Pretend for a moment that you are Barabbas, and imagine how you would feel if you were standing in his sandals. You know you have committed many crimes worthy of death. You are a condemned man without hope, standing next to an innocent man. You know a prisoner is to be released to the crowd, and you know there is no way it will be you. You are certain it will be that innocent man standing beside you; and then the crowd cries out for your release! It’s a miracle, which you cannot explain - and you probably don’t care to explain it - for all you know and care about at the moment is you are free! You are free from the pain and torture of crucifixion. You are free from death, and given another chance at life!
Barabbas represents all humankind. We are all condemned men and women. The Bible says the penalty for sin is death (Rom. 6:23) which, simply stated, is spending all eternity separated from the heavenly Father. Barabbas should have been crucified, for he was guilty of many crimes, and we should be punished for our crimes against God for we are each guilty (Rom. 3:23). Barabbas was not crucified though, because Jesus, an innocent man, was crucified instead; and just as Barabbas was freed from harm’s way, we too can be released from the harmful consequence of sin.
Pilate suspected the crowd would have chosen Jesus over Barabbas, but when they chose Barabbas, Pilate was confused on what to do with Jesus. He asked the crowd, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called the Christ?” and they cried out “Let Him be crucified!” (Matt. 27:22). The question Pilate asked is one we should all be asking. Jesus died on the cross to assume the penalty for our sin - for each and every one of us. When we behold Him stepping in and taking our place, and being punished for our sins, we should search our heart and ask, “What then shall I do with Jesus?”
The Bible says, “Christ died for the ungodly . . . God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6b, 8). Jesus died for those who are unworthy - like Barabbas, and like you and me - and He didn’t expect us to become perfect first. He died for us where we are in our sins, and He will come to us and save us right where we are.
We don’t have to get our lives straightened up first before we accept Jesus into our heart as Savior. We are to come to Him just as we are, and when we do He will receive us just as we are. Jesus wants to step in and take our place so we can have life - that is eternal life - so we should trust and believe in Him.