We're going to begin our worship by singing to God's praise in Psalm 19, the Scottish Psalter
version, page 223. We can sing from verse 7 down to verse 11. Psalm 19, page 223, God's law is
perfect and converts. The soul in sin that lies, God's testimony is most sure and makes the simple
wise. We'll sing from verse 7 to 11 and the tune is Evan.
God's law is perfect and converts. The soul in sin that lies, God's testimony is most sure
and makes the simple wise. The statutes of the law are right and do rejoice the heart.
The Lord commanded pure and applied to the eyes in power.
Unspotted is the fear of God and of danger forever.
The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
they more than gold gave our kind gold to be decided our.
And hold thee, hold thee from the tomb that troppeth sweeter far.
Moreover, may thy servant born have ye his life should bring.
A great reward provided is for them that keep the same.
We'll come to God in prayer. Let us pray.
Amen.
Lord, it's no matter the weather that we can have something to complain about.
We complain about the cold and the wet so often.
Maybe just now we complain about the heat.
But we thank you that whatever our circumstances, Lord, that we have reason to rejoice and give thanks in you.
That you are the God of creation.
That you are the God of heaven and earth.
That you are the God who has made us in your image.
You are the God who has formed us and formed us with a particular purpose.
And our purpose to be a people who would worship you.
Who would praise your name.
And we thank you for every reason we have to give thanks to you.
We thank you for all that we have in life.
We thank you for our homes and our communities.
We thank you for our congregation here and the people we have around us.
We thank you for our fellowship in Christ.
And we pray, Lord, that you will strengthen us and uphold us in all of these things.
That you will build us up as a people.
Those who come and attend regularly.
Those who come from time to time.
Those who visit us, Lord, especially over these months of summer.
We find so many people traveling through our islands.
And who come to services from time to time.
We thank you that we can still come and join together as one in Christ.
And we pray that even this evening that you will unite us in these bonds of fellowship in Christ.
And that you will bless your word to us all.
Remembering those not here with us but who are tuning in online.
Whether it's live stream or at another point in the days ahead.
We do pray, Lord, that as your word goes out to us.
That you will bless it to us.
We thank you that your word has reminded us as we've sung together.
That your word, your law is perfect.
And converts the soul and sin that lies.
And we pray for that power to be evident in our midst.
For we are all sinners who fall short.
And we can do nothing in and of ourselves for our own salvation.
We cannot convert ourselves or anyone else.
But we thank you for your word and your spirit.
And the power that is behind them.
That you are able to do so much more than we ask or imagine.
And so we pray, Lord, for both your presence with us this evening.
And your power upon us.
That we will know you are God.
Help us to be still and to know that.
We give you thanks, Lord, for our families and our communities.
And recognize the many different needs that are around us.
Remember those who are mourning and grieving in our midst.
In this past week alone and in these last number of months.
And even down over the years, Lord.
We know the sense of grief that we experience in life can and does stay with us all our days.
Old wounds can be reopened.
Wounds that never healed can still hurt day after day.
And we pray, Lord, that in our grief and in those who are grieving around us.
That we would know your comfort.
We pray that for all who need it at this time.
We pray for mourning families.
We pray for mourning communities.
For friends.
Neighbors who have lost loved ones even in these days.
We pray, Lord, for your spirit to be near as the great comforter.
To be near to those who are broken hearted.
That you would bind them up.
We pray, too, for those who are unwell.
Both at home and in hospital.
We pray for those who are in the homes around the town as well.
And further afield, too.
Those who are in old age.
We pray for them, Lord.
For you to surround them and to be with them.
Each one, Lord, with their own different needs.
But thankful that their needs are known unto you.
And that you are able to help.
You are able to help in ways that we cannot.
We pray for comfort.
For grace.
For your peace to surround.
Pray that for us all, O Lord.
In our days as they go on.
In our homes.
In our families.
In our workplaces.
In our community.
In all that we do for the Lord.
Lord, may we know your protection over us.
And your grace and peace with us.
We do thank you for your word.
And for the good news that is the gospel.
And we pray that as it's proclaimed today.
And in all the days ahead.
That it will bear so much fruit in our midst.
That you will bring people to know the wonder of Jesus Christ.
The wonder of all so much in life that we try and do.
In and for ourselves.
And the futility of so much of it.
But yet the wonder of your grace.
The wonder of faith in the Lord Jesus.
