What’s going on?

I had heard this topic preached several years ago by Jeremy Kingsley. Incredible sermon. I was reading through John last night and this morning, and a lot of it came back powerfully.

This all takes place from the perspective of a criminal. Barabbas.

All we know is that he was arrested and imprisoned for creating an uprising. He is now sitting in jail as the passover celebration is approaching. One Friday morning, as he is sitting in his prison cell, he begins to hear a crowd chant, Barabbus! Barabbus! Barabbus!! See the jail was less than a mile from where a large crowd had gathered, and was now chanting his name.

The next words he heard had to have turned him cold. The next thing that he heard the crowd yelling and screaming was, Crucify Him! Crucify Him! Crucify Him!! We don’t know if there was much of a window for him to look out of, so as the crowd continued to roar and approach the prison, he probably couldn’t see that is was Jesus carrying the cross. Jesus carrying HIS cross.

I can only imagine that the crowd and rukus passed by without incident for Barabbus. And quietly later a guard came by and released him from prison with his pardon.

We don’t know what happened to Barabbus after that. I can only wonder what his reaction was upon finding out that Jesus LITERALLY took his place on the cross. Barabbus knew he was guilty. Barabbus knew that he deserved to die. But he didn’t die that day. An innocent man did.

I have never felt more like Barabbus. What could I ever give? What could I ever say to match what he has given?

“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

I have read this part of Ephesians many times, but what struck me lately was that one phrase, “together with all the saints”. See, at least 90% of my day I am thinking about one thing, me. Where do I need to go, what do I need to do, I’m hungry, I’m tired, I’m bored.

I know that my relationship with Jesus is important. I know that there is value in me focused on growing, changing, and listening to my father. After all, I am only responsible for the spiritual growth of one individual, me.

But the magic that I am learning is that all of life, all of God’s story, everything that is anything, hinges on the idea of me within a greater story. I have such a small part in the grand ongoing story of creation. A part I don’t deserve, a part I did nothing to earn, a part that was given to me joyfully by the creator of the story.

My part is to develop my role in the story by listening carefully to the director. My role is never solo. My role is to connect with others to bring glory to God. (I still don’t really understand the word “glory”, but I will define it as “to make the name of Jesus famous”) My role is designed, with others around me, to point to Jesus.

Stay with me here, I hope I am still making sense. If my life points to Jesus, that is one small arrow pointing to Jesus. If I connect with others, the church, and become a part of a team, one person in conjunction with many others with a common purpose, how big does that arrow get? HUGE!

This brings me back to the Ephesians quote up top. I can see God do amazing things in my life, but how much more amazingly does God move when believers are unified under one vision and purpose?!?!

How wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ? I can’t find out on my own, but I am so jacked up to continually be a part of a team that is striving to find out! Even at the cost of personal glory, agendas, comfort, geographic location, and dreams.