8 March 2020
Sermon Title: One man's act of righteousness
Scripture Text: Romans 5:12-19
ILLUSTRATION:
FREEDOM
The divine "scheme of things," as Christianity understands it, is at once extremely elastic and extremely rigid. It is elastic, in that it includes a large measure of liberty for the creature; it is rigid in that it includes the proviso that, however created beings choose to behave, they must accept responsibility of their own actions and endure the consequences.
Dorothy L. Sayer in Dorothy L. Sayer: A Rage for Life.
Scripture:
Romans 5:12-19 New Living Translation (NLT)
Adam and Christ Contrasted
12 When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. 13 Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break. 14 Still, everyone died—from the time of Adam to the time of Moses—even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did. Now Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come.
15 But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ.
16 And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins.
17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.
18 Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. 19 Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.
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Hebrews 10: 11-14
11 Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. 12 But our High Priest (Jesus Christ) offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 13 There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet. 14 For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.
If Jesus freed us from sin why do we need to confess our sins:
Our God is a God of love, but He’s also holy and righteous. God can’t tolerate sin, so the sins we commit create a barrier between us and Him and interrupt our fellowship with Him.
We can see this even in our human relationships. Let’s say you offend your friend by saying something hurtful, and you never apologize. You both feel there’s a rift between you, but until you clear the air by apologizing, you simply can’t be at ease in each other’s presence.
This is even more true when it comes to our relationship with the Lord. When we commit a sin, we sense in our conscience that we’ve offended the Lord. The ease and sweetness of our relationship is lost. We’ve trespassed against Him, and that sin is now a barrier between us, disrupting our fellowship with Him.
John 14:17 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful
Even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
1 John 1:9 New Living Translation (NLT)
9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
-*- IT’S LIKE WORKING ALL DAY IN A DIRTY JOB. BECAUSE YOU’RE DIRTY DON'T MAKE YOU ANOTHER PERSON.
--?BUT YOU TAKE A BATH, BRUSH AND REFRESH AND YOU FEEL LIKE A NEW PERSON.
>>>>>>IT’S LIKE ASKING FORGIVENESS FROM GOD.
Romans 8: 30 - 32
30. As he spake these words, many believed on him.
31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
