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Cursed or Redeemed · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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We're going to begin our worship by singing to God's praise in Psalm 19, the Scottish Psalter
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version, page 223. We can sing from verse 7 down to verse 11. Psalm 19, page 223, God's law is
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perfect and converts. The soul in sin that lies, God's testimony is most sure and makes the simple
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wise. We'll sing from verse 7 to 11 and the tune is Evan.
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God's law is perfect and converts. The soul in sin that lies, God's testimony is most sure
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and makes the simple wise. The statutes of the law are right and do rejoice the heart.
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The Lord commanded pure and applied to the eyes in power.
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Unspotted is the fear of God and of danger forever.
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The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
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they more than gold gave our kind gold to be decided our.
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And hold thee, hold thee from the tomb that troppeth sweeter far.
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Moreover, may thy servant born have ye his life should bring.
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A great reward provided is for them that keep the same.
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We'll come to God in prayer. Let us pray.
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Amen.
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Lord, it's no matter the weather that we can have something to complain about.
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We complain about the cold and the wet so often.
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Maybe just now we complain about the heat.
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But we thank you that whatever our circumstances, Lord, that we have reason to rejoice and give thanks in you.
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That you are the God of creation.
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That you are the God of heaven and earth.
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That you are the God who has made us in your image.
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You are the God who has formed us and formed us with a particular purpose.
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And our purpose to be a people who would worship you.
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Who would praise your name.
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And we thank you for every reason we have to give thanks to you.
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We thank you for all that we have in life.
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We thank you for our homes and our communities.
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We thank you for our congregation here and the people we have around us.
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We thank you for our fellowship in Christ.
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And we pray, Lord, that you will strengthen us and uphold us in all of these things.
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That you will build us up as a people.
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Those who come and attend regularly.
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Those who come from time to time.
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Those who visit us, Lord, especially over these months of summer.
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We find so many people traveling through our islands.
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And who come to services from time to time.
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We thank you that we can still come and join together as one in Christ.
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And we pray that even this evening that you will unite us in these bonds of fellowship in Christ.
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And that you will bless your word to us all.
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Remembering those not here with us but who are tuning in online.
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Whether it's live stream or at another point in the days ahead.
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We do pray, Lord, that as your word goes out to us.
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That you will bless it to us.
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We thank you that your word has reminded us as we've sung together.
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That your word, your law is perfect.
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And converts the soul and sin that lies.
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And we pray for that power to be evident in our midst.
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For we are all sinners who fall short.
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And we can do nothing in and of ourselves for our own salvation.
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We cannot convert ourselves or anyone else.
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But we thank you for your word and your spirit.
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And the power that is behind them.
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That you are able to do so much more than we ask or imagine.
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And so we pray, Lord, for both your presence with us this evening.
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And your power upon us.
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That we will know you are God.
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Help us to be still and to know that.
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We give you thanks, Lord, for our families and our communities.
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And recognize the many different needs that are around us.
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Remember those who are mourning and grieving in our midst.
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In this past week alone and in these last number of months.
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And even down over the years, Lord.
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We know the sense of grief that we experience in life can and does stay with us all our days.
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Old wounds can be reopened.
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Wounds that never healed can still hurt day after day.
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And we pray, Lord, that in our grief and in those who are grieving around us.
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That we would know your comfort.
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We pray that for all who need it at this time.
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We pray for mourning families.
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We pray for mourning communities.
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For friends.
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Neighbors who have lost loved ones even in these days.
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We pray, Lord, for your spirit to be near as the great comforter.
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To be near to those who are broken hearted.
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That you would bind them up.
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We pray, too, for those who are unwell.
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Both at home and in hospital.
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We pray for those who are in the homes around the town as well.
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And further afield, too.
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Those who are in old age.
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We pray for them, Lord.
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For you to surround them and to be with them.
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Each one, Lord, with their own different needs.
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But thankful that their needs are known unto you.
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And that you are able to help.
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You are able to help in ways that we cannot.
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We pray for comfort.
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For grace.
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For your peace to surround.
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Pray that for us all, O Lord.
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In our days as they go on.
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In our homes.
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In our families.
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In our workplaces.
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In our community.
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In all that we do for the Lord.
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Lord, may we know your protection over us.
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And your grace and peace with us.
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We do thank you for your word.
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And for the good news that is the gospel.
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And we pray that as it's proclaimed today.
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And in all the days ahead.
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That it will bear so much fruit in our midst.
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That you will bring people to know the wonder of Jesus Christ.
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The wonder of all so much in life that we try and do.
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In and for ourselves.
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And the futility of so much of it.
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But yet the wonder of your grace.
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The wonder of faith in the Lord Jesus.
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The gift of God.
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We pray, Lord, that we will marvel more and more in that.
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So may your message go out with power to all ends of our islands today.
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We give you thanks for the work of the faith mission over these last couple of weeks in point.
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For the many people who have attended from different parts of the island.
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On each evening occasion.
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And we pray for fruit from that.
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We pray your blessing on all who have been involved in organizing and leading it.
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And this evening as they gather on this, the last day of it.
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Lord, we pray for your spirit to be with them.
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We pray, Lord, for the words of the psalm that we have sung.
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That your word would bring people to life.
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To convert the souls that lie in sin.
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We pray, Lord, your blessing.
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And to follow all that is done in your name.
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We pray for our nation and the nations of the world.
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We pray your blessing on us in these days.
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That you will turn us from the ways of the world.
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Turn us towards you.
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From the top leadership in our land.
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Down through all areas of life.
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We pray, Lord, for your blessing and your peace.
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To be restored upon us.
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We know there are so many anxieties and fears and concerns throughout our world.
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But we thank you that you are our God.
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The one who made the world.
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The one who cares for it.
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The one who is able to turn darkness into light.
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And so we pray, Lord, that even as your light goes forth.
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That you will send it out with power.
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We continue to lean upon you.
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Asking your blessing on all that we do in your name.
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Asking your blessing on the youth fellowship as they meet this night.
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May you be with them in that.
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And asking your blessing in the week ahead.
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In all the different activities of it, Lord.
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In our homes and our families.
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In community and church life.
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That we will do all as unto the Lord.
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We ask now, Lord, that you will bless us as we continue to wait upon you.
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To hear your word.
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And to offer up our praise.
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Lead us in the singing, Lord.
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And uphold him as he leads us in it.
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And may we sing with joy in our hearts.
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To you as our Lord.
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And as our God.
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So continue with us.
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Bless us.
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Guide us through your word.
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And forgive us for all our sins.
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As we ask all things.
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In the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
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For his sake.
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And for his glory.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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We'll again sing to God's praise.
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This time in Psalm 77.
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In the Sing Psalms version.
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Page 100 of the psalm book.
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Psalm 77.
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We'll sing from verse 1 to verse 9.
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The tune for this verse singing from the psalmist Glen Cairn.
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I cried aloud to God for help.
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I prayed that God would hear.
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When I was plunged in deep distress.
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I sought the Lord in prayer.
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We'll sing from verse 1 to verse 9.
