God Glue

God Glue

Romans 5: 1 - 5

Intro: Have you ever had one of those days that just absolutely wear you out? All you want to do is relax and forget everything so you sit down in your easy chair and turn on the TV. It opens with a commercial for BOWFLEX. You know the one where the guy says he is 42 and in better shape now than when he was 22. Then, he says, “So are you going to get that body in shape or let it slide?” --- LET IT SLIDE I’m in shape! It just happens that my shape is round!”

I VS. 1 – Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

A “We have peace with God” Peace. The word in GK is eiréné (e?????) – It means peace, quietness, rest. Peace in contrast with strife, denoting the absence or end of strife. To be untroubled, undisturbed. It refers to the new relationship between man and God brought about by the sacrifice of Christ Jesus on the cross.

B This passage does not deal with PEACE in our daily living. It does, however, deal with our relationship with God.

C We may not be at peace with those around us or with our circumstances; but, we can and should be at peace with God.

II We all suffer; just in different ways. Paul says in VS. 3 “not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings.”

A Sufferings in GK thilipsin – meaning troubles, tribulations, - literally it means PRESSURE; to have different things pressing down on you.

B. We do everything we can to avoid pressure or pain: psychological or physical.

C Do you honestly want to rejoice in your pain or pressures? Do you believe “NO PAIN; NO GAIN?

III Paul says we have a choice when tough times come; we can get bitter or we can allow God to make us better. Bitter or better.

A Jim was having a difficult time physically and in his job. His best friend said to him one day, “Sometimes God allows you to be knocked down so you will be forced to look up.”

B Pressure can make a lump of coal become a diamond or cause it to crumble.

C What makes the difference in our pressurized lives is God’s super glue! VS. 5 “And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.” Christ Jesus is God’s super glue that holds our lives together even when things seem to be broken or falling apart.

Concl: God is more committed to the development or our faith than our comfort. We aren’t promised a perfect life. What we are promised is that no matter how much we suffer, God is present through the power of the Holy Spirit. We can stand on solid ground when we rely of God, Christ Jesus and the Holy Spirit.