Today we took the Lord’s Supper, which represents the death of Christ. One of the challenges we face is trying to make a connection to the event that happened so long ago.

If you had been present at the trial of Jesus, whom would you have been? With whom could you identify?

You might be able to connect with Peter’s fear or Mary’s sadness. But there is one man we can all identify with, and that is Barabbas, a rebel and thief and murderer who was condemned to be crucified.

In the time when Jesus was to be crucified, Pilate had a tradition of releasing one Jewish criminal to the people. This time he gave the people a choice between Barabbas and Jesus. It was a choice between someone who never sinned and a man who was a known sinner. The people asked for the sinner, Barabbas, to be released. Ultimately, Jesus took the place of this sinner on the cross. The sinner was set free. The sinner likely had many questions. Who am I that He would die for me? What will I do with my new life? What path will I choose?

We are like Barabbas because we have rebelled too, not against the Roman government, but against God. Rebellion against the creator of the universe is grounds for death. Fortunately, like Barabbas, Jesus has swapped places with us. 1 Peter 3:18 shows us how this works, this is the doctrine of substitutionary atonement, that Christ died in our place to atone for our sins.

We have been pardoned. For those of us who have accepted salvation this should create a sense of relief that we aren’t going to Hell.