1. THE CRUCIFIXION AND RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.
And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. I Corinthians 15:14

2. Barabbas deserved the cross. “Bar” in Hebrew means “son”
THEN RELEASED HE BARABBAS UNTO THEM: WHEN HE HAD SCOURAGED JESUS, HE DELIVERED HIM TO BE CRUCIFIED. MATTHEW 27:26
Barabbas deserved the cross.
“Bar” in Hebrew means “son”
“Abba” in Hebrew means “father”
Barabbas means “son of father”
The people chose a criminal named “son of father” instead of Jesus, who was the Son of God the Father

3. WHO DESERVED THE CROSS?
To the cross went the sinless, blameless and spotless Son of God the Father; Savior & Messiah, Jesus; even though the cross was intended for the sinner, murderer and seditionist, Barabbas, (“son of father”) .
Jesus went to the sinners’ cross to die by crucifixion in the place of the actual sinner(s). His death was vicarious!

4. Legend says this about Barabbas:
While Jesus was hanging on the cross Barabbas ran to its foot and cried out, “O Jesus of Nazareth, I know not who you are, but this I know: You are hanging there in my place.”
This is the cry of faith that saves—”Jesus, you died in my place! It is my sins that nailed you to the cross!”

5. Jew and Gentile together kill Jesus!
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. And they strip- ped Him, and put on him a scarlet robe. Matthew 27: 27, 28
Jew and Gentile together kill Jesus!
Matthew 27: the Jews demand Jesus from Pilate to crucify.
Matthew 27: 27, 28 the gentiles (Roman soldiers official representatives of the Roman Empire) strip Jesus & put on Him the scarlet robe.

6. Scarlet is the color God uses for sin!
“Come now and let us reason together, saith the Lord; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18
Scarlet is the color God uses for sin!
Jesus is clothed in scarlet! (not purple)
When sinners trust in Jesus as their Savior, we take His clothes of right- eousness for ourselves and He took our clothes of scarlet sin at Calvary!

7. WHAT IS THE ESSENCE OF THE GOSPEL?
All of my scarlet sins were put on (clothed) Jesus as He hung on the Cross of Calvary---
By grace through faith at the point of salvation I am clothed in the unblemished righteousness of the Son of Almighty God, the Lord Jesus.
My sin on Jesus---His righteousness on me!!! I am clean as white snow!

8. “And when they had plaited a crown of thorns, they put it upon His head, and a reed in His right hand: and they bowed the knee before Him, and mocked Him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews.” Matthew 27:29
The last of King David’s dynasty to be crowned in Jerusalem is crowned with thorns.
With the thorns in His precious head, Jesus bears the curse of sin of which the thorn has become the symbol!

9. The Gospel in the Crucifixion, by George E. Guille:
“The third chapter of Genesis records the curse upon creation because of sin. So widespread and far-reaching has it become that ‘the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now’ (Rom. 8:22).
[In Genesis 3 we] find the full signi- ficance of the crown of thorns. There we find no less than 7 features of the

10. curse, and every one has been fully met by our Lord.
First, is the fact itself: “Cursed is the ground for thy sake” (Genesis 3:17). But behold how He has fulfilled that which was written of Him (Deut. 21:23): “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth upon a tree” (Gal. 3:13)

11. Second: “In sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life” (Genesis 3:17b) And He of the thorn-crowned brow was a “man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief” (Isa. 53:3), saying, as He faced the cross, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death” (Matt. 26:38).
Third: “Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee.” (Genesis 3:18). Behold that which became the symbol of the Curse woven into a crown for God’s Son (Matthew 27:29)!

12. Matthew 27:26-29
26 Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. 27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. 28 And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. 29 And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!

