Live The Life

Live the Life

Romans 5:1-11

June 1998

Introduction

Some 70 percent of Americans believe that "most churches and synagogues today are not effective in helping people find meaning in life, "George H. Gallup Jr., America’s leading pollster and a committed Christian, reports in the recently published 1992 Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches.

Gallup believes the vitality of churches, synagogues, and faith communities depends very much on how effectively they respond to six spiritual needs of Americans as he perceives them from his surveys.

They are listed as:

1. The need to believe that life is meaningful and has a purpose.

2. The need for a sense of community and deeper relationships.

3. The need to be appreciated and respected.

4. To be listened to and heard.

5. To feel that he is growing in the faith.

6. The need for practical help in developing a mature faith.

What people need most is to live the life provided by Christ!

I. Life by faith

A. Faith brings us new life

1. We receive justification

2. By justification, we receive peace

3. Peace is provided by Christ

B. Faith brings us grace

1. The meaning of grace

2. Grace is supplied by Christ

3. Grace is accessed by faith

C. Faith brings us hope

1. Faith gives us hope

2. Hope comes from God’s glory

3. The process of obtaining hope

a.) Suffering

b.) Perseverance

c.) Character

d.) Hope

4. The Power of hope

a.) Hope is never disappointing

b.) Hope is a product of love

II. Life by sacrifice

A. Sacrificial action

1. The act of Christ

2. The perfect timing of God

3. The absolute need of humanity

B. Sacrificial meaning

1. God loves all people – Sacrifice was demanded

2. We are all sinners – Sacrifice was needed

3. Christ died for all – sacrifice was provided

III. Life by forgiveness

A. Forgiven from wrath

1. Justified by Christ’s blood

2. By blood we are saved

3. God’s wrath no longer exists for those in Christ

B. Forgiven in Christ’s new life

1. Our sin made us enemies with God

2. We have gained reconciliation by the death of Christ

3. We have gained salvation by His new life

Conclusion

Man can give medicine when sickness comes,

Food when hunger comes,

Help when weakness comes,

Love when loneliness comes.

But when death comes, man can give

Only sympathy, only compassion,

Never the gift of life. Only God can do that.

Jesus promised to give us life. Life that is abundant here on earth and life that is completely eternal in heaven. It is an offer that sounds too good to be true but in reality it is a gift that is too good to miss.