The gift of God.
We pray, Lord, that we will marvel more and more in that.
So may your message go out with power to all ends of our islands today.
We give you thanks for the work of the faith mission over these last couple of weeks in point.
For the many people who have attended from different parts of the island.
On each evening occasion.
And we pray for fruit from that.
We pray your blessing on all who have been involved in organizing and leading it.
And this evening as they gather on this, the last day of it.
Lord, we pray for your spirit to be with them.
We pray, Lord, for the words of the psalm that we have sung.
That your word would bring people to life.
To convert the souls that lie in sin.
We pray, Lord, your blessing.
And to follow all that is done in your name.
We pray for our nation and the nations of the world.
We pray your blessing on us in these days.
That you will turn us from the ways of the world.
Turn us towards you.
From the top leadership in our land.
Down through all areas of life.
We pray, Lord, for your blessing and your peace.
To be restored upon us.
We know there are so many anxieties and fears and concerns throughout our world.
But we thank you that you are our God.
The one who made the world.
The one who cares for it.
The one who is able to turn darkness into light.
And so we pray, Lord, that even as your light goes forth.
That you will send it out with power.
We continue to lean upon you.
Asking your blessing on all that we do in your name.
Asking your blessing on the youth fellowship as they meet this night.
May you be with them in that.
And asking your blessing in the week ahead.
In all the different activities of it, Lord.
In our homes and our families.
In community and church life.
That we will do all as unto the Lord.
We ask now, Lord, that you will bless us as we continue to wait upon you.
To hear your word.
And to offer up our praise.
Lead us in the singing, Lord.
And uphold him as he leads us in it.
And may we sing with joy in our hearts.
To you as our Lord.
And as our God.
So continue with us.
Bless us.
Guide us through your word.
And forgive us for all our sins.
As we ask all things.
In the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
For his sake.
And for his glory.
Amen.
We'll again sing to God's praise.
This time in Psalm 77.
In the Sing Psalms version.
Page 100 of the psalm book.
Psalm 77.
We'll sing from verse 1 to verse 9.
The tune for this verse singing from the psalmist Glen Cairn.
I cried aloud to God for help.
I prayed that God would hear.
When I was plunged in deep distress.
I sought the Lord in prayer.
We'll sing from verse 1 to verse 9.
To God's praise.
Amen.
which have gone by.
Throughout the watches of the night,
my songs I call to mind.
I ponder deeply
while my heart and answer
try to find.
Forever will the Lord reject
and never show His grace
as He withdrawn His steadfast love
and turned from me His way.
For all time has His promise failed,
is God no longer kind.
Has He in His great wrath dismissed
compassion from His mind.
Amen.
We can turn to read in God's Word now.
We're going to read in Paul's letter to the Galatians.
The chapters on the notice sheet are the wrong chapters.
I sent the wrong information.
It's from chapter 2, verse 15,
into chapter 3, verse 14.
So we're sticking up by reading in chapter 2,
and at verse 15,
reading down into chapter 3, verse 14.
Let us hear the Word of God.
We ourselves are Jews by birth
and not Gentile sinners.
Yet we know that a person is not justified
by works of the law,
but through faith in Jesus Christ.
So we also have believed in Christ Jesus
in order to be justified by faith in Christ
and not by works of the law,
because by works of the law
no one will be justified.
But if in our endeavor to be justified in Christ
we too are found to be sinners in Christ,
then a servant of sin?
Certainly not.
For if I rebuild what I tore down,
I prove myself to be a transgressor.
For through the law I died to the law,
so that I might live to God.
I have been crucified with Christ.
It's no longer I who live,
but Christ who lives in me.
And the life I now live in the flesh
I live by faith in the Son of God,
who loved me and gave himself for me.
I do not nullify the grace of God,
for if justification were through the law,
then Christ died for no purpose.
O foolish Galatians,
who has bewitched you?
It was before your eyes
that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.
Let me ask you only this.
Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law
or by hearing with faith?
Are you so foolish?
Having begun by the Spirit,
are you now being perfected by the flesh?
Did you suffer so many things in vain,
if indeed it was in vain?
Does he who supplies the Spirit to you
and works miracles among you
do so by works of the law
or by hearing with faith?
Just as Abraham believed God
and it was counted to him as righteousness.
Know then that it is those of faith
who are the sons of Abraham.
