The Best Life Ever

Recently, we had an offer from a family wanting to exchange homes who were living in Australia.

And when I read the description, I couldn't wait to see the pictures.

Their house was situated on the coast.

In fact, it literally overhangs the sea.

From their balcony, you can go fishing.

Or you can launch their kayaks from the deck that's underneath.

Swimming and barbecues seemed to be the local pastimes.

It was really quite amazing.

And as I looked out of my window and I looked across the road to a row of houses,

and I looked beyond that to more houses and beyond that to just more concrete and wet, damp, horrible leaves,

I began to dream.

Dreaming away, rod in one hand, barbecue fork in the other.

The evening sun, the smell of grilled steak.

I could get used to this.

This would be a great life.

But because of costs, and it was just pictures on a website, it's going to remain a dream.

But what is a reality, and what is even better than all of this,

is that someone has actually exchanged places with me so that I can have the best life ever.

Someone has literally swapped lives with me so that we can experience life as it was intended to be.

Look at verse 1 of chapter 5.

Do you see that little phrase there, those three words, justified through faith?

It's like a summary term for the whole of chapters 1 to 4.

Because it's telling us everything that Jesus has done for us.

That Jesus Christ came to exchange places with us.

He has swapped his life for our life.

Jesus Christ came and he took the place of a sinner.

Guilty and condemned.

And he suffers the wrath and the judgment of God for us.

Because in other words, Jesus is treated as we deserve to be treated,

so that by faith we are treated as Jesus deserves to be treated.

We can see this even at the end of verse 8,

where it says,

While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

His life for our life.

That's what it means to be justified by faith.

Because Jesus has exchanged places with us,

we are declared acceptable to God.

But that is only the beginning.

The result of this new position

is something that we are to experience each and every day.

Look at verse 11.

It says,

Not only is this so,

not only are we put right with God,

but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Reconciliation means that we can enjoy a living

and a vibrant relationship with Jesus today.

No longer are we his enemies.

We are now his friends.

And all this is possible because Jesus exchanged places with us.

And the big message of Romans at this point,

as we march into chapter 5,

is that the gospel is not just something explained,

which is chapters 1 to 4,

Isaiah 1 · chapter mention

but it is something to be experienced.

And we will see this as we go from chapters 5 through to 8.

It's not just what Jesus has done,

but what it means to be in a living relationship with Jesus today.

So how can we have this best life ever?

Well, first of all,

we are to experience the gospel each day.

It's not just something that we look to in the past,

an event where we became a believer.

It is something to be experienced each day.

Look at verse,

let's read from verse 1 again.

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith,

we now have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

through whom we have gained access by faith

into his grace in which we now stand,

and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

Do you see all the benefits there?

Because of what Jesus has done,

we now have peace with God,

we stand in his grace,

and we have the hope of glory.

I want you for a minute,

and I think this will be quite easy for you to do,

because it is quite cold,

to picture yourself under a great waterfall,

except this waterfall is fresh,

and it's very warm.

And at the bottom of this waterfall,

as you stand underneath it,

is this great pool of water.

And from this great big pool

is a series of smaller waterfalls

which kind of flow from it,

which fills up other little pools around the base,

where you can swim and relax.

Now that's what we have a picture of here.

The main pool is like the relationship we have with Christ,

justified by faith,

our relationship with God.

But from the overflow of that,

we have peace,

and we have grace,

and we have the hope of glory.

Because when the gospel is fully experienced in our life,

it literally overflows into every area of our life.

So let's look at these three pools in turn.

First of all, we have peace with God.

Peace is not just the absence of an enemy,

but it is the presence of a friend.

Chapters 1 to 4, as we saw,

went to great lengths to explain

that we were enemies of God,

under His just judgment.

But now because of Christ we're forgiven,

we're no longer His enemies,

but we're His friends.

And it says here in verse 1

that we now have peace with God.

And that peace is not unlike the peace that was present in the Garden of Eden.

Man in unity and harmony with His Creator.

There was a sense of safety and security,

a place of well-being,

a place of wholeness.

They were in search of nothing.

They weren't endlessly striving for things,

because they had everything.

And so with our peace with God,

we are satisfied and fulfilled with Christ,

because we have all that we ever need in Him.

And that is something we are to enjoy today,

a living and vibrant relationship with God.

But not only do we have peace with God,

and again if you keep that picture of the waterfall in mind,

flowing into the other pool is that we are standing in grace.

Do you see it there in verse 2?

It says,

Through whom we have gained access by faith

into His disgrace in which we now stand.

Grace is something we talk about a lot.

It is God's continuous generosity towards us

which is unearned and undeserved.

In practice it means that God doesn't treat us

as our sins deserve.

He treats us instead as His own Son,

loved and treasured.

