Christmas at Upstate (W. 4 - Romans 5:1-11)

Jesus brings Loves.

My thoughts:

Introduction:

Everyone is looking for love. True love is found in Jesus. while that may sound cliche, it’s truth.

Richard Kirkland.

Sacrifice demonstrates His Loving Compassion

Justification demonstrates His Loving Cleansing

Reconciliation demonstrates His Loving Cure

The Love of Jesus as a sacrifice demonstrates His Compassion.

The Love of Jesus for justification demonstrates His Cleansing

The love of Jesus for reconciliation demonstrates His cure.

It’s the sacrificial love of Jesus that justifies and reconciles us to God.

A sacrifice this loving is out of compassion.

Good morning, Five Forks! So glad to be joining you today! My name is Hayden and I have the privilege of being a part of the team here. One of the joys is being able to know and serve with Dustin Dozier. Your pastor is a gift, and one of those reasons is how he exudes the joy of Jesus in everything. I appreciate your friendship and leadership, bro!

This morning we are going to finish our Advent series in Romans 5. If you have a copy of the Bible in hand or on your phone, I encourage you to go ahead and join us there.

We’ve been in our Advent series and have taught on the fact that in Jesus we have:

Hope (Isaiah 9:2-7)

Peace (John 14)

Joy (Luke 2)

These three things are more than enough to meet our needs and change our lives. However, the

As we read, remind them that chapters 1-4 summarize how we have broken God’s law and are guilty! But then we get the “therefore.” The therefore is

Romans 5:1–11 ESV

1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. 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.

n 1864, during the Civil War, a Union soldier named Richard Kirkland earned the nickname “The Angel of Marye’s Heights.” After a brutal battle in Fredericksburg, Virginia, hundreds of wounded Confederate soldiers lay helpless on the battlefield, crying out for water and aid. Despite being on the opposing side, Kirkland could not bear their suffering.

Risking his life, he climbed over the wall and walked into the battlefield carrying water and supplies. For hours, he moved from soldier to soldier, offering comfort and care—even as gunfire could have resumed at any moment. His act of compassion and sacrifice showed love that transcended enmity.

In the same way, Romans 5:8 tells us, “God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” At Christmas, we celebrate that Jesus came into enemy territory—not to condemn us, but to save us. Like Richard Kirkland, He didn’t wait for us to earn His love. He came to us when we were weak, helpless, and even hostile, showing that true love is sacrificial, justifying, and reconciling.

Let’s pray:

Father, You love us with an everlasting love. Like Paul said in Ephesians 3, I’m asking now that you would help us see, experience, and be arrested by the height, depth, breadth, and width of your amazing love. God, I know that my words won’t do justice, so God please… please, speak. I pray that Your Holy Spirit would illuminate the Scriptures and demonstrate to us how loving You are. In Jesus name, amen.

God loves us.

God love us with a deep, expensive love.

While we celebrate Christmas, what we are doing is living in the evidence of God’s love.

Christmas is the evidence of God’s love.

God sent His Son Jesus to this earth and proves His love

God proves His love for us by providing His Son and pouring His love out by His Spirit.

God’s:

1. Love is Sacrifice

There are bookends to this point.

I made the statement, “God’s love is sacrifice.”

This statement essentially addresses the cheap version of love that our culture settles for.

Whether we want to acknowledge this or not, the 2024 cultural meaning of love is this: “Experiencing something pleasurable at the expense of someone.”

Benefiting at the cost of someone else.

There is certainly sacrifice, but it’s a selfish sacrifice on our behalf most of the time.

“Don’t you love me?

That’s cheap.

That’s an inexpensive sacrifice.

1. The Love of Jesus is the Ultimate Sacrifice

Jesus demonstrated His love for us by becoming a sacrifice for us.

Romans 5:1 ESV

1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:6–8 ESV

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.

Jesus did the sacrificing for us! But understand this:

His Sacrifice was for Sinners

Look how we are described here.

Romans 5:6–8 (ESV)

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.

Explanation:

Paul highlights this great love here in verses 6-8 - He said Christ died for the sinners!

Check out some of these descriptive words:

Weak

as in morally weak and unable to make consistent right decisions.

Another way to say this is to say, “without strength” to live a good life. Without strength to live properly. Without strength because sin weakens a man.

Ungodly

As in people who live with no regard for God

It’s this posture of not desiring God at all.

Romans 3:10–13 ESV

10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” 13 “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.”

Sinners

As in people who missed the mark, broke God’s law, and are now separated from God.

US!

Understand that His sacrifice was:

His Sacrifice was a Substitution

He took our place.