And the Scripture,
foreseeing that God would justify
the Gentiles by faith,
preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham,
saying,
In you shall the nations be blessed.
So then those who are of faith are blessed,
along with Abraham,
the man of faith.
For all who rely on works of the law
are under their curse.
For it is written,
Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things
written in the book of the law,
and do them.
Now it is evident that no one is justified
before God by the law,
for the righteous shall live by faith.
But the law is not of faith,
rather,
the one who does them shall live by them.
Christ redeemed us
from the curse of the law
by becoming a curse for us.
For it is written,
Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree,
so that in Christ Jesus
the blessing of Abraham might come
to the Gentiles,
so that we might receive the promised Spirit
through faith.
And so on and may God bless
that reading from his word.
I will again turn to Psalm 77
as we continue to sing to God's praise.
We are going to take up our singing
at verse A10
and down to verse 15.
The tune this time is Spore.
Now in the first part we were singing
verse 1 to 9,
you notice that the psalmist has many questions,
difficult questions
that the Lord is being asked by him.
In verse 7,
Forever will the Lord reject
and never show his grace.
Has he withdrawn his steadfast love
and turned from me his face?
There's this questioning going on
in the psalmist's heart.
Where is God in all that's going on
in my life and all around us?
But then in verse 10 to verse 15,
we're reminded that God is there.
Then to my heart there came this thought.
On this I will rely
the years of the right hand of power
of him who is most high.
I will recall the Lord's great deeds,
your works of long ago.
I'll meditate on all your acts,
your mighty deeds I'll show.
Verse 15 reminds us
that God has, as it says,
you have redeemed your people, Lord,
with your almighty arm.
So we'll sing from verse 10
down to verse 15
to God's praise.
Amen.
Then to my heart there came this thought.
On this I will rely.
The years of the right hand of power
of him who is most high.
I will recall the Lord's great deeds,
your words of love and hope.
I'll meditate on all your acts,
your mighty deeds I'll show.
O God most holy and pure ways,
what God compare with you.
You are the God of miracles,
whose heart the nation knew.
You have redeemed your people, Lord,
with your almighty arm.
Jacob's and Joseph's children,
you delivered them all harm.
Amen.
And we can turn back to our reading
in Galatians,
in particular chapter 3
and verse 10
down to verse 14.
Galatians chapter 3
verse 10 to 14
is going to be our focus
together this evening.
A section that speaks
about being cursed
or redeemed.
Verse 13 reminds us, though,
that Christ redeemed us
from the curse of the law
by becoming a curse for us.
For it is written,
cursed is everyone
who is hanged on a tree.
Paul was writing to the church
in Galatia,
which is modern-day Turkey,
a number of congregations
in that area,
churches that had been blessed
by the work of God
in their midst
and seeing many people
coming to faith.
But yet he is writing to them
because of a problem
that was in their midst,
a problem that was becoming
more and more serious.
The people were being
led astray,
led away
from the faith
that they had come to
and instead being focused
more and more
upon the works
of the law
by the teachers
who were coming
into their midst.
So Paul writes to them
with this powerful reminder.
One of the most powerful ones
is at the end of chapter 2
where it says in verse 21,
I do not nullify the grace of God,
for if justification
were through the law,
then Christ died for no purpose.
And that's a powerful reminder
to the people then
and to ourselves this evening
as well as we think
of how we're living our lives.
Are we relying fully
on faith in Christ?
Or are we thinking to ourselves,
well I can justify myself
through God
by keeping the law?
There is a powerful reminder
to us
if we are living by the law
and justifying ourselves
and we're saying
Christ died
for no purpose.
But we see as we go on
that Paul is reminding
them and us
that Christ died
for a purpose
to redeem
his people.
Now the question
for ourselves tonight
is are we a people
who are easily
led astray?
Just as the people were
in the churches
around Galatia,
they were being led astray
by false teachers
all around them.
How are we
when it comes
to being led astray?
Someone encourages
us to do something
we know
it may be not right,
we know it may be
bad for us,
but do we feel
our pressure?
Are we led astray
and do we go ahead
and do it anyway?
Perhaps it's happened
in your life,
it's happened
in my own life,
I know that.
We're led astray
in different ways.
But what about
when it comes
to faith?
Are we being led astray
when it comes
to our faith?
Are we hearing
one thing
that makes us think
well it's all about faith?