You see, because of what Jesus has done,

because of His grace,

all our sin is covered.

Our past sin,

our present sin,

and our future sin.

So that means that when I fall,

or when I sin,

it doesn't mean that I fall out of God's favour.

And that I have to somehow work my way

back into that relationship

and do something good

so that He looks upon me and says,

Yes, now I'm pleased with you.

No, it means that because of His grace,

we are forgiven,

we are accepted,

we are welcomed despite our sin.

So we are people who stand in grace,

safe and secure,

never removed from His presence,

always loved and treasured as His children.

That is something we are to experience

each and every day.

But not only that,

look at verse 3,

not only so,

but we rejoice,

or sorry,

the end of verse 2,

we rejoice in the hope

of the glory of God.

Now I think we all know

through our own experience,

and the experience of others,

that we live in a world

that is terribly broken

and disordered.

We see nations at war,

cultures clash,

families break down,

individual lives are wrecked

through abuse and selfish addictions,

and I don't think there will be

any one of us here

who will go through the year

untouched by some aspect

of the brokenness in this world.

It affects each one of us

through sickness,

through death,

through injustice,

through suffering.

But here is the good news

at the end of verse 2.

In the midst of all of that,

we can rejoice

in the hope of the glory of God.

There is a glory,

there is an eternity,

there is a new heaven

and a new earth.

And one day,

this world that we live in

with all its brokenness

is going to be renewed

and restored.

Paradise promised

in all its perfection

is for the believer.

And that is ours to enjoy.

It is guaranteed

and it is assured.

This is the best life

that we can ever have

and it is ours to experience today.

We have peace,

we have grace,

and we have hope.

And the invitation here

is to swim, if you like,

in the fountain of the Gospel,

to bathe in the pools

of what we have been given.

But so often,

what we can do

is spend our time

chasing after

the dream life.

To want that ideal home.

To want that career.

To want that job.

To want the perfect partner.

And as good as they may be,

they are never ever

going to satisfy us.

They are never going to fill us.

They are pools

that are ultimately stagnant.

What we are called to do

is to come back to the Gospel,

to experience it each day

by swimming

in the peace

and in the grace

and in the hope of God.

But before we move on,

I want us to note

that these things

that have been promised to us

can never be taken from us.

Look at what it says.

It is to be a present experience.

Look at verse 1.

We have peace with God.

It's ours today.

Through whom,

verse 2,

we have gained access.

We don't need to go

trying to earn our access.

We have it.

We now stand in His grace.

And present experience,

we rejoice

in the hope of the glory of God.

And the reason why

this is ours today

and it can never be taken

and because it is secure for us

is because it is all through,

verse 1,

our Lord Jesus Christ.

It's not dependent on us.

It is all dependent on Christ

who has secured it for us.

These are ours today.

These are the benefits of the Gospel

which can never be taken,

changed,

or altered.

So experience the Gospel

in your life.

Well, the second thing

is not only to experience the Gospel,

but what we've got to learn to do

is to apply the Gospel

into our lives

and into each situation.

Look at verse 3.

not only so,

not only do we have

peace and grace and hope,

but we also rejoice

in our sufferings.

Now that's quite hard for us

to take in, isn't it?

To rejoice in our sufferings

because I know that there are many here

who do suffer

and the truth is

we all are going to suffer

in different ways.

We've just said that we live in a world

that is broken,

disordered,

and distorted.

Not just the physical world around us,

but it's our own lives

that suffer.

And as we go through life,

we're going to experience it

in different ways.

It could be physically,

it could be emotionally,

it could be mentally.

And the last thing

we feel like doing

when we're in the midst

of our suffering

is feel like rejoicing.

How am I supposed to rejoice

with my illness?

How am I to be grateful

for my condition?

How am I to see good

in my struggles

and disappointments?

Because it's telling me here

that we are to rejoice

in our sufferings.

Well, let me make it clear

that rejoicing does not mean

that we jump up and down

with a false smile

and pretend everything is good

when it's not.

No, what it does mean

is that through Christ,

because of our new relationship

with the Lord Jesus,

we can look at suffering

in a different way

to everybody else,

which means we can rejoice

about that.

We have a different perspective

which does bring a joy

to our lives.

You've probably heard

on the TV or radio

one of the ads

that has been produced

by NRA,

the National Roads Authority.

And in it,

there are various people

who've been affected

by road traffic accidents

and they explain

how the accident

has affected them.

And in each situation,

all of them say

something like this,

I can never accept

what has happened to me.

My life is never going

to be the same.

Now, while much of that is true,

it's also giving the message

that suffering offers us nothing.

That if you suffer,

there's nothing good

to come from it.

It's a hopeless existence.

But the gospel tells us

that there is something

quite different

for those who suffer.

