As we turn to it, remember that this is God's word.
Proverbs chapter 30 verse 5 tells us,
! Every word of God proves true.
! He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.
And so that's why we read now Romans chapter 5 starting at verse 12.
Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man,
and death through sin,
and so death spread to all men because all sinned.
For sin indeed was in the world before the law was given,
but sin is not counted where there is no law.
Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses,
even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam,
who was a type of the one who was to come.
Verse 15.
But the free gift is not like the trespass.
For if many died through one man's trespass,
much more have the grace of God and the free gift
by the grace of that one man, Jesus Christ,
abounded for many.
And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin.
For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation,
but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification.
for if, because of one man's trespass,
death reigned through that one man,
much more will those who receive the abundance of grace
and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man,
Jesus Christ.
Verse 18.
Therefore,
as one trespass led to condemnation for all men,
so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.
for as by the one man's disobedience,
the many were made sinners,
so by the one man's,
oh sorry,
for as by the one man's disobedience,
the many were made sinners,
so by the one man's obedience,
the many will be made righteous.
Now the law came in to increase the trespass,
but where sin increased,
grace abounded all the more,
so that as sin reigned in death,
grace also might reign through righteousness,
leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ,
our Lord.
I invite you to pray with me as we come to this portion of God's word.
Our Father in heaven,
we do thank you and we praise you again this morning
that you speak to us in your word.
And we confess that we need your help.
We need the Holy Spirit to help us understand spiritual things.
And so we ask now that you would pour out your Holy Spirit
in a powerful and extra special way on us here and now,
in this room,
in this church,
that the Spirit would use ordinary words
and an ordinary man
to proclaim the extraordinary grace
that you offer in Jesus Christ.
That it would be clear in our minds
that we would understand it.
even more,
we would love it.
Most of all,
you would show us Jesus.
That we would see his beauty
and his glory
and his mercy
and his grace
and his love.
That you would use our time this morning
to grow our love and affection for him.
You'd increase our reverence
and our awe for him.
that you would make us even more and more obedient to him.
We thank you that we don't have to worry this morning
about whether we have earned
or deserved these things.
We know that we haven't and we don't.
And so we simply ask for them
in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
I want you to imagine with me
for a second
that you have a very wealthy father
and your wealthy father
is worth millions of dollars.
He comes to you one day
and he tells you,
he says,
you know,
I've written my will
and I've decided
you are not getting any of it.
I've decided that all of it
is going to go to charity.
There's nothing wrong relationally
between you and your dad.
He loves you deeply.
He's just decided
you're not going to get any of it.
Now this is a hypothetical
but it actually happened last month.
Broken the news
that Simon Cowell,
the TV personality,
may be best known
for being a judge
on American Idol.
He's worth $600 million
and he recently announced
he is not leaving any money
to his son Eric.
Instead of Eric,
his money,
his $600 million
is going to go to
children's charities
and dog charities.
So, you know,
I love you son.
I would just rather
the $600 million
go to help the dogs.
They're the ones who need it.
Poor Eric
is 11 years old,
hasn't done anything wrong.
That's you.
If that's Eric,
how do you feel?
$600 million
belongs to your dad.
It's going to the dog charities.
I think a lot of us
would be outraged.
A lot of the internet
was outraged
which is why
I know about this.
But why?
Why would you be so upset?
It's not your money.
It's your dad's money.
Do you get angry
when strangers
you don't know
don't leave you money?
Certainly hope not.
Why do you think
you deserve
your parents' money?
Why do you think
you're entitled to it?
Why would Eric
have any right
to be upset
that the dogs
are getting
the $600 million?
The reason you're upset
is this.
You know something.
You understand something
intuitively.
Theologians use
a variety of words
and terms
to describe it.
Some people call it
the concept
of solidarity.
Other people call it
corporate relationships.
One theologian calls it
the law of inheritance.
Whatever word you use
the idea is this.
We owe things
to one another.
Whatever term you like
we bear the consequences
of the choices
of other people.
Especially people
who are close to us.
We know this experientially.
Theologians pointed out
that we love
the consequences
of being close
to other people
when they're to our benefit.
We're more than happy
to receive
$600 million.
