Romans 5:1-11 | Justified by Faith in Christ

This is City Post Church. We're about three things.

Build equipped and send. All under the.

Lordship of Jesus Christ. A small church plant in Fort

Worth, TX. Who decided to do things a

little differently? Adoramos.

Ajesu Cristo. I love City Post because of the

people. It's where I belong.

We truly preach the Word. I love City Post because of the

community we've been able to build.

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Darkness. This is City Post podcast.

Good morning, everybody and. Yeah, like Ray said.

Welcome to the. Summer and I know like.

Soon as summer hit all the teachers, it's like roaches in

the light. It's gone.

Not going to see them for a minute, but it's all.

Right. They deserve that break.

Hey, but welcome guys. I'm glad you made it.

Out today. If you have your Bibles, we're

going to be in Romans chapter 5. Romans chapter 5 and man it is

Romans 5 · chapter mention Romans 5 · chapter mention

a. Busy season, lots going on.

Lot of graduations, lots of celebrations, Lots.

Of people. Traveling, vacation and my

prayer. For.

Just a few moments that. We have today that we're able

just to. Focus on what God wants to tell

us. So let me.

Pray for us so, Father I. Just pray for this time

together. Lord, I pray.

That you help me to. Focus God that you.

Just with everything going on that you just helped me to block

things out so that way I could just focus on your word.

I just for a few moments. Lord, I pray that you speak

through me. Father, I pray that all these

things come from You and not myself.

So Jesus, we love. You and we praise you, and we

thank you. And we be and we.

Just pray that you be with those who are out of town right now,

that you keep them safe and bring them back in Jesus name,

Amen. Amen.

All right, let's go ahead and dive into it.

Romans chapter 5. I'm just going to read.

Romans 5 · chapter mention

The 1st 2 verses and then we got to talk about this whole.

Idea of being justified, right? So it's pretty, it's a great,

great truth, especially when you talk.

About what? The Gospel.

Message entails. So look at verses.

One and two, it says, and we boast in the hope.

Of the glory of God. What's a long sentence?

Paul. Right.

So let let's talk about this a little bit.

I want to talk a little bit about.

What means to be justified? Now I don't know.

About you guys. But when I'm at home and when

I'm working on something and I'm sitting on my.

Couch I have to have. Something on anybody?

Else like that. Like whether it's music, a a

movie, ATV, show, something and I want to, I want something on

that it's not going to cause me to pay too much attention to.

So it's like reruns or something I've seen 100 times.

So the other day. As as I was doing some reading

and some research, you know I throw on The Dark Knight.

That's my go to. Rach would agree with me.

And I was watching. The Dark Knight Rises.

And as I'm watching this movie, if you guys are not familiar, it

came out 20. 12 as I'm. Watching this movie, it's not

just Batman versus Bane. There's another character in

there and her name is Catwoman and Catwoman in this movie.

She has a little bit of a. Different plot line.

She's after something called the clean slate.

You know anything coming back to you all?

You're like, I've never even seen this movie.

It's alright, it came out in 2012.

You only catch up, right? There's this thing that she's.

After and it's called the. Clean slate and and pretty much

what the whole premise. Of this is is that.

She lived the kind of. Past that has caught up to her

present. And because her past.

Caught up to her. Present.

It's actually impacting her. Future SO.

In her mind, it's. Like if I could just.

Get my hands on the clean. Slate, It'll take away all.

Of my past. It'll it'll give me a fresh

start. And I'll be able to continue.

To live the future. That I want because right now my

past is pressing on me and it's causing me to do all these

things. So for Catwoman, the promise is

the clean slate. She's like if I could.

Erase my past, then that's going to put a New Hope in my present,

and it's going to allow me to get.

To the future that I. Imagine.

And I don't know what. Christopher Nolan was thinking,

but he just explained justification and as I'm paying.

Attention and it's like, and then I was like at the gym and

they had an early 2000s playlist and fabulous.

