Sermon

Romans 5:6-11

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  1. If you've been with us the last few weeks, you know we're in Romans.

  2. And if it's been the last few weeks and you know we're in Romans chapter 5,

    Romans 5 chapter mention

  3. ! Grab your copy of God's Word and turn to Romans chapter 5.

    Romans 5 chapter mention

  4. When Britton and Jed were four, we took a trip out to Arizona.

  5. And of course, one of the places we visited out there was the Grand Canyon.

  6. And we had really talked it up.

  7. Like, you're not going to believe the Grand Canyon.

  8. We're going to the Grand Canyon. It's so great.

  9. So on our way to the Grand Canyon, we were about two hours away.

  10. The kids, as we passed the valley, would say, is that the Grand Canyon?

  11. No, that's not the Grand Canyon.

  12. Or as we passed a cliff, they'd say, is that the Grand Canyon?

  13. And we would say, no, that's not the Grand Canyon.

  14. If we passed a river, they would say, is that the Grand Canyon?

  15. And again, we would say, no, that's not the Grand Canyon.

  16. In fact, we got to the point where we had to say, you will know when you get there that we're at the Grand Canyon.

  17. It is that magnificent.

  18. The magnitude of the Grand Canyon is just off the charts.

  19. In all honesty, if we told them that a small little valley was the Grand Canyon, they wouldn't have known any better.

  20. They would have probably been happy.

  21. Because as excited as we were, as much as we talked it up, they were just happy to see something that we talked about.

  22. That we kind of made exciting.

  23. The love of God is the same way.

  24. We too often settle for, or just don't know any better, about the magnitude of God's love.

  25. When telling somebody about the Grand Canyon, words just don't explain it.

  26. Words can't do it.

  27. It just doesn't do the trick.

  28. It's just one of those places that you just can't explain.

  29. Well enough.

  30. Communicating the love of God is the same kind of thing.

  31. Words just sometimes don't do it.

  32. So this morning we have a great task.

  33. I have a great task to try to communicate to you through Romans chapter 5 the love of God.

    Romans 5 chapter mention

  34. I feel a lot of times that I'm explaining a small valley.

  35. Or a ditch even.

  36. When the love of God is the Grand Canyon.

  37. So let's start reading in chapter 5 verse 6.

  38. Read through verse 11.

  39. Romans chapter 5.

    Romans 5 chapter mention

  40. It says,

  41. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

  42. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person, though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die.

  43. But God shows his love for us.

  44. And that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

  45. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.

  46. For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

  47. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

  48. Pray with me.

  49. Father, we thank you for your word.

  50. We thank you that there's power in your word.

  51. That as we read, we are hearing words from you to us this morning.

  52. And God, I pray that you would speak through me this morning.

  53. That you would use me.

  54. That I would decrease and you would increase here this morning.

  55. That your name would be proclaimed.

  56. Your name be exalted.

  57. Your plan, your desires for us would be lifted up and that be clearly seen to all of us.

  58. And God, can we get a glimpse, get a big picture maybe even, of the love that you have for us.

  59. I pray, God, that we as a group in this room, that all of us here rejoice and celebrate the love that you have for us.

  60. And not hide from it, not try to hide it, but we celebrate what you have done and what you have shown us.

  61. In Jesus' name we pray.

  62. Amen.

  63. Amen.

  64. Amen.

  65. A hymn written by Isaac Watts entitled, When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.

  66. Charles Wesley actually said he would trade all his hymns that he wrote if he could be the author of this one hymn.

  67. When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.

  68. All we can do is really survey the wondrous cross.

  69. All we can do is look at it and get a big picture, a view of it.

  70. And continually be surprised by it.

  71. Be in awe of it and rejoice in it.

  72. Paul in our text repeats the same thing, but in different ways.

  73. Because all he can do is survey that wondrous cross.

  74. All he can do is survey the love that God has shown mankind.

  75. So let us this morning survey the cross.

  76. Let us look at it.

  77. Take a survey of the love of God.

  78. Because the cross is the center of the love that God has.

  79. Last week I said that chapter 5 of Romans is about the assurance of our salvation in Christ.

  80. We are assured of our salvation because of the magnitude of God's love.

  81. Because of the weight and the substance and how big God's love is.

  82. It is an eternal, forever and always love.

  83. We are assured of our salvation in Christ Jesus because God's love is life changing.

  84. It saves his children from the wrath they deserve.

  85. It reconciles his children to himself.

  86. And it compels his children to be ministers of reconciliation to the world.

  87. God's love is life changing.

  88. So our first point this morning is just that.

  89. God's love is life changing.

  90. Verses 6 through 8 says,

  91. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

  92. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person,

  93. though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die.

