Much More
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Have you ever reflected on your own Christian walk and gotten down? I mean, it has bothered you. You read verses like “By now you ought to be teachers,” or “I fed you milk and not solid food,” or “everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child,” and it not only humbles you, but it devastates you. Perhaps, as we saw last week, you’ve been going through some crisis. You’re suffering from a loss, from spiritual warfare, from a leaky pipe. Maybe someone cut you off and some obscene word flew out of your mouth or some gesture came from your hand. You did not suffer well and in that moment did not represent Christ well. Maybe it has been a while since you’ve picked up your Bible and read and studied it. Maybe you’ve fallen for the lie that until you get things worked out, you dare not enter into the the throne room of grace. You sit there with a heavy burden, the burden that wonders if you’re even saved. If that’s you, then I think these verses we are studying today are for you. If it has ever been you, then I think these verses are for you. If it hasn’t been you, then it is likely at some point it will be, so these verses are for you.
My hope is that by the power of God’s Holy Spirit, that these verses will do for you what breakfast with Jesus did for Peter after Jesus’s resurrection. I hope that by the end of this sermon, you will feel restored, but not only feel it, but be it. Feelings come and go, but being is the same. Peter went from a fearful denier of Jesus who was ashamed of who he was and what he’d done to feeling and knowing Jesus’s love for him. In just a few minutes Peter went from shameful to hopeful. And it is not because of my words, but because of God’s Word. Human words can inspire and make someone feel hope. But God’s Word, God’s truth, is the only thing that can set you free. And when you are free, you will be free indeed.
As we pick up God’s Word and study these next few verses, it is important to remember the context. It is always important to remember the context of Scripture verses, but it is doubly important to remember the context surrounding famous verses. It is easy to fall into the trap of allowing ourselves to focus on the proof text of a verse without seeing or understanding the context. Even when we read the context, we have such a prejudicial view of what a verse says, that we still pull it out of context. It’s like having tunnel vision.
As we get into Romans 5:6-11, we need to keep in mind the context of Romans 5:1-5 and not only that but Romans as a whole. Paul didn’t write these verses in a vacuum. He is building his argument little by little. And so, as part of this argument, we are getting to the realization that the hope of glory is assured to us because of God’s love, which is most clearly seen in all that he has done for us through his Son Jesus Christ. Let me say that again. “The hope of glory is assured to us because of God’s love, which is most clearly seen in all that he has done for us through his Son Jesus Christ.” Paul lays out this argument by addressing three gospel matters. The first matter is in reference to the sinner’s dilemma. The second gospel matter is in reference to the Father’s demonstration. The third gospel matter is the saint’s delight.
The Sinner’s Dilemma
The Father’s Demonstration
The Saint’s Delight
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.
The Sinner’s Dilemma
The Sinner’s Dilemma
The first gospel matter that Paul pointed out in these verses is the sinner’s dilemma. If you have been a Christian for long, you’ve probably come across some of these verses. You may have come across them before being a Christian. Someone may have used these verses as a witnessing tool. They are proof texts of God’s love and mercy and grace. And they certainly show all of those things. But as I warned earlier, we can get tunnel vision with proof texts and take them out of their contexts. These verses are tied directly to Romans 5:1-5, especially verse 5. Starting in verse 1, Paul wrote that because and when we were justified we had peace with God. But more than that we have stood and continue to stand in grace. But more than that, we boast in the hope of the glory of God. But more than just boasting or rejoicing in that hope we boast/rejoice in our suffering because suffering bears the fruit of hope. It takes us on a journey of suffering, endurance, character, and then hope. And this is where verse 5 comes into play.
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.
