We Have Been Set Free

We Have Been Set Free!

I was sitting in my jail cell. Staring at the cracks in the wall, I was meditating on the events that had landed me in jail. The evil Romans had finally caught me. How could I have let them get the best of me this time? How could I have murdered someone just in a blink of an eye? How? Why? Anyway, now I sit waiting for my life to be taken away, as punishment for the life I took. The feelings I feel are like none I have ever experienced. I am scared, sad, angry, and even a bit sorry. But sorry doesn’t cover it this time. This time I am in major trouble. Death awaits me. I feel as helpless and as hopeless as I have ever felt in my life.

As I listen to the moans of prisoners and the faint drip of water in the background two guards rushed into my cell and bound me, and dragged me in front of an angry mob of people. Having been in a dark jail cell, the sunlight was blinding and the noise of the mob deafening. The crowd was yelling my name, Barabbas! Set him free! Crucify Jesus! I had no idea what was going on. Then Pilate let me go. The guards unbound me and threw me to the mass of people. I was set free! I couldn’t believe what had just taken place. I was on death row. Then I was jerked around, bound, blinded, and then set free. When my feet reached the crowd I took off running as fast as I could pushing through the people and making my way out of the city. I didn’t want to take a chance that anyone would change their mind, so I didn’t stop until I was in the countryside in a safe hiding place.

I fell asleep in my hideout and didn’t wake up until morning. When I woke up I went into the nearby village to steal some food and while I was there I overheard some of the towns people talking. They said that the Miracle Worker, Jesus the Nazarene who helped hundreds was dead. He had been crucified on the cross, a terrible death. Then I realized that the man that the crowd chose to send to the cross was this same Jesus, He died the death that was reserved for me. I wasn’t sure what Jesus did to take my place or why He suffered this dreadful death; all I knew was I was set free!

This story is a fictional story of what Barabbas may have experienced the day he was released from jail. We may not know what actually happened with Barabbas, but we do know that Jesus took Barabbas’ punishment. Regardless of what Barabbas did with his new found freedom, the Bible tells us that we, like Barabbas were sentenced to die in our sin but Jesus took our place (Rom. 5:8).

Since Jesus Christ died for us and was raised from the dead, we have a choice to make. The Bible tells us we can either run away from Christ or we can come to Him by confessing our faith in Christ (Rom. 10:9-10), repent of our sin (Lk. 13:3,5), be baptized (immersion) in His name for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 22:16), and following Him completely (Rev. 2:10). We have been set free, what will we do with our new found freedom?

By: Mark T. Tonkery

Minister

Little Hocking Church of Christ

P.O. Box 152

Little Hocking, Ohio