Perfect Work, Perfect Hope

SERMON MANUSCRIPT

Romans 5:6-11

INTRODUCTION

Our Frailties

There was someone who was asked to share their testimony at a large event, and they started by saying, I have been saved on and off now for 30 years..”

Of course, he said it sarcastically and God sees things drastically different than our street level view but in reality does it not feel this way at times? God where are you? Especially when we face life’s various hardships and seasons? Sometimes we feel like God is no where to be found, like we are terrible and forgotten, the first part: terrible; absolutely, forgotten or forsaken: never! Because it is Him, and He and what He accomplished is perfect!

But the reality of our weaknesses is ever present in our lives, and sometimes you aren’t even aware what weaknesses you have until for instance you get married, that‘ll bring things up to speed and the light. Nowadays people are very much so into working on self, the truth is, faith in Christ, which grants you the promise seal of the Holy Spirit who sanctifies us is the best way to do that, The next best way to self work is marriage, take on the responsibility of marriage, in general responsibility is a great way to change.

Have you ever started being discouraged because someone else was discouraged for you? What do I mean by that. I found out I was color blind in a variety of shades, in high school. It was a surprise to me but nothing that I gave too much attention to. Well, my wife recently found out the extent of my color blindness… and boy was she sad for me! She had me look into some online tests, show me what normal people see, and continue telling me how sad she was for me. Ironically and logically (because as they, “say ignorance is bliss”) is that I began to feel sad for myself . I began to grow discouraged. And this discouragement grew, I quickly realized that I am not only tone deaf, and mind you, I love music, and would love to sing, but now the harsh reality of being color blind really dawned heavily on me. And I felt sad… I came to the conclusion and said if I start balding, it’s completely over for me. My wife of course did a great job encouraging me with a couple positives I have..

‌But that is the reality when it comes to us, when we look into ourselves, our efforts or humanity for that matter. Sure we can find moments of hope, strength and happiness here and there, but, again, the reality is we are riddled with frailties and short comings. (I mean at this very moment any one of us can breathe our last.)

In this life, we face discouragement, externally and from within, we face despondency and fatigue, physically and spiritually.

but something drastically changes for the one Christ calls his own … What utmost privilege, the child of God has of not of looking into ourselves for any positives, our strengths, character, merits, attributes, or anything of true hope, strength and love! No, all of that is insufficient and imperfect! No, we look unto the perfect, the sufficient, the true, living and almighty God of Holy Scripture! He is the unwavering source of love and strength, sustainer of the cosmos, things seen and unseen, and our own very lives…yes even the hair that you and I have is accounted for and will not fall outside his will… What a beautiful privilege that is dear friends! Not too look into ourselves but to Him and His perfect work!

In Him you will not find weariness or fatigue! In him you will not find discouragement, in Him you will not find frailties and weakness, in Him is sufficiency, strength, hope and living water for our weary souls. May he be the focus, the center, Because he is everything!

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And today what a blessing it is to be gathered together and look into our perfect God through His word. That we do not look into ourselves for the hope of eternal glory. That we do not look into our feelings or circumstances as the foundation of our faith, but, rather we look into the word of God and can say with the redeemed: I believe in these truths because of your act of Love!

Today’s passage that we will look at gloriously displays God’s love and the beautiful hope we have as his children. As we dive into this passage may his love and blessings shine forth brightly from him, to illuminate our hearts and minds to the glory of His name!

THEME

Perfect work, Perfect hope! Is the title and the theme of my message. The perfect person Jesus Christ, produces the perfect work which produces the perfect hope.

BODY OF THE SERMON

Lets open our bibles and read:

Romans 5:6-11

6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (ESV)

Before we dive into this passage it would be well to note the context of this incredible letter to the Romans.

CONTEXT

Macro Context

Romans is an incredible letter written by A. Paul to the believers in Rome. Now this church was not planted by Paul and was likely the far reaching fruits of the day of Pentecost, as Jews from Rome where there also. What an amazing reminder about The Gospel to us! It is the most powerful force on earth! It is the largest and most powerful grass roots movement, it is not a top down system, it’s a divine, bottom up system worked out by God Himself, in the hearts of individuals! Friends Gods movement set forth in Christ will not fail or waver ever and no matter what the local news reports!

