Romans 5:6-11
HE DID IT ALL FOR ME
Intro: This passage of Scripture joins other great mountaintop passages like
Isaiah 53; Psalm 23; Hebrews 11; Philippians 4; and John 3 in being among
the greatest in the Word of God. All these passages that I have mentioned, as
well as others, have long brought comfort to the hearts of men.
In this passage, we find the Apostle Paul rehearsing the benefits that are ours
as children of God. These verses make plain the great provisions that have come
our way through the death of the Lord Jesus and by virtue of our placing our faith
in Him for salvation. These verses tell us what we are without Him, what He did
for us and what we have because of His sacrifice. I want to draw your attention
to verse 8, and the last phrase of that verse, then look at the last 2 words: "for
us". Those two words sum up the content of this message. As the Lord gives me
liberty this morning, I would like to preach for a while on the thought, He Did It All
For Me!
I. V. 6-10 THE SINNER'S PITIFUL CONDITION
(Ill. In these 5 verses, Paul tells us that man's condition can be summed up by
four descriptive terms: Without strength, v. 6, ungodly, v. 6, sinner, v. 8, enemies, v. 10. These four terms describe the condition of all men who are lost
in sin. This is God's portrait of humanity apart from Him.)
A. V. 6 The Sinner Is A Weak Man - "Without Strength" - This carries the
idea of being "powerless". It speaks of people who are "utterly helpless
with no means of escape." The idea is that the lost sinner stands before
God with absolutely no ability to change what he is. We are powerless to
escape sin, to escape death, to resist the devil, to please God in any way.
The whole essence of this statement is that man is unable to change his
sinful nature by his own effort. He is totally without strength and
weakened by his sins.
B. V. 6 The Sinner Is A Wicked Man - "Ungodly" - This word refers to those
who, "without reverence for or fear of God." It literally means to "live
your life as if God did not exist." Because we are helpless to change
our sinful nature, we live our lives as we please without regard for God, or
for His Law and will.
(Note: To be "ungodly" does not mean that one must wallow in sin!
The unsaved church member is just as godless as an Adolph Hitler!
When a person refuses to bow before the Lord in salvation, he is
essentially setting himself up as his own god. Therefore, he does as he
pleases, he worships himself without any regard for the true God. Hence,
he is "godless". He is a practical atheist!)
C. V. 8 The Sinner Is A Wayward Man - "Sinners" - This word means "to
miss the mark." It carries the idea of an archer aiming at a bulls eye to
the best of his ability, shooting his arrow and then missing the whole
target. It pictures man as he tries and fails his way through life. No matter
how good man tries to be, he can never be good enough. Though he may
aim high, and set high standards, still he always falls short of God's
standard. Man always misses the mark.
(Ill. This is why attempting to get to Heaven by good works will never
work. Man can never be good enough to get himself to God! No matter
how close he comes, he will always fall short. To be almost right is to
be forever wrong!)
D. V. 10 The Sinner Is A Warlike Man - "Enemies" - The word means "an
adversary". Basically, what the Bible is telling us is that when we are lost,
we are in the devil's camp. We are opposed to God and we are the
enemy of God. No matter how much a man may talk of loving the Lord,
if that man is unsaved, he is a liar! God says the lost are His enemies.
(Note: I hope you can see that people, apart from Jesus, are in a
hopeless situation!)
II. V. 6-8 THE SAVIOR'S PRICELESS COMPASSION
A. V. 6-7 The Superiority Of His Compassion - Paul tells us that there are
a few people in life that men might die for. Who would those persons be
in your own life? Perhaps it would be mother and father, husband or wife,
son or daughter, or even a few very close friends. If you really take the
time to think it through, there are probably only a very few people for
whom you would give your life without a moment's hesitation.
(Note: Imagine that you are eating a meal in a restaurant with your
son when, suddenly, a gunman enters the place and begins shooting
people all around you. What is your immediate response? Hide under a
table? Try to get away? Attempt to overpower the gunman? Or,
somehow, protect you son? For a man named James F. Kidd, of
Wheaton, Illinois, the answer was easy. He was visiting his son, who was
stationed at Fort Bragg. They went to a nearby Italian restaurant to eat.
While they were eating a gunman entered the building and began firing
into the customers. When it was over, 11 people had died, including
James Kidd. When the shooting started, he had used his own body to
shield his son from the bullets, and he, himself, had died from a gunshot
wound to the back. Later, his wife said, "He was a good man, a good
father and a good husband. He died saving his son. What more can
you say?")
(Ill. Another true story involves two miners who were trapped in a
cave-in. They were trapped in the mine. They had two oxygen masks, but
one was damaged. Only one of these men would be able to get out alive.
One of the miners, a single man, handed the good mask to the other miner
and said, "Here, you take it. You've got a wife and children. I don't
have anybody. I can go. You've got to stay.")
(Ill. We have all heard stories of soldiers who have given their lives
for their comrades. Maybe a grenade will be thrown into the midst of a
patrol and one of the men will fall on that grenade and absorb the blast
with his body. He will be blown to pieces, but the rest of the men live.)
