The place where Barabbas was being held would have been the Fortress of Antonio and
the place where Jesus’ trial was, would have been Harods Palace.
These two places are approx. 2,000 feet apart, so try to Imagine Barabbas in prison
chained to the other prisoners, they all were involved in a rebellion and all committed
murder, now where the trial of Jesus is going on is 2,000 feet away, Barabbas could not of
heard Pilate but could have heard the crowd. (EXPOUND)
So now think, here he is in a dark prison and here is what the text says (Remember he
would not be able to hear Pilate but he would be able to hear the crowd)
MT 27:21 "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" asked the Governor.
“Barabbas," they answered. Now remember they were shouting, so the only thing
Barabbas could hear is his name being shouted, so wile in prison suddenly Barabbas hears
his name being shouted by the crowd, and listen to what he heard next. (Remember he
could not hear Pilate).
MT 27:22 "What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?" Pilate asked.
They all answered, "Crucify him!"
MT 27:23 "Why? What crime has he committed?" asked Pilate.
But they shouted all the louder, "Crucify him!"
Get it, here is Barabbas in prison awaiting his execution and suddenly what does he hear
(Barabbas- crucify him---crucify him).
He thought for sure that he was a goner, he must have been sweating bullets when
moments later he heard the footsteps of the Roman Soldiers and the Jingling sound of
keys, and suddenly the door swung open, the Soldier enters and unchains him and says “
go, your free, the man Jesus who is called Christ will die in your place.
History doesn’t give us anymore about Barabbas but what we do know about him is that
he was the son of a Priest, and as a son of a priest he would have known scripture, for any
priest would have taught his son the scriptures. We also know that he was a rebel, we also
know that Jesus was considered a rebel, therefore Barabbas would have known who Jesus
was, for there was much talk about Him.
Did Barabbas ever receive salvation unto eternal life with Christ? I don’t know.
For, just knowing who Jesus is and even knowing scripture isn’t enough to enter into the
Kingdom of Heaven.
Lets look at scripture, what Jesus had to say about it.
MT 7:21 "Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven,
but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on
that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out
demons and perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, `I never knew you.
Away from me, you evildoers!’ ( an-om-ee’-ah )
From G459; illegality, that is, violation of law or (generally) wickedness: - iniquity, X
transgress (-ion of) the law, unrighteousness.
LK 13:22 Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to
Jerusalem. 23 Someone asked him, "Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?"
He said to them, 24 "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I
tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 25 Once the owner of the house gets up
and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, `Sir, open the door for
us."But he will answer, `I don’t know you or where you come from.’
26 "Then you will say, `We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’
27 "But he will reply, `I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you
evildoers!’ ( ad-ee-kee’-ah )From G94; (legal) injustice (properly the quality, by
implication the act); moral wrongfulness (of charater, life or act): - iniquity, unjust,
unrighteousness, wrong.
These are very scary verses, look at who He is talking to, people who call Him Lord,
People who spoke His Word , Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name,
These are Church folks, they are people who stake a claim to Christ, These are people
who THINK that they are Christians.
IM sure that Barabbas would have went out and told people and friends about Jesus
taking his place on the cross, about his near death experience about how the innocent
Jesus paid the price of death instead of him.
But that is not enough, for unless Barabbas had true saving faith, witch leads to the
indwelling of the Holy Spirit and a totally changed life, he would have been lost.
We need to take inventory of ourselves to make sure we are NOT one of those that Jesus
is talking about in the above verses.
Remember last time I gave you three attitudes that we must display if we are truly saved.
Attitudes of Humility, Repentance and Submissive Obedience to God
Today I am going to give you three desires that the Holy Spirit will produce in us if we
are truly saved.
1) We must desire to honor Gods Word.
In other words to live by it, & to show a true change of life. (EXPOUND)
Submission to God, His Word & to the dominating control of the Holy Spirit.
EPH 5:8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children
of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and
find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness,
but rather expose them.
COL 3:5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual
immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the
wrath of God is coming. 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8
But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander,
and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off
your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in
knowledge in the image of its Creator.
REV 3:3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent.
But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I
will come to you.
Jesus Himself said JN 14:15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command.
To discern if we are truly saved we must have a desire to honor Gods Word.
2) We must desire Gods Word; To read it & Know it.
If we are truly saved we will have a burning desire for Gods word
To Understand it, To rightly divide it (EXPOUND)
2TIM 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting
and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for
every good work.
1PE 1:10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to
come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11 trying to find out the time
and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted
the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow
AC 17:11 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they
received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if
what Paul said was true.
PS 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light for my path.
We Must display a desire for Gods word to discern that we are truly saved.
3) We must have a desire to proclaim Gods word.
If we are truly saved, than we truly love God, and we will have a burning desire to
proclaim His Gospel (Good News)
For how could we not, look what He has done for us.
ROM 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners,
Christ died for us.
And remember, again what Jesus said, If you love me, you will obey what I command
Lets look at one of His commands.
MAT 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything
I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
RO 10:14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can
they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without
someone preaching to them? 15 And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is
written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"
JN 1:40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had
said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother
Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ)
If we are truly saved we must display these three desires 1) to honor Gods Word
2) to read and know Gods Word. 3) to proclaim Gods Word i.e. “to tell others about
Jesus “the good news”.
MT 22:37 -38 Jesus replied: " `Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all
your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment.
Are you truly saved.