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To God's praise.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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which have gone by.
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Throughout the watches of the night,
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my songs I call to mind.
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I ponder deeply
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while my heart and answer
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try to find.
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Forever will the Lord reject
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and never show His grace
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as He withdrawn His steadfast love
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and turned from me His way.
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For all time has His promise failed,
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is God no longer kind.
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Has He in His great wrath dismissed
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compassion from His mind.
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Amen.
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We can turn to read in God's Word now.
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We're going to read in Paul's letter to the Galatians.
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The chapters on the notice sheet are the wrong chapters.
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I sent the wrong information.
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It's from chapter 2, verse 15,
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into chapter 3, verse 14.
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So we're sticking up by reading in chapter 2,
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and at verse 15,
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reading down into chapter 3, verse 14.
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Let us hear the Word of God.
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We ourselves are Jews by birth
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and not Gentile sinners.
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Yet we know that a person is not justified
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by works of the law,
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but through faith in Jesus Christ.
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So we also have believed in Christ Jesus
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in order to be justified by faith in Christ
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and not by works of the law,
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because by works of the law
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no one will be justified.
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But if in our endeavor to be justified in Christ
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we too are found to be sinners in Christ,
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then a servant of sin?
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Certainly not.
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For if I rebuild what I tore down,
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I prove myself to be a transgressor.
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For through the law I died to the law,
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so that I might live to God.
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I have been crucified with Christ.
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It's no longer I who live,
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but Christ who lives in me.
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And the life I now live in the flesh
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I live by faith in the Son of God,
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who loved me and gave himself for me.
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I do not nullify the grace of God,
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for if justification were through the law,
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then Christ died for no purpose.
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O foolish Galatians,
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who has bewitched you?
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It was before your eyes
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that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.
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Let me ask you only this.
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Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law
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or by hearing with faith?
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Are you so foolish?
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Having begun by the Spirit,
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are you now being perfected by the flesh?
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Did you suffer so many things in vain,
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if indeed it was in vain?
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Does he who supplies the Spirit to you
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and works miracles among you
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do so by works of the law
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or by hearing with faith?
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Just as Abraham believed God
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and it was counted to him as righteousness.
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Know then that it is those of faith
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who are the sons of Abraham.
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And the Scripture,
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foreseeing that God would justify
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the Gentiles by faith,
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preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham,
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saying,
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In you shall the nations be blessed.
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So then those who are of faith are blessed,
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along with Abraham,
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the man of faith.
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For all who rely on works of the law
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are under their curse.
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For it is written,
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Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things
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written in the book of the law,
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and do them.
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Now it is evident that no one is justified
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before God by the law,
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for the righteous shall live by faith.
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But the law is not of faith,
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rather,
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the one who does them shall live by them.
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Christ redeemed us
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from the curse of the law
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by becoming a curse for us.
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For it is written,
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Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree,
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so that in Christ Jesus
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the blessing of Abraham might come
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to the Gentiles,
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so that we might receive the promised Spirit
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through faith.
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And so on and may God bless
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that reading from his word.
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I will again turn to Psalm 77
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as we continue to sing to God's praise.
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We are going to take up our singing
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at verse A10
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and down to verse 15.
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The tune this time is Spore.
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Now in the first part we were singing
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verse 1 to 9,
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you notice that the psalmist has many questions,
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difficult questions
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that the Lord is being asked by him.
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In verse 7,
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Forever will the Lord reject
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and never show his grace.
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Has he withdrawn his steadfast love
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and turned from me his face?
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There's this questioning going on
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in the psalmist's heart.
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Where is God in all that's going on
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in my life and all around us?
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But then in verse 10 to verse 15,
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we're reminded that God is there.
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Then to my heart there came this thought.
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On this I will rely
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the years of the right hand of power
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of him who is most high.
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I will recall the Lord's great deeds,
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your works of long ago.
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I'll meditate on all your acts,
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your mighty deeds I'll show.
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Verse 15 reminds us
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that God has, as it says,
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you have redeemed your people, Lord,
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with your almighty arm.
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So we'll sing from verse 10
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down to verse 15
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to God's praise.
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Amen.
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Then to my heart there came this thought.
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On this I will rely.
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The years of the right hand of power
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of him who is most high.
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I will recall the Lord's great deeds,
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your words of love and hope.
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I'll meditate on all your acts,
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your mighty deeds I'll show.
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O God most holy and pure ways,
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what God compare with you.
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You are the God of miracles,
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whose heart the nation knew.
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You have redeemed your people, Lord,
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with your almighty arm.
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Jacob's and Joseph's children,
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you delivered them all harm.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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And we can turn back to our reading
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in Galatians,
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in particular chapter 3
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and verse 10
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down to verse 14.
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Galatians chapter 3
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verse 10 to 14
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is going to be our focus
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together this evening.
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A section that speaks
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about being cursed
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or redeemed.
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Verse 13 reminds us, though,
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that Christ redeemed us
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from the curse of the law
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by becoming a curse for us.
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For it is written,
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cursed is everyone
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who is hanged on a tree.
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Paul was writing to the church
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in Galatia,
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which is modern-day Turkey,
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a number of congregations
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in that area,
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churches that had been blessed
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by the work of God
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in their midst
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and seeing many people
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coming to faith.
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But yet he is writing to them
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because of a problem
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that was in their midst,
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a problem that was becoming
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more and more serious.
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The people were being
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led astray,
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led away
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from the faith
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that they had come to
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and instead being focused
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more and more
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upon the works
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of the law
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by the teachers
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who were coming
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into their midst.
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So Paul writes to them
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with this powerful reminder.
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One of the most powerful ones
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is at the end of chapter 2
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where it says in verse 21,
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I do not nullify the grace of God,
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for if justification
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were through the law,
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then Christ died for no purpose.
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And that's a powerful reminder
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to the people then
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and to ourselves this evening
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as well as we think
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of how we're living our lives.
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Are we relying fully
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on faith in Christ?
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Or are we thinking to ourselves,
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well I can justify myself
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through God
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by keeping the law?
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There is a powerful reminder
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to us
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if we are living by the law
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and justifying ourselves
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and we're saying
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Christ died
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for no purpose.
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But we see as we go on
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that Paul is reminding
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them and us
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that Christ died
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for a purpose
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to redeem
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his people.
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Now the question
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for ourselves tonight
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is are we a people
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who are easily
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led astray?
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Just as the people were
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in the churches
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around Galatia,
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they were being led astray
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by false teachers
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all around them.
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How are we
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when it comes
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to being led astray?
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Someone encourages
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us to do something
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we know
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it may be not right,
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we know it may be
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bad for us,
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but do we feel
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our pressure?
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Are we led astray
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and do we go ahead
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and do it anyway?
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Perhaps it's happened
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in your life,
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it's happened
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in my own life,
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I know that.
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We're led astray
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in different ways.
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But what about
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when it comes
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to faith?
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Are we being led astray
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when it comes
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to our faith?
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Are we hearing
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one thing
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that makes us think
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well it's all about faith?
