Release Sunday – A Special Worship Experience

We had a special service called "Release Sunday" where we had a sacred moment of freedom and renewal. Building on the Jubilee themes from The Lord’s Favor series, Marcel Hall delivered this short message reflecting on God’s call to release — to let go of sin, bitterness, guilt, and shame — and to walk fully in His grace.

Drawing from Leviticus 25, Luke 4, and the writings of Paul, Marcel shares how true freedom in Christ means learning to forgive others — and ourselves. The message leads into a unique worship experience featuring Release Stations, where the congregation was guided through prayerful moments of confession, forgiveness, mercy, and reflection.

This episode captures the heart of a morning where chains fell, burdens lifted, and many experienced the Lord’s favor in a fresh, tangible way.

⏱️ Episode Breakdown

00:00 Welcome and Devotional Setup

00:14 The Jubilee Journey and the Lord’s Favor

02:12 From Reset to Release

03:29 True Freedom in Christ

04:59 What Keeps Us Captive

06:37 Releasing Ourselves: Grace Over Guilt

08:50 Examples of Redemption and Grace

16:04 Invitation to Experience Release

Click here to donate to the program

Click here for more sermons

OC Church of Christ

Amen.

2

You know, today is different

'cause I'm doing a little short

3

devotional and I'm not rocking a

suit, you know what I'm saying?

4

So usually if you're visiting here, always

have the suit on, suited and booted.

5

All right?

6

And, uh, so we're not doing that today.

7

For the past several months, uh, God

has been taking our church on a journey,

8

a jubilee journey, and we started off

with talking about the heart of Jubilee.

9

And, uh, in Leviticus 25, we

learned that God had called his

10

people to honor and celebrate.

11

What we would be, what

would be called the Jubilee.

12

And you say, well, what was the jubilee?

13

And so here's what God called his

people to do every 50 years he

14

called them to really trust him and

to have a time of complete rest.

15

Can I get a hallelujah for that?

16

Don't you want some rest today?

17

I was talking with my cousin, Charmaine,

and she was like, I've been tired.

18

I've been working all week, and

she wants some rest today, but

19

do not fall asleep right now.

20

Okay, Charmaine.

21

There we go.

22

But every 50 years God called his

people to rest, to forgive debts and

23

also return land to the original.

24

Families.

25

And so God intended for this jubilee,

not to just be something that's

26

done on a physical, tangible level,

but it was a spiritual component.

27

It was a spiritual releasing, a spiritual

time of trusting, refining of growth,

28

and really experiencing God's favor.

29

And so we realized as we studied out that

the heart of Jubilee, what God's heart

30

was, is he wanted his people to have rest.

31

He wanted his people to have a time

to be released or to release others

32

from debts and also for things to be

restored that had been broken or lost.

33

And then in August, our church, we had

an LA Jubilee of with thousands coming.

34

From all across Southern California

and outside of Southern California to

35

celebrate God and, and to be able to,

uh, uh, uh, uh, rejoice in all that he

36

is and all that he has done in our lives.

37

And so we realized, you know what?

38

The Jubilee wasn't an event, it wasn't

a conference, it wasn't a weekend,

39

it was actually a season, and we felt

like God was leading us to have our

40

own biblical inspired Jubilee season.

41

And so we have now been as what we've

called here the last couple of months

42

here in the season of the Lord's favor.

43

And so this is a time where we can

collectively and individually have a time

44

to have a reset, release and restore.

45

So as you can see even on the screen,

we have some things that we've done

46

and are doing and will do, and we had a

fasting and prayer chain and thank you

47

to all those who participated in that.

48

And then, uh, what we're doing today,

we're having our release Sunday, we had.

49

A service project yesterday.

50

I wanna thank Julie Barber.

51

That was great to be

at and serve yesterday.

52

And then next month we're gonna

have a gratitude wall and also, uh,

53

some more serving opportunities.

54

And now we have a current sermon

series, which we're in the middle of,

55

called The Lord's Favor, where we're

diving deeper into the concepts of.

56

Release and restore.

57

And we began talking about

resetting how God wants to have

58

a reset in our relationship with

him and what a blessing that is.

59

And then his favor also includes a

reset in our relationships with other

60

people and how we can view people

the way God wants us to view them.

61

And then also a reset in what we pursue in

pursuing holiness over pursuing happiness.

62

And now we're here in our time of release.

63

This is the step where we let go of

what may be holding us back from truly

64

walking fully in the favor of God.

65

And so we talked about

releasing the world's grip.

66

On our lives and upon our hearts.

