Saving The Robber And Killing The King

John 18:40, “Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.”


“How could the Jews do such a thing to this innocent Christ” we often say. “He was filled with no fault of His own, but yet they still wanted this dirty rebel rouser, Barabbas, that fought against the law of God” we mostly go on to say. But many times we are so lost in condemning “these selfish people void of the understanding of God” that we overlook the areas in our own lives where we do just as these selfish sinners. Whenever Christ asks us to lay down our life so He can live through us, and we turn the other way, we are in essence saying the same words that the Jewish crowd said on that day. Fully knowing that Barabbas was a rebel against the Law of God, they still cried out, “Give us Barabbas!!” Understanding completely that this Barabbas they wanted to free was a cutthroat God hater, they still screamed “Give us Barabbas!!!” just as you and I do when we ignore the call of Christ. He calls us to lay down our life so He may live through us, but seeing that the price is too grand we say with our indirect actions “give me Barabbas!” We know that to not do what Christ has asked is a sin, and we know that we are just allowing our flesh to have freedom, and while realizing that our flesh is no more than a dirty rebel rouser against all of Gods desires, and knowing that our flesh is still yet a sinful cutthroat God hater, we put off dying and in essence say, “not today Lord, just give me the easy way out today! I can’t handle giving all my wants up at one time, so I hear you asking, and I truly realize you have called me to lay down my Barabbas, but no Lord! Give me my Barabbas today! I’m sorry, and maybe tomorrow, but just give me Barabbas for now.”

Dear soul, you are placing Christ back on the cross again! You are saving your flesh, and killing the King of Kings! This is no game to play. Either die so He can live, or live with Christ on the cross of your heart. I don’t want to kill the King in my life. To save the robber and kill the King means that all of Christ greatness is of no effect in me, or for me.

Listen to me closely, you weren’t called to live this life your way… you was called to place your flesh on the altar, and kill it so that the King may live through you. Don’t place Christ back on the cross, beloved. Don’t save that robber to kill the King again.