Now there came a point in time when the emperor Claudius exiled the Jews from Rome.. And during the period of their exile the church in Rome became predominantly Gentile. However, the time also came where the Jews were able to safely return back to Rome, of course, now they returned to different circumstances than those they were used to when they left. So, naturally, issues began to arise between Jew and gentile, cultures, traditions, and perspectives became sharp contentions for this body of believers. We know this because we see A. Paul address throughout the book of Roman the relationship between Jew and Gentile now under the same faith in Christ. And the method used, which is also, the main theme of Romans is the Gospel. Apostle Paul in the first chapter makes an emphasis of it in (Romans 1:16-17 )..

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For the righteousness of God is revealed in it from faith to faith, just as it is written, “But the one who is righteous by faith will live.” ESV.

The Gospel is at the forefront of this book and A. Paul knew that the answer to the questions and problems riddling the church in Rome, lies in the understanding of these foundational truths within the Gospel message (i.e salvation -justification by faith and our relationships to one another, to name a few)

Friends the answer has not changed… the message has not changed… Is God not continuing to gather his people from all walks of life, tongues and nations? The Gospel is always the answer , whether in school, whether in politics, whether at home may the Gospel always be central to our lives…

And so we have the first 4 chapters address justification by faith alone in Christ alone. A. Paul lays out in these chapters the need for justification by faith in order to be declared righteous apart from works. He uses this to have his readers understand that no matter if you are a Jew or Gentile this is the requirement for justification before a Holy God. He uses the story of Abraham and his faith and indicates that the seal of circumcision was an after math of the work of faith unto righteousness. He was declared righteous by faith before any works came along.

Following this deep insight and necessity of justification and righteousness, by faith alone in Christ alone, he then begins to…

MICRO CONTEXT

…state the implications of this justification by faith for the individual. We now begin to see how this was accomplished by Christ for us personally and the blessings of this work of justification by faith, for the present and the future hope it provides. (and the the following passage of verses 12-21 are a birds eye view of redemption throughout history whereas the verses we will look at are centered personally.)

For those who were there on Thursday we went over these verses but I do want to briefly go over them again because it’ll be a step of sorts leading us to the verses we will discuss.

These are the first things declared, as our own, since we have been justified by faith apart from works:

We have peace with God through Christ

We have obtained access by this faith, into this grace that we stand in and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. (doors are open, veil is torn, throne room is accessible by faith in Christ

This enables us to rejoice in sufferings

And all of this is because Gods love was poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. Personal experience not corporate!

This back drop of foundational truth is now the segue to where we will begin. We will see in the following verses by whom and how this was accomplished, what manner of love was this, and what blessings are bestowed to us from this gift of justification by faith.

The first point proclaimed by A. Paul is:

Gods love is supreme

Verses 6- 8 form a single argument demonstrating the uniqueness and glory of Gods love.

Verse 6: “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly”

The verse starts with “for” indicating Gods purpose to follow in the following verses.

This verse utilizes 2/4 adjectives found in this passage to describe us and our state when Gods love found us.

The first one is:

Weak

We were the recipients of Gods love when we were weak!

This was and a past tense reality for the born again believer, Jew and Gentile. “we were” weak!

The word weak translated in Greek means we were weak in all aspects, without strength; disabled.

Paul uses language here similar to describe the situation Abraham found himself in. “as good as dead. Abraham’s & Sarah’s chance to conceive a child was dead & impossible! And only the intervention of God can accomplish the fulfilment of this promise! For while we were weak is the state with which Gods love found us.

The second description in this verse is:

Ungodly

More so, besides unable, helpless and weak we see that we were ungodly.

Ungodly is bringing the Jew and Gentile in the same category. Paul says again “us”, noting that everyone had and has a colossal and cosmic problem! The category of ungodly included, us, Jew and gentile, everyone. Ungodly is those who do not have anything in common with God and his holy attributes. We all missed the mark and standard of God as it is written, “we all fall short of the Glory of God,” No one has a good footing or relation on their own to the holy God. The ungodly does not belong to God and cannot in and of himself be made right before God.

We have this terrible and helpless picture of our state and being…

and it is at this very time, when we were weak and ungodly that Jesus Christ died for us..and more so “it was at the right time!”

Paul, while explaining our current situation when Christ died for us, tells us it was the right time!

