Bible Sunday 2013 The message of freedom

‘The Lord's Spirit has come to me, because he has chosen me to tell the good news to the poor. The Lord has sent me to announce freedom for prisoners’ Luke 4.18 (CEV)

Jesus came to set us free from everything that holds us back from being all that God intended us to be.

Freedom - for everyone to read and engage with the Bible’s message in their own language.

We are called to be freedom people.

Freedom from sin, death, condemnation, guilt and shame. Rom

Freedom from our weaknesses (anger, jealousy, gossip and bitterness) – Gal 5.1

Freedom from fear. – Rom 8.15

Freedom to be God’s children – Rom 8.15

Freedom to be God’s friends – John 15.15

In many places around the world today... Bibles are scarce.

In many places around the world today... People don’t have a Bible in their own language.

In many places around the world today... People are too poor to afford a Bible.

In many places around the world today... People are illiterate and can’t read the Bible for themselves.

All over the world, your gifts are... Translating the Bible.

All over the world, your gifts are... Distributing the Bible.

All over the world, your gifts are... Taking the Bible into prisons.

All over the world, your gifts are... Giving the Bible to those who can’t read - and teaching them to read.

Y

Y

Y

Many Chinese Christians are too poor to afford a Bible.

In some places they share one Bible among ten.

In China, one million people have become Christians in 2013.

Your gift of £5 will give six Chinese Christians the incredible freedom to read their own Bible. If your church could give a gift of £250, more than 300 Christians in China could have a Bible of their own.

Text: paper to today to give £5. And please continue to pray for the Church in China.

biblesociety.org.uk