Abundant Grace for a Hurting World - 12/7/25 - Pastor Charlie Branch

Welcome to Meadows Baptist Church

[music] of Walnut Cove, North Carolina.

We're so glad you joined us today. If

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with your friends. [music] Now, let's

join Pastor Charlie Branch with a word

from God.

All right. Amen. If you have a Bible,

take with take it and turn with me the

book of Romans. Romans, chapter number

five. If you would please, when you find

your place, if you would stand on a

reference to the reading of God's word.

Romans chapter number five.

know everything's been geared a whole

lot towards Christmas this morning, but

I'll be real honest with you what I'm

going to share with you this morning. I

don't uh I think personally it's um goes

right along with that. You going to have

to just uh look for it if you want to

find it. Amen. But I just uh just felt

like Lord would have us to be here in

this text today. And uh I'm not a

hallmark preacher. Amen. I've made no

bones about that since I came. Amen. And

uh I may I may preach pre preach

Christmas. Amen. Up until Christmas. I

may preach hell on Christmas week. So

just you know just just telling you I'm

going to do what the Lord tells me to.

Okay. And uh that's supposed to be

funny, but y'all too tight this morning.

And y'all going to have to loosen up a

little bit. Okay. Romans chapter number

five. And uh I want to preach a thought

here out of this text. And I don't claim

any originality to this thought. And I

just want to be obedient to the Lord.

This is what I woke up with on my heart

this morning. And I just want to be

obedient to the Lord. Romans chapter 5,

Romans 5 · chapter mention

I want to begin reading verse number 12.

Romans chapter 5, verse number 12.

Romans 5 · chapter mention

The Bible says, "Wherefore, as by one

man sin entered into the world, and

death by sin, and so death passed upon

all men, for that all have sinned. For

until the law, sin was in the world. But

sin is not imputed when there is no law.

Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to

Moses, even over them that had not

sinned after the simitude of Adam's

transgression. Who is the figure of him

that was to come. But not as the

offense, so also is the free gift. For

if through the offense of one many be

dead, much more the grace of God, and

the gift by grace, which is by one man,

Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many,

not as it was by one that sin, so is the

gift. For the judgment was by one to

condemnation, but the free gift is of

many offenses unto justification. For if

by one man's offense death reign by one,

much more they which receive abundance

of grace, and of the gift of

righteousness shall reign in life by

one, Jesus Christ. Therefore, as by the

offense of one, judgment came upon all

men to condemnation, even so by the

righteousness of one, the free gift came

upon all men under justification of

life. For as by one's man one man's

disobedience many were made sinners, so

by the obedience of one shall many be

made righteous. In verse number 20, the

Bible says, "Moreover, the law entered

that the offense might abound. But where

sin abounded, grace did much more

abound. That as sin hath reigned unto

death, even so my grace reigned through

righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus

Christ our Lord. Let's pray together

this morning. Our Father, thank you so

much for the privilege, Lord, to stand

and preach this morning. And God, I

realize, Lord, where I stand today,

Father, I have no ability in my flesh.

God, as the apostle said, I know that

dwelleth in me, that's in my flesh, no

good thing. And so, Lord, I pray that

you would remove the flesh from us,

clothe us in our calling this morning,

hide us behind the cross, and get glory

to yourself. I pray, God, that you would

enable us to preach, give us liberty and

vocabulary this morning. Help us to

recall to remembrance the things that

we've studied concerning this text. And

Lord, I pray, Father, you'd speak to us

and through us this morning from your

word. God, I ask you, Lord, that you

would work in every heart this morning.

Save that one that's nearest to hell.

Reclaim the backsliden. And God, help us

all to be closer to you as a result of

this service and this sermon this

morning. God, I pray, Lord, that through

this season of the year, God, that we

would not become dry or drab, but Lord,

that we would become more fervent, Lord,

more faithful. And God, I pray we would

be more bold in our witness for thee,

God, as we exit these doors today. Help

us, God, to find somebody to hand a

track to and to be obedient, Lord, to

the command you've given to us. Lord, I

pray, Father, that you get all glory

this morning. Help us to receive with

meekness the engrafted word. And for

what you do, we'll be sure to give you

the thanks because we ask it in Jesus'

name. And all God's people said, "Amen."

Thank you for standing. You can be

seated. This morning I'm preaching on

the thought out of this text Romans

chapter number five. Abundant grace for

a hurting world. Abundant grace

>> for a hurting world. Now I'll be honest

with you this morning when I come to

this text. There's a lot of things that

come to my mind. I want to share a few

of those by way of introduction this

morning. Some things that I believe is

important when we consider this chapter.

When you look at a chapter in the word

of God, it's easy. many times to

cherrypick truth and you can take a

verse and claim that verse and sometimes

that's good but many times you miss the

point that the writer is trying to make

when you refuse to consider the entire

context and so chapter five when you

consider the book of Romans is

expressing the works of God and it

begins here in chapter number five with

the fact that God is lifting us and you

say what do you mean by that well notice

the first verse of Roman Romans 5, the

Bible says, "Therefore, being justified

by faith, we have peace with God through

our Lord Jesus Christ." And there is

that great doctrine of justification

where Paul spoke in Romans 4 about

Abraham that when the Bible says he

believed God in Genesis chapter 15 and

Genesis 15 · chapter mention

verse number six and the Bible says that

God counted it unto him for

righteousness and God justified him by

his faith. And I'll say it this way. I

like the way Dr. Wearsby said. He said,

"Faith is not believing in spite of

evidence." He said, "But it is obeying

in spite of consequence." You want to

express your faith this morning. Don't

tell me what you believe, but show me

how you behave this morning. And I

consider this text. I think about the

fact that God lifts us. I'll say he

lifts us through Jesus. Notice it in

verse number one. The Bible says,

"Therefore, being justified by faith, we

have peace with God through our Lord

Jesus Christ." And so, our standing

before God is because Jesus Christ has

exalted us. He has justified us. You've

heard it said, "Justification just as if

I had never sinned. I've been made like

the Son of God." Amen. This morning, I

don't know about you, but it's starting

to feel pretty good up here. Amen. I've

been justified through Jesus. Amen. And

because of that we have joy. Notice what

he says in verse number two. By whom

also we have access by faith into this

grace wherein we stand. Notice it now.