Came on. Right or. 2004.

And this song, like, it's one of my favorite songs, like Breathe.

And as I'm running and I'm listening to it out loud, you

know, in the gym, he says a line that I'm like, bro, that's the

same. I'm like, that makes so much

sense. He says your future.

Looks better than the past when you're present.

With the man. Breathe, right?

I mean like. I was like, man, that makes so

much. Yes, it's it's, it's all about

like your future regardless of your past.

And as I'm, I'm listening to all these things and then I look at

scripture and we look. At what the?

Gospel entails this whole idea of justification is given to us

through Christ. Where Christ looks at us.

When we ask for forgiveness. And we put our faith.

In Him, and then he gives us his righteousness, and we are now

able to stand in front of God, who is the ultimate judge, and

God does not look. At us as a.

Sinful person. He doesn't look at us as an

enemy. He looks.

At us as his. Sons and daughters, that's

justification, and I want to talk.

A little bit about this word because this is so.

Important for us to understand what justification is so real

quickly I want to put. Up a quick.

Definition. We'll put up definition #1 when

you. Look at the Greek.

Instruction of justification in the English translation.

With the the the. Definition is a one time legal

declaration with continuing results, but it's not an ongoing

process, so the ongoing. Process is what we call.

Sanctification, and that's going to be another week.

Right now we're talking about the one time thing that hits.

US, which is called justification.

So when I am justified through my faith in Christ, it is a one

time deal. I don't have to continually.

Go to God and be like OK. God, please find me.

Innocent. Please find me innocent.

Please no. He finds you innocent one time

because of Christ, and that's it.

And because he finds you innocent.

Because he sees his Son in you. You don't have to.

Keep doing that. So it's a one time instance, but

it's also an ongoing process. So every time I sin, every time

I fall short in my shortcomings and in my sinful nature, I am

covered. By the blood of Christ.

I am covered by his. Sacrifice so I could go to God

and God. Sees.

Me as innocent, not guilty. That's justification right

there. So what does?

Justification mean even if you look at the Greek.

Words like there's two Greek. Words in scripture because.

Justification and righteousness actually come from the same

meaning. So if you.

Look at justification. It's dichosis, which is the way

that you say it. It's like dichaosis.

There you go, dichaosis. But then if you look at.

Righteousness. Righteousness is dichaos, nae.

So righteousness and justification are coming from

the same language, which mean about the same thing.

So that means that I'm able to stand in front of a judge with

my chest held. High.

Not having to. Worry about the.

Punishment coming down on me. Like some, like some of us, we.

We've had to stand in front. Of a judge before.

And it is nerve racking because I have no idea what's going to

happen and I don't got Johnny Cochran on my side.

So I don't know what the judge is going to do to me.

I don't know what's going to come down.

I don't know how they're feeling, what kind of evidence.

I don't know how they feel about that.

Like there's so many things that run through your mind as the

sentence is going to be cast down on you.

So whenever. You're justified.

You're able to. Stand in front of the judge just

and also right rightly, like you're not worried.

You feel confident on what's going to come down on you.

We could even break this down. I like to break down the word

justified as. It's just.

As if I'd never sinned. If you say that word slowly,

right, so Jesus looks at us, we're.

Justified, just as I've never sinned.

Before even though I have. Sinned, but because I have his

righteousness. Through his forgiveness, I'm

justified. So this is a better.

Definition. More of a biblical definition.

When we look at justified, so go and put that.

Second one up justification is a formal.

Acquittal by God, whereby he. Pronounces a.

Sinner to be righteous because. Of that sinner's faith in

Christ, that makes a little bit more sense.

When we look. At the gospel message.

So justification is how? God sees us holy.

And he sees. Us just this is that.

Out of Ephesians. So when we look at the book.

Of Romans, Gary so brilliantly talked us through what

redemption looks like in Romans chapter. 3.

