At the Right Time

Romans 5:1 CSB

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

INTRO—

So, the question I asked in the middle of the week still presents a challenge today… “What day is it?”… “What time is it?”… “What season is it?”

The Bible says...

Galatians 4:4 CSB

When the time came to completion, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

Ephesians 1:10 CSB

as a plan for the right time—to bring everything together in Christ, both things in heaven and things on earth in him.

Romans 5:6 CSB

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

…Another big question for us today, “Just what exactly did Jesus do ‘at the right time’?”

AT THE RIGHT TIME...

CHRIST DIED FOR THE UNGODLY (Romans 5.6-8)

[This is REDEMPTION = bought at a price]

1 Corinthians 6:20 CSB

for you were bought at a price. So glorify God with your body.

Ephesians 1:7 CSB

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace

Jesus died for… not whom we would typically think!

Die for someone who has real potential…has merit…!

BUT, die for sinners, ungodly?

…YET, God...

John 3:16 CSB

For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

Ephesians 2:4–5 CSB

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!

CHRIST RECONCILED US TO GOD. (Romans 5.9-11)

[RECONCILIATION = restored; to make right with; removal of enmity between people and God]

Needful of enemies...

Ephesians 2:3 CSB

We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also.

Colossians 1:21–22 CSB

Once you were alienated and hostile in your minds expressed in your evil actions. But now he has reconciled you by his physical body through his death, to present you holy, faultless, and blameless before him—

In light of these truths, especially in the context of reconciliation, we are given a wonderful opportunity!!

2 Corinthians 5:18–20 CSB

Everything is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and he has committed the message of reconciliation to us. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf: “Be reconciled to God.”

Romans 5:11 CSB

And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received this reconciliation.