And rejoice in hope of the glory of God

because I've been justified through

Jesus this morning. My heart is full of

joy. Amen. Knowing that my life has been

changed. My eternity has been made

different because I have been exalted.

He has brought me up. He picked me up

out of the muck and mire of sin in this

world and brought me to his level right

by his side. Hallelujah. To fellowship

with him. And so I would say God lifts

us this morning. And I don't know about

you, but I'm thankful for the day love

lifted me. Amen. Out of the depths and

pits of sin. Amen. You say, "Preacher,

you was just seven years old." Oh,

friend, I still lost as a BALL AND TALL

WINGS. THANK GOD HE LIFTED ME OUT. AMEN.

And saved my never dying soul. AND SO

I'D SAY GOD LIFTS us this morning, but I

like this this morning. You consider

this chapter. And I've not got time to

preach it all, but I'm going to hit the

highlights. Amen. AND SO GOD LIFTS US.

BUT I'LL say this in this chapter of

verse, we all know God. He shows us that

he loves us. In verses number 1 through

5, he lifts us. But in verses 6 through

11, the Bible says that he loves us.

Notice what the Bible says. For when we

were yet without strength, in due time

Christ died for the ungodly. I'm saying

to you this morning that God loved you

when you were without ability to save

yourself. You had no ability, you had no

strength to bring deliverance in your

life. But God in his love, God in his

mercy, SHOWING YOU HIS GRACE, HE CHOSE

TO LOVE YOU IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT

YOU had nothing to offer him this

morning. And that's the truth this

morning. For those of us that are saved,

as well as those of us that are lost

this morning, it does not matter. You

say, "Preacher, well, I'm saved now. I

can give in my life, but you understand

the best that we have is worthless in

the sight of God." Oh, BUT IF WE'LL JUST

TURN IT OVER TO HIM AND LET HIM WORK

THROUGH US. I'M SAYING HIS LOVE CAN

SHINE IN OUR LIFE. AMEN. And we can show

the love of God to those that are around

us. He loved us in spite of the fact

that we had no ability. He loved us in

spite of the fact that we had no

advantage. Notice verse seven. For

scarcely for a righteous man will one

die. Yet per ad venture for a good man

some would even dare to die. But in

verse number eight he says but God

commendeth his love toward us in that

while we were yet sinners Christ died

for us. I'm saying friend he had no

REASON TO LOVE US. THERE WAS NOTHING

GOOD IN ME. THERE'S NOTHING GOOD IN YOU

THIS MORNING. THERE'S NOTHING WORTH

LOVING IN ANY OF US HERE TODAY. BUT

AREN'T YOU THANKFUL THAT A THRICE HOLY

GOD TOOK TIME OUT TO CONSIDER YOU AND I

THAT HE WOULD LOVE US SO MUCH TO SEND

HIS DARLING SON TO SAVE US. AMEN. And

seal us. I'm saying he loved us EVEN IN

SPITE OF THE FACT THAT WE HAD NO ABILITY

AND IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT WE HAD NO

ADVANTAGE. BUT I'LL SAY this this

morning. The Bible says here, his

affection is shown to us. Verse number

nine, look what he says. much more than

being now justified by his blood, we

shall be saved.

>> Amen. If y'all not going to help me this

morning, me and the Lord just going to

have us a time. AMEN. MUCH MORE than

hey, being justified. There's that word

again.

>> I've been made righteous, declared right

>> before God. You say, "Preacher, well, I

know what you are." I I got one better

on you. I know what I am.

>> Amen. But I got one even better than

that. He knows what I am. And you know

what? He justified me anyway.

>> Hallelujah. Amen. Praise God. I'm saying

he loves us this morning. I consider the

fact that God lifts us in verses 1-5. I

consider the fact that God loves us in

verses 6 through 11. And he notice,

notice that in verse 11, there's that

joy that's brought up again. Not only

so, but we also joy in God.

>> Amen.

>> Through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom

we have now received the atonement.

There is forgiveness. There is

remission. Amen. There is fellowship in

the presence of the father because of

Jesus Christ. And I want to consider

this this morning. This is the message

today. We consider that he he lifts us.

We consider that he loves us. We

consider thirdly this morning the

remainder of the chapter verses 12- 21.

We consider that God looses us.

>> God looses us. Now, Brother Andrew read

that text this morning and I thought he

was going to talk about that colt over

there and I was about to start jumping

up and down. Amen. Thinking about this

message. Amen. God just put it all

together. That's all right. She wasn't

off. All right. It was good. Amen.

Wasn't that good this morning?

>> But I was thinking about this text and

the fact that God looses us. And when I

consider this, Paul paints a picture

here in this text. And y'all pray for

me. I'm about stopped up this morning.

