Reason to Boast

Introduction

Ill - Watching parents grow old is not easy. From “bills, to pills, to wills.”

These past two years dad went into a nursing home, got COVID, and recently broke a hip. All that while Parkinson's and Alzheimers takes its toll.

Mom, stressed with money matters, handed all that over to me. Today she cries regularly watching the man she loves slip slowly away. Just spent a week in the hospital herself.

But, you know what encourages me? All the many Christians that have gone through this and understand.

It encourages me when others remind me that I will endure this time in my life.

Some Christians start strong, and like a happy marriage that takes a sad turn, fall away from the joy they once knew.

That is not the way Christ intends us to live our lives.

The great joy of knowing Jesus is so wonderful, it can get believers through the best and the worst of days.

TRANS - Ever wonder how Paul kept his faith enduring so much?

This passage gives us insight to what Paul really thinks.

Also, be on the lookout because like a yawn or a cold, this passage is contagious.

Let’s open up our Word and let in some of God’s joy this morning.

Based on God’s Grace

Romans 5:1 CSB

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

Here we see “peace,” & in v2 we’ll see “grace.”

“Peace and Grace” often occur together. Why?

v1. many memorize Why?

Because prior to being Christians we didn’t know real or lasting peace.

Far from God, days were fill with running for self pleasure while always feeling like there must be more, but we didn’t know what we were missing. God’s Peace

Our sin was destroying us:

Romans 1:28 CSB

And because they did not think it worthwhile to acknowledge God, God delivered them over to a corrupt mind so that they do what is not right.

Without God, we couldn’t get right or know peace.

Nothing in our toolkit could fix us or give us peace.

Something was needed and Colossians tells us what that is:

Colossians 1:20 CSB

and through him to reconcile everything to himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

The peace we need is found in Christ.

What was missing, because of Jesus, peace enters into a believers heart.

Paul opens up his heart by first telling us about the source of his peace.

Now, peace and grace occur together.

From the start of this letter:

Romans 1:7 CSB

To all who are in Rome, loved by God, called as saints. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

In grace, then you know peace, they come in a matched set.

When together like this, Christians have cause to be happy, to rejoice, to boast:

Romans 5:2 CSB

We have also obtained access through him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we boast in the hope of the glory of God.

Together, our relationship with Jesus starts as a happy joyous life ment to last forever, but I’m getting ahead.

“Boast” or “rejoice” as CSB footnote includes, kaukaomai means to be really really, jumping and shouting happy about something.

From falling short of God’s glory (3:23) to shouting about it makes us a whole lot different from other religions:

Eastern religions believe in reincarnation.

Existentialists are more worried about existence to the point they’re nuts. Check them out on Wikipedia. Super sad.

Evolutionists don’t stand a chance at having this reason to rejoice.

Only Christians have this “hope in the glory of God.”

Maybe you say, “Well its easy to boast in all this upbeat stuff about God,” and that is true.

But, we, also, rejoice in our suffering:

Romans 5:3–4 CSB

And not only that, but we also boast in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope.

Our original text language means to “abide under or stay under pressure.”

I think we want out from under pressure, correct?

Yet, tribulation keeps us under pressure and this actually brings about stability leading to character.

Character is an interesting word derived from the understanding of refining metal.

Paul is talking about character without impurities.

This pure form of character strengthens our hope in the glory of God.

TRANS - Our you experiencing this sort of great joy because of God’s grace?

Paul models it so well for us in this passage and elsewhere too:

2 Corinthians 12:9 CSB

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me.

Now, take any of that suffering and be happy because if you will allow it, it will guide you to spiritual maturity.

Need more proof?

How about Abraham at Mount Moriah,

Jacob on his stone pillow,

Joseph in the dungeon,

Moses with Pharaoh,

David at night,

Peter of his denial,

John of Patmos,

or Jesus on the cross.

Its said, “blessings are poured out in bitter cups.”

Built with Lasting Love

Romans 5:5–8 CSB

This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. 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.

A heart that loves will find a way to forgive.

Sandra Walker, a mother of two, lost her husband in a car accident that also caused her to have a life-changing brain injury, according to The Daily Mail. At the trial for the accident, in her court statement Walker said she sympathized with the woman who crashed into them—who herself lost a child in the accident—and gave her a hug. “I know she is going through as much pain as I am feeling. I wanted her to know that I forgive her for what she did,” Walker told WSB-TV.

Mrs. Walker found a way to forgive the other mother. Walker opened up her heart to love someone who caused this devastating car crash.

Jesus, while we were sinners, not only had in His heart to forgive us, but to gave His own life for us.

The word for love agape and it is poured out in our hearts.

Get this, agape is not our love for God, thats a different word altogether.

This is “God’s love” which is poured into our hearts.

The idea in the language Paul is using means that this love is, and continues to be, poured into our hearts.

The One responsible for this actions is the HS.

This idea challenges me to give this Word its due explanation.

Even the great apostle wrestles with this as vv 6-8 testify.

We needed to be pardoned for our wrong.

Jesus secured our pardon.

Maybe someone might do something for a good person, but we were not good.

What is more, not only did Jesus secure our pardon, but He died for us.

We were helpless, Jesus died for us.

We were, sinners, Jesus died for us.

Maybe some might die for a good person.

But Jesus died for His really bad enemies.

