Title: God’s love is shown to sinners in Christ!
Text: Romans 5:1-11
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6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
If we think about love it becomes known to us from our experiences and perceptions. For children who have loving parents it is easy to return love and kindness. If abuse occurs, love can turn to fear or anger whether it is child abuse or elder abuse. It is hard to love an abuser or an enemy.
5 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
From birth we are God’s enemies. The fall into sin from our first parents Adam and Eve has left us as castaways in a sea of sin with no land in sight and no hope on the horizon.
Whether Jonah running away from God and the storm and great tempest on the sea that God sent to pursue him, or the Apostle Paul as he was being sent to Rome and the storm on the Sea and shipwreck that he and those with him endured.
We too, are cast off and adrift and cut loose at birth from our anchor and hope as we wait to drown in the sea of sin and death.
In the case of Jonah, God sent a great fish and with Paul the shipwreck and land with out loss of life to Paul and those with him.
2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
The image of sea and sin, death and rescue are also part of the narrative of God’s rescue.
God uses the waters of Holy Baptism to drown our sin, to cover and bury it, and to raise us to newness of life. The rescue for us comes while we are God’s enemies with no hope. In that time of hopelessness, God pours his forgiveness over us in the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit and by that same Spirit he gives us faith and we by faith believe and have life in his name.
Paul reminds his hearers that this hope is not a vain hope, and not a hope that puts us to shame but:
because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
God’s rescue comes while we have no love for him.
6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
Notice, again how it reads.
6 For while we were still weak,
at the right time
Christ died for the ungodly.
It doesn’t say, for the godly.
We are truly not worthy of God’s forgiveness.
In fact, we are completely unworthy, which makes this gift and work of Christ all the more remarkable.
He didn’t die for the righteous,
the mostly righteous,
the soon to be righteous,
or the pretty good.
But he died for the ungodly.
He died for you!
The reality of this news for we who are never going to measure up is that you, dear friends are forgiven. Not because you are righteous, mostly righteous, or the pretty good.
It is because you are in Christ. You have been made new being washed in the blood of the lamb and now live a life worthy of god’s love because you have been bought with a price. You are no longer your own.
You are Christ’s!
2 Through [Jesus] we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
So, our access to God’s peace is through, Jesus’ sinless life, death and resurrection and by faith we have access and receive God’s grace.
Over the last year access has been difficult for us all in many ways. If you wanted to eat out at a restaurant, access was denied at times or greatly diminished. Funerals were limited or became simply committals at the graveside to limit numbers and for many visiting a relative or friend in the nursing home or hospital became impossible.
For a pastor it was like having the heart of ministry removed. So much of what I was able to do at times of trial for those in my care was taken away. I couldn’t visit because access was denied.
As the vaccine continues to be delivered and as positive numbers decline, I see some restrictions being lifted. I was able to see Florence Adkins in the hospital last weekend. I received a call from the Neighborhood of White Lake and access there may be opening.
Access is being restored for those confined and for those denied and the hope of unity is once again a possibility in this life of sin.
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.That is what justification is. The declaring of one being righteous and we are declared righteous not on account of what we have done but on account of what Christ Jesus has done for us and we have access to that grace … by faith in Jesus’ finished work.
That is why we joy in the midst of our sufferings, and we endure … because it produces character and hope, and hope in Christ never disappoints.
His suffering has given us access to the Father by faith, and has been poured into our hearts but the Spirits work.
Access in this life is at times limited and still a challenge for us all but through faith your access to the Father is never denied in Christ.
Our Father who art in heaven …
The Lord’s Prayer begins with those simple words. By faith we know God and acknowledge him by calling him Our Father. As our father we have a relationship with him and as a result we can call on him and dialogue with him and access him. It is first interesting to note who initiates prayer.
As Luther writes:
With these words God tenderly invites us to believe that he is our true father and that we are his true children, so that with all boldness and confidence we may ask him as dear children ask a dear father.
Dear children, Christ has given you access!
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen
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