Pray God will help me. Verse number 12,

he says, "Wherefore, as by one man sin

entered into the world, and death by

sin, and so death passed upon all men,

for that all have sinned." And Paul here

begins to point out the problem of sin.

And he points out first of all about

this problem of sin. He he states the

problem first of all. Notice that.

Wherefore, as by one man, what entered

into the world? Sin. By one man, who's

that one man? That's Adam, ain't it?

Adam's the one that brought sin into

this world. his disobedience to the

command of God. He plunged the human

race into iniquity. And so there is the

presence of sin because of Adam. In

verse 12, there is the penalty of sin

because of Adam. In verse number 12,

look what he says. Sin entered into the

world and death by sin. You know the

reason why death has a 100% fatality

rate is because all in Adam all die. The

Bible says and Adam's sin brought death.

And that is the penalty for the wages of

sin is death. And so Adam is the one

that brought the presence of sin. He

brought sin into this world. But he also

brought along with it the penalty. But

I'll say this. He points out not only

the presence and the penalty, but he

points out the power of sin in verse 13

and 14. Look what he says. He says, "For

until the law, sin was in the world, but

sin is not imputed when there is no law.

Nevertheless, notice these next two

words. Death reigned.

>> You know what that means? Had control.

>> You say, "Preacher, well, they lived

long lives." But you know what? Even

though they lived almost a thousand

years, you know what still happened to

him? They all died,

>> right?

>> They all passed away and death reigned.

Death was sovereign. Let me just say

this to you this morning. Put in a

little parenthetical statement here this

morning. If you're lost, death's

reigning in your life. You're

>> right.

>> Amen. You are controlled. The sovereign

control in your life is death. And

what's going to happen to you if you do

not if you do not choose to trust

Christ, you will live out your life

under the reign of death. And death will

ultimately take you away

>> where you will forever be in the grips

and its clutches in hell. And I notice

this. He points out the problem of sin.

He states that problem verses 12 and 14.

But he begins to study this problem in

verses 15- 21. And I want to give you

three points this morning. And like I

said, all right, I claim no originality

to any of this. This is just what God

put on my heart for this tech, this this

service today. I want you to know, first

of all, in this text, number one, I'm

talking about abundant grace for a

hurting world. Number one, I see there's

a problem that is universal,

>> right?

>> There's a problem that is universal. And

you say, preacher, what do you mean?

Well, notice it again in verse number

12. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered

into the world, and death by sin, notice

this, and so death passed upon what?

>> All men.

>> What's the rest of the verse say,

church? For that all have sinned. I'm

talking about a universal problem this

morning. You realize from the oldest to

the youngest, from the strongest to the

weakest, from the richest to the

poorest, wherever you are this morning

and WHEREVER YOU MAY FIND YOURSELF

TOMORROW, SIN IS THE problem that

plagues this human race.

>> Adrien Rogers said this. He said, "The

heart of the human problem is the

problem of the human heart." And you

know what it is? It's sin.

>> Amen. The heart OF THE HUMAN PROBLEM IS

OUR HEART. AND THAT IS DECEITFUL AND

DESPERATELY WICKED ABOVE ALL THINGS. WHO

CAN KNOW IT? IT'S SINFUL. IT'S

DECEITFUL. AND EVERY PERSON IN HERE,

THOSE PRECIOUS LITTLE BABIES. AMEN. I

GOT a pretty little girl sitting right

there.

>> Prettiest thing I've ever seen in my

life besides my wife,

>> looks just like her.

>> She's going to go to sleep.

>> You know what? She's a sinner.

>> Right. You say, "Preacher, how could you

say that about that little child?"

>> You've heard me say it here time and

time again. David said this. He said,

"Behold, I was shapen in iniquity."

That's

>> right.

>> He said, "My mother's womb, I was shapen

in sin." He said, "And in sin did my

mother conceive me." He said, "I was

born in this world of sin."

>> You understand this morning, you're a

sinner by birth this morning because of

Adam's sin in the garden. You're a

sinner by nature because the nature of

Adam is within you. The reason why

children are bit to sin, the reason why

you never have to teach a child to cuss

and you never HAVE TO TEACH A CHILD TO

LIE AND you never HAVE TO TEACH A CHILD

TO GET MAD AT THEIR PARENTS IS BECAUSE

WE ARE BIT TO SIN.

>> And you are as well. You say, "Preacher,

but I'm more dignified than that." Oh,

no, friend. You see, it is your d it is

your dignification. Amen. That points

out your sin.

>> Amen. The truth is this morning, those

of us that's been saved, they know that

we know that there ain't an ounce of us

that's any good at all.

>> Amen. And when I consider this text, I

think about the fact that the problem of

sin is universal. I know first of all

the totality of this problem. Notice the

Bible there, verse 12. And so death

passed upon all men. So the problem, the

presence of sin is universal. The

penalty of sin is universal. Death

passed upon all men. And I want you to

think about this. All right? The power

of sin is universal.

>> The same temptation that I struggle with

is going to be the same temptation that

you struggle with.

>> The Bible says there's nothing new under

the sun. And let me say this to you this

morning. Wherever you stand, do not feel

alone. Let me say this to you, child of

God. Take time out here just for a

minute. You do not do not feel alone,

child of God. If there's a temptation of

sin that you struggle with in your life,

do not let the devil single you out and

tell you that you're the only one that

you're the scum OF THE EARTH. HEY, YOU

JUST let him know that where he's going

one OF THESE DAYS. AMEN. YOU TELL HIM,

"I'LL NEVER go there cuz I've been saved

and God's going to help me defeat the

THING THAT'S GOING TO TAKE YOU UNDER."

