Let me add my hello to everyone else who said hello.
It is really great to see some parents of campers
and also our regular 5pm family
and of course all of the slightly weary and smelly summer campers.
We have had a fantastic week soaking in God's Word
and we are not done yet.
So I'm going to pray and ask that the tiredness
and the stickiness and anything else that might distract us
would be taken away so that we can hear what God has to say.
So let's pray.
Father God, we want to thank you for your Word
and we want to thank you for this time right now
where we get to sit and reflect on the hope that is held out in the Gospel
and the joy that you have designed for us in this life
and we pray that you would give us alertness and eagerness
and that we would hear you speak and that our hearts would be captured.
Amen.
So as we've kind of hinted over this week since Wednesday,
we've been walking through Romans 1 to 4.
So it's a bit hard for you if you've just walked in
to kind of catch this series.
But the good news is,
and this might disappoint all the people who are on summer camp,
Romans 1 to 4 can pretty much be summarised in chapter 5 verse 1.
So we might have been able to be a little more economical
if I'd planned to head further,
but that's good news for everyone else
and a refresher for those of us who are feeling tired.
So let's have a look at chapter 5 verse 1.
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
So far, this letter to the Romans has been all about the Gospel.
Paul's just been teaching what the Gospel is,
how the Gospel works,
why the Gospel matters,
and then he sums it up in this incredibly action-packed sentence.
We have been justified through faith.
We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
The message of the Gospel
is not simply a message
that God will not punish us if we trust Jesus.
It's actually more than that.
The message of the Gospel
that comes out in Romans 1 to 4
and that comes out in all of Scripture
is God's message to say,
you don't deserve to be in heaven.
You don't deserve to know me,
a God who is righteous and perfect and holy,
but I choose to justify you.
I choose to declare you innocent,
not just so that you can avoid punishment,
but I choose to justify you.
I choose to declare you innocent
so that you might know me.
One of the verses that we have bounced around a lot this week
is back in chapter 1.
If you want to turn there really quickly,
chapter 1, verse 16,
says,
I am not ashamed of the Gospel
because it is the power of God
for the salvation of everyone who believes,
first for the Jew,
then for the Gentile.
For in the Gospel,
a righteousness from God is revealed.
The Gospel message is not just a way
to get out of the discipline
or the punishment that you deserve.
The Gospel message is God revealing who he is
so that we can know him,
so that we can actually have a relationship with him.
Back in chapter 5,
he continues on having explained
that we have peace with God,
and he says,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have gained access by faith
into the grace in which we now stand.
The message of the Gospel in Romans 1 to 4
is that God gives us something that we do not deserve,
and that if we place our faith in Jesus,
if we accept the forgiveness that God offers,
having sent his Son to die in our place,
that we now stand in grace,
that we now stand confident
that we will be able to continue to stand,
that we now stand confident
that one day we will stand for all eternity
at peace with God,
because it's by grace,
and it has nothing to do with what we have done,
or haven't done,
or will do,
or won't do.
It has everything to do with what God did
in sending Jesus to die in our place.
The peace with God might be a little bit bigger
than we first grab when we read a verse like this.
Yes, God deals with the fact
that we've been rejecting him,
and he brings peace there.
But he also deals with the fact
that God, who is perfect and righteous and holy,
and has to punish those who reject him,
so instead of standing under judgment,
we have peace.
Romans 1-4 makes it really clear
that although God loves us,
although God is gracious,
he will not tolerate sin.
He will not tolerate people
who treat him like he's not important,
and so this first verse of chapter 5
holds a lot of incredible encouragement.
It says,
we have been declared innocent,
and we have peace with a God
who should actually punish us
because that same God
provided his son
to take our punishment on the cross.
It's an action-packed four chapters.
And we are encouraged
since we have been justified,
because we are justified,
because we have peace with God,
because we now stand in grace.
In Acts 2-2,
we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
Because of what God has done in Jesus,
we are joyful people.
The Christian faith is not a stoic
and sad and serious faith.