13. Fourth: “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread” (Genesis 3:19)
Fourth: “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread” (Genesis 3:19). Of Him who was made a curse it is written: “ And his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:44)
Fifth: “Till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto

14. dust shalt thou return” (Genesis 3:19b)
dust shalt thou return” (Genesis 3:19b). And centuries before our Lord was born, David, by the Holy Ghost, put upon His lips these words: “Thou hast brought me into the dust of death” (Psa. 22:15).
Sixth: God had forewarned Adam that death should be the result of disobedience (Genesis 2:17). Now the sentence is executed: “So He drove out the man.”

15. “Out from the garden of delight, where God’s presence had been manifested. That is death—separation from God. To this also Christ has answered. In that outside place, amid the thick darkness, He cried, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me” (Psalm 22:1; Matthew 27:46)?
Seventh: “He placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every

16. way, to keep the way of the tree of life” (Genesis 3:24)
way, to keep the way of the tree of life” (Genesis 3:24). But that flaming sword has been quenched in holy blood, as it is written: “Awake O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts” (Zech. 13:7; Matt. 26:31,32).
Thus did the Lord of life and glory receive the curse that was our due, that we might be blessed forever!

17. “And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear His cross” (Matt. 27:32).
Simon means, “hearkener, to give heed in order to comply.”
Cyrene = “the supremacy of the bridle.”
The Hearkener submits to Roman auth- ority, carries the cross, follows Jesus.
The Christian’s badge is a cross, he is crucified with Christ as he submits to the authority of the Bible, follows Lord Jesus.

18. “And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull…they crucified Him.” (Matt. 27:33, 35a)
The wisdom of the Jewish and Gentile leadership said, “Kill Jesus!”
“[H]ath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world” (1 Cor. 1:20b-30)
The Lord Jesus=the “wisdom of God”
In Jesus are “hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:3)
In Him was life and the life was the light of men. (John 1:4)

19. GOLGOTHA=“SKULL PLACE”
A skull=no tissue, brain, no wisdom!
Unbelieving Gentile and Jew boast of their wisdom, but the wisdom of the world is foolishness to God.(1 Cor. 1)
The wisdom of the world demanded that Jesus be nailed to a tree. That cross was planted in a skull of rock!
The symbolism screams at mankind!

20. Vinegar and gall had anesthetic and analgesic effects—Jesus refused!
“They gave Him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when He had tasted thereof, He would not drink” (Matthew 27:34).
Vinegar and gall had anesthetic and analgesic effects—Jesus refused!
He was willing to drink the cup of God’s divine wrath against sin without the stupefying effects of drugs.
He gave Himself to the complete endurance of God’s judgment, accepting no relief from men that He could give them full relief from the consequences of their sin!

21. Read: The Gospel of John 19:23,24
“AND THEY CRUCIFIED HIM, AND PARTED HIS GARMENTS, CASTING LOTS.” MATTHEW 27:35
Read: The Gospel of John 19:23,24
Roman custom: officials of execution get to keep clothes of the crucified.
Soldiers discoverd the seamless robe.
They cannot divide the robe without destroying it so they cast lots for it.
The Prophecy: “They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.” Psalm 22:18

22. The seamless robe of Jesus is the figure of another robe…
As Isaiah said, “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with jewels.” Isaiah 61:10

23. AS THE PRODIGAL RETURNS HIS FATHER SAYS, “BRING FORTH THE BEST ROBE AND PUT IT ON HIM!” LUKE 15:22A
“Adam and Eve, in their expensively purchased knowledge, discovered that they were naked. And that shameful word became God’s description of the sinner’s moral state—NAKED! Nothing of his own in which to hide; sin his only claim upon God! He must have a garment—one of God’s own pattern, of His materials and of His providing, its color, a death—stain.” Guille p. 15

24. “Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.” (Genesis 3:21)
Genesis chapter 2 ends with Adam and Eve in sinless, selfless servanthood of each other and of the God of the Bible.
Genesis 3: Sin enters the universe and the Creation Order is flip-flopped. The Creation Order was to be: God, and in submission to God was the man, Adam; and in submission to the man was his wife, Eve; and in submission to mankind was the animal kingdom.

