In the coming months, some new coins are appearing in our pockets. They look like this. The Royal mint is very proud of them. But what are they worth? They probably all cost the same to make, about 10p. But their redemption value is different. Here are two very similar pieces of paper that cost , say, 2p to produce. But there are some very significant words on them. I promise to pay the bearer on demand the sum of ten pounds. The key is I PROMISE. Our money is all about hope and trust that when presented in a shop or bank or Macdonald’s the Redemption value will be recognised.

Lets read Romans 3:19-31

In Romans 1 we were introduced to the gospel in these terms. Romans 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."

Then we have explored how you can be righteous before God or on good relationship terms with him.

The conclusion in Romans 3 :20 of that was

Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

Pretty depressing stuff. So it is good News to read verses 21-24. You try the Law, whether it is the Torah, what others expect from you or even your own standards and they tell you that you are a loser and a failure. Romans 3: 21-24 says

But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.

This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

In these and the following verses God’s revelation is so amazingly different from the way we think that some special words are used to explain it.

Two weeks ago Eugene talked about Justification.

Justification is the language of the court room. The charge guilty is removed and you are justified. Our gospel is that the guilty charge is removed freely by his grace. When you put your faith and trust in Jesus, instead of punishment, you are let off freely.

This week we look at redemption.

Redemption is the language of the market place – the agora – a value is placed on you and you are bought by God. You have not been redeemed with corruptible things such as silver and gold but by the precious blood of Jesus. It is the language of slavery. God has bought your freedom. Of little value God gives great value.

Coins and notes are of equal value – about 10p. The Governor of the Bank of England places a value on them. A ‘work of art’ can sell for a few pounds but when it is recognised as a great work, it will sell at auction for millions of pounds. Argos Premier points or Nectar points are valued differently in different circumstances. – as air miles or meals at Brewers Fayre or discount at Sainsbury. Outside of that they are worthless. Your life is valued at something like £500 000 in calculations about safety. Jesus said every sparrow is valued but you are worth far more than many sparrows.

Next week we will look at atonement.

Atonement is both the language of religion but more importantly the language of the Psychiatrist chair. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus…. The guilt is atoned for. The pain of your sin and its consequences are assuaged.

But returning to redemption. We began by considering how we value money. So how do you value yourself? We all have very poor self-esteem. We hear criticism more loudly than praise and we remember it. So much so that you are advised to take a friend to any interview you can, especially important ones to do with your health and your job. Otherwise you come out of the performance interview and can only hear the bad news. Your poor performance at work, where you are failing. What your friend is there to do is listen to the good news, what you are doing well

Or from the consultation with the Consultant, registrar or whatever, The bad news about your health, that you need this or that treatment, that you will be limited in what you can do. Your friend is there to hear that you are going to live, that there is hope. And with the treatment your life will have quality and enjoyment.

How are you valued by others? I was tempted to put it, how do you value others? Because we often forget to value each other properly.14b. But do we value people because of what they do? Test: Pick a church member. Ask yourself whether the last time you spoke to them Did you do more than ask them to do something?

Do you value people by whether they are nice? Or by the sort of job they have? Or the sort of car they drive or the sort of house they live in. I think we are too far gone down the road of our culture and need to start valuing people in God’s way not ours.

So how are you valued by God? Well Peter puts it this way. 1 Peter 1:18-21

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, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

Just stop and think about it. You are not worth £500 000 or even £1 billion, In God’s evaluation you are valued in blood. In an eternal plan to save you. Relish it, think deeply about values. The eternal God chooses to buy you with his life blood.

The natural question to ask is who is God paying? That is where the metaphor of the market place falls down. Certainly God is not buying you off of the Devil. There is no place for a ying/yang concept in the Bible. God is all-powerful and he is good. Satan is a rebel with limited resources and he has been defeated. Jesus has risen from the dead. So who receives the redemption? The answer is that God does. He is satisfied with the sacrifice of Jesus. Just as in the Court Room Jesus is both judge and advocate and we are justified, in the market place God is both buyer and seller and we are redeemed. Your redemption is a way of describing how Jesus has made it possible for you to be set free from the bondage of sin and to live for him.

This is a unique event in history. God actually says it is not possible for a person to redeem the life of another.Psalm 49:7-9 page 572 and yet Hosea reports God saying “I will ransom them from the power of the grave” in Hosea 13:14 page 909. Jesus clearly understood that his destiny was to give his life “as a ransom for many” as recorded in both Matthew 20:28 and Mark 10:45 page 1015.

In Jewish culture, it was the responsibility of the extended family to redeem anyone who was in financial trouble. The best example of that is the book of Ruth. This is precious as we discover God as Father and Jesus as brother choosing to fulfil a family obligation and in so doing, making us His family. So not only does redemption speak of how much God values us but also that we have family who cares for us.

If you have never invited Jesus to be your redeemer, you have never enjoyed the fact that God places great value on you. If you have never repented of the sin that enslaved you, you have not discovered the Father and brother who gave all that they had to redeem you.

We end this morning with a vision of heaven where the centrepiece is a lamb that was slain and with his blood purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, including people living in South Ruislip. Revelation 5:9 page 1237.

So lets rejoice in our redeemer today, rest on a righteousness that is given freely by grace but at great cost by a loving Father and great Saviour.