed myself to be chained and rechained by the same lies, hurt, and emotion over and over. I’m not good enough. I said this wrong. I am not smart enough. I am offended. I offend. I’m too charismatic. I am not loved. I’m angry. I’m self righteous. I am self seeking. Same. Old. Lies. Same. Old. Tricks. And yet, I willingly allow myself to be imprisoned again to things I’ve been set free from. Notorious prisoner. I am Barabbas.

A murderer? I have never committed murder…physically anyway. Matthew 5:21,22 and I John 3:15 leads me to believe that when you are angry with someone without a cause and when you hate people, it’s the same as committing murder in your heart. It’s easy to look at murderers in prison and think they belong there and I am not disagreeing with that. Murder is a terrible thing, awful. Yet, hating and walking in anger, according to the Word of God, is the same. (Yikes) I am Guilty. Murderer. I am Barabbas.

It was (and still is) the Father’s heart to choose Barabbas to go free. Barabbas means “ the son of the Father”. The Father chose to send one Son to redeem the other. Barabbas stood before the crowd, guilty. His crime was announced. Still, the crowd cried out “give us Barabbas.” “Set Barabbas free. “

Jesus took Barabbas’ cross. Jesus carried Barabbas’ cross. Jesus hung on Barabbas’ cross. Jesus died in place of Barabbas. Jesus died as Barabbas. That was the will of the Father…for Jesus to die as Barabbas, one Son to redeem the other. One Son to take the punishment of sin in place of the other. One Son to take the penalty for the mistakes of the other.

Now it’s my turn, as I stand before the crowd and the powers that be list my wrongdoing and sin, as Pilates tries to convince them I deserve to die. As Pilate reasons with the crowd that Jesus has done nothing wrong, he points out that I am a rebellious murderer, a notorious prisoner. Jesus is innocent. She’s a bandit. Nonetheless, the crowd still chants,

“Crucify Jesus, give us Terra”. “Give us Terra.”

And that my friends is the heart of the Father. One son ransomed for the other. I am released. I am Set free. I am…. Barabbas.