Our gracious God knew the end from the beginning. In eternity, the Lord knew we would fall in Adam. It was all according to his eternal purpose. And he knew that by us being ruined in sin, the love of money would be the root of all evil. That's so according to scripture. The love of money is the root of all evil. And the Lord knew that sinners would take advantage of other sinners for financial gain. And he knew that sinners would overspend and get themselves bankrupt, indebted because of sin. The love of money being the root of all evil, the love of possession, And so our Lord provided this gracious law of redemption to help that.

The law is so good. If a nation would use the laws that God gave Israel, that's the most perfect set of civil laws you could ever have, is what God did for Israel. what he gave to Israel. But nations don't because no man keeps God's law because of our sin. But there is gracious law of redemption that God provided that one that has sold himself could be redeemed. But more than even providing to help men and women, the Lord was declaring to us by this law what the Lord Jesus Christ, his son, accomplished for God's spiritual Israel, for the elect of God. Christ redeemed his people. That's what we're gonna look at here in this law, this gracious law of redemption.

I'm gonna just, for simplicity's sake, to get you dialed in on exactly what we're looking at here, we're gonna go to Leviticus 25, verse 47. I encourage you, you can read, it begins in verse 25, but just for simplicity's sake, let's go right here, verse 47. If a sojourner or stranger wax rich by thee, and thy brother that dwelleth by him wax poor, and sell himself unto the stranger or sojourner by thee, He waxed poor and he sold himself unto the stranger or sojourner by thee or to the stock of the stranger's family. After that he is sold, he may be redeemed again. He may be redeemed again. One of his brethren may redeem him. One of his brethren. Either his uncle or his uncle's son may redeem him. or any that is nigh of kin unto him of his family may redeem him. Or if he be able, he may redeem himself.

Now, the gracious law of redemption. Somebody could hear this and they could say, well, a man ought to learn how to live below his means and not come to a place where he's so poor He had to sell himself. Well, that's true, but you and me are the poor man. We are the poor man in this passage. We are the one who were insolvent, unable to pay what we owed. That is you and me. That's so of every man in this world. Because when Adam transgressed, we all transgressed. But listen to me now. This is so of God's elect. And it's God's elect that he's gonna make to hear this and understand this and behold ourselves in this poor man. We are the poor man. Poor in sin. It said there, if he be able, he may redeem himself. We're not able. We're not able. We could not redeem ourselves. God is holy and God is righteous. God is just. He said he will by no means clear the guilty. No means. See, we owe the law perfect obedience, but because of breaking the law, we owe the law death. The law not only required that you keep the law, the law required you Execute anybody that did not keep the law. Because they're guilty, they have to die. Well, that's me and you. In Adam, that's us and ourselves. We are the guilty sinner who God will not clear. Every sinner in this world, God will not clear the guilty. All are guilty and God will not clear the guilty. Every sinner without exception shall die under the justice of God, under the just judgment of God. Every sinner shall die.

For God's people, the good news is he chose to send his son to die in our room instead. He sent Christ to die in the room instead of his people. Now listen, go to Galatians 3, and Mark Galatians 3, we'll come back here, but for now I want to show you something. Here's the truth of the law. Here's the truth of the law. Here's the truth of trying to come to God in love. Here's the curse. Here's the curse. Galatians 3.10. Galatians 3.10, for as many as are of the works of the law, trying to come to God by the law, still under the law, many as of the works of the law are under the curse. Why, what's the curse? For it's written, cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. Look at verse 21. Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid, for if there had been a law given which could have given life fairly, righteousness should have been by the law. But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

We've gone through the book of Ruth. about the Lord Jesus. That book is about the Lord Jesus Christ, the kinsman redeemer. That's what Ruth is about. But you remember whenever Boaz, he's the one that pictures the Lord Jesus, whenever Boaz, Naomi told Ruth, go to Boaz and lay down at his feet and ask him to cover you. That's what I'm saying to you. That's what I'm saying to you that have never believed. That's what I'm saying to you that do believe. At all times, go to Christ and lay down at his feet and ask him to cover you. Ask him to represent you.

But that's what she did, and Boaz was willing. He was able, he was willing. He was near of kin. All the things necessary. But he said, there is a nearer kinsman. And that nearer kinsman is a picture of the law. That nearer kinsman had first claim on them. And the law has claim on us. We have sinned and the law has claim on us.

But you remember that man, that man couldn't redeem them. He said, lest I mar my heritage. And the law couldn't redeem us. If there was a law given that could have given life, righteousness would have been by the law, but there is not one that can. And so Boaz went there and dealt with that man first in the gate. That was the public place. That was where matters of law were settled. And he went there and dealt with that man so that he could lawfully marry Ruth. lawfully redeem Ruth and lawfully raise up a son and give that son his name to preserve that name. That's what he did.

