Luke 8:1-21

23rd September 2018 A very warm welcome to our services of worship today. We pray that you will all know God’s blessing as we meet together. Worship this morning is led by Rev Murdo Smith and this evening by Rev Murdo Smith. Induction loops are fitted in both the Church and hall for the hard of hearing. Please set your hearing aid to position ‘T’. Recordings of all our services are available on our website www.crossnesschurch.com as free Podcasts. CD recordings are also made of the services and are made available free of charge to the housebound and elderly. Please ask one of the office bearers if you would like a copy. Crèche available by request. Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/eaglaisnis or via Google by entering ‘@eaglaisnis’ for more information and audio content. If you would like information posted on the website, please contact Chris on 810113 or email the website www.crossnesschurch.com crossnesschurch@gmail.com Cross Ness Church of Scotland is a registered Scottish Charity No.SC000991 11 o’clock service led by Rev Murdo Smith Praise: Psalm 25: 4-10 Psalm 34: 10-15 Hymn 467 Paraphrase 54 Reading - Galatians 3 (NIV) You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? 4 Have you experience] so much in vain—if it really was in vain? 5 So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? 6 So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” 7 Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” 9 So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. 8 10 For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” 11 Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.” 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person 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 pole.” 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. 15 Brothers and sisters, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. 16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ. 17 What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. 18 For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise. 19 Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator. 20 A mediator, however, implies more than one party; but God is one. 21 Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. 22 But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. 23 Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. 24 So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. 26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and 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. Tea/Coffee will be served after the morning service to which everyone is warmly invited. 6pm service (Church Hall) – Rev Murdo Smith. Praise Psalm 65: 1-5 Paraphrase 25: 1-7 Paraphrase 63 Psalm 19: 7-11 The Week Ahead Mon 24th Sept 7.30pm – Bible Study in the church hall. Wed 26th Sept 10.45am - Women’s Bible Study at Agnes Campbell’s house, Taigh an Rudha, Eoropie. All women welcome. Wed 26th Sept 7.30pm - Midweek Prayer Meeting. Services next Sunday 3 0 t h September 2018 11am – Church: Mr John Hebditch. 6pm – Church Hall: Mr David Graham. Dates for your Diary 20th Oct 9am - There will be a Men’s Breakfast in Comunn Eachdraidh Nis. All men are welcome to come along for a roll and tea/coffee, quiz, praise and guest speaker. 4th Nov - Youth Alpha starts for all secondary school ages. The Faith Mission will be holding a series of meetings as a follow-up to their visit in May, from the 8th to the 11th November in the school canteen. More details will be announced closer to the time. CPR training is being offered by the local first responders to anyone in the congregation who wants to learn about using a defibrillator and CPR techniques. This will take place on the 20th November in the church hall at 7pm. The nomination committee would value the congregation’s prayers at this time for Gods guidance, wisdom and discernment as they continue to search for a new minister.