“But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.”
Matthew 27:10
Here is the worldly, religious, natural heart of mankind at play, “ask Barabbas and destroy Jesus.”
The world and religion sold out Jesus Christ, the Giver of Eternal Life, for Barabbas, a murderous life taker. The same things are happening in our society today. Society is selling out and attempting to destroy Jesus Christ for murderous sin and violence. Abortion is being accepted and taught more-so than the value of a soul. Every child deserves a chance at life to make an impact for God in winning lost souls for the Lord. Science books and education have taken precedence over the Bible and the Revelation of God. Hate and violence towards one another has taken place of “love thy neighbor as thyself.” And oh, how fast those of the world and religion are to sell out Christ when it comes to money.
Jesus Christ was sold out by Judas for 30 pieces of silver, the price of a slave. Think about that for a moment, selling out God and Eternal Life in the Kingdom of Heaven for a few dollars. Judas sold Life in Christ and bought death in Hell. How sad it was then, but the same thing continues this very hour. Those of the Judas and Barabbas spirit sell out God, Heavenly Glory, and Life Eternal for careers, popularity, financial gain, and/or position in life. Man believes by destroying or ignoring Christ in their lives they are free from the Ways of God and the world is their oyster. The reality is, by destroying and ignoring Christ from coming into their hearts, they are committing an eternal, spiritual suicide full of imprisonment, torment, and despair.
The religious parties of Israel were the guilty ones wishing to destroy Jesus and keep Barabbas. Jesus was and is the Word of God come to life that abolishes the religious efforts created and instituted by man. As the Word of God teaches man to give glory to the Righteousness of God, religion teaches man to give glory to man’s own attempt at righteousness. Religion says I can “do God” my way while the world says I can do life without God. What the world and religion have in common is that they each believe, “I am right and God is wrong.” The world and religion would rather seek the popular opinion and praises of man while ignoring certain parts of the Bible or rejecting God and His Word altogether. Both want to destroy Jesus as each have grown comfortable in their own bondage of sin, religious efforts, and self-help. Neither want any part of the convicting power of the Holy Spirit that leads to a repentant, changed heart.
As a Child of God, we are to sell out the world for buying into Jesus Christ and the Word of God. The world and the religious have the blood of Christ on their hands, but as a Child of God we have The Blood of Christ written on the door posts of our hearts. Blood on the hands means punishment, but The Blood on the heart means pardon, justification, and freedom. The ways of religious man and the ways of the world mean absolutely nothing to us as we are singular in our focus of The Way, The Truth, and The Life of Jesus Christ.
Thank God we walk separately to the ways of the world and religion. It should be our prayer each day to have the Lord destroy in us the Barabbas spirit of sin and injustice. We should desire the Life of Jesus full of faith, hope, and love through the Holy Spirit. Let the Spirit of God remind us daily who we ask for, who we long for, and who we want to be. The world and the religious can keep Barabbas, but to us who believe, give us Jesus!!