67

And last week Daniel preached a great

message about releasing others and

68

forgiveness and, and being able to be

freed ourselves when we release others.

69

And then we've had over the last,

uh, seven days devotionals that

70

we've had called 10 Days of Release.

71

And some people thought, well,

why'd we have 10 days if we're

72

only giving it seven days ahead?

73

Because we actually want

this to continue afterward.

74

And so we have our time today.

75

We can continue with learning and

growing and being able to be released

76

and also release others as well.

77

And today, we'll collectively,

uh, be releasing many things, sin

78

burdens, hurt and unforgiveness.

79

But before we can do that, we

must talk about releasing our.

80

Let's go to the father in prayer.

81

Father, thank you so much for your

word, for the opportunity to grow

82

the know, to know that we do not

have to be shackled down by anything.

83

In the past, and God, whether it

be others, whether it be ourselves,

84

father, sin, temptation, whatever it

is, God, there is freedom in Christ.

85

And Father, we pray right now, again,

open up our hearts so that we can

86

fully be engaged and immersed in

what you are trying to say and what

87

you are trying to do in our lives.

88

We pray in Jesus name.

89

Amen.

90

I wanna remind us of this principle

here, that there is true freedom.

91

Christ, and that if you want freedom in

your life, the only true and complete

92

freedom that you want to have and

that God wants you to experience can

93

only be found in and through Christ.

94

We're gonna go over to Luke chapter four.

95

This has been our theme passage.

96

For our series the Lord's Favor.

97

And Jesus, when he announces to the

world who he is, he's giving dropping

98

clues and he's letting people know.

99

And this time he makes a, a real

pronouncement that he is the

100

Messiah, but also he's connecting

himself to this Jubilee principle.

101

So he actually goes to the scrolls and

he picks up the scroll, and he goes to

102

where Isaiah the prophet, had prophesied

many years before about the Messiah

103

and what the Messiah would do, and he

reads this passage, the spirit of the

104

Lord is on me, Luke four verse 18.

105

Because he has anointed me to proclaim

good news to the port he has sent me

106

to proclaim freedom for the prisoners

and recovery of sight for the blind.

107

To set the oppress free to proclaim

the year of the Lord's favor.

108

Isaiah prophesied release.

109

Jesus fulfilled it.

110

And today we live out that spiritually

releasing sin burdens, brokenness

111

in order to walk in his favor.

112

And this is part of God's favor in his

life, is that we have the opportunity to

113

be released from things that can chain us.

114

And the heart and the

goal of God is freedom.

115

It's not bondage.

116

It's for us to be free from

the things that can enslave.

117

Hold us back.

118

And you know, there's kind

of a three common prisons

119

that hold our hearts captive.

120

And so we wanna look at

this real quickly here.

121

What keeps us captive?

122

Well, number one, we know it's sin.

123

Sin can control us.

124

It could be a trap.

125

It's a snare, not only on our

hearts, but in our faith and in

126

our lives and in our progression.

127

We also know that

resentment and bitterness.

128

It also serves as a trap and

can actually hold us captive.

129

We think we're holding others captive, but

we're actually keeping ourselves bound.

130

And then the third one is shame and guilt.

131

Shame and guilt and regret.

132

Has shame, guilt, or regret

ever affected your life?

133

Every single one of us.

134

It has gone through a time where we've

been shamed or or ashamed of something

135

or guilty, and we've had so much

regret that it affected our lives.

136

For some of us, the hardest

person to forgive is ourselves.

137

For some of us, we believe, yeah,

God forgives us, but we still

138

live like we're disqualified.

139

You know, these can be chains that

prevent us from experiencing God's

140

favor of growth and really prevent us

from being who he created us to be.

141

But Jesus came to bring true

freedom, not just pieces of freedom.

142

Jesus doesn't break just some chains.

143

He breaks every chain.

144

In John chapter eight, Jesus is having

this discussion with a group of people

145

and the religious leaders, and he

talks about how if you're a slave to,

146

if you, you can be a slave to sin.

147

And they're like, that doesn't make sense.

148

And Jesus says this profound statement

that I want us to read in John 8

149

36, he says, so if the Son sets

you free, you will be free indeed.

150

So if the sun sets you

free talking about Jesus.

151

You'll be free indeed, free from sins

bondage, but also of guilt and of shame.

152

Two examples come to mind

when I think about this.

153

I think about I think about

Simba from The Lion King.

154

We're all familiar with

Simba from The Lion King.

155

If you haven't, why not?

156

What have you been waiting

on the last 30 years?

