FHCC
20250330 Worship
  • Nothing But The Blood (Plainfield)
  • Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
  • Bless His Holy Name
  • Most symptoms have underlying bacterial or viral source, and underlying conditions can manifest differently, but in today’s text we find that the underlying cause is 100% terminal.
    Whether you want to discuss the impact and spread of the 2019 strain of the covid virus (which itself had several mutations), or you want to consider childhood diseases like measles, mumps, or Chicken pox, scarlet fever, rubella, or influenza; we all have experience with being infected, being contagious, and having varying degrees of symptoms.
    E. coli causes illness in approximately a quarter of a million Americans and leads to about 100 deaths in the United States each year.
    This level of spread and outcome means that most of you do not give this bacterium any thought in the normal activities of life.
    On the other hand, some of us remember when HIV was considered 100% terminal or when the threat and fear of Covid altered the education of an entire generation.
    Cancer survivors or those living with Hepatitis or HIV inspire because to this point they have “beat the odds” but EVERY cancer survivor or AIDS patient has another underlying condition that is 100% fatal—sin.
    TRANSITION: We are reminded today that there is no jab, syrup, pill, or pour-on for this malady there is only 1 antidote!text

    Every Man’s Inevitable End (Rom 5:12-14)

    Romans 5:12–14 “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.”

    Sin is pervasive (Rom 5:12)

    All 2x in Rom 5:12.
    2 aspects using 2 different words.
    “As a result of the entrance of sin into the world (Romans 5:12), and our own sin, we are fallen and powerless to save ourselves.” – FHCC doctrinal statement
    3. The word sin in vv.12-14 is the word that means “to deviate from an ideal”
    You may have heard a preacher describe it as an archer’s term—to miss the bullseye.
    I guess it could also be a bb gun competition term, not for Grace, but for the other competitors who hit outside of the center of the target.
    This sin (usually singular) is the first type mentioned in our doctrinal statement. Because of Adam and Eve’s decision and action, all that was perfect before was no longer perfect and it has impacted EVERY being on earth since then.
    illustration: invasive plants. You don’t have to seek them or do anything to attract them. If you wait long enough eventually they will show up.
    4. When we get to Rom 5:15 we will find a different, but similar, word—tresspass.
    This word carries the idea of wrong or misplaced steps. Think of rock climbing when you think your footing is secure, but when you apply pressure your foot slips.
    In the Lord’s prayer some of us were raised with debtors and some were raised with trespassers. Both of those ideas carry the idea of somebody who owes somebody else because of wrong choices.
    It is this second word for sin that is intended in our Statement of Belief when we say “our own sin”
    I don’t know about you, but for me I am aware that my own sin is definitely plural. I guess it is like “fish” or “sheep” the word can mean one, or enough to be over the limit.
    Rom 5:12 must be read as early, often, and everywhere.

    Infected but unaware! (Rom 5:13)

    The closest I have ever come to testing at home for a condition was to use a thermometer. I realize there are at home tests for many other conditions like pregnancy or drug use. But those never seemed particularly relevant to me. :D
    However, a few years ago our linen closet began to fill with at-home covid tests. These were provided free from several sources because public health departments wanted people to become aware of asymptomatic illness.
    I know of athletes who suspected they were sick, but didn’t test because if they were diagnosed (the role of the law) their coach would be forced to sit them.
    3. Even with false positives and false negatives, a diagnosis determined outcomes.
    4. The symptoms of the sin infection cannot be ignored like the flu or any other virus.

    Sin is terminal (Rom 5:12b)

    1. In this first section we see another word appear 3x—death.
    2. The result of sin is not just an irritation or an inconvenience, it is a terminal condition!
    You may be familiar with the expression “O how the Mighty have Fallen”. Did you realize this is a Biblical quote from 2 Samuel 1:27?
    Israel’s first and great King had been brought to nothing and the throne had been given to another. The once Mighty—reputed to be tall, handsome and a conquering hero, had lost his integrity, his sanity and his reputation.
    3. Death has a way of bringing individuals to just a shadow of who they once were.
    4. Today you may feel like you are in command of your own destiny and that you are invincible. But God’s Word says different—you have a sin condition and it is terminal.

