Romans chapter 5 is where we are this morning.
I titled this sermon, I'm always jealous of pastors who have these clever titles.
! I'm not that creative.
So I thought I'd try to get creative with this one.
So I titled this one, Jesus is the one-upper.
Jesus is the one-upper.
He knows what I'm talking about.
The guys who, you know, you tell them something and they always one-up you.
Man, I just had a really bad night.
Oh yeah, well I didn't sleep for two days.
You know, that kind of thing.
Well, our text this morning, Jesus is the one-upper.
We've got a big text with a big topic and a lot to cover.
So I'm going to pray and then we'll dig in.
Father, we are so thankful for Your Son, Jesus Christ.
We are so thankful for the grace and the mercy that You have shown us.
And God, I pray this morning that we are more aware of that grace and mercy this morning.
That You make Yourself known to us even more.
God, I pray that the words that are spoken here will be Your words.
I pray, God, that I don't preach and teach from my talent, but I preach and teach this morning through the power of the Holy Spirit.
God, if there is any error in what I say, I pray that nobody remembers.
Not for my glory, but for Your glory, so that I do not stray anybody away from Your truth.
I pray, God, that Your Word would penetrate hearts this morning and that we would treasure Christ.
That we could sing, give me Christ or else I die forever.
Our lives would reflect those words.
Amen.
Pray this in Jesus' name.
Amen.
So, it's been four weeks since we've been in the book of Romans.
So, what I want to do is give you guys a quick review.
And then we'll dig into chapter 5, starting in verse 12.
Romans chapter 1.
This is a letter to the church in Rome.
So, Paul writes this letter to Christians.
Romans chapter 1, Paul lays out that everyone, Gentile specifically, are sinners.
Everyone is guilty.
In fact, he says in chapter 1, verse 20,
so they are without excuse being that they are shown God's glory.
They are guilty no matter who they are.
They decide in chapter 1, as Paul is laying out the depravity of man,
he says that they worship the creation instead of the Creator.
Chapter 2, just so there's no judgment or just so there's no empty lines not filled out,
Paul addresses the Jewish people in chapter 2 and says,
Jewish people, you are just as guilty.
You are just as depraved.
So, we come to chapter 3.
Chapter 3 is the culmination of 1 and 2.
All are sinners.
All are guilty.
No one is righteous.
No one can do good.
That is chapter 3.
So, we come to chapter 4.
Chapter 4 is a glorious chapter
where Paul lays out for the reader
that justification through Christ Jesus is only by faith,
not by works,
not by religious activity,
not by any good thing that you do.
It is through faith alone.
And it is a gift.
It is a gift.
So, in chapter 5, we get,
and he starts out with verse 1,
he says,
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
So, not only are we justified,
but that justification now gives us peace with God.
We are no longer enemies with God,
but we are on His side.
We are on His team.
We are loved by Him,
and He loves us.
Later on in chapter 5,
we rejoice in our sufferings.
We rejoice because we know what's to come.
And we know that it says in verse 3,
suffering produces endurance,
and endurance produces character,
and character produces hope,
and hope does not put us to shame.
In other words,
everything God does is for a purpose,
is for our good,
and justification is that motor that pushes.
We can rejoice in no matter,
in whatever situation,
because we are justified.
So, now we come to verse 12.
We're reading a big chunk.
So, let's start reading in verse 12.
We're going all the way to the end of the chapter.
Verse 21.
It says,
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.
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.
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 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.
Before we really dig in,
I want to take a minute
and speak to the men
here at Christ's Family Church.
The men who are members,
men who are not members.
Guys,
if you notice,
Paul speaks to Adam,
or speaks of Adam
and not Eve
bringing sin into the world.
Adam is held responsible.
Adam is the one who calls,
who God calls
in chapter 3
after eating the fruit.
Adam is the one who is blamed.
Now of course,
Paul is educated.
We know this.
We know he is a smart guy.
And he knew that Eve
ate of the fruit first.
But what he has done
is that he has shown
the weight and the responsibility
on the man's head.
Now of course,
this is not what the text
is talking about here this morning,
but we can draw this
from our text.
And I want to show you
quickly
this weight of responsibility
for men
leading your spouses,
leading the women
in your life.
