Give Me Barrabus
This text never ceases to amaze me. What we have here is "How To Split A Church 101." The religious leaders stir up the people to protest against Christ - someone they had absolutely no beef with prior to te Pharisees' manipulation. (Makes you wonder how high the percentage was of those who really didn't want to call for Christ's crucifixion, but surrendered to the Pharisees' pressure, following right along with Peter's compromise in the previous chapter.)
But this text is also provides powerful insight into the core problem with humanity, under the influence of "Adam." We clamor for a savior that will lead a worldly insurrection rather than one who initiates an insurrection against the perversion of our souls.
We in the west - the "Christian" west - affirm Christ, generally speaking, but strip Him down to a sweet Christmas story with lambs and shepherds and wise men. And we inoculate ourselves from the Messiah of Scripture - the Messiah who wages battle against Pharisaicalism and sin in our hearts.
This, of course, allows us to serve our own kind of Messiah. We can celebrate Christmas and simultaneously harbor bitterness and exact vengeance on those who have crossed us. At times, I want Barrabus rather than Jesus.
THIS is what is wrong with western Christianity. Lord, let me throw down my idols - even the ones that bear your image, but is only a cheap imitation that caters to my crafty selfishness, which allows me to do church, but be mean; that empowers religious activity in my life, but insulates my heart from real transformation; that allows me to live securely and without worry behind my white picket fence while the world suffers injustice.
But this text is also provides powerful insight into the core problem with humanity, under the influence of "Adam." We clamor for a savior that will lead a worldly insurrection rather than one who initiates an insurrection against the perversion of our souls.
We in the west - the "Christian" west - affirm Christ, generally speaking, but strip Him down to a sweet Christmas story with lambs and shepherds and wise men. And we inoculate ourselves from the Messiah of Scripture - the Messiah who wages battle against Pharisaicalism and sin in our hearts.
This, of course, allows us to serve our own kind of Messiah. We can celebrate Christmas and simultaneously harbor bitterness and exact vengeance on those who have crossed us. At times, I want Barrabus rather than Jesus.
THIS is what is wrong with western Christianity. Lord, let me throw down my idols - even the ones that bear your image, but is only a cheap imitation that caters to my crafty selfishness, which allows me to do church, but be mean; that empowers religious activity in my life, but insulates my heart from real transformation; that allows me to live securely and without worry behind my white picket fence while the world suffers injustice.
