The Greatest Love Story (Romans 5:1-11, Psalm 103:1-22)
Rev. David Huffman, January 12, 2025Part of the Series On Romans series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
We are wired by God for love, since we are made in His image. What attracts men and women to love? It can be lovely characteristics, beauty or other attributes. There is another love story apart from between men and women. This is God's love for unlovely people. According to Paul in Romans, faith brings us peace with God in Christ. In the midst of suffering, you can have confidence in God's love, poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. We ARE loved by God, sealed by His guarantee in our hearts that we belong to Him. This guarantee is a manifestation of the Holy Spirit in the believer. This is demonstrated within us by Christ's death and resurrection. The natural man has a weak spiritual condition, helpless with nothing within to help. This man is ungodly and an enemy of God. Yet while in this condition, Christ died for us, at the right time. Galatians 4 tells us that in the fullness of time, the prophesied Messiah, the Redeemer, would come. Apart from Christ, people don't realize their desperate condition. He died for us before we realized His sacrificial love for us, before we were even born. We should realize the depth of love He has for His sheep: perhaps someone would die in place of a righteous man. Yet, who would die in place of an unrighteous man? Christ died for MANY unrighteous men and women. This Most High God laid uncountable sins upon Himself on behalf of unrighteous sinners. What astonishing love is this? The gospel of Jesus Christ is the greatest love story of all. By His death, believers are justified and saved from God's wrath to come. Those in Christ have nothing to fear on judgment day. They will be preserved to the end until they enter the presence of God in right standing. Enemies of God become His friends and part of His family, enjoying fellowship with Him. We become objects of His love and affection. Knowing this, how can we be dour in suffering? Our life should be one of joy. Do we fret? We must consider the love of God and His relationship with us in Christ. Are we growing in thanks and joy? If not, we must attend more and more to the means of grace.
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| « Running Toward Maturity | None | The Steadfast Love of the Lord » |
Romans 5:1–11 (Listen)
5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 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. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
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. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
(ESV)
Psalm 103 (Listen)
Of David.
103:1 Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name!
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,
3 who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6 The LORD works righteousness
and justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.
8 The LORD is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
10 He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
13 As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.
14 For he knows our frame;
he remembers that we are dust.
15 As for man, his days are like grass;
he flourishes like a flower of the field;
16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
and its place knows it no more.
17 But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,
and his righteousness to children’s children,
18 to those who keep his covenant
and remember to do his commandments.
19 The LORD has established his throne in the heavens,
and his kingdom rules over all.
20 Bless the LORD, O you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his word,
obeying the voice of his word!
21 Bless the LORD, all his hosts,
his ministers, who do his will!
22 Bless the LORD, all his works,
in all places of his dominion.
Bless the LORD, O my soul!
(ESV)