Understand and elaborate how Jesus died for the weak and enemies.

Please don’t miss that truth. Jesus died in our place.

He came to die for us.

Illustration:

Paul says it here. Maybe someone would die for a righteous person.

Maybe… just maybe.

Maybeeee for a good person.

Maximillen Kolbe did this in a Nazi concentration camp for a man.

That may happen, however, it’s so very rare.

Let’s get real for a moment.

There are only a few

God looked at us and knew someone had to pay. Instead of making us pay, He gives the option for someone to take our place. Who?

This is like you wronging me. Being found guilty and then the day of sentencing, I look at the judge and say, “Your honor, I want to show this man how much I love him. I want to pay for his crimes by sending my son to jail for him.”

This is exactly what God did for you.

This is the expensive price Jesus paid… for you!

Application:

Do you see how Jesus died in your place? He did this out of great love for you. He

He gave it all for you! Are you willing to give it all for Jesus?

This act of sacrifice is evidence of God’s love for you! But love is not just sacrifice… there’s more!

2. Love is Justification.

There’s sacrifice. But this sacrifice is not just a demonstration of love it’s a transformation from condemnation.

a. Justification Defined

Justification is being declared righteous. Being declared innocent.

It’s: “just as if you never sinned.”

Whether we realize it or not, our default is to justify our actions with excuses.

“I did that because…”

There always seem to be a conjunction.

The gospel is Jesus showing up not to

We are not capable of justifying ourselves.

Explanation:

Romans 5:9 ESV

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

Adrian Rogers once said, "Justification is the act of God whereby He declares the believing sinner to be righteous, not because of what the sinner has done, but because of what Jesus Christ has done for him."

This encapsulates the heart of justification — it's a legal declaration by God that, based on the work of Christ, a believer is counted righteous before Him, not because of their own merit but solely because of Christ's sacrifice.

I cannot honestly say that “I am innocent.”

But God can say, “Hayden, you are righteous.”

We are no longer positioned in a place of guilt!

We now stand in the grace of Jesus.

Illustration:

Courtroom.

Hayden, you are guilty of the charges laid out in front of you.

There is clear evidence, clear conviction, and the jury has reached it’s verdict.

With all that said, “I declare you, Hayden Crompton, righteous.”

How can a just and holy God say that?

If

1 John 2:1–2 ESV

1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

Romans 8:33–34 ESV

33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV

21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

The justification we’re talking about is

It’s not an acquittal. Its when a judge says you are not guilty of a crime. So it’s not just an acquittal.

It’s a pardon. A pardon is when you are able to go free when you have done something wrong. When you have committed a crime.

It’s being declared innocent!

How? We have an advocate that talks with His hands.

God’s love for you moves you from sitting under the gavel of condemnation to standing in the Grace of Christ.

Justification does not make you perfect, it does allow you to be in a place of good standing!

Application:

Are you in grace?

The great news is that this grace is available to all people right now and it is received by faith in Christ.

God shows his love is sacrificial and His love offers justification. What else?

God’s:

3. Love is Reconciliation

Romans 5:10 ESV

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.

a. Reconciliation Restores Our Relationship

Reconciliation speaks of a forever salvation.

In other words, we are saved for all of eternity.

Reconciliation is putting an end to the hostilities between parties at war.

Making right again. Our relationship with God is now reconciled and right as it should have been again.

Closing

As we’ve seen today, love is sacrifice, justification, and reconciliation. In Romans 5, Paul tells us that Jesus didn’t just risk His life for us—He gave His life completely, dying for the weak, the helpless, and even His enemies. This is the ultimate demonstration of God’s love.

When Richard Kirkland risked his life to bring water to wounded soldiers, he didn’t discriminate between friend and foe. He saw their suffering and was compelled to act. In a small but powerful way, Kirkland’s actions echo the greater love of Christ. While we were still sinners, Christ entered the battlefield of this world to rescue us. But instead of merely bringing us water, He offered His own blood to quench the thirst of our souls and reconcile us to God.

This is what we remember in the Lord’s Supper. Just as Kirkland brought relief to dying soldiers, Jesus offers us life through His broken body and shed blood. When we take the bread and the cup, we proclaim that His sacrifice was not just for others—it was for us. He came to rescue the helpless, justify the guilty, and reconcile the enemies of God.

So as we prepare to take the Lord’s Supper, let’s remember the love of Christ. Let’s reflect on the price He paid to bring us peace and reconciliation. And let’s rejoice that through His sacrifice, we are no longer enemies but beloved children of God.