Your father
leaves you that?
No problem.
I'm not going to say
that's not my money.
I don't want to have that.
What about
when the consequences
are bad?
Of course,
we don't want to have
any of that, right?
We have our own
sort of double standard.
Now, I'm going to
drive this.
I'm going to give you
a general concept.
I'm going to drive it
a step further.
It's not just
that we're connected
with other people
and their decisions.
Sometimes,
other people
make decisions
for us.
They bind us.
There's many ways
to think about this.
Here's a couple.
politicians
make decisions
on our behalf.
That's why
they're called
representatives.
Because they
represent us.
Parents
make choices
for their children
that will have
consequences
for the rest
of their lives.
In the final analysis,
what I'm saying
is this.
We are not
isolated individuals.
individuals.
As much as we
love to think that,
especially in the
Western world,
we are deeply
tied up
and connected
and implicated
in the things
that other people do.
I'm going to
take this
beyond a general
principle now
when I give you
a particular
rule.
This is where
we get into
Romans chapter 5.
God
chose
Adam
to officially
represent
all
mankind.
God
chose
Adam
to
officially
represent
all
of
mankind.
That takes us
to verse 12
where Paul
tells us
we are
guilty
before God
because
of what
Adam
did.
That's where
he says
here,
verse 12,
Therefore,
just as sin
came into
the world
through
one
man.
John
already read
it for us
this morning
in Genesis
chapters 2
and 3.
We saw
how sin
came into
the world
through
one man.
Chapter 2,
verse 17,
God
comes to
Adam
and he
says,
Do not
eat
the tree
of the
knowledge
of good
and evil.
Chapter 2,
don't eat.
what happens?
Chapter 3,
they ate
it.
And in
that one
act,
all of
mankind
is guilty
before
God.
That's what
he warned
them.
God warned
them in
chapter 2,
verse 17
again,
For in
the day
that you
eat of
it,
you
shall
surely
die.
That's
what we
see.
Also,
here,
Romans
chapter 5,
verse 12,
sin came
into the
world
through
one
man,
and
death
through
sin.
So,
what God
said is
true.
Adam
represents
all of
us,
he sinned,
we're
guilty,
and
death
is
the
consequence.
When
he says
there,
because
all
sinned,
we're
moving
there,
from
death
through
sin,
and so
death
spread
to
all
men
because
all
sinned,
he is
saying
because
all
sinned
in
that
moment
when
Adam
sinned.
Now,
that's
not
crystal
clear
if we
just
have
verse
12
with
us.
Thankfully,
Paul gives
us a bunch
of other
verses
that clarify
this.
We
sinned
when
Adam
sinned
because
Adam
represents
us.
Track
with me
here,
verse
15,
many
died
through
one
man's
trespass.
verse
16,
the
judgment
following
one
trespass
brought
condemnation.
If that
wasn't
clear enough,
it gets
even
clearer
in
verse
18,
one
trespass
led
to
condemnation
for
all
men.
And
then it
becomes
the
clearest
in
verse
19,
for
as
by
the
one
man's
disobedience,
the
many
were
made
sinners.
God
chose
Adam
to
officially
represent
all
mankind.
When
Adam
sinned,
all of
us
became
guilty
before
God.
When
Adam
sinned,
death
entered
the world.
You'll
see this
on page
8 of
your
worship
guide,
talking
about
these
two
concepts
that
are
important
for
us
to
understand
original
guilt
and
original
sin.
Because
all
humans
are
originally
in
Adam,
we
are
guilty
before
God.
That's
the
point
of
this
passage.
And
we
inherit
a
sinful
nature,
that's
original
sin.
Now
this
passage
is
actually
not
getting
straight
at
original
sin,
it's
getting
at
original
guilt,
but
those
are
two
concepts
we
need
to
have
in
mind
as
we
think
about
how
the
world
works.
And
the
world
works
in
this
way.
Death
comes
for
all.
And
death
comes
for
all
because
of
the
sin
of
Adam.
Now
if that
feels a
little bit
technical,
that's
because
it is.
I told
you at
the
beginning
we're
going to
get into
a
detailed
technical
passage
and
that's
the
point
there
verses
12
through
really
through
14
through
13
and
14
Adam
represents
us
when
Adam
sinned
we
sinned.