25. The Creation Order got flip-flopped as the woman, Eve, submitted to the animal (the serpent in Eden). Then her husband, Adam, submitted to her and ate the fruit she offered to him. This left God under all instead of over all and projected animals to being more important than people and women taking over the types of leadership God intended for men. Sin and the curse demanded a way of redemption and restoration.

26. REDEMPTION REQUIRES A BLOOD SACRIFICE.
Now a vicarious blood sacrifice must be made for “without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin” (Hebrews 9:22).
Blood must be spilled to provide a garment for the now sinfull, naked husband and wife, Adam and Eve.

27. The blood-sacrifice as a symbol of salvation is part of Jewish history until at the cross of Jesus the full meaning of this Jewish ritual was made plain.
“When we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son.” Romans 5:10

28. Who wears the Robe of Righteousness?
Only the person of believing faith!
As it is written: “Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe.” (Romans 3:22)
The moment a sinner believes the gospel (I Corinthians 15:1-11), God’s righteousness is upon him [as robed], covering him from head to foot as justified before God!

29. “And sitting down they watched Him there; and set up over His head His accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” Matthew 27:36,37
Jesus’ title written in Hebrew, Greek and Latin for all the world to read!
The Jewish chief priests wanted Pilate to change the superscription to: “He said, I am King of the Jews.”
Pilate said, “What I have written I have written.” Jesus is the Messiah!

30. “Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.” (Matthew 27:38)
The prophecy of Isaiah 53:12 about the Messiah said. “And He was numbered with the transgressors.”
The Gospel of Mark verifies Isaiah’s prophecy: “And the Scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And He was numbered with the transgressors.”
Mark 15:28
See: Luke 23:39-43

31. The crucifixion of sinners with Christ portrays our identification with Him.
We were born with the Adamic sin nature and we all have sinned. (Romans: 3:23)
But when we come to saving faith in Jesus we are “…crucified with Him.” (Romans 6:6) Or as Galatians 2:20: “I am crucified with Christ.”
Jesus: “If any man will come after Me, let Him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me” (Luke 9:23).

32. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” Corinthians 5:17
“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Romans 10:9

33. THE THREE CROSSES
Jesus with no sin in Himself took sin on himself & died for the sin of others.
The thief who believed in Jesus had sin in himself which was taken upon Jesus and he then went to Paradise.
The thief who refused to receive Jesus as his Savior, died in his sin and then went to Hell.

34. Jesus:”Father, not my will but thine…”
“Likewise also the chief priests mocking Him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others: Himself He cannot save.” Matthew 27:41, 42a
The priests are uttering God’s own truth: He could not save himself “and save us,” so that He might save us He received the awful stroke of death that was our due! In His death we are given Life.
Jesus:”Father, not my will but thine…”

35. “Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying,…My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?”
God is Light. As He forsakes His Son the Light leaves and all is in darkness!

36. “After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon a hyssop, and put it to His mouth. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and He bowed His head, and gave up the ghost.” John 19:28-30

37. “In my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” Psalm 69:21
Jesus cried out “I thirst” to fulfill the prophecy of Psalm 69.
Thus Jesus did all according to the infallible Word of God.
After fulfilling all the OT prophecies regarding His first coming He said, “It is finished!” And He gave up the ghost. He was not killed, He voluntarily gave up His life!!!!

38. “And behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after His resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.” Matthew 27:51-53

39. THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
“He is not here, for He is risen!”

40. MATTHEW 28:1-7
“In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepul-chre.”
About 4000 years before, a woman named Eve had chosen to sin.
Then a virgin woman named Mary gave birth to God’s provision for this sin, His only begotten Son, Jesus.

41. Now a previously demon-possessed woman named Mary Magdalene is the first eyewitness to the tomb.
Luke 8:2: “And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,…”
A special woman is the first person to witness the empty tomb of the Risen Lord Jesus Christ!

42. Charles Spurgeon put it this way:
MATTHEW 28:2
“And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.”
NOTICE: It was a great(KJV); violent (NIV), severe (NASB) earthquake. No ordinary earthquake!
Charles Spurgeon put it this way:

43. “Death was going through an upheaval
“Death was going through an upheaval. All the bars of the tomb were beginning to burst. When the King awoke from the sleep of death, He shook the world. The bedroom in which He had rested for a little while trembled as the heavenly Lord arose from His couch.
Jesus was placed in the prison of the tomb as a hostage for His people. Therefore it was fitting that He not break out by Himself. The angelic

44. sheriff came with the warrant for His release and set the captive free
sheriff came with the warrant for His release and set the captive free. Jesus had been confined because of human debt, but the debt had now been paid, so He had to go free.”
Spurgeon continued: “When the angel rolled back the stone, he sat on it as if to defy earth and hell ever to roll it back again. When the angel sat on the stone, one greater than an earthly king sat on something better

45. than a throne. The great stone seemed to represent the sin of all Christ’s people that had shut them up in prison. It can never be laid again over the mouth of the tomb of any child of God. Christ has risen, and all his saints must rise, too.”
Jesus could have called down legions of angels to rescue him from death—He chose to die and have an angel announce His coming back to life!

46. HOW MUCH OF THE BIBLE DO YOU BELIEVE?
Do you actually believe in invisible spirits?
Do you believe in the reality of angels which you have never seen?
Do you believe in evil, fallen angels called demons or devils?

47. HOW MUCH OF THE BIBLE DO YOU BELIEVE?
Do you believe in the virgin birth of the Lord Jesus?
Isaiah 7:14: “Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” (the prophecy)
Matthew 1:23: “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name, Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” (the fulfillment)

48. HOW MUCH OF THE BIBLE DO YOU BELIEVE?
Do you believe that Jesus, the Son of God Almighty, was crucified and truly died graveyard dead on the cross of Calvary?
Mark 15:37: “And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.”
John 19:30: Jesus: “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up the ghost.”

49. HOW MUCH OF THE BIBLE DO YOU BELIEVE?
Do you believe with your whole heart that Jesus, who was dead and buried for three days, came back to life at the resurrection?
1 Corinthians 15:4: “And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen;…He was seen;…He was seen;…He was seen!”

50. Matthew 28:3,4
More about the angel at the tomb: “His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: and for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.”
In the presence of one of our Lord’s holy angels Roman soldiers, not known for being cowards, shook and passed out!

51. The presence of heavenly purity sends shock and terror to sinful men!
Matthew 28:5
“And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.”
The women were fearful even though the angel said, “Fear not.” Only Jesus can instantly calm fears!

52. “Ye seek Jesus, which was crucified!”
Again, Spurgeon says, “If you and I can truly say that we seek Jesus who was crucified, we can bear all the shame that philosophers gladly heap on the cross, and we will have no cause for fear. The ridicule from ungodly people will not hurt us.”

53. Matthew 28:6
“He is not here: for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.”
Our Lord always does “as He said!” In this case He arose from the dead on the third day as He said. (Matthew 16:21; 17:23; 20:19)
In the Gospels, we have the prediction and fulfillment of Jesus resurrection.

54. In the Acts we have the affirmation and effects of Christ’s resurrection.
In the Epistles we have the blessings and responsibilities attached to Christ’s resurrection.
“That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death.” Philippians 3:10

55. Acts 2:23,24
Jesus,…”being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that He should be holden of it (held in its power, NASB).
O death, where is thy sting? 1 Cor. 15:55

56. whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death
How is “pains” used in the Bible?
It is used to mean birth pains (translated “travail”) 1 Thess 5:3
It means woes coming on the earth (translated “sorrows”) Matthew 24:8
The pangs, travail and sorrows of death held Jesus for a brief time, but He was loosed!

57. The word “loosed” expresses the thoroughness of His release.
Mark 11:2: Loosed is used in speaking of the loosing of a tied colt.
Acts 7:33: the putting off of shoes from the feet.
1 Corinthians 7:27: the breaking of the marriage tie by death.
John 2:19: the taking down of the stones of a building.