Men,
we have an inescapable
responsibility.
There is no way out of it.
No way around it.
And when your wives
and my wife fail,
when they sin,
when they lose faith,
it is us
who are held responsible.
Adam is the one here
being held responsible
for bringing sin
into the world.
Young guys,
are you ready
to love your future wife
this way?
to take responsibility
for her?
To sacrifice for her?
To lead her?
To carry the weight
of this responsibility?
For me,
one of the scariest verses
in the Bible
is in Ephesians chapter 6
or 5
where it says,
Husbands,
love your wives
as Christ loves the church.
That's scary
because I fall
so short.
It leaves no room
for getting out of it.
Adam is the guilty one.
Of course,
Eve is guilty too,
but Adam gets the honor
and privilege
of being the patriarch
of sin.
So before we jump in,
I give that to you
this morning.
That's free.
Men,
you are responsible
for your wives.
Love them.
Guys,
if you're not married,
get ready
to love
your future spouse.
Know God's Word.
Love God.
Love Jesus.
I want to begin
this morning
in our text
by asking you
a question.
The question is,
if you died today,
I know what you're thinking,
it's not that question.
If you died today
and immediately
you were before God,
immediately you were
before God,
you were at
your judgment,
who would you belong to?
Would you claim
citizenship with Jesus
in His kingdom
or would you be claimed
by the sin of Adam?
That's your question.
Would you claim
citizenship with Jesus
in His kingdom
or would you be claimed
by the sin
of Adam?
See,
in our text this morning,
we find a comparison
between Adam
and Jesus
with the end result
being
that we have
assurance
of our salvation
because
even death
cannot keep God
from fulfilling
what He promises.
So we have
some similarities
in the comparison
between Adam
and Jesus.
The biggest is
that both of them
are what they call
federal heads.
Federal heads
of mankind.
Being that
each one
made decisions
that either
affected all
of mankind
or was done
representing
all of mankind.
Kind of like
the U.S.
president
sometimes will make
a decision
that affects
all the citizens
of the United States.
Both men
made profound
impact
on the world.
The difference is
is that one
didn't
obey
God
and the other
did.
So here is
our layout
this morning.
Here's where
we're kind of going.
We're going to talk
about Adam.
Then we're going to
talk about Jesus.
We're going to
talk about the
law and grace.
And I'm going to
end with four
concluding questions.
Okay?
So hang with me.
That's like
pretty much
the whole Bible
is what we're
going to hit
this morning.
So,
Adam,
here we go.
Adam,
verse 12.
Therefore,
just as sin
came into the world
through one man
and death
through sin
and so death
spread through all men
because all sinned.
Now as you know,
Adam is that one man.
Adam is the guy.
Adam brought sin
into the world.
Adam and Eve
chose to disobey God.
And the result
of their action
was sin
entering the world.
The world here
means all people,
all men,
everyone who will
ever live.
So,
how would you like
to be known
as the person
or responsible
for corrupting
all mankind
based on one
decision?
But that's the truth.
Their decision
was to
worship themselves
and not
obey God.
It started
with them
and it goes
all the way
through mankind,
through every
human being.
Every person
who has ever lived
has been affected
by Adam
and Eve.
Now some
would say
that Adam
and Eve
are just
fictional characters
of this story
of creation.
They're not real.
Well,
I'm here to say
if you don't believe
Genesis 1,
2,
and 3,
then you might as well
not believe
any part of the Bible.
Adam and Eve
are our great,
great,
and we can go on
forever,
grandparents.
They are related
to us
and their blood
has corrupted
our blood.
My great,
great,
grandparents
moved from
Italy to
America.
They were
100% Italian.
So that makes me
25%,
I think,
Italian.
Sin doesn't
work that way
though.
Sin doesn't
get less and
less through
the generations
so now
we're .00175
sinful.
We are still
100% sinful.
Things,
in fact,
are worse
than they were.
We deal with
diseases and
illnesses that
Adam and Eve
did not deal
with because
of sin.
So because of
one sin,
of one choice
by Adam and Eve,
the most heinous,
awful crimes
that you can think
of,
Holocaust,
genocide,
murder,
adultery,
abortion,
no matter what
it is,
are a result
of that one
choice.
All are in
effect of that
one sin.
