“A Timely Death and A Timeless Life”
BBF
EASTER
4/3/83
Romans 5:6-11
“Look ye saints the sight is glorious
See the ‘Man of sorrows’ now!
From the fight returned victorious
Every knee to Him must bow
Crown Him! Crown Him!
Crowns before the Victor’s brow.
Hark those bursts of acclamation
Hark the loud triumphant chords.
Jesus takes the highest station,
O what joy the sight affords.
Crown Him! Crown Him!
King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
-special day- we cannot fathom the far-reaching results this event has had on our lives
the resurrection gives us hope - that this life is proving ground for eternity.
A hope that Sir Walter Raleigh as he penned these words the night before he was beheaded; they were found in his Bible after his death
“Even such is time, that takes in trust
Our youth, our joys, our all we have,
And pays us back with age and dust;
Who in the dark and silent grave,
When we have wandered all our ways,
Shuts up the story of our days.
But from this earth, this grave, this dust,
My God shall raise me up, I trust.”
Paul says, “if in this life only we hope in Christ,
We are to be pitied above everyone.”
-laughing-stock of the town
-fools of all time
-if no resurrection, we’re jokes!
But there is a resurrection
Ill.) Moody asked to perform a funeral,
Rushed to find words that Christ would have used to give comfort
- found that Christ broke up every funeral he attended by bringing the person back to life.
Then He paid sin’s penalty, conquering death and rose Himself as the 1st fruits of our res.
“A Timely Death and A Timeless Life”
Romans 5:6-11
(focusing on the events of Easter Week)
(read Rom. 5:6-11)
outline
v. 6 – positive statement about God’s love (Christ died!)
complete in itself
v. 7,8 elaborates on v.6 Don’t miss it!
Therefore he unfolds its meaning further
v. 9 – positive statement about Christian’s life
argues from greater to lesser
“If He died while enemies; much more as sons!”
v. 10,11 opens up further v.9
- A timely death and a timeless life –
v. 6 helpless, ungodly, sinners v.8
400’s Augustine - Pelagius
- Is man spiritually capable or incapable of responding to the gospel?
- - dead sick
- 1600’s Calvin - Arminian
more as Paul’s argument develops
“at the right time” due time, appointed time
Gal. 4:4 “When the fullness of time had come God sent forth His Son.”
1. – Salvation is not an afterthought
before time began, before man existed or sinned
God planned this mighty and glorious way of salvation
In detail – His Son would come into the world to make an atonement
“The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”
2. (another sense) Show’s Christ’s authority over death
Jesus claimed to have complete power over death. “No man takes my life from Me, I lay it down.”
Jesus had power not only to conquer death but to control it for His own purposes
- to fulfill Scriptures
Jesus died at 3 PM
-very abnormal
-thieves were still alive / Heb. Says Christ knew no disease or sin
often lived 3 days – excruciating pain
Jesus died when He did because on God’s timetable it was time to die.
The Jewish preparation – day before Sabbath – no one was to hang on the Sabbath (illegal)
So, 3 PM day before the Sabbath – they needed to speed the death – they would break the legs
Christ was already dead.
Pilate marveled (Mk 15:44) “already?”
- they didn’t break his
- Old Testament Psalm 34:20 “He keepeth all his bones, not one of them is broken.”
Christ controlled death – it was timely
3. The world was ripe - “in due time”
Egypt – had risen in power and waned
China-
Assyria-
Babylon - military strength ; law failed
Medo-Persia
Greek – philosophy had its opportunity
Rome-
Israel – 1400 yrs with the Law
Had shown “by deeds of the Law shall no flesh be justified in His sight.”
Their moral power was inadequate
At just the right moment – “Christ dies for us”
v. 7,8
righteous – upright, keeps the law, honors the commandments – correct in his behavior
good man – also right. But beyond this he’s governed by love, goes 2nd mile.
While helpless, ungodly sinners – he died for us
“demonstrated”
- make conspicuous, obvious
- No one can doubt, “does God love us?”
- “if he died for enemies, He’ll live for Sons”
v. 9) Timeless life
“now” - could have been left out…
“now having been justified”
- peace with God
- into. To grace
- exult in hope of God’s glory
trib’s further this hope not destroy it
how much more…
if God has gone to the ultimate for us, He’ll spare us from the coming day of wrath.
Notice – v. 9) by his blood
v. 10) reconciled through his death
doesn’t say, ‘teaching’ , ‘life’, ‘example’
ill.) card of verses from a man devoted to following Christ’s example – as the means of salvation
Christianity is a bloody religion
Eph. 2:13 “…brought near by the blood of Christ..”
Heb. 9:22 “Without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”
I John 1:7 “If we walk in the light as He is in the light we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.”
v. 10 elaborates on the statement about the life of Christ.
Ill.) a friend said, “ Most people have no idea what practical difference the life of Christ makes.”
“Thankful for His death no idea of the value of His life!”
What difference does His life make?
Heb. 7:23-25
Mystery! What does He actually do for us?
Heb. 2:17,18 a.) propitiation for sin
b.) strengthens in temptation
Heb. 4:15,16
c.)sympathizes with our weaknesses
d.) supplies mercy and grace
Grace to have spiritual life (Jude 24 “able to keep you from stumbling.”
To read the Word (understand, desire to obey, grow, witness, pray, love …,
Ill.) Peter (Lk 22:32) “I’ve prayed for you that your faith not fail, and when you have turned again strengthen your brethren.”
Involve ourselves in the mystery of prayer
Turn to Rom. 8:26-34
( sometime look at John 17 – Christ’s intercessory ministry)
v. 11 not just saved but exulting in God.
Not in joy of Christian life
Not in truth of eternal life
But in God Himself
We behold His glory
When I survey (#118)