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But then we're listening
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to someone else
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who says no
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but it's about
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what you do yourself
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as well,
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how you can add
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to your faith
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through works
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of the law.
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Well that's the kind
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of challenge
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that Paul was writing
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to address
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and a challenge
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to ourselves
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as well.
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They are being led astray
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and he's showing them
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this problem
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at the beginning
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of chapter 3
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by asking them
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questions,
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again powerful questions,
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who has bewitched you
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he says
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at the very beginning
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of chapter 3.
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There's a number
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of other questions
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he says in verse 2,
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let me ask you
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only this,
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did you receive
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the Spirit
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by works of the law
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or by hearing
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with faith?
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Again,
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they're challenging
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questions to ourselves.
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What is our faith?
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What is our foundation
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of our faith,
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self or Christ?
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He brings them back
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to look at Abraham
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in the Old Testament,
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the father of the faith,
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one who they would
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all be looking to
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as so important
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when it comes
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to faith
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and yet he reminds them
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that it was through faith
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he believed in God
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and it was counted
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to him
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as righteousness.
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It was all about faith.
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And then in the section
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we're looking at
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this evening,
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verse 10 to 14,
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he continues
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to illustrate this
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for them
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that they're being
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led astray
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by law-based salvation
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and that they need
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instead
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to rely fully
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on Christ
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who is able
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to redeem.
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Coastal erosion
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is a term
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we hear so often
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these days.
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A term
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we see the effects
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of around us
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in the islands
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and different places.
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We see the effect
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of what happens.
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But how quickly
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does coastal erosion
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happen?
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How quickly
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do we see
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the damage
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that it brings?
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So often
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it's not just
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an instant event.
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It's something
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that happens
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over a long period
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of time.
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The effects
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of wind
27:41
and waves,
27:42
the effects
27:43
of tides
27:44
and storms
27:44
on our coast.
27:46
The wearing down
27:47
over many,
27:48
many years
27:49
and yet the effects
27:50
can sometimes
27:51
be devastating.
27:53
You see it
27:54
perhaps
27:55
more clearly
27:57
down in the
27:58
south coast
27:58
of England.
28:00
A place
28:00
that has been
28:01
in the news
28:02
the last number
28:02
of years
28:03
where houses
28:04
that were built
28:05
near the shore,
28:06
near cliff edges
28:07
but in the people's eyes
28:09
far enough away
28:10
not to be impacted
28:11
by any erosion.
28:13
You're seeing now
28:14
that during a process
28:16
over a long period
28:17
of time
28:17
the cliffs
28:19
has been worn away
28:20
and now we're finding
28:21
that houses
28:21
are slipping
28:22
into the sea.
28:25
Disaster strikes
28:27
when erosion
28:28
takes place.
28:30
And that's the way
28:31
it is
28:31
with faith.
28:33
Faith
28:35
is to be based
28:36
in Christ
28:37
but over a period
28:39
of time
28:40
erosion
28:41
can come in
28:42
and we maybe
28:44
it's when we are
28:45
already in faith
28:46
or when we're
28:46
considering our faith
28:48
and the faith
28:49
that we need
28:49
in Christ
28:50
we can allow
28:51
other things
28:52
to come in
28:52
that over a period
28:53
of time
28:54
just erode
28:55
away at us
28:56
and the foundation
28:58
it starts
28:59
to crumble
29:00
and eventually
29:02
a slide
29:03
takes place.
29:05
That's what's
29:06
happening here
29:07
in Galatia
29:08
and for that reason
29:09
it's something
29:09
we have to guard
29:11
against ourselves
29:12
as well
29:13
to make sure
29:14
that we are always
29:15
living our life
29:16
looking to the
29:17
foundation of our faith
29:18
the Lord Jesus Christ.
29:21
So Paul teaches
29:22
how to be grounded
29:24
in faith
29:24
and not the works
29:25
of the law
29:26
is what counts.
29:28
And so we want
29:29
to just look
29:31
through these verses
29:31
in 10 to 14
29:33
and think of it
29:34
under this idea
29:35
of erosion
29:37
and how erosion
29:39
can come in
29:40
and how we guard
29:41
ourselves
29:42
against it.
29:44
So first we think
29:45
of erosion
29:47
how it starts
29:48
and how this can happen
29:51
over a long period
29:53
of time
29:53
and the real
29:54
cause of the erosion
29:55
here in the Galatians
29:57
faith is
29:58
a misunderstanding
29:59
of the law.
30:02
Paul has taken
30:04
the people back
30:05
to the Old Testament
30:06
to the father
30:07
of the faith
30:08
Abram
30:08
and following that
30:11
he continues
30:11
to look at the Old Testament
30:13
and to show
30:14
how they've misunderstood
30:16
the importance
30:17
and the place
30:18
of the law.
30:19
Not saying
30:19
the law isn't important
30:21
it is
30:22
but their understanding
30:24
of it
30:24
is what has gone wrong.
30:26
the false teachers
30:28
who believe
30:29
that the law
30:30
was the only way
30:31
to avoid
30:32
the curse of God
30:33
they have been
30:35
teaching that
30:36
in the churches
30:36
in Galatia
30:37
and through this
30:39
erosion is coming in.
30:42
And Paul shows
30:43
that if they are
30:44
going to rely
30:45
on this
30:46
they're not avoiding
30:48
the curse
30:48
but they're bringing
30:50
themselves
30:51
even more
30:52
under the curse.
30:54
why is that?
30:56
Well
30:57
because when we
30:58
think of the law
30:59
and the law
31:00
that the false
31:01
teachers had
31:02
was not just
31:03
the moral law
31:04
of the Old Testament
31:05
it had been added
31:07
to by themselves
31:08
so many other laws
31:09
that people
31:10
had to keep
31:10
circumcision
31:11
being one of the
31:12
main things
31:13
and without
31:14
keeping
31:15
every law
31:16
then
31:17
they couldn't
31:18
please
31:19
God
31:19
they couldn't
31:21
satisfy God
31:22
they couldn't
31:23
turn this curse
31:24
that they were
31:25
away because of sin
31:26
they couldn't
31:27
get rid of it.
31:28
Paul is saying
31:29
if you could
31:31
possibly do this
31:32
and you could
31:33
save yourself
31:34
as we go back
31:35
to the end
31:35
of chapter 2
31:36
you're saying
31:37
Christ died
31:38
for no purpose.
31:41
And he's saying
31:42
to them
31:42
you cannot rely
31:44
on the works
31:46
of the law
31:47
to save you
31:48
from the curse.
31:49
because the
31:53
foundation of
31:54
faith
31:54
on being
31:54
justified
31:55
before God
31:56
is not as
31:57
the Jews
31:58
would teach
31:58
completing
32:00
and fulfilling
32:00
all of the
32:02
law
32:02
because it
32:04
just cannot
32:04
be done.
32:07
And so
32:07
therefore
32:08
for them
32:09
and for us
32:10
if we
32:12
believe
32:12
that we
32:13
can please
32:14
God
32:14
through our
32:15
law keeping
32:16
and doing
32:17
everything
32:18
right
32:19
as it were
32:19
according to
32:20
all the
32:21
law of God
32:22
we're never
32:23
going to
32:24
achieve it.
