Untitled Sermon

Intro

ESTHER READ 

Romans 5:1–6 ESV

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 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. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 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. 

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

Illustration

For the past five years, one of the most searched terms on Google has been “hope.” It has outpaced searches for political upheavals, technological breakthroughs, and even the ever-popular “how to make money online.” If Google is the oracle of our collective consciousness, then we’re not just looking for the best oat milk latte near us—we’re looking for something deeper.

But what does it mean? Are people feeling more hopeful or are they…frantically grasping for it? The data doesn’t tell us whether we’re inspired or empty-handed, only that we’re looking….for meaning in a crisis-ridden age

The past few years haven’t exactly been a breeding ground for unbridled optimism. If anything, they’ve felt like a slow-motion apocalypse set to a TikTok soundtrack. Climate anxiety? Check. Economic uncertainty? Check. Social media-fueled existential dread? Triple check. And yet, through it all, people have consistently typed “hope” into a search bar like it was a lifeline.

Historically, searches for spiritual and existential concepts tend to spike in moments of crisis. In 2008, “prayer” surged during the financial collapse. In March 2020, “faith” trended as the world collectively realized we had no idea what we were doing. People look for meaning when the world stops making sense.

But the ongoing years-long trend of searching for hope suggests something different. This isn’t just a reaction to one specific disaster. It’s a constant, underlying hum of uncertainty—a long-term condition rather than a momentary outcry. Right now, the story seems more like…a desire for something bigger, steadier, a foundation that is more trustworthy than the shifting sands of modern truth.

And so this morning we turn to Gods revelation to us in his written word. I love that a book written over thousands of years is truly alive and active. That in the year 2025 we can turn to its wisdom and its authority for answers to our questions and advice in our situations. And that because it is a gift from God, we can trust its words and stand upon its truths as an unshakable foundations in our lives. And so, we turn to Romans chapter 5, starting at verse one.

Body

In just the first six verses of Romans chapter 5, Paul gives us five magnificent truths:

We are justified by faith—and therefore, we have peace and an outpouring of grace in which we stand.

We can rejoice in the hope of the glory of God—eternity itself.

Because of these truths, we can even rejoice in suffering, trials, and temptation, because they produce endurance, then character, and then hope.

Hope is not just offered—it is poured into our hearts by the in dwelling Holy Spirit.

All of this was accomplished while we were still weak and sinful.

1. We Are Justified by Faith, and Therefore We Have Peace

Romans 5:1 (ESV) “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Justification - Justification is a Christian’s judicial acceptance by God as not guilty because their sins are not counted against them.

Paul spends the first four chapters of Romans laying the groundwork for this statement in verse one, which begins with therefore.So let me quickly sum up his proceeding argument to better understand his transition into the next argument here in chapter 5.

Chapter 1: Paul introduces himself and his mission to preach the gospel. He explains that the gospel reveals god’s righteousness and that everyone needs it. He describes how people turned away from god, worshiping idols and falling into sin, showing humanity’s guilt before god.

Chapter 2: Paul warns that God’s judgment is fair and applies to everyone, not just non-Jews. Jews who have the law aren’t automatically righteous if they don’t obey it. True obedience and a heart that honors God matter more than outward religion.

Chapter 3: Paul emphasizes that no one is righteous on their own — all have sinned and fall short of god’s glory. The law shows us our sin, but salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ, not by works. Righteousness is a gift from God to all who believe.

Chapter 4: Paul uses Abraham as an example: he was counted righteous because of his faith, not his works or the law. This shows that salvation by faith has always been God’s plan, available to anyone who believes, not just to Jews.

Because of this foundation, Paul can confidently declare that we have been justified by faith—and in that faith, we have peace with God through Jesus Christ.

Now, earlier in Pauls letter, in chapter two, Paul linked glory, honor, immortality, and peace with eternal life.  So this peace that Paul is talking about is more than an inner sense of well-being.  Paul is saying that our peace comes by way of the end of hostility between God and us, we who were once far off and enemies of God.  We have been delivered from the wrath of God that was due us, and this was done by the shedding for Jesus blood.  And this reconciliation can be received and experienced by the believer, only through faith. 

And what follows that faith? Grace upon grace. Our sins are removed as far as the east is from the west. We are called friends of God, that in our belief we receive the spirit of God, within us, to guide us, to strengthen us, to remind us of truth, that we have been given access to the father, and deeply loved by him.   This gift of reconciliation produces in us a deep, enduring peace.

2. We Rejoice in the Hope of the Glory of God

Right now—presently—we are set free from the law of sin and death. Rejoice!

This covering of grace allows us to stand fully exposed before God and be counted as righteous now. God looks at the believer and does not see failure or sin—He sees you as you are, righteous, redeemed, and fully justified through Jesus Christ. That truth is the foundation of our hope.

Because of Jesus’ imputed righteousness, we have access to the Father—now and in his presence for all eternity. Justification means we are declared innocent and righteous by God, so we rejoice.

This peace and hope produced by our faith and justification, and the empowering of the Holy spirit, gives us the ability and the strength to standing firm:

Ephesians 6:11–13 (ESV) “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil... having done all, to stand firm.”

