Gathering Music – Patricia McDonald

Welcoming Guests and Announcements – Pastor Ross

Prelude – Siciliano ‐ Bach, Arr. Steuterman

Meditation:

He breaks the power of canceled sin, He sets the prisoner free; His blood can make the foulest clean; His blood availed for me. ~Charles Wesley

Call to Worship – Pastor Linda

Opening Hymn – O For A Thousand Tongues to Sing – Hymnal #57

Prayer of Confession – Pastor Dave

Words of Assurance – Pastor Dave

Reading from the Psalms – Pastor Ross

Prayer Concerns – Pastor Linda

Prayer Song – Kyrie ‐ Ancient Greek

Silent Prayer, Pastoral Prayer, Lord’s Prayer

Anthem – And Can It Be ‐ arr. Larry Mayfield

Scripture Reading – Luke 4:16‐21 – Joseph Gosha

Offering – Pastor Ross

Message – Savior 2.Ransom – Jesus Sets You Free

Closing Hymn – Lift Every Voice and Sing – Hymnal #519

Benediction – Choral Amen – Pastor Dave

Postlude – Lift Every Voice and Sing ‐ Burkhardt

Luke 4:16-21 – New Revised Standard Version

The Rejection of Jesus at Nazareth

¹⁶ When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read,

¹⁷ and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:

¹⁸ “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free,

¹⁹ to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

²⁰ And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.

²¹ Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

We all know what it is like to feel trapped, stuck and hopeless. Theologically, all of us are held hostage or in captivity by sin. Jesus came to set us free so that we could truly live. God desires that we know and experience the forgiven life that God intends for us. We are prisoners of the forces of evil and wickedness in the world and there is no hope for escape on our own efforts. Jesus saves us by giving his life on the cross as a ransom to set us free.