We Were The Reason
Text: Romans 4:25–5:2
When I think on this particular season of Easter, I cannot help but be amazed at the depth of God’s love for us–for all people. I cannot help but stand in awe of the real fact that God would love an imperfect, sinful, undeserving people so much–that instead of leaving us to die apart from Him because of our sin–He would go to such great lengths to rescue us. It amazes me that He would love us that much–that He would send His very own Son to come to this world and offer His life as a sacrifice in our place.
I think of such words to the hymn:
“Such love, such wondrous love that God should love a sinner such as I–how wonderful is love like this”.
And the words to a popular praise chorus:
“Amazing love, how can it be–that you my King would die for me??”
**And if dying in our place was not enough–God raised His Son from the dead–breaking the power and control of sin and death–that He may live forevermore–giving new life to all that would believe and turn to Him!!!!
This season of Easter–is one of great reflection, but also a season of great rejoicing and celebration for those that have experienced the new life that comes from the Living Savior–Jesus Christ, the Lord!!!
As I think on our text, it becomes more evident that Jesus did not come to earth to resolve a problem for Himself. He did not endure the mockery, the contempt, the hatred, the rejection and persecution because He had to or deserved it. He did not taste the pain and agony of death on a cross because of any sin or crime He committed–nor was He resurrected because He had something to prove to Himself. Rather, it becomes powerfully clear that He did it all for you and I–for this world of dying people— we were the reason He came – we were the reason such love and mercy has been shown!!!
***JESUS, the Son of God, came not for His own good or purpose–but came for the purpose of showing God to man and saving man to God!!!
The first truth I would like us to see is:
1. We were the reason why Jesus came to bring salvation.
• Salvation means being rescued or saved from harm, ruin or loss.
• Romans 4:25 says “He [Jesus] was delivered over to death for OUR sins...”
• Jesus was sent into this world to be the Savior–to be the One who rescues mankind from the consequences, power and destruction of sin–in order to bring us into freedom and life.
• This Scripture tells us that Jesus was given over or handed over to be crucified and put to death–not because of a crime He committed or sin of His own–but His righteous life was given in exchange for the unrighteous lives of men and women, boy and girl.
• The fact that Jesus was completely right and innocent is confirmed by the one of the thieves that was crucified next to Him.
• In Luke 23, when Jesus was nailed and hung on the cross, one criminal next to Him yelled insults at Him and mocked Him. The criminal on the other side of Jesus rebuked the mocker by saying “Don’t you fear God since you are serving the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong”.
• Even a convicted criminal declared that Jesus was righteous and innocent.
• The Scriptures also tell us in Hebrews 4:15 that Jesus “was tempted in every way, just as we are–yet was without sin”. SO HE DID NOT DO THIS FOR HIM–BUT FOR US!!
• Jesus’ rejection, crucifixion and death had been foretold hundreds of year earlier through the prophet Isaiah. God had already spoken through the prophet that His Righteous Servant would come to die for the sins of mankind.
• ***LOOK AT ISAIAH 53:4-5***
• Notice the wording in that passage: “He took up OUR infirmities (sickness, weaknesses)”
“carried OUR sorrows”, “He was pierced for OUR transgressions (offenses)”, “He was
crushed for OUR iniquities (immoral behaviors)” “the punishment that brought US
peace was upon Him” “by His stripes (wounds) WE are healed”.
• It is evident that He came to take our place. We call this “substitutionary death”–meaning, Jesus came and substituted His life in place of ours.
• He took our shame! He took our blame! He took our sins! He took our guilt! He took our deserved punishment! He took the wrath of God for us! HE TOOK OUR PLACE!!!
• His going to the cross and taking death in our place was not forced upon Him–He was manipulated or pushed into it!!!
• HIS DEATH TO PAY FOR OUR SINS WAS VOLUNTARILY: Jesus had said previously in Matthew 20:28 “ just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to GIVE HIS LIFE as a ransom for many”.
• WHEN HE CAME INTO THIS WORLD AND WALKED AS A MAN–HE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT HE CAME FOR–HE KNEW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN–AND HE WILLINGLY WALKED THE PATH TO THE CROSS BECAUSE OF ANOTHER GREAT REASON: THE LOVE OF GOD!
• The cross and His death was initiated and motivated solely because of God’s love for His creation–for all people!!! He did not want man to die hopelessly–but to have life and belong to Him!!!
• John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His Only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish (die away from Him), but have eternal (never-ending) life”.
• ? How great was this love for us? Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were STILL SINNERS, Christ died for us”.–Even when we rejected Him, paid Him no attention and lived for ourselves–He still took the cross for us!
• WE WERE THE REASON FOR THE CROSS–WE ARE THE RECIPIENTS OF HIS LOVE AND SALVATION!!!
The second truth I would like us to see is:
2. We were the reason Jesus was raised to life–for our justification.
?? What does it mean to be justified? It means to be found or made right, to be seen as upright and clear of guilt.