Implied sovereignty of God

Can we stop here for just a moment? Because this short statement implies the sovereignty of God. The right time can only be determined by God, none of us can determine the right time because we make our judgements within a limited scope of understanding, we do so within the limits of our existence in space and time. There was and is only one person, the triune God, that can determine the right time! This work was not only done when we were helpless, weak and ungodly (which none of us would deem as the right time) but determined by God, it was done at the right time! There are places in scripture that attribute this only to God because He alone is the sovereign God: “the fullness of time, the right time” are statements that truly only belong to God.

Beloved this statement implies Gods sovereignty and commands our submission to God and His timing. Just as important as God’s will, is God’s timing, he knows the right time. He is sovereign, who wields everything in His hands, and working everything out according to the good pleasure of his will! Today I may not have what I am praying for, but when I am united to Christ in faith, then not only am I his but he also works out his will in the right time!

Philippians 2:13 “For the one at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure, is God” (ESV)

His sovereignty implies that I am the creature and He is the creator and His timing is always the right time, to Him and his timing I submit myself.

Are you waiting, are you burdened with a need? May our heart bow low before the sovereign king of kings for His will to be done, at the right time, in our lives, and on earth as it is in heaven.

The despicable state we were in was weak, ungodly, wretched and at the right time God died for such...

God’s Supreme Love

Apostle continues to contrast this Love of God, through His Son Jesus, with the love of man. For while we were weak and ungodly, at this very time Christ died for us, and this was the right time!

7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— (ESV)

Paul continues to display the incredible love of God through Jesus! Paul in simpler terms says, “okay in this world we can find, in very rare cases a display of honorable human love” It would be done by someone for their loved ones. This is implied when Paul says someone righteous and good. You would have to deeply know someone as good and righteous in your eyes and be willing to die for them… sure this kind of love is commendable, but extremely scarce and rare. And more so it makes sense, but then the sharp contrast…

8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (ESV)

Now this love doesn’t make any logical sense for us! Not when we were good, not when we were righteous or worthy of any help or salvation. No, while we were sinners… Christ died for us…

A sinner was our identity, and not just sinners in a horizontal sense, with humanity. No we had a vertical problem that transcends all human affairs. Our sin was against the triune, Holy God. This was tragic, cosmic treason against him… yet when we were weak, ungodly, sinners, that was when Christ died for us… at the right time!

The display of God’s love is far different than human love. One is rare and makes some sort of logical sense. God’s love, through the death of His own son, for us.. Does not make any bit of sense. When we were dead, with the horrific stench of pride, depravity and ignorance, at this time, the right time comes the savior Jesus Christ and dies for us.

This is also throughout Scripture:

Ephesians 2: And you, ⌊although you were dead⌋* in your trespasses and sins, 2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the ruler of the authority of the air, the spirit now working in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all formerly lived in the desires of our flesh, doing the will of the flesh and of the mind, and we were children of wrath by nature, as also the rest of them were.

Romans 3:21-25: But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified about by the law and the prophets—22 that is, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. For there is no distinction, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by his grace, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus,”

Not one man would deem it the right time to do something good let alone die for someone who is a weak, ungodly and enemy of his. You see someone weak and unable you may have some sort of compassion, you see someone vile and ungodly, you possibly could find some compassion, but someone who hates you, who does violence towards you and your very nature, you will never do good for them let alone die. No one would do that apart from God. In here lies the crushing and humbling love of God that bestows all glory and praise to Him! .. We can explain in a coherent and logical way why and how the greatest merit of human love is done but with God’s love all we can utter is love.. That is God’s unexplainable love.

God’s love can only be understood and experienced in the death of His Son Jesus Christ. 6 times in these 5 verses death is written or implied. Gods love is so different, so beautiful, so powerful, because this God-man Jesus died. Calvary defines the love of God for us when we were yet enemies, weak, sinners and ungodly, Jesus Christ the blameless lamb of God, God Himself, died… He died… for you and I..

Friends do not even for a moment think there is another way, salvation is only found in Him. The love of God cost, God the Son, himself to die on our stead, when we were weak ungodly sinners.

After this intense, powerful, glorious and unique act of love towards us we have this powerful transition to the hope we have now!

Main Point: saved from the wrath of God.