  94. But God chose his love for us.

  95. And that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

  96. Take a look at the adjectives that Paul uses to describe the us or the we in this text.

  97. The Christians.

  98. Paul uses weak in verse 6.

  99. Somebody who is helpless.

  100. King James says it's without strength.

  101. Someone who is unable to help themselves.

  102. Verse 6 also says ungodly.

  103. An adjective he calls them ungodly.

  104. The opposite of godly.

  105. Having nothing to do with God or his standards.

  106. Ephesians chapter 2 verses 1 through 3 says,

    Ephesians 2:1–3

  107. And you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you once walked,

  108. following the course of this world,

  109. following the prince of the power of the air,

  110. the spirit that is now at work,

  111. in the sons of disobedience,

  112. among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh,

  113. carrying out the desires of the body and the mind,

  114. and were by nature children of wrath,

  115. like the rest of mankind.

  116. Ephesians is also written by Paul.

  117. So in Romans 5, we're weak.

  118. We're ungodly.

  119. In Ephesians 2, we're dead.

  120. Sons of disobedience.

  121. Children of wrath.

  122. Colossians 2 also says that we were dead in our trespasses.

  123. See, what we have to do is,

  124. though we're going down a gloom and doom direction,

  125. but we have to talk about who we were,

  126. and in some cases even are,

  127. to see the magnitude of God's love for his children.

  128. It's almost like the before and after pictures

  129. of when the sumanami came through Japan.

  130. See, things looking great and perfect,

  131. and then the after pictures,

  132. everything's wiped out.

  133. We have to see who we are before

  134. so that we can then see who we are after.

  135. Verse 8 says that we're sinners.

  136. Of Romans chapter 5.

    Romans 5 chapter mention

  137. The adjective calls us sinners.

  138. What is sin?

  139. Sin is any failure to conform to the mortal law of God

  140. in act, in attitude, or in nature.

  141. So, the question for you is,

  142. have you ever lied?

  143. Have you ever lied?

  144. Have you ever stolen anything?

  145. Anything.

  146. Have you ever taken the Lord's name in vain?

  147. Have you ever looked at a girl lustfully

  148. or a guy lustfully?

  149. Have you answered yes to these questions

  150. and you are a lying,

  151. blaspheming, fornicating thief?

  152. You are a sinner.

  153. You have broken four out of the ten commandments

  154. and it took me 30 seconds to figure that out.

  155. This is the reality.

  156. The point of asking those questions

  157. is to crush any thought in you

  158. that you are good apart from Christ.

  159. God's word is clear that none is good.

  160. None of us can do anything God-honoring on our own.

  161. In fact, that's a little sugar-coated.

  162. God's word says that no one does good.

  163. We are dead inside.

  164. Decayed, lifeless bodies

  165. needing a resurrection before Christ.

  166. Needing a resurrection or a miracle

  167. without Christ.

  168. So this is where our story begins.

  169. This is kind of where we launch to.

  170. Look at verse 8 of Romans chapter 5.

    Romans 5 chapter mention

  171. It starts with two beautiful words.

  172. But God.

  173. Ephesians chapter 2 does the same thing

    Ephesians 2 chapter mention

  174. in verse 4.

  175. It says,

  176. But God.

  177. Romans 5.

  178. It says,

  179. But God shows His love for us

  180. and that while we were still sinners,

  181. Christ died for us.

  182. Ephesians 2 verse 4 through 6 says,

    Ephesians 2:4–6

  183. But God,

  184. being rich in mercy

  185. because of the great love

  186. with which He loved us,

  187. even when we were dead in our trespasses,

  188. He made us alive together with Christ.

  189. By grace you have been saved

  190. and raised us up with Him

  191. and seated us with Him

  192. in the heavenly places

  193. in Christ Jesus.

  194. God's love is life changes.

  195. It makes the dead alive.

  196. It makes the weak strong

  197. and it makes the sick well.

  198. God's love makes a new creation

  199. out of the old.

  200. 2 Corinthians 5.17

  201. If anyone is in Christ,

  202. he is a new creation.

  203. The old has passed away.

  204. Today,

  205. behold,

  206. the new has come.

  207. The love of God

  208. takes the sin of sinners

  209. and removes them.

  210. Colossians chapter 2

    Colossians 2 chapter mention

  211. says,

  212. And you were dead

  213. in your trespasses

  214. and the uncircumcision

  215. in your flesh.

  216. Listen to this.

  217. God made a life

  218. together with Him,

  219. having forgiven us

  220. all our trespasses

  221. by canceling

  222. the record of debt

  223. that stood against us

  224. with its legal demands.

  225. And He's not talking about

  226. the courtroom down the street.

  227. This,

  228. He set aside,

  229. nailing it to the cross.

  230. The love of God

  231. takes the sin of sinners

  232. and removes them.

  233. Not only does God's love

  234. make the dead alive,

  235. it also removes the sin

  236. through the cross.

