The Easter StorySample

The Savior We Need

As the Easter story keeps unfolding, we now reach a major moment of decision. Jesus had been arrested, falsely accused, and brought before the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate. The religious leaders wanted Him dead, but Pilate wasn’t convinced of His guilt. So he offered the crowd a choice—one that reveals the true nature of Jesus’ mission and the kind of Savior He came to be.

“... it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?” John 18:39 NIV

The other option? A man named Barabbas.

Barabbas was a rebel, a violent man who’d been imprisoned for leading an uprising against Rome. He was the kind of “savior” people expected. A leader who fought back with force. Jesus, on the other hand, spoke about love, peace, and a kingdom not of this world.

“Give us Barabbas!” the people shouted in unison. And just like that, the innocent Son of God was condemned, while a guilty man walked free.

Barabbas and Jesus represent two different ways of life and two kinds of salvation. Barabbas represents a life of winner-take-all struggle, violence, and conflict, where only the strong survive. Jesus, on the other hand, represents a life of others-focused love that leads to the renewal of all things. Simply put, Barabbas wanted to save his people and hurt their oppressors, while Jesus wanted to save both His people and His oppressors.

It’s so tempting to hate the people who’ve hurt us, belittled us, or embarrassed us, and it’s tempting to follow people like Barabbas, who validate our hate and encourage us to get revenge. It’s much harder to follow Jesus’ example of empathy, humility, and love for our enemies. But it’s Jesus’ way that leads to lasting transformational peace, both for us and the whole world.

The Easter story invites us to choose love over hate, forgiveness over anger, and peace over revenge. When we face these kinds of choices, we need to ask ourselves, will I follow the way of Barabbas or will I follow Jesus?

Prayer: Jesus, You are the Savior I need. Help me to trust You, even when Your way is harder or different than what I imagined. Thank You for showing me how to make lasting peace. Amen.

Challenge: When faced with conflict, disappointment, or struggle, do you find yourself drawn to Barabbas’ way—fighting for control, seeking payback, or relying on power to “win”? Or are you willing to trust Jesus’ way of humility, love, and forgiveness? Today, choose to follow Jesus.

For more on why Jesus invites us to forgive our enemies, check out this article.