Barabbas was a man who was in prison with a death sentence at the time Jesus was arrested for crimes he did not commit. Barabbas on the other hand, was guilty beyond any doubt and deserved his punishment.
He represents all of humanity since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. Each of us has a bit of Barabbas within our soul. We lie at times, we lash out in anger and say mean words that hurt, we gossip and well, you name it.
The account of Barabbas is recorded for us in the Gospel of Matthew--27:16-26, and he is mentioned again briefly in Acts 3:14-15.
I recently watched a video that brought this story to life in a moving and powerful way-it tells about the day Barabbas heard about Jesus. We don't know how it affected Barabbas, but we can decide how it will affect us.
I invite you to spend a few more moments of your time to watch this video. You can watch it by clicking, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toEdT0VEHKI
At the end of the video, the question is posed, "What will you do"?
Each of us know in the depth of our hearts who we really are. We know when God is speaking. We can hear the faint voice of grace calling out our names. If this is you today, I encourage you to answer the call.
All it takes is the courage to ask God to forgive you for running all these days, months or years. Surrender your life to Him--he already called you so he is waiting to hear from you. Accept the trade He made for you--your life for his. Jesus Christ paid the price so we wouldn't have to. It is an eternal decision with benefits that begin the moment you open your heart.
Give Jesus a try, what have you to lose? Chances are nothing else has worked out so well so far. You may not be in a literal prison, though some are, but you are in your own personal prison and the real you is literally dying to get out.
This is a sobering message, but these are tough times--some of you might even be angry at what you saw and what you are reading now, yet you are compelled to continue. Why is that? Perhaps it's because you are tired of running.
Freedom begins today, right this moment.
Here is an example of what you can pray:
Dear Lord,
I am tired of running from you, thank you for never giving up on me. There is a lot I don't know or understand about you, but I have come to realize that you are real. Please come into my life, help me understand and learn from you. I need you in my life, I want you in my life. Please take these feeling of doubt and turn them into a strong faith. I have so little to give at the moment, but I am trusting you to take all that I have. I promise to follow you and I will rely on you to help me keep my promise. In Jesus name, Amen.
You can change it to fit what your heart speaks. I only include it for those who have never prayed before.
This however, is just the beginning. The Christian life with all its rewards has its challenges. Christianity is not for the weak. You will need to find a healthy, Bible believing church, get a Bible and start reading. I can guarantee it will be awkward at first, but don't let that keep you from moving forward. Soon you will feel comfortable in your new life with Christ.
There are a lot of great books to help you get started. I suggest the following:
How to Study Your Bible by Kay Arthur
Evidence for Faith 101 by Bruce Bickel and Stan Jantz
The Spirit-Filled Study Bible – New King James Version
The New Living Translation of the Bible
Lord bless you in you new walk with Christ!
Related Post: I am a New Christian
© Teresa Ortiz 2008
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