Sermon Notes - Romans 5:12-21 - Littleby Baptist Church - October 27, 2024

 1.        Faith in Jesus Christ leads to peace as a child of God.

a.        Grace allows us to stand knowing that our Hope is secure.

b.       With Jesus as our King.

c.        We have an eternity with Him, regardless of what life brings us.

d.       We are going to have afflictions.

e.        We are going to face illness, persecution, and other difficulties.

f.          Life is going to be hard.

g.        But if we stay focused on Jesus.

h.        If we continue to walk with Him.

i.          Those struggles will grow our faith.

j.          Which helps us to stand strong… for our character, our faith, to be proven.

k.        To be a person who has stood through the test by depending on Jesus.

2.        We can only do it by first being reconciled to our Jesus.

a.        Through His death and resurrection.

b.       Our understanding that we are a sinner and that we need to repent of our sins and submit to Him.

c.        Then we are restored as a child of God.

d.       We are given an amazing gift.

e.        One we cannot earn.

f.          We are restored to our rightful place, even if we truly do not deserve it.

3.        Romans 5:12

a.        Therefore… because of what we discussed last week.

b.       Because Christ died for us… reconciliation is found through Him.

c.        That reconciliation was needed for some reason.

d.       Sin had to come from somewhere.

e.        It came from one man which ultimately led to death, just as God warned.

f.          Genesis 2:16-17

g.        Adam ate the fruit.

h.        Defying God.

i.          Sinning.

j.          Through that sin, he faced death.

k.        That sin brought sin into the world.

l.          It brought a sin nature into humankind.

m.     It made us sinful beings.

n.        Even if we try not to, we will sin.

o.        We are fallen beings.

p.       It is part of who we are.

4.        Romans 5:13

a.        Sin existed from that day in the garden which was well before Moses received the Law.

b.       But here we read that was not charged to someone without the Law.

c.        Does that mean they did not face death?

d.       Was the sin not held against them?

e.        Did they get a free pass?

f.          Romans 4:15

g.        Where these is no law there is no transgression.

h.        Romans 2:14-15

i.          People without the Law lived rightly.

j.          So, while people may not have had the OT Law written before them, they had it in them.

k.        Could Paul have been talking about that?

l.          Hard to say.

m.     One commentary had 4 different points of view on this verse.

n.        Paul does expand on his point in the following verses, but I don’t think he fully explains what he means.

o.        When we look at all of Scripture, we all face death without Jesus whether we knew about the OT law or not.  

5.        Romans 5:14

a.        Death reigned.

b.       Sin existed.

c.        They fell short of the glory of God.

d.       And paid the price.

e.        The last part of the verse… ‘He is a type…

f.          Adam had a universal impact.

g.        He touched the lives of everyone.

h.        Just like Jesus did, just not for the good.

i.          Adam set the stage for what was to come.

j.          God knew how all of this was going to play out.

6.        Romans 5:15

a.        The gift… from Jesus.

b.       The trespass… what we got from Adam.

c.        Through Adam humankind has a sin nature.

d.       Through Adam we experience death.

e.        Many have died.

f.          Many will spend eternity without God.

g.        But the gift of Jesus is greater than the trespass of Adam.

h.        Its Grace is Greater than and the Grace overcomes the trespass.

i.          The gift of Jesus not only counters the curse with grace, but it also provides Peace and Hope.

j.          Jesus’s gift eclipses the trespass of Adam.

k.        There is more than enough from the gift of grace to cover the trespass we have earned.

7.        Romans 5:16

a.        The gift that Jesus has offered and the sin from Adam are not alike.

b.       We might think that is obvious, yet they both impact or have the ability to impact so many people.

c.        A single sin, the trespass of Adam entered humankind, and we are condemned.

d.       A trespass born out of weakness.

e.        Yet the gift of Jesus.

f.          A single act sacrifice that redeems us.

g.        A single resurrection that gives us new life.

h.        But yet that gift is so powerful that it can cover the sins of every person who has, does, or will ever walk this earth.

i.          All they have to do is repent and believe in Jesus.

j.          The gift of the Son from our God who reconciles us.

8.        Romans 5:17

a.        Death has reigned since Adam ate that fruit.

b.       There was no other option.

c.        Until Jesus Christ died on that cross.

d.       Until an overflow of Grace has been received by those who have repented of their sins and put their trust in Jesus.

e.        When one puts their faith in Jesus.

f.          They go from being a slave to sin to being a righteous child of God.

g.        John 1:12

h.        To be one who spends all eternity with God.

i.          It goes from bad to absolutely Glorious!

9.        Romans 5:18-19

a.        Paul is summing up what we have been covering so far this morning.

b.       One sin from one man brought condemnation for everyone.

c.        One righteous act has paved the way to justification leading to life for everyone.

d.       For all who will believe.

e.        Those who will repent and follow Jesus.

10.   Romans 5:20

a.        The OT Law.

b.       Came along to multiple trespasses… seems odd that God would provide the Law to make things worse for people.

c.        The intent was not so that God could write more down in our sin ledgers, but so that people’s eyes would be opened to what sin was.

d.       That they would begin to see what sin they were committing.

e.        Even with the amount of sin growing… Grace outpaced it!

f.          It multiplied even more!

g.        No matter how big the sin list is, the great debt eraser is able to take care of it.

h.        When we turn our lives over to Jesus.

i.          No matter how bad we think our list is.

j.          He marks our debt as paid in full.

k.        The Law, what was in people’s hearts before the Law, was all about helping us understand that we need God.

l.          That we need Jesus.  

m.     That we need a Savior.

11.   Romans 5:21

a.        Through faith in Jesus and what He did for us, we are credited as righteous.

b.       Through righteousness one receives grace.

c.        Grace gives Hope.

d.       Hope in our eternity forever with Jesus.

e.        Life eternal.

f.          Where there is no more pain, sorrow, or death.

g.        Where there is Hope, Joy, and Love.

h.        Where we will spend forever worshipping our God in paradise.

12.   Many today are still trapped in the trespass of Adam.

a.        They are trapped in sin.

b.       They are lost.

c.        We cannot preach at them.

d.       We cannot argue with them.

e.        We need to start by loving them.

f.          Being their friends.

g.        Remembering that God has brought us into their lives for a reason.

h.        It is not a mistake that we are in their lives.

i.          God has a plan.

j.          He has brought them and us together.

k.        We do not have to force it.

l.          Love them.

m.     As we draw close to God, and ask the Holy Spirit to show us when to speak and what to say.

n.        When the time is right, He will.

o.        Trust in Him to show you.

p.       Until then, Love your neighbor as yourself.

13.   If you don’t know Jesus.

a.        If you feel the Holy Spirit telling you to make a change.

b.       If you are ready to shed your sin.

c.        To embrace the Lord Jesus Christ.

d.       To accept the amazing gift, He is offering you.

e.        I would love to pray with you.