The Choice Of Barabbas Instead Of Jesus
By Senior Pastor Dr. Bill Rains | October 15, 2023
Open your Bibles to Luke 23:1-31. Today’s message, “The Choice Of Barabbas Instead Of Jesus,” brings tears to my eyes—such a tragic choice. From verse 12: “Pilate and Herod were made friends… They cried, Crucify him… Jesus said, Weep not for me, but weep for yourselves.” Let’s pray: Father, thank You for this faithful church, Ava’s salvation, and her baptism. Help the unsaved choose You today. Fill me with Your Spirit to preach, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
After the council fabricated lies against Jesus, a mob took Him to Pilate, who found no fault (verses 1-11). Herod abused Him, and Pilate, hoping to free Him via a feast custom, faced a shocking choice. Three lessons emerge.
The Choice of Barabbas
Pilate said, “I have found no fault in this man… I will release him.” But the mob demanded Barabbas, a murderer, seditionist, and robber (Mark 15:7, John 18:40). Jesus, who “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38), healed, and loved, was rejected for this devil-like thug (John 10:10). It’s the insanity of sin—choosing destruction over salvation. Today, rejecting Jesus opens the door to Satan, ruining families and generations. Parents, choosing Christ is your kids’ only hope.
The Cries for Crucifixion
The mob shouted, “Crucify him, crucify him!” Religious leaders incited this, manipulating the gullible (verse 23). Influence is powerful—“the slightest breeze wavers tender grass.” They ignored Jesus’ miracles and goodness, condemning the innocent. John 3:17-20 says rejecting light for darkness reveals an evil heart. There’s no middle ground (Matthew 12:30)—you’re for Christ or against Him. Don’t condemn the innocent Savior.
The Coming Judgment
Jesus warned, “Weep not for me, but weep for yourselves and your children… They shall say to the mountains, Fall on us.” Judgment is generational. In 70 AD, Titus leveled Jerusalem—mothers wished they’d never borne children. History repeats: Hadrian killed 580,000 Jews, pogroms followed, and the Holocaust claimed millions. The mob’s cry, “His blood be on us and our children” (Matthew 27:25), invited hell. Rejecting Jesus today brings judgment—now and at the White Throne. Choose Christ to spare your lineage.