Then when you get into Romans chapter 4, Paul writes.

Romans 4 · chapter mention

How we are justified through faith.

In Christ, and even how. God justified.

Abraham because of his faith. So.

Paul is making the argument. That it's only through faith

that you are justified that. Only through faith in Christ.

It's not your works. Now, why does Paul make this

argument in chapter? 4.

We have to understand the Jewish culture.

So the Jews believed that. If you are.

Born out of the Jewish system. Like if you're born in a Jewish

family, that means that. You still.

Attain God's favor. It's like like let's bring it

like this way. Like it's like if you're.

Born Latino? Then you automatically have

rhythm. If you're born Puerto Rican, you

know how to dance. Which I don't know.

Why you wouldn't have? Rhythm.

That's a weird thing to me anyway, so.

Like it, That's how did you saw it.

They were like. If I'm born, if my parents and

if my ancestors are born Christian, then that means that

I get imputed the Christianity and the faith of my father's.

So you're. Just not saved just because you

were born in a Christian household.

You attain it naturally, which is.

So far from the truth, you cannot be.

Justified that way, but also the Jews argued that you.

Must follow and keep the commands and the law.

In order to become justified. Where that's totally off what

Jesus teaches us. So you cannot be.

Justified by the law. Now we have the Law and the

Prophets in the Old Testament. To show us, like Gary said, like

a big. Mirror of how jacked up and how.

Horrible we are as humans. We all need God.

We're. All messed.

Up. That's what we saw last week in.

Romans 323 For all have sinned and followed short of the glory

of God. Listen, we're all bad and

terrible. People and.

Some of you are like. Man Ricky, that hurts.

My like self esteem, I was like, I don't care about yourself

esteem, I care about your heart. Because that's what God's.

After we have to be able to. Understand that God wants our

heart. So real quick test, like just

an. Example like we have, We all

know the 10 commandments. Some of us grew up in that

world, and you grew up in. Church, You see it everywhere.

So let me ask you guys by show of hands, how many of you?

Guys have put things above God before you.

Know what that makes you An idolater if you've put.

Anything over the things of God, you have committed adultery.

How many of you? Guys have ever lied?

If you have your hands. On congratulations, you just

joined the club, right? Some of us are like Ricky.

I lied. But.

I'm not a liar. Like I don't lie all.

The time. If you lie, guess what?

You are a liar. You have lied.

You've. Broken God's law.

I would even go as deep as like, OK, how many times like when

something bad happens to somebody?

You're just secretly like. Yeah, they deserve that one.

I'm so glad. Or if somebody gets something

really. Cool.

Like like a new. Toy or a car?

Whatever it is, I'm like. Oh, I wish I had that.

That makes you that you're coveting.

You just broke the 10 commandments.

Listen. Yesterday at that diaper drive,

I broke. It a lot of times so I'm

watching these cars and I was like I.

Wish I had that. I wish I had that.

I wish he would just give me that like.

Listen guys. We we're all you break God's.

Law that makes you an enemy of. God, you have rebelled.

Against your. Creator and what the law teaches

us is that the law shows us that you.

Can't do it. And that's why grace and what

Christ did in the gospel so wonderful.

This is why. It's the good news.

So we can't do it because of the law.

Listen, it's not about morality. God is not after our morality.

Our morality is not. Pleasing.

To a holy and righteous God, what He's after is our.

Hearts so we can't become. Justified by the law.

We can't become justified by our good morals.

We cannot become. Justified through like.

When my mom and. Dad are Christian so that makes

me a Christian too. None of that stuff works.

So Paul's. Argument is like no?

We are justified by faith in Christ.

That's how we're able to. Stand in front of a holy.

And righteous God. And that's how we continue.

Like we accept his love. So in verse 5I.

Mean in in verse one. Therefore, since we have been

justified through faith, that's where.

Paul's starting us. Off Look at it therefore.

