BARABBAS....
I was there, I stood there that day. I couldn't understand it, even when I looked into his eyes, there was this mixture of pain and fulfilment. He was about to be sentenced to death! Even the governor of our region Pontius Pilate wanted to free him. I got the shocker of my life when he said "My Kingdom is not of this world."
My name is Barabbas. Yes the Barabbas for whom
Jesus of Nazareth died for. Pilate, and Gaius his assistant were shocked, they really wanted me dead, because I had been a thorn in their flesh since Caeser Augustus sent him to the region of Judea. I don't know why I feel like calling him Lord, he took my place. I am a hardened criminal, but this incident broke me. Perfect love was in his eye. Pilate sneered "don't you know I have the power to set you free!" And ever so calmly he said "this power was given to you from above, you have no power over me except my father gave it to you."
While I was thinking about his confidence, my thought was interrupted by the growing chant of the crowd, "Away with this Jesus of Nazareth, crucify Jesus, Free Barabbas"... I couldn't look at his face, but when I lifted up my eyes, I was shocked with what I saw, was that a smile? With that glow on his face, it was as if he spoke into my heart, like he came into my head and said "Barrabas, I will take the place of anyone no matter how terrible he is, so man, be free! Who the Son sets free is free indeed"
Few hours later, they crucified him, and he said the craziest thing I ever heard "FATHER FORGIVE THEM, FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO"... forgive them? I felt like I would get paralysed, I was completely broken, I shed a tear, but tried to hide it, for my reputation's sake. I couldn't understand this. I have heard of this Jesus, but I didn't know him, but amazingly he wanted to die for me. I travelled to Joppa to cool off, because I was almost going insane, I saw those eyes in my dreams, I saw that smile, I saw the glow and I always heard that voice!
After about 1 month and two weeks, I decided to go and see John, who as I heard was closest to him, to find out about this man who was just about my age, that took my place. I spent many days with him, listening to many intimate moments with Jesus, the scary times when he walked towards them on the sea, the solemn moments on the mountain of transfiguration and the highly charged and emotional moments of the last supper, John loved him, it burned in his eyes, as he narrated. I stayed with John many days. I didn't know that Jesus of Nazareth was not done with me yet.
Exactly 50 days from the day he was killed in my place, I had the most beautiful encounter of my life, it was later that Peter told me that it is the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the promise of Jesus. Why are all these happening at the same time I asked myself. I left, I ran towards the garden of Gethsemane, John had already told me about the agonizing moments in that place. I cried out "Lord your love is killing me! But I don't want to be free, you said I am free, I could go, but at the same time I am drawn to slavery to your love! " I prayed till I slept off...
Just them I saw him in my dreams, looking glorious, I don't have the words to describe his awesome majesty, truly he is beautiful beyond description. He stretched his nail drilled hand towards me and said yet again, "Barrabas, I love you" let me reveal what happened to you.
That was the piece of puzzle I was looking for.. He said, do you know my disciple James? James the zealots, and I said yes, he was in my sect, the zealots. He nodded gently. You people believe in restoring the kingdom of Israel by force, and in doing so, you got yourself into trouble. My people Israel rejected me because they didn't have an idea the kingdom I came to bring, on two occasions they tried to forcefully make me king, so that I would lead a revolt, but I ran away. So they felt I am weak, they thought love is weak. Listen Barrabas he said, "my kingdom is not of this world, it is in your heart, Barabbas, today I have chosen you as one of the envoys of that kingdom, preach it, contend for it and establish it whenever you are!"
.... TO BE CONTINUED
P JAY SIGNING OUT.
I was there, I stood there that day. I couldn't understand it, even when I looked into his eyes, there was this mixture of pain and fulfilment. He was about to be sentenced to death! Even the governor of our region Pontius Pilate wanted to free him. I got the shocker of my life when he said "My Kingdom is not of this world."
My name is Barabbas. Yes the Barabbas for whom
Jesus of Nazareth died for. Pilate, and Gaius his assistant were shocked, they really wanted me dead, because I had been a thorn in their flesh since Caeser Augustus sent him to the region of Judea. I don't know why I feel like calling him Lord, he took my place. I am a hardened criminal, but this incident broke me. Perfect love was in his eye. Pilate sneered "don't you know I have the power to set you free!" And ever so calmly he said "this power was given to you from above, you have no power over me except my father gave it to you."
While I was thinking about his confidence, my thought was interrupted by the growing chant of the crowd, "Away with this Jesus of Nazareth, crucify Jesus, Free Barabbas"... I couldn't look at his face, but when I lifted up my eyes, I was shocked with what I saw, was that a smile? With that glow on his face, it was as if he spoke into my heart, like he came into my head and said "Barrabas, I will take the place of anyone no matter how terrible he is, so man, be free! Who the Son sets free is free indeed"
Few hours later, they crucified him, and he said the craziest thing I ever heard "FATHER FORGIVE THEM, FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO"... forgive them? I felt like I would get paralysed, I was completely broken, I shed a tear, but tried to hide it, for my reputation's sake. I couldn't understand this. I have heard of this Jesus, but I didn't know him, but amazingly he wanted to die for me. I travelled to Joppa to cool off, because I was almost going insane, I saw those eyes in my dreams, I saw that smile, I saw the glow and I always heard that voice!
After about 1 month and two weeks, I decided to go and see John, who as I heard was closest to him, to find out about this man who was just about my age, that took my place. I spent many days with him, listening to many intimate moments with Jesus, the scary times when he walked towards them on the sea, the solemn moments on the mountain of transfiguration and the highly charged and emotional moments of the last supper, John loved him, it burned in his eyes, as he narrated. I stayed with John many days. I didn't know that Jesus of Nazareth was not done with me yet.
Exactly 50 days from the day he was killed in my place, I had the most beautiful encounter of my life, it was later that Peter told me that it is the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the promise of Jesus. Why are all these happening at the same time I asked myself. I left, I ran towards the garden of Gethsemane, John had already told me about the agonizing moments in that place. I cried out "Lord your love is killing me! But I don't want to be free, you said I am free, I could go, but at the same time I am drawn to slavery to your love! " I prayed till I slept off...
Just them I saw him in my dreams, looking glorious, I don't have the words to describe his awesome majesty, truly he is beautiful beyond description. He stretched his nail drilled hand towards me and said yet again, "Barrabas, I love you" let me reveal what happened to you.
That was the piece of puzzle I was looking for.. He said, do you know my disciple James? James the zealots, and I said yes, he was in my sect, the zealots. He nodded gently. You people believe in restoring the kingdom of Israel by force, and in doing so, you got yourself into trouble. My people Israel rejected me because they didn't have an idea the kingdom I came to bring, on two occasions they tried to forcefully make me king, so that I would lead a revolt, but I ran away. So they felt I am weak, they thought love is weak. Listen Barrabas he said, "my kingdom is not of this world, it is in your heart, Barabbas, today I have chosen you as one of the envoys of that kingdom, preach it, contend for it and establish it whenever you are!"
.... TO BE CONTINUED
P JAY SIGNING OUT.
No comments:
Post a Comment