A New Year to Rejoice in Christ
Romans 5:1-11
What if your new year’s resolution were different than most peoples’ resolutions? What if you decided to eat more this year? Are there benefits to eating more? Let’s not talk about the negative effects. What if instead of worrying about the unknown, we celebrated that which is known? What if a call to live for Christ is just a big celebration, here and eternally! A group of theologians came together to write a really good mantra for us to live by in 1980:“There’s a party going on right here, A dedication to last throughout the years, So bring your good times and your laughter too, We gonna celebrate your party with you, Come on now, Celebration” Kool and the Gang.
Chapter 5 is one of the most encouraging chapters in the Bible!
I. Rejoice in the Peace Found in Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1-5) Paul uses the earlier chapters to lay out that Jesus Christ offers salvation by grace alone through faith alone. Now in this chapter he is sharing the benefits of that saving faith. It’s kind of like you know you own a cool car, but here is the gas mileage results, horsepower stats, etc.
a. We can rejoice because peace means we have access to God. (v.1) This peace means we have unhindered access to the Creator, we are His children. We now have fellowship with the Heavenly father. As a child, scared of the dark, you slept peacefully knowing that your daddy was doing to protect you from the buggy man! This New Year Christ is asking you to come to His throne for peace. “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made know to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:6-7)
b. We can rejoice because hope means we have assurance of God. (v.2) NT hope isn’t wishful thinking, it’s the guaranteed assurance of God’s promises.
c. We can rejoice because character means we are approved by God. (v.4) Character confirms our confidence we have in Christ! It’s faith in action. It’s living for Christ when no one is looking!
II. Rejoice in the Payment Made by Jesus Christ (Romans 5:6-8) Paul uses the phrase “while we were still weak” (v.6), and “while we were still sinners” (v.8), to show that the payment that Jesus made wasn’t contingent upon our behavior! Many believe they need to clean up before they can come to God. These verses shows us that we come to Christ how we are, regardless of our past, and He does this cleaning work! This flies in face of religion! Religion looks toward perfection, someone with a relationship with Christ is moved out of extreme gratitude for what Christ has done! We are to drive a car looking out the windshield, not the rear view mirror! If Christ has saved you, live for Him today, don’t go back to who you were!
III. Rejoice in the Pardon Given Through Jesus Christ (Romans 5:9-10) Christ became the bridge to a holy God. We were enemies, but because of the blood of Jesus, His pardon for our sin, we are made righteous! Rejoice in this!
IV. Rejoice in the Relationship Provided by Jesus Christ (Romans 5:11) The concept of reconciliation is found throughout the New Testament. Listen to Colossians 1:22 “He has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him.” It basically means that Christ died in our place so that through faith we can have a relationship with God! We are in communion with God. This is what was intended in the Garden of Eden before the fall of man.
Let’s party this New Year! Rejoice in the Peace Found in Jesus Christ, Rejoice in the Payment Made by Jesus Christ, Rejoice in the Pardon Given Through Jesus Christ, Rejoice in the Relationship Provided by Jesus Christ! Let’s party!