So I'm connecting everything we just talked about to right now.

Therefore, since we are justified through.

Faith in. Christ we have peace with.

God through Christ. Jesus, our Lord.

Man, I love that. Because we have.

Peace man Ricky, like this. Peace.

Like what is this man with peace with in with?

Christ, what is this peace? You got to understand something

whenever. You become justified and our.

Our sins are forgiven. We are no longer.

At. War with God.

Because right now if. You are unforgiven.

If you don't have your. Faith in Christ you have.

God's wrath over your head and. One day when we stand in front

of him in. Glory that wrath.

Is going to rain down. So.

Walking through life not knowing whether I am at peace with.

God, I have favor with God, or I do.

Is extremely taxing and frustrating.

And nerve wracking and you're. Spending most of your life

trying to appease God, trying to please him, not knowing for

sure. If he's going to be happy with

me, if he. Loves me.

But what? Paul is saying is.

Because we're justified through Christ, I have a peace.

Now with God my peace it it, it changes everything.

Like the kids say, you're built different.

Jesus, to our first point, because they.

People like what about? Sin well listen when you.

Are justified it? Doesn't make you sin less.

But because you honor. God and because you love Jesus.

You should send less. Hector inspired that, right?

So when I'm justified and I understand that I'm justified

and I understand that I have this new peace with God, knowing

that I'm no longer at war with him, that he's looking at me, he

says I. Love you.

And I want to man, I can't. Wait to like, cherish.

You and I want to build you up in my Son.

That's what we call sanctification.

Listen, that causes me not to want to sin.

I don't care about sin anymore because I have this amazing

peace with God. So I don't spend my life walking

on egg shells trying not to sin like, Oh my God, I'm a screw up

again. I'm a screw up again.

No, now it's like because I know God and I have.

Peace with him. I don't want to sin.

I don't care. Like I hate it now.

Because I saw how it jacked. Me up and I saw it jacked up my

family and I saw. How it pulled people.

From their calling I saw. It destroyed lives and.

Destroyed marriages. Why do I want to take part in

that? I don't care.

So what I. Am now.

Because I have peace with. God, I want to send less.

Because I want to please him more and that only comes.

When we are justified through Jesus Christ, through.

Whom we have gained. Access man this is a.

Crazy, crazy word right here. You know that.

This whole like giving. Access like this sentence is

only shown twice in the New Testament.

The word access to God. That whole word access to God is

wild. This would have the.

Religious leaders turning in their sleep.

For you to have access to God, for Paul to say because we're

justified. In Christ.

Because we have this peace with God through faith.

Now you have. Access to the Father?

Are you kidding me? Without.

Going through all the sacrificial systems without

going through the mercy seat. Without doing all of these.

Things and you get to have access to God, a Gentile.

Are you out of your mind? Paul and Paul's like, yes.

This is. The Gospel, the Gospels, like

men, you. Have access to God because.

You are no longer an enemy of God.

You are actually. A son and daughter.

Of God, so the Bible. Says in Galatians that I'm able

to approach the throne of grace. And call God ABBA father.

Which means like my dad. So.

We have access to him and I don't need to.

Go through all of these. Things anymore I don't need to

go. Specific.

People, if I am justified, I have my faith in.

Christ, I have direct access. To my heavenly Father.

Which is awesome. And then let's go back to verse

1 and 2. Because we got to walk.

This thing out, it's just too much.

Right, so we have. Access to him.

It says that we've gained access by faith into this grace in

which we now stand. So that word in which we now

stand, that means? That you are.

Permanent. It is a secure position.

That means that we are permanently secure in God's.

Grace. You ain't moving, so I'm.

Going to talk to some of my old. School Cowboy fans y'all.

Remember Larry Allen, You know that.

Is so you're like, no. Larry Allen, Hall of Famer,

offensive tackle. Like, like, this was a big boy.

And I mean dude. This is when the Cowboys win all

the Super. Bowls he would play.