Paul
then
goes
on
to
prove
that
point
in
the
next
couple
verses
in
verse
13
and
14
and
as
we
come
into
this
I'm
encouraged
by
what
the
apostle
Peter
tells
us
in
2
Peter
chapter
3
Peter
in
2
Peter
chapter
3
makes
this
offhanded
comment
about
the
apostle
Paul
and
he
says
this
there
are
some
things
in
them
that's
in
Paul's
letters
there
are
some
things
in
Paul's
letters
that
are
hard
to
understand
and
I'm
here
to
tell
you
that
verses
13
and
14
of
Romans
chapter
5
fit
that
category
they
are
in
fact
hard
to
understand
I've
been
wrestling
with
them
for
days
last
night
verses
13
and
14
finally
clicked
for
me
it
is a
brilliant
argument
here
that
Paul
uses
to
back up
his
claim
Paul
could
be a
lawyer
in a
certain
sense
he
is
and
the
argument
in
verses
13
and
14
in
one
sentence
is
this
the
fact
that
everyone
dies
proves
that
everyone
is
guilty
of
Adam's
sin
the
fact
that
everyone
dies
proves
that
everyone
is
guilty
of
Adam's
sin
Paul
is
acknowledging
an
objection
he's
recognizing
hey
I've
said
this
and
someone's
going to
come
at me
and
they're
going to
say
yeah
but
not
everyone
has
sinned
like
Adam
sinned
that's
the point
in
verse
14
he says
there are
those
whose
sinning
was
not
like
the
transgression
of
Adam
there's
all kinds
of
situations
we can
think
about
that
meet
that
category
all
sorts
of
people
who
can
say
yeah
Adam
disobeyed
here's
someone
who
didn't
here's
someone
who
didn't
have
the
same
access
to
God's
law
that
Adam
did
that's
why
in
verse
13
he talks
about
between
Adam
and
Moses
those
who
existed
before
the
Ten
Commandments
were
given
we can
think
of
some
other
categories
we can
think
of
someone
who
has
mental
limitations
They're
not
able
to
disobey
in
the
same
way
that
Adam
did
we
can
think
of
someone
who's
developmentally
incapable
of
disobeying
God
in
that
way
so that
way
it's
this
question
are
they
guilty
did
Adam's
sin
affect
them
too
that's
where Paul
says
verse
14
death
reigned
from
Adam
to
Moses
and so
Paul's
making
this
point
he says
everyone
dies
which
means
death
reigns
over
everyone
if
death
reigns
over
everyone
and
everyone's
guilty
about
him
sin
you
may
not
like
that
it
may
not
fit
into
your
western
mindset
but
to
disprove
that
everyone
is
guilty
about
him
sin
you
have
to
find
someone
who
hasn't
died
you
can
come
to
me
and
say
what
about
Luther
what
about
John
they
didn't
sin
like
Adam
sinned
Paul
would
say
this
did
they
die
will
they
die
if
they're
not
guilty
of
Adam's
sin
then
they
won't
die
because
they
do
they
are
so
again
put
this
argument
in
verses
13
and
14
in
one
sentence
we
could
say
this
if
death
reigns
over
everyone
and
it
does
then
everyone
sinned
when
Adam
sinned
the
point
is
not
that
everyone
sinned
like
Adam
Paul's
already
acknowledged
not
everyone
sinned
like
Adam
the
point
is
that
everyone
sinned
in
Adam
the
point
is
not
that
everyone
sinned
like
Adam
the
point
is
that
everyone
sinned
in
Adam
if
everyone
had
to
sin
like
Adam
not
everyone
would
die
but
death
reigns
so
all
are
guilty
of
Adam's
sin
we're
doing
some
heavy
lifting
this
morning
to
make
it
verses
12
through
14
is
where
we
pivot
we
get
to
turn
the
corner
a
little
bit
so
we've
done
some
heavy
sledding
here's
where
we've
been
God
appointed
Adam
to
represent
all
of
mankind
when
Adam
sinned
we
sin
we
have
original
guilt
because
Adam
is
guilty
therefore
we
are
guilty
the
proof
of
that
is
universal
death
if
we
weren't
all
guilty
of
Adam's
sin
we
wouldn't
