<TITLE>34. Par 285-291</TITLE>L-285 Could you imagine that? His own children crying out for His Blood. The Creator of heavens and earth hanging on a cross that He made Himself, growed it out of the ground. And His own children (Think of your children, fathers, your own children.) crying out for Him, "Away with Him. Give us Barabbas, the thief out yonder."
Oh, I was that Barabbas; I was the one that deserved to die and He took my place. How old Barabbas must've feeled that morning when the clomping of this centurion coming down through there and opened up the door. And old Barabbas saying, "Oh, my. Just a little bit and I'll be gone. I'm a murderer; I'm--I'm a thief. They're going to kill me today; I know they are. It's the day of the passover, so I--I really... I know I'm going to die today." Nervous, all night, walking around just like any other sinner. First thing you know, here comes the guard. He said, "Oh, oh, here it is. I got to go; I got to go." And the key went in, clicked.
The guard stood, attention, "Come out, Barabbas."
"Uh-huh, yes. Yes, I know I'm going; I'm going."
"No, go on and do what you want to."
"What?"
"Go, do what you want to. Go on out; you're free."
"I'm free? Why, you sentenced me to death." That's right, God sentences all sinners to death. "You sentenced me to death, how would I go free?"
"Come here, Barabbas. Look, going up the hill yonder; listen at that cross bumping on the ground. Hear the nails when they're drove into His hands. Look at Him crying there, salty tears, and blood mixed to His face. He took your place, Barabbas; He died for you."
"You mean He died that I could be free?"
"Yes."
"Oh, well, I'll start murdering again then." Oh, what an ungrateful, you deserve to die.

L-290 When--when I survey the wondrous cross,
Whereon the Prince of glory died,
All my fame is but vain loss...
Oh, my. No wonder the poet said,
Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
Rising, He justified freely forever:
Someday He's coming--oh, glorious day!

L-291 How could I ever turn Him down when I see what He done for me? How would I? I'd be willing to lose every friend I got on earth. How, when I... I'd be ready to be kicked out by organizations and kicked about by everything else. When I look yonder, when I was condemned to death, and He took my place... Sure, Lord. Everything, I count everything else vain loss. Oh, let me embrace the cross, O Lord.
Mid rending rocks and darkening skies
My Saviour bowed His head and died.
The opening veil revealed the way
To heaven's joys and endless day,


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