(Note: All these are examples of rare courage and sacrifice.
However, they all have one common theme: they demonstrate the human
capacity to give ourselves for the sake of those we love. Family, friends
and fellow soldiers are one thing, but can you imagine giving your life for
an enemy? Human love has its limits, thankfully, the love of God
does not! Verse 6 tells us that this is exactly what Jesus did! He didn't
die for the good, but for the ungodly!)
B. V. 8 The Statement In His Compassion - Notice how the love of God
transcended anything humanity is able to produce. He put His great love
on display when Jesus Christ died for those who "were yet sinners." You
see, while we were still weak, wicked, wayward and warlike, Jesus died
for us! He did not die for His friends. He died for His enemies! He did not
die for people who loved Him, but He died for the very people who had
crucified Him. He died for the ungodly!
(Note: Let's return to that restaurant near Fort Bragg. Suppose that
young soldier is a total stranger. What if James Kidd had protected a total
stranger? What if, instead of that grenade being thrown into the midst of
a Marine patrol, it had been thrown into the a group of Vietnamese soldiers
guarding an American prisoner. Suppose that American soldier, who had
been abused and beaten and was permanently scarred and disfigured by
his captures, fell on that grenade and gave his life to save his enemies.
You say, "People don't do that!" That's right! Human nature recoils at
the thought of doing good to one's enemies. However, while man doesn't
do that, God does! That is exactly what happened at Calvary! Jesus
Christ died for the sins of His enemies. He threw Himself on the grenade
of God's wrath ans when it detonated, He died to deliver those who hated
Him. What love! What boundless compassion!)
(Note: May we never look at this crazy, confused world and say "If
God is a God of love, then why do bad things happen." That is
foolishness! If there is a doubt in your mind as to the love of God, I
challenge you to take a look back at a place called Calvary. There you will
see a holy and a sinless God, the Creator, dying for the creature that hates
Him. Watch as the life leaves His body. Watch as His blood runs down
the cross. Listen as His blood drips in great pools on the ground. Hear
Him as He gasps for His last breath and gives His life a sacrifice for sin.
Look at that broken and bleeding form hanging there lifeless on that cross
and tell me that God doesn't love you! There never has been, nor will
there ever be a greater demonstration of God's love than that of a broken
and dead Savior on a bloody cross.)
III. V. 9-11 THE SAINT'S PRECIOUS CONVERSION
A. V. 9a Our Position - Justified - We have covered this word thoroughly in
other messages. Basically, this word means to declare a person "not
guilty".
B. V. 9b Our Protection - "saved from wrath" - Because we are in Jesus, we
are protected from the wrath of God. Simply stated, no child of God need
ever fear dying and going to Hell! Jesus has already paid the price and
quenched the wrath of God toward those who believe in Him.
C. V. 10a Our Peace - "reconciled" - This word means "to take enemies
and make them into friends." No longer are we in opposition to God.
We have been brought together through the blood of Jesus! God has
called a truce and put away the battle flags. We are no longer fighting, but
we are at peace with God.
D. V. 10b Our Preservation - "saved by His life" - These words tell us that
Jesus is alive this evening. This has nothing to do with the life He lived
here on the earth. It has everything to do with the life He lives in Heaven
today.
1. He Is Our Advocate - 1 John 2:1
2. He Is Our Intercessor - Heb. 7:25
E. V. 11a Our Praise - "We joy in God" - That is, because these things are
true. Because we are saved and secure in our salvation, we are filled with
praise to the King. My friends, if there was ever a reason to praise the
Lord, God has given it to you today through His Word.
(Note: These may be difficult days for you as a believer. You may feel
that there is no real reason to praise the Lord today. However, if you are
saved, then you have all the reason you need! Remember Luke 20:10!)
F. V. 11b Our Privilege - "given the atonement" - This phrase reminds us
that we have been made "one" with God. Think of it, old, lost, hell bound
sinners have been brought into a personal relationship with the God of
Heaven! It isn't just any relationship, but that of a Father and child! We
have been brought nigh to God through the blood of Jesus! Ours is a
great privilege that should not be taken for granted! All through history,
man has wanted to be brought near to God. That is why Israel sacrificed
millions of sheep, cows and birds on their altars. That is why, every year,
Muslims sacrifice millions of animals on Mecca. What the blood of those
dead animals could never do for them, the blood of Jesus has done for us, Heb. 10:11-14.
Conc: I look at these verses and I marvel that God would do all of this just for me,
but, He did, praise His holy Name! Our blessings are far greater than the mind
could ever begin to comprehend. In light of these truths, where do you stand with
God this morning? Are you saved? Are you as close to Him as you need to be?
Are you guilty of being in love with Jesus with every fiber of your being? Oh, my
friends, we should be! He should fill our hearts today! If other things have begun
to crowd Him out, why not come and let Him clear the clutter and take His rightful
place in your heart? Maybe some would just like to come and tell the Lord you
love Him and to thank Him for His great gifts to your life. Let's obey Him this
morning.