What it Means to Be a Friend

Most people know what it is like to have a best friend. Someone who they can laugh with, cry with, and build fond memories with. However, say you were engaged in some illegal activity. Your friend, innocently walks in and sees you in the act. All of the sudden, you and your friend hear police sirens while the incriminating evidence is still in your friend's hand. Would your friend push you to the side, grab the evidence and take your punishment so you may be spared? Most would ask, “why would anyone ever do that for me?”

In all the time that I knew Christ as my Lord and Savior, I am still amazed at His love for His people. In the book of Matthew it says, “

Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus Barabbas. So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him(15-18 NIV)... But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.“Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they answered. “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him!” “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”(20-23 NIV)...Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.(26 NIV)

The amazing part of this event is that Jesus appears to say nothing to the crowd or to Barabbas. He knew that the people rejected Him. He still went to the cross for them so that all their sins may be forgiven if they one day chose to believe. He also went to the cross for us, so that we too could escape punishment for our sins on earth. “Why would He do such a thing?” It's because He loved us so much that He could not bare to see us convicted for our crimes. As a Christian, I am glad to have a friend like that.