Overview: In life, there are times we feel punished for something we have not done, or we feel guilty for a lack of punishment for something we did do. This is what happened to two men within our text. Their names were Jesus and Barabbas.

Directions: Today, we will not only examine how Jesus was a substitute for a man named Barabbas, we will also discover how Jesus can be a substitute for all who place their faith in Him. We will look at four key points that will help us better understand the extent of God’s mercy and grace and how through Jesus Christ we can become children of God.

The religious leaders feared...

1. Pushback from the Jews.
2. Punishment from the Romans.

Like Barabbas:

1. We have done the crime.
2. We are guilty of treason.
3. We deserve judgment.

The people's cry was...

1. Unwarranted
2. Unjustified
3. Unexpected
4. Unmerited

Jesus is our substitute:

1. God loves us so much that He was willing to send His one and only Son to die on a cross on our behalf.
2. God showed mercy to the sinner by bearing his shame and guilt.
3. God demonstrates grace, even to men who love him not.

Destination: Through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ we receive the hope of salvation. No longer are we alienated to God. By his substitution, we are ushered into God's family. In other words, the Son of God died as a criminal so that a criminal (you and me) could live as a child of God.

Reflection: Use the private notes section below or your personal journal to put the message of these verses into your own words so you can communicate them with others.

Your voice matters! (see Mark 16:15)