Worship Notes

I’ve never been to prison. I bet you’re glad to hear that! The thought of it is beyond my imagination.  And yet, the Bible uses the imagery of sin as a prison filled with locked doors, shackles and chains, and it calls us, apart from Christ, both prisoners and captives. Paul puts it this way in Galatians 3:22a – “But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin….” 

But there is good news!  With all of the imagery of sin as a prison, freedom from sin through Jesus is pictured as freedom from captivity! Apart from Christ, we were more than just prisoners -- we were prisoners on death row, shackled in chains.  We fully deserved death.  In Christ, the penalty of death has been paid, our chains have been released, and we are free!  Can you imagine being moved directly from death row to being escorted out to freedom?

That is exactly the expression of “Amazing Grace, My Chains are Gone."

My chains are gone, I've been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy reigns
Unending love
Amazing grace

 My chains have been released and I’m now a free man!  No longer do I face the death penalty for my sin, having been ransomed by the blood of Jesus Christ.  His love and grace are truly unending. The Lord is crying out to us -- you are no longer condemned to die. No more chains.  No more prison cell.  No more captivity. Let us worship as people who are free!

Don’t know one of the songs we’re singing this weekend?  Check them out here:

This is Amazing Grace
https://youtu.be/zPQKj2Zptr0?feature=shared

Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone)
https://youtu.be/3MZgXXUW08Q?feature=shared

The Lord is My Salvation
https://youtu.be/NjOGX5zT8KU?feature=shared