The Cross of Christ and the Message of Redemption

Let's turn together to Paul's letter to Galatians and chapter 3 and we can read verses 13 and 14.

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That we might receive the promised spirit through faith.

I want us together this evening to pick up on what we have been studying in the past months and the times that I've been with you.

And that is to look at the benefits of the cross of Jesus Christ.

If it is true and it is that Jesus himself is the gospel, then Jesus is the most important person that we can think about.

And Jesus becomes the most important person we can think about when we realize who we are.

And right through the pages of the gospels and of these letters, the word of God engages with us,

seeking to raise in our minds the sense of our need of God's salvation and the preciousness of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We saw in 2 Corinthians chapter 5 the cross of Christ and the message of reconciliation.

2 Corinthians 5 · chapter mention

How God takes the initiative and he brings us to himself and he makes peace with us through the Lord Jesus.

We saw in 1 John chapter 4 the message of the cross and the message of propitiation,

1 John 4 · chapter mention

where the anger of God is turned away in the cross work of the Lord Jesus.

When we look at the letter to this church, there are so many interesting things that connect us with what Paul is saying and who he is writing to.

And he is writing this letter, first of all, because he is defending the gospel that has been given to him.

And we read at the beginning of the chapter the way in which he is referring to those who are preaching a gospel that's different to the gospel that he gave to them.

And that's a major problem.

That there is a message which is there to counteract and to go against the message of the gospel itself.

Not that it is entirely or 100% against the gospel.

And the issue is that it's close to the gospel, but it is a departure from the gospel that Paul is preaching.

And that, of course, creates confusion.

And wherever there are two messages, we get confused.

And where there are mixed messages taken from the Bible, then we get confused.

And we get confused to our harem.

And we can perhaps highlight three things that show us the confusion that the people in Galatia suffered from because of the wrong teaching.

There is, first of all, there is a faith problem.

There are those who are departing from the faith because of the confusion.

There is also a fullness problem in the sense that they are beginning to think that Jesus is not enough.

And that's a major problem.

And they are also having problems with how they relate to each other.

So the confused message of the gospel that is given to them to contradict Paul's message creates all of that confusion.

And bearing that in mind, I want us to look at these verses this evening.

I've done a gospel coaching course.

And there are different matrices used to help people at different stages of their ministry.

And one of these matrices seeks to highlight particular gaps that may interfere with a person being able to carry out their ministry effectively.

And there are three gaps.

The first of these is a knowledge gap.

People don't have the knowledge to fulfill their ministry effectively.

The second gap is a skills gap.

People don't have the skills to go with their knowledge to enable them to fulfill their ministry.

There is then the motivation gap.

That unless people are motivated by the love of God and the love of Christ, then they won't be able to fulfill ministry.

Three gaps that are ideas that we can borrow and bring into the very way in which we are called among to serve the Lord Jesus Christ.

And if there is a gap in our knowledge, then everything else is going to suffer.

And we want to carry that idea with us as we look at these verses.

The fact that there is a knowledge gap.

That knowledge gap is creating confusion.

And the confusion is with regard to their appreciation of Jesus Christ in the gospel.

And so against that background, I want to think of the cross of Jesus and the message of redemption.

Confusion.

I want to think first of all of the problem.

And I mentioned confusion and the problem is that same confusion.

And in the confusion, there are two aspects to it.

And the first part of the confusion is that there are those who don't need the Lord Jesus Christ.

That's who verse 10 begins.

For all who rely on the works of the law.

Their lives are given over, lived out of the law.

And reckoning that through their observance of God's law, that they are the children of God and that they belong to the kingdom of God.

Everything that they do is motivated by their understanding of what the law of God means.

And based on that, they are confident that they can live their lives in such a way that will please God.

And that will bring them into the very kingdom of God and be the children of God.

And we read what Paul is saying here and it's clearly referring to the law that was given to Moses.

So they're looking back to the words that God spoke to Moses to give to the people as his covenant people.

And that law is the law that they are relying upon.

