Easter 2023: Christ the True and Better Adam

Introduction

“What’s in a name?” That’s a question famously asked by Shakespeare’s character, Juliet Capulet, Romeo and Juliet. In that play the question is asked to make the statement that there really isn’t anything in a name and that names don’t really matter and it’s all about the individual person and how they act. I think many of us would have good reason to disagree with that thought though.

When my dad came back to the area our family has lived in for generations he began to meet people who knew of him through his family name. They would tell stories of how our family history was rooted in kind and caring, hard-working, men and women and give specific examples of how their families benefitted from my family members. As he was telling me these stories on our trip up here in the uhaul, I felt a sense of pride that I belonged to that family. In a far-removed, yet very personal sense, I am honored because of those who represented me before I was even born.

Another example of there being more in a name than Juliet would suggest comes from the comedian and show host Steve Harvey and his family. In one video he is being honored by his children and his stepson Jason tells him that the thing that has stuck with him the most is that Steve Harvey adopted him and gave him a good last name.

On the opposite side, those of us who have been born into names that are less honorable, have felt the pain and negative consequences as an effect of having that name.

What’s in a name? Well, it turns out, a whole lot.

Biblical Text

Turn to Romans 5:12-21

You may also want to turn to Genesis 1-3

If you do not have a Bible with you, please feel free to grab one from the seat back in front of you. It is vitally important for you to have this passage open as we study God’s Word today (or any other time you sit under preaching or teaching) and not to simply take my words for granted. I am just as liable to failure as any other human being. Please, do not rest your entire faith in me and my teachings. Read the Bible for yourself, test me (along with any other preacher, teacher, or singer) to see if what I say is true. If it is true, then may we all graciously submit to the Word of God preached today.

Last week, Palm Sunday, we looked at Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem and then turned all the way to the back of the Bible, Revelation, to look at what His second triumphal entry will mean and bring. This week, being Easter, we’re naturally going to be looking at the opposite end of time with Genesis and the first man and woman, Adam and Eve.

If you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m not very good at social norms. However, I do think that today’s message is the exact same message that the traditional Easter sermons would give you, but I hope you are blessed with a new understanding of the work Jesus accomplished on the cross and what it means for Christians today and throughout all of time.

Romans 5 starting in verse 12.

Romans 5:12–21 (ESV)

12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—

A hint as we’re reading this, it is structured for verse 12 to be an opening statement, verses 13-17 are modifiers and expansions to that opening statement, and then verse 18 draws us back to the opening statement and continues the argument. so if you get lost in all the arguments being put forth in verses 13-17, look back to verse 12 and remind yourself of that opening statement.

12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— 13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 17 For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. 18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. 20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Context of Passage:

1:18–4:25 Paul described the first phase of the good news that God has used his power to save his human creation. Everyone, whether Jewish or not, had knowingly, culpably rebelled against their creator (1:18–3:20).

2:1-3:20 It didn’t matter if you were ethnically Jewish and circumcised and had the Law to follow or if you were a Gentile and had none of those things (2:1–29), every single human was unholy and rebellious against God (3:9-20) and deserved the outpouring of His wrath in the present (1:18) and in the coming future judgement (2:5).

3:21-4:25 But because God is gracious in character, he was unwilling to leave His creatures in their condition and rescued them by the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Those who relied on Jesus for their rescue from sin were justified (made right before God), escaping the just condemnation and punishment by God for their sins. This is done with no distinction made for their ethnicity (3:21–26). Abraham was justified by faith, and God fulfilled his promises to Abraham (Abraham would be the father of many nations) when non-Jews (the “many nations”) joined the people of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Starting in Chapter 5 Paul describes a second phase of the gospel, namely, its impact on the lives of those who have been justified by faith. The ethnic concerns of the first four chapters drop away here because Paul is describing the character of the lives of those who have entered the people of God by faith, whether Jewish or non-Jewish.

His concern in this new section is with the movement of the believer

From

“wrath” to “peace,”

from “death” to “life,”

from “slavery” to “freedom,”

and from the past and present ravages of sin to the future “glory” of God.

So let’s dive into this seek to uncover the treasure hidden here.

V.12 - “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned” - What is Paul referring to here?

Recap Adam

Found in Genesis 1-3

God created the whole world and put Adam and Eve in a Garden

God gave all the trees in the Garden for them and said it was right for them to enjoy them.

God then said that there is one tree in the Garden that is wrong for them to eat the fruit from and if they eat of it they WILL DIE.

The Serpent twists God’s words and Adam and Eve listen to him

Adam and Eve decided for themselves what is right and wrong based on their perception

They saw that the fruit looked GOOD to them so they TOOK and CONSUMED what God said was evil

In one act of rebellion they cursed the whole world and all humanity who would come from them.

Adam was given all the good food he could enjoy, and instead he chose rebellion against God. He chose SIN and DEATH.

Even in this rebellion, God takes mercy on Adam and provides a sacrifice who would die in his place and cover his nakedness. God also provides a promise that there would one day be a human who crushes the snake and conquers sin.

13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.

What is the Law? When was the Law given?

Moses and the Law

What does “sin is not counted where there is no law” mean? Should we then not do missions?

Paul expands this thought in Romans 5:20

Romans 5:20 ESV

20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,

Before the Law, Sin was just the broad category of disobeying what God directly told you to do.

