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NOTES
Easter 2026
“Free Indeed”
Carl Nichols
John 8:36
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
Ephesians 2:1–5
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air... All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh…Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
Jesus didn’t come to make bad people better. He came to give dead people life.
Because of the resurrection, we have…
1. FREEDOM FROM SIN
Romans 6:1–7
What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead…we too may live a new life.
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
Colossians 2:13–14
When you were dead in your sins…God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.
2. FREEDOM FROM SHAME
Hebrews 12:1-2
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Romans 8:1
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Shame is your past trying to preach to your present.
3. FREEDOM TO LIVE
John 10:10
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
Romans 6:8–11
Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 2:4–5
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
Jesus didn’t come to improve your life. He came to replace it with a new one.
Freedom from sin…
Freedom from shame…
Freedom to LIVE…
Some of you don’t need another Easter…you need a resurrection!