Sermon Notes
Main Verse: (Romans 5:1-11)
Key Thought: Being justified by faith in Christ is more than fire insurance and a one-way ticket to heaven upon death. We now have some immediate and immense benefits of our new relationship in Christ. But many of us who are in Christ, do not fully understand the benefits available to us. This lack of awareness leads to a lack of access. Paul did not want this for the believers inside the Church of Rome. Nor do we need to be unaware. Today, we will unpack the blessings of being in Christ.
Consider:
Being “in” something does not mean you fully understand what you are “in.”
Here are two examples: being married and being a veteran.
Awareness precedes access. And awareness activates access. For example, here are the benefits for the following people:
For Veterans
- Disability compensation
- Veteran’s pension programs
- Free or low-cost medical care through VA hospitals and medical facilities
- Educational programs
- Housing and home loan guarantees
- Job training
- Small Businesses and business loans (Through Small Business Administration)
- Counseling
- Burials and memorials
For Married Couples
- Marital Tax Deduction
- Filing Taxes Jointly
- Social Security Benefits
- Prenuptial Agreement Benefits
- IRA Benefits
- Legal Decision-Making Benefits
- Inheritance Benefits
- Health Insurance Benefits
So it is with knowing what is available to you in Christ. And Paul highlights what these benefits are.
Blessings of Being in Christ:
- We have peace with God (5:1)
- “Therefore…” reflecting back on how we justified (made righteous) by faith in Christ we now have these benefits
- Peace, (εἰρήνη) a state of tranquility, often used to speak of a nation that is not at war.
- Addictions are false peace
2. We have access to God (5:2)
- Peace with God gets you access to God.
- Which leads to hope (“hope of the glory of God”) – I trust that God will work this out in the end.
3. We also have affliction (that produces something in us) 5:3-5 “because we know….”
- What if you knew God was utilizing your suffering
- HINT: the goal of the Christian life is not to avoid suffering at all cost.
- Choosing to exercise or go the to PT vs. being tortured
- Endurance (steadfastness – of a dessert plant’s power to endure)
- Character (proved to be trusted)
- Hope- (confidence “yep I know God got this”)
- This hope results in the experience of God’s love
We can always have peace when there is pressure because we have access to God’s presence.
Application
Identify your pressure point: _________________________________
Ask these questions:
- Does this suffering do anything to lessen the future hope I have with God in glory?
- Could the God of all Creation use this to increase my character?
Discussion Questions
TALK IT OUT:
- We need to consider how being “in” doesn’t always mean we understand the blessings connected to that reality. Here are two examples, being married & being a veteran. Take a moment to list the blessings of being married and of being a veteran?
- Pastor Rusty says we need to understand the blessings that are ours because we are “in Christ.” In Romans 5:1 Paul lists the first blessing when he writes, “we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” What does it mean to be at peace with God?
- According to Pastor Rusty addictions are “false peace.” How do you think additions can be false peace?
- The second blessing of being in Christ which Pastor Rusty lists is found Romans 5:2 where Paul says, “we have also obtained access by faith…” Reflect on what it means that through faith in Christ we have access to God.
- We also learn the third blessing of being in Christ is that we will endure affliction. Romans 5:3 tells us “suffering produces endurance.” How can the perspective that God often uses our suffering to develop endurance change the attitude we have toward our difficult times?
- Pastor Rusty reminds us that the goal of the Christian life isn’t to avoid suffering at all cost. How has God used your challenges to develop greater character in you?
- Hope, according to Pastor Rusty is this confidence, “Yep, I know God’s got this.” How can understanding that reality completely change our attitude?
- How can this kind of hope result in us better understanding and experiencing God’s love for us?
- Why does Pastor Rusty say, “we can always have peace, when there is pressure, because we have access to God’s presence?”
LIVE IT OUT
- Identify your primary pressure point or points and write them down.
- Ask yourself these questions:
- Does this suffering do anything to lessen the future hope I have with God in glory?
- Could the God of all Creation use this to increase my character?
- Ask God to help you trust Him to use this trial to make you a stronger believer.