BARABBAS OR CHRIST

LET ME BEGIN BY SAYING EASTER IS A VERY SERIOUS MATTER. BUT

THERE IS A STORY I HEARD THAT IS SOMEWHAT HUMOROUS IN NATURE,

BUT I BELIEVE IT DEFINES FOR THE MOST PART WHERE MOST CHRISTIANS

STAND ON UNDERSTANDING EASTER. Three Congressmen who voted in favor of

the Communications Decency Act were debating the meaning of Easter: "Easter," the first

one said, is when all your relatives gather round the table, and you carve the turkey with all

the trimmings." "No, that's probably Thanksgiving," said the second. "Easter is when

Santa Claus comes down the chimney and brings you toys." "You're both wrong," said

the third. "Easter is when Jesus Christ is crucified, dead, and buried, and on the third day,

comes out of the tomb. And if he sees his shadow..."

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FOR THE MOST PART, We are all like the Congressmen. It's Easter all the time, and we

just don't get it. BUT THERE IS SOMEONE, WHO IF HE WERE HERE TODAY, I

BELIEVE HE COULD GIVE US A DEFINITIVE EXPLANATION AS TO WHAT

EASTER IS ALL ABOUT. BECAUSE IN ORDER TO TRULY UNDERSTAND

EASTER, ONE MUST HAVE AN ADEQUATE COMPREHENSION OF THE

CROSS.

THIS PASSAGE OF TEXT THAT WE HAVE BEFORE US THIS MORNING, IS

REFERING TO A MAN BY THE NAME OF BARABBAS. VERY LITTLE IS

KNOWN ABOUT BARABBAS, ONLY THAT WHICH IS CONTAINED IN THE

BIBLICAL ACCOUNT OF HIS LIFE. HE APPEARS FOR ONE BRIEF MOMENT

ON THE STAGE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT TRAGEDY IN THE HISTORY OF

THE UNIVERSE. HE IS AN UNSPEAKING ACTOR, SILENT AND SINISTER. A

MURDERER, A ROBBER, AN UNKNOWING PAWN IN THE GAME OF

RELIGOUS BIGOTS AND SLICK POLITICIANS IN WHICH THE STAKE WAS

THE LIFE OF THE SON OF GOD, - HE STANDS AS THE BENEFICIARY OF

CHRIST'S DEATH. THEN HE PASSES, AND WE HEAR OF HIM NO MORE.

MANY THEOLOGIANS HAVE SPECULATED AS TO WHAT HAPPENED TO

THIS MAN BARABBAS. SOME SAY THAT PERHAPS HE WENT ON TO

BECOME A DISCIPLE OF THE DIVINE MAN WHO DIED FOR HIM. ON

ANOTHER EXTREME SOME SUGGEST THAT HE WENT ON TO LIVE OUT HIS

LIFE IN DESERTS AND CAVES BATHING IN TEARS, FORGIVEN, BUT NEVER

ABLE TO FORGIVE HIMSELF THAT THE ADORABLE CHRIST SHOULD HAVE

DIED ON HIS CROSS.

AND EVEN THOUGH BARABBAS SEEMS TO HAVE DISAPPEARED FROM THE

SCENE, HIS LIFE HOWEVER LITTLE OF IT WE KNOW, IS VERY SIGNIFICANT

IN BIBLE HISTORY. FOR OF ALL OF THE PEOPLE MENTIONED IN THE

BIBLE, NO ONE CAN TELL THE STORY OF THE CROSS LIKE BARABBAS. NO

NOT EVEN PETER, JAMES OR JOHN - EVEN MARY OF BETHANY, THE MOST

TRULY SPIRITUAL OF ALL THOSE WHO CAME INTO CONTACT WITH

CHRIST. NOT EVEN MARY KNOWS THE DEPTHS OF THE MEANING OF THE

CROSS LIKE BARABBAS. PAUL KNOWS THE THEOLOGY OF THE CROSS,

AND HE KNOWS IT'S GREAT ETHICAL MEANINGS; BUT NO MAN WHO EVER

LIVED, EXCEPT BARABBAS, SAW JESUS DIE ON A CROSS THAT HAD BEEN

MADE, NOT FOR JESUS, BUT FOR HIM. AND SO MY BROTHERS AND

SISTERS, IF WE ARE TO TRULY UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE

CROSS WE MUST LOOK THROUGH THE EYES OF BARABBAS.