157

You need to hurry up

and watch The Lion King.

158

It's the best Disney movie there is.

159

Okay?

160

I know Toy Story and all that,

but nothing beats Lion King.

161

Sorry.

162

We can squabble afterwards about that.

163

All right.

164

But I think a Simba,

remember Simba, right?

165

His father dies and he, he runs

from his past believing his

166

mistakes have disqualified him.

167

But when he finally looked into

the water, when Rafiki takes him to

168

the water and he hears his father's

voice, say, remember who you are.

169

Remember who you are.

170

Remember who you are.

171

At that moment, something

changes for Simba.

172

He realized he'd been forgiven, but that

he was still living like he was guilty.

173

And we know he goes on

to be the Lion King.

174

And I think God is saying the

same thing to some of us today.

175

Remember who?

176

You are, remember who you are.

177

If you're in Christ, you are

forgiven and you're free.

178

I also think of the apostle Paul.

179

He, before he was Paul, he was

saw as many of us know, and as

180

Saul, he persecuted the church.

181

He tried to literally imprison

those who are becoming Christians.

182

He was a part of those who would

actually kill Christians, but

183

then he becomes a Christian.

184

That's pretty incredible.

185

Not only does he become a Christian, but

then he becomes a leader in the church and

186

he actually dies for his faith as well.

187

But here's the thing, when Paul

first became a Christian, all the

188

Christians were afraid of him because

they were like, if Paul's coming into

189

town, y'all better run because we've

heard what he's done in other cities.

190

Imagine the first several

years as a Christian for Paul.

191

When you come in,

everybody's leery, skeptical.

192

Is he real?

193

Is he fake?

194

Is he just trying to get

in so that he can get us?

195

And you're seeing Paul, you're seeing

people that you may be their friends,

196

maybe family members you helped in

prison or maybe even confirm their death.

197

I'm sure he was tempted with

shame, guilt, and regret.

198

I mean, what a burden to carry.

199

Man.

200

I tried to stop all of this.

201

Some of us are still carrying a

burden we can't let go of our past.

202

And then what happens is we start

to develop some stinking thinking.

203

We're thinking we're, we're too sinful or

we're too guilty to get right with God.

204

Some of us, we, we feel

like, you know what?

205

We've gotten to the point where

I don't really wanna try anymore.

206

I don't wanna give my all

because I've tried in the past

207

and I've failed too many times.

208

Some of us, we keep

209

our mistakes on repeat,

and we lose hope of

210

Marcel Hall: growth and hope of change.

211

Some of us as parents, we can think

about the mistakes that we have made

212

with our children and think where they

might be, maybe in their faith or in

213

life, we, we think it's our faults.

214

Some of us, it's the sin before we became

a Christian, or for some of us, it's

215

the sin after we became a Christian.

216

We're like, man, I knew I

shouldn't have did this.

217

I knew I knew better, but yet I

still made this wicked mistake

218

and it's holding us back.

219

Some of us we're still thinking about

maybe the abortion, the divorce,

220

the adultery or the crime that we

committed, and it's GNA at us and we

221

are still enslaved and chained to it.

222

Again, preventing us from growth

and the freedom that Christ offers.

223

Jesus.

224

He set Paul free and

he didn't set him free.

225

He set him free indeed, and Paul

understood the grace that freed him.

226

Look at what he says here in one

Corinthians Chapter 15, church,

227

are you still with me this morning?

228

One, one Corinthians 15, verse 90 says,

for I'm the least of the apostles, he's

229

like, I shouldn't even be an apostle.

230

This doesn't make any sense and do

not deserve to be called an apostle

231

because I persecuted the Church of God.

232

But by the grace of God, I am what I am.

233

And his grace to me

was not without effect.

234

He goes on in a letter he wrote to

Timothy, his protege, and he says, even

235

though in one Timothy one, verse 13, he

says, even though I was once a blasphemer,

236

he said, I did the worst thing ever.

237

I talked bad about the Messiah.

238

I said He wasn't the Christ and

I, a persecutor and a violent man.

239

I was shown.

240

Mercy.

241

The grace of our Lord was

poured out on me abundantly.

242

Christ Jesus came into the world to

save sinners of whom I am the worst.

243

He says, but this my, me being

the worst of sinners served as an

244

example for those who would believe

in him and receive eternal life.

245

Paul knew what it meant to be released.

246

Released from his past.

247

From his guilt, from his shame because

Grace didn't just cover his story, it

248

rewrote his story, and the same applies

to us today, that grace, that mercy, that

249

freedom is available in Jesus Christ.

