04/29/2007
(The Divisions of the passage for this sermon were based on G. Walter Hansen’s Commentary on Galatians from the IVP NT Commentary series)
YOUR REDEMPTION VALUE (Gal 3:10-14)
The empty bottle and the squirrel – the hook
Has some markings on it
Tells us who made it, where it was made
Redemption value: 10cents in CA,
That means the maker of this bottle will buy it back from you
In this case so it can be filled back up with soda and re-sold
You and I are not bottles
Point is: This bottle has value to its maker (10c)
The maker of this bottle is willing to pay a price for it to buy it back, so this bottle can be useful to its maker.
Keep this in mind today as we talk about our passage today (tuck away in memory)
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Our major theme, our main backdrop for the book of Galatians is in full view again this week in our passage.
Our justification, our right standing before God does not come from works or the law, but by our faith in Christ by the grace of God
In fact Paul digs a little deeper into the issue of law verses faith as he brings the Galatians, and us with them to a sort of crossroads or fork , with a choice to be made
The way of the law, or the way of faith, with Jesus our redeemer staking out the true path with the cross, like a roadside billboard, a signpost, showing us the way to salvation.
Gal 3: 10-14 (NIV) 10 All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." 11 Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them." 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
PRAY
When I read this passage I see a picture painted by the words of Paul to the Galatians
I see a crossroads, or actually a fork in the road – with a choice to be made
I see 4 sign posts – 2 for one path and 2 for the other
Each sign has a word on it, and some OT scripture quoted beneath the word
Paul follows a very good model here as he makes his argument – every statement he makes he backs up with scripture.
Today we use his words in this letter to the Galatians with the full authority of scripture because we know that God wrote these words down for us through Paul
But when the letter was first read in Galatia, it was the OT scriptures that already had the full authority as God’s Word, especially for the Jewish teachers.
The false teachers were calling Paul’s authority into question, so even though Paul had the full confidence of Peter and other church authorities, Paul wisely uses OT scriptures that the Jews would have to recognize as being the word of God.
OK – so 4 sign posts:
The 4 words and phrases are Cursed, Faith, Law, and the 4th sign is a cross, with the word Redeemer on it.
1rst sign is a warning “Cursed” v10
10 All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law."
Paul is quoting
Deut 27: 26 "Cursed is the man who does not uphold the words of this law by carrying them out."
When Paul says “all who rely on observing the law”, he is speaking about the Jewish false teachers in Galtatia and anyone like them
He points out the according to God in the OT, you are not allowed to pick and choose which parts of the law you wish to follow and which ones you will decide to ignore
“everything written” --- it is all or nothing! – 100% of it 100% of the time
If you are going to RELY on observing the law, big word RELY
IF that is how you plan to gain righteousness before God, by RELYing on observing the law, RELYING on what YOU CAN DO – YOU ARE RELYING ON YOUR MERITS
And you have a very tall order to fill.
When Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount, he laid it our for us very well.
Mt 5: 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. ...48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Perfection is the standard – and none of us measure up!
Ro 3 “There is no one righteous, not even one”...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”
So – since the scripture tells us that one who does not continue to do everything written in the law is under a curse, and we know that no one can meet the standard of perfection, no can observe the law 100%/100%,
Then Paul puts it together and states that everyone who RELIES on observing the Law is under a curse.
RELY = FAITH. Faith involved – misplaced. A faith in our own works, ability to please GOD.
This is familiar territory
We have been through this before with Paul in his letter to the Galatians
Here he makes the point that if you choose to live by the law, you have to go all the way with it. And you are doomed – cursed from the moment you make that choice.
2nd Sign “Faith” v11
11 Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith."
Quoting Habbakuk
Hab 2: 4 "See, he is puffed up; his desires are not upright-- but the righteous will live by his faith
Paul builds on his argument here by saying that because the scripture tells us that righteousness is gained through faith and only faith – justification = right with God
No one is justified before God by the law –
It is not justification by Faith plus the Law
It is not justification by Faith or the law
These are not two paths to the same destination – they are two different paths altogether.
