Bad News, Good News

Below are my notes from message today at Hesston MB titled, "Bad News, Good News".  It was part 2 of a message that I began during advent on Romans 5.  See previous message notes here


Introduction: Has someone ever said this to you? I have bad news & good news.  Which do you want to hear first?  How do you respond? 

This is part two of a message I began during Advent with only one point:  Give More Grace

 What is grace?

·         Grace = One Way Love, it is for all of life.

·         We are brought into God’s kingdom by grace; we are sanctified by grace; we receive both temporal and spiritual blessings by grace; we are motivated to obedience by grace; we are called to serve and enabled to serve by grace; we receive strength to endure trials by grace; and finally, we are glorified by grace. The entire Christian life is lived under the reign of God’s grace. (Jerry Bridges)

Read Romans 5:18-21

·         Bad News, Good News

o   Vs. 18-Bad News: Sin=Condemnation for all men.

§  One trespass (Adam’s sin) is contrasted with one righteous act (Christ’s sacrifice).[1]

o   Vs. 18-Good News: Righteousness=justification, life for all men

§  The righteousness of which Paul spoke is a right standing before God. It is imputed by God as a result of faith. [2]

·         21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

§  Justification--Elyse Fitzpatrick states “just as if I have never sinned & just as if I always obeyed.”

§  Life-more than just abundant life in heaven, but also for us now

·         10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:10)

o   Vs. 19-Bad News: Thru disobedience of one-many made sinners

o   VS. 19-Good News: Thru obedience of one-many made righteous

§  So, it is according to my obedience that I am made righteous? NO. It’s about Jesus’ obedience.  I am righteous because of Jesus obedience.  This righteousness will motivate me to obey.

§  Example of wife or children

o   Vs. 20-Bad News: Law added & sin increased

§  The word “added” should be rendered “came in beside,”[3]

§  Misunderstanding law & grace—Some believe God was all law, no grace in OT & then Jesus comes and focuses on grace. “Grace was not an addition to God’s plan; grace was a part of God’s plan from the very beginning. God dealt with Adam and Eve in grace; He dealt with the patriarchs in grace; and He dealt with the nation of Israel in grace. He gave the Law through Moses, not to replace His grace, but to reveal man’s need for grace. Law was temporary, but grace is eternal.”[4]

§  We need to understand the purpose of law and grace.  “The law was never intended to provide salvation but to convince people of their need for it.”[5]

§  Tim Keller in Prodigal God writes, “What makes you faithful or generous is not just a redoubled effort to follow moral rules. Rather, all change comes from deepening your understanding of the salvation of Christ and living out of the changes that understanding creates in your heart. Faith in the gospel restructures our motivations, our self-understanding, our identity, and our view of the world. Behavioral compliance to rules without heart-change will be superficial and fleeting.”

§  No matter how great human sin becomes, God’s grace overflows beyond it and abundantly exceeds it.[6]

o   Vs. 20-Good News: Grace increased more

§  Remember the “much more” of grace-vs. 15, 17

·         For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. (John 1:16)

o   Vs. 21-Bad News: Sin reigned in death

o   Vs. 21-Good News: Grace reigned in righteousness & eternal life







Grace > _____________

·         Law

·         Unworthiness

·         All Sin  

 

Good News: Jesus
  



[1] Witmer, J. A. (1985). Romans. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 460). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[2] Mounce, R. H. (1995). Romans (Vol. 27, p. 145). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[3] Witmer, J. A. (1985). Romans. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 460). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[4] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 529). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[5] Mounce, R. H. (1995). Romans (Vol. 27, p. 145). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[6] Witmer, J. A. (1985). Romans. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 460). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

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