There are times in our lives when we meet people that don’t become lifelong friends, they don’t become someone we stay in touch with or someone that we share a lot of memories with. We may not ever see that person again, but they are people that we meet in a moment, and in that moment, they forever change the course of our lives.

Pilate was a Roman ‘governor’ who ruled the region know as Judea. It was in his responsibility to see to all of the affairs of the region and keep order for the Roman government. When it came to the execution of prisoners, Pilate would most likely have been required to sign off on these decisions.

Barabbas was a criminal, arrested for murder during an insurrection that had taken place in the region of Judea. We know that Barabbas had been sentenced to death for his crime and had spent time awaiting his execution.  He was, on this day it seems, a bystander that caught up in the crowd, but I believe it was something more.

And then, there was Jesus. On trial for the crime of blasphemy for calling himself the Son of God, the Sanhedrin had put him on trial and wanted him executed. His path had led him here to this point and now His path would cross with all these others in a monumental example of what Jesus came to do.

Pilate attempted to free Jesus, but ultimately he chose to pacify the crowd and handed Jesus over to be executed. Pilate could not move past the ridicule and scorn that might come from the Jews and the Sanhedrin of the area if he were to stand up for what he believed to be right. Barabbas was blatantly rebellious, choosing a life apart from the things that bring life, as we see in his crime of murder. He deserved the punishment that was due him but now he was receiving the freedom that belonged to the innocent man. But their paths would cross with One who would forever change their lives forever.

Jesus tells Pilate, “You would have no power over me if it had not been given you from above.” And he stood and took the scorn of the crowd that belonged to Pilate. Jesus stood across from Barabbas, and through the jeers of the crowd and the shouts of “Crucify Him!” He took the punishment that belonged to Barabbas in exchange for the freedom that belonged to Himself.

So let me ask the question, “Where do you find yourself in the story?”

Are you “Pilate”? Do you find yourself living for the approval of the crowd rather than the approval of God? As Jesus took the ridicule and scorn that belonged to Pilate, he takes our ridicule and scorn upon Himself and gives us the approval of a loving God in exchange.

Or maybe you find yourself in the man named “Barabbas”. Do you live for yourself and your own desires and pleasures? Have you turned your back on God and put other things ahead of Him? Just as Jesus took the punishment that belonged to Barabbas, the sentence of death, He takes our death sentence, deserved because of our sin and give us the life and freedom that belongs to Himself.

Jesus took our place of scorn, ridicule and death because we could not give what was owed, and now, in return offers freedom and forgiveness. This Lenten season, will you allow yourself to be changed by the Gospel of grace that offers freedom and forgiveness?

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