So there is that confusion in that category of people who don't see their need for the Lord Jesus.

And the second group that are confused is those who are already Christians.

And we see at the beginning of this chapter that they are those who are already Christians.

And they are convinced that they need more than Christ for salvation.

And those who are speaking about the law and enforcing the law upon this people,

they have persuaded them that as well as having faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,

that they need to have their salvation brought to its perfection and completion by relying on the works of the law.

And so there is the first category, they are Christless because they don't see the need for Christ.

There is the second category, they have the Christ plus problem.

They are looking for more than the Lord Jesus.

And I want to suggest to you tonight that as surely as this was true in Galatia,

it can be true in Stornoway, it can be true in the Church of Christ in every generation,

that there are these two categories of people as well as other categories.

And tonight I am sure there are those here who rely upon what they do themselves

and your attendance in church and your attention to the things of God,

rely upon these things for your salvation.

And sadly too, there may be people who are the children of God

and who don't see that their salvation in Christ is complete without doing things themselves

and recognizing that we are called to serve the Lord Jesus,

to be doers of the Word,

but not doers in a sense to complete our salvation and our acceptance with God.

And we need to ask ourselves as we journey on through these verses tonight,

do we find ourselves in any one of these categories?

Because if we do, we haven't understood and appreciated the value of the passion and work of the Lord Jesus.

We are looking to what we can do,

and you are looking to what you can do in order to have the complete salvation.

That is the confusion.

And the problem with the confusion is that it does not align with the teaching of the Word of God.

And the stark truth that Paul brings before the church in Galatia

is the truth that God wants us to contend with this evening

as those who are in the same categories as the people in the church of Galatia,

to contend with the truth about the works of the law

and about those who trust in them.

And that's where Paul continues in verse number 10.

For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse,

for it is written,

Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law

and to do them under a curse.

And what does that mean?

To be under a curse.

The curse in the Bible is to do with relationships.

A relationship with God.

Curse in the Bible has to do with a covenant relationship with God.

It has to do with the fact that God has given to us boundaries for a relationship with Him.

And if we live our lives within these boundaries,

then we have the blessing of God,

which is the opposite of the curse of God.

But as soon as we cross the boundary and break the law of God,

then the Bible tells us that we are under God's curse.

How serious a matter is that?

When we refer to the backdrop to these words,

in Deuteronomy 27 and 28,

it's alarming what that curse means.

And it basically means that the God who delighted over His people to do them good

now takes delight in their ruin.

And the God who was their friend turns to be their enemy.

And the God who protected them from their enemies

gives them over to destruction at the hands of their enemies.

It's the complete reversal of what was promised if they obeyed the law and the covenant of God.

And God wants us to reckon with that this evening.

To reckon with the seriousness of where we are

as those who trust in the holy law of God

and who think that's what our salvation is.

To think about what we're doing if we're saying that

that Jesus is not enough,

that I need to do more work myself

in order to complete my salvation.

Whatever we're relying on works,

God is telling us that is not the place for blessing.

That is the place where my curse rests.

And it rests upon all those who are covenant breakers.

And that's where the greatest knowledge gap exists.

And it exists,

and such is the nature of its influence in our lives

that we don't realize it exists.

And Paul speaks in 2 Corinthians 4 about

the God of this world

blinding our minds,

or the minds of unbelievers,

so that they don't see the light

of the knowledge of God's glory

in the face of Jesus Christ.

That means that

you can be here this evening

and under the gospel of Jesus Christ,

relying upon your own works,

the works of the law,

for your salvation.

And so blinded you are to your need

that you are comfortable with that.

And that your unbelief is a shield

that protects you against the darts

that come from the Word of God

that wants to penetrate that darkness,

that wants to penetrate that contentedness

in the things that you do yourself.

And such is the delusion

that the devil brings upon us

that he will leave you comfortable

in that sense of the assurance that you have

that you will be okay

because you do X, Y, and Z.

