<html><head></head><body><div><div><div><div><br></div>Mark 15;6-11<div><br></div><div><b>6. &nbsp;Now at the feast, he used to release for them one prisoner whom they ask.</b></div><div><b>7. &nbsp;And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas.</b></div><div><b>8. &nbsp;And the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate&nbsp;to do as he was wont to do for them.</b></div><div><b>9. &nbsp;And he answered them, “Do you want me to release for you the king of the Jews?”&nbsp;</b></div><div><b>10. &nbsp;For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up.</b></div><div><b>11. &nbsp;But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead.</b></div><div><b><br></b></div><div>As far as we know,&nbsp;Barabbas was an unrepentant unbeliever. &nbsp;Yet, because&nbsp;the hatred of the chief priests was so blind,&nbsp;Jesus’ innocent&nbsp;death was preferred to the punishment of a man who deserved death.</div><div><br></div><div>I wonder if either of the two thieves who were crucified on Jesus’ left and right had some knowledge of Barabbas release? &nbsp;Did either of them wonder who could be the man who took Barabbas’ place in death?</div><div>Who could be the reason Barabbas was now free?</div><div><br></div><div>All of our names should be Barabbas. &nbsp;We too, by our sinful nature,&nbsp;are insurrectionists in rebellion against God. &nbsp;The atoning sacrifice of Jesus, the holy innocent blood He shed was for the sins of the whole world, for all time. &nbsp;Every single person who ever lived, (even in the womb)&nbsp;or who will live, is cleansed and forgiven by Jesus. &nbsp;They are all made right before God the Father,&nbsp;by His innocent&nbsp;suffering&nbsp;death and resurrection.</div><div><br></div><div>Why then will&nbsp;so many forgiven sinners spend eternity in Hell? &nbsp;It is because they refused to repent of their rebellion against God. &nbsp;It is because they, in unbelief, rejected their release from sin and the&nbsp;freedom Christ died to give them. (<i>“Sin shall no longer have dominion over you.” &nbsp;</i>Romans 6;14)&nbsp; They chose death and darkness instead. &nbsp;They chose to be their own lords in Hell, rather that serve the only true Lord, Jesus Christ.</div><div><br></div><div>Believers who are walking by the Spirit, live by faith&nbsp;as God’s servants, gladly seeking to do the Father’s will,</div><div>daily denying themselves, carrying their crosses and following Jesus in paths of righteousness. &nbsp;They know they of themselves have not the power to walk in newness of life. &nbsp;They know true life <u>in</u>&nbsp;Christ can only be lived in the power of the Holy Spirit believing Christ by the Holy Spirit dwells in them and lives through them. &nbsp;They abide in the Word and are fruitful.&nbsp;&nbsp;<span>They know serving their selfish flesh, their&nbsp;</span><span>own prideful&nbsp;</span><span>will, means eternal death.</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>Saving faith is not true doctrine alone, it is living by&nbsp;faith <u>in</u>&nbsp;Christ, doing the Father’s will, not yet perfectly, but in power, continually washed in the Blood of the Lamb.</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>Prayer: &nbsp;Merciful Father, bless us to live in utter amazement at our ‘unjust’ freedom, rejoicing to serve You in Christ, by the Holy Spirit. &nbsp;Grant that our faith embraces the&nbsp;divine mystery, <i>“Christ in us, the hope of glory.” &nbsp;</i>(Colossians 1;27). In Jesus we pray, Amen.<i><u></u></i></span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>Love,</span></div><div><span>Dad/Baba/Eric</span></div><div><span>Grandpa Pickle Pastor</span></div><div><span>“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word. &nbsp;God’s Word is our habitation, and We are His.”</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>&nbsp;<i>“Their Prince shall be one of themselves, their Ruler shall come forth from their midst; I will make Him draw near, and He shall approach Me, for who would dare&nbsp;to approach Me? says the LORD. &nbsp;And you shall be my people, and I will be your God.” &nbsp; </i>(Jeremiah 30;21)</span></div><div><span><i><br></i></span></div><div><span><i>&nbsp;</i>Only by being <u>in</u>&nbsp;Christ can we dare to approach the Father.</span></div><div><br></div><div><br><br><br><div><a href="https://mail.onelink.me/107872968?pid=nativeplacement&amp;c=Global_Acquisition_YMktg_315_Internal_EmailSignature&amp;af_sub1=Acquisition&amp;af_sub2=Global_YMktg&amp;af_sub3=&amp;af_sub4=100000604&amp;af_sub5=EmailSignature__Static_" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a><br></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>


Mark 15;6-11
6.  Now at the feast, he used to release for them one prisoner whom they ask.7.  And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas.8.  And the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he was wont to do for them.9.  And he answered them, “Do you want me to release for you the king of the Jews?” 10.  For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up.11.  But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead.
As far as we know, Barabbas was an unrepentant unbeliever.  Yet, because the hatred of the chief priests was so blind, Jesus’ innocent death was preferred to the punishment of a man who deserved death.
I wonder if either of the two thieves who were crucified on Jesus’ left and right had some knowledge of Barabbas release?  Did either of them wonder who could be the man who took Barabbas’ place in death?Who could be the reason Barabbas was now free?
All of our names should be Barabbas.  We too, by our sinful nature, are insurrectionists in rebellion against God.  The atoning sacrifice of Jesus, the holy innocent blood He shed was for the sins of the whole world, for all time.  Every single person who ever lived, (even in the womb) or who will live, is cleansed and forgiven by Jesus.  They are all made right before God the Father, by His innocent suffering death and resurrection.
Why then will so many forgiven sinners spend eternity in Hell?  It is because they refused to repent of their rebellion against God.  It is because they, in unbelief, rejected their release from sin and the freedom Christ died to give them. (“Sin shall no longer have dominion over you.”  Romans 6;14)  They chose death and darkness instead.  They chose to be their own lords in Hell, rather that serve the only true Lord, Jesus Christ.
Believers who are walking by the Spirit, live by faith as God’s servants, gladly seeking to do the Father’s will,daily denying themselves, carrying their crosses and following Jesus in paths of righteousness.  They know they of themselves have not the power to walk in newness of life.  They know true life in Christ can only be lived in the power of the Holy Spirit believing Christ by the Holy Spirit dwells in them and lives through them.  They abide in the Word and are fruitful.  They know serving their selfish flesh, their own prideful will, means eternal death.
Saving faith is not true doctrine alone, it is living by faith in Christ, doing the Father’s will, not yet perfectly, but in power, continually washed in the Blood of the Lamb.
Prayer:  Merciful Father, bless us to live in utter amazement at our ‘unjust’ freedom, rejoicing to serve You in Christ, by the Holy Spirit.  Grant that our faith embraces the divine mystery, “Christ in us, the hope of glory.”  (Colossians 1;27). In Jesus we pray, Amen.
Love,Dad/Baba/EricGrandpa Pickle Pastor“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word.  God’s Word is our habitation, and We are His.”
 “Their Prince shall be one of themselves, their Ruler shall come forth from their midst; I will make Him draw near, and He shall approach Me, for who would dare to approach Me? says the LORD.  And you shall be my people, and I will be your God.”   (Jeremiah 30;21)
 Only by being in Christ can we dare to approach the Father.



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