AMEN. WHAT I'M SAYING THIS MORNING IS

THIS. THE POWER OF SIN is universal. IT

IS A TOTAL PROBLEM THIS MORNING across

the board. YOUNG AND OLD, RICH AND POOR.

EVERY GENERATION OF EVERY PERSON THAT'S

EVER BEEN BORN ON GOD'S EARTH HAS A

PROBLEM with sin. Amen.

>> Yeah.

>> It's a universal. It's a total problem.

I'm moving. Notice not only this problem

in universal, the totality, notice the

time. You say, "Preacher, if this is a

universal problem, where'd it begin?"

Well, notice the text. Look what your

Bible says in verse number 14.

Nevertheless, death reigned. What's the

next two words from Adam? You know what

happened when Adam decided to step out?

There's a principle here that I'm not

going to actually I'm going to go over

this because I just feel impressed to.

Look what the Bible says here in verse

14. Nevertheless, death reigned from

Adam to Moses, even over them that had

not sinned after the simitude of Adam's

transgression. And you say, "Preacher,

what was Adam's transgression?" It was

willful disobedience,

>> right?

>> Willful disobedience. You say, "What do

you mean?" When Eve took of that fruit

in the garden, the Bible says that the

the serpent begiled Eve, she was fooled

by what he said. His deceit, his

trickery caught her eye, grabbed her

heart. So, she was deceived. But you

know what the Bible says? Adam was not

deceived. Right?

>> Eve was tempted and deceived. Adam was

tempted and not deceived.

>> Right?

>> And you know what he did? He chose to

disobey.

>> And so Adam's transgression, look what

he says there in the text. The Bible

says, even over them that had not

sinned, after the similitude of Adam's

transgression, he said, "Not everybody

that followed after him committed this

same willful disobedience." But you know

what? Because they were all conceived

from the womb of Eve. And

>> they had Adam's seed in them.

>> Right.

>> Every soul.

>> Yeah.

>> If you could live your entire life and

never willfully sin. That's something I

need to teach here at the church in the

future. There's a difference between

willful disobedience as a sin of

presumptuous sin. As David talks about,

there is willful disobedience and then

there is disobedience out of ignorance.

>> Right?

>> There's a difference. Amen. There's a

big difference. What I'm saying this

morning is this. Regardless whether or

not if it were possible that you could

live your whole life and never even sin,

you know what? You would still be

condemned.

>> Right?

>> Say, "Preacher, how is that? How is

that?" Because you was born in sin.

>> Amen.

>> Amen. And so we consider here the

totality of this problem, the time of

this problem from Adam. But what's the

truth? Let me give you this. The truth

of this problem, what's what's the truth

about this problem? Now, the Bible

points out a few things here in verses

15, 16, and 17. I would say first of

all, in verse 15, you're going to find

out that we are corrupted. You say,

"What do you mean, preacher?" Well,

notice verse 15. But not as the offense,

so also as the free gift. For if through

the offense of one, notice this, many be

dead. Adam's wrongdoing caused an entire

human race to be corrupted. You know the

reason why this body has to die because

it's corrupted. The Bible teaches us in

1 Corinthians 15 when the rapture takes

place, what does the Bible say? For this

corruptible must put on incorruption. We

have been corrupted by the offense of

Adam. You are a sinner this morning

because of somebody else's wrongdoing.

You say, "Preacher, well that's not

fair." Well, there's never been a one

other than Jesus that lived a sinless

life.

>> Amen. And so that tells me that if you'd

been in Adam's place, you've done the

same thing.

>> That's right.

>> Amen. That's exactly right. Say,

"Preacher, I don't believe that." You

don't have to. I'm right. Amen.

>> Amen.

>> And so we are corrupted. HOW DO WE KNOW

THAT? Many be dead. When he says many be

dead, he's not just talking about a

majority. You're

>> right.

>> That word many there really means all.

>> You're right.

>> Amen. Many be dead. We are corrupted.

Death has went in. You say, "Preacher,

what's an illustration of that?" When

you think about about meat, you take

some meat. What happens to that thing

after you you you take a deer and you

kill that thing? You you flay that meat

off of there. If you leave it laying

outside,

>> you know what happens? That corruption

begins to show the longer it sits,

doesn't it?

>> You say, "Preacher, was that corruption

always there?" Sure was.

>> Amen. But you just got there's just a

period of time you get before you get to

cook it out.

>> Amen. And if you leave it too long, it's

going to be corrupted perpetually.

>> Here's the truth about it. Your life is

a space.

>> You're corrupted.

>> But if you live your whole life in that

corrupted state, you know what you're

going to do? You're going to go to hell

and rot. You're

>> right.

>> Yeah.

>> I'll be I know that's graphic, but it's

the truth. You're

>> right.

>> Truth is, you've got a space of grace,

but you are corrupted this morning.

>> You are a sinner, though. For all have

sinned and come short of the glory of

God. There's none that doeth good.

There's none that's righteous. Know not

one. And so we are corrupted. Verse 15.

Through the offense of one, many be

dead. Notice verse 16. I'm moving. Not

only are we corrupted, but we're also

condemned. Look what the Bible says. And

not so not as it was by one that sinned,

so is the gift. For the judgment was by

one, notice this, to condemnation.

Because of Adam's sin, the entire human

race is not only corrupted, but

condemned. You're right.

