https://youtu.be/spFmyG9wghQ

Mark 15:1-15Lets put ourselves in the shoes of Barabbas here- He was a known rebel and murdererBible doesn’t say much about the rebellion or the murder. I don’t know if he knew about Jesus or notBut hes about to go up to his death- and Pilate asks “which one of these guys you want”The murderer or this guy who has been healing the sick and raising the dead?If I’m Barabbas- I know where this is going. What chance do I have? Why would I be let Go?What have I done to deserve any sort of pardon? In shackles- I’d think he’d know a little something- maybe a little bit about what he has done- maybe some regret?But NO- PARDON- SET FREE- Jesus takes his place- HE goes FREERomans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.Barabbas did NOTHING to deserve his pardon. NOTHING. Jesus did EVERYTHING1 John 4:10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.Barabbas was possibly the first person saved by the cross- the act hadn’t happened, but Jesus was going to cross for all humanity and Barabbas was the FIRST one to benefit from itSAVED from DEATH. SET FREE and RELEASED- Through NO work of his OWNEphesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.So he walks away- He gets the pardon. He gets the free pass. FORGIVEN- or at least set FREEI wonder how his life changed? Did he go back to being a murderer? A rebel? How did he live?The Bible doesn’t say- Its quite silent in fact- But he was FREE and PARDONED- This is what I HOPE

Hopefully his behavior changed

The scripture says “who was chained with his fellow rebels; they had committed murder in the rebellion”So him and his friends were rebels that had committed murder. Real stand up guyHe deserved death. Genesis 9:6 “Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed; For in the image of God He made man.After his pardon- I really hope he started living his life correctly. I hope he didn’t go back to his sin Proverbs 26:11 As a dog returns to his own vomit, So a fool repeats his folly.I hope he stuck around, watched Jesus come back from the dead and had his life changedAnd if it did? Then I HOPE his behavior changed. How could it not? HE HAD BEEN SET FREECan you imagine someone who deserved death, and was set free to go back and keep living the same type of life? What if he went back to murdering? What if he stayed in rebellion?Paul said- Ephesians 4:28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.I hope that’s what happened in his life!What does it mean to you?I hope that your behavior has changed since you were set free. I hope you didn’t go back to where you came from. I hope your behavior has changed.Galatians 5:16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.But you cant walk in the spirit if you are walking in the behaviors of the fleshWhen you’ve been set FREE your behaviors should CHANGE- drastically!People should say- Wasn’t that Barabbas? The guy that was a murderer but got set free?Is it too much to expect Ephesians 4:29-31 READ from ourselves? Is it too much?Colossians 3:5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.Here’s what funny- as a pastor I’ll say this to people to get them right and they get MADWe should be holding ourselves accountable to it- Have you forgotten what you were free fromTitus 2:12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,