  237. He canceled the debt

  238. of our sin

  239. that we were condemned with.

  240. Turned sinners into saints.

  241. This is the love of God.

  242. Turn to Psalm 103.

  243. Psalm 103 is written by David,

  244. a man who understood

  245. God's love.

  246. A man, the Bible says,

  247. was a man after God's own heart.

  248. If you're a Christian

  249. and we read these words together,

  250. celebrate in it.

  251. Celebrate this love

  252. that God has shown us.

  253. If you're not a Christian,

  254. see what God has done

  255. for sinners.

  256. Starting in verse 1.

  257. Bless the Lord,

  258. O my soul,

  259. and all that is within me.

  260. Bless His holy name.

  261. Bless the Lord,

  262. O my soul,

  263. and forget not

  264. all His benefits,

  265. who forgives

  266. all your iniquity,

  267. who heals

  268. all your diseases,

  269. who redeems,

  270. who redeems your life

  271. from the pit,

  272. who crowns you

  273. with steadfast love

  274. and mercy,

  275. who satisfies you

  276. with good

  277. so that your youth

  278. is renewed

  279. like the eagles.

  280. The Lord works righteousness

  281. and justice

  282. for all who are oppressed.

  283. He made known

  284. His ways to Moses,

  285. His acts

  286. to the people of Israel.

  287. The Lord is merciful

  288. and gracious,

  289. slow to anger,

  290. and abounding

  291. in steadfast love.

  292. He will not always chide,

  293. nor will He keep

  294. His anger forever.

  295. He does not deal with us

  296. according to our sins,

  297. nor repay us

  298. according to our iniquities.

  299. For as high as the heavens

  300. are above the earth,

  301. so great is His steadfast love

  302. towards those

  303. who fear Him.

  304. As far as the east

  305. is from the west,

  306. so far does He remove

  307. our transgressions from us.

  308. As a father shows compassion

  309. to his children,

  310. so the Lord

  311. shows compassion

  312. to those who fear Him.

  313. For He knows our frame.

  314. He remembers

  315. that we are dust.

  316. As for man,

  317. his days are like grass.

  318. He flourishes

  319. like a flower of the field

  320. for the wind passes over it

  321. and it is gone.

  322. And its place

  323. knows it no more.

  324. But

  325. the steadfast love

  326. of the Lord

  327. is from everlasting

  328. to everlasting

  329. on those

  330. who fear Him.

  331. And His righteousness

  332. to children's children,

  333. to those

  334. who keep His covenant

  335. and remember

  336. to do His commandments.

  337. The Lord has established

  338. His throne

  339. in the heavens

  340. and His kingdom

  341. rules over all.

  342. Bless the Lord,

  343. O you His angels,

  344. you mighty ones

  345. who do His word,

  346. obeying the voice

  347. of His word.

  348. Bless the Lord,

  349. all His hosts,

  350. His ministers

  351. who do His will.

  352. Bless the Lord,

  353. all His works

  354. in places of His dominion.

  355. Bless the Lord,

  356. O my soul.

  357. That is the God.

  358. That is the God

  359. we worship.

  360. That is the God

  361. who has shown us love

  362. and it is His love

  363. that we celebrate

  364. this morning.

  365. It is His love

  366. that changes lives.

  367. Reading this

  368. and seeing God's love

  369. is

  370. His love

  371. is

  372. honestly,

  373. clearly

  374. outside of our understanding.

  375. See,

  376. what we've done

  377. is we've contaminated

  378. the word love.

  379. We've contaminated

  380. this word

  381. because we say,

  382. I love cheeseburgers

  383. or

  384. I love

  385. TV show

  386. blank

  387. or I love

  388. my mom

  389. or

  390. I love you.

  391. Well,

  392. which kind of love

  393. is it?

  394. The love that you have

  395. for food

  396. or the love that you have

  397. for a TV show?

  398. I'm uncertain.

  399. So,

  400. so when we try

  401. to wrap our heads

  402. around

  403. God's love,

  404. the two

  405. just don't compute

  406. our idea of love

  407. and His idea.

  408. So,

  409. verse 7

  410. in Romans chapter 5

    Romans 5 chapter mention

  411. says,

  412. For one will scarcely

  413. die for a righteous person,

  414. though perhaps

  415. for a good person

  416. one would dare

  417. even die.

  418. In other words,

  419. we very rarely

  420. would die for any person

  421. righteous or good.

  422. We're just not

  423. going to do it.

  424. We are selfish creatures

  425. created and wired

  426. to be selfish.

  427. But God is not.

  428. Verse 8 said,

  429. But God showed

  430. His love for us

  431. and while we were sinners,

  432. Christ died for us.

  433. 2 Corinthians 5

  434. 21,

  435. we alluded to it earlier.

  436. For our sake

  437. He made Him

  438. to be sin

  439. who knew

  440. no sin.