250

Can I get an amen?

251

And this isn't grace that is temporary.

252

This is grace that is permanent.

253

Again, I want us to re remember

what Jesus said, so if the sun

254

sets you free, you will be free.

255

What indeed in Christ burdens can

be dropped because you are free,

256

de free from the bondage of your

current sin, free from bitterness and

257

resentment toward others, free from

the past, mistakes, shame or guilt.

258

So how can we respond to this grace?

259

Let's walk into to the

freedom of Christ today.

260

Let's experience God's freedom today.

261

'cause here's the thing, you can't

carry guilt and grace at the same time.

262

You can't get carry guilt

and grace at the same time.

263

And God doesn't want you to try that.

264

God wants you to carry his grace.

265

Let's release our burdens.

266

Let's release the sin and allow

God's freedom to reign in our lives.

267

And so today you'll get to do something

physical that reflects something spiritual

268

and act of release around the room.

269

As we've mentioned, as you've seen

our stations, places to confess,

270

to forgive, to receive mercy,

and to rest in God's presence.

271

Some of you need to release sin some.

272

Need to release someone else.

273

Some of us, the spirit is

saying, release yourself.

274

You don't have to stay

stuck in guilt or regrets.

275

You don't have to be

stagnant in your faith.

276

You don't have to stay bound

by unforgiveness because in

277

Christ, God releases you.

278

So I wanna give some instruction

here for how this is going to work.

279

And so we have four stations

all across here in the, uh, in

280

the, uh, performing arts center.

281

We have a, a station of confession and

release, a station of for forgiveness.

282

That's the forgiveness wall right there.

283

We have another station of mercy.

284

And another station of

prayer and reflection.

285

And so every one of you should

have received a handout as you

286

were walking in, but there's gonna

be a prompt at each station, and

287

that will guide your reflection

and your symbolic form of release.

288

So you can go to the station and then

come back to the seat if you like.

289

So you can go to one station, come back

to your seat, sit about it, reflect upon

290

it, write down, uh, uh, uh, pray, and

then you can go to the next station.

291

So you can do that or you can decide.

292

I'm just gonna go to each

station, see what's going on.

293

Then I'm gonna come back to my seat and

be able to partake in all of these things.

294

However you wanna do it, you can do it.

295

You can go in the order in

which you think would be best.

296

And then we also have, this will be

the area in which can be available

297

for prayer and reflection upon this.

298

And so, uh, you can sit in

different seats all across here

299

by yourself to be able to pray.

300

You can also pray with others as well.

301

And then we also, on the handout

that you have, you can write down.

302

Uh, any notes or reflections you have, but

there's also information and direction on

303

there to remind you of what each station

is about and what, uh, the activity is.

304

And so, we do have one station right

there in the corner where Craig is for

305

those who might have some mobility issues.

306

And so all of the uh, uh,

uh, things are right there.

307

And we're gonna give us

about 20 to 25 minutes.

308

And then we're gonna go ahead

and, uh, come back together

309

for a time of communion.

310

And so we will, uh, go

to all the stations.

311

I'll give you guys like a two

minute warning, and then we'll come

312

back and take communion together.

313

I wanna encourage you to really allow the

spirit to show up, to not limit yourself.

314

Do not let insecurity.

315

And again, I'll encourage you, this isn't

something that we wanna do two by two.

316

This is something you really

wanna experience with you and God.

317

And so maybe you need someone to

pray with and encourage you for that.

318

But let's go ahead and let's make sure

that we're not using this as opportunities

319

to engage in a lot of conversation that

can veer, but allow us to truly connect

320

with God and allow him to free us.

321

And so, God, let's go ahead and

let's go to God in prayer and then

322

we'll have our stations of release.

323

Let's pray.

324

God, as we move into this time of release.

325

I pray that we do not hold back.

326

Let this morning be a time where change

fall and hearts are free, where we

327

experience the freedom that you came

to bring, that we can experience the

328

release of ourselves, of others, of

the past, of situations, of our own

329

sin and God be reminded that in Christ

we did not have pieces of freedom.

330

We have true and complete freedom

and that we are free indeed.

331

I'm excited to see how your spirit will

move in our hearts and in our minds.

332

God, you've been working

on mine even this morning.

333

I started thinking, man,

this is good for my soul.

334

There's something that that popped up

that I didn't realize I need to deal with.

335

So I thank you in advance

for the way you're working.

336

God, may you be pleased.

337

May you be glorified and may

we receive your spirit in full.

338

In Jesus' name, amen.