Sermon 121497

Rom. 5:12-21                                      Christ Died                                                         12/14/97

                                                                                                                            ABCC

I.     The Reign of Death                                                                                                          603

A.     God clearly warned Adam of the consequences of disobedience (Gen. 2:17; 3:19)

- Death (spiritual & physical) was the certain & tragic outcome of yielding to the lust of the flesh, eyes,…

B.      The trail of death = Adam (Gen. 5:5), Seth (5:8), Enosh (5:11), 5:14; 5:17; 5:20; 5:27; 5:31; Noah (9:28), Sarah (23:1-2), Abraham (25:8), Isaac (35:28-29), Jacob (49:33), etc. throughout human history – the earth is tombs, shrines, graveyards.

C.      Death entered the world through sin (v. 12)

D.     Death reigned over everyone born after Adam (v. 14, 15b, 17a)

- Grandparents, Parents, Children, Uncles, Aunts, Cousins all die; Americans, Russians, Asians, Indians, Africans, Catholics, Protestants, Buddhists, Pentecostals all die; no one is exempt from the consequences of this sin committed thousands of years ago.  Every funeral is a constant reminder of the dreadful & tragic outcome of disobeying a clear command of God.  And more dreadful than even that, every little child born is born under the vise & irresistible influence of sin; every child is born a sinner because the representative of humanity sinned! (v. 19a)

Adam was the first representative of humanity – he failed & he died.  The consequences of Adam’s sin (which is our own sin) was so deeply devastating that multiple millions of people had lived & died before Christ and had not even begun to pay for Adam’s debt & recover from his sin.  Multiple millions of animals had been sacrificed & yet sin’s debt was not satisfied. But God had another representative that would not/could not fail.  Though He would die, His death would actually be a part of His victory & success in delivering those under the curse of Adam’s sin! But God (v. 8; Lk. 12:20; Ac. 13:30; 1Co. 1:27; 3:6-7; 6:13; 7:15; 12:24; 15:38; 2Co. 7:6; Eph. 2:4; Php. 2:27)

Christ Died, pg. 2

II.    The Death of Christ

q      Adam’s life & death brought death into the world; Christ life & death brought deliverance & life (v. 15-17)

q      Adam’s life & death filled up the cemeteries, Christ life & death will empty them of saints

q      Adam’s life & death resulted in condemnation, Christ life & death results in righteousness & justification (v. 18-19)

A.        Died to sin, once for all (Rom. 6:10)

B.        Died so that saints should no longer live for themselves (2Co. 5:15)

C.        Died to deliver saints from the fear of death (Heb. 2:14-16)

Aren’t you thankful today that the grave is not the end for you my brother/sister?  Aren’t you thankful that you’ve been deliver from the curse of Adam’s sin – penalty & power, and soon to be delivered from the presence of sin?  Aren’t you thankful that God had demonstrated His love toward you, in that while you were a sinner, Christ died for you?  Aren’t you thankful to be free to no longer live for yourself, to have an eternal purpose in life now?  Aren’t you thankful today when you consider that you were deaf, dumb, blind, lame & dead in your trespasses & sins and yet Christ died for the ungodly?  Aren’t thankful to be able to confess today that all that is true, I am guilty, BUT GOD!