The Bible says: ‘With one voice they cried out, “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!” (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder)’ (vv.18-19 NIV 1984 Edition). And just like Barabbas, we deserve to die for our sins. Four prison walls, thickened with fear, hurt, and hate, surround us. We’re incarcerated by our past, our low-road choices, and our high-minded pride. We’ve been found guilty. We sit on the floor of a dusty cell awaiting the final moment. Our executioner’s footsteps echo against stone walls. Head between knees, we don’t look up as he opens the door; we don’t lift our eyes as he begins to speak. We know what he’s going to say: ‘Time to pay for your sins.’ But then you hear something else: ‘You’re free to go. They took Jesus instead of you.’ The door swings open, the guard barks, ‘Get out!’ and we find ourselves in the light of the morning sun, shackles gone, crimes pardoned, wondering, ‘What just happened?’ Grace happened! Christ took away your sins. All of them. Where did He take them? To the top of a hill called Calvary.
‘God in his gracious kindness declares us not guilty…through Christ Jesus, who has freed us by taking away our sins. For God sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and to satisfy God’s anger against us. We are made right with God when we believe that Jesus shed His blood, sacrificing His life for us’ (Romans 3:24-25 NLT 1996 Edition).
Jesus loves and forgives you, and He has a wonderful plan for your life. So come to Him today.
2 Samuel 21-22, Acts 1
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