Barabbas was a lucky man. He was a common criminal, in league with rebels who murder. He deserved to die. But Jesus died in his place. Jesus died so Barabbas didn’t have to. I wonder how Barabbas lived the rest of life. Did he live like the criminal he was before his near death? Or did he live with renewed purpose, meaning, and morality? Did he live like a man who had received a great gift? We don’t know. We know nothing else about the man. But I wonder.
Remember the scene at the end of Saving Private Ryan where an elderly Private Ryan is standing at the grave of the man who had risked everything for his life in the days following D-Day? He asked his family to tell him that his life had been worth the price the others paid for him. I hope Barabbas lived a life that was worthy of the man who died in his place 2,000 years ago.
But Barabbas isn’t the only person that Jesus died in the place of. The Bible says he died in your place as well (Romans 5:8). He was your substitute on the cross. The question is, has your life been worth it? He died for you so you can live for him. Knowing what he gave up for us should change how we look at and how we live our lives.
Are you living a life that’s worthy of the price Jesus paid?