Guard and offensive tackle, everybody knew.

Him, he was a bad. Man he broke the combine record

benching like. 225 I think it was.

Like 45 times he was a beast. He passed away last year and

they were doing a. Special on Larry Allen and they

were interviewing John Randall and John Randall.

Was a defensive. Tackle from the Minnesota

Vikings. That was another bad man.

Dude talked a lot of trash. Like he talked a lot.

That's what he was known for. And when they were interviewing

him about Larry Allen, they asked him about Larry Allen and

and when he would. Play the Dallas Cowboys.

And John Randall said man. It was violently unpleasant.

And then John Randall began to say.

He said man Larry Allen was one of the only.

Players that I would. Never talk trash to because I

didn't want to. I didn't want to incite him

anymore. But then he.

Goes on in his interview. And he says he was.

One of those immovable objects. Every single down.

When you played Larry Allen, you knew.

That he wasn't. Going nowhere and it was going

to be a long day and when I read this.

Passage That's exactly what Paul is saying is they listen the

grace of God. Is an immovable object.

Things are going to run into it. You're going to run into it,

you're going to sin against it. Listen, it ain't going nowhere.

I would even. Say it could.

Sometimes be violently unpleasant because man, I am

jacking things up and God is crushing me with his grace and

the conviction of the Holy Spirit is so strong that it's

like causing me to feel. Certain types of way.

And God saying, listen, I'm not moving my grace.

Is in movable, it's in shakable. It's not going nowhere.

So because we stand. Permanently in a.

Secure position with God's. Grace, look what it says.

And we? Boast in the hope of the glory

of. So because we don't.

Move, because we're in God's grace.

That's where our hope. Stems from that.

Hope is that we have. Peace with God now.

Through Jesus Christ. What he did on the cross and we

are now covered in His grace. Man.

God. Secures us.

That's why we have hope. But point #2 that's coming in

verse 3. Is that being at peace with God

doesn't imply the absence of suffering.

Paul is about to go. In saying because we've been

justified. Because we have peace with God.

Because this is where hope. Stems from it ain't going to be

easy, but because now you're justified.

Your. Purpose now has.

Your suffering now has purpose. So you're going to suffer.

For the cause of Christ. If you're following Jesus,

there's going to be things that come at your life that are not

easy, but it's purposeful. Now I'm not talking about you

just making terrible. Choices and decisions in your

life, That's, that's you. Those are consequences.

Of sin. I'm talking about you following.

Christ and look what happens. Look what it.

Says in verse 3, not only so, but we also glory in our

sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance.

Perseverance. Character and character hope.

So what is Paul? Showing us here he.

Got to walk it out backwards, he's saying.

Listen, you can't have hope. Without.

Character and you can't have. Character without.

Persevering. And you can't persevere until

you suffer. It's this.

Stepping stone to hope you have to go through.

Some of this stuff as a believer in Christ.

So what is he talking about? He says he's.

Using these. Words suffering.

Listen, the word suffering might translate into tribulations,

man. It means to squeeze.

It means to, to pressure, to put pressure on something.

So as I'm following Christ, there's going to be some things

that put pressure on me. There's going to be some things

that squeeze me. There's some things in life.

That are very, very difficult. But because you've been

justified, it's not for nothing. So he says, and.

Because of your. Suffering, it's going to produce

perseverance. That word perseverance means

patience. It means that.

You are able to you are able to deal with great pressure.

Without succumbing to it. You could handle a lot.

You do not crack under pressure. You don't have meltdowns because

you know that God is in control of all things because He's the

one that we have our hope in. Like the young kids say, you

don't crash out as often. Then we go from there.

Suffering produces perseverance, perseverance character.

Now this one's a tough one, y'all.

Y'all bear with me on on this one.

Where he's talking about. Character because of the Greek.

The way that it's formed, it's. Proof.

So he's not saying. Character, he's saying.