9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. (ESV)

Apostle Paul goes through great pains to deliver us the truth of God’s love to us, in Christ Jesus. In these glorious chain of events, accomplished by Jesus Christ he then exclaims the pinnacle of hope and main point of his argument to believers in this passage!

Since this has taken place, the death of Jesus Christ for ungodly sinners, when you were completely unable to do anything about it, THEREFORE, we have been justified by His blood!

When this took place, then that only means firstly: WE HAVE BEEN JUSTIFIED!

Again A. Paul is pointing to the display of Gods love in and through the shedding of Jesus’ blood to justify us, that is to acquit us, from all of our transgressions before a Holy God! When you have saving faith in Christ through repentance, you have been justified once and for all. It was a legal proceeding done once and for all. You have been acquitted from all your sins, not by a payment of all the gold in the world, no not by one million galaxies that hold billions of stars, no you have been acquitted of all your guilts, and transgressions by God the Son’s very own blood. He gave himself up for you and me! The transaction of His death on calvary provided that for you by faith in Jesus Christ!

Thus far, we see incredible and powerful truths of God’s love to sinners, He died for the ungodly, (Jew and Gentile) He justified the ungodly by His very own blood but, it doesn’t stop there. We then get further in the blessing of God’s love

“Much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God.”

Here Apostle Paul introduces the pending and righteous wrath of God. This is a foundational truth found in scripture… The wrath of God.

1 Thess 1:10, and to await his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus, the one who delivers us from the coming wrath.” .

2:16: “hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles in order that they may be saved, so that they always fill up their sins. But wrath has come upon them to the end.”

Romans 1:18. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all impiety and unrighteousness of people, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,” (ESV)

This passage is reminding us of this day, it isn’t a matter of “if” but when… this event will occur.. As Hebrews 9:27 tells us: “And just as it is destined for people to die once, and after this, judgment,” (ESV)…there will be judgement and wrath for sin, there will be payment for unrighteousness. Someone is going to justly and fully receive the wrath of God for the due penalty of sin…No disobedience will be overlooked, no sin will go unpunished… It is either going to be you receiving the full punishment and wrath of God for your disobedience and sins or the God-man Jesus Christ!

What an incredible hope the child of God has… some may think that Christianity is about being saved from the devil, no not that! It is not to save us from some material or earthly pains or hardships, although there moments of these also. But these all pale in comparison to the salvation from the pending wrath of God… Nothing more fearful, nothing worse can be done upon a soul as to stand before the Holy God without the advocacy of Jesus Christ. Only saving faith in Jesus will save you from this terrifying and God-ordained day. Only faith in Christ, His blood and death with proclaim you justified on that day.

And we see Verse 10 is closely tied to verse 9. It parallels the same statement made in verse 9.

Verse 10: “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. (ESV)

This verse uses reconciliation instead of justification. Both of them are one in the same transaction fulfilled by Christ’s death.

Not only have you been acquitted from all your sins but you know have a different position before God. You are at peace with God, you are no longer an enemy of God, your are His child!

What an amazing emphasis we read here. A wake up call to believers then and now of the glorious hope we have in Christ Jesus.

This passage describes in great length all of this work, this perfect work that was done by God through His Son Jesus Christ.. when you were an enemy of God! A sinner! When you were ungodly, dead in your trespasses is exactly when God justifies and reconciles you through the gift of faith in Christ!

if God did this when you were an enemy of God “MUCH MORE” that we are now reconciled! What does that mean? Now that we are no longer enemies of God, now that two hostile parties have been made at peace by the mediation of God the Son, you and God the Father have been brought into friendly relations through the work of God the Son… If God did this in Christ when you were an enemy of God how much more then, will we be saved by His life when you are now a friend of Christ! Romans 8:34

“Who is the one who condemns? Christ is the one who died, and more than that, who was raised, who is also at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. 35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will affliction or distress or persecution or hunger or lack of sufficient clothing or danger or the sword? 36 Just as it is written,

“On account of you we are being put to death the whole day long;

we are considered as sheep for slaughter.”

