Cursed or Redeemed

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.

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.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

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.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

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

Galatians 3:10–14

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.

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