WELCOME TO OUR CELEBRATION OF FREEDOM

Oh, to see the dawn of the darkest day:

Christ on the road to Calvary. Tried by sinful men,torn and beaten, then

nailed to a cross of wood.

THE POWER OF THE CROSS

CHORUS:

This the pow'r of the cross:Christ became sin for us;

Took the blame, bore the wrath -we stand forgiven at the cross.

Oh, to see the painwritten on Your face,

bearing the awesome weight of sin.Every bitter thought, every evil deed,

crowning Your bloodstained brow.

CHORUS:

This the pow'r of the cross:Christ became sin for us;

Took the blame, bore the wrath -we stand forgiven at the cross.

Now the daylight flees;Now the ground beneath

quakes as its Maker bows His head.Curtain torn in two, dead are raised to life;

"Finished!" the vict'ry cry.

CHORUS:This the pow'r of the cross:

Christ became sin for us;Took the blame, bore the wrath -

we stand forgiven at the cross.

Oh, to see my namewritten in the wounds,

For through Your suffering I am free.Death is crushed to death;

Life is mine to live,won through Your selfless love.

CHORUS:This the pow'r of the cross:

Son of God—slain for us.What a love! What a cost!

We stand forgiven at the cross!***

FREEDOM• What comes to your mind…?

• What is “spiritual freedom”?

• How can we have peace with God?• Romans 5.1

• Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ• Justified - Made right with God• Cleansed from the guilt of sin and

righteous in God’s eyes

THE MESSENGER OF FREEDOM

• John 1.6-8 “a man sent from God”• Chosen by God before he was even born

to announce the imminent arrival of the promised Messiah

• Mark 1.5 Why did people go out to see him?

• His looks, style, diet? v.6

THE METHOD OF THE MESSENGER

• Luke 7.24-26 What did they go out to see?• They recognized that he was a prophet

sent from God.• Why did the go hear him?• He was a man with God’s message• He preached and baptized

THE MESSAGE

• What did they hear? Mark 1.4• A message that related to the condition of

every human heart.• A message of forgiveness and freedom.• Began with a call to repentance

• Which leads to

• Freedom from condemnation.

Romans 8.1• There is therefore now no condemnation to

those who are in Christ Jesus, who no longer walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

• Why did the go hear him?• Because it was a message of hope and

“Good News”!!!

HOW IS THIS FORGIVENESS POSSIBLE?

• John pointed to a Savior, a Sin Bearer, a Forgiver, a Substitute.

• The communion table does too.• How well we forgive others is an indicator

of whether or not we’ve been forgiven.• Then there is freedom from malice, etc.