37 No, but in all these things we prevail completely through the one who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” ESV

A. Paul is reminding us that the death of Christ accomplished more than we can fathom; peace with God, justification and righteousness, However, much more, will His life accomplish! This Jesus, who you saw dead, is alive! Ascended to the right hand of God with all authority and dominion, interceding for his people! And by the eternal life and work of Jesus you are saved dear child of God! If God saved you by his death when you were an enemy, ungodly, weak and a sinner how much more will he save you by his life? If when we were dead when God saved us, how much more will he save us when we are his friends, his children?

Do see the arguments of grace made here? Solely on Christs work!

We, children of God, no longer belong to the righteous wrath of God because of the gift of justification by faith in Christ Jesus! This foreign righteousness was deposited into us and now we stand blameless and justified in the Holy face of God!

You know dear friends it would be impossible for God to punish us eternally for our sins when Jesus Christ has taken the payment for us. It would be the greatest injustice and reproach done to His holy name and the perfect work He has accomplished on our behalf, if those who belong to him would be punished for their sins eternally. It is impossible! That will never happen. And this is the glorious hope we have! Have you problems? Remember this undeserving hope through faith in Christ Jesus!

And this, my friends, is the bedrock of our joy!

With all of these incredible truths laid out for us we read our final blessing of this passage.

Verse 11: “More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. “(ESV)

More than all of this we also rejoice.. in what? Our efforts? Our goodness? Our circumstances we face in this life? No, we rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ! What an amazing unifying truth, this hope trumps all earthly hopes. We can all be in different walks of life, but this one blessedness unites us all in Christ.

He is Lord of all and Lord of our salvation. He is our joy. In Him because we have recieved these great promises of reconciliation by faith in Jesus, In him we have peace with God, eternal hope and glory.

Conclusion

What encouragement and strength this bears upon the believer today! What a glorious work of God upon once dead, sinful, God-hating, enemies of God… what love we partake in through faith in Christ!

What cause for joy that the child of God is saved from the wrath of God. What joy to be hid in the foreign righteousness of Christ whom took the punishment and wrath of God on your behalf.

There is a song by Gaither, that has these words in it, “May the morning be worth the midnight”

I tell you what, given the promises and blessing of faith in Christ, a million midnights will not compare to the glorious morning day when we see God face to face in Christ, and enter the glory of eternity in His presence forever. There will be no more sorrow, tears or pain but forevermore with our blessed redeemer

What blessed reminders when we face sorrow, pains and trials. To look back at calvary and say You oh precious Lord did that for me when I was ungodly, an enemy of the cross, weak and dead! You did this in love, a love I will never fully understand. But you, O’ God, in your sovereign free will chose to save me, at this state, at the right time. These truths command and cause us to submit our schedules, our time to you wholly. May these glorious truths cause us to complete submission.. your time Lord, Your will Lord.

May these truths enable our joy to eternal heights that lift us up in any valley that we may find ourselves! The love of God to a sinner like me enables me to have a hope in the midst of all of life’s turmoils. The solid, unshakeable bedrock of His love grants me joy beyond comprehension.

Now friends, the other side of the coin is this.

We just read the glory and blessings of God’s love through the death and life of Jesus Christ for his people. This event did take place in History at the right time. However, this must take place personally in your heart. Romans 5:5 “…because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” ESV

If you are not a friend of God you are an enemy of God. There is no middle ground. You are either with him or against Him. You can be friends of believers, friends of a church or organization but church membership and attendance or a circle of good friends will not save you from the wrath of God to come on all unrighteousness. If you do not repent, commit your mind, emotions, and will to Christ Jesus the Lord, if you do not place your trust and faith in Jesus Christ for justification you, undoubtedly, will receive the wrath of God. Either you have a foreign righteousness of Christ through faith inJesus, that will save you from God’s wrath, or you have your own that will fall far short of the glory and be condemned to eternal agony and damnation.

The Gospel message instructs the mind, impacts the heart, and the will responds.

Today is the day of salvation, tomorrow is not promised! Commit yourself to God! Throw yourself unto the rock of ages and never be ashamed on the last day! Surrender to His love today, receive justification by faith and the blessedness that follows, be united with Christ through faith…never face the terrifying doom of His wrath but rather partake in the eternal blessings of the one who knew no sin but became sin so that we could become the righteousness of God! 2 Cor. 5:21

I plead with you, be reconciled to God through faith in Jesus Christ and may today, as you believe in repentance and faith, be the right time of God’s gracious gift of salvation in your life!

Let us pray.