May 3
Bible Reading: John 18:33-40
John 18:39-40, “’But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?’ They cried out again, ‘Not this man, but Barabbas!’ Now Barabbas was a robber.”
Barabbas was a robber. He committed the crime, underwent trial, and received a sentence. The penalty in those days was death by crucifixion. Two fellow robbers would soon meet that same fate. He was on death row, awaiting punishment, but divine providence was leaning in his direction. What must have been his thoughts, as his last minutes on earth slipped away? But the frenzied mob of deranged bargainers opted to make a trade. Given the opportunity to release their King, who had done no wrong, they chose instead to cry out for the release of Barabbas, who was a robber.
Nothing was of happenstance in the events leading up to the cross. All took place as prophesied and according “to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God” (Acts 2:23). And so it was with the release of Barabbas. The sinless Son of God took the place of the guilty and condemned thief. What took place physically on that day has been the experience spiritually ever since for those who have trusted in Jesus! As a believer, you stand acquitted as the direct result of a divine exchange made possible only through His sacrifice.
Donald Grey Barnhouse has commented on this: “Now Barabbas was the only man in the world who could say that Jesus Christ took his physical place. But I can say that Jesus Christ took my spiritual place. For it is I who deserved to die. It was I who deserved the wrath of God should be poured upon me. I deserved the eternal punishment of the lake of fire. He was delivered up for my offenses. He was handed over to judgment because of my sins. This is why we speak of the substitutionary atonement. Christ was my substitute. He was satisfying the debt of divine justice and holiness. That is why I say that Christianity can be expressed in three phases: I deserved Hell; Jesus took my Hell; there is nothing left for me but His Heaven.”
“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”—2 Corinthians 5:21
AT THE CROSS
Alas! and did my Savior bleed
And did my Sovereign die?
Would He devote that sacred head
For sinners such as I?
Refrain:
At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light,
And the burden of my heart rolled away,
It was there by faith I received my sight,
And now I am happy all the day!
Was it for crimes that I had done
He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity! grace unknown!
And love beyond degree! [Refrain]
Well might the sun in darkness hide
And shut his glories in,
When Christ, the mighty Maker died,
For man the creature’s sin. [Refrain]
Thus might I hide my blushing face
While His dear cross appears,
Dissolve my heart in thankfulness,
And melt my eyes to tears. [Refrain]
But drops of grief can ne’er repay
The debt of love I owe:
Here, Lord, I give my self away
’Tis all that I can do. [Refrain]
LookingtoJesus 