“Peace, Hope, and Reconciliation”
(Romans 5:1-11)
Series: Romans – United in the Gospel [on screen]
Rev. Matthew C. McCraw, EdD
First Baptist Church, Bartow, Florida
March 27, 2022
Introductory Comments:
We are continuing our series through the book of Romans and things are really getting good.
Paul spent the first part of the book pointing out that we know God from Creation, we are guilty before God because of our sin, and we are made right with God through faith.
Today, as we begin chapter 5, Paul will start to point out some benefits of placing our faith in God through Jesus.
In fact, Paul starts off in verse 1 by saying, “Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith . . . ” [on screen]
So, Paul has been preparing us for this moment. Since everything he’s already said is true, these implications come from what we’ve learned.
Let’s pray together and see what God has to say to us in His Word.
(prayer)
In the previous passages, Paul was making logical arguments and clarifications. However, in this passage, Paul is not doing that. Paul is proclaiming straightforwardly the beauty of the Gospel.
So, today, let’s look at three benefits that come through faith in God’s promises. I’ll give you a sneak peek: they are peace, hope, and reconciliation. In fact, that’s the title of today’s sermon, “Peace, Hope, and Reconciliation.” [on screen]
So, let’s get started. First, let’s look at . . .
I. Peace through Jesus (1-2) [on screen]
The first benefit that we receive by placing our faith in God is peace with God. Let’s see how that peace with God is made possible. Look at verses 1 and 2:
1 Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 We have also obtained access through him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
We’ve learned a lot about being declared righteous by faith in the previous passages we’ve studied in Romans.
Paul says since we have been declared righteous that we have peace with God.
However, Paul doesn’t leave us to wonder how we have peace with God; he tells us very clearly: “ . . . through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
If you want to know God and experience peace with God then do so through Jesus!
If you want to move from being an enemy of God to being at peace with God, do so through Jesus!
Paul goes on so beautifully, in verse 2, to note other benefits that come with peace with God through Jesus.
We have access to the grace of God, again by faith. Paul says that we stand in this grace. Through Jesus, we are all up in the middle of God’s grace. We’re not just dipping a toe in it, we are standing in it!
Also, we have hope in the glory of God. God brings us hope because His promises are sure, His grace is deep, His love is amazing, and there is dynamite power in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
There is peace through Jesus! As Acts 4:12 says, “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved.” [on screen]
Paul says that this hope brings us rejoicing. Praise God for the hope of the glory of God!
So, the first benefit of being declared righteous by faith is that we have peace through Jesus.
The second benefit is that we have . . .
II. Hope through affliction (3-5) [on screen]
Paul’s not done. I love how he starts verse 3. He says, “And not only that . . .” It’s as if Paul is saying, “Wait, there’s more!” Look at verses 3-5:
3 And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, 4 endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. 5 This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Let’s pause here for just a moment with these words, “ . . . we also rejoice in our afflictions.” What in the world is going on here?
Let’s be sure we know what afflictions are. Afflictions are hard. Afflictions are difficult. Afflictions are painful. Afflictions are when things go wrong. Afflictions involve suffering.
Still, Paul says to rejoice in them.
Now, I want to take a second to bring clarity to a heresy that has been around for a few years. There is a heresy that teaches that if you love Jesus enough and have enough faith in God that you will not experience difficulties, hardships, sickness, poverty, and the like. Let me be clear: that is a demonic lie, that is from hell, that is unbiblical, that is not the Gospel, that is heresy . . . am I being clear? (Some of y’all are thinking, “Geez, Pastor Matt doesn’t normally talk that way.” You’re right, but that’s how dangerous this lie is to the people of God).
Listen, church: Abraham suffered affliction, Jacob suffered affliction, Moses suffered affliction, Joseph suffered affliction, David suffered affliction, Isaiah suffered affliction, Jeremiah suffered affliction, Elijah suffered affliction, Daniel suffered affliction, Nehemiah suffered affliction, John the Baptizer suffered affliction, Peter suffered affliction, Paul suffered affliction, John suffered affliction, James suffered affliction, Stephen suffered affliction, the early church suffered affliction, for hundreds of years missionaries have suffered affliction, pastors suffer affliction, faithful Christians suffer affliction, Jesus Himself suffered affliction.
To say that a Christian doesn’t suffer affliction is not only a lie, it is the opposite of the Gospel.
Jesus said in Matthew 5:11, “You are blessed when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of me.” [on screen]
After the apostles were flogged before the Jewish court, we read in Acts 5:41, “Then they went out from the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to be treated shamefully on behalf of the Name.” [on screen]
James said in James 1:2, “Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials.” [on screen]
Now, Paul says, “ . . . we also rejoice in our afflictions.”
Suffering goes hand in hand with the Gospel; we must understand that!
In case we think that this is a crazy thought, Paul tells us why we rejoice in our afflictions.