  441. So that in Him

  442. we might become

  443. the righteousness

  444. of God.

  445. So no longer

  446. are we sinners.

  447. No longer

  448. are we weak.

  449. No longer

  450. are we ungodly.

  451. But we can now

  452. be the righteousness

  453. of God.

  454. And that is good news.

  455. God's love

  456. is life changing.

  457. He makes the dead alive,

  458. the sick well,

  459. and the old new.

  460. Also,

  461. second point,

  462. God's love

  463. saves us

  464. from the wrath

  465. we deserve.

  466. Since therefore

  467. we have now

  468. been justified

  469. by His blood

  470. in verse 9,

  471. much more

  472. shall we be saved

  473. by Him

  474. from the wrath

  475. of God.

  476. God's love

  477. is shown

  478. to mankind

  479. in two

  480. different ways.

  481. There's only two.

  482. In one way

  483. it's by giving

  484. sinners

  485. what they deserve.

  486. Which is the wrath

  487. of God

  488. and the end

  489. of that

  490. is hell.

  491. Romans 1.18

  492. says,

  493. For the wrath

  494. of God

  495. is revealed

  496. from heaven

  497. against all

  498. ungodliness

  499. and unrighteousness

  500. of men.

  501. In Luke

    Luke 13 chapter mention

  502. chapter 13,

  503. Jesus is teaching

  504. in verse 1-5,

  505. He repeats Himself

  506. twice and says,

  507. Unless you repent,

  508. you likewise

  509. will perish.

  510. He's talking about

  511. in what He's talking

  512. about is the cities

  513. that have crumbled.

  514. But what He's talking

  515. about,

  516. what He's saying

  517. here is that

  518. if you do not repent,

  519. you will perish

  520. eternally,

  521. not just here

  522. on this earth.

  523. Hell is a real place

  524. where real emotions

  525. and real feelings

  526. exist.

  527. In Luke chapter 16,

    Luke 16 chapter mention

  528. we have the story

  529. of Lazarus,

  530. a homeless man

  531. with swords on his body

  532. and a rich man.

  533. And the rich man

  534. eats rich food.

  535. And it says

  536. that Lazarus

  537. would just want

  538. to eat the crumbs

  539. off the rich man's table.

  540. And both of them die.

  541. And the rich man

  542. goes to hell.

  543. And it says

  544. that Abraham

  545. helps and picks up

  546. Lazarus

  547. and takes him to heaven.

  548. Here's some of the words

  549. that Lazarus says

  550. while he's in hell

  551. or Hades.

  552. Verse 23 says

  553. that he is in torment.

  554. Verse 24 says,

  555. I am in anguish.

  556. Verse 28 calls it

  557. a place of torment.

  558. Now, whether this story

  559. is a true story,

  560. whether it's a parable

  561. or a vision,

  562. the point is the same.

  563. The description

  564. that awaits sinners

  565. who do not repent

  566. of their sin

  567. is a horrible place.

  568. It is a real place

  569. with emotion

  570. and feeling.

  571. If you remember

  572. the story,

  573. the rich man says,

  574. Abraham,

  575. please let Lazarus

  576. dip his finger in water

  577. and bring it to my mouth.

  578. He's that thirsty,

  579. that tortured

  580. and tormented.

  581. God has wrath

  582. towards sin

  583. because he is righteous

  584. and holy.

  585. He must have

  586. wrath to be God.

  587. Because if I define sin

  588. as any failure

  589. to conform

  590. to the moral law

  591. of God

  592. in act,

  593. attitude,

  594. or nature,

  595. then God being God,

  596. he must punish

  597. that sin.

  598. I have four beautiful

  599. children of my own

  600. and a beautiful Charlotte

  601. who stays with us.

  602. Would I be loving

  603. if I just let them

  604. do whatever they wanted to?

  605. Would I be loving

  606. if I didn't teach them

  607. anything?

  608. I love my kids.

  609. I love them dearly.

  610. I love them

  611. by giving them

  612. a standard to live by,

  613. by giving them

  614. God's standard

  615. to live by.

  616. I love them

  617. even when I'm forced

  618. by obedience

  619. to punish them

  620. for their wrongdoing.

  621. Likewise,

  622. God shows sinners

  623. love by giving them

  624. what they deserve,

  625. by punishing them

  626. for the lives they live.

  627. Some will say,

  628. that is a cruel God,

  629. that's a tyrant

  630. who doesn't love,

  631. he just rules.

  632. I say,

  633. and Scripture says,

  634. that God loves

  635. those he disciplines.

  636. God shows his love

  637. to humanity

  638. by punishing the sin.

  639. God's love

  640. is also shown

  641. to sinners

  642. by giving sinners

  643. what they do not deserve.