FIRST OF ALL, WE NOTE THAT BARABBAS WAS CONDEMNED TO DIE. NO

ONE HAS EVER QUESTIONED THE JUSTICE OF HIS SENTENCE. PERHAPS

HIS MOTHER, WAITING OUTSIDE OF HIS JAIL CELL, ON WHAT WAS

SUPPOSED TO BE THE LAST DAY OF HER SON'S LIFE, MAYBE SHE WAS

TELLING BYSTANDERS HOW SWEET A BABY HE WAS; HOW ENERGETIC

AND ACTIVE A BOY HE WAS. BUT EVEN HIS MOMMA, DIDN'T SAY HE WAS

INNOCENT.

HE WAS A REBEL AGAINST THE LAW, HE WAS A ROBBER AND MURDERER.

AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT, SO ARE WE. WE HAVE ALL BROKEN A LAW

THAT IS MORE JUST THAN THE LAW OF ROME. WE HAVE ROBBED GOD OF

OUR LOVE AND SERVICE. AND SO LIKE US, HE WAS WAITING NOT FOR A

TRIAL, BUT AN EXECUTION. HE WASN'T ON PROBATION, TO SEE IF HE

WOULD BE GOOD, BUT HE WAS UNDER DOOM BECAUSE HE HAD PROVEN

TO BE BAD. LIKE US HE WAS AS JOHN 3:18 SAYS, "CONDEMNED

ALREADY,".

SO FOR BARABBAS THERE WAS ONLY ONE ROAD THAT HE COULD GO

DOWN, AND THAT WAS THE AWFUL DEATH OF CRUCIFIXION. AND HE

KNEW WHAT THAT MEANT. IT MEANT LONG HOURS OF UNSPEAKABLE

AGONY; IT MEANT THAT HIS HANDS AND FEET WOULD BE TORN BY

GREAT SPIKES; IT MEANT THAT HIS WRIST AND SHOULDER JOINTS

WOULD BE DISLOCATED BY THE DRAGGING DOWN OF THE BODY; IT

MEANT THAT EACH NERVE IN HIS BODY WOULD EXPERIENCE TORTURE.

IT MEANT THAT THERE WOULD BE A RAGING MOB, CHEERING ON HIS

DEATH. THE ONLY QUESTION THAT BARABBAS HAD WAS WHEN, AND

EVEN THAT BEGAN TO BE ANSWERED. THE JAILORS PREPARED THREE

CROSSES. AND HE KNEW THAT THE THREE HOLES IN THE GROUND, THAT

WERE BEING CUT OUT ON THAT HILL CALLED GOLGOTHA, THE PLACE OF

THE SKULL. WITH THE SAME ENTHUSIASM AS THE BLOOD THIRSTY

CROWD, PERHAPS MANY TIMES IN THE PAST, HE HAD STOOD OUT THERE,

URGING ON THE DEATH OF SOME CRIMINAL. YOU KNOW HOW IT IS, AS

LONG AS IT'S SOMEONE ELSE. IT'S NOT SO BAD. AS LONG AS SOMEONE

ELSE'S SIBLING IS ON DRUGS OR IN JAIL, IT'S NOT SO BAD. BUT WHEN

DEVASTATION HIT'S HOME, THE LAUGHTER STOPS. SO HERE HE IS THE

GREATER CRIMINAL, THE ONE THAT WOULD OCCUPY THE MIDDLE CROSS.