In the law of God, it said that if a man would not redemption, this was part of redemption, that if your brother died, you were to marry his wife and when you had a son by her, give her, that son, your name so that that family name would continue. But if that, if one would not redeem, if he would not marry his brother's wife and raise up a son, then it was a disgrace. And scripture said, and the woman was to go to him, and they would take off the shoe, and she was spitting his face, And he was known from then on as the one who would not redeem, the one whose shoe was removed, the one who was a disgrace.

But in Ruth, that man was so in agreement with Boaz that he took his own shoe off. The law bears witness that Christ fulfilled it. The whole law was given to declare Christ. That's why we're looking at Christ in this law. Every law was given to glorify Christ. It was given to show us we're sinners in need of Christ, and it's given to show us Christ is the righteousness of his people. And that law bears witness of Christ.

Romans 3 says this, the righteousness without the law being witnessed by the law and the prophets. That righteousness has come, and that righteousness is by the faith of Christ, by Christ keeping the law, given to those who believe on Christ. So brethren, what I'm saying is the law had a claim on us, and that law's got to be dealt with because God's holy. He will not clear the guilty, and we're guilty. We're justified freely by his grace through the redemption It's in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth to be the mercy seat, the propitiation, the sin-atoning mercy seat through faith in His blood. And it's given, He's given to declare God's righteousness, how God's just, He will not clear the guilty, and how He alone is the justifier. That's the whole purpose of the cross.

Now, go back here in Leviticus 25, We're the poor man, guilty, deserving of death that must die because God's holy. Christ is the kinsman redeemer. Now look here in verse 48. It said, after that he is sold, he may be redeemed again, bought back. One of his brethren may redeem him. Have to be one of his brethren. Look at verse 49. Either his uncle or his uncle's son may redeem him, or any that is not of kin unto him of his family may redeem him. That's the Lord Jesus. The Lord Jesus is the near kinsman of all God's elect.

How did we become of the same family? How did you become a member of your family? You're born into it. We're born into the family of God. And when you're born into the family of God, what God teaches you is he made you his child in eternity by choosing whom he would, choosing you by grace. And our Lord Jesus came, the Son of God, and he took flesh like unto his brethren. The purpose, God said, is that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. He's the near kinsman. He's akin to all his people. We're one with him. We're born of his bone and flesh of his flesh. We're one with Christ. He's the near kinsman. That's who he is.

Brethren, that very title, the kinsman redeemer, that very title tells you that Christ laid down his life for a particular people. He laid down his life for his brethren. Why does the Hebrew writer in Hebrews 2 make this distinction? He took not on him the nature of angels. He took on him the seed of Abraham. That's the elect. That's those that the Lord promised that Christ would save. He came and was made in the likeness of his brethren and took the flesh of his brethren. It behooved him to be made like unto his brethren. The Lord Jesus came to redeem a particular people.

Now, what's redemption? What is it? I put that article in the bulletin just so it would be clear and you could read it yourself. This is what I purpose to declare to you. Redemption is the paying of a price that is owed for the purpose of recovering someone, purchasing them out of the debt they're under, to recover them, to bring them out, to deliver them, but the price had to be paid. It's a ransom. If somebody's in captivity, it's a ransom price that's paid to deliver them from captivity. You sometimes will hear me speak of redemption and you'll hear me talk about being delivered as I'm talking about redemption. That's what it is. It's the purchase, the price being paid that's owed to deliver, to deliver.

Redemption, and when that redemption price is paid, that one for whom it was paid becomes the purchased possession. They were purchased, they become the possession of the Redeemer. The Lord Jesus came to pay the law, the perfect price owed for each and every individual, elect child. Listen, when you go into a store and you purchase an item, that's redemption. You redeemed that item. You redeemed it. You bought it. Now, you don't go into a store and bring an item up to the counter and just pay some ambiguous price for every item in the store. No, you pay the price owed for that item. Our Lord Jesus Christ didn't come to pay this generic, ambiguous payment that men speak about, and yet really never redeem anyone in particular. No, he came and paid the exact price for a particular people, for each individual child that God chose He paid the price owed to divine justice to redeem that child. And when you pay that price for an item in the store, that item becomes yours. You bought it, and you know what you do with it? You take it home.