32:25
You're never
32:26
going to
32:27
do it.
32:28
And to try
32:29
and do it
32:30
is only to
32:30
allow the
32:31
erosion of
32:32
faith
32:33
in your
32:34
life.
32:35
And the
32:36
way of
32:36
salvation
32:37
instead of
32:38
being through
32:38
faith
32:39
is through
32:40
yourself
32:40
and through
32:42
completing
32:43
every aspect
32:45
of the
32:46
law.
32:47
So there's
32:48
this erosion
32:48
that comes
32:50
in.
32:51
And the
32:52
danger with
32:52
as Paul
32:53
highlights so
32:54
often with
32:54
this idea of
32:55
being able to
32:56
keep the
32:56
law fully
32:57
is that in
32:58
realizing we
32:59
can never
32:59
do it
33:00
we start
33:01
to feel
33:01
discouraged.
33:03
We start
33:04
to feel
33:04
despair and
33:05
despondency
33:06
coming in.
33:07
And we look
33:08
at others
33:08
thinking oh
33:08
but they're
33:09
managing it
33:09
they're
33:10
managing to
33:10
keep all
33:11
the laws
33:12
so perfectly
33:12
but nobody
33:13
can.
33:14
There's nobody
33:15
in here you
33:16
could look to
33:16
and say but
33:17
that person
33:18
has managed
33:19
it because
33:19
none of us
33:20
can keep
33:21
every law
33:22
perfectly.
33:24
And so if
33:24
we feel we
33:25
could do it
33:26
and we
33:26
can't we
33:27
become
33:27
despondent.
33:29
And that's
33:29
the danger
33:30
for the
33:30
people in
33:31
Galatia.
33:32
And the
33:32
erosion we
33:33
would call
33:34
today is
33:34
backsliding.
33:36
We start
33:37
to fall
33:38
away.
33:39
from God.
33:41
And it's
33:42
always a
33:43
dangerous
33:44
place to
33:45
be.
33:45
To start
33:46
to backslide.
33:47
To start
33:47
to fall
33:48
away from
33:49
God.
33:50
And just
33:50
like then
33:51
and so
33:51
it is now
33:52
one of the
33:52
main reasons
33:53
is that we
33:54
can be led
33:54
astray.
33:56
We can be
33:57
led into
33:57
this idea
33:58
that we
33:58
can add
33:59
to our
33:59
salvation.
34:00
We can
34:00
achieve
34:01
our
34:01
salvation.
34:02
We can
34:02
keep
34:02
the law
34:03
when we
34:05
can't.
34:05
backsliding
34:07
so often
34:08
starts in
34:09
a subtle
34:10
way.
34:12
And most
34:12
of the
34:12
time we're
34:13
not even
34:13
aware of
34:14
it.
34:15
And many
34:16
of us
34:16
may be
34:16
backslidden
34:17
and we
34:18
don't even
34:18
realize it.
34:20
It happens
34:21
so often.
34:23
When you
34:24
think of
34:24
coastal
34:25
erosion and
34:26
just how
34:26
gradually that
34:27
comes in,
34:28
unless you're
34:29
maybe recording
34:30
images of it
34:30
over a period
34:31
of years,
34:32
you maybe
34:32
don't even
34:33
realize just
34:33
how much
34:34
of the
34:34
coastline
34:35
has
34:35
disappeared.
34:37
And one
34:38
of the
34:38
causes of
34:39
our
34:39
backsliding
34:40
in faith
34:40
is just
34:41
over time
34:42
all of
34:43
these things
34:43
just eroding
34:44
our faith,
34:45
making us
34:46
feel
34:46
discouragement
34:47
and despair,
34:48
then we
34:49
start to
34:49
neglect
34:50
things.
34:51
We start
34:52
to turn
34:52
away things
34:53
that are
34:54
so important.
34:55
If you
34:56
neglect a
34:57
relationship,
34:58
that relationship
34:59
is going
34:59
to deteriorate.
35:02
And that's
35:02
what Paul
35:04
is getting
35:04
at here.
35:05
When you
35:06
start to
35:06
rely on
35:07
the law,
35:08
your
35:08
relationship
35:08
with God,
35:09
your faith
35:10
in Him,
35:10
your trust
35:11
in Him
35:11
is being
35:12
neglected.
35:13
And over
35:14
time,
35:15
that's just
35:15
going to
35:16
get worse.
35:18
And we
35:18
see it
35:18
ourselves
35:19
today with
35:20
the danger
35:20
of backsliding
35:21
and erosion
35:22
in our
35:23
faith.
35:24
Neglect
35:24
is such
35:25
a key
35:25
thing that
35:26
we have
35:27
to guard
35:27
against.
35:28
The neglect
35:29
of reading
35:30
God's
35:31
Word,
35:31
of listening
35:32
to what
35:33
God's
35:33
Word is
35:34
saying to
35:34
us.
35:35
The neglect
35:35
of prayer.
35:37
Stopping
35:37
to pray
35:38
because we
35:38
feel discouraged.
35:40
Maybe our
35:40
prayers are
35:40
not being
35:41
heard or
35:41
answered.
35:42
We feel
35:43
discouraged
35:43
and that's
35:44
what we
35:44
neglect
35:44
it.
35:46
Neglecting
35:46
the fellowship
35:47
of the
35:48
church,
35:49
of being
35:49
together
35:49
with God's
35:50
people.
35:52
It starts
35:53
in subtle
35:54
ways,
35:55
but neglect
35:56
neglect always
35:57
ends up
35:58
in backsliding
35:59
and turning
36:00
away from
36:01
God.
36:03
And it's
36:03
something we
36:03
always have
36:04
to be on
36:05
our guard
36:06
against.
36:07
Whatever way
36:08
the erosion
36:09
starts to
36:09
come in,
36:10
we have to
36:11
be aware
36:11
of the
36:11
different ways
36:12
it can
36:13
and to be
36:14
on our
36:14
guard
36:15
against it.
36:17
So we
36:17
see first
36:18
of all how
36:18
Paul is
36:19
warning here
36:19
how erosion
36:21
comes in.
36:23
For all
36:24
who rely
36:24
on works
36:25
of the
36:25
law
36:26
are under
36:27
a curse.
36:28
There's
36:28
this burden
36:29
that we're
36:30
under.
36:32
Then we
36:32
see the
36:33
effects
36:34
of erosion.
36:36
The
36:37
curse
36:38
of the
36:39
law
36:39
is what
36:40
is mentioned
36:40
here.
36:42
When we
36:42
see erosion
36:44
setting in,
36:45
there's
36:46
consequences
36:47
to it.
36:49
It happens
36:50
as we
36:50
think of
36:51
coastal
36:51
erosion.
36:52
As it
36:53
starts to
36:53
take place
36:54
more and
36:55
more,
36:55
there's
36:56
always
36:56
consequences
36:57
to it.
36:58
It leads
36:59
to destruction
37:00
at some
37:01
point along
37:01
the way.