THE NIGHT FELL - BARABBAS' LAST NIGHT ON EARTH. BUT IT WAS A

DISTURBED NIGHT. EVEN IN THE PRISON IT WAS PERCEIVED THAT

SOMETHING UNUSUAL WAS OCCURRING. CONFUSED NOISES, OUTCRIES,

THE TRAMPLING OF FEET, PENETRATED THE THICK WALLS. I'M SURE

THAT BARABBAS MUST HAVE WONDERED WHAT IT ALL MEANT. I

IMAGINE THAT HE COULD HERE THE LICKS OF A WHIP STRIKING AGAINST

SOMEONE AS THEY CRIED OUT IN AGONY. BUT THE NIGHT WENT ON,

AND THEN FINALLY IT WAS MORNING- THE DAWN OF BARABBAS'S LAST

DAY ON EARTH. AND NOW HE HEARS FOOTSTEPS, THE KEY BEING

TURNED IN THE LOCK, HIS PRISON DOOR SWUNG OPEN; BUT, JUST AS HE

PREPARED HIMSELF TO HEAR THE WORST WORDS OF HIS LIFE, HE HEARS

THE WORDS, GO FREE BARABBAS! ANOTHER TAKES YOUR PLACE.

ANOTHER WILL DIE ON THE CROSS. AS BARABBAS EMERGED INTO THE

FREE, GLORIOUS SUNSHINE THE CROWD WAS ALREADY SURGING OUT

TOWARD THE PLACE OF THE SKULL. AND THEN, IF NOT BEFORE, THE

CURIOSITY, THE DESIRE MUST HAVE ARISEN IN HIM TO KNOW WHO HAD

BEEN CONDEMNED TO DIE IN HIS PLACE. ONE CAN EASILY IMAGINE HOW

BARABBAS FOLLOWED THE CROWD, STRIVING EAGERLY TO SEE THE MAN

WHO WAS TO DIE FOR HIM. PERHAPS IT WAS NOT UNTIL THE SOUND OF

THE HAMMER, DRIVING THE SPIKES INTO THE HANDS AND FEET OF JESUS,

HAD CEASED, AND THE CROSS - BARABBAS CROSS - HAD BEEN LIFTED,

THAT BARABBAS SAW THE MAN WHO WAS DYING IN HIS PLACE. WE MAY

WELL BELIEVE THAT, MOVED BY THAT STRANGE, IRRESISTIBLE DRAWING

OF WHICH JESUS SPOKE WHEN HE SAID: AND I IF I BE LIFTED UP FROM

THE EARTH, WILL DRAW ALL MEN UNTO ME.

AND SO I IMAGINE THAT AFTER THEY LIFTED UP THE CROSS, BARABBAS

PRESSED HIS WAY THROUGH THE MOB UNTIL HE STOOD, LOOKING UP

INTO THE FACE OF JESUS. AND WHEN HE SAW THE FACE, HE RECOGNIZED

THAT IT WAS THE ONE THAT HAD GONE THROUGH THE STREETS

TEACHING AND PREACHING. BARABBAS REALIZED THAT THIS MAN WAS

THE ONE WHO HADN'T ENCOURAGED PEOPLE TO GO TO FEASTS, AND

PERFORM RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES, BUT RATHER TO BELIEVE IN GOD,

AND TO BE MERCIFUL AND GENTLE AND LOVING.

HE MUST HAVE REMEMBERED HOW THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS WERE

ACCUSING JESUS OF BEING ASSOCIATED WITH SINNERS AND UNGODLY

MEN. GOING AS FAR AS TO EAT WITH THEM. I'M SURE HE REMEMBERED

HOW JESUS TOLD TWO STORIES ABOUT A SHEEP WHICH HAD STRAYED

AWAY. THE SHEPHERD HAD NINETY NINE GOOD, DOCILE, OBEDIENT

SHEEP LEFT, BUT, PUTTING THEM INTO THE FOLD IN THE WILDERNESS,

HE WENT AFTER HIS SHEEP THAT WAS LOST. AND WHEN HE HAD FOUND

HIS SHEEP HE BROUGHT IT TENDERLY HOME ON HIS SHOULDERS, AND

MADE GREAT REJOICING. AND THEN JESUS SAID: THERE IS JOY IN THE

PRESENCE OF THE ANGELS OF GOD WHEN JUST ONE SINNER WAS

BROUGHT BACK, AS THAT SHEEP HAD BEEN. THAT WAS NEW DOCTRINE.

