| RSS feed xml Podcast  A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. Previous Message · Easy read/print edition Wednesday, April 4, 2007  It depicts our role in the crucifixion of च्रिस्त।  Click here to listen to us read this message on your audio player."I Should Have Been Crucified" "Then he (Pilate) released Barabbas to them" (Matthew 27:26). When I was a young Christian back in the seventies I was blessed by a song with the intriguing title, "I Should Have Been Crucified." To this day, though I rarely hear the song anymore and am not a singer I can still recall the words. It's got a great message about the Biblical doctrine of substitutionary atonement.*1 But one person in history could have sang it in a very special way, Barabbas, who was released in Christ's place. He could rightly have said, "I should have been crucified." The Scriptures tell us very little about Barabbas and nothing concerning what became of him following his brief appearance in the Gospels as Christ's substitute. He was a "notorious prisoner" (Matthew 27:16) who had been involved in murder and sedition (Luke 23:19). John 18:40 reports he had taken part in a rebellion. In Roman law he deserved to die. But he was released at the trial of Jesus, as the crowd clamored, "No, not Him. Give us Barabbas!" (The same crowd cried out "Crucify Him, Crucify Him" concerning Christ.) I wonder what Barabbas thought when he heard this? Since he was in the city it's not unreasonable to assume that he witnessed the crucifixion, or at least the events leading up to it.
Bible teacher Donald Grey Barnhouse writes these thoughts concerning Barabbas: "He was the only man in the world who could say that Jesus Christ took his physical place. But I can say that Jesus Christ took my spiritual place. For it was I who deserved to die. It was I who deserved that the wrath of God should be poured on me. I deserved the eternal punishment of the lake of fire. He was delivered up for my offenses. He was handed over to judgment because of my sins -- Christ was my substitute. He was satisfying the debt of divine justice and holiness. That is why I say that Christianity can be expressed in the three phrases: I deserved hell; Jesus took my hell; there is nothing left for me but His heaven." In several ways Barabbas is a type of the redeemed through all the ages.
Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber Daily prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for dying in my place on the Cross! "I should have been crucified" Lyrics Audio *1 The Biblical doctrine of substitutionary atonement. It's interesting as I prepared today's message that the word "substitutionary" is not in the spellchecker in MS WORD. (I really rely on that spellchecker!) For a deeper study on this topic I suggest this article. *2 A very interesting work of fiction concerning Barabbas has been written, as well as made into a movie that conjectures that he did become a Christian. Note: Today's message has less than normal input from Brooksyne since she had a school appointment with Ester.  I took this photo of a stunning piece of art hanging in the foyer of an office building in Springfield, Missouri last year. It has a similar theme as the one above. |
| Administration Information  The Weber Family Stephen, Brooksyne & Ester "Our family wants to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!" (Click on photo to enlarge)  Each weekday Brooksyne and I prepare these messages and distribute them at no cost to you and many others all around the world. Would you please consider a financial offering to support us in this encouragement ministry? See here for details. Brooksyne and I thank God for another year of service for Him through our internet ministry and welcome readers to view our 2006 ministry report. Join: To receive this free "Daily Encouragement" devotional through email use our form. Cancel: To remove your address from this mailing list merely use the link at the very bottom. (To change addresses cancel your old address and then join again using your new address.) Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and I make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and to prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity." How to become a child of God Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission; and the King James Version. © Copyright 2007 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved  |
