“Who is the most important person in the world?” Since 1927, Time magazine suggests the “Person of the year.” This used to be called “Man of the Year.” The following are examples of Time’s MAN of the YEAR awards:
2007 Vladimir Putin
Time has included some notorious names. In 1979 the man of the year was Ayatullah Khomeini. in 1938 it was Adolf Hitler.
There have also meeb some heroic names:
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Dwight D Eisenhower
Ronald Reagan (1980)
And some forgotten names. .
Willy Brandt (1970)
John J. Sirica (1973)
If you are a BABY BOOMER, perhaps you remember that in 1966 people “Twenty Five and Under” was listed as the man of the year.
In 1975 the “American Women” was man of the year.
and in 2006 “You” was the title Time gave as the person of the year (because of youtube, blogs, provider oriented internet)
Psychologists tell us that WE are the most important person (positive self image!)
Notwithstanding the often wrong advice of Time Magazine, The MOST IMPORTANT PERSON in the UNIVERSE is JESUS
(Colossians 2:9) "For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,"
(Hebrews 1:2) “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.”
(Colossians 1:15-20) "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross."
We are reminded of this in the poel One Solitary Life, written in 1926 by James A. Francis:
. . . “All the armies that ever marched, and all the navies that ever were built, and all the parliaments that ever sat, and all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man upon this earth as powerfully as that one solitary life!—Jesus!”
This life mission of this most important person is described in Romans 5:15-19.
‒ This section is the Conclusion to the section on Justification. The theme is that Sinners are made right with God through faith in the sacrifice of Christ
‒ This section is the middle of a parenthesis that began in v13 (“before the Law was given, sin was in the world”)
‒ It is a comparison between ADAM and CHRIST
‒ Romans 5:15-19 shows the GREATNESS of CHRIST!
Note that there are
‒ 6 comparative statements
‒ THREE statements in v. 15-17
‒ TWO statements in v. 18-19
‒ ONE statement in v. 20-21
I. Romans 5:15-17 answers the question, Where Would We Be Without Jesus?
We are guilty of sin because when Adam sinned, he sinned as our representative.
Sin brings the punishment of DEATH. Romans 5:12
The LAW of Moses did not CREATE sin. Romans 5:13
Sin was brought into the world through ADAM. Romans 5:14
We are either “in ADAM” or “in CHRIST”
a. (1 Corinthians 15:21-22) "For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive."
b. (Philippians 3:8-9) "What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith."
Just as we are CONDEMNED because of ADAM, we are MADE ALIVE Because of CHRIST
“Two men, two deeds, two froze in moments in time, with to vast results flowing across the generation affecting us to this very day.” Ray Pritchard “Paradise Regained”
A comparison is made between the “free gift” and the “trespass”
“transgression” (NASB), “offense” (KJV)
“to fall, to slip” “to cross the boundary”
The VALUE of Christ’s Gift. Romans 5:15. “If the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ overflow to the many”
a. ADAM bears responsibility for bringing DEATH to many because of ONE SIN.
b. CHRIST bears responsibility for bringing LIFE to many through HIS GIFT
The MAGNITUDE of Christ’s Gift. Romans 5:16. “The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification”
a. ONE ACT OF DISOBEDIENCE brought condemnation to all
b. After MANY, MANY sins, one act of OBEDIENCE undoes them all!
c. Adam’s sin was SELFISH. He wasn’t thinking about
(1) SETH
(2) EVE
(3) NOAH
(4) He wasn’t thinking about YOU!
d. Christ’s obedience was SELFLESS. There was NOTHING that he could gain for himself on Calvary!
(1) (Hebrews 12:2) "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
(2) (Luke 22:42) "“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”"
The RESULT of Christ’s Gift. Romans 5:17 “"For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ."
a. ONE SIN resulted in DEATH REIGNING
b. ONE ACT of OBEDIENCE results in REIGNING in LIFE
This is NOT UNIVERSALISM!
a. Romans 5:17 “how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of Grace. . .”
b. Romans 5:1 “We have been justified through faith. . .”
II. The Surpassing Greatness of Christ. Romans 5:18-19
In “One Act of Righteousness” Christ purchased redemption
The OBEDIENCE of CHRIST
1. Prophesied. (Psalm 40:8) "I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”"
2. As a child. (Luke 2:49) "“Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”"
3. As our High Priest. (Hebrews 10:7-9) "Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll— I have come to do your will, O God.’” First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them” (although the law required them to be made). Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second."
4. Sinless (1 Peter 2:22) “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.”"
From JOHN
5. When his disciples left him to by food. (John 4:34) “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work."
6. (John 5:30) "By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me."
7. (John 6:38) "For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me."
8. (John 8:29) "The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.”"
9. (John 8:55) "Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and keep his word.
10. (John 14:31) "but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me.
11. (John 15:10) "If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love."
12. (John 17:4) "I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do."
13. (John 19:30) "When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit."
Christ’s Obedience CULMINATED on the CROSS of Calvary
Our GLORY is only in the CROSS. (Galatians 6:14) "May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world."
John Bowring taught the truth of gloryingin the Cross of Christ with these words “In the cross of Christ I glory. Towering o’er the wrecks of time. All the light of sacred story. Gathers round its head sublime”
Because of the cross, we have life and hope through Christ.
We would be lost without Jesus!