BARABBAS GLANCED AT THE GOOD, RELIGIOUS MEN, THE MEN WHO

PRAYED ON THE STREET CORNERS, THANKING GOD THAT THEY WERE

NOT LIKE OTHER MEN. THEIR DOCTRINE WAS THAT THE ANGELS

REJOICED WHEN THEY SAW PHARISEES PERFORMING RELIGIOUS

CEREMONIES.

YES BARABBAS MUST HAVE KNOWN THE MAN WHO WAS SUFFERING

THERE ON HIS CROSS. HE WAS A SINLESS MAN. EVERYBODY AGREED TO

THAT. TRUE, THE BIG PREACHERS ACCUSED HIM OF BEING A SABBATH

BREAKER; BUT EVERYBODY KNEW THAT HE WAS HOLY. WHY SHOULD

SUCH AN INNOCENT MAN BE THERE DYING ON THE CROSS?

AN SO MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WE SEE THAT BARABBAS HAD NO

NEED TO BE A THEOLOGIAN TO FORM A GOOD WORKING THEORY OF THE

ATONING POWER OF THE CROSS. FOR HE KNEW THAT HE WAS A GUILTY

WRETCH, UNDER THE RIGHTEOUS CONDEMNATION OF THE LAW. AND IN

BOTH THESE RESPECTS BARABBAS WAS A REPRESENTATIVE OF US ALL.

"AS IT IS WRITTEN, THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NO, NOT ONE." FOR ALL

HAVE SINNED AND COME SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD."

BARABBAS KNEW THAT THE SUFFERER BEFORE HIM HAD DONE NO SIN.

HE KNEW THAT JESUS WAS, FOR HIM, A TRUE SUBSTITUTE. CHRIST WAS

ACTUALLY DYING IN HIS PLACE. AN INNOCENT AND HOLY BEING

BEARING THE VERY PENALTY WHICH THE LAW HAD JUSTLY DECREED TO

HIM. WHOEVER IN THE COMING AGES MIGHT QUESTION WHETHER

CHRIST'S DEATH WAS SUBSTITUTIONAL NEED ONLY LOOK TO BARABBAS

FOR THE ANSWER.

BUT We have acted Just like the handful of cult followers who had abandoned Jesus at his

trial and crucifixion, who had been mourning not only the loss of their leader, but also of

their faith, who were either in hiding for fear that they would be killed next, or who had

already skipped town, but they after his death and especially after his resurrection were

energized. Unlike us, They were filled with the urge to go out and spread the good news to

as many people as they could, before Jesus came again to end the world and rescue the

faithful. They did extraordinary deeds, and took extraordinary risks. They were

transformed by the resurrection, and in turn transformed an obscure Jewish revival

movement into Christianity, which in turn transformed world history.

AND SO MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, Easter is the defining miracle of Christianity.

Christians are those who maintain that the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is a

physical and historical fact. Or so we say. But most of us don't believe it firmly enough to

stake our lives on it -- by which I mean to say that just about all of us live our lives as if it

had never happened.

And now, two thousand years later, are we energized? Does our Christianity transform

history, or has it been captured by the culture in which it is contained? Does our faith still

make history, or is it a slave to history and to culture, forced to affirm the beliefs that make

the greatest number of us comfortable?

Now, compared to us, the earliest Christians had one advantage -- a sense of urgency.

They thought that Judgement Day would occur before the apostles died, which is why they

didn't immediately write the gospels. It was not until the apostles were dying that the first

Christians realized that there would be future generations for whom knowledge of Christ

would need to be preserved. Before that they formed idealistic communities, sharing their

goods in common, giving up worldly concerns. And they evangelized and waited.

We, on the other hand, have lost that sense of urgency. We, too, wait

for Christ to bring about the new heaven and the new earth, but in the meantime, we know

that we must live our lives. And we do so. Which in the modern era, means business as

usual. Which in turn means living as though nothing had happened two thousand years

ago. Oh yes, I know, some of us make bold proclaimations about the Good News, some of

us are preachers who draw a living wage from the Word, some of us go to church every

now and then. But in all important essentials, almost all of us would be doing the same

things we are doing now with our lives if we were Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, or atheists.