It is a joyful faith.
Because we no longer have to fear
any possibility of judgment,
because God has welcomed us back
into his family
and has restored us
so that we might have a relationship with him,
we are now people who rejoice
in the hope of the glory of God.
The hope of the glory of God
is the hope of his glory
and his character being fully revealed.
It's another way of saying
we rejoice in the hope of heaven.
We rejoice in the hope
that one day God will come back to the earth
and he will bring justice
where there is injustice.
He will remove pain and suffering.
He will deal out the punishment
that he's rightly deserved.
We rejoice in that hope
because we know that we stand
on the right side of the ledger.
We rejoice in that hope
because we have peace with the one
who will come back
and establish his rule and authority
finally and completely.
We have an anchor
that is bigger and greater
than the circumstances
that we face
in our day-to-day life.
With the hope of the glory of God
as an inevitable destination,
if we believe in the hope of the gospel,
if we believe we are forgiven,
if we believe we have peace with God,
it is inevitable
and immovable
and unchangeable
that our final destination
is heaven with God.
And because of that,
because we know how the story ends,
because we know
where we're going to end up,
because we know
what the finish line is,
verse 3,
we also rejoice
in our sufferings
because we know
that suffering
produces perseverance.
Perseverance, character,
and character, hope.
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.
Hope is our anchor.
Hope means that
as you deal with pain
in your life now,
you know that it's temporary.
Hope means that
as you miss out on things
that you deeply desire
and maybe even as you wonder
whether or not
God is withholding things from you,
you know that one day,
completely and finally,
he will pour out
every blessing
that you have asked for
and more.
Hope is our anchor
because hope
gives us confidence
that God loves us
even when the world
around us says
that can't be true.
As we deal with
sickness and death
and the world says
just give up on the God
who's clearly not
looking after you,
our hope for the future
enables us to trust
that God is loving
and good
in the present.
our faith
that he has done
what needs to be done
to guarantee
our eternal inheritance
means that we can trust
that even right now
he is doing
what is good
and beneficial
for us
even when it's painful.
We are confident
in the love of God
in verse 5
because he has poured out
his love
into our hearts
by the Holy Spirit
whom he has given us.
We're confident
because his spirit
reminds us
of God's love.
In those moments
of darkness
when we pray
and we cry out
he reminds us
that he is with us
but not just
by his Holy Spirit.
We are confident
of God's love
because of verse 6.
You see
at just the right time
when we were still powerless
Christ died
for the ungodly.
Very rarely
will anyone die
for a righteous man
though for a good man
someone might possibly
dare to die
but God demonstrates
his own love
for us in this.
While we were still
sinners
Christ died
for us.
When we were
rebelling against God
when we were there
cheering
that God
would be crucified
when we were
choosing that
he is not important
when we were
making the decision
that he has no claim
on our life
that we can live
however we want
at that moment
he sent Jesus
to die
so that you would
know that he loved you.
not just
so that you would
know
but so that it
would be possible
for you to be
forgiven
and have the
hope of heaven
if he did that
when you were
still a sinner
if he did that
when you were
still rejecting him
if he did that
while we were
still the ungodly
you can be sure
that as one
who is trusting
in his love
as one
who is calling
him king
as one
who is
leaning on
the hope
that he has
provided
that he still
loves you
and that he's
still working
for your good
if he gave you
Jesus
what would he
possibly withhold
from you?
Paul says
effectively that
in Romans 8
how could he
who did not
spare his own
son but gave
him up for us
all not
eagerly along
with him
also give us
all things?