And do you know that

Satan, the enemy of our soul,

the enemy that wants us

in our lost eternity,

that wants us not to have God's salvation,

he will never trouble you

if you think you're okay

on what you do yourself.

Because the person who is religious

and who has no faith in Christ

is in their own comfort zone

and they're content with their own delusion

and the devil is not going to trouble such.

As soon as you show an interest

in the Lord Jesus,

then you will sense

that the devil is active,

seeking to turn you away from that

and take you to get your back

to the kind of pillow

of resting upon

the things that you do yourself.

And what about the person

who is saying that

they need more than the Lord Jesus

to be saved?

What about that person?

If you're here tonight

and you have fallen back into

resting in the things

that you do yourself,

it does mean

and it will result in

not only the loss

of your appreciation

in the Lord Jesus,

but the loss of a sense

of his power in your life.

And you will go through life

and you will get to the stage

where you're convinced

that it's all about

what you can do.

And because you can't do,

then you think you have failed

and you will think

you have lost your salvation.

The problems are huge.

And the problems are huge

because there is no alignment

with what the Word of God

is saying.

And God wants us this evening

to take where we are

and a relationship

with religion

and with God's holy law

and to take that back

to Deuteronomy 27 and 28,

which you can read

for yourselves afterwards

and see what God says

about the people

who rebelled against him.

the problem.

We need to acknowledge

there's a problem

before we appreciate

that there is provision.

The problem then.

Secondly,

there is the proclamation.

It's the message of the gospel.

Christ has redeemed us

from the curse of the law.

The Christ that died

outside of Jerusalem

at the hands of his enemies.

The Christ concerning

whom Peter writes

in Acts chapter 2

Acts 2 · chapter mention

after the resurrection

of the Lord Jesus.

The Christ that Peter describes

as the Jesus

whom you crucified.

God has made him

both Lord and Christ.

He has raised him

to sit at his right hand.

He has journeyed on

to be seated

in a place of glory

and of influence

and of power.

That Lord Jesus Christ,

he is the person

that is proclaimed

in the gospel.

And he is proclaimed

in the gospel

as the person

who has

redeemed us

from

the curse.

I go to Galatia

in central Turkey

today

and I go to Galatia

on Paul's day

and I ask

the person

on the street

what is Paul on about

when he speaks

about

redeeming us

and redemption?

Well,

we go to the center

of administration

in the city,

the marketplace

where the

administration

of the city

takes place

and where

there are

transactions

and where

there are exchanges

and where

there is buying

and selling.

We go to

the marketplace

and in the marketplace

in Galatia

we see a particular

kind of transaction

and the transaction

is that

slaves are taken

and set free

from their current

owner

and master

and given

a new freedom

and that is based

on a price

that is paid

for them.

They are transferred

from a place

of slavery

to the place

of freedom

on the basis

of a price

being paid.

And Paul is telling

them

that Christ

has carried out

this redeeming

action.

God is telling

us this evening

that that's

what Christ

has done.

That he has

transferred us

to freedom.

That he has

done so

with a payment

of a price.

That he has

exhausted,

covered everything

that's required

to set us free.

And that as

surely

as God

in the Old

Testament

promised his

people,

Israel,

who were

in Egypt,

I will

deliver them

from slavery.

I will

redeem you

with an

outstretched arm.

I will

take you

to be

my people.

This whole

redeeming

transaction

is taken

from the

place of

slavery

to the

place of

freedom

into a

living

relationship

with God.

And that's

tonight why

Christ Jesus

is important

in the

gospel.

Let me

park my

whole idea

about keeping

God's law

so that I

can be

saved.

Let me

cast aside

any thought

of needing

the law

of God

in order

to make

my salvation

complete.

And let me

focus on

the

passion of

Christ

in this

marketplace

transaction

and the

administration

of the

kingdom of

God

where I'm

taken from

that place

of slavery

because of

my sin

where I'm

set free

from it

and from

its burden

and from

its mastery

and where

I'm in

a living

relationship

with God.

