Hope In Jesus

Intro

Young man, you put that gun down!” Louise Degrafinried commanded firmly as Riley Arceneaux burst into her home pushing her husband, Nathan, ahead of him at gunpoint. “Young man, I’m a Christian lady and don’t believe in violence,” she continued. “You put that gun down right here. Son, you must be starving. Now, how do you want your eggs?” Several days earlier on February 18, 1984, Riley, along with five others, had escaped from the Fort Pillow Correctional Facility in West Tennessee where he was serving a 25-year prison sentence for second degree murder. He was cold, wet, desperate, and lonely as he stumbled onto the home of Nathan and Louise, a God-fearing couple in their seventies.

Amazingly, Riley put the shotgun down. He admitted he was starving—he hadn’t eaten in three days. Louise told her husband to get the man dry socks while she cooked a full breakfast of bacon, eggs, toast, milk, and coffee. She set the table with her best napkins and invited him to eat with them. Before they ate, she took his shaking hand and prayed, giving thanks that he had come and was safe. As they talked, Riley said no one cared whether he lived or died. Louise replied: “Young man, I love you, and God loves you. God loves all of us, every one of us, especially you. Jesus died for you because he loves you so much.” When police arrived, Louise went out to the porch and told the officers to put their guns away—there would be no violence in her house. Riley surrendered peacefully. The Degrafinrieds later refused to testify against him on the escape charges. Louise continued writing to him in prison, encouraging him and praying for him. Riley eventually gave his life to Christ, was later paroled, and when Louise died in 1998 he attended her funeral, sat with the family, spoke about her impact on him, and served as a pallbearer.

she seemed to be willing to die for a evil man she did not know, but that is not often the case. for a family member I would lay down my life, for you, my church family i would do the same or would like to think that I would. for a murderer I would not likely want to die, but as we partake of communion we read that we where enemies of God and He died for us so we may be reconciled to Him.

Though enemies of God Jesus died for us so we may live for Him.

Enemies of God

Romans 5:6–8 CSB

For while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. For rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die. But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

We are starting to learn of the hope that we can have. We start out as enemies of God, but through the love of God we can be reconciled. That is what we remember as we do communion today. we where helpless and evil deserving of the wrath of God.

Christ died for us. We where amongst the worst of the worst and Christ died for us to give us a cnace at salvation. A righteous person may warrant respect (e.g., Pharisee) but not sacrifice.  A good person (someone with whom you have an affectionate relationship) may warrant your sacrifice.  But NEVER an enemy.  But God . .

the motive was not that God saw some spark of goodness deep inside us, nor that God was lonely. The love is God’s own love, rooted in His character, not in any worthiness in us. This actually magnifies God’s love rather than diminishing it.

Paul says that demonstrates how much God loves us. So that if you doubt whether your faith is sufficient to ensure your justification, you’re thinking about the problem wrong

You forgetting all the Lord did before you were ever introduced to His faith by your faith

You’re suggesting that God would put His own Son to death for you, introduce you to His grace by faith and give you His Spirit…but then the plan fails in the end?

We woul;d never likely die for an evil man, but we have great hope in the fact that while we where still under sin, an enemy of god we where reconciled through His blood to be given the ability to become part of the family of God.

Rescued from wrath

Romans 5:9–11 CSB

How much more then, since we have now been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from wrath. For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, then how much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. And not only that, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received this reconciliation.

If we have been justified by His blood, we will be saved from His wrath.

10-11.  While we were enemies (against God, recipients of wrath), we were reconciled (peace made by removing wrath and sin) by death of Christ.

the Barabbas exchange as an illustration of Christ taking the place of the guilty.

Imagine two soldiers are at war on opposing sides, when suddenly one of the soldiers acts at great personal risk to save the life of his enemy 

The one soldier proved his love for the other by risking his life for his enemy

After the war is over, the two men decide to meet in a local cafe

When they meet, they strike up a friendship made possible by that noble act

But then imagine that as they leave the table, the soldier who had been saved turns to his rescuer and says I’m sorry but we can’t meet again

And when his friend asks why, the soldier says I just can’t trust you. I’m afraid you will pull a gun and shoot men when I least expect it

The other soldier is shocked and asks, if I was willing to rescue you when you were my enemy, why would I kill you now that you’re my friend?

That’s like us wondering if our justification by faith in Christ is a certainty

If God was willing to reconcile us when we were farthest from Him, then we have nothing to fear now that we are close to Him 

Think of this great hope as we meet around the communion table a the body of Christ. "We shall be saved by His life" - looking to future: guaranteed salvation that never ends.  He will go on bringing salvation through eternity since He ever lives (present deliverance and future resurrection).

through the blood of Jesus we are saved. Through the life of Jesus we shall be saved forever more. If God reconciled us to Himself through the death of His Son while we were enemies, how much more will He save us (from wrath) now that we are reconciled, through Christ’s life. Justification by His blood and reconciliation lead to future salvation and rejoicing in God.

The passage shows both the depth of our problem and the greater depth of God’s love and grace.