• Jesus not only died for our salvation–but He was resurrected–raised to life in order to impart life and salvation to those that believe Him–and through faith in Him to be found justified in the eyes of God. HE WAS RAISED TO MAKE US RIGHT WITH GOD!
• Romans 4:25 “...and was raised to life for our justification...”
• G. Raymond Carlson wrote in his commentary on this passage: “His resurrection was the validation of the sacrifice of His death and the proof of our acceptance”.
• The resurrection confirmed that His death was the full payment to save us–and it proved that by Him and through faith in Him–we are declared as righteous, clean and free!!!
• BECAUSE CHRIST WAS RAISED–THE GUILTY SENTENCE FOR THE SINNER CAN BE THROWN OUT AND THEY ARE DECLARED “NON-GUILTY”!!!
• BECAUSE HE HAS RISEN–HIS PROMISES OF LIFE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS TO US HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED AND MADE VALID!! THEY ARE IN EFFECT!
• a) Because He was raised–it proved that His shed blood was the only sufficient means by which we are saved and forgiven: At the final supper Jesus shared with His disciples, He used the cup to symbolize His blood that would be shed and He said to them in Matthew 26:28 “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins”.
• Ephesians 1:7 says “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace”.
• b) His resurrection guarantees the promise to save us from God’s wrath: ***SEE ROMANS 5:9-10*** This promise holds true for those who come to God through His Son Jesus Christ!!! Through Him we are spared from deserved wrath!!!
• Justification carries far more meaning than just being “declared right”–but it also means having new life, having joy in Christ and peace– also being called “children of God”.
• NO WONDER WE OUGHT TO CELEBRATE THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST–FOR HE IS ALIVE AND WITH US AND IS SAVING, HEALING, FORGIVING AND DELIVERING PEOPLE TODAY!!! BECAUSE HE LIVES–WE LIVE!!!
Finally,
3. We were the reason Jesus came, to bring us back into relationship with God.
• Look at the blessing of Romans 5:1: “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
• Peace with God means through faith in His Son, we are longer enemies of God–no longer separated from God–but now we are with Him and belong to Him. We can live in the peace of knowing that we have been restored to Him.
• ?? What else can we have through Christ’s death and resurrection? RECONCILIATION WITH GOD!! Romans 5:11 “...we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation”.
• This gives the idea of a relationship that had been broken and torn apart–but now it has been repaired and restored in love and fellowship.
• Also, Jesus’ resurrection guarantees our own resurrection one day: Jesus says in John 6:40 “For My Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day”.
• Jesus spoke from His own lips that He would raise up those that belong to Him–and this is our hope and our great joy. THOSE THAT BELIEVE SHALL BE WITH HIM FOREVERMORE!
• And finally, His resurrection confirms life eternal to those with a living faith in Him.
• In John 11, Jesus told Martha, the sister of Lazarus who had died: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies (physically); and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die”.
• The death of the body does not mean the end of the person–but the death of this life only means entrance into eternity–and for the believer in Christ–this means eternal heaven.
• Since death could not hold or defeat Jesus–death will not hold or defeat those who belong to Him!!!
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INVITATION: Jesus told Martha “I am the resurrection and the life”. He told her that anyone that believes in Him would live, even though the body would die. But anyone that lives and believes in Him would never die. Then he challenged her with a question: Do you believe this?
Jesus wanted to hear the heart of her faith. Martha openly declared “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into this world”.
She voiced with her heart and her mouth that she believed in Him for who He said He was and her hope was found only in Him.
The Scriptures make it plain that Jesus came into this world–not to live for himself or establish his own cause–but He came into this world with one mission : apostle Paul said it this way: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”. Jesus said it this way “for the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost”–meaning those who know and acknowledge their desperate need for God’s grace, His mercy and forgiveness and their need to be rescued from the control of sin. HE STILL SEEKS OUT AND SAVES THOSE WHO WILL ADMIT THEY CAN’T MAKE IT TO HEAVEN ON THEIR OWN–BUT THEY NEED A SAVIOR!!!
WE, YOU AND I, EVERY PERSON, WERE THE REASON JESUS CAME, LAID DOWN HIS LIFE AND RAISED AGAIN ON THE THIRD DAY!!! HE DID IT TO SAVE US FROM ETERNITY APART FROM HIS PRESENCE–HE DID IT TO SAVE US FROM A DARK, TORMENTING AND NEVER-ENDING PLACE HE CALLED “HELL”.
WILL YOU BELIEVE HIM TODAY? DO YOU BELIEVE YOU ARE IN DESPERATE NEED OF A SAVIOR TO FORGIVE AND RESCUE YOU? IF SO, THERE’S HOPE! HE CAME AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR YOU. HE WENT TO THE CROSS OUT OF LOVE FOR YOU AND WAS RAISED FOR YOU. WILL YOU HUMBLY TURN TO HIM AND GIVE HIM YOUR HEART AND LIFE TODAY?