If God has
delivered his
son
while we were
rejecting him
now that we
call him our
heavenly father
now that we
call Jesus
our savior
how much more
confident we are
even in the
depths of despair
and pain and
suffering
that God
is good
and loving
and that he
is using our
circumstance for
his glory
and our
benefit and
so we
rejoice
in our
sufferings
we are
anchored to
the goodness
of God
because of
the hope
of a savior
who died
in our
place and
who is
now risen
he spells
it out in
verse 9
since we
have now
been justified
by his
blood
how much
more shall
we be saved
from God's
wrath through
him
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 gospel
gives us the
benefit right
now of knowing
for certain
that we are
forgiven
knowing for
certain that the
slate has been
wiped clean
we are justified
we are declared
innocent
our punishment
has already been
absorbed and
exhausted in the
person of Jesus
when he went to
the cross
because we know
that and we have
future hope
we rejoice in our
sufferings because
we know that
even as beneficial
as that certain
hope is that
there is more to
come
having been
forgiven that
there is even
more as we
approach the day
when God returns
or calls us home
to be in heaven
having been
justified by
his blood
we will now
be saved
through his
life
not the life
he had before
the cross
but the life
he lives now
and for all
eternity
having been
raised
having defeated
death
Jesus life
now
sitting on the
throne in
heaven
is the life
that guarantees
our future
salvation
so we rejoice
in suffering
because even
as we hurt
we stand
and we say
with confidence
I'm loved
by God
I'm forgiven
by God
and I know
where I am
going
we rejoice
in the hope
of the glory
of God
in the future
that is to
come
we rejoice
even in
our sufferings
but there is
something even
better
have a look
at verse 5
let's read
from verse
verse 3
we also rejoice
in our sufferings
because we know
that suffering
produces perseverance
perseverance
character
and character
hope
and hope
does not
disappoint us
I remember
when it was
almost time
for Bailey
to be born
I'm sure
that some of you
would remember
it as well
because I was
fairly annoying
around this
particular point
I was busting
to become a dad
I was counting
down the days
I had decided
very early
in the pregnancy
that Bailey
was going to be
born at least
two weeks early
I had no basis
for that hope
but I was
absolutely committed
to it
and convinced
of it
and so I was
telling everyone
I was in
preparation
I even took
holidays from
work two weeks
before the due
date because I
was sure that
he was going
to be born
the result was
he managed to
come ten days
late
so not only
did hope
disappoint
but it also
probably seriously
annoyed poor
Sal as I was
wandering around
the house
and you know
hurry up
come on
what's going
on
I was
absolutely
convinced
it was
going to
work out
this way
that I was
going to
become a dad
on this day
that my life
was going to
be changed
and that hope
was absolutely
shattered
because by the
time he was
born I was
so exhausted
from disappointment
that I could
barely enjoy the
moment until
about two weeks
afterwards when I
somehow found
what normal was
again
hope is dangerous
if it's not
sure
hope creates
the possibility
of disappointment
hope that is
not met
breeds sadness
and grief
but that is
not a possibility
for our hope
in God
we can rejoice
in suffering
because it is
feeding our
perseverance
and our
character
and our
hope
and our
hope is
sure
our hope
is not
something that
we have
invented
it's not
some desire
that we have
elevated to the
position of our
eternal destiny
our hope is
specific
our hope is
that having
been justified
by the blood
of Jesus
having been
forgiven by the
blood of Jesus
we will one day
spend eternity
in God's
perfect new
creation
completely
restored
free from
pain and
sickness and
death and
most importantly
in the presence
of God
himself
we rejoice
in the hope
that one day
God's name
will be
vindicated
he will be
known as
glorious
throughout all
of his
creation
we rejoice
in our
sufferings
because we
know that
they are
merely part
of our
journey
towards that
hope
but we
rejoice
in verse
11
in God
we rejoice
in him
through Jesus
that's why
our joy
as Christians
is both
something that
is overwhelming
in our
circumstance
now but
also something
that we
anticipate
something that
that spurs us
forward in our
life
because we do
know our
heavenly father
now having
been justified
and having been
drawn into a
relationship with
him but we
know that now
we know
only partially