>> You are condemned not because of what

you do.

>> Listen to the preacher now. You are not

condemned because of what you do. You

are condemned because of who you are.

>> And because of who you are, you do what

you do.

>> Amen. You don't Hey, listen to me now.

All right. You are not a sinner because

you sin.

>> You are a You are You sin because you

are a sinner.

>> You're right.

>> Amen. And so you are condemned. For the

wages of sin is death.

>> Amen. John chapter number three. I want

to read this verse. John chapter number

three. The cardinal sin of the human

race is unbelief.

>> Amen.

>> John chapter number three. The cardinal

sin. Verse 36. He that believeth on the

son hath everlasting life. And he that

believeth not the son shall not see

life, but the wrath of God what?

Abideth.

It abideth on him. You are presently

condemned this morning. You are

corrupted, but you are presently

condemned. You say, "Preacher, I'm not

in hell yet." You're as good as there if

you're lost.

>> That means you say, "Preacher, how could

you say that?" If you died right now,

>> you'd be in hell.

>> Amen.

>> Because you're corrupted. Not only

corrupted, you're condemned.

>> Amen. You say, "Preacher, that's you.

You said that it's just by Adam." It is.

Adam's sin has corrupted you and

condemned you. But remember,

>> you'd have done the same thing,

>> right? Amen.

>> And you prove it every day of your life.

You're

>> right.

>> Unbelief.

We are corrupted. We are condemned.

Notice this. Thirdly, and I'm going to

move on to the next point of the

message. We're not only corrupted and

condemned, but we're also controlled.

Notice verse 17. For if by one man's

offense, notice the next two words,

death reigned.

You are corrupted by sin. You are

condemned because of your sin. But I'll

say this, you're controlled.

>> Right?

>> Amen. Death reigned. The reason why,

listen to me now. Death is not just a

happening. It's not just an event. Okay?

Death is not just the physical act of

this body giving up life. Death is the

state of who you are before you get

saved. You're

>> right.

>> Amen. Bible says Ephesians 2, you hath

he quickened. Amen. You've been saved.

You hath HE QUICKENED WHO ARE DEAD.

>> RIGHT?

>> You can't get saved if you're not

breathing.

>> Amen.

>> Amen. You say, "Well, what's he talking

about?" He's talking about spiritually

dead. When Adam sinned in the garden and

Satan deceived him, told Eve said, "You

shall not surely die." Oh, but he was

lying.

>> You say, "Preacher, well, they didn't

die immediately." He wasn't talking

about physical death.

>> He was talking about spiritual death.

And the moment, listen to me now, the

moment, the very moment that you're born

into this world, you are dead

>> spiritually.

You say, "Preacher, what about children

for the age of accountability?" God

gives grace. Amen.

>> There will no soul of any baby.

>> You're right.

>> Child before knowledge of sin ever. You

hear me? They will never go to hell.

>> Right.

>> Calvinists buy that stuff. Okay. They

believe that. They say that babies that

die before the age of accountability

that weren't elected to go to heaven,

they die to go to hell. Could you

believe that?

>> God never sends anybody to hell without

them choosing to go there.

>> You're right.

>> Amen. That's exactly right. This

morning, you you notice this in this

text, I'm talking about the fact that we

are controlled. For if by one man's

offense, death reign by one. DEATH HAS

HAD CONTROL. SIN HAS HAD CONTROL. THAT'S

THE REASON WHY WE'RE BENT to sin.

Because death has control. But oh,

remember who's got the keys.

>> Amen.

>> Amen. Right. In

>> fact, I'm going to move. We consider the

problem that's universal. You get the

point this morning. Amen. We are

corrupted because of our corruption. We

are condemned. We are controlled

>> right

>> by that corruption in our life. Notice

this. Second of all, and we going to get

to the good part of the message. Amen.

Amen. Y'all ain't no hurry, I hope.

Amen. We going to preach a little while.

I feel like preaching.

>> The problem that's universal. Second of

all, I note this. The provision that's

undeniable.

the provision that is undenied.

You say, "Preacher, where do you find

that in these verses?" Well, notice what

the Bible says. Verse number 14.

Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to

Moses, even over them that had not

sinned after the simult of Adam's

transgression. Notice this. Who is the

figure of him that was to come? Who's he

talking about? He's talking about Jesus.

You say, "Preacher, how could Adam be

the figure of the one that was to come?"

Well, you see, Adam didn't have father

or mother.

>> Amen. Adam was not born to a man and a

woman in this world.

>> Jesus didn't have an earthly father.

Galatians chapter 4 and verse number

Galatians 4 · chapter mention

four, the Bible says, "But when the

fullness of time was come, God sent

forth his son made of a woman to redeem

them which were under the law." Amen. He

was delivered to this world, having not

a earthly father. He had a womb. Amen.

That mother that raised him on this

earth. But like Adam, he was God's only

begotten.

>> And so the first Adam, the Bible said he

brought death.

>> But this last Adam,

>> he's going to bring life.

>> And notice what's said in this text, the

provision that's undeniable. You say,

"What's this provision?" Notice verse

15. There's a man in verse number 14,

but there's a gift in verse 15. But not

as the offense, so also is the I love

this part. free gift. Amen. We all like

free gifts. Amen. You ladies prove that

very well last night. I ain't seen some

of y'all smile like that in I don't know

how long. Amen. Them free gifts. We like

those kinds of things.

>> Amen.

>> But when I read this, you say, "What's

that referring to?" Well, that is

referring to the gift of Jesus Christ.