Proven character. Talk is cheap y'all.

And what he's saying is like, listen, you're suffering your

perseverance. It shows character, not just

character. So you don't.

Go around telling everybody. How good?

You are and how amazing things that you're doing and how you

help people. No, it's proving character.

Proving character is what you show.

That means that there's fruit in your life that's coming out of

your. Suffering because of the hope

that you have, because you're justified.

So as you're being squeezed and as you're being molded.

By God, this. Proven character is starting to

come out of your life. So listen, I'm so glad that you

know all the Sunday school answers.

I'm glad. That you could debate.

Calvinism versus Arminianism. I'm glad that you know all the

worship songs, and I'm glad you know when to shout and raise

your hands. But if your life.

Don't show it. It doesn't mean anything.

That means that God is not working and God is trying to

tell us. That the stuff that.

He's doing in our. Life is to show character

because proven character when. All of this is happening in our

life. Because we've been justified by

our faith in Christ. It's going to give you hope.

It's going to bring hope. Listen, you're suffering ain't

for nothing God is going to use. That.

And you're. Stemming out of hope?

So he is. Building us up and listen.

Our life has to look. Different outside of this

church. It has.

To because that's the only way that we proved that.

We've been. Justified.

That's what he's showing us in verse 3.

We got to run because I'm almost out of time.

I've just. Done the beginning all right.

Let's go to 5. So verse 5 Paul is.

Is showing us this and he's like man, like man there's.

There's a reason. Why things are going to happen

to you. God is not going to waste your

suffering now because we've been.

Justified and then he. Says and verse 5.

He says and hope does not put us to shame because God's love.

Has been. Poured out into our.

Hearts through the Holy Spirit. Who has been given to?

Us so listen because we suffer because all that.

Stuff is happening. Because we have that hope.

There's no reason for you to hang your head.

That means that you don't walk around mopey.

You walk around in this hope that you have understanding that

God is doing a work in your life.

Understand that you can stand. Tall because of his

righteousness. Has been imputed on you, so we

don't. Walk around all shame like we.

Jacked it all up like like. God's mad at us.

He's not. And how do we know?

That in verse 5. Because God's love.

Has been poured out. Into our.

Hearts through the Holy Spirit. Who he has given us guys.

The Holy Spirit is a. Gift from God.

So as we live justified as we put our.

Faith in. Christ, He sends His Holy Spirit

to live inside of each and every one of.

Those who follow Jesus. And who believe in?

Jesus, that is the greatest proof of love right there.

But also what Paul is saying is that because God poured his.

Love in us. There is evidence in the

believers in that evidence that we have God's love.

Is because we love the one who loved us first, the fruit that.

Comes out of us as. Followers of Christ and those

who believe. In God is that we?

Love the God who loved us. There is a love that we show

back. That's why we call Jesus the

Lord of our lives so he loved. Us first, now it's about.

To get deep real fast look at verse 6 because he's Paul's

about to show us how this all. Works, you see.

At just the right time. When we were still powerless,

Christ died. For the ungodly at just.

The right moment in time. And Paul says, man, we were all

powerless. Listen, we were spiritually

dead. We were incapable of doing

anything to help ourselves and we were all trying to get

ourselves. Out of a hole.

And just at that time when we said no to God, and when we

rebelled against God, and we said our way is better than

your. Way God died for you.

Even when you didn't want him. God died.

For you he sent Jesus. To give his life.

For you listen, that is. Love right there.

And this is. At the right time.

That means everybody's timing is different.

God is working on all of us. And the time is when God.

Chose so God's supreme act of love came when we were most

undesirable. How crazy is that?

Don't clean yourself up before you come to God.

Just come as you are. He wants all your garbage.

He wants all your trash. He wants all your hurt.

He wants all your pain. He wants all your mistakes.

He wants everything. You don't have to clean yourself

up. Just come to God.

He wants you. He died for you.

