Recently I logged on to a Web site on the Internet where someone had written the following statistics with regard to capital punishment:

"Since 1900, sources indicate that at least 23 innocent people have been executed. Although it must be acknowledged that some of those cases were not well documented and certain legal safeguards did not exist in the early part of the century, there is little doubt that some of the 23 were innocent. A striking example of this tragic error in one of these cases was evidenced by the deathbed confession of the actual murderer after the accused was executed. More to the present, since 1973, 70 people have been released from death row after evidence of their innocence emerged. This evidence was frequently based on scientific advancements, such as DNA testing and journalistic research. Some of the factors that contributed to the 70 people being falsely condemned include: overzealous prosecution, willful suppression of evidence, mistaken or perjured testimony, faulty police work, forced confessions, the defendant’s previous criminal record, inept defense counsel, seemingly conclusive circumstantial evidence, and community pressure for a conviction."

Those are disturbing statistics. We would not say that capital punishment is wrong, since the Bible gives the government the right to wield the sword, an implement of death, in order to exact such a sentence when justice calls for it. Nevertheless, we all have to agree that it is absolutely horrible to think that innocent people have actually been executed for crimes someone else committed. What a hellish nightmare it would be for a person to know he is innocent, yet despite his denial of the charges and his plea of innocence, he is still condemned to die as a criminal.

Before us today is an account much more appalling and unjust than the execution story of any innocent man or woman in the history of the world. It is the account of innocent Jesus standing trial before Pontius Pilate, the governor of Judea. Here was a man not only innocent of the crimes of which He was accused, but innocent of any crime ever; yet He was condemned to die. But the strangest thing about this account is that Jesus allowed it without any restraint or retaliation! What wondrous love!

However, on that day, when Jesus stood trial before Pilate, there was a condemned criminal who should have died that day! A notorious prisoner was on death row for some horrible crimes. You know who I am talking about, right? This person was guilty of murder, the Bible tells us. The Bible also tells us that this person was an insurrectionist, a fanatical nationalist, ready to shed blood for his cause-himself! This person was an enemy of God and hostile to all that is decent and right. This person had sinned, rebelled, fought, and killed. A danger to the society of God’s people! And yet, Jesus willingly let this condemned criminal be set free – free from death, free from prison – while He, perfectly innocent, would suffer that criminal’s death!

You thought I was talking about Barabbas, didn’t you? I wasn’t. I was talking about YOU! You are guilty before God of crimes unimaginable and innumerable. You are a murderer! Every time you fight with someone or tell them you hate them, or even think that you hate them, you have murdered someone God loves! You are an enemy of God and all that is good in your sinful nature. You will do anything, from murder to stealing to slandering people to promote your sinful cause – yourself! You don’t see yourself quite as bad as Barabbas? In God’s eyes, you are no better. You have not been his friend by participating in activity which is nothing less than rebellion to God: idolatry, murder, hatred, lust, coveting, stealing, slandering, and ignoring God’s Word as a daily part of your life!

But what happened with Barabbas? Even though he was guilty as could be, and no one was there to argue that, he was set free! Not only free from death – free from prison. Completely free! And what happened with you and me? Even though we are as guilty as could be, we were set free! Free from the eternal death that we deserve to die, and free from the restraints of a sinful life. That’s the good news! Great news for you and me! The sad part is that someone still had to go to the death that we deserved. That person was Jesus.

I wonder what Barabbas felt like that day? As he looked over to Jesus and saw the face of the man who didn’t try arguing his case, so that He could rightly go free and Barabbas would get what he deserved, was he filled with thankfulness? We don’t know. We do have a good idea of the love and thankfulness we now have for Jesus, who stood on trial for us that day! Because right then and there, all of your sins and mine were heaped and piled on Jesus. Barabbas was set free. You were set free. I was set free. All the people in that crowd were set free. The whole world was set free. And Jesus quietly went to death row for us all.

In a nutshell, the account of Barabbas traded for Jesus sums up the relationship between Jesus and the whole sinful world. Jesus not only made no defense against his against his accusers who dried out for his blood, but He also covered the offenses of his accusers with the blood for which they cried out. Jesus stood before Pilate condemned as a criminal. But far worse than that, Jesus stood before God condemned as a sinner sentenced to be damned. Jesus was taking upon Himself the sins of the whole world – not only the sins of Baraabbas, with whom He had traded places, but also the sins of the blood thirsty mob that condemned Him, as well as the sins of people like you and me.

There will always be innocent people who will be accused of things they didn’t do. Even more tragic will be the fact that there may be people who will be put to death for crimes they never committed. But let us thank God that the most innocent person who ever lived was put to death for someone else’s crimes. And let us be most thankful that the crimes He was blamed for were ours! What wondrous love, that by his condemnation we are freed from guilt and punishment forever! Amen.

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