  644. Verse 9

  645. in Romans 5

  646. says,

  647. Since therefore

  648. we have now

  649. been justified

  650. by his love,

  651. much more

  652. shall we be saved

  653. by him

  654. from the wrath

  655. of God.

  656. You remember earlier

  657. I read through

  658. Ephesians chapter 2

    Ephesians 2 chapter mention

  659. or a little bit of it?

  660. Right in the middle

  661. of that,

  662. Paul says,

  663. by grace

  664. you have been saved.

  665. So,

  666. he says,

  667. but God,

  668. being rich in mercy

  669. because of the great love

  670. with which he loved us,

  671. even when we were dead

  672. in our trespasses,

  673. made us alive

  674. together with Christ.

  675. By grace

  676. you have been saved

  677. and raised us up

  678. with him

  679. and seated us

  680. with him

  681. in heavenly places

  682. in Christ Jesus.

  683. By grace

  684. we have been saved.

  685. Unmerited favor

  686. given to those

  687. who don't deserve it.

  688. It's a gift.

  689. A new life.

  690. Being dead

  691. or now being made alive.

  692. There's nothing

  693. we've done,

  694. nothing we have said,

  695. nothing we can do

  696. to change the grace

  697. that God has shown

  698. you or I

  699. if you are a Christian.

  700. God is God

  701. and he does

  702. as he pleases.

  703. He does what brings

  704. him glory

  705. and making the dead alive

  706. so that the new life

  707. can live for his glory

  708. brings him more glory.

  709. God loves sinners.

  710. He loves his children

  711. and he shows it

  712. through grace.

  713. Our third point,

  714. God's love

  715. reconciles his children

  716. to himself.

  717. Verses 10 and 11.

  718. It says,

  719. For if while we were enemies

  720. we were reconciled

  721. to God

  722. by the death

  723. of his Son,

  724. much more now

  725. that we are reconciled

  726. so we be saved

  727. by his life.

  728. More than that,

  729. we also rejoice

  730. in God

  731. through our Lord

  732. Jesus Christ

  733. through whom

  734. we have now received

  735. reconciliation.

  736. Reconciles

  737. or reconciliation

  738. is a relationship

  739. that has been broken

  740. and now has been

  741. mended.

  742. Put back together.

  743. The picture for us

  744. is coming back

  745. to what we were created

  746. to be originally.

  747. We were created

  748. in God's image.

  749. Genesis 1,

  750. 26 and 27

  751. tells us that

  752. we were created

  753. to be image bearers

  754. of God.

  755. We were created

  756. to reflect

  757. the glory

  758. of him

  759. to the world.

  760. That's what we were

  761. created to do.

  762. And it took

  763. one chapter,

  764. one chapter

  765. in this book

  766. to ruin that.

  767. Chapter 3

  768. is the fall.

  769. We became

  770. image bearers

  771. of ourselves

  772. instead of of God.

  773. Instead of reflecting

  774. God's glory,

  775. we've reflected

  776. our sin

  777. and our desire

  778. to honor ourselves

  779. instead of God.

  780. That's us

  781. in the Garden of Eden.

  782. And until Christ

  783. came to earth

  784. to live

  785. a perfect

  786. sinless life,

  787. to die

  788. and take on

  789. the sin of the world,

  790. to bear the wrath

  791. of God

  792. that we deserve,

  793. we are

  794. image bearers

  795. of ourselves

  796. until Christ

  797. came.

  798. He came

  799. to die

  800. for sinners

  801. so that sinners

  802. who are dead

  803. can be made

  804. alive.

  805. This is the love

  806. of God.

  807. Because of Christ,

  808. we have been

  809. reconciled to God.

  810. Our relationship

  811. has been fixed.

  812. We're no longer

  813. severed by sin

  814. but made right

  815. in Christ.

  816. We are now

  817. image bearers

  818. of God.

  819. You now bear

  820. the image

  821. of God

  822. in His glory.

  823. Or at least

  824. you should.

  825. It's a great,

  826. great privilege

  827. to be image bearers.

  828. God has acted

  829. on our behalf

  830. not for our glory

  831. but for His.

  832. Not for

  833. praising us

  834. but for

  835. praising

  836. and pleasing

  837. Him.

  838. He has reconciled

  839. us to Himself

  840. because of the love

  841. that God has

  842. for us

  843. and for His glory.

  844. Look at the beginning

  845. of verse 11.

  846. A familiar

  847. three words

  848. that we have seen

  849. in chapter 5.

  850. It says,

  851. more than that.

  852. More than that.

  853. In verse 3

  854. of chapter 5

  855. we saw more than that.

  856. He says,

  857. more than that

  858. we rejoice

  859. in our sufferings.

  860. So we rejoice

  861. in our sufferings

  862. more than rejoicing

  863. in verse 1 and 2

  864. our future glory.