Hope does not put us to shame. We need not be ashamed of what we see as so little progress. We ought not feel shame and believe that there really is no hope of God’s glory, no hope of heaven, no hope at all. That isn’t hope speaking. Those are lies from the depths of hell. Paul says that hope doesn’t shame and he knows that because God’s love has been poured out of him and into us the moment we put our trust in Jesus Christ and received the Holy Spirit. Everything we read today must be seen in light of these verses. This is the context. Verses 6-11 are branching off of verse 5. In other words, Paul is explaining verse 5 with verses 6-11 (and following). Verses 7-8 were never meant to be evangelism verses, even though they work so well in evangelism. They were be gospel verses for the believer not verses to convert the unbeliever. Now, I’m not saying we should not use these verses in evangelism efforts. We can and should use them. What I am saying is that if we see these verses as primarily evangelism verses, we miss the truth for the believer.
Now, keeping in mind that Paul just wrote about suffering leading to endurance leading to character and finally to hope and that hope does not shame because God’s love is poured out into our hearts, let’s see the sinner’s dilemma.
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.
Paul lays it on pretty thick here. It’s like Paul picked up a thesaurus and searched for as many words to describe a sinner as he could. He calls them weak, ungodly, infers unrighteousness and wickedness, sinners, and finally enemies of God. Many of us, if not most of us, do not look at that list there and consider it a list of the past. We still see it as a present reality. even the idea of being God’s enemy. Theologically we know we have peace with God (see how it goes back to Romans 5:1-5), but we feel separated and like we are still enemies.
As we look at these verses, I would urge you to ingest them. “The truth is hard to swallow,” as they say, but the truth of God’s Word is the only thing that can set you free. I want to say it again because it is so easy to do; do not look at these verses through the tunnel vision of evangelism. See them for what they are, hope for the weary Christian.
The word “for” in verses 6 and 7 are not causal. We ought not change those words to “because.” “Because while we were still weak. Because one will scarcely die. They aren’t causal. The word “for” in these verses are explanatory. In other words, Paul is explaining what he just wrote, particularly in verse 5. Paul very well could have written, “God’s love is poured out of him and into our hearts when we received the Holy Spirit. Let me explain what I mean. While we were still weak. . .”
Every word that Paul used to describe the sinner or infer about the sinner, is combatted with other words. So those words that call sinners weak, ungodly, unrighteous, wicked, sinners, and enemies are accurate words, but are powerless words. Those words, while accurate are powerless. We will get to why in a moment. But we need to stop thinking that these words are powerful words. They aren’t. They are powerless words.
When we think the word weak is powerful, suddenly we allow it to have power over us. We read
He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb.
and go, why isn’t my faith as strong as Abraham’s? Why did he not weaken in faith, but I do? I’m so weak; I’m a horrible Christian. I should be stronger.
Or we give power to the word ungodly.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
I’m not as good as God. I’m ungodly and deserve his wrath. And in one sense, we would be right. But we give more power to the word “ungodly,” than we ought.
We could go on and one about these words, but you see what I’m saying. We read verses in the Bible that talk about weakness and ungodliness and unrighteousness and we despair from these verses because we give the words so much power.
Now, if you are not a Christian and by that I mean one who has personally put his or her trust in Jesus rather than yourself. I’m not referring to your church attendance or to what kind of home you grew up in, but to a personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, then these words still have power. You are still weak and ungodly and unrighteous, wicked, sinful, enemies of God. That’s your dilemma. That’s where you stand. You will stand in that position before God until you are putting your hope and trust in Jesus who died on account of your sins and rose to make you right with God.
But if you are a believer, instead of giving them power, you need to simply see these verses as reminders of truth. Not so that you despair, but so that you see God’s grace all the more clearly.
The Father’s Demonstration
The Father’s Demonstration
Which leads us to the second gospel matter. The first gospel matter was the sinner’s dilemma—we are weak, ungodly, unrighteous, wicked, sinning, enemies (and remember, Paul was writing to believers about who they were). But the second gospel matter is the Father’s demonstration. And as we get into this second point, we need to understand one critical matter about our Father. He loves to lavish us with grace. He enjoys showing his mercy and grace.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
(John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ”)
For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
Jesus was full of grace and truth. In the Old Testament, the word “grace” is seen most often in the words “steadfast love.” I did a quick search in Logos on the number of times “steadfast love” is used in the Old Testament. It is used 194 times! God loves to be gracious. In fact, Jesus in his coming down was a sign of grace, so that we receive grace upon grace. I so often describe this as a child who does not eat his dinner and deserves no ice cream for dessert. But then dad not only gives him a scoop, but as the child is finishing the scoop of ice cream, he puts another scoop in his bowl. And then another and another until ice cream not only has filled his belly with all its sweet glory but its coming out his nose! It’s grace upon grace, sweet grace! God so much enjoys giving grace to his children!
