Give Us Barabbas

             The Governor answered and said unto them, “Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you?”  They said, “Barabbas”  ( Matthew 27:21 ).

The preaching of the cross of Christ is what the world needs today.  Jesus said, “If I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men unto me.”

Jesus had already been illegally tried before the Sanhedrin court.  The multitude had already cried for the release of Barabbas.  Pilate had already given the sentence that Christ should die.

Jesus, bearing His cross, stumbled along the way to Golgotha.  The Roman soldiers saw that He was weak and had lost a lot of blood.  They wanted to hurry and get this gruesome task over with.  They laid hold on Simon of Cyrene, to bear the cross after Jesus.

Coming to Golgotha, Jesus was nailed to the cross, along with two thieves.  One was on His left, and the other was on His right.  The time was 9:00 o’clock in the morning.

As the day drew on, Jesus became weary.  He had little sleep the night before.  His body was bruised by the beating of the Roman soldiers.

A sign was nailed over the head of Jesus by the Roman soldiers.  It was written in three languages:  Greek,  Hebrew,  and  Latin.   The  sign  read,  “This  is  Jesus  Christ  of

Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”

            As Jesus was hanging on the cross, many passed by, wagging their heads.  Many mocked Jesus because He would not save Himself.

Blood began to trickle down the head and face of Jesus from the crown of thorns.  Blood began to run down His arms and sides, falling to the ground below.  Jesus was covered in blood, bruised, and naked.  No wonder the women stood afar off.

It was a terrible and shameful sight to behold.  The flies and insects began to land on His body, feeding on His blood.  All Jesus could do, was to turn His head from side to side.

The two thieves began to mock Jesus also.  After a period of time, one thief turned to look at Jesus.  This thief gazed at the only Bible he ever saw, the sign which read, “This is Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”

The thief had observed that Jesus gave no resistance.  He had observed the women weeping for Jesus.  The thief heard mocking cries from the crowds for Jesus to save Himself, as He saved others.

Surely, this was not the one he had heard many stories about.  Surely this is not the one who raised a dead man from the grave.  As the thief looked into the eyes of Jesus, there was something eternal about them.  There was a feeling of love and compassion.
The thief was dying also; he knew he received the reward of his crimes.  He knew he was on the brink of eternity.  He became sorrowful for his crimes.

The cross of Jesus had softened him.  The other thief became hardened.
I personally, believe the penitent thief was on the right of Jesus, a symbol  of  those

sinners, who will be redeemed and stand at the right hand of God.  The ones who reject

Christ, will stand hardened on His left.

Jesus will say to those on His right, “Come ye and inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”  To those on His left, Jesus will say, “Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.”

Friend, when you view the cross of Jesus, it will either do two things.  It will either soften your heart, or harden you heart.  It will either bring you to a confession of repentance, or to blaspheme His Holy Name.

This thief saw something in Jesus that the others did not see that day.

He saw the Kingdom beyond the cross.

He saw the crown above the cross.

Amid the jeering and condemnations of Christ, he made a request that contended against the voice of the times.  He cried to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom.”  Someone laughed in the crowd and thought this was funny.

The thief was not looking for a physical release like the other thief, but he was seeking a spiritual release, an eternity with Jesus.

Jesus answered him and said, “Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.”  Here was the first confession of the cross.

Somewhere in the realm of eternity, this thief is with Jesus as He sits, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.

Folks can look back today to this awful day in history, and comdemn the Jews for what  they  did.   They  can  condemn  the  multitude  for  wanting   Barabbas   instead   of

Jesus.

Our society is calling for Barabbas today.  This generation is rejecting the cross of Christ.  Their cry is, “Give us Barabbas.”

“Give us murder!”

“Give us hate!”

“Give us immorality!”

“Give us drugs!”

“Give us the devil!”

“Crucify justice!”

“Put to death love, mercy, truth, and goodness!”

The world today, would rather have its evil, than the love and goodness of God.  They are the unrepented sinners on the left of God.

They are the enemies of the cross.

They are the scoffers of religion.

They are the haters of good.

They are the despisers of God.

They are the fuel to the fire of Hell.

Today, there are some thieves, some sinners, some outcasts, who have confessed before Jesus Christ.  Their cry is:

“Lord, remember me!”

“Lord, pardon me!”

“Lord forgive me!”

You can take the whole world, but give me Jesus.  We have our crosses today; we are slowly dying in our sins.  What is our cry?  Will we die in our sins and be lost, or will we cry out to God for mercy?

Is your cry today, “Give me Barabbas?”

Or is your cry, “Give me Jesus?”

You must make your decision of the cross.  God help you to make the right decision.