He died for the ungodly. And I love how Paul in verse 7

throws a little bit. Of shade to us, he says.

Very. Rarely will anyone die for a

righteous person. Though for a good.

Person. Someone might.

Possibly dare to die. I was looking at this text.

I was like, why would Paul say something like?

That because what he's. Doing is he's describing what we

are not. We're not a righteous person and

we're not a good person. He's showing us and he's like,

man, very rare. I doubt somebody would.

Catch a case for you. Let alone if they like you.

But for somebody to give their life for you and you're not that

good, man, that's crazy. And then he drops the bomb on

verse 8. But God demonstrates his own

love for us in this. While we were still.

Sinners, Christ died for us. That crazy like even those.

Who were yelling crucify him. God looks at them since I died

for them too. Christ died for everyone and in

verse 9 through 11. I love how he ends this thing.

He died for us, regardless of what.

We've done and then he goes. Since we have now been.

Justified. There's that word again.

Justified by his blood. How much more shall?

We be saved from God's wrath through him for if while.

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.

Not only is this so. But we.

Also boast in God. Through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Through whom we have we now received reconciliation, man?

We have been justified. Let's go back.

To verse 9 we're. Justified through his blood.

Whenever you see the word blood in the New Testament, it's not

really. As regards to the fluid blood,

he's talking about the. Atoning sacrifice.

The violent sacrifice of Jesus. Christ.

And it's showing that he. Bled for us he actually died

for. Us, how much more are we saved

from God's wrath? Which leads me to point #3 that

when it comes to a conviction now, conviction now is going to

lead to forgiveness and not condemnation.

I'm sorry, confession so now. When I confess my sin because.

I'm justified through the blood. I'm not worried about God

looking. At me and condemning me.

Because in Romans 8 it says. There's no condemnation.

For those founding Christ. So now when I confess my sin.

To him. Because I'm covered and I'm

justified instead of condemning me.

He forgives me. There's.

Ultimate forgiveness now in the. Blood of God with with Christ.

So we don't have to walk around worried about like, I'm going to

get the conviction, man, like the judge is going to drop the

ball on me, No. Like if we.

Confess our sin to Him. He is mighty to save and He will

forgive. Us because we're saved from

God's wrath. Through.

Him, man, one of my. Favorite shows is verse 40. 8 on

A&E. I talk about this all the time,

man I love. Watching first 48.

And for you guys that don't know what?

This is it's, it's a reality show, but is that if there's a

crime? That happens.

Detectives have. 48 hours to try to get.

Some leads and to try to get somebody to confess because

after. 48. Hours.

It makes it really difficult to solve the crime and you know,

these are usually like murders or like something terrible

happened. So the show is there them

following detectives on trying to.

Crack this case. On trying to break.

This case and. You know what's something I've

learned watching First 48? Those who don't?

Talk, get to go home. And what?

Detectives do is that. When somebody's guilty, they.

Use strategies and they use. These methods to get into.

People's guilt. And to get them to confess and

to get them to. Speak up, but here's the.

Thing because when you're guilty and you confess, you know that

there's a punishment coming. So you see these guys in the.

Room like they're struggling they they're they're on the

floor crying like they know like they're conscious.

It's just hurting them and listen and those who usually

don't talk. Get to go home but.

The evidence comes back and it gets them in.

But you see with us. Confession doesn't lead to a.

Conviction. It doesn't.

It doesn't. Pain us confession actually

leads to forgiveness, which frees.

US. It's an upside down Kingdom, you

see. In our world, we're like man if

I confess. Something I'm in trouble.

I'm. Weak man, like nobody's going to

want to trust me no more. Like I can't do that.

But you see in the Kingdom, because we're justified and God

is the ultimate judge when you confess.

You are forgiven. And when you're forgiven, you

have more freedom. And when you have more freedom,

you have more peace. And when you have more peace,

you live more in joy. And when you live more in joy,

you're more purpose driven in life.