all
die
because
not
everyone
sins
like
Adam
now
we
get to
pivot
here
verse
14
says
even
those
who
sinning
was
not
like
the
transgression
of
Adam
who
was
a
type
of
the
one
who
was
to
come
the
problem
is that
you are
in
Adam
there's
good
news
there's
a
solution
and
the
solution
is that
you can
switch
teams
he's
the
type
of the
one
to
come
and
type
that
word
means
there's
something
that
they
have
in
common
there's
something
Adam
and
Jesus
share
what
they
share
is that
both
of
them
can
represent
you
the
type
what
Adam
and
Jesus
share
is that
both
of
them
can
represent
you
are
not
doomed
to be
in
Adam
it's not
the only
option
the
problem
is all
sinned
in Adam
that's
verses
12
through
14
the
solution
is that
you can
be
in
Christ
that's
verses
15
through
21
verses
17
through
19
make
this
the
most
clear
verse
17
tells
us
this
death
reigned
in
Adam
you're
in
Christ
you
reign
in
life
verse
18
being
in
Adam
leads
to
condemnation
and
death
being
in
Christ
leads
to
justification
and
life
verse
19
if
you're
in
Adam
you're
made
a
sinner
if
you
are
in
Christ
you
are
made
righteous
death
in
Adam
life
in
Christ
who
do
you
belong
to
this
passage
tells
us
there
are
only
two
options
who
do you
belong
to
do
you
belong
to
Adam
or
do
you
belong
to
Christ
does
death
still
reign
over
you
or
do
you
reign
in
life
sometimes
I see
someone
who
is
rich
or
powerful
or
scary
or
beautiful
and
when
I'm
tempted
to be
intimidated
by that
when
I'm
tempted
to
worship
that
I
remind
myself
one
day
he
will
die
one
day
she
will
die
I'm
a big
biography
fan
the last
few
years
and
sometimes
I
read
biographies
of
people
who
were
people
who
were
rich
and
powerful
and
then
I
remember
why
did
they
write
a
book
about
that
person
because
he's
dead
I
remember
the
same
thing
for
myself
no
matter
what
great
and
glorious
things
there
are
in
this
life
no
matter
what
I
might
hope
for
or
long
for
one
day
I
will
die
death
does
reign
in
this
world
does
and
we
spend
an
enormous
amount
of
time
trying
to
distract
ourselves
from
that
fact
but
the
reign
of
death
the
reign
of
death
is
meant
to
push
us
to
Christ
the
reign
of
death
is
meant
to
remind
us
that
unless
we
are
in
him
nothing
else
matters
who
do
you
belong
to
are
you
in
Adam
or
are
you
in
Jesus
Christ
does
death
reign
over
you
or
do
you
reign
in
life
that's
the only
question
that
matters
I
often
pray
before
sermons
you've
heard
me
and
I
did
it
this
morning
that
we
as
we
look
into
God's
word
we
would
see
the
great
beauty
and
glory
of
Jesus
Christ
we've
done
some
tough
theological
work
this
morning
some
technical
work
talking
about
Adam
as
our
representative
that
when
he
sin
we
sin
and
that
Jesus
is
the
one
who
can
also
take
that
away
and
represent
us
in
a
different
way
what
Paul
ends
with
here
though
is
this
what
makes
Jesus
so
beautiful
what
is it
that
makes
Jesus
so
marvelous
why
should
Jesus
capture
our
attention
more
than
anything
and
anyone
else
that's
what
he's
getting
at
in
verse
15
he
says
the
free
gift
is
not
like
the
trespass
Adam
and
Eve
are
not
Adam
and
Christ
are
not
a
one
to
one
comparison
it's
not
like
yeah
Adam
is
A
and
Jesus
is
B
no
verse
15
he tells
us
uses
this phrase
much
more
if
many
died
through
one
man's
trespass
much
more
have
the
grace
of
God
and
the
free
gift
by
the
grace
of
that
one
man
Jesus
Christ
abounded
for
many
scholars
tell us
that
much
more
and
abounded
does
not
do
justice
to
what
is
happening
in
the
original