But then we're listening
to someone else
who says no
but it's about
what you do yourself
as well,
how you can add
to your faith
through works
of the law.
Well that's the kind
of challenge
that Paul was writing
to address
and a challenge
to ourselves
as well.
They are being led astray
and he's showing them
this problem
at the beginning
of chapter 3
by asking them
questions,
again powerful questions,
who has bewitched you
he says
at the very beginning
of chapter 3.
There's a number
of other questions
he says in verse 2,
let me ask you
only this,
did you receive
the Spirit
by works of the law
or by hearing
with faith?
Again,
they're challenging
questions to ourselves.
What is our faith?
What is our foundation
of our faith,
self or Christ?
He brings them back
to look at Abraham
in the Old Testament,
the father of the faith,
one who they would
all be looking to
as so important
when it comes
to faith
and yet he reminds them
that it was through faith
he believed in God
and it was counted
to him
as righteousness.
It was all about faith.
And then in the section
we're looking at
this evening,
verse 10 to 14,
he continues
to illustrate this
for them
that they're being
led astray
by law-based salvation
and that they need
instead
to rely fully
on Christ
who is able
to redeem.
Coastal erosion
is a term
we hear so often
these days.
A term
we see the effects
of around us
in the islands
and different places.
We see the effect
of what happens.
But how quickly
does coastal erosion
happen?
How quickly
do we see
the damage
that it brings?
So often
it's not just
an instant event.
It's something
that happens
over a long period
of time.
The effects
of wind
and waves,
the effects
of tides
and storms
on our coast.
The wearing down
over many,
many years
and yet the effects
can sometimes
be devastating.
You see it
perhaps
more clearly
down in the
south coast
of England.
A place
that has been
in the news
the last number
of years
where houses
that were built
near the shore,
near cliff edges
but in the people's eyes
far enough away
not to be impacted
by any erosion.
You're seeing now
that during a process
over a long period
of time
the cliffs
has been worn away
and now we're finding
that houses
are slipping
into the sea.
Disaster strikes
when erosion
takes place.
And that's the way
it is
with faith.
Faith
is to be based
in Christ
but over a period
of time
erosion
can come in
and we maybe
it's when we are
already in faith
or when we're
considering our faith
and the faith
that we need
in Christ
we can allow
other things
to come in
that over a period
of time
just erode
away at us
and the foundation
it starts
to crumble
and eventually
a slide
takes place.
That's what's
happening here
in Galatia
and for that reason
it's something
we have to guard
against ourselves
as well
to make sure
that we are always
living our life
looking to the
foundation of our faith
the Lord Jesus Christ.
So Paul teaches
how to be grounded
in faith
and not the works
of the law
is what counts.
And so we want
to just look
through these verses
in 10 to 14
and think of it
under this idea
of erosion
and how erosion
can come in
and how we guard
ourselves
against it.
So first we think
of erosion
how it starts
and how this can happen
over a long period
of time
and the real
cause of the erosion
here in the Galatians
faith is
a misunderstanding
of the law.
Paul has taken
the people back
to the Old Testament
to the father
of the faith
Abram
and following that
he continues
to look at the Old Testament
and to show
how they've misunderstood
the importance
and the place
of the law.
Not saying
the law isn't important
it is
but their understanding
of it
is what has gone wrong.
the false teachers
who believe
that the law
was the only way
to avoid
the curse of God
they have been
teaching that
in the churches
in Galatia
and through this
erosion is coming in.
And Paul shows
that if they are
going to rely
on this
they're not avoiding
the curse
but they're bringing
themselves
even more
under the curse.
why is that?
Well
because when we
think of the law
and the law
that the false
teachers had
was not just
the moral law
of the Old Testament
it had been added
to by themselves
so many other laws
that people
had to keep
circumcision
being one of the
main things
and without
keeping
every law
then
they couldn't
please
God
they couldn't
satisfy God
they couldn't
turn this curse
that they were
away because of sin
they couldn't
get rid of it.
Paul is saying
if you could
possibly do this
and you could
save yourself
as we go back
to the end
of chapter 2
you're saying
Christ died
for no purpose.
And he's saying
to them
you cannot rely
on the works
of the law
to save you
from the curse.
because the
foundation of
faith
on being
justified
before God
is not as
the Jews
would teach
completing
and fulfilling
all of the
law
because it
just cannot
be done.