Because of the gospel,

our suffering can bring

about good.

Look at the rest of verse 3.

The reason why we can rejoice

in our sufferings

is because

we know that our suffering

produces perseverance,

perseverance character,

and character hope.

Let's look at those

three in turn.

First, suffering

builds perseverance.

As we journey

through our life,

there are going to be

many times

when we want to give up

and give in.

The Christian life

will seem to be

too much of a struggle.

Life will be

too much of a struggle.

But through suffering,

we actually learn

perseverance.

We learn the ability

to keep on going.

Not because of

our own strength,

but because of

our dependence

and our ability

to rely upon God

who gives us

the strength

to keep going.

So suffering

builds perseverance

as we rest

and rely

and depend

upon the strength

and the grace

of God.

But not only

does it build

perseverance,

but suffering

builds character.

do you know

some of the most

generous

and kind-hearted

and loving

people

are those who

suffer.

Have you ever

noticed that?

Why is it,

do you think,

that people who

suffer the most,

and we can think of

people who've gone

through really hard

times,

that they seem to be

the people who care

for others the most?

Why is that?

Because the gospel

has taught them

through their suffering,

has taught them

qualities like

patience

and understanding

and empathy.

In a sense,

they can say,

I've been there,

I've been through it,

I understand,

and here is a God

who is going to hold you,

a God who's going

to keep you,

a God who's never

going to let you go,

even when you can't

even pray,

and even when you

don't even know

what's going on.

Here is a God

who is real.

It builds character.

But third,

suffering also

builds hope.

When you're fit

and healthy,

and life is good,

and you've got a good

home,

and you've got a good

job,

and you have all

your faculties,

heaven and our

eternal rest

can seem quite

irrelevant

and not required.

What do I want

heaven for

when life is good?

But as soon

as suffering

comes,

it reminds us

that we don't

belong here.

Suffering

increases

and intensifies

our longing

to be at home.

Suffering

fuels

our desire

to be finished

with the struggles

of this world,

to be released

from our decaying

and aging

and broken bodies,

and to be set

free from our

tortured minds.

Suffering

builds within us

an anticipation

and an expectation

of our final home.

It urges us,

it gives us

a greater desire

for something better.

And this is what

suffering does.

You see,

because of the gospel,

we can rejoice

in suffering.

because it brings

about good

in our lives

and it brings

about good

in the lives

of others.

Well,

you see,

and rightly

you can say it,

that sounds

great in theory,

but how do I make

what's written here

a reality

in my life?

How can I

in my suffering

rejoice?

rejoice?

Well,

look at verse 5.

He says,

And hope

does not

disappoint us

because God

has poured out

His love

into our hearts

by the Holy Spirit

whom He

has given us.

We know

that God

loves us

because He

has proved

His love

for us

on the cross.

But what

we want

is to experience

the same love

in our life

today.

In the middle

of our suffering,

we don't only

want to know

it in our heads,

but we want

to feel it

in our hearts.

We want to know

in the midst

of our struggles

that God loves us

and that He cares

for us.

And that is what

the Holy Spirit

does.

Look at the end

of verse 5.

God has poured

out His love

into our hearts.

That's to be

a present experience

by the Holy Spirit

whom He

has given us.

He takes

the demonstrated

love of Christ

which we see

on the cross

and He pours it

into our lives

so that even

in the most

difficult of times,

even in the midst

of our suffering,

we can rejoice

because we are

presently experiencing

the love of God

working in us.

a love that brings

about perseverance,

a love that brings

about character,

a love that brings

about hope.

So the way

that we are going

to experience

this love,

the depth of this love

to see God

at work in our lives

is to ask

the Holy Spirit

to make that real

for you.

He has poured

His love

into our hearts

by the Holy Spirit

whom He has given us.

If you are a Christian,

you have

the Holy Spirit.

Ask Him

to make that

a reality

in your life

so that you

learn to rejoice

in your suffering.

But the third thing

we must do

is not only

experience the Gospel,

not only are we

to apply it

into our lives,

but we are

to remember

the Gospel

each day.

If we are

to experience it,

if we are

to apply it,

we've got to know

what it is

we're experiencing,

what it is

we're applying.

You see,

it's only from

the overflow

of the Gospel

that we find

peace and grace

and hope

and joy.

And if we don't

spend our time

in the Gospel,

we're never going

to experience

those things.

So we must

remind ourselves

of what Christ

has done.

There are two

things here

that we need

to focus on.

First,

we need to focus

on the cross.

Verse 6.

Let's read

from verse 6.

You see,

at just the right

time,

when we were

still powerless,

when we could

do nothing

for ourselves,

Christ died

for the ungodly.

very rarely

will any person

die for a

righteous one.

Though for a

good person,

someone might

possibly

dare to die.