>> He is the gift.

Them angels told them boys that field,

>> for behold, I bring you good tidings

>> of great joy. What do you say? Which

shall be to all [screaming]

people,

>> a gift for all nations, a gift FOR ALL

PEOPLE FOR SALVATION TO BE OFFERED. HE

IS THE GIFT. WHAT DOES HE BRING? WELL,

for our corruption, he brings a promise

of life. Notice verse number 15. But not

as the offense, so also as the free

gift. For if through the offense of one

many be dead, notice this. Much more the

grace of God, and the gift by grace,

notice this, which is by one man, Jesus

Christ.

>> Amen.

>> What did Jesus bring,

John 10:10, the thief cometh not, but

John 10:10

for to steal, to kill, and destroy. He

said, but I am come that they might have

life. He gives a promise of life. What

is that? You say it. No. You said,

"Preacher, I don't see that in the

text." Notice what he says. Much more

the grace of God and the gift

>> by grace. It is the life that is

imparted INTO THE BELIEVER WHEN WE ARE

SAVED. You understand this morning?

Because of the blood of Jesus, life is

on the inside of me this morning. I'm

not preaching to you just because I'm in

a human body swelling up my flesh and

yelling, "Amen, just because I feel like

it." I'm preaching TO YOU BECAUSE

THERE'S LIFE ON THE INSIDE THAT SAYS,

"OH, SON, TELL THE STORY. TELL THE

STORY. TELL THE GOSPEL ONE MORE TIME.

HE'S COME TO BRING LIFE." AND HIS GIFT

to you is life. Amen.

>> Amen.

>> He is bringing a promise of life. He

brought with him for our corruption a

promise of life. You see, death is what

has corrupted us. But Jesus, hallelujah,

he's going to REVERSE THE CURSE. AMEN.

AND DEATH IS NO LONGER GOING TO BRING

DECAY IN OUR LIFE. BUT HALLELUJAH, LIFE

IS GOING TO RAIN. And there's a promise

to you and I that it's not just here.

>> Paul said, if in this life only we have

hope in Christ, we're of all men most

miserable. Aren't you thankful that life

is not just for here, but life really

only begins when we get over there.

Amen. I'm saying he has BROUGHT A

PROMISE OF LIFE. AMEN.

>> He has brought deliverance from our

corruption. Notice second of all, not

only he's brought a promise of life for

our corruption, but second of all, he's

brought this power of lifting for our

condemnation.

Oh yeah. Verse 16. And not as it was by

one that sinned, so is the gift. For the

judgment was by one to condemnation, but

the free gift is of many offenses under

justification. You say, "Preacher,

what's all that mean?" Let me tell you,

one sin, hear me now, one sin brought

universal condemnation.

>> But I'll say this, one sacrifice,

>> brought universal forgiveness,

>> right?

>> Oh, friend, if sin was bad enough,

[laughter]

if sin was bad enough to condemn to to

condemn an entire race of people,

>> Amen. If one sin was bad enough to

condemn entire race of people, how how

much better you think one sacrifice

>> will take care of every sin? I'm saying,

oh friend, the writer said it best,

where sin abounds, grace did much more

abound. I'm saying where THERE WAS

CONDEMNATION, WE'VE BEEN LIFTED OUT

[screaming] NO LONGER UNDER THE

CONDEMNATION OF SIN ANYMORE. NO LONGER

TO SUFFER, NO LONGER TO FEAR JUDGMENT.

I'M SAYING THE CURSE HAS BEEN LIFTED.

AMEN. AMEN.

>> NO MORE CONDEMNATION. HALLELUJAH.

There's therefore now no condemnation TO

THEM WHICH ARE IN CHRIST JESUS. NOBODY

CAN LAY A CHARGE TO GOD'S ELECT, GOD'S

PEOPLE. NOBODY CAN MARK THE CHILDREN OF

GOD BECAUSE THE CONDEMNATION HAS been

lifted. Amen.

>> I'm saying, friend, that that

condemnation has been LIFTED OFF US BY

THE POWER OF GOD.

>> This free gift takes care of all the

offenses.

>> Right? Notice that verse 16, but the

free gift is of many offenses under

justification. He's saying every sin. Oh

man, I love this.

>> Go ahead.

>> Every sin, he said, this gift is good

enough to justify every sinner.

>> You're right.

>> That's right.

>> What John say? He is the propitiation

for our sins, but not for ours only.

>> Right.

>> But also,

>> for the sins of the whole world.

>> You're right.

>> You can be justified this morning.

There's the promise of life for our

corruption. There's the power of lifting

for our condemnation. But I'll say this,

and I like this one best. We have

deliverance. We have a departure. We are

able to be away from the condemnation.

When Jesus judges this world on that

great white throne, you know what? I'm

going to be behind him.

>> Amen.

>> That's right.

>> I won't have to flee away.

>> I won't be afraid, but I'll be safe,

protected in my master's arms.

I consider not only the promise of life

for our corruption, the prayer of li the

power of lifting for our condemnation,

but I consider this. Thirdly, I consider

the perpetual liberty to override our

past control.

>> Notice verse 17. For by one man's

offense, death reigned by one. There's

that control.

Much more they which receive abundance

of grace and of the gift of

righteousness, oh I love this, shall

reign.

Now get this now. The first part of the

verse said death reigned.

The second part of the verse says you

reign. That's

>> right.

>> Notice it again. He said which much more

they which receive abundance of grace

and of the gift of righteousness shall

reign where? In life? by one Jesus

Christ. You say, "Preacher, does that

mean I'm gonna be a king?" Well, here's

the thing about it.

