✝️ Jesus for Barabbas: The Swap That Changes Everything 🔄

By Pastor Gary Boyd

Easter 2025 | Matthew 27:15–25

Mistaken Identity… or Something More? 🤷‍♂️🕵️‍♂️

Have you ever been mistaken for someone else? 🤔

It used to happen to me all the time when I was younger. Someone would call the house and say, “Is this Gary?” Well… yes—but not the one you want. 😂

“Mr. Boyd, we’re calling about your bill.”

“You’ll want my dad for that!”

Cases of mistaken identity can be funny. But sometimes, they’re downright fascinating.

Like The Man in the Iron Mask—a story about twin brothers, one wearing a mask in prison, the other wearing a crown in a palace 👑⛓️. They end up switching places—and everything changes.

Now imagine a real-life swap. One that didn’t just change a kingdom… but eternity 🌍.

A Governor, a Choice, and a Setup 🎭

In Matthew 27, Jesus stands before Pilate, the Roman governor. It’s Passover time, and there’s a tradition: release one prisoner to the people as a holiday gesture 🎉.

Pilate sees an opportunity to escape a political mess. He gives the people two options:

• Jesus — the teacher, miracle worker, healer, and peace-giver 🙌
• Barabbas — a violent criminal, guilty of rebellion, robbery, and murder 🔪

This should’ve been easy. A total no-brainer, right?

But the chief priests were stirring the crowd behind the scenes 🧠💬. Pilate, thinking he’s in control, doesn’t see it coming…

A Message, a Mob, and a Mistake 📩👥😱

While Pilate waits on the bema seat (that’s like the judge’s bench ⚖️), his wife sends him an urgent message:

“Have nothing to do with that just man. I had a terrible dream about Him.”

Even she knows Jesus is innocent. 🕊️

But the religious leaders had already planted seeds in the crowd. And now, it’s time for the verdict.

Pilate asks,

“Who should I release to you?”

And the crowd shouts:

“Barabbas!”

You can imagine the shock:

• Pilate is panicked 😳—his plan is falling apart.
• Barabbas is stunned 😮—he was sure his fate was sealed.
• Jesus remains silent 😶—not surprised, not pleading… just steady and surrendered. ✝️

“He is determined and settled in His purpose. Jesus knows that, even though He is innocent, He will be treated as the guilty so that the guilty could be treated as the innocent.” 💔➡️❤️

“Crucify Him!” 😡🔨

Pilate tries one more time:

“Then what should I do with Jesus?”

The response comes fast and fierce:

“Crucify Him!” 😠🙅‍♂️

Pilate, still trying to reason, asks:

“Why? What has He done?”

But there’s no logic left in the crowd. Just rage.

So Pilate reaches for water, washes his hands in front of everyone 🧼, and says:

“I am innocent of this man’s blood.”

To which the people coldly reply:

“His blood be on us and on our children.” 😨

And with that, it’s done.

Barabbas walks free.

Jesus is handed over to be beaten, mocked, and crucified.

The Greatest Swap of All Time 🔁❤️

Barabbas disappears from the pages of history. We don’t know where he went or what he did with his freedom. But his story illustrates something much bigger:

➡️ The guilty went free.

➡️ The innocent was punished.

That’s not just Barabbas’ story. That’s our story. 🙋‍♂️🙋‍♀️

We Are Barabbas 🙋‍♂️🙋‍♀️

It’s true—we’re all guilty.

We’ve all sinned.

We all stand condemned. 😔⚖️

But Jesus took our place. ✝️

He stepped into our sentence.

He didn’t just carry Barabbas’ cross—He carried mine and yours.

“But God commendeth His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” — Romans 5:8 💖

That’s not religion. That’s grace.

What Will You Do With Jesus? 🤲

Just like Barabbas, we don’t earn this gift.

We just receive it.

🧍‍♂️ Admit you’re guilty

🧠 Believe that Jesus took your place

🙏 Ask Him to set you free

It really is that simple.

Can you imagine if Barabbas had refused to go free? If he’d said, “Nah, I think I’ll stay chained up and die anyway.” 😬

That’d be crazy, right?

But that’s what so many people do every day—Jesus has already taken their place, but they stay in bondage anyway.

Don’t Miss the Swap 🕊️

This Easter, let this truth sink in:

✨ Jesus already took your place

✨ The innocent was treated like the guilty

✨ So the guilty could be treated like the innocent

“He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” — 1 John 2:2 🌍

Will you accept what He’s already done?

Freedom is just a prayer away.

🙏 If you’re ready to take that step, we’d love to help. Reach out, send a message, or come see us at church. We’d love to talk with you about what it means to follow Jesus.

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