  865. What we will be

  866. when we are perfected.

  867. What we have to

  868. look forward to.

  869. Well now,

  870. in verse 11,

  871. more than that

  872. we also rejoice

  873. in God

  874. through our Lord

  875. Jesus Christ.

  876. See,

  877. God is to be

  878. our focus of worship.

  879. He is to be

  880. our center.

  881. our one true love.

  882. I wonder

  883. how often

  884. we take the focus

  885. off of God

  886. and put it on someone

  887. or something else.

  888. I wonder

  889. how often

  890. do we remove God

  891. as our Lord

  892. and put in His place

  893. a cause.

  894. We put in His place

  895. a belief

  896. or a girl

  897. or a boy

  898. or a pastor

  899. or a certain type

  900. of theology

  901. or a certain type

  902. of music

  903. or a certain type

  904. of order of service.

  905. We have so many things

  906. that can easily

  907. be placed

  908. in the crosshairs

  909. of our worship.

  910. We have so many options

  911. and what Paul

  912. reminds us here

  913. is no matter

  914. the circumstances,

  915. no matter

  916. the great things

  917. to look forward to,

  918. no matter

  919. the wonderful things

  920. He has done,

  921. He is to be the center

  922. of our worship.

  923. He is the one

  924. who loves.

  925. He is the one

  926. who saves

  927. and He is the one

  928. who reconciles.

  929. We now have

  930. a relationship

  931. with Him

  932. where we can pray

  933. to Him.

  934. We can call Him

  935. Father.

  936. We can actually

  937. call Him Daddy

  938. as in Abba Father.

  939. We can approach

  940. the throne

  941. with boldness

  942. all done

  943. by His redeeming hand,

  944. His love

  945. for His glory.

  946. We have been

  947. reconciled to Him,

  948. by Him,

  949. and through Him.

  950. What a great

  951. and loving God

  952. we serve.

  953. What a great

  954. and loving God.

  955. We can be assured

  956. of our salvation

  957. is secured

  958. in Christ

  959. because of the love

  960. that God

  961. has shown us.

  962. So not only

  963. is God's love

  964. life-changing

  965. and not only

  966. does it save us

  967. from the wrath

  968. of God

  969. and reconcile us

  970. to Himself,

  971. but fourthly,

  972. God's love

  973. compels us

  974. to be ministers

  975. of reconciliation.

  976. 2 Corinthians 5.

  977. Go ahead

  978. and turn

  979. to 2 Corinthians 5.

  980. 2 Corinthians 5.

  981. Verse 14.

  982. It says,

  983. For the love of Christ

  984. controls us.

  985. ESV says controls.

  986. Other versions say

  987. compels us.

  988. For the love of Christ

  989. compels us

  990. because we have concluded

  991. this,

  992. that one has died

  993. for all,

  994. therefore all

  995. have died.

  996. Verse 18 says,

  997. All this is from God

  998. who through Christ

  999. reconciled us

  1000. to Himself

  1001. and gave us

  1002. the ministry

  1003. of reconciliation.

  1004. We are now

  1005. compelled,

  1006. controlled

  1007. by the love of God

  1008. and the love of Christ

  1009. to be part

  1010. of the mission

  1011. of God.

  1012. To go

  1013. and to make disciples.

  1014. To help reconcile

  1015. them to God.

  1016. We have been charged

  1017. with marching orders.

  1018. Where we will go?

  1019. What people

  1020. are you loving?

  1021. What people

  1022. are you praying for?

  1023. What barista

  1024. are you discipling?

  1025. What office mate

  1026. are you communicating

  1027. the love of God to?

  1028. What fellow student

  1029. are you sharing

  1030. with the love of God

  1031. in hopes

  1032. that the gospel

  1033. will take root?

  1034. We have been given

  1035. a mission.

  1036. Let us not fail.

  1037. Let us proclaim

  1038. with boldness

  1039. the love

  1040. that God has

  1041. for them.

  1042. In verse 20

  1043. of 2 Corinthians 5,

  1044. it says,

  1045. Therefore,

  1046. we are ambassadors

  1047. for Christ.

  1048. God making His appeal

  1049. through us.

  1050. We are His ambassadors.

  1051. We're not just

  1052. disciples.

  1053. Now we're ambassadors.

  1054. We represent Him.

  1055. To be an ambassador

  1056. for anything,

  1057. one must know

  1058. the person they represent.

  1059. Do you know

  1060. Jesus?

  1061. They must have approval

  1062. by the one represented

  1063. and they must have

  1064. a message to share.

  1065. If you're a Christian,

  1066. you have all three.

  1067. You know Jesus.

  1068. You've been approved

  1069. by Him to be an ambassador.

  1070. His Word says it.

  1071. And you have a message

  1072. to share.

  1073. God's love

  1074. is life-changing.

