Easter 2025

Introduction

Romans 6:1–11 ESV

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

What Shall we say then?

A question in response to the first 5 chapters of Romans:

Paul the Apostle wrote Romans.

Likely written around A.D. 57 during his third missionary journey, while he was in Corinth.

Addressed to the church in Rome

Purpose

To give a clear and systematic explanation of the gospel

how God saves sinners through Jesus Christ.

The Romans Road

An evangelistic tool many of us are familiar with.

Pastor Jack Hyles from 1970s (also largely contributed for being an originator of bus ministry)

Romans 3:10, which states "There is no one righteous, not even one" 

Romans 3:23, which states "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" 

Romans 6:23, which states "For the wages of sin is death" 

Romans 5:8, which states "God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" 

Romans 10:9-10, which states "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" 

What shall we say then?

What will we do in light of what we have heard?

The Gospel demands a response.

This morning:

Overview of the Gospel from Romans 6

How does this impact us…

Prayerfully discern What is your response.

The Gospel:

He Lived:

Gospel Narrative (Mathew, Mark, Luke, John)

God sent his son down to live amongst men

With him came the kingdom of God (Series in Mark)

John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

Jesus Christ lived with us.

God dwelt amongst us.

He Died :

Betrayed, Tried, Mocked, Scorched, Beaten and Hung on the Cross.

Unjustly to pay the penalty for our sin

When God created all things death was not in the picture.

Sin enters the world through mankind choosing to break Gods instruction.

With that comes sin, and disease, and shame, and ultimately death.

Pull up passage

Romans 5:12 “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—”

Death the penalty of sin.

Jesus pays that penalty for us…

Romans 5:8 “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Hebrews 4:15 “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” “And again in this passage he said, “They shall not enter my rest.””

He Lives:

This morning we celebrate that he lives…

Death could not hold Jesus down

Angel appears to the women at the tomb

He appears to the disciples in both their home and on the walk to emmaus

1 Corinthians records that he appears to more than 500 men

Acts records after 40 days that he then ascends into heaven.

Pull up Passage

Transition: So… what then shall we say? How does this impact us?

Our Future Hope:

John 3:16 ““For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

We Die

This will happen.

This is the penalty of sin

Our bodies will not live forever

Transition: Here is the reality on this side of the Cross…

“All death can now do to Christians is to make their lives infinitely better.” - Tim Keller

We Live

John 11:25–26 “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?””

Through this great gift we have life

If you are in Christ you will live

Pull up Passage

Transition: This is our future hope… but how does this affect our present reality.

Our Present Reality

What shall we say then

What is our response today

Paul continues to use the picture of death and life in this passage

We Die

Romans 6:6 “We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.”

Matthew 16:24–26 “Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?”

Pull up Passage

When we follow Jesus our old ways die.

We no longer follow the ways of this world

Ephesians 4:14 “so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.”

Transition: in that… we live

We Live

No longer enslaved to sin.

No longer chasing after things that are empty

Building our house on a firm foundation. (Matthew 7)

Prayer Prompt

Prayer team in the back

shorten the distance between our head to our heart

Apply the preaching of the Word through Prayer!

1) Praise Jesus for the Gospel.

2) Thank Jesus for our future hope.

3) Ask Jesus how you are to respond now.