And as soon

tonight as I

align my

thinking

with what God

says about me

and about

his law

then this

becomes

meaningful.

the

knowledge

gap

is filled

with the

teaching of

God's

word

and once

that

knowledge

gap

has been

filled

then

here is

emerging

exactly

who I

need.

Christ

has

redeemed

us

from

the

curse

of

the law.

And Jesus

himself

in speaking

to his

disciples

in the

gospel of

John

speaks about

the way

in which

if the

son sets

you free

you are

free

indeed.

You don't

need to

doubt

that you're

freedom.

You don't

need to

spend your

life

wondering

if you

are free

or not.

It's

certain

freedom.

It's

absolute

freedom.

It's a

freedom to

be the

people of

God,

to be the

children

of God.

If the

son sets

you free

you are

free

indeed.

he has

redeemed

us

from

the

curse

of the

law.

In the

administration

and in

the

government

of God's

kingdom

there is

the buying

back

that gives

you and I

freedom

in Christ.

Christ.

But perhaps

the

remarkable

thing

is

and the

center of

the gospel

is

and the

wonder of

the gospel

is

that in

that same

marketplace

where the

kingdom of

God is

administered

and governed

and the

principles are

set out

that when

Jesus pays

the price

to redeem

us

that he

did so

by

being made

becoming

a curse

for us.

He is

not

the Lord

Jesus

Christ

who went

into that

place

to have a

transaction

where a

price was

paid to

set you

free.

We go

into that

place of

transaction

in the

presence of

God

and he

himself

is the

price.

He is

made

a

curse.

He

takes on

a new

form

of

existence

and the

very

thought

of where

our salvation

took the

Lord Jesus

and God's

plan took

the Lord

Jesus

that it

took him

to the

place where

he

exists

as a

person

who is

bearing

God's

curse.

And the

God who

said to

his people

in the

Old Testament

that because

of their

rebellion

against him

that he

would pluck

them off

the land.

We see

Jesus

taken

outside of

the city.

We see

him hanging

on a

tree

crucified

not in

order to

be a

curse but

because he

is cursed

he is

hung on

a tree.

He

becomes

the

ultimate

outsider

in order

to secure

your freedom

and mine.

Israel

will take

him from

Jerusalem

Babylon

but Jesus

was in

the place

where he

was left

by the

people

excluded

from the

people

and excluded

from the

presence of

everything that

represented

God.

And in the

same way

God as we

saw took

delight

in doing

his people

good when

they obeyed

but when

they

disobeyed

he took

delight

and bring

them

to ruin.

And Isaiah

tells us

in Isaiah

53

that it

was the

will of

the Lord

to crush

him.

It

pleased

the Lord

to bruise

him.

That's

the

remarkable

solemnity

of this

great

transaction

that the

God who

said

regarding

his

son

you

are

my

beloved

son

in whom

I am

well

pleased.

It's

now in

this new

existence

that is

temporary

on Calvary's

cross

that that

same

Lord

and

father

takes

delight

in

bringing

him

ruin.

He

becomes

a

curse.

his

body

begins

to

break.

His

heart

is

broken.

He

is

exiled

from

God

in

that

moment

of

God's

curse

and

God's

wrath

descending

upon

him

when

he

cried

out

to

God

my

God

my

God

why

have

you

forsaken

!

me?

