Pathways Baptist Church
We welcome you to Pathways. We hope you will feel the presence of God's Spirit in today's worship service. Pastor Ed Williams brings today's message in our Sermon Series, "Wordle: key words for life today." Discover God's perspective for today's word... FREED, and how it applies to your spiritual life. We honor our father's today, and pray that their influence in our life will continue to reflect the light and life of Christ to others.
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Welcoming Song: YET NOT I BUT THROUGH CHRIST IN ME
Ephesians 1:3-7, Good News
3 Let us give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! For in our union with Christ he has blessed us by giving us every spiritual blessing in the heavenly world.
4 Even before the world was made, God had already chosen us to be his through our union with Christ, so that we would be holy and without fault before him. Because of his love
5 God had already decided that through Jesus Christ he would make us his children—this was his pleasure and purpose.
6 Let us praise God for his glorious grace, for the free gift he gave us in his dear Son!
7 For by the blood of Christ we are set free, that is, our sins are forgiven. How great is the grace of God,
Praise Song: THE BLOOD WILL NEVER LOSE ITS POWER
Praise Song: REVELATIONS 19:1
Thank you to all the Pathways and IBBW Youth, Kids, and leadership who participated in the 30-Hour Famine! Thank you to all who supported this event financially and with prayer! The goal was $1000 and $5641.02 was raised to support those who live with hunger through World Vision.
Music Presentation: THE BLOOD WILL NEVER LOSE ITS POWER
WORDLE: KEY WORDS FOR LIFE TODAY - FREED
Pastor Ed Williams, Senior Pastor
Galatians 5:1, 13-23; John 8:31-36
Double Celebration: Father's Day and Juneteenth
Galatians 5:1
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
John 8:36
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
Two "slave-drivers" still trying to keep us in bondage:
John 8:31-36
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.
32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”
34 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.
35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.
36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
Sin is a reversal of the divine order:
• Self – others – God
INSTEAD OF
• God – others – self
We have been FREED from our legitimate guilt through Jesus because He died for our sin, and we have been FREED from our self-centeredness in the power of his resurrection life.
True freedom is freedom to be myself, my true self as God made me and who my Creator meant me to be.
Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Reflect: a fish is only free as long as it is restricted to water; what is the element we humans need to be truly freed?
Galatians 5:13-23
You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.
14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;
20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions
21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Closing Song: THE BENEDICTION SONG