September 13, 2009 · John 8

[Fall Launch] - John 8 34-36

“Once you're freed from slavery to sin, you look around and you see slavery everywhere, and you start to see institutionalized slavery. You start to see, wait a second. Over here, all the poor are oppressed. Well, how do I help break this sinful system? And that's part of the mission of the church too. So yes, salvation of the individual. You're breaking the yolk of slavery to sin in Jesus Christ. That is the mission of Jesus. But it's also to break society free from its sinful institutions that came as a result of sin. It's a two-pronged freedom that Jesus brings. … He came to set up a free church. A free church. Not a church that's bonded to sin or anything else. He came to set up an alternative community. A community that was ready to bring freedom from sin and from the effects of sin to the earth, to the world, from imprisonment, physical illness, abusive relationships, all these things that come from sin. He's on a cleanup mission. The year the Lord's favor has begun, Jesus said.”