Greek
that
the
best
way
we
can
translate
this
is
that
grace
super
abounded
that
no
matter
what
happened
in
Adam
and
sin
grace
is
so
much
more
same
thing
happens
in
verse
17
Paul
is
not
satisfied
to
tell
us
that
once
much
more
will
those
who
receive
the
abundance
of
grace
and
the
free
gift
of
righteousness
reign
in
life
through
the
one
man
Jesus
Christ
Paul
is
saying
is
that
grace
is
more
powerful
than
sin
and
that
Jesus
is
more
glorious
than
Adam
grace
is
more
powerful
than
sin
Jesus
is
more
glorious
than
Adam
why
grace
is
more
powerful
and
Jesus
is
more
glorious
Paul
will
tell
us
for
a
simple
principle
that
every
parent
knows
it's
way
easier
to
make
a
mess
than
it
is
to
clean
up
a
mess
it's
way
easier
to
make
a
mess
than
it
is
to
clean
up
a
mess
it
is
way
easier
to
destroy
than
it
is
to
restore
it
is
much
easier
to
wreck
than
it
is
to
build
anyone
can
mess
things
up
there
is
nothing
special
about
Adam
it
takes
no
talent
or
skill
or
courage
to
ruin
everything
the
one
who
cleans
up
though
must
be
that
much
more
powerful
grace
!
grace
must
be
more
powerful
than
sin
Jesus
must
be
so
much
greater
than
Adam
that's
what
Paul's
telling
us
here
in
verse
16
and
the
free
gift
is
not
like
the
result
of
that
one
man
sin
for
the
judgment
following
one
trespass
brought
condemnation
but
the
free
gift
following
many
trespasses
brought
justification
in other
words
Adam
to
make
a
mess
Adam
just
needed
one
sin
to
clean
up
the
mess
Jesus
had
to
cover
many
sins
condemnation
is
just
one
thing
justification
is
actually
two
things
justification
is
not
just
undoing
the
guilt
that
Adam
introduced
justification
is
Jesus
also
bringing
the
perfect
life
and
giving
that
righteousness
to
us
verse
17
death
reigning
does not
switch to
life
reigning
death
reigning
switches
to
you
reigning
in
life
it's
not that
you were
under
the
dominion
of
death
and
now
you're
just
not
no
you were
under
the
dominion
of
death
and now
you have
dominion
you have
dominion
in
life
it's
harder
to clean
a mess
than to
make a
mess
and so
Jesus
is greater
than
Adam
finally
verses
16
and
17
tell us
the
opposite
of the
trespass
is a
free
gift
verse
16
the
free
gift
is not
like the
result
of that
one
man's
sin
verse
17
much
more
will
those
who
receive
the
abundance
of
grace
and
the
free
gift
of
righteousness
you don't
have to
do
anything
to
switch
teams
you don't
have to
earn
your
way
to
be
in
Adam
what
Paul
says
is
you do
have to
do
one
thing
you do
have to
receive
what is it
that you
receive
you receive
the free
gift
who do
you want
to
represent
you
before
God
do you
want to be
represented by
Adam
or do you
want to be
represented by
Jesus
Christ
will you
receive
the free
gift
will you
let
Jesus
clean
up
the mess
it's
much
easier to
make a
mess
than to
clean a
mess
and so
how much
greater
is
Jesus
than
Adam
him
we
might
say
this
praise
the
Lord
his
mercy
is
more
stronger
than
darkness
new
every
morn
our
sins
they
are
many
his
mercy
is
what
his
mercy
is
more
much
more
let's
pray
our
father
in
heaven
we
do
thank
you
and
praise
you
again
for
your
word
we
ask
that
you
would
again
open
our
eyes
that
we
would
see
you
clearly
your
provision
for
us
in
Jesus
Christ
that
we
would
understand
and
embrace
and
receive
the
free
gift
you
have
for
us
in
him
that
we
would
not
be
under
the
dominion
of
death
we
would
reign
with
him
in
life
we
ask
all
of
these
things
in
his
name
amen
I
invite you
to stand
for our
closing