It ain't got nothing to do with an

earthly throne. That's

>> right.

>> Amen. Ain't that good, brother Matt?

>> What are we? We're joint hes.

>> Amen.

>> My brother's the king.

>> Amen. We are joint hes with Jesus Christ

equal.

All his rights are our rights.

>> I'm saying death reigned. We were

controlled by sin, by Satan, AND MYSELF.

BUT OH, THANK GOD. WHEN LIFE TOOK OVER,

NO LONGER DID DEATH REIGN. BUT THANK

GOD, WE ARE NOW DOMINANT IN THE PERSON

OF JESUS CHRIST. THE REASON WHY I CAN

STAND UP HERE AND PREACH TO YOU AND

REJOICE KNOWING THAT THERE'S A

DIFFERENCE IN MY LIFE IS BECAUSE DEATH

IS NOT REIGNING OVER ME ANYMORE.

>> DEATH IS NOT REIGNING OVER ME. HEY

FRIEND, I AM DOMINATING DEATH. YOU SAY,

"PREACHER, how can YOU SAY THAT?" WELL,

notice verse number two of chapter 6.

Look what he says. God forbid. How shall

we that are dead to sin live any longer

therein?

>> You know what the truth is this morning?

Don't fall out with me right here. Okay?

When you got saved, you know what

happened? You died to death.

[laughter]

>> Oh, that'll help you THIS MORNING. YOU

DIED to sin.

>> You're right. And any effect of sin in

your life that comes upon you, you allow

it to come.

>> That's right. Good pre.

>> Amen.

>> There's no temptation taking you but

such as is common to man. But the Bible

says he that he will make a way of

escape for you that you may be able to

bear. How is that? Through and by the

power of the spirit of God.

>> I'm saying there is dominance. There's

deliverance. There's a departure from

condemnation. But there is DOMINANCE

OVER THE CONTROL OF THIS WORLD. IF YOU

ARE A CHILD OF GOD, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO

live ruled by your feelings, ruled by

the people around you, RULED BY THIS

WORLD. YOUR SIN DOES NOT CONTROL YOU

this morning. If you allow it to do so,

that is on your own terms.

>> Amen.

>> You say, "Preacher, where you going with

all this?" Well,

I was hoping somebody get happy. Amen.

Good tonight.

Verse number 18. Y'all about to kill me.

I'll say this. Verse number 18, where

judgment was, now there's justification.

Therefore, as by the offense of one,

judgment came upon all men to

condemnation, even so by the

righteousness of one, the free gift came

upon all men

>> under justification of life. You say,

"Preacher, does that mean everybody's

saved?" No, that means everybody can be

saved. Amen.

>> Where judgment was, now there is

justification. Second of all, verse 19,

where condemnation was, now there is

conversion. For as by one man's

disobedience, many were made sinners, so

by the obedience of one shall many be

made righteous.

>> Amen.

>> Verse number 20. Moreover, the law

entered that the offense might abound.

But where sin abounded, grace did much

more abound. Now, this is the last point

this morning.

We've considered the problem that's

universal. We've considered the

provision that is undeniable.

But there thirdly, and I'm done. There's

two possibilities that must be

understood this morning.

>> You're right, brother.

>> There's two possibilities that must be

understood. And you say, "What are

those, preacher?" Well,

it comes down simply to this. What

you're willing to choose.

[snorts] And now, there's many in this

world today say that man is totally

depraved, that he has no ability to

choose for himself. He would not choose

salvation. But the truth is this morning

the Bible does not teach that. You're

>> right.

>> God gives man a free will. Man was a

free moral agent in the garden. Man is a

free moral agent in the Baptist church

this morning.

>> You're right.

>> Some 6,000 7,000 however many years it's

been. Man is still a free moral agent.

And it is a choice that's left up to

you. You say, "Preacher, what's the

choices?" Well, it's Jesus.

>> You're right.

>> Come on.

>> Or whatever else you want to choose.

>> Amen.

>> You say, "Preacher, well, I'm going to

choose not to choose." Well, to choose

not to choose is to choose.

>> That's right. You're right.

>> You hear what I'm saying?

>> Amen.

>> To choose not to choose is to refuse.

>> Right.

>> The grace of God.

>> Yeah.

>> You say, "Preacher, what's my choices?

Heaven or hell?"

>> That's right.

>> You say, "Preacher, how how do you see

that in this text?" WELL, YOU SEE IN

THIS TEXT, THE BIBLE SAID IN VERSE 18,

notice again, verse 16, verse 18, same

truth. Therefore, as by the offense of

one, judgment came upon all men to

condemnation, even so by the

righteousness of one. Notice those three

words, the free gift.

You say, "Preacher, I don't see a

choice." Well, let me just ask you

something. All right.

Have you ever been given a gift

and you didn't reach out for it and take

it?

>> That's good.

>> You say, "Preacher, that's not a

choice." Well, you had to decide whether

or not you was going to receive it.

>> Right.

>> Yeah.

>> Salvation is a gift.

>> Right.

>> It's a gift. The Bible says in Ephesians

2:89, "For by grace are you saved

through faith that not of yourselves.

It's the gift of God." That's

>> right.

>> Not of works, lest any man should boast.

>> And what he is doing this morning is

he's holding out his gift.

>> You're right.

>> And you going to have to do one of two

things.

>> You're going to have to say, "Lord, I

want it."

>> Yes.

>> Lord, I'll take it.

