IT was a solemn moment. The little hall was crowded with eager listeners, and the servant of God was conscious of the power of God enabling him to press upon his hearers the greatest of all questions, "Whom will ye... Barabbas, or Jesus Which is called Christ?" (Matt. 27:1717Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ? (Matthew 27:17)). The tremendous issues which were dependent upon the answer were pointed out, and then the speaker besought his hearers to answer that question in the fear of God there and then, while he paused for a few moments.
The meeting closed, and the hearers passed out. Among them was a woman about forty years of age, who had been under the sound of the Gospel probably for the first time. Her Christian relative, who had invited her to the preaching, realizing that she had been affected and doubtless convicted of sin that night, laid a kindly hand upon her and whispered in her ear, "Christ or Barabbas—which?" He felt the necessity of being urgent, for he knew that the dread disease consumption was doing its work, and that her time here was short.
There was a look of intense longing on her face as she replied sadly, "I do not know.”
Perhaps you, dear reader, would have to reply in the same indefinite way if that burning question were put to you at this moment. You know perfectly well the only way of salvation is by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and yet you have never trusted your soul to Him.
You would refrain from joining in the cry, "Not this man, but Barabbas," yet you have never taken your stand on the side of the Son of God.
Let me beseech you to seriously consider your position, for you must inevitably be on His side or on the side of His foes. There was no indecision in Pilate's judgment-hall, for "then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas." Today many would remain in indecision, forgetting the words of the Lord Jesus, "He that is not with Me is against Me." How terribly sad to be one of those who are "against" Him!
If you have not been converted you are one with the world which chose Barabbas and refused Christ, God's Beloved Son.
But God was gracious to that poor soul, even as He is waiting to be gracious to you, dear undecided one; and the Spirit of God wrought with her until she was brought to that Most wonderful event in the history of any soul—conversion. Complete surrender as a poor lost sinner in the sight of God, and simple childlike faith in the Savior of sinners.
But as yet she had made no confession of her Savior, and those around her wondered whether the decision had been made, for her end was fast approaching.
Then the moment of confession came. It was three o'clock on a bright May morning. The relative, who had pressed that question upon her after the Gospel preaching, had been hastily summoned to her bedside. As he entered she greeted him with the question that was still fresh in the memory of both, “Christ or Barabbas—which? "Then, as with God-given strength, she sat up and sang, sweetly and clearly—
“My heart is fixed, eternal God,
Fixed on Thee,
And my immortal choice is made—
CHRIST FOR ME.
He is my Prophet, Priest, and King,
Who did for me salvation bring,
And while I live I mean to sing
CHRIST FOR ME.”
Three hours after that she passed happily into the presence of her Lord, the One Who loved her and gave Himself for her.
It would be a great matter for you, dear undecided reader, if by the grace of God you were brought to an immediate decision; for then not only would your eternal future of blessing with Christ be secured, but your present would be secured for the glory of Christ and the testimony of His worthy name.
Besides this, it is wise to take into consideration that life, at its best, is a great uncertainty. No one can count upon a deathbed on which to settle the all-important matter of his soul's salvation. To put it off is to trifle with God's grace, and virtually amounts to the rejection of His offer of mercy. Then, too, you may be called into the presence of God without a moment's warning. Well might the man of God pray, "So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”
Moreover, it is the desire of the blessed God that you should be brought to Himself NOW that every question between your soul and Himself may be forever settled on the ground of the death of Christ, and that He may impute righteousness to you; for "it shall be imputed if we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offenses and raised again for our justification; therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The good news, the Gospel of the Grace of God has reached you, and the responsibility is yours. It is for you to answer to God the searching question, "Christ or Barabbas—which?" We would earnestly call upon you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in the interest of your precious soul, to let your immediate response be— "CHRIST FOR ME.”
F. S. M.