That same sin,
that desire
that Adam and
Eve had
to disobey
God,
to crush
the Creator
and elevate
themselves.
back in the
Garden of
Eden is what
affects us
today.
Thousands of
years ago.
For this
day,
we worship
ourselves
more than we
worship the
Creator.
Flip back to
Romans chapter
1 and I
touched on
this.
Romans chapter
1,
verse 24 and
25.
Paul is
laying out
the depravity
of man,
laying out
that all
people are
sinful.
He says,
therefore,
God gave
them up in
the lusts of
their hearts
to impurity,
to the
dishonoring of
their bodies
among themselves
because they
exchanged the
truth about
God for a
lie and
worshiped and
served the
creature rather
than the
Creator who
is blessed
forever.
is what we
do.
We worship
the creature
man made or
not instead
of the
Creator.
This is the
legacy of
Adam and
Eve.
Verse 12
tells us that
Adam brought
sin into the
world and the
result of this
sin is death.
So sin brings
death into the
world.
And of course,
there are two
types of death.
We have
physical death
where our
time here on
earth is over.
We also have
spiritual death.
So physical
death.
Flip back to
Genesis chapter
2.
You might want
to mark it.
I know it's
easy.
First book in
the Bible to
find, but we're
going to be
back at least
one other
time.
Genesis chapter
2.
Verse 17
tells us.
And God
says to
Adam, this
is the
curse after
the fall.
God says
to Adam,
because you
have listened
to the voice
of your wife
and have
eaten of the
tree of which
I commanded
you, you
shall not
eat of it.
Cursed is the
ground because
of you.
In pain you
shall eat of
it all the
days of your
life.
Thorns and
thistles it
shall bring
forth to you
and you
shall eat the
plants of the
field.
Verse 19,
by the sweat
of your face
you shall eat
bread till you
return to the
ground.
For out of it
you are taken
for you are
dust and to
dust you
shall return.
I'm sorry,
that's chapter
3, not
chapter 2.
I apologize.
2.
17 says,
but of the
tree of the
knowledge of
good and evil
you shall not
eat for in
the day that
you eat of
it you shall
surely die.
3.
19.
I just
read.
I apologize
for that
guys.
3.
3 repeats
what I've
just read.
The God's
command that
if you eat
of this
plant you
will die.
There is a
time when
we die.
It is a
result of
sin being
brought into
the world.
There is a
time and a
place to
die.
Some people
think that
you guys have
heard that
song,
there's a
time to
live and a
time to
die.
I think
it's the
birds.
I can't
be for
sure,
but you
guys can
correct me
later.
Some people
think that
they wrote
it.
In fact,
it's actually
from Ecclesiastes
chapter 3.
It says,
for everything
there is a
season and
a time for
every matter
under heaven,
a time to
be born and
a time to
die, a time
to plant and
a time to
pluck up what
is planted.
We are going
to die
at some
point.
Physical
death is a
result of
sin.
for the
Christian,
this is
good news.
For the
Christian,
this is
comforting.
Now,
although there
may be
feelings that
you may
have about
leaving your
family and
friends or
not accomplishing
this or
that,
it is good
news because
to die,
as Paul says
in Philippians,
is gain.
It is good
because we
see Christ.
We will see
Christ in
all His
glory.
We will be
in His
presence.
The Lamb
who was slain
for my
sin will be
before me.
See,
the pinnacle
of the
Christian life
is not
here on
earth.
The pinnacle
of the
Christian life
is being in
God's presence
and worshiping
Jesus forever.
That's
the pinnacle.
So,
if we
believe all
Scripture,
if there is
nothing that we
have read
and we say,
no,
that can't
be so,
then Christ
is far
better than
anything this
world has
to offer.
He is far
better.
He has
accomplished
more.
And He
deserves all
our praise,
all our
worship,
and we
will be
excited to
be in
heaven with
Him.
So,
death will
be a gain
and dying
will be a
comfort.
But for the
unbeliever,
death is
scary.
Death is
the beginning
of eternal
despair.
Death will
be the
beginning of
eternal
separation.
Now,
some people
say that
when you
die,
you just
die.
Your clock
runs out,
the batteries
go dead,
you're it.
No,
nothing.