And so
therefore
for them
and for us
if we
believe
that we
can please
God
through our
law keeping
and doing
everything
right
as it were
according to
all the
law of God
we're never
going to
achieve it.
You're never
going to
do it.
And to try
and do it
is only to
allow the
erosion of
faith
in your
life.
And the
way of
salvation
instead of
being through
faith
is through
yourself
and through
completing
every aspect
of the
law.
So there's
this erosion
that comes
in.
And the
danger with
as Paul
highlights so
often with
this idea of
being able to
keep the
law fully
is that in
realizing we
can never
do it
we start
to feel
discouraged.
We start
to feel
despair and
despondency
coming in.
And we look
at others
thinking oh
but they're
managing it
they're
managing to
keep all
the laws
so perfectly
but nobody
can.
There's nobody
in here you
could look to
and say but
that person
has managed
it because
none of us
can keep
every law
perfectly.
And so if
we feel we
could do it
and we
can't we
become
despondent.
And that's
the danger
for the
people in
Galatia.
And the
erosion we
would call
today is
backsliding.
We start
to fall
away.
from God.
And it's
always a
dangerous
place to
be.
To start
to backslide.
To start
to fall
away from
God.
And just
like then
and so
it is now
one of the
main reasons
is that we
can be led
astray.
We can be
led into
this idea
that we
can add
to our
salvation.
We can
achieve
our
salvation.
We can
keep
the law
when we
can't.
backsliding
so often
starts in
a subtle
way.
And most
of the
time we're
not even
aware of
it.
And many
of us
may be
backslidden
and we
don't even
realize it.
It happens
so often.
When you
think of
coastal
erosion and
just how
gradually that
comes in,
unless you're
maybe recording
images of it
over a period
of years,
you maybe
don't even
realize just
how much
of the
coastline
has
disappeared.
And one
of the
causes of
our
backsliding
in faith
is just
over time
all of
these things
just eroding
our faith,
making us
feel
discouragement
and despair,
then we
start to
neglect
things.
We start
to turn
away things
that are
so important.
If you
neglect a
relationship,
that relationship
is going
to deteriorate.
And that's
what Paul
is getting
at here.
When you
start to
rely on
the law,
your
relationship
with God,
your faith
in Him,
your trust
in Him
is being
neglected.
And over
time,
that's just
going to
get worse.
And we
see it
ourselves
today with
the danger
of backsliding
and erosion
in our
faith.
Neglect
is such
a key
thing that
we have
to guard
against.
The neglect
of reading
God's
Word,
of listening
to what
God's
Word is
saying to
us.
The neglect
of prayer.
Stopping
to pray
because we
feel discouraged.
Maybe our
prayers are
not being
heard or
answered.
We feel
discouraged
and that's
what we
neglect
it.
Neglecting
the fellowship
of the
church,
of being
together
with God's
people.
It starts
in subtle
ways,
but neglect
neglect always
ends up
in backsliding
and turning
away from
God.
And it's
something we
always have
to be on
our guard
against.
Whatever way
the erosion
starts to
come in,
we have to
be aware
of the
different ways
it can
and to be
on our
guard
against it.
So we
see first
of all how
Paul is
warning here
how erosion
comes in.
For all
who rely
on works
of the
law
are under
a curse.
There's
this burden
that we're
under.
Then we
see the
effects
of erosion.
The
curse
of the
law
is what
is mentioned
here.
When we
see erosion
setting in,
there's
consequences
to it.
It happens
as we
think of
coastal
erosion.
As it
starts to
take place
more and
more,
there's
always
consequences
to it.
It leads
to destruction
at some
point along
the way.
And so
it is
with our
faith.
When the
erosion
sets in,
there's
always
consequences
to it.
But the
most serious
consequence
is this,
that we
end up
cursed
under
this
curse.
Cursed
be
everyone
who
does
not
abide
by
all
the
things
written
in the
book
of
the
law
and
do
them.
Again,
we see
Paul here
quoting the
Old Testament
there in
verse 10.
And so
there's this
realization,
Paul is
saying,
that if you
want to
follow this
way of
the law
and keeping
it all,
you're
cursed if
you cannot
keep it
all.
every
single
part
of it.
There are
consequences
to it.
The law
of God
is
perfect.
We sang
that in
Psalm 19.
God's
law is
perfect.
It
converts.
But what
does
conversion
mean?
