Week 1 - Barabbas or Christ?

 

Link to Sunday Service Recording

Text: Matthew 27:22-24 (ESV)
 

Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”

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Main Message

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• Barabbas represents wickedness while Jesus represents righteousness.

• Barabbas represents chaos while Jesus represents peace.

• Barabbas represents sin while Jesus represents holiness.

• Barabbas represents darkness while Jesus represents light.

• Every action or decision we make has a consequence. The consequence can be good or bad depending on the decision made.​​​

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• What are the consequences of choosing freedom for Barnabbas?

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• The Consequence for the People

  • Matthew 27:24-25 (ESV) - So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.” And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!”

  • If we listen to Matthew, we represent the crowd who yelled that Jesus should be crucified.

  • When we choose wickedness and darkness over righteousness and light, we too are likened to the crowd that yelled for Barabbas. 

  • There is a consequence on us for picking Barabbas, and that is death.

  • Romans 6:23 (ESV) - For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

  • Romans 6:12-14 (ESV) - Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

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• The Consequence for Jesus

  • Matthew 27:26 (NLT) - So Pilate released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified.

  • Jesus endured all the physical punishments on the cross, for one reason, to save us and so that we can be redeemed.

  • 1 Corinthians 15:3 (ESV) - For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures.

  • 1 Peter 3:18 (ESV) - For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God.

  • 1 John 2:2 (ESV) - He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

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• The Consequence for Barabbas

  • He was freed from his punishment, Jesus died in his place.

  • John 8:34-36 (ESV) - Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

  • Galatians 5:1 (ESV) - For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

 

Reflection Questions:

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1. How do we relate to the crowd at Jesus’ trial?

2. Every action or decision we make has a consequence. The consequence can be good or bad depending on the decision made. Think of a consequence you have suffered and how do you avoid it in the future?

3. Just like Barabbas, we have been set free. How can we experience the fulness of our freedom through Christ?