When the Law was given to Moses, God outlined all of the specifics of what is expected of His people. Instead of broad categories, there were now detailed instructions on what was sin and what was righteousness. So now, there existed the ability to count up all the ways you sinned against God.

Regardless of this broadening explanation, Paul in verse 14 makes it clear that sin was without question still in effect before the Law, because death (the primary consequence for sin) was clearly in effect between Adam and Moses because every person who lived in that time died!

And this brings us to the end of verse 14 where Paul calls Adam a “type of the one who was to come”.

What is a type?

“typecast”

How is Adam a type of the one who was to come?

1. A Miraculous Beginning (Gen. 1:26-27, Mat. 1:20-23)

2. Humanity’s Head

The idea of headship is found all throughout the Bible even though it is foreign to most of us. Many of us actually rebel against this concept.

The Head is the one who represents the rest of the family. He is the one who is responsible for everyone.

God held Adam responsible

Adam is the head of all humanity as the first man, though we are willing participants in sin

Jesus is the head of all redeemed humanity

3. Authority to Rule (Gen 1:26, Matt. 28:18)

Adam was given authority over all the earth

Jesus was given authority over all heaven and earth

4. After a time of Sleep, Given a Beautiful Bride

Adam was caused to go into a deep sleep, his side was opened, and when he awoke he opened his eyes to see his new bride. Adam eventually threw his bride under the bus when they both sinned.

Jesus went into the deep sleep of death. His side was opened by a spear, and when He arose on the third day He arose to His beautiful bride, those who had been redeemed by His bearing the wrath that was reserved for them that would have killed them. Jesus sacrificed Himself for His Bride when she alone sinned.

6. A Time of Testing

Adam, in paradise with all manner of good pleasures to enjoy, chose to listen to the twisting of God’s Word and chose sin when tempted by the Serpent. Adam bowed to sin.

Jesus, fasting in the desert for with nothing to satisfy His hunger or thirst, chose to rebuke the twisting of God’s Word by correcting it with God’s Word. When Jesus was in a Garden, facing the reality that He would soon bear the total wrath of God against sin, He still chose to honor His Father and willingly chose the cross. Jesus chose, not to bow to sin, but to put it to death.

15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification.17 For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

How does Jesus’ work provide this free gift of righteousness that brings Justification before God? How does Adam’s sin bring condemnation for all? There is a biblical concept of headship, of representation. In the same way a good name brings honor and a bad name brings shame, being under Adam as our representative head brings condemnation. But it doesn’t end there. We are not simply represented by Adam and are unfairly given his sin, we are willing participants in his sin. We are rightly represented by Adam and condemned by God.

As Paul makes clear earlier in the book of Romans, all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory. How then can anyone be saved from God’s wrath against sin?

V. 18-21

In order to understand this, we need to look at the similarities and differences of Adam and Jesus.

Adam’s trespass led to condemnation - Jesus’ righteousness led to justification and life

Adam’s disobedience made many sinners - Jesus’ obedience made many righteous

The Law increased the trespasses (the sin) - God’s Grace increased even more to cover all the sins

Even as Adam’s sin, our sin, reigned in death - grace reigns in righteousness bringing eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord

This is the reason for why we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ every single year! Because through his life, death, and resurrection we can be brought once more into a right relationship with God! As our father Adam’s sin ruined his relationship with God and our sin ruins our ability to be in a right relationship with God, so Jesus’ faithfulness and defeat of sin is now offered as a covering to those who would believe he is who he says he is. Jesus’ righteousness is imputed to us and restores our relationship to God! Now, like Adam and Eve in the garden before their sin, we can boldly look to God as our loving Father!

We no longer have to fear death because Jesus has defeated death! On that first Easter long ago, Christ the True and Better Adam came out of His grave and was the first of a new humanity who will not be bound by sin and death, who will not be ashamed when they come face to face with their Creator, and who will one day be resurrected in a new and perfect earth where sin, Satan, and death will all be destroyed. Where God Himself will walk among us, and where we will finally be free from the tyranny of sin that we must constantly war with in this life!

Sin impacts all of life

Like Adam, choose what is good and bad for ourselves, disregarding what our Creator has told us

You cannot defeat sin and its consequences through your effort

I want to be honest with you,

if you think going to church and listening to me or someone else teach for 30 or so minutes once a week is what makes you a Christian,

if you think that having your name on a church membership list is what makes you a Christian,

if you think just trying to love everyone you meet and making themselves feel good about themselves is what makes you a Christian

Then, in love, I want you to know you’re wrong.

Who is your Representative Head? Is it Adam, or is it Jesus the Christ?

You cannot out-sin the Grace of God through Jesus

Close

Lord’s Supper

The Bible gives us some important things to think about when we take the Lord’s Supper

We are told to look:

backward to Christ’s body and blood given for us at the cross

outward to celebrate the family bond we share with brothers and sisters in Christ in our local church

upward to realize we’re lifted up to be seated with Jesus our heavenly host, the one to whom we bring our hungry hearts for nourishment with the grace of the new covenant

inward to examine our hearts to ensure we’re walking in faith and repentance, and living with love for our brothers and sisters in Christ

forward to wait in hope for the glorious day when we will celebrate the fulfillment of all God’s promises at his heavenly banquet

Matthew 26:20–29 ESV

20 When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve. 21 And as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?” 23 He answered, “He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.” 25 Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.” 26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”