It doesn't
mean
ourselves
keeping
the law
in its
entirety,
but about
looking to
the one,
the only
one who
is able
to fulfill
the law
in its
entirety,
the Lord
Jesus
Christ.
The law
cannot be
wholly
kept by
anyone.
And so
everyone who
comes under
the law
is cursed.
If we
cannot keep
it,
we are
cursed.
And we
saw what
a curse
from the
Lord means
this morning
when Jesus
cursed the
fig tree.
It
withered,
it
died,
it
bore
no
fruit.
And that's
the danger
of the
curse,
the consequences
that we're
under.
If we
seek to
keep the
law in
its entirety,
in its
fullness,
we cannot
do it and
we end
up cursed.
And that
leads us
to this
point where
we can do
nothing for
ourselves.
We are
cursed under
the law.
We are
just,
as Jesus
makes clear
for us,
we would
be cursed,
we would
be damned.
That is
what we
are.
So
everybody,
it says
here,
who is
everybody,
it is
just that.
It is
everyone.
There's no
one who
can avoid
this.
We all
come under
the law
of God,
but none
of us,
no one,
can keep
it perfectly.
And so
as Paul
is quoting
here in
the Old
Testament,
he's showing
the seriousness
of it.
This affects
every one
of us.
Cursed
be everyone
who does
not abide
by all the
things written
in the book
of the law.
This is how
serious it was
for the Galatians.
This is how
serious it is
for ourselves.
We are all
sinners.
There is no
escape.
Now the law
is
important.
It reminds
us that
we cannot
fulfill
the law
of God.
A preacher
once used
two images
to describe
the purpose
of the
law.
The first
was this.
He said
he likened
it to
the dentist's
little mirror
which he
sticks into
the patient's
mouth.
The mirror
is able
to help
the dentist
detect
where there's
something wrong
with a tooth,
where there's
a cavity
that needs
filled.
But he
doesn't
drill with
the mirror.
He doesn't
use the
mirror to
pull out
teeth.
It can't
provide the
solution.
The second
way was this.
He said
he likened
the law
to a
plumb line
that a
builder
uses.
When a
builder is
building and
he wants
to check
that everything
is on the
level,
on the
straight,
he uses
a plumb
line.
And if
the plumb
line highlights
that there's
a fault,
it's not
going to
help
correct it
because he
has to
get other
tools out.
He has to
get the
hammer and
the saw
out to
correct it.
And he's
saying this
is what
the law
is like.
The law
points out
the problem
of sin,
but it
doesn't
provide
a solution
because we
cannot fully
keep the
law.
If we are
only under
the law,
we are
slaves and
bound to
that and
all the
consequences
of it.
So if we
fail in
one aspect
of the
law,
we are
cursed,
we are
doomed.
And so
Paul is
highlighting
that for
us.
We cannot
possibly do
it.
What a
message to
bring to
the people,
to try and
bring them
back to
their senses.
It's a bit
like Private
Fraser and
Dad's Army
as Paul
is saying
all of
this to
them.
People are
thinking,
well,
we're doomed.
There's
nothing that
we can do
here.
And if
Paul's
message
ended
there,
we too
would feel
that sense
of doom.
There's
nothing that
we can do
ourselves.
So what
hope do
we have?
Well,
the great
thing is
that there
is a
cure.
That there
is a cure
here.
You see,
Paul doesn't
stop there.
The whole
purpose he
is writing
to the
church at
Galatia is
this,
to show
them the
answer,
to show
them the
way.
Because it
doesn't end
there.
Paul goes
on to
show the
way back.
The
consequences
of erosion
is destruction.
But thanks
be to God
that he
has made
a provision.
As he
goes on
here,
he's
speaking
about
it's
evident
that no
one is
justified
before God
by the
law,
for the
righteous
shall
live
by faith.
And here
is the
foundation.
Here is
the guard
against the
erosion that
can so
easily set
in.
Just like
we see in
the coastal
barriers being
put in,
defenses being
set against
the effects
of erosion.
So we
have the
greatest
defense of
all,
the Lord
Jesus
Christ.
The
righteous
shall
live
by faith.
And he
goes on
then to
say in
verse 12,
but the
law is
not of
faith,
rather the
one who
does them
shall live
by them,
which we
cannot do,
but then
this Christ
redeemed
us from
the curse
of the
law by
becoming a
curse for
us.