Our Lord Jesus bought his people. He purchased his people. He redeemed us with His precious blood. You were not redeemed with corruptible things such as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ as a lamb without spot or blemish, redeemed by Him, bought by Him. Go back with me to Galatians, and let's see Galatians 3.13. Here's the good news that He declares to His children. Galatians 3.13, Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us. This book, this letter, Galatians, is written to saints. It's written to those God's given faith. Paul said Christ redeemed us. He was made a curse for us and he redeemed us. where it's written, cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree, that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Look over at Galatians 4 and verse 3. We were children, when we were children, we were in bondage to the elements of the world. What's that? The law. We were in bondage to the law. But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. There you are, the dead sinner. You know nothing about this, dead in sin. But look at what happened. And because you are sons. See, you didn't become a son by believing, because you were already a son, because Christ laid down his life for the sons of God and redeemed the sons of God, paid the exact price for them in particular, and because you were a son of God by God's grace and God's love, he sent forth the spirit of his son into your heart, crying, Abba, Father, so you're no longer a servant, you're a son now, and an heir of God in Jesus Christ.

See, the Lord Jesus paid all the debt His people owe. He paid it all, brethren. And because He paid it, just as the man that would be born of Him, and He sent the Gospel to us and gave us His Spirit and made us know He bought us and where He is. When we redeem an item, turn with me to Ephesians 1. When we redeem an item in the store, We take it home with us because it's our purchased possession. We paid the price. We own it. It's ours. Our Redeemer, because you are sons, because he came and laid down his life for his people and accomplished our redemption, and the holy character of God that demanded he do that to save us, demands now that we're saved, justified, we must be called where he is. He bought us. So he's gonna send the gospel to each of his children and make us know it and carry us home.

Look here, Ephesians 1, and this, I want you to catch this now. He brings you to believe on him and I want you to see what happens. Verse 13, Ephesians 1, 13. In whom, in Christ, you also trusted, after that you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Now catch this. In whom also, after that you believed, you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise. The Holy Spirit sealed us in Christ. In whom you were sealed. When He gave you faith to believe Him, the Holy Spirit sealed you in Christ. You're not going to get out of Christ. Nothing's going to steal you out of Christ. You're in Christ. Just like when you can and you put the items, you put the vegetables in the jar and you put the lid on the jar and it pops, it's sealed. Those vegetables are sealed in that jar. God's children are sealed in Christ. Preserved in Christ. Why? Look. And that's the earnest of our inheritance, the guarantee that we're gonna be with Christ, the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of the glory of God. We belong to Christ. We're His purchased possession. And we've been sealed in Him by the Spirit. And one day, just like He redeemed us at the cross, just like He freed us from our sin nature by giving us faith to trust Him, one day He's gonna redeem us out of this world into His presence.

and we have this Spirit. You know Him, you believe Him, you trust Him. Wow, the Spirit did that for you. And what is that? That's the earnest, that's the guarantee that you're gonna see Him face to face one day. You're guaranteed.

Go with me to Exodus 15. Israel, political Israel, was used of God to picture what God's doing for His spiritual children. the true Israel of God, the spiritual Israel. Jew and Gentile, chosen, redeemed, regenerated. I want you to see this, what God did for them. God fulfilled every promise he made to the natural children of Israel. Every promise. Not one went unfulfilled. They didn't do anything they said they would do. That was a covenant of works. They were obligated to fulfill the law. and he promised them things for fulfilling it. It was all earthly promises. They did nothing. He did everything. But all of that is, they're picturing God's true people.

Now watch this. Verse 13, Exodus 15, 13. He says, thou in thy mercy, speaking to the Lord, thou in thy mercy has led forth the people which thou hast redeemed. This is so of his people, true people, spiritual people. In mercy you've led forth the people which thou has redeemed. Thou has guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation. The people shall hear and be afraid. Sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestinia. Then the Dukes of Edom shall be amazed. The mighty men of Moab trembling. Trembling shall take hold upon them. All the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away. Fear and dread shall fall upon them by the greatness of thine arm. They shall be as still as a stone till thy people pass over, O Lord. to the people pass over which thou hast purchased.

That's what the Lord's doing for us, brethren. The enemies are gonna stand still as a stone. They're not gonna harm you till the people Christ purchased pass over. He says, thou shalt bring them in and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O Lord, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in this sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established. The Lord shall reign forever and ever.

Now I'm trying to show you, because we're His, He's gonna lead us through the wilderness. No enemy's gonna hurt us, because He purchased us, and He's gonna bring us into that tabernacle He pitched, into that holy place.

