OUR ROAD TO VICTORY IN CHRIST
Jesus Finished What We Started
Romans 5:6-ff
INTRODUCTION: Have you ever gotten in over your head with a project, and soon realized – after you had started that you did not have the ability, resources, or expertise necessary?
When we get into these kinds of predicaments, we have a couple of options; first, we can probably find someone else who can do it for us, and second, we can take the time to learn the necessary skills ourselves and then complete the task.
This is ok when we are involved in some sort of physical or mental task, but it is an ENTIRELY different story when we move into the spiritual realm of our lives. We started something here, way back in the beginning of time, that we cannot finish or make right – our relationship with God. As a result of sin, we have experienced and would continue to experience a separation from God, ultimately being carried with us into eternity. We cannot find anyone who can fix it for us, and we cannot ever gain the skills, experiences, or resources to rectify the problem ourselves.
That is why it would take God Himself to finish what we started, and solve this spiritual dilemma! That is why the tomb is empty – God finished what we started and moved on …..
I GOD’S TIMING IS PERFECT AND HIS MOTIVES ARE PURE – Romans 5:6-8
Romans 5:6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.
A God Acted At The Right Time
1 God acted when we were powerless
a The word used for powerless is the same word used in the gospel of John for a man who had an infirmity 38 years.
b The word has the sense of a powerlessness that is debilitating – slowly taking all hope and strength away.
c The inability to accomplish our own salvation
2 God acted when we there was no chance we would rest on our accomplishments
a We could not deliver ourselves
b We were ready to perish
c God acted for our benefit
REMEMBER ….
GOD’S LOVE WAS:
§ DIRECTED AT THE UNGODLY
§ INJECTED BETWEEN US AND DEATH
§ ACTIVATED AT THE OPPORTUNE TIME
B God Acted With The Right Motivation
Romans 5:7-8 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
1 Nothing good in us to motivate God to act on our behalf.
a We are/were different from God
b Different lifestyle
c Different existence – perfect/not perfect
2 Nothing good we were doing to encourage God to act on our behalf
a We were sinners
b God hates sin
Habakkuk 1:13 Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong
Proverbs 15:8-9 The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him. 9The LORD detests the way of the wicked but he loves those who pursue righteousness.
II GOD’S ACTIONS ARE ABSOLUTE AND HIS RELIEF IS COMPREHENSIVE
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
A Christ Died For Us
1 Christ was God
a Experienced death
2 His purpose
a For us
b As a demonstration of his love for us. Present tense word – God is always in the business of demonstrating His love for us!
3 While we were yet sinners
a Still disobedient
b Still doing our own thing
c Still caught up pursuing the worlds stuff
B What His Death Did For us
Romans 5:9-11 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
1 Justified us – Changed my look to God
2 Delivered me from God’s Wrath – Changed my outlook
3 Reconciled me To God – Changed my Destiny
a Sin broke my relationship with God.
b The only way men are reconciled to God is through the death of Christ.
c God is the only one who reconciles – men could never do enough!
III GOD’S FINISH
Romans 5:12-17 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned-- 13for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law. 14Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come. 15But the gift is not like the trespass. For 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! 16Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17For 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 We Started Sin
1 In Adam Sin entered the world
2 In reality, we all sin
3 In retrospect – we were there with Adam
B We Started Death
1 The evidence that we inherited a sin nature through Adam is that sin and death existed before there ever was a law
C God’s Work Is Different Than What We Started
1 God brought life instead of death
2 God brought Justification in stead of condemnation
So how do we know that He is actually finished, that He has accomplished everything we need for salvation? That the empty tomb is an open invitation to be reconciled to God?
Well, the Scripture tells us….
Hebrews 1:3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
Romans 8:34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died--more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
Christ ministry as Savior is completed – that’s the impact of the empty tomb. God has done everything for you. All you have to do is accept.
The same God who went to the cross to be your Savior, now waits to be you intercessor.
So, what’s keeping you?
A powerpoint presentation is available for this message, please email for file
