THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 15:6-15
“Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them.” (Mark 15:15)
This moment is a sad commentary on human nature, on all of us.
We were made to please God, but we have become slaves to other’s opinions.
Being a ‘people-pleaser’ is a dead end path, it leads to our own destruction.
To keep the peace, Pilate releases an insurrectionist in place of Jesus.
Pilate knew better but he went with the crowds, and released a trouble-maker.
For momentary easing of tension, Pilate compromises truth and goodness.
As humans, we are constantly settling for short-term pleasure or gain.
Think of the promises and actions of many politicians, ‘wanting to satisfy the crowd’.
Or what we will do or say at work, or school, to gain the approval of our peers?
We do what is easy, not what is right, and our world is a mess because of it.
Jesus was fully committed to God’s will, even if it was not easy.
He stands in stark contrast to Barabbas, and to us.
We do what pleases us, or what pleases others (so that they will be pleased with us).
But truth and goodness are compromised, and this path only leads to more misery.
Not only do we need Jesus to show us what it means to do what is right, we need to join Him.
Humans have released the Barabbas spirit into the world.
But God has released the Jesus Spirit into the world, and good always triumphs in the end.
By our daily choices, we are either releasing the spirit of Barabbas, or the Spirit of Jesus.
Greed or generosity, selfishness or selflessness, honesty or dishonesty, love or lust?
We face this decision every day: will I seek to satisfy God, or myself or the crowds?
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, how can we be so foolish? Day after day we compromise truth and goodness to get ahead, and it only gets us further back. Release Your Spirit into our world, and may we daily choose for You… not Barabbas.