I Corinthians 15:3-4
3 I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.
These verses give us a concise picture of the freedoms we have in Christ. Use the following activity to demonstrate how Jesus has freed us from sin.
1) Gather the following items: a laundry basket or box that one family member can fit into, a ball of string or yarn, some tape and a pair of scissors. Read Romans 3:23 and choose a family member to crawl inside the container. Other family members will place pieces of string across the opening of the container, taping the string on each side. Each time a new piece of string is added, a family member will share about a sin or temptation that he or she struggles with. Continue adding strings, crisscrossing them until the person in the container is hemmed in. Emphasize "the wages of sin is death," which is what the container covered in string is representing.
2) Write out and read 1 Corinthians 15:3-4. First, point out “Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures.” He died for one reason: to pay the penalty necessary for our sins. He took our place. Instruct the person in the container to stay seated. Take the pair of scissors and begin cutting away the string, while explaining that because of Jesus' death, we are made free from the death penalty of sin and stand righteous before God. This is our justification.
3) Next, point out “that He was buried.” Romans 6 tells us that through faith we died with Him and were buried with Him and are now dead to the power of sin over us. Sin no longer has dominion over us, so we can choose to live righteous, holy lives. We are free from sin’s control over us! Have family members begin replacing the cut string with new strands. Remind the person in the container that they are now free from sin's control and that they may use there body to keep them free from being bound by the string "sin" again, but they must remain in the container. This is our sanctification.
4) Take a few minutest to talk to each other about sin in our process of sanctification. Here are some questions you can use:
How does sin keep you from experiencing freedom?
Do you sometimes feel trapped in sin even though you know Jesus has set you free?
When you feel trapped, what can you do to be free once more?
5) Lastly, reread “that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures.” Explain that His death alone could not save us; it was the resurrection that showed God’s acceptance of Christ’s sacrifice, and that gives power unto salvation. In Colossians 3:1 we read that we are risen with Christ. His resurrection guarantees a future in Heaven for us where we will be free from the presence of sin. Have person in the container step out and place all the items out of sight representing the removal of the presence of sin. This is our glorification.
From that past moment when I truly believed,
I am free from the penalty of sin. . .
Free from the present power of sin over me . . .
And guaranteed to one day be free from the presence of sin.
Now that’s cause for celebration—every day!
6) Closing Prayer "Lord Jesus, we thank you for the men and women who have served our country to provide the freedoms we enjoy as Americans. But most of all we thank you for Jesus who has freed us from sin. Let us never forget the great gift of freedom that You give us as followers of Christ. Help us to remember that we are free from sin's control over us and help us to bring glory to you until the day you return."
(Based on devotional from thrivingfamily.com)
