2. JESUS CAME TO SET THE CAPTIVE FREE! The Son of God came to set us free from the bondage of sin! "If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36).
3. Jesus came from heaven to earth on a "rescue mission" to rescue the souls of men. The Bible says He came to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10). We are all born hopelessly lost. His mission is to seek and save us.
4. We are all sinners in need of saving (Romans 3:10; 3:23) and only Jesus can save us (Acts 4:12; John 14:6) from the punishment that our sins rightly deserve (Romans 6:23).
5. 2,000 years ago, Jesus, the sinless Son of God took the punishment for our sins upon Himself (Romans 5:8). He suffered and died on the cross; He was buried and rose again on the third day according to the scriptures (1 Cor 15:4).
6. God wants to save us. He wants to set us free from the bondage of sin. What we must do is repent (agree with God that He is holy and we are not and that we are sinners deserving of eternal damnation) and trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation.
7. When we repent and put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ, He rescues us. He saves us. He redeems us. We become a new creation (2 Cor 5:17). We are born again (John 3). We are forgiven and set free. He gives us eternal life (John 10:28). Then we are free to worship Him now and for all eternity!
8. We thank God for freedom, but true freedom is only found in Jesus Christ! Salvation is found in no one else (Acts 4:12). What you must do is repent and believe the Gospel (Mark 1:14-15), the good news that I have shared with you today. Only then will you know true freedom that comes from a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)