Sam driving my truck for practice.
Gravel roads north of Weaubleau
All roads lead to Gerster
And they do
But the path Paul is describing for us in today’s passage is not that way
All roads do not lead to righteousness – all roads do not lead to a right standing before God
It is a popular idea these days with all of the talk about tolerance and acceptance.
Why do you narrow minded Christians keep insisting that you way is the only way
Because it is not MY WAY – it is GODS WAY
Jesus said I am THE WAY THE TRUTH and THE LIFE
We insist it is the only way because we love people and we want them to meet Jesus
We want them to meet Jesus because without him they are on the road to destruction
Now some of the Galatians Paul is talking to are saved – they have met the resurrected Christ and put their trust in him for their salvation
Paul is saying to them “After experiencing the Holy Spirit, after experiencing the grace of God”, how can you possibly think about trying to begin living by the law – specifically Jewish ceremonial laws such as circumcision. The two do not go together
Either you trust in Him, or you trust in your own ability to please God
This is a difficult concept for the Galatians, so he shows them again how they are different
3rd Sign “Law” v12
12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them."
Lev 18: 5 Keep my decrees and laws, for the man who obeys them will live by them. I am the Lord
Now – we must keep in mind the context of the letter from Paul to the Galatians
Paul has also, by quoting Lev. 18, given some additional context help for the passage.
The decrees and Laws referred to in Leviticus 18 are things for the Israelites are to do to distinguish themselves from the Egyptians and the Canaanites.
In the letter from Paul to the Galatians, Paul is dealing with false Jewish teachers in Galatia who are trying to convince Gentiles there that they must follow jewish cer. Laws such as circumcision, Sabbath laws and food laws.
The nature of the law is that it requires doing
The law in this context does not deal with the heart, or motivation, only external acts
That is why Paul says the law is not based on faith.
Faith has everything to do with the heart, and motivation.
The law in and of itself has no power whatsoever to impart blessing or righteousness
(the law has its place and purpose – more in cpl of weeks)
You cannot RELY on the LAW to gain acceptance from GOD
And that is what the false teachers are trying to get them to do
Acceptance from God can only come through Faith, a Faith in the one true savoir, the Messiah, the King of Kings, Jesus Christ
4th Sign – the cross v13-14 (Redeemer) – time to think of the bottle
Paul loves to bring us to the cross to contemplate our Savoir and the price he paid for our salvation
13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
Quoting DT
Dt 21: 23 you must not leave his body on the tree overnight. Be sure to bury him that same day, because anyone who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse.
Back when this was written, they didn’t crucify people yet. This passage is referring to a criminal condemned to death for breaking the law being hung on a tree or pole.
This public display was very shameful and showed everyone that this person was under God’s wrath / curse.
That carried over to the time of Jesus when those who were crucified were considered to be most cursed of all.
So Christ REDEEMED us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us
Paul is showing us here the extremely high price that Jesus was willing to pay for your Redemption
Redemption defined in OT:
Lev 25: 47 "’If an alien or a temporary resident among you becomes rich and one of your countrymen becomes poor and sells himself to the alien living among you or to a member of the alien’s clan, 48 he retains the right of redemption after he has sold himself. One of his relatives may redeem him:
So this is someone who has become so poor that they sell themselves into slavery
But their relative has the right to buy them back out of slavery. – to REDEEM that person
To deliver them from their slavery and give them their freedom
All of us here either are or have been a slave
Paul
Ro 7: 14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin
Jesus
Jn 8: 34 Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.
Before you handed your life to Jesus and trusted Him for your salvation, you were a slave to sin
If you have never trusted Jesus as your Lord and Savoir, then you are now, as you sit here, a slave to your sin
Your sin separates you from God. God is Holy and Perfect and He will not tolerate sin in his presence that hasn’t been paid for
The problem is, you owe a debt for your sin that you cannot pay
That is what makes you a slave to your sin.