The
wonder of
the grace
of God
that Christ
redeemed
us from
the curse
by becoming
a curse
for us.
How?
Well it
says,
for it is
written,
cursed is
everyone who
hanged on
a tree.
And that
is just
what Christ
has done.
We are
not justified
by our
works.
We are
not saved
by our
works.
We are
saved by
faith in
Christ who
redeems us
from the
curse of
the law.
We use
this word
redeem.
So often
in life
now when
we redeem
something,
a voucher,
we get
money off
something.
A price
is covered
for us.
But here
is the
greatest
price of
all.
And what
a price
has been
paid for
us.
So how
could we
ever think
that we
could do
anything to
satisfy or
guard ourselves
against this
curse that
we are
under.
Just again
going back
to the
end of
chapter 2,
we are
saying if
we could,
Christ died
for no
purpose.
But that
is not
true.
His purpose
was to
redeem
his people,
to purchase
his people
at the
greatest
price of
all.
Redemption
is through
Christ,
our
redeemer
who gave
his life
as a
ransom
for many.
Redemption
is spoken
of through
the
scriptures,
all the
way through.
The idea
of a
price being
paid is
there all
through.
And the
price ultimately
is this,
that Christ
died for
sinners.
He went
to the
cross.
we were
reminded of
it last
Sunday
morning when
the Reverend
Bill Ferguson
was with us.
He was
preaching from
Isaiah 43,
that wonderful
passage that
says at the
beginning,
fear not,
for I have
redeemed you.
I have
called you
by name,
you are
mine.
We were
reminded how
the Lord
never leaves
his people,
no matter
what they're
going through.
A price
is paid
for them,
the greatest
price of
all.
Christ
redeemed us
from the
curse of
the law
by becoming
a curse
for us.
A young
boy,
he once
built himself
a little
boat,
many used
to do it
when you
were young,
making little
boats and
then putting
them out
in a river
and on a
loch.
This young
boy,
he'd made
himself a
little boat
and he
took it
along to
the river
one day
and set it
into the
river and
was letting
it out on
a string.
And he
sat back
and just
watched the
little boat
go out as
he was letting
his string
out and he
was admiring
it as it
was going
out but
then all
of a sudden
there was
a strong
current in
the river
that took
hold and
the boat
got caught
up in the
current and
as the
little boy
tried to
pull it
in on
the string,
the string
snapped.
And the
boy was
devastated.
He started
chasing after
this boat
going down
the river
after it
but the
boat was
going too
fast.
It was
being taken
away.
And he
just kept
going,
kept going,
trying to
catch up
with it but
it slipped
out of
sight,
carried on
searching until
it started
to get dark.
And to his
dismay,
he just
couldn't find
it.
He'd lost
his boat.
A few
days later
on his way
home from
school,
he was
passing by
a shop
and in
the shop
he noticed
this little
boat.
And he
said to
himself,
that boat
looks just
like mine.
And as he
went closer
and closer
he said to
himself,
it is
mine.
And so he
ran into
the shop
and he
said to
the man
at the
counter,
he says,
that's my
boat in
your window.
I made
it,
can I have
it back?
And the
man in
the shop
said,
no,
I'm
sorry,
someone
else
brought
that in.
If you
want it,
you're
going to
have to
buy it
back.
And the
man told
him how
much it
was going
to cost.
Now the
little boy
didn't have
any money
with him
at the
time,
but he
ran home
and saw
how much
money he
could get
together.
And he
was delighted
when he
found he
had enough
money.
And he
ran back
to the
shop,
he gave
the man
the money,
he got
his boat
back.
And as
he was
going out
of the
shop,
he said,
now you're
mine twice.
I made
you and
now I've
bought you.
And that's
a reminder
to us
of the
cost of
all that
Christ has
done for
us.
He made
us in
the first
place.
We belong
to him
and yet
in our
ignorance of
him we've
gone away.
we've
gone our
own way.
In our
sin we've
gone astray
from him.
And he
had to
come and
purchase us,
redeem us
with a
price.
And so
if you
think you're
not worth
much to
God,
if you
think you're
not important
to God,
or God
doesn't see
you as
important in
his eyes,
just like the
psalmist as
we're singing
in Psalm 77,
has God
forgotten
us?
Will he
neglect
us?
Do you
feel that
tonight?
Do you
feel this
distance with
God that
perhaps he's
not concerned
for you?