he

doesn't

hear

God

he

doesn't

sense

that

God

is

with

him

because

God

in

this

moment

of

this

transaction

has

left

him

and

he

did

this

for

us

he

took

our

place

and

he

took

what

ought

to

be

yours

and

mine

the

proclamation

that

Christ

redeemed

us

from

the

curse

of

the

law

by

being

made

a

curse

for

us

and

let's

not

entertain

the

idea

that

because

it

was

his

son

that

he

held

back

some

of

what

of

the

curse

that

is

upon

us

for

our

sin

he

did

not

spare

his

own

son

and

his

son

exhausted

everything

that

belonged

to

that

curse

and

he

did

so

as

he

spent

these

moments

of

darkness

on

Calvary's

cross

the

proclamation

realigning

our thoughts

with

God's

law

and

realigning

our thoughts

with

the

cross

of

the

Lord

Jesus

how

can

we

not

tonight

realize

the

significance

of

both

of

these

and

how

can

we

not

tonight

see

the

preciousness

of what

Jesus

has done

how

can

we

not

see

the

urgency

of

our

need

to

have

salvation

through

him

how

can

we

continue

on

any

other

path

but

the

path

that

belongs

to

faith

in

the

Lord

Jesus

Christ

that

we

might

be

saved

there

is a

problem

there

is a

proclamation

and

finally

there

is

participation

what

does

it

mean

to

be

part

of

God's

kingdom

what

is

the

product

of

what

God

has

done

in

the

Lord

Jesus

when

Christ

redeemed

us

from

the

curse

of

the

law

what

is

the

fruit

of

all

of

that

the

fruit

of

all

of

that

is

exactly

what

they

were

confused

about

and

as we

come to

the

close

of

ourselves

there

are

two

particular

issues

that

are

of

key

importance

to

them

and

that

are

of

key

importance

to

ourselves

this

evening

what

is

the

product

how

do

we

participate

well

first

of

all

we

have

a

right

standing

with

God

on

the

basis

of

what

Jesus

has

done

so that

in

verse

14

so that

in

Christ

Jesus

the

blessing

of

Abraham

might

come

to

the

Gentiles

the

blessing

of

Abraham

the

blessing

of

God

I

think

of

curse

and I

think

of

the

way

in

which

God's

destructive

power

is

targeting

where

that

curse

lies

and I

hear

the

word

blessing

that

speaks

to me

of

God's

power

in my

life

and God's

life

in my

life

that speaks

of

newness

and of

well-being

that speaks

of a

life

lived

with

him

the

blessing

of

God

God

blessed

Adam and

Eve

and told

them to be

fruitful

and multiply

here it is

the blessing

of

Abraham

what is the

blessing of

Abraham

God said

to Abraham

in Genesis

12

in you

shall all

the families

of the

earth

be blessed

but in

this

chapter

it becomes

clear

that those

who are

blessed

with Abraham

are those

who are

justified

by faith

who have

the right

standing

with God

in verse

number 6

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

and you

shall all

the families

and nations

of the

earth

be blessed

a right

standing

with God

there is

now no

condemnation

in Romans

8

being justified

by faith

in Romans

5

it's

having that

standing

before the

throne

of God

in Christ

in a

relationship

with Christ

who died

for us

and us

now being

in him

having that

relationship

where we

have that

peace with

God

where our

sins are

forgiven

and we

are accepted

as

righteous

in his

sight

the faith

with which

we

trust

in God

and it

is

the faith

that has

at its

very heart

the whole

idea of

persuasion

and for

you and I

tonight

the faith

that is

required of

us to

participate

in this

great product

and the

fruit of

Christ's

saving work

is to be

persuaded

that with

our law

keeping

we cannot

be saved

to be

persuaded

that

in our

law keeping

we are

under the

curse of

God

to be

persuaded

of what

God has

done for

us

in the

cross

of Jesus

Christ

and if

we have

that

triple

persuasion

then

faith

reaches

out

and

trusts

in

the

person

of the

Lord

Jesus

Christ

and there

is

no other

blessed

standing

in this

world

and none

so blessed

as those

who have

that right

standing

with God

the peace

of God

dwelling in

our hearts

the right

standing

and the

pinnacle of

everything else

to have

the family

status

to know

that we

are the

children

of God

and

these

chapters

are all

about

how we

can become

the children

of God

and that's

the second

part of

this verse

so that

we might

receive