Well,
when you
die,
you're going
to be aware
of where
you are
and what
you're
doing.
It's not
the end.
It's not
an empty,
lifeless body
in the
ground.
Remember
the beggar
named Lazarus
and the
rich man?
I mentioned
it like
five or
six weeks
ago,
so you
probably
don't
unless
you've
read the
story.
A rich
man walks
by the
gate.
Lazarus
begs for
him,
begs,
please
give me
something.
And the
man continues
on.
They both
die.
The rich
man is
in hell.
In a
place of
torment
and
despair.
And he
begs
Lazarus,
begs
Abraham
to allow
Lazarus
to touch
his finger
to water
and put
it in
his mouth.
It is
horrible
where he's
at.
He is
aware
of where
he is.
But not
only did
sin bring
physical
death
into the
world,
but it
also brought
spiritual
death.
Genesis
3 shows
us what
spiritual
death
looks like.
Adam
and Eve,
the fall.
Then God
gives them,
curses
them.
Women,
labor pains
will increase.
Men,
work will be
hard,
difficult.
You're going
to die.
Physical
death comes
into the
picture.
And then
we get
to verse
22-24.
22-24
in chapter
3.
That is
correct,
I promise.
3.
22-24.
It says,
Then the
Lord God
said,
Behold,
the man
has become
like one
of us
in knowing
good and
evil.
Now,
lest he
reach out
his hand
and take
also of
the tree
of life
and eat
and live
forever.
Therefore,
the Lord
God
sent him
out from
the garden
of Eden
to work
the ground
from which
he was
taken.
He drove
out the
man and
at the
east of
the garden
of Eden
he placed
the cherubim
and a
flaming sword
that turned
every way
to guard
the way
to the
tree
of life.
God
pushes
Adam and
Eve out
the garden
of Eden.
He separates
them from
him.
It's a
picture of
spiritual
death.
Spiritual
death is
separation
from
God.
God
one
sin
brought
death
into
the
world.
One
sin
brought
physical
death.
Time
on
this
earth
and
spiritual
death
separation
from
God.
But there's
good news.
There's
good news.
While
humans
pursued
the path
of pride
and self
worship,
God
pursued
the path
of
redemptive
love.
Good
news.
Verse
14
says
in
Romans
chapter
5,
the last
phrase,
it's like
the
transgression
of
Adam,
who was
a type
of the
one who
was to
come.
Adam is
a type
of Christ.
He is
the patriarch
of human
race.
No matter
ethnicity,
no matter
what language,
he is the
corporate head
of mankind,
but he is
only a type
because his
disobedience
led to
sin and
death.
There is
another
whose
obedience
affects
mankind
by giving
those who
believe a
new
citizenship,
a new
life.
And this
man,
as we
know,
is Jesus
the Savior.
So let's
talk about
Jesus for a
minute.
Adam
brought sin
into the
world.
Jesus
brings
righteousness
into the
world.
verse 15
through 17
is kind
of where
we're
hovering
this
morning
here
talking
about
Jesus.
Verse 15
says,
But the
free gift
is not
like the
trespass.
For if
many died
through one
man's
sin,
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.
In other
words,
how much
better is
the grace
of God
by giving
of the
free gift
through
Jesus
Christ?
That's not
a question.
It is
better.
It may have
sounded like a
question,
and I
apologize.
The
trespass
brought death
into the
picture,
and Jesus
erased
death.
Trespass
brought
death,
suffering
into the
world,
and Jesus
erased.
First
nine words,
the first
sentence of
verse 15
is glorious,
and praise
God,
this is
true,
but the
free gift
is not
like the
trespass.
Jesus
didn't
bring death,
He didn't
bring
condemnation,
He brought
hope,
life,
and life
everlasting.
This is
what Jesus
brings.
Verse 16
says,
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.
Jesus
didn't
bring sin
to the
party.
Adam
brought
sin to
the
party.
Jesus
brought
righteousness,
and that
righteousness
justifies.
We are
justified
because of
Jesus,
not
condemned.
Adam,
death,
and
condemnation.
Jesus,
life,
and
grace.
Romans
8,
1,
there is
therefore
now no
condemnation
for those
who are
in Christ
Jesus.
There is
no
condemnation.