37:03
And so
37:03
it is
37:04
with our
37:05
faith.
37:06
When the
37:06
erosion
37:07
sets in,
37:08
there's
37:08
always
37:09
consequences
37:10
to it.
37:11
But the
37:11
most serious
37:12
consequence
37:13
is this,
37:15
that we
37:15
end up
37:16
cursed
37:17
under
37:19
this
37:19
curse.
37:20
curse.
37:21
Cursed
37:22
be
37:22
everyone
37:22
who
37:23
does
37:23
not
37:24
abide
37:24
by
37:24
all
37:25
the
37:25
things
37:25
written
37:26
in the
37:26
book
37:27
of
37:27
the
37:27
law
37:27
and
37:28
do
37:28
them.
37:29
Again,
37:29
we see
37:29
Paul here
37:30
quoting the
37:31
Old Testament
37:31
there in
37:32
verse 10.
37:33
And so
37:34
there's this
37:35
realization,
37:36
Paul is
37:37
saying,
37:37
that if you
37:38
want to
37:38
follow this
37:39
way of
37:39
the law
37:40
and keeping
37:41
it all,
37:42
you're
37:42
cursed if
37:42
you cannot
37:43
keep it
37:44
all.
37:44
every
37:45
single
37:46
part
37:47
of it.
37:49
There are
37:49
consequences
37:50
to it.
37:53
The law
37:53
of God
37:54
is
37:54
perfect.
37:56
We sang
37:57
that in
37:57
Psalm 19.
37:59
God's
37:59
law is
38:00
perfect.
38:01
It
38:01
converts.
38:03
But what
38:03
does
38:04
conversion
38:04
mean?
38:06
It doesn't
38:06
mean
38:06
ourselves
38:07
keeping
38:08
the law
38:09
in its
38:09
entirety,
38:11
but about
38:12
looking to
38:12
the one,
38:13
the only
38:13
one who
38:14
is able
38:14
to fulfill
38:15
the law
38:16
in its
38:16
entirety,
38:17
the Lord
38:18
Jesus
38:18
Christ.
38:21
The law
38:22
cannot be
38:23
wholly
38:24
kept by
38:25
anyone.
38:26
And so
38:26
everyone who
38:27
comes under
38:28
the law
38:29
is cursed.
38:31
If we
38:32
cannot keep
38:33
it,
38:33
we are
38:34
cursed.
38:35
And we
38:35
saw what
38:36
a curse
38:37
from the
38:37
Lord means
38:38
this morning
38:39
when Jesus
38:40
cursed the
38:41
fig tree.
38:43
It
38:43
withered,
38:43
it
38:44
died,
38:45
it
38:45
bore
38:45
no
38:45
fruit.
38:46
And that's
38:47
the danger
38:47
of the
38:48
curse,
38:48
the consequences
38:49
that we're
38:50
under.
38:50
If we
38:51
seek to
38:51
keep the
38:52
law in
38:52
its entirety,
38:53
in its
38:53
fullness,
38:54
we cannot
38:55
do it and
38:55
we end
38:56
up cursed.
38:57
And that
38:57
leads us
38:58
to this
38:58
point where
38:59
we can do
39:00
nothing for
39:01
ourselves.
39:03
We are
39:04
cursed under
39:06
the law.
39:07
We are
39:08
just,
39:09
as Jesus
39:10
makes clear
39:11
for us,
39:12
we would
39:12
be cursed,
39:13
we would
39:13
be damned.
39:15
That is
39:15
what we
39:15
are.
39:18
So
39:18
everybody,
39:19
it says
39:19
here,
39:20
who is
39:21
everybody,
39:22
it is
39:23
just that.
39:24
It is
39:25
everyone.
39:26
There's no
39:26
one who
39:27
can avoid
39:27
this.
39:29
We all
39:29
come under
39:30
the law
39:30
of God,
39:31
but none
39:32
of us,
39:33
no one,
39:33
can keep
39:34
it perfectly.
39:36
And so
39:36
as Paul
39:37
is quoting
39:37
here in
39:38
the Old
39:39
Testament,
39:39
he's showing
39:40
the seriousness
39:41
of it.
39:43
This affects
39:44
every one
39:45
of us.
39:47
Cursed
39:47
be everyone
39:48
who does
39:49
not abide
39:50
by all the
39:51
things written
39:52
in the book
39:52
of the law.
39:54
This is how
39:55
serious it was
39:55
for the Galatians.
39:57
This is how
39:57
serious it is
39:58
for ourselves.
40:00
We are all
40:00
sinners.
40:02
There is no
40:03
escape.
40:05
Now the law
40:06
is
40:07
important.
40:08
It reminds
40:10
us that
40:11
we cannot
40:12
fulfill
40:13
the law
40:14
of God.
40:14
A preacher
40:15
once used
40:16
two images
40:16
to describe
40:17
the purpose
40:18
of the
40:19
law.
40:20
The first
40:21
was this.
40:22
He said
40:22
he likened
40:23
it to
40:24
the dentist's
40:25
little mirror
40:26
which he
40:27
sticks into
40:28
the patient's
40:29
mouth.
40:30
The mirror
40:31
is able
40:31
to help
40:32
the dentist
40:32
detect
40:33
where there's
40:34
something wrong
40:35
with a tooth,
40:36
where there's
40:36
a cavity
40:37
that needs
40:37
filled.
40:38
But he
40:39
doesn't
40:39
drill with
40:39
the mirror.
40:40
He doesn't
40:40
use the
40:41
mirror to
40:42
pull out
40:42
teeth.
40:44
It can't
40:45
provide the
40:46
solution.
40:48
The second
40:49
way was this.
40:49
He said
40:50
he likened
40:51
the law
40:52
to a
40:52
plumb line
40:53
that a
40:53
builder
40:53
uses.
40:55
When a
40:55
builder is
40:56
building and
40:57
he wants
40:57
to check
40:57
that everything
40:58
is on the
40:59
level,
40:59
on the
40:59
straight,
41:00
he uses
41:01
a plumb
41:01
line.
41:03
And if
41:03
the plumb
41:03
line highlights
41:05
that there's
41:05
a fault,
41:05
it's not
41:06
going to
41:07
help
41:07
correct it
41:08
because he
41:09
has to
41:10
get other
41:10
tools out.
41:11
He has to
41:11
get the
41:11
hammer and
41:12
the saw
41:12
out to
41:13
correct it.
41:15
And he's
41:15
saying this
41:16
is what
41:16
the law
41:16
is like.
41:18
The law
41:18
points out
41:19
the problem
41:20
of sin,
41:21
but it
41:22
doesn't
41:22
provide
41:23
a solution
41:24
because we
41:26
cannot fully
41:27
keep the
41:29
law.
41:30
If we are
41:31
only under
41:31
the law,
41:32
we are
41:33
slaves and
41:34
bound to
41:34
that and
41:35
all the
41:36
consequences
41:37
of it.
41:38
So if we
41:39
fail in
41:40
one aspect
41:41
of the
41:41
law,
41:41
we are
41:42
cursed,
41:43
we are
41:43
doomed.
