Christ's Passion: The Power and the Promise

[Guest guest]

Namaste.

 

Here is an interesting excerpt sent to me from the book -

"Christ's Passion: The Power and the Promise" - by D. James Kennedy

 

Many members here might have seen the controversial movie

'The Passion of Christ'. Hope they'd enjoy reading this.

 

.....Barrabas was free. You would think he would run out of

Jerusalem as fast as he could, but he could not leave.

He had to see what was happening. He made his way down

the Via Dolorosa to the Place of the Skull -- to

Gogotha. Not only was Jesus there, but also there were

two thieves -- presumably acquaintances of Barabbas.

One was on His right, and one on His left. One could

piture Barabbas as he takes this scene in:

 

I recognized them. They had been in the prison the

night before. All of us condemned criminals were there

together. Two of them were hanging on crosses, but the

middle cross should have been mine. It was occupied by

this Jesus. I went closer -- I just could not help

myself. I heard the insults and the mockery people

were hurling at him. Even one of my two buddies was

part of it. Then I heard the other thief speak,

rebuking the first.

 

"Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under

the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are

getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done

nothing wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when

you come into Your kingdom."

 

Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you

will be with Me in paradise."

 

I couldn't believe it. Jesus just handed a dying

criminal a type of absolution. He was dying too, but

obviously He was no criminal. At that moment, I knew

that what my fellow criminal had just received was

even better and far more valuable than my own gift of

freedom. I wanted more than anything to hear those

words being spoken to me, "Today you will be with Me

in paradise."

 

Barabbas was no theologian. He, perhaps, knew nothing

about redemption or substitutionary atonement. But

there was one thing he knew down to the very core of

his being: That Man was dying in his place. That was

his Cross; those were his spikes, that was his death

He was dying there on that Cross. Barabbas knew the

meaning of Calvary.

 

For you are Barabbas and I am Barabbas. We are all

Barabbas -- sinful sons of sinful fathers.

 

Just like Barabbas, Jesus Christ died in our places,

so we don't have to. He went to Hell for us, so we

need never go. Will eternity be long enough to thank

Him for what He has done for us? I wonder if Barabbas

spent the rest of his life thanking God for dying in

his place. Meanwhile, surely that is the way we should

spend the rest of our lives.

 

......

 

Jaya Sri Radhey!