Now,
there's four
words here
in verse
16 that I
want to
make clear
for everyone.
And maybe
as I read
through it,
you just
didn't even
think about
it.
Those
four words
but the
free
gift.
This
is nothing
of your
doing or
my doing.
This
is nothing
that we
have
deserved.
Romans
chapter 4,
flip back
to verse
4.
Paul is
digging into
justification
by faith
alone,
not by
works.
And he
says in
verse 4,
now,
to the
one who
works,
his wages
are not
counted as
a gift,
but as
his due.
But he
just brings
in a real
life example.
If you
work,
you get
paid.
Clear.
You earned
that money.
But,
the grace
of God
is not
that way.
It is
a free
gift.
There is
no earning.
The
gospel
leaves
no room
for you
or for
me to
boast
in
ourselves.
We
boast
in
Christ,
absolutely,
but we
cannot
boast
in
ourselves
and
what
we
have
earned
or
done.
This
is a
good
thing.
This
is a
joyous
thing
because,
as I've
shown,
we're
bloodline
of Adam.
We're
related to
Adam and
our lives
are contaminated
because of
Adam.
We are
sinners,
have
sinned,
and will
sin.
We are
dead
without
Christ.
Lazarus,
different
Lazarus,
the friend
of Jesus
who died,
he needed
Jesus to
call him
out.
He was
dead.
He
needed a
free
gift
of
life.
It is
a free
gift from
the
creator
who we
choose not
to worship,
who do
not worship.
We
choose to
worship
ourselves
because of
who we
are.
The
free
gift from
the
creator
to his
greatest
creation,
mankind
created in
his image,
but who are
spiritually
dead.
So the
final
summation,
the final
conclusion of
these three
verses is
verse 17.
It says,
For if
because of
one man's
trespass,
death reigned
through that
one man,
Adam,
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.
Much
more,
much
better,
much
greater
is the
free
gift.
So we
have free
gift of
grace,
God's
righteousness
given to
us,
and over
here we
have
what?
Man's
trespass,
sin.
God's
free gift
is going
to win
every time.
That's
what much
more free
gift wins
every time.
to those
who will
receive the
abundance of
grace and
the free
gift.
Those who
believe.
Those who
believe.
So here in
this verse,
in verse 17,
we have God's
sovereignty over
salvation.
He has the
gift to
give.
And man's
responsibility for
salvation,
those who
believe,
those who have
received the
abundance of
grace.
righteousness.
It is all
through Jesus.
Not you or
me, but
Jesus.
He brings
righteousness into
the world so
that we can be
partakers of
this gift.
I think every
sermon should
have 2 Corinthians
5.21 in it.
If you don't
know it,
for our sake
He made Him
to be sin
who knew
no sin,
so that in
Him we might
become the
righteousness of
God.
Jesus, who was
man, but not
blood of
Adam.
Jesus, whose
life was not
corrupted by
sin, who knew
no sin, never
sin, sin had no
bondage over
Him.
This Jesus, the
Holy One, the
righteous One,
became sin for
you and for
me so that in
Him we might
become the
righteousness of
God.
The only way we
become the
righteousness of
God is by
His righteousness
He brought
into the world
to be given
to you and
to me through
free gift.
That is the
great exchange.
That is what
Jesus brings.
He is our
glorious Savior
and He gives
righteousness so
that we can be
justified.
Jesus is also
the second
Adam.
He is the
second Adam.
He is the
Christ, the
Savior.
Adam was the
first man.
He is the
patriarch of all
mankind.
Jesus is the
God-man.
He is the
patriarch of the
new mankind.
He is the
patriarch for His
church, for those
who repent and
believe.
Jesus came to
accomplish what
only He could
accomplish.
He came to
save sinners.
God.
He is the
God.
Because we will
always be
enslaved to
sin, to
corruption.
And what that
deserves or what
that is earned
is condemnation.
He came to
live, die, and
resurrect to
create a way in
which we can
worship God
again as we
were created to
do.
He is the
patriarch of
worshipers of
God, image
bearers of God
who bear the
righteousness of
Jesus.
He is the
second Adam and
there will never
be a third.
The book of
John, Jesus'
last words,
it is finished,
meaning there is
nothing else to
be done.
