October 12 - Insurrection & Murder

Luke 23:18-25

He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus over to their will. (Luke 23:25 ESV)

Barabbas was a known murderer. He had led an attempt at a full blown uprising. Usually that type of activity was met with swift and brutal retribution in the Roman world. However, for some reason Barabbas had been left on prison to rot. When it would have came time for him to have faced justice, Jesus was there to take his place.

Jesus took his place! Barabbas deserved justice. He deserved the full extent of the law, but he didn't face it because Jesus took his punishment.

You and I face our own punishment. We have sinned, we deserve an end that often reflects a lifetime of selfishness and immorality. But Jesus didn't die for your morality. He died to make you family. Why? Because he is more interested in the criminal than the crime. He took the place of a murder.

Regardless of background, moral slant, and failures—Jesus stands in for you. Barabbas' freedom was purchased by the death of Christ. So is ours.

September 20 - What Is Your Judgement?

Matthew 26: 57-68

"What is your judgment?” They answered, “He deserves death.” (Matthew 26:66 ESV)

Jesus received an unfair judgement. Arrested in secret. Tried in the middle of the night. He faced a sham trial, with false witnesses, shady-power-hungry adjudicators, and a corrupted militant mob like police force. Jesus was judged guilty. He was declared deserving of death.

Ironic seems like such a pitifully inadequate word to describe the scenario. He was wrongly accused. Wrongly judged. Wrongly killed. All so that he might bring an opportunity for eternal life to the very men who were killing him.

"What is your judgement?" They asked. Well, thanks to Jesus all that have entered into salvation have entered into a judgement of life.

June 30 - From That Day On

Read: John 11:45-57

So from that day on they made plans to put him to death. (John 11:53 ESV)

An undeniable miracle had occurred in full sight and knowledge of many people. A dead man was no longer dead. Witnesses confirmed it. Critics acknowledged it. The religious leaders didn't know what to do with it.

Jesus was obviously beyond them. He was shaking up the status quo and the bureaucratic religious establishment was terrified. They were afraid of their Roman conquerors. They were afraid of losing their hold over the people. They were afraid they would lose their lucrative system of religious robbery. They did what fearful people do. They made plans.

According to their twisted minds the only way to solve the problem was to remove Jesus from the scene. So the formation of the plan to have Jesus murdered began. The men entrusted to lead the people to God ignored God's Son, schemed to murder him, and felt right about doing it.

From that day on the fear of men compelled them toward great evil. From that day on the willful stubbornness of a select few plotted the death of innocence. From that day on men planning to kill God were unknowingly ushering in the promised salvation of mankind.