And we see this in these verses. Remember the context though. Hope does not shame. Why doesn’t it? Because God has poured out his love into our hearts. And then Paul explained, “While we, still being weak, Jesus died for the ungodly.”
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
And if that wasn’t clear enough, he reiterates how amazing that ought to be with us. Paul’s emphasis here is not so much on our weakness, ungodliness, unrighteousness, or wickedness, but on God’s love in spite of those things. So he points them out in a juxtapositional manner. Side by side.
While you still were weak, Christ died. And then explains further.
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.
Some would differentiate between these two types of people, some would say Paul is referring to the same type of person. I don’t know that it matters so much. The righteous person, some say are the one’s that do everything right and have no sympathy towards others. While a good person is a person who loves and is kind and beneficent toward others. And so there is the person who has the prophet gift and the person who has the mercy gift. But either way, we are talking about a person that people respect and admire, but very few would be willing to take a bullet for them.
Have you ever stopped to think about the fact that Jesus died for you and me and all who would believe, but not one person was willing to step in and die for Jesus. The most righteous, good, loving man to ever walk the earth and no one at any time said, “He doesn’t deserve to die. I’ll take his place.” And yet,
but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:5 tells us that God poured out his love and put it in our hearts, and here in verse 8, but verse 5 as well, we see that love being demonstrated. The greatest way that God could pour his love into sinful hearts was to first demonstrate how great it was on the cross. For anyone to think that they are too weak, too ungodly, too unrighteous, too wicked, too sinful, too rebellious to receive God’s demonstration of love is to put our focus on the wrong side of Paul’s argument. It is to make much of the side of sin rather than make much of the side of God’s love. Like the carpet shampooer, the only way to see how great the shampooer is and how great it works is to show a before picture of the dirty, grimy, stained-up carpet. But when the shampooer takes away all the filthiness, our focus ought to be on the wonderful abilities of the shampooer and no longer dwell upon the stains that it removed. Make much of the shampooer!
“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.
Paul’s point in this, as he writes to the believers in Rome is to say “your weakness doesn’t phase God. He knew you in your weakness. He knows your ungodliness. He sent his Son, while you being weak and ungodly, to die for you. Your unrighteousness, wickedness, sinfulness, that didn’t stop God from demonstrating his love did it? No. Christ died for us.”
That word “shows” or “demonstration” as some translations have, literally means to “stand together.” It’s the same word used in
Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him.
When Peter, James, and John woke up they saw Moses and Elijah standing together with Jesus. It was a demonstration, or better yet a commendation of Jesus to be seen with Moses and Elijah. Moses who represented the law, and Elijah who was the greatest of the prophets, were standing should to shoulder, commending Jesus as if to say that the law and the prophets are putting forth a commendation for Jesus. And if that wasn’t enough, then God’s very words spoke from heaven.
And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!”
To commend something is to say that you stand shoulder to shoulder with whatever it is you commend. It is to say that it is trustworthy. Put your confidence in it. That’s what Paul is saying about God’s love.
God stands shoulder to shoulder with his love. God has all his confidence in his love and is commending it to you so that you too can have confidence in his love that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. If this is God’s love while we are still sinners, how can we doubt it as children? That’s Paul’s point! Stop the focus on sin and start focusing on grace and how God stands shoulder to shoulder with his own love.
But there’s more.
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.