Or that you
have to make
it up to
God in
some way
by fully
keeping the
law and
pleasing God
in that
way?
Well,
you don't.
You see,
we're
precious to
God.
He made
us and
he has
redeemed
us.
He has
paid a
price.
You don't
have to
earn his
favor through
works,
through any
works of
the law.
That's not
the way to
please God,
but to
come by
faith and
to believe
in the
Lord Jesus
Christ.
The
redeemed
of God
depend on
him.
Because the
erosion that
can so
easily come
in is
God doesn't
love me.
And we
turn away
from God
and we
let the
things of
this world
just eat
away at
us.
But the
greatest
barrier,
the greatest
defense
against
sliding away
from God
of being
cursed in
this world
and for
all eternity
is to
know the
barrier.
The erosion
barrier that
is faith,
in Christ.
Paul, as
he's speaking
to the
church of
Galatia and
to the
people there,
he's saying
the law
will not
help.
You're
cursed.
Even if you
fail on
one point,
you're
cursed.
But he
says,
thanks be to
God,
Christ
redeemed
us from
the curse
of the law
by becoming
a curse
for us.
He has
done it.
He has
paid the
price.
And what
he wants
of us
now is
not to
say,
I can
do the
law
myself,
because in
that we're
saying,
Christ died
for no
purpose at
all.
but to
see Christ
died for
me as
sinner,
that I
might through
faith in
him live
and know
his blessing
as one
of his
redeemed
and rejoice
in him.
So the
question is,
how are
you living
your life
tonight?
Are you
living as
one who
feels the
only way to
please God
is by what
we do,
forget it.
You'll
never
please him.
Or are
we living
as Christ's
redeemed,
realizing
that he
has paid
the price,
he hung
on the
tree,
he was
cursed,
he bore
it all
that our
sins
deserved,
that we
might be
set free
through
him.
How
are we
living?
Surely
it is
to be
redeemed
by faith
in Christ
Jesus.
Let us
pray.
Our
Father in
heaven,
we do
thank you
for all
that you
have done
for us.
We know
there is
nothing we
can do
of ourselves,
although we
seek to
please you
in so
many ways.
We seek
to do
good for
you,
and that
is right
for us,
for you
have been
good to
us,
and you
ask us
to be
your
servants
in this
world.
You
have
prepared
us
for
works
in many
ways,
but help
us to
realize that
all of our
works are
not to
please you
in any
way that
would gain
our salvation
in any
way,
but to
realize that
we do
it because
you have
loved us
and given
yourself for
us,
and that
the way to
salvation is
not through
our own
endeavors,
but through
faith in
Christ Jesus
our Lord.
Lord,
and so we
pray that
you will
encourage us
in our
faith,
that you
will help
us to
see the
price that
has been
paid and
how precious
we are to
you,
that cursed
is the one
who hangs
on the
tree,
and we
thank you
that Christ
redeemed us
from the
curse by
becoming a
curse for
us.
So we
encourage us
Lord we
pray and
build us
up in our
faith,
we ask it
all in
Jesus name,
Amen.
We're
going to
conclude by
singing to
God's
praise in
Psalm 61,
the Scottish
Psalter
version.
Realize we
had it this
morning as
well, it
was to sing
Psalms version
this morning,
but we'll sing
again in the
Scottish
Psalter,
verse 1 to
verse 3,
the tune of
Salzburg,
O God
give ear unto
my cry,
and to my
prayer attend,
in the
utmost corner
of the
land,
my cry,
to thee
I'll send.
We'll sing
from verse 1
to 3,
to God's
praise.
Amen.
O God
give ear
sorry,
O God
give ear
unto
my
cry,
unto
my
prayer
attend,
from the
earth
most
corner
of the
land,
my
cry
to thee
I'll send.
what
time
my
heart
is
overwhelmed
and in
perplexity
do thou
me
lead
unto
the
rock
that
higher
is
than
I
for
thou
hast
for
I
refuse
me
a
shelter
by
thy
blood
and
forgiven
against
my
foes
thou
hast
been
a
strong
turn
after
the
benediction
I'll go
to the
door
to my
right
we'll
close
with
the
benediction
now may
grace
mercy
and peace
from
God
Father
Son
and
Holy
Spirit
rest
upon
and
abide
with
you
all
now
and
forever
more
Amen
from