Go to Isaiah 43. Every time that we are troubled, and we're going through any kinds of trouble, be it our own sin, be it some trial of affliction, other sorts of trial, whatever it is, in this book, The Lord does not strengthen his child. He does not work repentance and faith and keep his child through the law, through the preaching of what you must do. He doesn't do that. He does it with this good news right here. Look here, Isaiah 43. Now thus saith the, verse one, now thus saith the Lord that created the old Jacob and he that formed the old Israel, fear not for I have redeemed thee. I have called thee by thy name, thou art mine. That's what he uses to comfort you. How do I know I'm gonna get through this fire? How do I know I'm gonna get through this flood? Whatever it be, how am I gonna get through it? Because I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name, you're mine, the Lord said.

When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee, and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee. When thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee, for I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Savior. I give people and nations for you, he said, because I loved you, you're mine, I bought you. He's not gonna lose one of his people. It would tarnish his holy character if he did, and he won't lose one.

The Lord deals with us now as sons, as children, dear children. And Christ, our firstborn, and if the son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed. Free from the law, oh happy condition. Jesus that bled and there is remission, cursed by the law and bruised by the fall. Grace has redeemed us once for all. Christ has bought us. He bought us, brethren. That's the message He uses to constrain us to trust Him, to trust Him. This is it right here. He says to us, and to honor Him, to not sin and to honor Him every day in our life. This is the message He uses to work in His people to do that.

You're not your own. You're not your own. You're bought with a price. Therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit with your gods. See, that's a far different message than condemning people and using the law to make them feel lost, to make them feel guilty, and make them just whip them down.

You notice in that passage in Leviticus 25, the Lord said, You're not going to deal with them with rigor. You're not going to deal with them harshly. Why? He said, I brought them out. I redeemed them. They're mine. You're not going to deal with my people that way.

What is the motivator? It's the gospel of the full accomplished redemption. It's the gospel of the good news that we're his purchased position, that we're not our own, we're bought with a price. It's the message that He's gonna keep you, he's gonna deliver you, and he's gonna bring you home because he bought you. That's the message he comforts his people with and strengthens his people with.

When men try to condemn you, he says, you're bought with a price. Be not ye the servants of men. You're my child. Don't worry about men. This message, brethren, it's the gospel we love. It's the gospel we love. Our Savior came to poor sinners like us and bought us, and where he is.

You know what he says to his people when he first calls you? When he first, he said this to Israel. He said, return unto me, for I have redeemed you. Is there anybody here that's hearing this for the first time? God's grace is making you really hear it. Maybe it's somebody that thought they knew the gospel. There's a lot of folks that thought they knew the gospel, and then the Lord one day makes them hear.

Well, what does he say? If he's speaking that to you, that he's called, here's his message to you. Return to me, I have redeemed you. Redemption is buying again. We were already his in eternity. Then we fell in at him and we were separated by our own sin. He came and paid the price and made it just to have mercy on us. And when he calls you, he says, now come back to me. I bought you, I redeemed you, come back.

He's not gonna lose us, brethren. And for you he has called, for you he's called. The one message our Lord uses to keep us looking to him, keep us walking by faith and mortify this flesh so we don't look to ourselves is you are mine, I have redeemed you. When you go through that fire, I'll be with you. You will go through it. It says when you go through the waters, when you go through the fire, you will go through it.

But that's only to, teach you more that in your flesh you're just a poor bankrupt sinner, but in Christ, by what he's paid, what he's accomplished, here he is, and he's gonna bring you home.

Next time you go in a store and buy something, and you walk out of that store with it, nobody says a word to you, the law does not say anything to you. I was in a store just a couple weeks ago, and I bought some groceries and I bought some bread. And when I picked the bread up, I thought it was, it wasn't a good loaf of bread because it was all kind of bent. And I paid, bought all the groceries, paid for it. And I just walked over there to where the bread was and pulled out a new loaf of bread, put it in and put that one back on the shelf. And I started walking out.

Well, the manager caught me and took me in a little side room, said, what were you doing? I said, told him what I did, you know, and he said, okay, he said, let me see your ticket. I showed him the receipt, and he said, okay, you're good, you bought it, you paid for it, free to go.

Brethren, you walk out of that store with that item you purchased, and they don't say anything to you, just say to yourself, Lord bought me, I'm his, he's carrying me home, and the law's not gonna say a word about it.

No, the law is gonna say something about it. The law's gonna say, Bring them home. You bought them. You honored me. You honored me. Take them home. They're yours. That's it.

Redeemed how I love to proclaim it, redeemed by the blood of the lamb, redeemed through his infant mercy, his child and forever I am.

All right, brethren, we're gonna observe the Lord's table. I ask Brother Greg and Brother Adam to pass out the elements.