The Blessings Of Grace

The Blessings of God’s Grace

Romans 5:1-11

Intro.:

A. This is an exciting time of year - if you are a Baseball fan. The season is coming to an end and play-off positions are still open. I am a fan, in fact this week I had to stay up a little later to watch the Dodger - Giant game. They are battling for a play off spot in the National League with only this week left.

If you are really Baseball Fan - the 1995 season was a memorable one. Why? It wasn’t because of any great play or record broken. But for a few weeks in the Spring professional baseball was different. The regular professionals went on Strike; the big name stars, the big bats, the golden glove award winners, the 100 mile an hour pitchers were all on strike. So was the Miner league players as part of the Professional Baseball.

But the Game went on for those few weeks. The General Managers went out and hired other players. They didn’t have all the great plays like the Major league players, but they loved to play the game. They didn’t make it to the big leagues by their skill; they weren’t picked because they were good; they didn’t deserve to be playing professional Baseball on the Major League level - but they did - and the game went on and people enjoyed it - and the strike came to an end.

B. You know - in God’s view of life and eternal life, we are all just like those scab players in the Spring of 1995. We can’t get to the Kingdom by our own merits or righteousness; by being good; we don’t deserve to be called God’s Son/daughter or to inherit the Kingdom of God; but through faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we will -we are!

C. Paul in this letter of Romans makes it clear that no one - not one is Righteous - we all have fallen short of God’s glory and sinned against God. But as our Passage here tells us:

Vs. 8; God demonstrated His love to us in this: When we were still sinners, Christ died for us!

- That is the Wonder of Grace that we talked about last week from Eph. 2; That God loves us, accept us, even with our sin; that God saves us, through faith in JC; that God’s grace Transforms us to live right in Christ. What a Wonder this Grace of God is for us!

- Think about it: As Max Lucado states: "Ponder the achievement of God. He doesn’t condone our sin, nor does he compromise his standard. He doesn’t ignore our rebellion, nor does he relax his demands. Rather than dismiss our sin, he assumes our sin, and incredibly, sentences himself. God’s holiness is honored. Our sin is punished… and we are redeemed (saved). God does what we cannot so we ca be what we dare not dream: perfect before God." Grip of Grace, pg. 55.

D. Wow! As we come to this passage today we are reminded about the Wonder of God’s Grace for us but we also learn about the Blessings of God’s Grace. What are the Blessings of God’s Grace?

Body:

A. Blessing 1 - We have a position with God.

- Look at the text - God’s Word says that as we receive the Grace of God through faith in Jesus as Lord, we are now Justified (vs. 1); Saved from God’s Wrath (vs.9); Reconciled with God (vs. 10-11).

- Think about this new Position you have with God by considering for a moment the opposite of these: UnJustified = guilty; Unsaved = lost, receiving God’s Wrath and Judgment; Not Reconciled = separated from God, Enemy of God.

- Our Position: place with God, our standing, our mindset is that because of God’s Grace, as we trust in JC as our Savior an Lord we are now Justified, Saved, Reconciled with God. We are his children! WHAT A BLESSING God’s Grace is for you and Me!

B. Blessing 2 - We have Peace… with God. Vs. 1

- From the prophecies of Jesus’ coming to the proclamation of His coming, Peace was always part of the deal. Is. 9:6 Jesus = the Prince of Peace. Luke 2:14; the Angels proclaimed at Jesus’ birth "… Peace to men, on whom His favor rests."

- Vs. 1; we have Peace with God What value can you place on PEACE! In our society today, people everywhere are looking for Peace.

- God’s peace is not the absence of strife or conflict but the solid foundation which stands firm as we walk through the difficulties of life.

- It is why Jesus said, John 16:33, "I have told you these things so that in me you may have Peace. In this world you will have trouble, but take heart, I have overcome the world."