2023 0122 Romans 5 At the Right Time

Peace with God

Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ

we have seen the history of man’s relationship with God

from Adam and Eve and the Fall

through to the righteousness of faith demonstrated by Abraham

to the futility of working out our salvation

here is THE statement - we have been justified through faith

man finds peace with God - we are in turmoil

No Shame in Hope

God’s love has been poured out

let us be real - there is cheap talk about love

we have been given love

undeserving, unmerited love

yet this is no random act

God planned this from the disobedience of Adam and Eve

so Paul now seals this whole discourse

Romans 5:6–8 NIV

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

The Crucial

this is the fulcrum, the turning point of man’s history

here is the crowning achievement of God the father

from creation to now, man was powerless in his own strength

we are still powerless outside of Christ

nothing we can do in our own right can amount to anything

Romans 5:6 NIV

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.

At the Right Time

here is the perfect timing of God

He is never early, never late

just at the right time

humans were still powerless

Powerless

no walk with God

no faith nor obedience

cannot keep the Law

unable to raise faith in our own strength

still powerless - despite our bluster, our bravado

we deceive ourselves if we can save us or save anyone else

Single Most Important Act

Christ died for the ungodly

all have sinned

all fallen short of the glory of God

all are powerless

there is no hope

yet Christ died for us

Romans 5:7 NIV

Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die.

Who will Die?

why would someone die for you or me

who would you die for - your spouse, mum and dad, children, friend, stranger on the beach

if we were at war, what about today?

dying to save someone is a very rare event

we celebrate that as a community

Romans 5:8 NIV

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Demonstration of Love

God demonstrates his love

we were not looking for it - we may talk about it = finding love

while we were still sinners

we were enemies with God

we were opposed completely to the things of God

Christ died for us

the single most important fact in all of the world

matters of life and church and belief are immaterial

Christ died for us

this defines who we are and what we do