But God

is so different.

God isn't

like us.

God

demonstrates

His own

love for us

in this.

While we were

still sinners,

Christ died

for us.

The gospel

is a great

leveller.

It reminds us

exactly what

we are all

like.

Verse 6

tells us

that we are

ungodly.

Verse 8

tells us

we're sinners.

Down in verse 10

it describes us

as being enemies.

But perhaps

what is most

revealing is

that in verse 6

it says

we're powerless.

That we have

no ability

in and of

ourselves

to change

our relationship.

We can't

give ourselves

the ultimate life.

we can't

give ourselves

the best life.

We can't

change ourselves

because we're

powerless.

But God

has done

something for

us in Christ.

Twice it

tells us

in that passage

verse 6

that Christ

died

for the

ungodly.

In verse 8

while we're

still sinners

Christ

died

for us.

He takes

the initiative.

He moves

out to

us

in love.

Christ

in love

becomes

our

substitute.

He takes

the place

of us

who are

ungodly.

He takes

the place

of us

the sinner

and the

enemy.

And the

wrath of

God

falls on

Christ

because

he

loves

you

and me.

And it

is by

trusting in

his death

and reminding

ourselves

of all

that he

has done

that we

will

experience

life

in all

its

fullness.

Peace,

grace,

hope and

joy.

You've

got to

remember

the cross.

But not

only the

cross,

we are

also to

focus

on the

resurrection.

Look at

verse 10.

Let's

read verse

10.

For if

when we

were God's

enemies

we were

reconciled

to him

through the

death of

his son,

how much

more having

been

reconciled

shall we

be saved

through his

life?

The fact

that Christ

rose from

the grave

is proof

that we

too will

receive our

full salvation.

We have

peace,

we have

grace,

we have

hope,

we have

joy.

These are

benefits of

the gospel

that we

can enjoy

today.

But the

resurrection

of Christ

gives us

assurance

of our

full salvation

to come.

Verse 10

says,

we are

saved now

because of

his death.

We are

reconciled

now because

of his

death.

How much

more,

having been

reconciled,

shall we be

saved through

his life?

How much

more there

is to

come for

the Christian?

How much

more we

have beyond

this world?

At the

end when

Christ comes

we too

will raise

from the

grave so

that we

will experience

our full

and final

salvation.

And it

is only

by looking

at the

resurrection,

reminding

ourselves of

what Christ

has done,

that we

will know

everything that

we have to

look forward

to.

So these

are the

two twin

truths,

the two

great pillars

of our

faith.

The cross

and the

resurrection.

And we

need to

focus on

them and

remind ourselves

of them

each day.

Do you

remember the

fountain that

we talked

about at

the beginning?

And that

big pool that

fills up as

the waterfall

comes down?

Well that

pool needs

to be fed

otherwise it

will dry up.

Unless it

is filled

continually it

will become

empty.

empty.

And it's

exactly the

same with

us.

Unless we

are filled

we will

become empty.

And every

time we

go back to

the gospel,

every time

we remind

ourselves of

what Christ

has done,

His cross,

His resurrection,

so it's like

that pool

fills up and

up and it

fills and it

bubbles over

and it flows

over into

every aspect

of our life

filling us

with peace,

with grace,

with hope

and with joy.

If you're

feeling dry,

if you're

feeling empty,

if you're

not experiencing

the gospel

in your life,

I encourage

you to fill

your life up

reminding

yourself daily.

And if you

can't do it

on your own,

meet with

somebody else

who you can

read with

and pray with.

We're to

encourage each

other,

remind ourselves

of what we

have.

If we are

to experience

the best

life ever,

and this

is the best

life ever,

we are to

immerse ourselves

in the gospel.

I invite us

all to swim

in it every

day.

Don't just

dip your toe

into it once

a week when

you come along

on a Sunday

morning or

once a month.

Jump in,

apply it to

your life,

and experience

it daily

and you

will know

the best

life ever.

Let's pray

together.

Amen.

We were once

seen as ungodly

sinners

and enemies

powerless

unable to change our life

or do anything

but then Christ

intervened

he broke into

our lives

he died for us

he rose again

for us

all that we could

experience the best

life ever

we thank you

for the peace

that you give us

thank you that we are

standing in your grace

thank you that we have

the hope of eternity

that we have joy

in our suffering

and we ask that by your

Holy Spirit's power

that you would take

these truths

and apply them

to our lives

so that we can feel

and know your love

and experience

the depth

of what it is

to be in a living

and vibrant

relationship with you

we thank you

that we have

everything

in Christ

forgive us

when we go

chasing other dreams

help us to

chase Christ

the one who gives

us

everything

in Jesus name

Amen

we're going to

sing together

to hear

move

to

you

you

you

you