1 Corinthians 15:58 (ESV) “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”

Believer, stand firm in God’s grace. Knowing that you are sustained by a powerful and omnipotent love.

And this hope doesn’t only apply to today—it points to a glorious future. “The hope of glory” is the confident expectation that we will be transformed and we will live in God’s presence forever. Salvation isn’t merely escape from judgment—it’s participation in the life, beauty, and redemption of God Himself.

So rejoice—and again I say, rejoice!

3. Because of These Truths, We Can Rejoice in Suffering

that we have been justified and have peace, that we can rejoice in the hope of the glory of God...

Paul writes in Romans 5:3–4 (ESV): “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.”

This is one of the most challenging and beautiful truths in Scripture: we can rejoice in suffering.

Why? Because our pain is not pointless. In the hands of God, suffering becomes a refining fire. It develops endurance—the spiritual strength to keep walking when life is hard. Endurance then shapes our character—our moral and spiritual backbone. And character, when formed through faith and perseverance, gives birth to hope.

Paul explains a little later in chapter 8 of this letter, that the suffering of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us!

In John 16:33 Jesus tells us…

John 16:33 ESV

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Paul doesn’t say that suffering might produce these things—he says it does. For the believer, trials are not evidence that God has abandoned us; they are proof that He is forming us.

When we endure faithfully, we begin to see our circumstances differently. We realize that the goal of our faith is not comfort, but Christlikeness. God uses hardship to make us more like Jesus—to produce humility, compassion, dependence, and unwavering faith.

James echoes this truth:

James 1:2–4 (ESV) “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

When you suffer, remember—God is doing something in you that comfort never could. He is shaping eternal things in your soul. So again i say rejoice!

4. Hope Is Poured Out into Our Hearts by the Holy Spirit

Paul continues in Romans 5:5 (ESV): “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.”

As Jesus is getting ready to face the cross, he can see the fear and the confusion in his disciples spirits. And we get to read how he responds in John, starting in chapter 14. He begins his discourse by saying, “let not your hearts be troubled, [you] believe in God, believe also in me. You see, Jesus loved these men and women who gave everything up to follow him. And through 3 chapters Jesus explains who he is, the purpose of his time and work thus far, and why he must go. And a central point throughout these three chapters is the promise of the Holy Spirit.

John 14:15–17 ESV

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

John 14:25–26 ESV

“These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

John 15:26 ESV

“But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.

John 16:7 ESV

Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.

Our hope isn’t fragile or uncertain—it’s grounded in the love of God Himself. And this love is not distant or theoretical; it has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.

This means the believer’s hope is more than intellectual belief—it’s experienced reality. The Spirit constantly reminds us that we are loved, forgiven, and secure. He speaks truth and assures us that God’s promises will not fail.

When the world’s hope disappoints, the believer’s hope endures—because it is rooted in the unchanging nature of God. And like a never ending cup of water, it is endlessly being poured out into the heart of the believer!

Jesus reminded his fearful disciples in John 14,

John 14:27 ESV

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Hope is poured out into our hearts by the holy spirit, and because of his great love for us, he not only gives hope, but he gives us HIS PEACE!

5. All of This Was Accomplished While We Were Still Sinners

Romans 5:6 (ESV): “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.”

This is the heart of the gospel. We did not earn this peace, grace, or hope. Christ died for us while we were still weak, still broken, still rebellious. Christ died for those who were considered enemies of God. He accomplished this work while we were utterly helpless and completely powerless to do anything about our sinful condition.

We were like prisoners bound in chains, strapped to the guillotine, and guilty as charged. And yet, while we were yet sinners, christ died for us! God completed the work of our salvation when were were in a state of open rebellion against him, and poured out upon us grace upon grace.

God didn’t wait for us to clean ourselves up. He came to us in our need. His love initiated reconciliation before we could ever deserve it.

That’s why our hope is unshakeable—it depends not on our performance, but on His faithfulness.

Application

The world searches endlessly for hope. People type it into search bars and scroll through endless feeds trying to find it. But hope isn’t a concept—it’s a person.

True hope is found in Jesus Christ—the One who justifies us by faith, gives us peace with God, fills us with His Spirit, and loves us even when we’re at our weakest.

We, as christ followers have a responsibility to talk about, speak to, preach, and even yell onto of a a mountain to others about the hope found in abiding in Christ.  Consider for a moment the amount of people you may see or interact with throughout your day.  They may show you a smile, they may portray a sense of confidence and well being, but most, most are yearning, most are lost and exhausted from the fight to stand on ever shifting sands of objective truth.   And we, we have the truth.  We have the foundation, we have the keys to the kingdom of God, and so, in love we should be spreading the gospel wherever we go.  

So when the world feels uncertain, when fear whispers and life feels unstable, remember: You don’t have to search for hope. Hope already found you.

and if your here this morning, and the wispers of fear have grown increasingly louder, the foundation of truth that you have been standing on continues to shift and your exhausted, if the peace and hope i have been talking about this morning seems just out of your grasp, take heart, for Jesus christ has conquered, and all you have to do this morning is take his and, and say a quiet yes to Jesus.

If your hear this morning and you want Jesus in your life, ill be standing at the front after the service. Id love to answer your questions and tell you how you can know the hope and peace that comes in abiding in Jesus Christ. Will you pray with me.