New Position

introduction

Romans 5:1–11 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. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 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. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Everyone is looking for peace. We all need to feel at peace to be at rest. There are many songs that scream the longing for peace.

Nina Simone- feeling good

Birds flying high, you know how I feel Sun in the sky, you know how I feel Breeze driftin' on by, you know how I feel

It's a new dawn It's a new day It's a new life for me, yeah

It's a new dawn It's a new day It's a new life for me, ooh And I'm feeling good

Many will spend the best of their days searching for peace in all the wrong places. Chasing after peace in people and pursuits. . . Paul reminds us that our peace starts when we are justified by faith.

So, as we look at our new Position. . . we start at Justification.

The death and resurrection of Christ has Justified us; we now have Peace with God.

3 Points: Peace, Access, Hope

Paul writes a beautiful hymn-like melody to describe our new standing in Christ. This Hymn speaks to the confidence we have in our Lord and the finished work on the cross. As He bore all of our sin and shame in HIs flesh on the old rugged cross; Jesus accomplished something wonderful for us. He did something we could have never accomplished in our own strength, on our best day, with our best ability.

For all who believe in the Lord Jesus; justification has been bestowed upon you. And because we have been justified, we are able to stand in confidence and rejoice because of the peace we have been given

Peace

many may be asking why is peace so important? why does paul place this in the text?

Didn’t God say in this life you will have trouble? Many writers talk about counting it all joy when trial come.

Yes. .

But this temporary trial is not the peace paul is addressing

PAul had something much greater.

Remember in Romans 1- Paul talked about the wrath of God that was revealed against all ungodliness.

Romans 1:18 ESV

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.

who is this talking about? All of us

Ephesians 2:3–5 ESV

among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—

Our Sin caused us to be under the sentence of God’s Wrath.

we need this peace

Romans (1) Peace and Hope (5:1–8)

To have “peace with God” means to be in a relationship with God in which all the hostility caused by sin has been removed. It is to exist no longer under the wrath of God

illustration:

Evie being bad because I don’t let her jump in (Peppa Pig) muddy puddles. We are at odds. . we are not seeing eye to eye. Once she jumps in the muddy puddle and gets her splish splash. .

my position changes in her sight. I was once an enemy at odds with her now; that i am declared good. . . everything is awesome.

Likewise, before the cross of calvary we were at odds with God. And he supplied peace

Colossians 1:21 ESV

And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds,

Colossians 1:22 ESV

he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,

Ephesians 2:14–15 ESV

For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,

Access

to God. its a bit exclusive

Many of us know about access. Getting the High priced Tennis shoes that everyone can’t get.

The backstage pass to the concert. .

The wristband to eat all the BBQ at the BBQ fest

we all love to have Exclusivity in areas of our lives. Its why you are in the organization you are in. The small group you frequent.

I remember years ago; taking Daniel to a Grizzlies game. . during the final run of the GRit N Grind ERA. Dylan was sick and could not attend; so Daniel and I had to continue the work God had placed before us since the foundation of the world. . . We had to cheer the grizzlies on.

We didn’t have season tickets, so we would sit in different areas. . from the top to the bottom . . and everywhere in between. This particular game we where somewhere in the middle.

As we had our tickets scanned a gentleman who was Vince Carter’s

Hope

in the resurrection