41:45
And so
41:45
Paul is
41:46
highlighting
41:46
that for
41:47
us.
41:48
We cannot
41:48
possibly do
41:50
it.
41:51
What a
41:52
message to
41:53
bring to
41:54
the people,
41:55
to try and
41:56
bring them
41:56
back to
41:57
their senses.
41:59
It's a bit
41:59
like Private
42:01
Fraser and
42:01
Dad's Army
42:02
as Paul
42:03
is saying
42:03
all of
42:04
this to
42:05
them.
42:05
People are
42:06
thinking,
42:06
well,
42:06
we're doomed.
42:08
There's
42:08
nothing that
42:09
we can do
42:10
here.
42:11
And if
42:11
Paul's
42:12
message
42:13
ended
42:13
there,
42:14
we too
42:15
would feel
42:15
that sense
42:16
of doom.
42:17
There's
42:17
nothing that
42:18
we can do
42:19
ourselves.
42:21
So what
42:21
hope do
42:22
we have?
42:24
Well,
42:25
the great
42:25
thing is
42:26
that there
42:27
is a
42:27
cure.
42:29
That there
42:29
is a cure
42:30
here.
42:30
You see,
42:30
Paul doesn't
42:32
stop there.
42:34
The whole
42:34
purpose he
42:35
is writing
42:36
to the
42:36
church at
42:37
Galatia is
42:38
this,
42:39
to show
42:39
them the
42:40
answer,
42:41
to show
42:42
them the
42:43
way.
42:44
Because it
42:44
doesn't end
42:45
there.
42:46
Paul goes
42:46
on to
42:47
show the
42:48
way back.
42:50
The
42:50
consequences
42:50
of erosion
42:51
is destruction.
42:55
But thanks
42:55
be to God
42:56
that he
42:57
has made
42:57
a provision.
42:59
As he
42:59
goes on
43:00
here,
43:01
he's
43:01
speaking
43:02
about
43:02
it's
43:02
evident
43:03
that no
43:03
one is
43:04
justified
43:04
before God
43:05
by the
43:06
law,
43:06
for the
43:06
righteous
43:07
shall
43:07
live
43:07
by faith.
43:10
And here
43:10
is the
43:11
foundation.
43:12
Here is
43:13
the guard
43:13
against the
43:14
erosion that
43:15
can so
43:15
easily set
43:17
in.
43:17
Just like
43:17
we see in
43:18
the coastal
43:19
barriers being
43:20
put in,
43:20
defenses being
43:21
set against
43:22
the effects
43:23
of erosion.
43:24
So we
43:25
have the
43:25
greatest
43:26
defense of
43:27
all,
43:28
the Lord
43:28
Jesus
43:28
Christ.
43:30
The
43:31
righteous
43:31
shall
43:32
live
43:32
by faith.
43:35
And he
43:35
goes on
43:36
then to
43:36
say in
43:36
verse 12,
43:37
but the
43:37
law is
43:37
not of
43:38
faith,
43:39
rather the
43:40
one who
43:40
does them
43:41
shall live
43:41
by them,
43:42
which we
43:43
cannot do,
43:44
but then
43:44
this Christ
43:46
redeemed
43:47
us from
43:48
the curse
43:48
of the
43:49
law by
43:50
becoming a
43:51
curse for
43:52
us.
43:54
The
43:54
wonder of
43:55
the grace
43:56
of God
43:58
that Christ
43:59
redeemed
44:01
us from
44:01
the curse
44:02
by becoming
44:04
a curse
44:04
for us.
44:06
How?
44:07
Well it
44:07
says,
44:08
for it is
44:08
written,
44:08
cursed is
44:09
everyone who
44:10
hanged on
44:11
a tree.
44:12
And that
44:13
is just
44:13
what Christ
44:14
has done.
44:16
We are
44:17
not justified
44:18
by our
44:19
works.
44:20
We are
44:20
not saved
44:21
by our
44:22
works.
44:23
We are
44:23
saved by
44:24
faith in
44:25
Christ who
44:26
redeems us
44:27
from the
44:28
curse of
44:29
the law.
44:30
We use
44:31
this word
44:31
redeem.
44:33
So often
44:34
in life
44:34
now when
44:35
we redeem
44:36
something,
44:37
a voucher,
44:38
we get
44:38
money off
44:39
something.
44:40
A price
44:41
is covered
44:42
for us.
44:44
But here
44:44
is the
44:45
greatest
44:45
price of
44:46
all.
44:47
And what
44:47
a price
44:48
has been
44:48
paid for
44:49
us.
44:50
So how
44:50
could we
44:51
ever think
44:51
that we
44:52
could do
44:53
anything to
44:53
satisfy or
44:55
guard ourselves
44:56
against this
44:57
curse that
44:58
we are
44:58
under.
44:59
Just again
45:00
going back
45:00
to the
45:00
end of
45:01
chapter 2,
45:02
we are
45:02
saying if
45:02
we could,
45:04
Christ died
45:04
for no
45:05
purpose.
45:07
But that
45:07
is not
45:08
true.
45:09
His purpose
45:10
was to
45:11
redeem
45:12
his people,
45:14
to purchase
45:15
his people
45:16
at the
45:16
greatest
45:17
price of
45:18
all.
45:19
Redemption
45:20
is through
45:21
Christ,
45:22
our
45:23
redeemer
45:23
who gave
45:24
his life
45:25
as a
45:26
ransom
45:26
for many.
45:29
Redemption
45:29
is spoken
45:30
of through
45:32
the
45:32
scriptures,
45:33
all the
45:34
way through.
45:35
The idea
45:36
of a
45:37
price being
45:37
paid is
45:39
there all
45:39
through.
45:40
And the
45:41
price ultimately
45:42
is this,
45:44
that Christ
45:44
died for
45:46
sinners.
45:47
He went
45:48
to the
45:49
cross.
45:50
we were
45:51
reminded of
45:52
it last
45:52
Sunday
45:53
morning when
45:54
the Reverend
45:54
Bill Ferguson
45:55
was with us.
45:55
He was
45:56
preaching from
45:56
Isaiah 43,
45:58
that wonderful
45:59
passage that
46:00
says at the
46:01
beginning,
46:01
fear not,
46:02
for I have
46:03
redeemed you.
46:05
I have
46:06
called you
46:06
by name,
46:07
you are
46:08
mine.
46:08
We were
46:09
reminded how
46:10
the Lord
46:10
never leaves
46:12
his people,
46:13
no matter
46:14
what they're
46:15
going through.
46:16
A price
46:17
is paid
46:18
for them,
46:19
the greatest
46:20
price of
46:22
all.
46:22
Christ
46:23
redeemed us
46:24
from the
46:24
curse of
46:25
the law
46:25
by becoming
46:27
a curse
46:28
for us.
46:31
A young
46:32
boy,
46:33
he once
46:34
built himself
46:35
a little
46:36
boat,
46:37
many used
46:38
to do it
46:38
when you
46:38
were young,
46:39
making little
46:40
boats and
46:40
then putting
46:41
them out
46:41
in a river
46:42
and on a
46:42
loch.