the promised

spirit

through

faith

the

spirit

promised

in the

old

testament

in

God's

new

covenant

that

he

would

place

his

spirit

in

our

hearts

and give

us a

heart

and hearts

to love

him

in response

to his

love for

us

it's a

spirit

of God

in our

hearts

and as

we

jump on

to chapter

number

four

that spirit

of God

in our

hearts

is what

gives us

that

special

relationship

with God

and Jesus

Christ

in

verse

number

four

but when

the

fullness

of time

had come

God

sent forth

the son

born of

a woman

born under

the law

to redeem

those who

were under

the law

so that we

might receive

adoption

as sons

and because

you are

sons

God has

sent the

spirit of

a son

into

our

hearts

adopted

into

God's

family

given

all the

rights

inheriting

everything

that belongs

to the

children of

God

the right

to everything

that Jesus

has and

Jesus has

done

the right

to the

inheritance

of the

glory

that Jesus

has prepared

for us

and that

sense of

wonder

of knowing

that we

are the

children of

God

and that

sense of

wonder

which John

touches upon

in his

first epistle

in chapter

3

what kind

of love

is this

that God

has poured

upon us

that we

should be

called

the children

of God

and it's

that sense

of the

fatherly

love of

God

that sense

of his

eye

looking down

upon us

and seeing

us in a

relationship

with his

son

and us

sensing the

warmth of

his love

and of his

care and of

his interest

and of the

fact that

he is our

father

and that he

possesses us

in that

special

loving and

living way

and there

is no

greater blessing

in this

life

than to

have the

blessing of

secure

family

relationships

and a

family that

is functioning

as God

designed

and we

know how

precious that

is

times of

joy and

times of

sorrow

where

families

come together

and there is

that sense

of support

and joy

and grace

and peace

even in

times of

trouble

much more

so tonight

as those

who belong

to the

family of

God

do we

rejoice in

his care

do we rest

in his

love

do we wait

for him

in the

evening and

in the

morning

do we spend

our lives

giving ourselves

to him

because he

did such

a great

work

for us

and as

we close

the

take away

is simple

we cannot

rely on

what we

are going

to do

or have

done

we rely

simply and

wholeheartedly

on what

Jesus has

done

and we

cannot rely

on what

we have

done

because

we are

under

the

curse

of God

if we

rest upon

the law

which we

cannot keep

and which

is broken

but we

have

peace

with God

and we

trust in

the son

of God

who became

a curse

for us

to set

us free

in order

to be

the children

of God

may God

help us

and strengthen

us to

embrace him

in his word

and to

receive and

to embrace

the Lord

Jesus Christ

as

our saviour

let's bow our

heads in

prayer

most gracious

God

we rejoice

in you

and the

great God

that you

are

in the

God of

our salvation

the God

who has

planned

such a

wonderful

magnificent

way of

rescuing us

from

our sin

and from

our condemnation

and from

our distance

from you

and we

worship you

and we

praise you

for every

aspect of

the life

and work

of your

son

through which

tonight we

can have

peace with

you

we can

stand

before you

declared to

be just

by you

and we

can know

that we

are the

children of

God

so bless

your word

to us

as we

journey

on to

our homes

and give

to us

that sense

of your

love

following us

both this

evening

and all the

days of

our lives

we do

pray

for we

pray all

of these

things

for Jesus

sake

Amen

the closing

psalm is

psalm number

130

in

it's on

page 173

and the

tune is

martyrdom

and we're

going to

sing the

whole of

the psalm

Lord from

the depths

I call

to you

Lord hear

me from

on high

and give

attention to

my voice

when I

for mercy

cry

we stand

to sing

the whole

of the

psalm

to God's

praise

Lord from

the depths

I call

to you

Lord hear

me from

on high

I'll

give

attention

to

my

voice

when

I'm

for

mercy

cry

Lord

in

your

presence

to

the

sound

if

you

are

sins

record

forget

forgiveness

is

with

you

that

we

may

fear

you

are

I

wake

my

soul

wait

for

the

Lord

my

hope

is

in

his

word

more

than

the

Lord

and

wait

for

God

my

soul

his

heart

and

heart

all

his

strength

good

your

hope

in

God

for

mercy

is

within

a

glory

and

glory

and

from

the

rest

!

his

will