And you don't care about what everything what other people say

and you hate Sid more. And listen all of this thing.

Stuff. All this stuff starts with

confession. And what we do is we try to mask

our confession. And what God is saying is like,

no, you've been justified. I want you to give confession,

confess your sin to me. I will.

Heal you, I will forgive. You, I will save you and there's

this thing that. Starts to.

Happen in your life where now there's joy, now there's

healing. Yeah, it's going to be.

Hard, but there's purpose now and I'm going to start living my

life more of wanting to serve God and not serve myself.

So now it's not just a career for me now, it's a way that God

has called me to and everything intertwines together.

And I'll close with this. My Time's Up verse 11, you know,

verse 10. I think this is one of the

coolest things in verse 10 and 11.

For if while we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to

him through the death of his Son.

Guys, you understand that that before we were God's children's.

If you don't have. Faith in faith in Christ.

You're an enemy of God. Those are some strong words.

You're an enemy, but. Paul.

Uses this language because he has a lot of military language

but. Also is to show the.

Difference between being an enemy and being a.

Child of God. We were someone horrible.

Who went against God, and now we're somebody covered in grace,

who loves and does everything that he asks us to.

And there is real joy in this atoning work.

Reconciled through His Son. The word reconciled means to fix

something that is broken relationally.

There is a. Brokenness when we sin.

Against a holy, righteous God, there's something.

Wrong. In that relationship and it's.

On our part, but instead of us trying to reconcile with him.

What God does, it says. I'm going to make a.

Way for us to be reconciled. So I'm going to send.

Jesus, and he's going to. Take your.

Sin on the cross and this is going to fix our relationship

forever and the only thing that I.

Require is for you to. Receive the gift of salvation by

putting your trust and faith in. Christ asking for the.

Forgiveness of sins and then now our relationship is reconciled.

We could come back to the Father now.

And I say all this because listen because.

We're reconciled with God. God.

Is not disappointed in you. I feel like many of us live

this. Life, like man, like God is.

Disappointed in us like he's like a mad and upset dad.

Like he's just pissed all. The time and that's not true.

God is not disappointed. He.

Loves. You.

He wants you to come to him because he's like, I reconcile.

Our relationship is good. Now come to the cross.

And then we end with. This not only is this.

So, but we also boast. In God.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ through whom?

We have now received reconciliation.

I saw that where he says we boast.

Which leads me to #4 There's two times in this passage.

Where Paul talks about. Boasting in something so point.

4 So what is he? Saying what do we?

Boast in Paul's like. Man, what I want you to boast

in, what I what I want you not to.

Shut up about is this. Hope and glory and that we are

reconciled in Christ. So whenever you talk about.

Me you're going to talk about. How man like you've been.

Justified by faith. So now we have hope in God.

We're able to stand in. Front of him not knowing like

knowing that we are found righteous regardless of our

past, our present and future, and then also that God.

Fixed a broken relationship through Christ and He's the one

that did it, not us so. We can't go around bragging.

But he says like if. You're going to boast.

You better boast in these things, right?

Here because this. Is where it's found.

So, Church, let me just leave you with this.

Some of us might. Believe that we're too bad?

To come to God. I've been there.

I know, but God wants all of it. He wants you to come to Him.

Bring all your sin, Bring all your shame.

Bring all your guilt. Bring all your hurt.

Bring it all God wants. It because, he said.

Listen, I'm the one that. Will give you hope.

And I'm the one that's going to fix the relationship with us.

And when I fix the relationship. With us you're then.

Going to be able to. Fix the relationship with other

people, those who hurt you. Those in your family, those who

did. Wrong those that you did.

Wrong too, because you're going to truly know what it's like to

be forgiven, and when you're in on what.

It's like to be forgiven. It's going to be easy for you to

forgive others. But you got to surrender.

You got to put your faith in Christ.

Let us pray for us.