I have
completed this.
Adam's
disobedience
affected mankind.
time, Jesus'
obedience overcame
his disobedience.
Each made an
impact, but one
offers death
while the other
offers life.
Adam offers
condemnation.
Jesus offers
hope.
Adam offers
slavery.
Jesus offers
peace.
Adam offers
despair.
Jesus offers
joy.
Adam offers
failure.
Jesus offers
grace.
Adam offers
self-worship
and idolatry.
Jesus offers
redeeming
love.
Adam offers
eternal
despair.
Jesus offers
life everlasting.
This is
Jesus.
There was
one act
that led
to all
sinning
and
condemnation,
but there
is
an act
of righteousness
that leads
to justification
as Jesus
Christ on
the glorious
cross.
Let me
take a
minute here.
In verse
18, it
says,
therefore, as
one trespass
led to
condemnation for
all men,
so one act of
righteousness
leads to
justification in
life for
all men.
salvation.
That is a
hot topic.
I need to
clarify something
here.
Paul, by the
guidance of the
Holy Spirit,
does not mean
that all men
will be saved.
Okay?
So we're on the
same page.
I just want to
make this clear
to you.
This is not
universal salvation
for everyone.
He has gone
from in verse
12 talking about
all mankind,
universal mankind,
verse 12,
all men have
been condemned
because of the
sin of Adam.
And it
transitions through
verse 15 where
he talks about
many.
Verse 17,
those who
receive.
And then
verse 18,
meaning all
types or all
people.
So he's not
saying that all
people will be
saved.
He's saying
that the grace
of God and
salvation is
open to any
type of person.
so Jew or
Gentile,
rich or poor,
man or woman,
black or white,
African or German,
English or Muslim,
it does not
matter.
That is what
Paul is saying
here, not
talking about a
universal salvation.
Although Jesus
could do that
if he wanted
to.
The problem
is,
is if this is
what it's teaching,
then he has
already failed
because we know
people are
in hell.
Tricky.
So now I want
to talk about
the law for a
minute.
Verse 20 and
21.
The law
increases
grace.
Now,
verse 20,
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.
The law's purpose
is to show us
our sin,
to reveal our
idolatry and
our pride.
Go ahead
two chapters
to Romans
chapter 7.
Verse 7.
Verse 7 says,
What then shall
we say?
That the law
is sin by no
means.
Yet,
if it had not
been for the
law,
I would not
have known
sin.
For I would
not have
known what
it is to
covet if
the law
had not
said,
you shall
not covet.
The law
is to reveal
sin,
to show us
sin.
And the law
increases the
grace.
Verse 20,
back in
chapter 5,
but where
sin increased,
grace abounded
all the more.
The law
increases grace.
We must
treasure the
law,
know it,
and obey it.
Psalm 119.
Flip to
Psalm 119.
The longest
chapter in
all of the
Bible.
I'm sure the
author was
going for that.
Psalm 119.
Listen to
these words
that David
uses to
describe how
he feels
about God's
law and
His precepts
and His
commandments.
119
verse 9,
How can a
young man
keep his
way pure?
By guarding
it according
to your
word.
With my
whole heart
I seek
you.
Let me
not wander
from your
commandments.
I have
stored up
your word
in my
heart that
I might
not sin
against
you.
Blessed
are you,
O Lord.
Teach me
your statutes.
With my
lips I
declare all
the rules
of your
mouth.
In the
way of
your
testimonies I
delight as
much as
in all
riches.
I will
meditate on
your
precepts and
fix my
eyes on
your
ways.
I will
delight in
your
statutes.
I will
not forget
your
word.
Cherish,
know,
love,
and obey
God's
word and
the law.
The
crescendo,
the final
symbols
together,
is clanging
together in
verse 21.
Back in
Romans chapter
5.
Verse 21
says,
so that
as sin
reigned in
death,
grace also
might reign
through righteousness
leading to
eternal life
through Jesus
Christ our
Lord.
Clang those
symbols
together.
this is
it.
What
glorious
good news.
Jesus
offers what
we cannot
do.
His grace
is sufficient.
Jesus
is the
way.
He is the
way,
the truth,
and the
life.
He says,
I have
come that
you may
have life
and have
it abundantly.