58. Revelation 20:7: the releasing of a prisoner.
Ephesians 2:14: the removing of a hindrance in the way.
Acts 27:41: the breaking up of a ship.
1 John 3:8: the destroying of the works of an enemy.
The use of this word “loosed” shows the thoroughness of Christ’s resurrection

59. “Loosed” displays the total triumph of the resurrection!
Jesus was loosed from the bands which held Him.
He put off the detaining power of death
He broke the ties of the cords of Hades.
He took down the house of hell’s stronghold.

60. He overcame the one who had authority over death, the devil.
He broke up the kingdom of Satan.
He owns the keys of death, and death He will abolish in the future. 1Cor15:26
He destroyed the works of the devil.
All authority has been given to our risen Lord and Savior, Messiah Jesus!

61. “…whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death.”
“But God raised Him from the dead: and he was seen many days of them which came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are witnesses unto the people.” Acts 13:30,31
“To whom also He showed himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days….” Acts 1:3a

62. IS THERE ANY EVIDENCE FOR THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS?
Biblical and secular accounts refer to the resurrection of Christ Jesus.
He was seen by more than 500 people over 40 days after He arose.
Mark 16:9=Mary Magdalene
Matt. 28:9=other women
1 Cor 15:5=Peter
Lk. 24:15f=two disciples
John 20:19f=ten apostles

63. EVIDENCE FOR THE RESURRECTION
John 20:26f=eleven apostles
John 21:1-24=seven disciples fishing
Matt 28:16,17=eleven apostles
1 Cor 15:6=five hundred people
1 Cor 15:7=James
Acts 9:1-5=Paul
Perhaps the greatest evidence is the changed lives of the apostles. Would those 1st century Christians have been willing to die horrible deaths for a story well known to them as fraud?

64. Romans 1:3
“Concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; and de- clared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection of the dead:…”

65. Ephesians 1:20
“Which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places.”
1 Peter 1:3
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”

66. “Come, see the place where the Lord lay.”
MATTHEW 28:6b
“Come, see the place where the Lord lay.”
Before His birth Jesus was in a virgin’s womb.
In His death he lay in a virgin (new) tomb.
By being buried in a tomb which had had no bodies previously placed in it, there could be no claim that some body other than Jesus had been raised! It is Jesus who is risen! Lk23:53

67. “Him God raised up the third day, and shewed Him openly.”
Romans 4:25
Talking about Jesus:
“Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.”
Acts:10:40
“Him God raised up the third day, and shewed Him openly.”

68. MATTHEW 28:7
“And go quickly, and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and, behold, He goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see Him: Lo, I have told you.”
Spurgeon: “In v.6 the angel told the women to ‘see,’ and here he told them to ‘go.’” You cannot tell the message until you know it….Do not sit and admire the sight and forget the thousands who have never seen it.”

69. EVEN UNBELIEVERS HAVE A RESURRECTION!
Daniel 12:2
“And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”

70. EVEN UNBELIEVERS HAVE A RESURRECTION!
John 5:28,29
“Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.”

71. EVEN UNBELIEVERS HAVE A RESURRECTION!
Acts 24:15
“And have hope toward God, which they themselves allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.”
Revelation 20:15
“And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

72. MATTHEW 28:18-20
“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

73. Believe on the crucified, dead, buried and resurrected Messiah Jesus Christ and you will be saved!
“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”
1 John 5:13

74. THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
“He is not here, for He is risen!”

75. A PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, you are my Redeemer and the prophesied Messiah of Isaiah 53 in the Bible. I confess that I am an unrighteous sinner. I have lied, cheated, stolen, lusted and lived my life in opposition to your holiness and commandments. Please forgive my sin! I am receiving you as my personal Lord and Savior right now. Help me to love you and to learn to say no to the sin that so easily encompasses me. Thank you for forgiving and saving me! (John 3)