Redeemed

Redeemed

10/16/2012

Take your Bible if you would… and turn to Galatians chapter 3…

And when you get there I want us to start in verse 26… and we will move on into chapter 4… as I see this as a continued thought…

Galatians 3:26–4:7 (NIV84)

26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. 1 What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. 2 He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. 3 So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. 4 But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5 to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons….

6 Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.

….How often in our lives… do we spend time looking back…

How often do we spend time wishing we could change the past… undo the done… right the wrong… repair the un-repairable…

How often do we look at what we have done… where we have gone… and who we have been… only to feel unlovable… beaten… and oh so unworthy…

… you know… I hear that word a lot…

When I am talking to people about their past mistakes… I hear the word unworthy…

Then even when I am talking to them about the Life God has for them… I still hear them use that word… that word unworthy…

… I heard Ravi Zacharias say a few weeks ago… that as Christians… we tend to think that Jesus came to make Bad people Good…

….Don’t we feel that way?

Don’t we feel like God sent His one and only Son… Christ Jesus… To make US good?...

I mean… scripture teaches us that Jesus came to take away the sins of the WORLD…

1 John 3:4-5 says… 1 John 3:4–5 (NIV84)

4 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. 5 But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin.

… but do we understand what that means…

I mean… How did Jesus do this… how does he take away our sins…

And does that actually make us Good?

….. NO my friends… that does NOT make us good.

When the Bible teaches us that Jesus takes away our sins… and takes away the sins of the world…

What is being said is that Jesus takes them off of us and places them upon Himself…

I am sinful… and the only way that I can have a relationship with God… the only way I can enter heaven… is to be righteous…

…But can I be righteous?

No… I am a sinner…

So what can I do?

I MUST be righteous but I can NOT be righteous…

Then we read 2 Corinthians 5:21

2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV84)

21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

…. Am I righteous?

No… but I have become God’s righteousness by being covered with the righteousness of Christ..

You see… Jesus traded with us…

He had no sin… and only righteousness…

And we have no righteousness… only sin…

So Jesus…. who is sinless… transferred our sin to Himself… and transferred His righteousness to us…

Am I good?...

no… but Christ who Lives within me is…

Look at 1 Peter 1:18 and 19…

1 Peter 1:18–19 (NIV84)

18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

The first passage we read this morning… when we moved into Galatians chapter 4…

Verses 4 and 5 said…

4 But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5 to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons….