Here is the text of a meditation I gave at our Maundy Thursday Service on Mar 24, 2005.  The theme I am working is substitution.

Genesis 3

          After the rebellious sin of Adam and Eve, God kills an animal to provide coverings for the naked man and woman.  The life of an innocent animal is given for clothing for our sinful parents.

 

Genesis 22

          Abraham is commanded by God as a test to sacrifice his beloved son, his only son.  As Abraham is about to plunge the knife into his beloved son, his only son, God provides a substitute for Isaac.  God gives a ram trapped in a thicket.  God's command to sacrifice is fulfilled by an innocent ram.  God provided a sacrifice so that Isaac would go free.

 

Exodus 12 Israel in Egypt in slavery to Pharaoh

          Because Pharaoh was seeking to destroy God's firstborn son, Israel, the Lord sent a destroying angel to deal a death blow to all the firstborn sons of Egypt.  So that Israel's sons would not be harmed by the destroyer, God set Israel apart by commanding them to kill a young lamb, to spread its blood on the doorposts, and to consume the roasted meat.  The Lord  said regarding this first Passover, "…I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn-- both men and animals-- and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD.  ¹³ The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt" (NIV).

          The Passover, the celebration of God's provision.  God distinguished Israel, his beloved son, from the Egyptians, so that Israel would be unharmed.  How did he distinguish Israel?  By the blood of a lamb.  An innocent lamb's life was taken, the smeared blood symbolized this, and the lives of the people were spared.  One life in the place of another.  Where there was no substitute, there was death.  Where a substitute was killed there was life.

 

 

Matthew 27:15-26

Jesus' trial is at the time of Passover for the Jews, the celebration of God providing a substitute for his people.  At this time Pilate, the Roman governor, according to his custom would gives amnesty to one prisoner.  The decision before the people is to have either Barabbas or Jesus released.  Barabbas, whose name means 'son of the father' is a notorious criminal.  He was a rebel, an insurrectionist against Roman rule.  No doubt also a murdering thug, that Rome had imprisoned to await his execution by crucifixion.  Barabbas was guilty, he was awaiting the consequences of his rebellion, death on a cross.

 

Jesus, on the other hand, was called 'Christ' or 'King'.  He was the king of the Jews, and yet it was the Jews who were bringing Jesus before Rome to have him executed.  What was his crime?  Was he an insurrectionist and a rebel?  No.  Jesus said 'give to Caesar what is Caesar's'.  Jesus said, 'my kingdom is not of this world'.  Was he a murderer?  No.  Jesus healed the sick, he cleansed those with disease, he raised the dead.  Then, what was Jesus' crime?  There was no crime.  Pilate knew that Jesus was innocent.  Pilate's wife warned Pilate to have nothing to do with Jesus, the innocent one.  When Pilate asked why he should crucify Jesus, the crowd did not answer—for there was no answer—but simply cried out all the more, "Crucify him, Crucify him!"

 

Buckling under the pressure of the crowd and the influence of the Jewish leaders, Pilate ordered the guilty, murderous rebel, Barabbas to go free.  Jesus, the innocent one, the true king, he condemned to death.  Jesus, the innocent one, took on the penalty for Barabbas' crimes.  Barabbas deserved crucifixion, he was the rebel, but he left that day a free man.  Jesus deserved acquittal, he deserved worship, he deserved allegiance, but he took on Barabbas' penalty.  The innocent was condemned, the guilty one went free.  Jesus was the substitute.

 

On that Passover Jesus became for Barabbas a substitute.  Jesus' blood was shed so that Barabbas would go free.  But Jesus is not only a substitute for Barabbas, he is a substitute for all who belong to him, for all who call on his name.  Because of Jesus' death, the spilling of his blood, God looks at Jesus' innocent blood, and declares that we the guilty go free.  The substitution of Jesus for Barabbas is our story as well. 

 

As we look at the bloody horror of Jesus' substitution we must marvel at Jesus' courage, his resolve, his strength, his will, his obedience, his sacrifice.  The cross is for us who receive its benefits a thing of beauty.  No mere man could have done what Jesus did.  Honor belongs to Jesus, the crucified king.

 

But as we marvel we must also sense a bit of horror, not simply for the gruesomeness of the punishment, but the horror of our sins.  Sin is not simply a little mistake.  It is not something that we can just brush under the rug and forget about.  Our sin is a deep offense to a holy God.  Our sin is so great that only the death of the God-man Jesus on our behalf can satisfy the penalty for our sins.

 

We cannot stand before God on our own.  Before God we are found to be ashamed, for we have rebelled, we have sinned, we have worshiped the creation over and against the Creator.  On our own we are under the penalty for our sins.  We are condemned, we are under wrath, we are under just penalty.

 

But God has provided a substitute for us.