These words Paul uses, “helpless, ungodly, sinners, and enemies” don’t sound flattering.

There is nothing good about us that might motivate God to pardon and save us.

Do you see it?

Because agape love is unmerited and does not depend on us, it is not going to change.

The love of God is permanently yours forever and nothing can take that away when you ask God to save you.

I like the way Paul puts it later in this book:

Romans 8:35–39 (CSB)

Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ...

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God’s grace and this lasting love.

TRANS - We have a reason to boast, to celebrate, to shout, to cheer, to have overwhelming and great joy!

We’ve seen the reasons, but there is even more!

Joyously Boasting Because of Our Received Reconciliation

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.

We’ve certainly enough by now to know we’ll never lack for reason to celebrate Jesus.

Perhaps you’re ready to jump and shout, “Thank God,”but wait, Paul is not done.

Look at how Paul structures this part of our text.

Rabbis used an argument “light and heavy,” and lawyers say, “if it was true in one place it is true in another. The rule of logic says true, by nature, must always be true or it is not truth.

Paul’s final words “much more” hinge on this sort of thinking.

Look at what Jesus did to justify people, make us right again with God.

If Jesus was willing to die for you, how much more willing is God to save you?

He gave His life! Pretty big deal!

Jesus did that for you.

Jesus Himself says:

John 14:19 (CSB)

Because I live, you will live too.

God’s Grace and Lasting Love are tied to our Received Reconciliation through Jesus; best gift ever!

God loves people.

ILL - Meditating on this message, I paused to consider the value of what most of us consider treasures or things of great worth.

I love my wife, our daughter, son-in-law, and our grandson.

I cherish our parents and siblings.

I really like our cars, house, and vacations.

These things are all of great worth and value to me.

Yet, even all together, not even my family is ever near the worth of the gift Jesus gave me on the cross.

I know that some people have a hard time imagining a greater love than we have for our spouse, parents, or children.

Yet, God’s love is greater than any love you or I can possible muster up within ourselves.

Romans 3:23–24 CSB

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

See, a sinner, a fallen man woman boy or girl is imperfect and our love, because of our imperfection, will never measure up to the perfect love of God.

Yet, the paradox is that when we place God first, love Him the most, as we’ve seen today, God’s perfect love is poured into us by the agency of the Holy Spirit.

Today I can truly love my wife, parents, daughter and family more because I put God first in my life.

TRANS - As we close, I want us all to think about our points from today’s passage.

Closing

We opened with a reminder that lots of bad things happen to everyone.

Christian and not Christians have bad things happening all the time.

Then we examined God’s Grace and were reminded that even while bad days do happen, we can celebrate because God loves us even when we’re all a mess.

Then we considered lasting love.

A person might love you for now, but we are pretty fickle about how we show love.

ILL - Sometimes I think my cat loves me while I pet her. That is until she bites and claws me mid purr.

Some people are like that, maybe its you?

We’re nice, but not all the time.

God’s love is not fickle; God loves all the time.

From grace and love, to reconciliation we know our record of wrong is gone forever and we will forever enter into heaven.

What a great passage today.

Does this make you want to celebrate?

Are you the person that finds it difficult to celebrate and praise this morning?

Even saved people, from time to time, need a dose of good preaching to put us back on track.

But, if you are not a friend of God, maybe today you want that story to change.

10,000 Sermon Illustrations (Marred Hands Settled the Issue)

An orphaned boy was living with his grandmother when their house caught fire. The grandmother, trying to get upstairs to rescue the boy, perished in the flames. The boy’s cries for help were finally answered by a man who climbed an iron drainpipe and came back down with the boy hanging tightly to his neck.Several weeks later, a public hearing was held to determine who would receive custody of the child. A farmer, a teacher, and the town’s wealthiest citizen all gave the reasons they felt they should be chosen to give the boy a home. But as they talked, the lad’s eyes remained focused on the floor. Then a stranger walked to the front and slowly took his hands from his pockets, revealing severe scars on them. As the crowd gasped, the boy cried out in recognition. This was the man who had saved his life. His hands had been burned when he climbed the hot pipe. With a leap the boy threw his arms around the man’s neck and held on for dear life. The other men silently walked away, leaving the boy and his rescuer alone. Those marred hands had settled the issue.

Many voices are calling for our attention.

Among them is Jesus whose nail-pierced hands remind us that He has rescued us from sin and its deadly consequences.

You’ve heard God wants to share his grace, love, and make you secure in heaven without exception.

Are you ready to ask God to forgive all your badness and believe what was shared this morning?

PRAY

Invitation

“Guest, thrilled you are here.” Please take moment to fill out front of connect card. We want to send you a gift.”

On back, if you made a decision today, want prayer, or other information, please fill that out now.

If you decided to follow Christ this morning, or want to join our church, please bring your card forward during our next song.

Everyone else, please place your card in the boxes near the doors as we exit.

Offering

(offering verse)

2 Corinthians 9:7 CSB

Each person should do as he has decided in his heart—not reluctantly or out of compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver.

Members and regulars, this our offering time.

Visitors we don’t ask you to give, please just know we love you and hope you will pray about joining with us here at FBC Clermont.

You can give online, text-to-give, or with envelopes provided and dropping in boxes as we leave.

Romans 15:13 CSB

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

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