46:43
This young
46:44
boy,
46:44
he'd made
46:45
himself a
46:45
little boat
46:46
and he
46:47
took it
46:47
along to
46:48
the river
46:48
one day
46:49
and set it
46:50
into the
46:50
river and
46:51
was letting
46:52
it out on
46:52
a string.
46:54
And he
46:54
sat back
46:55
and just
46:55
watched the
46:56
little boat
46:56
go out as
46:57
he was letting
46:57
his string
46:58
out and he
46:59
was admiring
46:59
it as it
47:00
was going
47:00
out but
47:01
then all
47:01
of a sudden
47:02
there was
47:02
a strong
47:03
current in
47:04
the river
47:04
that took
47:04
hold and
47:06
the boat
47:06
got caught
47:07
up in the
47:08
current and
47:09
as the
47:09
little boy
47:09
tried to
47:10
pull it
47:10
in on
47:11
the string,
47:11
the string
47:12
snapped.
47:14
And the
47:14
boy was
47:14
devastated.
47:15
He started
47:16
chasing after
47:17
this boat
47:17
going down
47:18
the river
47:18
after it
47:19
but the
47:20
boat was
47:20
going too
47:21
fast.
47:21
It was
47:22
being taken
47:22
away.
47:24
And he
47:24
just kept
47:24
going,
47:25
kept going,
47:26
trying to
47:26
catch up
47:27
with it but
47:27
it slipped
47:28
out of
47:28
sight,
47:29
carried on
47:30
searching until
47:30
it started
47:31
to get dark.
47:33
And to his
47:33
dismay,
47:34
he just
47:34
couldn't find
47:35
it.
47:36
He'd lost
47:37
his boat.
47:39
A few
47:40
days later
47:41
on his way
47:41
home from
47:42
school,
47:42
he was
47:43
passing by
47:44
a shop
47:45
and in
47:46
the shop
47:47
he noticed
47:48
this little
47:48
boat.
47:50
And he
47:50
said to
47:50
himself,
47:51
that boat
47:51
looks just
47:52
like mine.
47:54
And as he
47:54
went closer
47:55
and closer
47:56
he said to
47:57
himself,
47:57
it is
47:58
mine.
47:59
And so he
48:00
ran into
48:00
the shop
48:01
and he
48:02
said to
48:02
the man
48:03
at the
48:03
counter,
48:03
he says,
48:04
that's my
48:05
boat in
48:06
your window.
48:07
I made
48:07
it,
48:07
can I have
48:08
it back?
48:09
And the
48:10
man in
48:11
the shop
48:11
said,
48:12
no,
48:12
I'm
48:12
sorry,
48:13
someone
48:13
else
48:13
brought
48:14
that in.
48:15
If you
48:15
want it,
48:15
you're
48:15
going to
48:16
have to
48:16
buy it
48:17
back.
48:19
And the
48:19
man told
48:20
him how
48:21
much it
48:21
was going
48:21
to cost.
48:23
Now the
48:24
little boy
48:24
didn't have
48:24
any money
48:25
with him
48:25
at the
48:26
time,
48:26
but he
48:27
ran home
48:28
and saw
48:28
how much
48:29
money he
48:29
could get
48:30
together.
48:30
And he
48:30
was delighted
48:31
when he
48:31
found he
48:32
had enough
48:33
money.
48:33
And he
48:34
ran back
48:34
to the
48:35
shop,
48:35
he gave
48:36
the man
48:36
the money,
48:37
he got
48:38
his boat
48:38
back.
48:40
And as
48:40
he was
48:41
going out
48:41
of the
48:42
shop,
48:42
he said,
48:43
now you're
48:44
mine twice.
48:46
I made
48:47
you and
48:49
now I've
48:49
bought you.
48:52
And that's
48:53
a reminder
48:53
to us
48:54
of the
48:55
cost of
48:56
all that
48:57
Christ has
48:57
done for
48:58
us.
48:59
He made
49:00
us in
49:01
the first
49:01
place.
49:03
We belong
49:04
to him
49:04
and yet
49:05
in our
49:06
ignorance of
49:07
him we've
49:08
gone away.
49:08
we've
49:09
gone our
49:10
own way.
49:10
In our
49:11
sin we've
49:12
gone astray
49:13
from him.
49:14
And he
49:14
had to
49:15
come and
49:16
purchase us,
49:17
redeem us
49:18
with a
49:18
price.
49:20
And so
49:21
if you
49:21
think you're
49:22
not worth
49:23
much to
49:24
God,
49:25
if you
49:26
think you're
49:27
not important
49:27
to God,
49:29
or God
49:29
doesn't see
49:30
you as
49:31
important in
49:32
his eyes,
49:33
just like the
49:34
psalmist as
49:34
we're singing
49:35
in Psalm 77,
49:36
has God
49:37
forgotten
49:38
us?
49:39
Will he
49:39
neglect
49:40
us?
49:41
Do you
49:41
feel that
49:42
tonight?
49:42
Do you
49:42
feel this
49:43
distance with
49:44
God that
49:44
perhaps he's
49:45
not concerned
49:46
for you?
49:48
Or that you
49:48
have to make
49:49
it up to
49:49
God in
49:50
some way
49:51
by fully
49:52
keeping the
49:52
law and
49:53
pleasing God
49:54
in that
49:54
way?
49:55
Well,
49:55
you don't.
49:57
You see,
49:58
we're
49:58
precious to
49:59
God.
50:01
He made
50:02
us and
50:03
he has
50:04
redeemed
50:04
us.
50:06
He has
50:06
paid a
50:08
price.
50:09
You don't
50:09
have to
50:10
earn his
50:11
favor through
50:12
works,
50:13
through any
50:14
works of
50:15
the law.
50:15
That's not
50:16
the way to
50:17
please God,
50:19
but to
50:20
come by
50:21
faith and
50:23
to believe
50:24
in the
50:24
Lord Jesus
50:25
Christ.
50:27
The
50:27
redeemed
50:28
of God
50:29
depend on
50:31
him.
50:32
Because the
50:33
erosion that
50:34
can so
50:34
easily come
50:35
in is
50:35
God doesn't
50:37
love me.
50:38
And we
50:39
turn away
50:39
from God
50:40
and we
50:41
let the
50:41
things of
50:42
this world
50:42
just eat
50:43
away at
50:44
us.
50:45
But the
50:45
greatest
50:46
barrier,
50:46
the greatest
50:47
defense
50:48
against
50:49
sliding away
50:50
from God
50:51
of being
50:51
cursed in
50:53
this world
50:53
and for
50:54
all eternity
50:55
is to
50:56
know the
50:57
barrier.
50:58
The erosion
50:59
barrier that
51:01
is faith,
51:02
in Christ.
51:04
Paul, as
51:05
he's speaking
51:06
to the
51:06
church of
51:07
Galatia and
51:07
to the
51:07
people there,
51:09
he's saying
51:09
the law
51:10
will not
51:11
help.
51:13
You're
51:13
cursed.