  1075. It does not matter

  1076. what you have done

  1077. or what they have done

  1078. or any person

  1079. has done.

  1080. God,

  1081. Jesus Christ

  1082. died bearing

  1083. the sin of the world.

  1084. Bearing the wrath

  1085. of God

  1086. so that

  1087. any and all sins

  1088. can be forgiven.

  1089. I have a

  1090. copy of

  1091. letters,

  1092. transactions

  1093. between a

  1094. serial killer

  1095. and a guy

  1096. named Roger.

  1097. Serial killer's name

  1098. is Wesley Allen Dodd.

  1099. Been described as

  1100. one of the most

  1101. evil killers

  1102. in history

  1103. because

  1104. of the

  1105. methods

  1106. and the

  1107. heinous

  1108. acts

  1109. of his

  1110. crimes.

  1111. I'm going to read you

  1112. some transactions

  1113. through here.

  1114. Roger writes

  1115. first and says,

  1116. because of the love

  1117. of Christ in me,

  1118. I care about you

  1119. and love you.

  1120. I am watching

  1121. the news

  1122. a couple of nights

  1123. ago

  1124. and immediately

  1125. began writing

  1126. this letter.

  1127. I heard your

  1128. plea for an

  1129. expedient death

  1130. so that you

  1131. wouldn't do more

  1132. of what you've

  1133. already done.

  1134. At first,

  1135. I felt

  1136. that it was

  1137. quite noble

  1138. to protect

  1139. society like that.

  1140. I hoped

  1141. that I could

  1142. have that courage

  1143. given the same

  1144. situation.

  1145. Then I realized

  1146. even more so

  1147. how sad it is

  1148. to be so

  1149. confined and

  1150. bound by sin

  1151. that death

  1152. seems the only

  1153. out.

  1154. I really feel

  1155. for you,

  1156. not in a sense

  1157. of looking down

  1158. on you,

  1159. but knowing

  1160. quite well

  1161. what it is

  1162. to be bound

  1163. by sin.

  1164. Sin is sin

  1165. no matter

  1166. how perverted

  1167. it is.

  1168. You may be

  1169. compelled to

  1170. rape and kill

  1171. children.

  1172. Another man

  1173. may steal

  1174. cars.

  1175. Someone's

  1176. mother can't

  1177. help but lie

  1178. all the time.

  1179. A 50-year-old

  1180. man is still

  1181. trying to

  1182. control the

  1183. same lust

  1184. he fought

  1185. when he

  1186. was 14.

  1187. Name one

  1188. person who

  1189. hasn't been

  1190. secretly

  1191. controlled by

  1192. sin.

  1193. They want

  1194. to get rid

  1195. of it,

  1196. but they

  1197. can't.

  1198. Many people

  1199. give up and

  1200. claim to be

  1201. comfortable in

  1202. their sin.

  1203. Many are

  1204. convincing in

  1205. their charade

  1206. of happiness.

  1207. But if they

  1208. dare to think,

  1209. they realize

  1210. that in

  1211. actuality,

  1212. they've been

  1213. defeated by

  1214. it.

  1215. That one

  1216. stupid item

  1217. of sin

  1218. has stood

  1219. taller and

  1220. more powerful

  1221. than they.

  1222. No one

  1223. enjoys being

  1224. a slave,

  1225. especially to

  1226. something like

  1227. sin.

  1228. You can't

  1229. see it or

  1230. touch it,

  1231. so how can

  1232. you fight

  1233. it?

  1234. Every single

  1235. person on the

  1236. face of this

  1237. earth, if

  1238. given a no-cost

  1239. solution to win

  1240. out over sin,

  1241. would take it.

  1242. The problem

  1243. is that there

  1244. is no solution

  1245. which costs

  1246. nothing.

  1247. The only

  1248. solution is

  1249. Jesus Christ,

  1250. but that

  1251. costs you

  1252. your pride.

  1253. On the other

  1254. hand, sin is

  1255. not without

  1256. its cost

  1257. either.

  1258. He is

  1259. God.

  1260. We are

  1261. incapable of

  1262. testing the

  1263. limits of

  1264. His grace

  1265. because grace

  1266. by definition

  1267. is undeserved

  1268. favor.

  1269. You don't

  1270. deserve it

  1271. and I

  1272. don't deserve

  1273. it.

  1274. But God

  1275. gives us

  1276. His favor

  1277. because He

  1278. loves us.

  1279. Please don't

  1280. think that

  1281. you've gone

  1282. too far.

  1283. Don't think

  1284. that you

  1285. don't deserve

  1286. God's love.

  1287. The whole

  1288. concept of

  1289. God's grace

  1290. rests on the

  1291. fact that each

  1292. one of us

  1293. deserves hell.