This commendation, this demonstration, this confidence that God has in his own love, what does it mean for us? It means that our right-standing, being based in that love is assured. That’s what justification means: to be in right standing, to be made right with God. It is assured. We can have confidence in our justification because Jesus died on account of our sins and rose for our justification and what did that death and resurrection demonstrate? God’s love. So our justification is based in God’s love. And now that we’ve been justified, we need not worry about God’s wrath. We shall be saved from God’s wrath in the last judgment. Hence, that hope in verses 2 and 5 (we boast in the hope of the glory of God and it does not shame), is real hope. We will see and feel and be in the glory of God in all its brightness!
And that whole enmity and being enemies of God, that was done away with. We are reconciled. We were made friends. But how? By the death of Jesus, and as we saw, that death was done as a commendation of God’s love—as a way of saying, “trust God’s love!” I think about Jesus’s words to his apostles just before his death.
Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
Jesus had become physical friends with the disciples. They walked together, talked together, ate together. They were friends in a very real way. He understood them and loved them as dear friends. And he would die for them though they would deny him and run from him and pretend as if they were never associated with him.
Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
And reconciled enemies into friends. And because he lives, we can face tomorrow. Because he lives, all fear is gone. Because we know, he holds the future. Life is worth living just because he lives. We are saved, delivered, because he lives. His death must bring confidence in God’s love for you his child. These verses are not about God’s love for the lost; they are about God’s love for the believer, his child.
The Saint’s Delight
The Saint’s Delight
Which leads me to the last gospel matter this morning. The first was the sinner’s dilemma. The second was God’s demonstration. And finally, the saint’s delight.
More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
There it is again! We boast/rejoice in the hope of God’s glory in verse 1. We rejoice/boast in our affliction that leads ultimately to hope that does not shame in verses 2-5. And now, we come full circle. We rejoice/boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Don’t you see!? There is cause for rejoicing/boasting. Jesus has reconciled us to God and we cannot be unreconciled. The suffering, endurance, character, and hope that is part of our journey does not separate us from this reconciliation no matter how much we think we fall short. God is demonstrating his love through Jesus’s death, ensuring us of his love, then we need not worry about his wrath. We need not worry about where we will spend eternity. If there is no worry about God’s love, God’s wrath, or our future, then what is there left but to rejoice in God! He is not our enemy and we are not his.
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.
Paul is saying the exact same thing in Romans 5:11, but in a different way.
More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
So brothers and sisters, do not fear God and his wrath. Rejoice in God and his hope. Because that is who and what we have because of Christ.
When you fail miserably as a mom or dad and sin against your own children. Acknowledge the sin—confess it—and rejoice in God and his love. Move on! Stop thinking that you have to wallow in misery as if that is going to make things better or that you deserve to live in guilt. That’s not biblical! It’s anti-biblical. When you’ve had victory over a besetting sin for days or weeks or months or even years, but suddenly fail, acknowledge the sin—confess it—commit to turning from it again, and rejoice in God and his love.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
God does not require penance of us in the form of guilt and shame. No! Hope does not shame. God is glorified in our hope, not our shame. Christ paid the penalty for our sin as the greatest demonstration of God’s love for us. Put your confidence in God’s love not your strength of faith. A Christian cannot base their salvation on their strength, their godliness, their righteousness, their goodness, their sinlessness. It is based on the love God in Christ Jesus shown at the cross and resurrection. Rejoice in God!
Conclusion
Conclusion
As we conclude this study on Romans 5:6-11, I hope God’s Word has caused you to feel the reality of being restored. We have seen the sinner’s dilemma. This was who we were, but by God’s demonstration of love, we are now reconciled—no longer under that dilemma, but freed by Christ’s death and resurrection. And so we saw the saint’s delight is in God, his love, and his hope.
If you are not a believer in Jesus, understand that God’s love is confirmed, commended in Christ’s death. It is not in any other way. All religions do not lead to God. Only Jesus does. Until you have Jesus you do not have hope. You do not experience God’s saving love. You do not have any reason to rejoice. So I implore you: trust Jesus today.
If you are a believer, rejoice in God today. God’s grace is lavished on you. Grace upon grace. There is no reason to fear, no reason to be shameful, no reason to feel guilty. Rejoice in God, trust his love, and have hope in his glory.
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