Unfortunately, the world prefers self-destruction due to the consequences of evil choices over the humbling of self before the God Who loves them.
There He is, standing beside Pilate at the top of the steps in the Praetorium. Christ is bloody from the beating he has recieved at the hands of the Romans. This scourging is the first step in the sacrifice Jesus makes for you, me, and the rest of the human race. Pilate wishes to release Christ but offers the crowd before him a choice to either receive Jesus who loves them sacrificially, or to receive Barabbas, one who is a convicted murderer and is most certainly going to harm others if released to them. The crowd chooses Barabbas.
If we have studied the Biblical account found in Mark chapter 15, we know that the leadership of the Jewish priesthood wanted Christ crucified so as to end His threat to their position in that society. But, why would the crowd agree with them? Why would they accept a convicted murderer to be released from captivity into their midst where he is certain to kill again?
What did the priesthood have to offer the crowd for accepting a killer? My conclusion is that the crowd chose Barabbas because essentially they agreed with the Jewish priesthood on this principle: they preferred the consequences of their own self willed decisions to humbling themselves before the God Who loves them.
The world today still prefers self-destruction from the consequences of their own evil decisions rather than choosing to place their faith in the principles of truth in God's Word that would redeem their lives. People today say that if they have nothing but a garden of weeds, at least it is still their own weeds. They choose to be the captian of their own souls, the masters of their own fate, even if it is a garden of weeds and thorns. If only they would trust the eternal Husbandman who cares for His garden, they would find fulfillment and peace, health and prosperity without such sorrow.
It is the blessing of our God that He gives benefit to us and He adds no sorrow to it. His blood that was shed in the scourging and on the cross of Calvary is His supreme blessing to us. That gift has purchased our salvation from eternal destruction: redemption of our souls from what should have been the fate of our evil choices. Instead, He gives us the fellowship of the Holy Spirit to guide us through life to an eternal home of love and peace.
The world may choose Barabbas today. I choose Christ today. What is your response?
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