all we know
of God is
amazing and
glorious and
joy giving
but imagine
what it will
be like
when you get
to know him
face to face
imagine what
it will be
like when
you come
face to face
with the
one who
when you
were still
his enemy
gave his
son so
that you
could be
forgiven
we rejoice
because that
is the only
response
to the
glorious God
who has
revealed himself
to us in
the gospel
of Jesus
we rejoice
and we look
forward to
the day
we rejoice
in our
circumstance
now
we rejoice
in anticipation
of that
unhindered
relationship
Christians should
be the most
joyful people
there are
I always
find it
slightly
amusing
when people
talk about
how serious
we are
or how
focused
or stoic
we are
when we
gather
together
for church
sometimes
they're
right
sadly
but really
we should
be overflowing
with joy
we should
be exploding
with joy
we had a
conversation
with the
kids this
morning on
camp
and we
said
don't let
this joy
stay on
camp
bottle it
up as a
grenade
and release
it when we
get to
church
and I
think they
did a
good job
if you're
a parent
they're
saving a
second
grenade of
joy
for the
trip home
to share
with you
how amazing
the week
was
but really
as Christians
we should
have more
joy than
anyone else
because we
have nothing
to fear
because our
eternal destiny
is guaranteed
because we
live in
absolute
certainty
that God
loves us
and is
working for
our good
and expressing
his love
for us
in any
and every
circumstance
and situation
what else
could give you
more joy
than that
but what
if you're
sitting here
now
or what
if you're
sitting here
in a
week's
time
or a
month's
time
or a
year's
time
and you
don't
feel
joyful
it's
great for
me to
say we
should be
joyful
but what
about when
we're
not
then we
need to
go back
to the
beginning
we need
to go back
to verse
one
since we
have been
justified
through faith
we have
peace with
God
through our
Lord Jesus
Christ
through whom
we have
gained access
by faith
into the
grace
in which
we now
stand
we have
to go
back
and remember
that we're
innocent
before God
that we're
forgiven
that our
debt has
been paid
that there
is no
possibility
of God's
wrath for
us
because
Jesus has
taken it
we have
to look
back and
understand
that we
have peace
with God
which doesn't
just mean
the absence
of fighting
peace means
that we have
been drawn
into an
intimate
and loving
relationship
with a
heavenly
father
when we
struggle for
joy we
need to
come back
to the
hope of
that final
day when
the pain
that you're
experiencing
now will
be a
distant
memory
when we
struggle for
joy we
need to
reflect on
the limitless
love of
God shown
in the
sacrifice of
his son
when you
struggle for
joy you
need to
bask in
the encouragement
you need to
soak in the
adrenaline that
comes from
the hope of
the gospel
doesn't mean
that we'll walk
around with
goofy smiles all
the time and
we'll never get
sad and we'll
never cry
I'm sure
there's a lot
of people
from camp
that can
testify that
tears are
part of
the joy
but what
it means is
you have an
anchor and a
foundation
you have a
joy that's
bigger than
how you're
feeling today
that's bigger
than how you're
going this
year that's
bigger than
how much
energy you
have
you have a
joy because
your eternity
is certain
because your
God loves
you and
because no
one and
nothing can
take that
away since
we have been
justified through
faith we have
peace with God
and we have
joy let's
pray
father God
we want to
thank you for
Jesus we
want to admit
that often we
let our
circumstance and
our situation
and our
relationships and
our anxieties and
whatever else
speak louder than
the gospel we
want to admit
that we get
distracted by
right here and
right now and
we forget what
you have done to
prove to us that
you love us
that we forget
about the
amazing eternal
home that you
are preparing for
us that we
forget that you
have promised
that even right
now in the midst
of our pain you
are working for
our good you
are expressing
your love for
us but father
we ask that you
would open our
eyes to the hope
of the gospel
that we would
wake every morning
with a new sense
of awe that
when we were
enemies Christ
died and brought
us back in a
relationship with
you I pray that
we would know the
joy of a
relationship with
you today and
the anticipation of
the joy that will
come when we get
to see you face
face to face I
pray that the
world around us
will see us and
want the joy that
we have I pray
that you would use
us to represent
you and to draw
other people into
the hope of the
gospel the hope of
Jesus amen
amen
for
us and
let's
we feed on
life