  1294. What a slap

  1295. of arrogance

  1296. at the love

  1297. of God

  1298. to say

  1299. that we

  1300. don't deserve

  1301. His forgiveness.

  1302. It's all

  1303. been accomplished

  1304. so that you

  1305. might have

  1306. life, an

  1307. abundant

  1308. life at that.

  1309. If you want

  1310. to know the

  1311. true love

  1312. and peace

  1313. and joy

  1314. that can

  1315. be yours,

  1316. you just

  1317. need to

  1318. surrender

  1319. to the

  1320. love of

  1321. Christ.

  1322. Wesley,

  1323. Alan Dodd,

  1324. the serial

  1325. killer,

  1326. writes back.

  1327. He said,

  1328. I said in

  1329. the courtroom

  1330. what the

  1331. papers reported

  1332. that I had

  1333. done a few

  1334. Bible studies

  1335. but didn't

  1336. consider myself

  1337. a Christian.

  1338. Later,

  1339. he says,

  1340. I've probably

  1341. put in at

  1342. least 2,000

  1343. hours of

  1344. Bible study.

  1345. There is

  1346. absolutely

  1347. no doubt

  1348. in my mind

  1349. after all

  1350. that studying

  1351. that the

  1352. Bible is

  1353. the Word

  1354. of God.

  1355. I was

  1356. baptized on

  1357. July 16,

  1358. 1991.

  1359. The reason

  1360. I did not

  1361. want to say

  1362. that in

  1363. court was

  1364. because I

  1365. didn't want

  1366. people thinking

  1367. that I'm

  1368. using God

  1369. to save

  1370. my own

  1371. life.

  1372. I will

  1373. not ask

  1374. any man

  1375. to spare

  1376. my life.

  1377. On July

  1378. 16,

  1379. of last,

  1380. I asked

  1381. Jesus Christ

  1382. to be my

  1383. attorney in

  1384. that court

  1385. where everyone

  1386. will face

  1387. judgment.

  1388. Man's law

  1389. says I

  1390. must die

  1391. and I

  1392. agree with

  1393. those laws.

  1394. I am also

  1395. aware that

  1396. my faith

  1397. is weak

  1398. and there

  1399. is far

  1400. too much

  1401. evil in

  1402. this prison.

  1403. I have

  1404. turned away

  1405. from the

  1406. Lord too

  1407. many times.

  1408. I come

  1409. back,

  1410. but if I

  1411. turn away

  1412. again,

  1413. I know

  1414. how easy

  1415. it would

  1416. be for

  1417. me to

  1418. kill

  1419. a guard.

  1420. I would

  1421. rather die

  1422. now than

  1423. take a

  1424. chance of

  1425. killing again

  1426. and turning

  1427. away from

  1428. God

  1429. permanently.

  1430. And Roger

  1431. responds and

  1432. says,

  1433. regardless of

  1434. whether you

  1435. still fight

  1436. the temptations,

  1437. the evidence

  1438. lies in

  1439. favor of

  1440. a changed

  1441. heart.

  1442. Even David,

  1443. a man of

  1444. lies,

  1445. adultery,

  1446. and murder

  1447. had a heart

  1448. after God.

  1449. You so

  1450. willingly lay

  1451. down your

  1452. life that

  1453. none other

  1454. should die

  1455. at your

  1456. hands.

  1457. That's the

  1458. love of

  1459. Christ working

  1460. in you.

  1461. You've

  1462. already

  1463. experienced

  1464. the victory

  1465. over Satan.

  1466. Even when

  1467. he would

  1468. try to have

  1469. his way

  1470. with you,

  1471. Jesus

  1472. reigns.

  1473. For even

  1474. though you

  1475. are in

  1476. this body

  1477. of death,

  1478. you have

  1479. been given

  1480. a peace

  1481. about having

  1482. it taken

  1483. from you.

  1484. God will

  1485. in turn

  1486. clothe you

  1487. with his

  1488. glory as

  1489. he has

  1490. already

  1491. bathed you

  1492. in his

  1493. love.

  1494. See,

  1495. every story

  1496. has a

  1497. villain and

  1498. every story

  1499. has a

  1500. hero.

  1501. We are

  1502. the villain

  1503. and Jesus

  1504. is the

  1505. hero.

  1506. Who are

  1507. we to say

  1508. that this

  1509. man cannot

  1510. receive the

  1511. grace that

  1512. God has

  1513. for him?

  1514. Who's to

  1515. say that you

  1516. cannot receive

  1517. the grace

  1518. that God

  1519. has for

  1520. you?

  1521. No man

  1522. is out of

  1523. the reach

  1524. of God's

  1525. love.

  1526. God's love

  1527. is great.

  1528. It is

  1529. life-changing.

  1530. God's love

  1531. is powerful.

  1532. The Grand

  1533. Canyon is

  1534. too small

  1535. to describe

  1536. God's love.