A New Perspective on the Crucifixion

Yeah, yeah, I know about the crucifixion. Most of us do, having heard since childhood how Jesus was unjustly whipped, mocked, and crucified to take care of our sins. But at church last Sunday my pastor talked about Barabbas. All I really thought about when I heard that name was that he was a criminal who was released in place of Jesus. Now, I think of myself.

Imagine that you are sitting inside a dirty, dark cell awaiting the death sentence. All you can do is sit and think over what you did wrong. You led a rebellion, killed some people, and the plan backfired on you. So what have you spent the last however many days doing? Sitting on rock hard concrete rethinking about your past and maybe what you should have done differently to avoid death. Oh well, nothing left I can do. There goes my life, my opportunities, my family. If only... 

All of a sudden, you hear the jangle of keys and the sound of armor clanking as a soldier walks near you. Looking up, your heart seems to fall down in your stomach as he stops at your cell and starts to unlock it. Here we go. Crucifixion. Not only do I have to die, but in the most humiliating way possible. What would your reaction be if the solder, after opening the door, said "You are free"? Whoa whoa whoa. Hold up. How can I be free? I killed these people. I rebelled. I did wrong. I am supposed to be killed today. Are you joking me? "No, I'm not. You are being set free and that Jesus guy is dying. The crowd chose to release you, as is custom at Passover." Yeah, but I didn't think that Jesus guy did anything wrong, at least as not as bad as me. Isn't he famous for making that blind man see? And that lame man that always sat at the city gates can walk now, supposedly thanks to Jesus! Something is wrong with this picture. "Don't question it, just go," the guard says, obviously tired of hearing you try to reason this out. But there is no reasonable answer for why you are going free. You are guilty, and you know that you deserve death.

Would you be at Golgotha that afternoon, seeing Jesus on that middle cross? Every time a hammer struck a nail, every time Jesus cried out in agony, would a shiver run through your spine? Would you do something different with your life, having come close enough to practically taste death? 

The truth is, because of what each of us has done, no matter how "big" or "small" it seems in our mind, we deserve that humiliating death on two wooden beams. We should have been mocked, we should have felt the splinters digging into our fresh wounds. Yet Jesus Christ took that shame from us and felt it Himself even though He did nothing wrong.

How incredible is that love! What a wonderful second chance at life that we have been given! So often, though, we forget about what we have been saved from. We can casually say "Yes, I've been saved by Jesus Christ" and it can do nothing inside of our hearts. That is not the way it should be, though! Friends, we have been SAVED, RESCUED, LIBERATED, SALVAGED from the mess we have made and the punishment that we so deserve! God's grace abounds and even though we still make mistakes it gives God opportunity to even further His power in us.

As Easter approaches, don't let it be just an annual tradition to take communion and to think about the horrid death Jesus endured on the cross. Put yourself in Barabbas' shoes. Think about where you stand. And what are you going to do different with this second chance at life?

*True Love - Phil Wickham

Come close listen to the story 

About a love more faithful than the morning 
The Father gave his only son just to save us 

The earth was shaking in the dark 
All creation felt the Father's broken heart 
Tears were filling heaven's eyes 
The day that true love died, the day that true love died 
When blood and water hit the ground
Walls we couldn't move came crashing down
We were free and made alive
The day that true love died, the day that true love died

Search your heart, you know you can't deny it
Come on, lose your life just so you can find it
The Father gave his only son just to save us

The earth was shaking in the dark 
All creation felt the father's broken heart 
Tears were filling heaven's eyes 
The day that true love died, the day that true love died 
When blood and water hit the ground
Walls we couldn't move came crashing down
We were free and made alive
The day that true love died, the day that true love died

Now Jesus is alive 
Jesus is alive 
Jesus is alive 
Jesus is alive
Jesus is alive
oh He is alive
He rose again

When blood and water hit the ground
Walls we couldn't move came crashing down
We were free and made alive
The day that true love died, the day that true love died

Come close listen to the story