51:14
Even if you
51:15
fail on
51:16
one point,
51:17
you're
51:17
cursed.
51:19
But he
51:20
says,
51:21
thanks be to
51:22
God,
51:22
Christ
51:23
redeemed
51:24
us from
51:25
the curse
51:26
of the law
51:26
by becoming
51:28
a curse
51:29
for us.
51:31
He has
51:32
done it.
51:33
He has
51:33
paid the
51:34
price.
51:35
And what
51:36
he wants
51:36
of us
51:37
now is
51:37
not to
51:38
say,
51:38
I can
51:39
do the
51:39
law
51:39
myself,
51:40
because in
51:40
that we're
51:41
saying,
51:42
Christ died
51:43
for no
51:43
purpose at
51:44
all.
51:44
but to
51:46
see Christ
51:47
died for
51:47
me as
51:48
sinner,
51:49
that I
51:50
might through
51:50
faith in
51:51
him live
51:52
and know
51:54
his blessing
51:55
as one
51:56
of his
51:57
redeemed
51:58
and rejoice
52:00
in him.
52:02
So the
52:03
question is,
52:04
how are
52:05
you living
52:06
your life
52:06
tonight?
52:08
Are you
52:08
living as
52:09
one who
52:09
feels the
52:10
only way to
52:11
please God
52:12
is by what
52:13
we do,
52:14
forget it.
52:17
You'll
52:17
never
52:18
please him.
52:20
Or are
52:21
we living
52:21
as Christ's
52:23
redeemed,
52:24
realizing
52:25
that he
52:26
has paid
52:26
the price,
52:28
he hung
52:28
on the
52:29
tree,
52:30
he was
52:31
cursed,
52:32
he bore
52:32
it all
52:33
that our
52:34
sins
52:34
deserved,
52:35
that we
52:36
might be
52:36
set free
52:37
through
52:38
him.
52:40
How
52:40
are we
52:41
living?
52:42
Surely
52:43
it is
52:43
to be
52:44
redeemed
52:45
by faith
52:47
in Christ
52:48
Jesus.
52:49
Let us
52:49
pray.
52:52
Our
52:52
Father in
52:53
heaven,
52:53
we do
52:53
thank you
52:54
for all
52:54
that you
52:55
have done
52:55
for us.
52:56
We know
52:57
there is
52:57
nothing we
52:57
can do
52:58
of ourselves,
52:59
although we
52:59
seek to
52:59
please you
53:00
in so
53:01
many ways.
53:02
We seek
53:03
to do
53:03
good for
53:04
you,
53:04
and that
53:04
is right
53:05
for us,
53:05
for you
53:06
have been
53:06
good to
53:07
us,
53:07
and you
53:07
ask us
53:08
to be
53:08
your
53:09
servants
53:09
in this
53:10
world.
53:11
You
53:11
have
53:11
prepared
53:11
us
53:12
for
53:12
works
53:13
in many
53:13
ways,
53:14
but help
53:15
us to
53:15
realize that
53:16
all of our
53:16
works are
53:17
not to
53:17
please you
53:18
in any
53:19
way that
53:19
would gain
53:20
our salvation
53:21
in any
53:21
way,
53:22
but to
53:23
realize that
53:23
we do
53:24
it because
53:25
you have
53:25
loved us
53:26
and given
53:27
yourself for
53:28
us,
53:28
and that
53:29
the way to
53:29
salvation is
53:30
not through
53:31
our own
53:31
endeavors,
53:32
but through
53:33
faith in
53:34
Christ Jesus
53:35
our Lord.
53:36
Lord,
53:37
and so we
53:37
pray that
53:37
you will
53:38
encourage us
53:39
in our
53:40
faith,
53:41
that you
53:41
will help
53:41
us to
53:42
see the
53:43
price that
53:43
has been
53:44
paid and
53:44
how precious
53:45
we are to
53:46
you,
53:47
that cursed
53:47
is the one
53:49
who hangs
53:49
on the
53:50
tree,
53:51
and we
53:51
thank you
53:51
that Christ
53:52
redeemed us
53:53
from the
53:54
curse by
53:55
becoming a
53:56
curse for
53:56
us.
53:57
So we
53:57
encourage us
53:58
Lord we
53:59
pray and
53:59
build us
53:59
up in our
54:00
faith,
54:01
we ask it
54:01
all in
54:02
Jesus name,
54:03
Amen.
54:06
We're
54:08
going to
54:09
conclude by
54:10
singing to
54:11
God's
54:11
praise in
54:12
Psalm 61,
54:15
the Scottish
54:16
Psalter
54:16
version.
54:22
Realize we
54:23
had it this
54:23
morning as
54:24
well, it
54:24
was to sing
54:24
Psalms version
54:25
this morning,
54:26
but we'll sing
54:26
again in the
54:27
Scottish
54:27
Psalter,
54:28
verse 1 to
54:29
verse 3,
54:30
the tune of
54:30
Salzburg,
54:32
O God
54:32
give ear unto
54:33
my cry,
54:34
and to my
54:34
prayer attend,
54:35
in the
54:36
utmost corner
54:37
of the
54:37
land,
54:37
my cry,
54:39
to thee
54:39
I'll send.
54:40
We'll sing
54:40
from verse 1
54:41
to 3,
54:42
to God's
54:43
praise.
54:43
Amen.
54:48
O God
54:50
give ear
54:52
sorry,
54:54
O God
54:56
give ear
54:58
unto
54:59
my
55:01
cry,
55:02
unto
55:04
my
55:06
prayer
55:07
attend,
55:10
from the
55:12
earth
55:13
most
55:14
corner
55:15
of the
55:18
land,
55:20
my
55:21
cry
55:21
to thee
55:24
I'll send.
55:27
what
55:29
time
55:30
my
55:31
heart
55:32
is
55:34
overwhelmed
55:37
and in
55:40
perplexity
55:44
do thou
55:46
me
55:48
lead
55:49
unto
55:51
the
55:52
rock
55:54
that
55:55
that
55:55
higher
55:57
is
55:59
than
56:00
I
56:01
for
56:03
thou
56:03
hast
56:06
for
56:07
I
56:08
refuse
56:09
me
56:12
a
56:13
shelter
56:14
by
56:16
thy
56:17
blood
56:19
and
56:21
forgiven
56:23
against
56:26
my
56:28
foes
56:29
thou
56:30
hast
56:32
been
56:33
a
56:33
strong
56:35
turn
56:36
after
56:39
the
56:39
benediction
56:39
I'll go
56:40
to the
56:40
door
56:40
to my
56:41
right
56:41
we'll
56:41
close
56:42
with
56:42
the
56:42
benediction
56:43
now may
56:44
grace
56:44
mercy
56:45
and peace
56:46
from
56:46
God
56:46
Father
56:47
Son
56:48
and
56:48
Holy
56:48
Spirit
56:48
rest
56:49
upon
56:50
and
56:50
abide
56:51
with
56:51
you
56:51
all
56:51
now
56:52
and
56:52
forever
56:52
more
56:53
Amen
57:06
from