The Greater Gift

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STORY - I made a gokart once. (EXPLAIN). I got to be driven on a test course by a professional stunt driver in a top of the line dodge viper SRT 10. Sure, they’re both modes of transportation - but it would be a crime to suggest they’re on the same playing field.

The Cross Makes a Bigger Difference In Our Lives

Than the fall.

Romans 5:15 NIV

But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!

Because of Adam, because of one sin - sin was introduced into the world. And so was death.

But the thing is - it’s not like we’re all condemned whether we sin or not. We all sin. We have all earned our condemnation

But because of Christ - life and grace and righteousness was made available to all men.

Those sound equal. but Paul says - they aren’t. Not by a mile.

The freedom and spread of the grace of God is more powerful than the impact of sin. It’s not like, the movement of sin in the world holds the same power as the movement of grace. It’s not even close.

Furthermore - We all sin, and so we have all received condemnation. But none of us are righteous - yet we have all received an offer of grace and salvation.

The Cross Reaches Further Into Our Lives

Than the fall.

Romans 5:16 NIV

Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification.

Condemnation came into the world through one sin - grace continues to move through the world despite countless sins

Before, all humanity faced condemnation that started with one sin. But in Jesus, all humanity is offered freedom, despite many sins.

Ever worked at a workplace that jumped on every single problem you ever had, no matter how serious?

Have you ever worked somewhere that they were committed to your wellbeing, and to helping you, no matter how many times you faltered?

The Cross was God resetting our history back to the beginning

Romans 5:18–19 NIV

Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

Paul isn’t saying that the cross of Christ is the same as the fall. he’s saying that - in all of human history, the fall was the lowest point, the worst one. And the cross was the highest.

The fall was our step out of God’s presence. The cross was our step back in.

We often see the interaction between cross and sin as God sitting in vengeful justice. But what if we saw it as a return to the garden?

It’s not about God smiting the wicked - it’s about him bringing us back to paradise, back to him. Recovering the children he loves so much.

For sure, God is judge, and one day we’ll all stand before that throne. But the cross is God’s rescue plan.

God’s plan A wasn’t judgement for sin. It was eternity in the garden. God started with, I want these people around forever with me. The cross is him getting back into that.

And something REALLY important to note here. The scriptures say - many will be made righteous, because of the obedience of ONE man.

I get to stand here by my own effort! nope.

Romans 3:27, Paul says that because of the righteousness we INHERIT by faith, we no longer have the ability to boast.

The Cross is about the reign of grace

Romans 5:20–21 (NIV)

But where sin increased, grace increased all the more,

so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Again, we think of this like a war. But it’s not. Death has been defeated. This is just the battle winding down.

1 Cor 15:54-55 “When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?””

in the cross, we can say - oh death, where’s your victory? oh death, where’s your sting?

I don’t think we appreciate how big of a deal this is!

We are a people of the kingdom of grace. Grace should be the underlying and foundational component of everything we do.

Even the fruit of the spirit sounds like a list of things that someone would look like if grace filled them to the fullest.

And it’s not like, grace when we feel like it. Grace when it lines up with our internal standards.

We live in the kingdom of grace ,rather than the kingdom of death. That’s a big jump. Everything else should feel like peanuts after that. I feel inconvenienced, I feel like things aren’t going the way I want. Ya, but what about death?

We are facing the most amazing, most fulfilling, most INCREDIBLE conclusions to our story imaginable - and we were rescued from the worst possible fate we could have faced. How can anything else hold a candle to that?

Here’s a secret. Ask someone who has been through tough times in their walk with Christ, but they still have a mature faith. They’ll all tell you some variation of the same thing:

I learned to focus more on God.

Whatever trick or thing they’ve tried - it’s all this. They learned to fix their eyes on jesus MORE.

Because you know what happens? We get reminded of the future that awaits us. The hope that’s freely available to us.

And if we find ourselves growing in bitterness, or anger, or dissatisfaction. Maybe it’s not about something we’re looking at. maybe it’s about something we’re NOT looking at.

The Cross is freely available for all

Romans 6:23 NIV

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The truth is, in this world - death is what we earn.

But all of this - it’s fully and freely available to us. As a gift.

And it’s not this wisp of smoke life that we live here. We’re talking about eternity with God. No more tears or pain.