As a slave you have no means to change your situation, no way to pay off your debt
The standard is perfection and you have no way to attain it
You need someone to pay the price for you – You need a REDEEMER
And there is one who made the grade – 100% perfection 100% of the time.
It’s God, God in the flesh, God who took on human flesh and dwelt among us
Jesus – Jesus lived up to the standard of perfection required
That makes him eligible to be your REDEEMER.
You sin came with an infinitely high price because it is against an infinitely holy GOD
Jesus paid the price when he sacrificed himself on the cross for you –
His perfection makes his sacrifice, his blood, his death, of infinite value -
Enough value to cover the price for your sin, and mine, and the sins of the whole world
Jesus endured the cross – the shame, the blood, the agony, death
Jesus endured those things to pay the price – to REDEEM YOU
We often gauge the value of something by how much we are willing to pay for it
Remember the bottle, the maker of this bottle will pay 10c to redeem it because it is useful to them.
Your maker is willing to pay a much higher price, the ultimate price
Death on a cross – for YOU
Because He loves you – you are valuable to him
I have spent a lot of time in the past few weeks telling you that in the end your salvation is not really about you – it is about bring Glory to God
Today I want you to dwell on the fact that you are valuable to God
Valuable enough to pay the ultimate price for – You mean so much to Him that He died for you.
When He looks at you he sees all of you. He make you – put you together
He knows everything you’ve ever done, everywhere you’ve ever gone
Every conversation you’ve ever had, every mistake you’ve ever made
Every time you have cursed His Name, every time you have cried, or laughed,
Or felt happy, sad, angry, empty, hopeless.
He knows you – he sees everything in your heart and in your mind, all of your deepest darkest secrets.
And He loves you – He knows you and he loves you, he always has and he always will
And He has paid the price. PREPAID REDEMPTION
All he asks for is FAITH
Faith means TRUST, a Dependence upon, RELYING UPON JESUS (you can’t do it)
Ro 1: 17 For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."
A FORK IN THE ROAD – A CHOICE TO BE MADE- Law or Faith, Curse or Blessing
Trust in what you can do, or Trust in Jesus and what he has done
Jesus said
Mt 7: 13 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
A Squirrel in the road:
This week as I was thinking about roads and signposts and choices,
I was on our road right out here and as I turned the corner, I saw a squirrel
He was halfway across when he noticed me
I didn’t have room to stop
He froze in the middle, he started across, started back, totally freaked out
And didn’t know which way to go
He doesn’t have a clue which way is best or safest
Have you ever felt like that Squirrel?
You don’t know which way to turn, you feel confused, scared, in danger
We have something the squirrel doesn’t – the Word of GOD
We have God’s word that tells us to take the road less traveled
We have God’s word that tells us that the law cannot save us,
That we will never be able to live up to the standard of perfection required by the law
We have the Word of God that tells us that the way to gain acceptance from GOD
The way to have a right standing before God – to gain righteousness
Is by Faith alone, in Jesus alone, by the grace of God alone – He has marked out the path for us with his blood, with the cross point us to HIM
Because Jesus paid the price for your sins, You are so valuable to Him that He died on the cross to REDEEM YOU
You cant just sit at the fork and decide not to choose, if you do not choose to Trust Jesus, your choice is already made.
Mt 12: 30 "He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters
My squirrel almost made the point too well – froze, hunkered down in the middle of the road. That will eventually mean destruction. Maybe not today, but if he stays there, it is inevitable
Friend have you met Jesus, have you trusted him for your salvation, for eternal life
Brothers and Sisters in Christ, having been saved through Faith, are you now trying to add to your salvation by your own efforts? God thru Habakkuk – The Righteous will live by Faith
PRAY
