"Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabas."–JOHN 18:40

The Lord Jesus Christ has been accused of 3 crimes, but He is guilty of none. There is a perpetual enmity between the seed of the woman, and the seed of the serpent. There is an irreconcilable, implacable enmity and hatred between grace and wickedness, light and darkness. Pilate cares nothing for Christ's doctrine but he does not want to lose what was his. So Pilate sends Him to Herod who is in Jerusalem at this time.

Herod was the Tetrarch of Galilee and looked on this as a great honor to be able to stand in judgment against Jesus. He had "heard many things concerning him and desired to see a miracle performed by Him."

But Christ answered him nothing (Vs.9) The Lord Jesus Christ had no need to defend Himself. How many opportunities Herod had, living where Christ performed most of His ministry, yet he would not hear Him. If we neglect the opportunities of grace that we have now, and refuse to hear the voice of Christ in the time of mercy, Christ may refuse to speak one word of comfort to us in our time of need. If we, in our time, stop our ears, God will, in His time, stop His mouth, and shut up those springs of grace.

When we will not believe on the Lord Jesus Christ to the saving of our souls, we do the same to Him as these men. We call Him King but it is a joke. We dress Him in a white robe considering Him to be a good man, then laugh Him to scorn. We seem to bow to Him and call ourselves His subjects, but it is mockery. Ruin without remedy will seize on those souls that like Herod, mock the messengers of God.

A short time later Jesus is returned to Pilate who proposed to the Jews the choice of Barabbas or Jesus. Barabbas was prisoner, the worst criminal Of the day. Barabbas was a highway thief while Christ was the Good Samaritan. Barabbas was a murderer while Christ raised the dead. Barabbas stirred up sedition while Christ brought peace. But the people chose Barabbas. They wanted Him crucified who raise the dead, and him released who destroyed the living; let the Saviour of the world be condemned to death, and the slayer of men be released from prison, and be pardoned.

Pilate asked a question upon which hangs the eternal destiny of our soul: WILL YOU CHOSE BARABBAS OVER CHRIST? When you go from here this morning refusing to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, your true heart will be revealed. You will cry with this multitude, Let Him be crucified. If you deny Christ and refuse to believe in Him, you prefer Barabbas to Jesus. If you love the cares of this world more than bowing to Christ, you love Barabbas. If you love sin more than Christ, you prefer Barabbas.