>> Come on.

>> Boy, I felt something on that.

Hallelujah. I'm glad that little

seven-year-old boy didn't know no better

than nothing on that altar in Greater

Vision Baptist Church in Wils County,

North Carolina. Hey, I didn't know a

thing. All I knew is my daddy was a

great man. I was going to die and go to

hell THAT NIGHT IF GOD DIDN'T SAVE ME.

AND I WENT UP THERE TO THAT ALTAR AND I

SAID, "LORD, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU WANT

ME TO DO. BUT LORD, I'LL DO WHATEVER YOU

ASKED. JUST SAVE ME. JUST SAVE ME." AND

YOU KNOW WHAT HE DID? HE SAVED ME. AND

THERE AIN'T NEVER BEEN A DAY SINCE THAT

I AIN'T BEEN SAVED. SOMEBODY SAY,

"AMEN." THERE AIN'T NEVER BEEN A MOMENT,

AIN'T NEVER BEEN A TIME, AIN'T NEVER

BEEN A PLACE THAT I'VE WENT THAT I GOT

OUTSIDE OF HIS REACH BECAUSE I TOOK THE

FREE GIFT.

>> AMEN.

>> LORD, I want it.

>> But as the offense, so also is the free

gift. Let me ask you, do you want it?

>> Amen.

>> Are you tired of your sin?

>> Come on.

See, you going to have to realize you

you're you're

I don't say this to be vulgar, but the

truth is if you're lost, you're

hellbound, friend.

>> You're right.

>> With the hammer down,

>> and you're going to get there quicker

than you know it. One thing I've

realized in the last year, and I don't

know nothing about it, but I've realized

so much more. Seems like just

exponentially more in the last year of

pastoring. God has been so good,

>> right?

>> But this thing really goes by fast.

>> Amen.

I mean, it gets by fast.

>> I told my wife the other day, I said,

"Honey," I said, "Really, everything's

been so good." I said, "I really just

want it to slow down a little bit."

>> Right.

>> I said, "I'm just thankful for where

we're at. I just want us to just enjoy

this for a little while, and it just

feels like it's just slipping away."

That's

>> right.

>> But you know what the truth is this

morning? If you're lost, you've got

nothing to look forward to.

>> Right.

>> Yeah. The best life you're going to live

is here.

>> Right.

>> And the sad thing is this life's

terrible.

>> Yeah.

>> Say, "Preacher, you just said it's

great. It is for me. I'm saved."

>> Amen.

>> Yeah. We got to put up with a lot of

junk, deal with a lot of things. But you

know what the truth is? Heaven's our

home, friend.

>> And the choice is yours. You see, it

comes down to this choice. To choose, to

not choose or to refuse brings death and

damnation and hell. But I'll say this,

but there is a hope that's revealed.

>> Amen.

>> For the child of God. There's a higher

realm that you can live on. There's a

holy race of people that you can join.

And there's a heavenly reward that you

can receive.

>> Amen.

>> If you'll just say, "Lord,

please

>> forgive me.

Please save me from hell."

>> Amen.

>> You say, "Preacher, what's it going to

take?" You accepting the gift. Amen.

>> As we stand this morning, every head

bowed and every eye closed, she begins

to play. I'm talking about abundant

grace for a hurting world. You're

hurting this morning.

I'll tell you, the only thing that'll

fix it [music] is Jesus.

That's the only thing that'll fix it.

He's the only one that gives life. He's

the only one that forgives sin. He's the

only one that'll bring joy into your

life.

You say, "Preacher,

preacher, I'm not saved this morning.

Would you please pray for me?" There's

nobody looking around. Just slip your

hand up where I can see it. All right,

preacher, I'm not saved. Would you

please pray [music] for me? Slip your

hand up where I can see it and hold it.

All right. [music]

God sees that.

Here's

the truth this morning. [music]

When it comes down to your life and

mine,

there's none of us good. [music] And

your good is not going to be good enough

to get you to heaven.

[music]

And so what you need to do is you need

to trust Jesus.

You say, "Preacher, how do I do that?

Preacher, how do I do that?" Let me let

me say this this morning.

It is simple [music]

simple trust

[music] in the fact that he paid your

sin debt. And what you're doing is

saying, "Lord, [music] I take who I am

and I place it on you. Please forgive me

of my sins. Take my sin and give me your

righteousness."

And he will save you.

You just pray and ask God forgive you

and he'll save you. Let me say this to

you. This altar is open. If you're here

and you're lost this morning, don't

wait.

Don't wait. Come to this altar and get

saved.

Don't wait. [music]

His grace is good enough for you

wherever you are.

>> [music]

>> I promise you if he'll save me,

he'll save you. [music]

>> You see, I know what I am.

And the fact that he would save me and

he would love me boggles my mind.

[music] I can tell you this, he loves

you this morning.

Why don't you come? [music] Won't you

come?

You can be saved today. Don't wait.

[music]

Thank you for loving me. I ask it in

Jesus name. Amen.

>> Thank you for joining our service today.

We'd love it [music] if you'd join us in

person the next time you are able at

Meadows Baptist Church. Our physical

[music] address is 2988 Stewart Road in

Walnut Cove, North Carolina. Our service

[music] times are Sunday school at 10:00

a.m., Sunday morning worship at 11:00

a.m., Sunday evening worship at 6:00

p.m., and Wednesday evening [music]

Bible study at 7:00 p.m. For more

information, visit us at

meadowsbaptisturch.com.

Thanks again for [music] tuning in.