Begin with two minutes of stillness and silence before God.

As we examine these chapters in Mark, we find the obvious main character: Jesus. If we dig a bit deeper, we find two others that I want to point out today.

The first is Barabbas. Barabbas is mentioned in all four gospels, and only then. We have no information about his life before or after this moment in time, but here’s what we do know: Barabbas was a sinner. He was a murderer, a robber, and a rebellious man who was truly guilty of the crimes for which he was imprisoned. As chapter 15 states, it was customary for Pilate to release one prisoner at the feast. This prisoner could be any of the crowd’s choosing. Knowing what we know about Jesus, one would think that the crowd would immediately plea for His release. After all, He was the Son of God who had performed many miraculous signs and wonders and was teaching the truth everywhere He went. Most importantly, He was innocent of all of the crimes for which He was imprisoned.

To us, it makes perfect sense to release the innocent man who was imprisoned due to the fragile egos of the chief priests, assuming that Jesus was a threat to their authority. Those same men who had Jesus bound and imprisoned were successful in having Him put to death.

It is easy to say something such as, “Wow, that’s so unfair! The guilty man walks free while the innocent is put to death.” In reality, we and Barabbas have much more in common than we may think. We are guilty. We are sinners, and we deserve nothing less than death. Yet, Jesus stepped into our place even when it didn’t make any sense for Him to do so. Even as blameless as He was, He took on a death that anyone else would beg for mercy to escape, and He did it for us while we, like Barabbas, live in freedom through His sacrifice.

As we jump into the next chapter, Mark 16, we read of the women at the tomb being told of the resurrection of Jesus. Verse 7 states, “But go, tell His disciples- and Peter- that He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.” You may read that and think, “Why would scripture mention Peter specifically when he is simply one of the other disciples?” If you remember from earlier in the gospels, Peter denied knowing and following Jesus not once, but THREE times just as Jesus said one of the twelve would do.

Peter had been close to Jesus. He had followed him and witnessed the wonders and miracles. He and Jesus had spent so much quality time together, and Peter knew Jesus well. Can you imagine someone you have trusted and loved with all of your heart betraying you the moment that a bit of fear and doubt began to set in? For us, this kind of betrayal is typically a blindside but, in this case, Jesus knew that one of the twelve would deny Him.

Despite the hurt that Peter had caused, He was still mentioned as someone to whom Jesus would reveal Himself. I’d imagine that if I were Peter, I’d expect to be the last person that Jesus would want to see. I would be so overcome with guilt and probably say something like, “You guys just go on without me. Jesus doesn’t want to see me”.

I feel like that is a common response for many of us. We convince ourselves that we need to be doing all of the right things in order to be worthy of being in the Lord’s presence. The truth is that we will never get it all right. We will mess up. We may even find ourselves stepping away from church and faith for a while. But, just as with Peter, He is never done with us. He invites us back into His presence with genuine love, just as He always has. Peter messed up in a huge way, and I’m sure that he felt that he could no longer be used by God. However, it is from those “rock-bottom” moments that we have an opportunity for the deepest repentance. When we do get back up again, we will have an understanding of grace like never before that equips us to share the gospel and what He has done for us like nothing else will.

I find it so beautiful that these chapters speak of these two characters just before we receive the calling of the Great Commission. What a lovely reminder that this news - and the life change that is available along with it - is for ALL people. It's for Barabbas, and it's for Peter. It is for everyone from the rebel and the murderer to the Christ-follower who has lost his way for a bit.

I am thankful to worship a risen Savior, and I am also thankful that, despite where I’ve been and what I’ve done, He continues to use me. I know that this is true for you, as well. Now, let us go and tell of His goodness.

Take two minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

• Use the S.O.A.P. Method to study God’s Word.
• SCRIPTURE: What stands out to you in today’s passage?
• OBSERVATION: What is this text saying? What is the context? How does it fit with the verses before and after it? Are there any commands, instructions, or promises? 
• APPLICATION: How can you apply this verse to your life? What does this mean today? What is God saying to you?
• PRAYER: Respond to the passage in prayer. Ask God to help you apply this truth to your life and spend some time listening to what He may be telling you.

The Way of Jesus: 7 Marks of Discipleship

As we begin a new series, we encourage you to lean into the 7 Marks of Discipleship each week. The 7 Marks of Discipleship provide a simple tool to help us identify areas where we are thriving in our calling and where we can grow. Check here each week for a new 7 Marks Challenge that will encourage you to follow Jesus closer every day.