    A new Invaluable Possibility (Rom 5:15-17)

    Romans 5:15–17 “But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.”

    Not Experimental, but Experiential (Ro 5:17)

    When a person runs out of reasonable options, he or she may become open to hopes and wishes.
    One of the medications I take is a derivative of a compound found in Gila Monster venom.
    I don’t know who first thought that the mouth juice of a deadly lizard might be an intervention for diabetes, but desperation opens people up to crazy ideas.
    2. Experimentation leads desperate people to attempt many paths to atone for their sin condition.
    Money - Last minute generosity
    Making amends – asking and granting pardon for deeds in life
    Religion and paranormal mysticism
    Appealing to some cosmic form of goodness
    3. Due to the experiences (the concrete, visible actions) of the God-man Jesus Christ; Because of His sacrificial and substitutionary death and resurrection; your condemnation can be turned into Justification.
    On the day when everyone must give an account, that time when you stand before a just and holy God and He asks you “What makes you think you have a right to come into my Paradise?”, neither your money, your amends, nor your crystals will have any merit.
    It is only the experience, the sacrifice of the perfect Son of God that will mean anything. Only the grace of Rom 5:15 has any possibility of diverting God’s wrath on sin away from any of us.
    TRANSITION: Rom 5:18 describes how one man’s experience brings what Rom 5:17 describes as an abundant free gift to our hopeless, terminal condition.

    A real and progressive Increasing Reign (vv.18-21)

    Romans 5:18–21 “Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

    Too good to be true, but it is! (Ro 5:19)

    Rom 5:15 labels our salvation as a free gift, (Ro 5:19) describes that gift.
    Instead of being defined by the sin that is in each of us (part of what it means to be human), We can receive a gift that defines us as righteous.
    You may have heard the term charismatics used to describe some Christians. The word charisma literally means gift. Although it is sometimes used to only refer to describe those who receive a gift of healing or speaking/interpreting heavenly language, the reality is that ALL Christians are charismatics, because ALL who the Bible calls Christians are recipients of gifts—the gift of Christ’s righteousness and the gift of God’s Spirit who enables us to live different than those bound for the death from sin.
    3. The gift of Rom 5:15 is connected to the grace of Rom 5:20-21. And a gift of God’s grace does seem too good to be true!

    The reign of Grace (Ro 5:21)

    Grace is not something that we receive at the entrance to “the pearly gates”. Grace is something we receive when we are declared righteous (see last 2 sermons), that transforms us right now.
    Last week we saw that this gift of grace and righteousness give peace, hope, love and healing. I also believe that gift of grace transforms us as it reigns in us (see v.21).
    Grace expands our capacity to love and forgive others. Grace expands our ability to live and love like Jesus. The more we understand what God does for us, the more we are motivated to look like Jesus.
    When Jesus’ disciples were busy and attentive to the demands of a group accompanying a traveling preacher, Jesus often saw things that they missed. Jesus saw the importance of getting alone to pray. Jesus saw the importance of meeting the hurts and anxieties of people. Jesus saw the value in people who were ignored by the masses, because grace was at the core of who he was and why he was on earth.
    The reign of grace undergirds all that I have been calling us to do these last 2 ½ years.
    In 2023 I called us to intentionally begin praying for our neighbors. By the way, prayerdid not end when I added acts of caring on Jan 2024. And prayerand care did not conclude when 3 months ago I began calling us to share the gospel. Prayer began and should continue. Caring began and must continue. Sharing began and will continue until our days on earth are no more.

    Conclusion:

    Through 1 man, the literal and historical Adam, sin came to each of us and began to spread through each of us until it reaches its culmination in physical death and eternal separation from God.
    Through 1 God-man, Jesus the Christ, the 2nd person of the divine trinity, grace came to each of us who will receive the gift and began to reign through us until it reaches its culmination when we see Him face to face for all eternity.

    Light & Lamp Application:

    A Light for my Path

    Your decision: continue or receive

    A Lamp for my Steps

    Admit
    Receive
    Permit
  • The Family Of God
FHCC
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http://flinthillschurch.net
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