So,
here's my
four
concluding
points.
Point
number one,
God
takes sin
seriously.
Look at
these words
that Paul
uses to
describe
sin.
Death,
trespass.
He links
condemnation.
Verse 15,
death.
Verse 17,
death.
Verse 12,
death.
Verse 14,
death.
There is
an effect
to sin.
There is
a punishment
for sin.
God
takes it
seriously.
In Acts
chapter 5,
we have
the story
of Ananias
and Sapphira.
You guys
familiar with
this?
The disciples
or the
apostles
have,
the church
has gathered
and people
had everything
in common.
They were
giving of
everything.
And at
the end
of chapter
4,
the writer
Luke tells
us that
this man
named
Barnabas
had sold
everything
he had.
He sold
his property
and everything
and gave
it to the
apostles.
And previous
to that,
it said
there was
nobody in
need.
That's
the church.
That's what
the church
was doing
at this
time.
Nobody
had
anything
in need.
Yeah,
grammatically
that's correct.
Nobody
had anything
in need.
There was
no one
in need
at all.
So in
chapter 5,
the writer
starts out
by saying,
and there
was a man
and a woman
named Ananias
and Sapphira
who sold
their property
and brought
an offering,
but they
kept a little
for themselves.
If you
know the
story,
you know
that each
one dies.
Ananias
just falls
over.
Peter,
I think,
says to
Ananias,
why have
you done
this?
Falls
over and
dies.
Sapphira,
not knowing
that her
husband had
died,
comes in
a couple
hours later
and the
apostle says,
is this
everything?
Have you
given us
all?
And she
says,
well,
yes,
it is.
And then
she dies.
The reason
of the
story is
not to
say,
check out
what the
apostles did.
The reason
for the
story is
to say,
sin is
serious.
God
takes sin
very
serious.
Second
concluding
point,
our
identity,
our
identity,
individual
identity,
is found
either in
Adam
or in
Jesus.
God
is
so I
asked at
the
beginning,
if you
were to
die today
and
immediately
be before
God,
who would
you belong
to?
Who would
you belong
to?
Would you
claim citizenship
with Jesus
and His
kingdom or
would you be
claimed by
the sin
of Adam?
There are
only two
options.
Who do you
belong to
and what
are you
enslaved to?
Sin
or
righteousness,
condemnation
or grace,
death
or
life.
Third
concluding
point,
those who
are victims
of Adam's
sin by
birth are
also guilty
of personal
sin of
their own
doing.
There is
no guilty
by association.
You're just
guilty.
There is no
innocence until
proven guilty.
You're guilty.
We all
commit sin
and no one
is innocent
of the
curse.
And finally,
birth.
Birth is
both the
cause and
the cure
for man's
sin.
Both the
cause and
the cure.
We are
born into
sin through
our blood,
but we can
also be born
into a new
life by being
born again
by the
blood of
Jesus.
Read John
chapter 3.
So I
will ask
again,
who do you
belong to?
It can't
be both.
You can't
belong to
Adam and
to Jesus.
See,
once you're
born again,
your citizenship
changes.
You're no
longer a
citizen of
the sinful
world.
You are
now a
citizen of
heaven.
You're no
longer an
enemy of
God and
a slave
of sin.
You are
now a
child of
God,
adopted
as sons
of the
King.
So do you
know this
King?
Do you
treasure
Jesus,
the author
and perfecter
of our
faith?
Do you
love Jesus?
Do you
hate sin
or do you
hate Jesus
and love
sin?
Answer
these
questions
this
morning.
Answer
these
questions.
Here's
the beauty
of our
text.
Big,
giant
chunk.
And there's
a lot
more in
there,
I
promise.
Here's
the beauty
of this
text.
What has
been said
up to
this
point in
chapters
1 through
4 and
in a
little bit
of 5?
We can
be justified
bearing
Jesus'
righteousness.
That we
can have
all our
sins
forgiven.
All of
this.
And death
cannot stop
it from
happening.
That is the
beauty of
our text.
God
will
come to
fruition.
Beauty
of our
text is
even
death
cannot
stop
God
from
fulfilling
what
He
promises.
Even
death
cannot
stop
God
because
He
has
sent
Jesus
to
live
and
to
die
for
us.