Jesus Took Your Place, And That Changes Everything: On Forgiveness
Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
John 18:37
Being the youngest of seven kids was pure sibling chaos. Once, when I was jumping on the couch, even though I wasn’t supposed to, I did a flip that resulted in my mom’s favorite lamp shattering on the floor.
When she came running in, I panicked and blamed it on my sister. . . she got in trouble, and for a short moment, it felt nice to get off the hook. But eventually my sister told the truth, and the guilt of what I had done ate me alive. Finally, I owned up to my wrongdoing and faced the consequence I deserved.
If you have siblings, you probably know that feeling, someone getting blamed for your mistake, or maybe you were the one who took the fall for something you didn’t do. That memory always comes to mind when I read John 18, a pivotal story when Jesus is about to take the punishment for not just one sibling, but for all of humanity.
The Exchange That Changed Everything
Jesus was brought before Pilate, accused of claiming to be “King of the Jews,” a threat to Roman rule. At this time, Judea was under Roman control, and while the Jewish leaders had influence over religious and civil matters, only Rome could authorize the death penalty. Pilate and King Herod, though normally at odds, became strangely united that day over the death of an innocent man.
Both leaders found no guilt in Jesus, yet the crowds demanded His crucifixion. When Pilate went outside to greet the throngs of people who had gathered, he acknowledged that the Jews had a custom in which one prisoner should be released at Passover.
He asked, “So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” (John 18:39).
But they cried out for the release of Barabbas instead. In John, Barabbas’s crime is listed as robbery. But Mark 15:7 and Luke 23:19 both reveal that Barabbas was among insurrectionists who had committed the crime of murder.
And yet that’s the man the crowds wanted to release instead of Jesus.
Think about that. The Savior of the world, who healed the sick, opened blind eyes, fed the multitudes, raised the dead, and did nothing but love, was condemned. And a known criminal went free.
And in that exchange, we see the gospel: We are Barabbas. We are the guilty ones set free while Jesus takes our place. He didn’t deserve the punishment, yet He willingly bore it so we could be forgiven.
No Merit of Our Own
When I think about that, I’m humbled. Any pride or self-righteousness quickly fades when I remember that without Jesus, I would be eternally separated from God.
In my story, I wrongly blamed my sister. But in Jesus’s story, the opposite happened. He was completely innocent, yet He didn’t protest or defend Himself.
Jesus wasn’t forced into this. He chose it. For Barabbas. For every sinner who would ever call on His name. It’s not by your own merit that you earn salvation and grace, but by what He did for you.
In His Word
“God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.” Romans 5:8-10 ESV
Jesus didn’t wait for us to get it together. He chose the cross in the middle of our mess.
In Your Life
Is there any area of your life where you still believe you can earn your way into God’s favor? How does the story of Barabbas challenge that belief?
We Recommend
If this devotional resonated with you, check out The Abiding Way by Jeanine Amapola Ward to learn what it truly means to abide in Christ–and how remaining close to Him changes everything about how you live.
Interested in more on Jesus’ heart for you? Here’s an encouraging reminder: Jesus doesn’t let you walk through hardship alone.
Let’s Connect
Jeanine Amapola Ward is an author, podcast host, speaker, and Christian influencer from Dallas, Texas. Jeanine is passionate about helping women around the world know Jesus more and become secure in who Christ made them to be. Her goal is to help women become happy and healthy in all areas of life through God’s Word and daily habits. Learn more at JeanineAmapola.com.