“ . . . because we know that affliction produces endurance . . .” [on screen]
“ . . . endurance produces proven character . . .” [on screen]
“ . . . proven character produces hope.” [on screen]
So, as this progresses along we see that eventually our afflictions will lead to hope, by way of endurance and proven character.
We also learn that this is not just any old hope. Paul says in verse 5, “This hope will not disappoint us.”
When all is said and done none of us will look back on the afflictions of this world and compare it to the great hope of God and say, “Well, that wasn’t worth it!” None of us will say, “That was a ripoff.” No! We will not be disappointed!
This hope will not disappoint us because we will experience God’s love being poured out in our hearts through the miraculous Holy Spirit.
You see, church: once you experience the great love of God, once you experience the Holy Spirit of God, there’s nothing that this world can throw at you that will take away your hope.
Stand in the grace of God and have the love of God poured out on you and then just wallow in that grace and love, like a pig wallowing in a mud pit. Soak it up! Cover yourself with it! Fill your pockets with it!
Rejoice in your afflictions, church, because it makes you more like Jesus, it makes you more like the apostles, it makes your more like the prophets, it makes you more like the early church, it makes you more like the countless missionaries who have suffered, it makes you more like a disciple of Jesus, and it gives you the hope of the love of God!
So, the second benefit of being declared righteous by faith is hope through affliction.
The final benefit that we experience is . . .
III. Reconciliation through death (6-11) [on screen]
As we speak of reconciliation through death, of course, we’re talking about the death of Jesus. Let’s see what Paul says. Look at verses 6-11:
6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die. 8 But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 How much more then, since we have now been declared righteous by his blood, will we be saved through him from wrath. 10 For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, then how much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received this reconciliation.
Paul points out first of all that we are helpless. There was nothing that we could do to help ourselves. We needed help. And help is exactly what God gave us and He gave it to us at just the right time.
Paul points out the miracle of the fact that Jesus died for the ungodly (that’s us, by the way). Jesus died for us while we were ungodly, while we rejected God’s ways, while we were enemies of God.
Paul understands that some people will die for others, particularly other good people. However, rarely will someone willingly die for their enemies.
I’d like to think that I would give my life for those of you in this room. I love you all. However, I’m not sure I would give my life for the leader of the Taliban. I’m not sure that I’d die for Vladimir Putin.
However, Paul points out that Jesus died for someone much worse than a mere enemy across the world. Jesus died for those who rejected God and those who brought about the need for the wrath of God to be poured out on sin.
God proved that He loved us because we were terrible sinners, yet Jesus died for us.
Paul then goes on to say that Jesus didn’t just pay for our sins by His death, which is amazing enough. More than that, Jesus lived again and is claiming us as His own as He lives again.
The fact that Jesus lives again is a testimony to the fact that He has brought us back to God; He has reconciled us to God and His life is the guarantee that if are in Him, we will never face the wrath of God.
Paul speaks of reconciliation between us and God. Again, we must remember that we were enemies of God. We weren’t just strangers, we were God’s enemies because we rejected Him and His ways.
Reconciliation is powerful, church. Reconciliation means bringing two sides together in agreement and harmony.
Just imagine two major enemies coming together as those who love one another. Imagine Russia and Ukraine right now coming together. Imagine Vladimir Putin saying to the Ukrainian people, “I’m so sorry. I’ve sinned greatly against you.” Imagine them forgiving him and them coming together as family. Now, I’m not suggesting that will or should happen. However, I’m pointing out, that is nothing compared to the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ reconciling us to the Almighty God of the Universe.
Reconciliation is powerful, church, and it is through the death of Christ that we can be reconciled to God.
Concluding Thoughts:
As we conclude this sermon it’s beautiful to note this fact: we needed to be saved from the wrath of God and the miracle of the Gospel is that it was God Himself who saved us.
So, remember these benefits that come through faith in God’s promises: peace through Jesus, hope through affliction, and reconciliation through death.
Here’s a bottom line to summarize all that we’re learning in this passage:
Bottom Line: Faith in God brings peace with God. [on screen]
(repeat)
Peace with God is what we need more than anything. We need to be brought from being God’s enemies to being God’s friends and His children. Jesus can make that happen.
“ . . . we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
“For while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly.”
Challenge yourself this week to live out this passage in the following ways:
Weekly Challenge: [on screen]
1. Bask in the peace of God. [on screen]
To bask in the sun means to soak it up and take it in. To bask in something you like means to enjoy it and take it all in.
Well, soak in and enjoy the peace of God in your life.
Challenge yourself to really reflect on and enjoy all that it means to be considered a friend of God and a child of God, rather than an enemy of God.
2. Passon the peace of God. [on screen]
We have the ability to pass the peace of God to others. Through the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus, the hope found in God, and the reconciliation brought by the death of Jesus we can share the peace of God with others.
Make a commitment this week to pass on the peace of God to others.
Closing:
Do you have peace with God? If so, bask in that peace and pass on that peace.
If you do not have peace with God, come experience the peace of God today through the power of Jesus Christ.
(Gospel presentation)
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