AS WE GATHER – Barabbas was a brutal criminal with anger in his heart and blood on his hands. Custom dictated that Pontius Pilate should
release one prisoner at the feast of Passover. Pilate knows Jesus is innocent and tries to get the crowd to ask for Jesus’ release, but the crowd
calls instead for Barabbas. The crowd condemns the innocent Jesus and demands that the guilty Barabbas receive a pardon. We are Barabbas. We are guilty and sinful and deserving of death. But we are also Barabbas in that Jesus takes our place, takes our punishment, and sets us free.