Jesus and Sinners

Jesus and Sinners

(Romans 5:6-11)

Yearly Theme:  “Goodness is… Grace”

Series Title:  “Course Correction:  How Jesus Sets Things Right”

March 24^th, 2024

Something to think about:

It’s Palm Sunday, the day we traditionally celebrate Jesus’ final entry into Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives just outside of Jerusalem.  Riding on a donkey, with His disciples walking along, Jesus is being met with great fanfare and praise from those who have either experienced or seen His miracles and teachings along with many who have only heard of His exploits.  The shouts of “Hosanna!”  “Hosanna!” hang in the air as a testimony to the One who comes in the name of the LORD; the One who has come to rescue those in bondage and overthrow the oppressive regime that has held sway over the Jews for way too long.  He is their Savior, their Messiah (Anointed One of GOD), and He will fix everything!

Flash forward, however, to the end of next week.  The same Jesus who rode in to Jerusalem as a King, would be arrested and tried as a criminal.  On the day of His sentencing, He once again heard the cries of the people yelling “Crucify Him!”  “Crucify Him!” who had just days before proclaimed “Hosanna!”  “Hosanna!”.

As we continue our series today entitled, “Course Correction:  How Jesus Sets Things Right,” we come to a passage in Paul’s letter to the Romans that talks about this triumphant Christ, and the sacrifice that He made so that anyone who believed in Him would be set free.  We will see that in GOD’s perfect timing, Jesus came and died for sinners so that in His death and resurrection all who believed in Him would be set free.

Romans 5:6-11 (NLT),

⁶ When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners [ungodly].  ⁷ Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good.  ⁸ But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.  ⁹ And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation.  ¹⁰ For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son.  ¹¹ So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

Here’s the point…

Key Point:  “The sacrifice of Jesus is the means to salvation and friendship with GOD.”

Jesus’ purpose wasn’t merely to set people free from the temporary burdens of this world, but to set people free through salvation to eternal life.  As we consider this, let’s explore the three main components of these few verses:

•  .

Romans 5:6a (NLT),  When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time…

•  .

Romans 5:6b (NLT),  …and died…

Romans 5:8a (NLT),  But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die…

•  .

Romans 5:6c (NLT),  …for us sinners.

Romans 5:8b (NLT),  …while we were still sinners.

Something to take home:

There’s a story told about a conversation that was overheard in a trench full of wounded men during World War I.  One man had been badly wounded and was on the point of death, and with him was a friend who'd had a bad start to a bad life.  He'd made plenty of poor choices and served time in prison.  Even now, he was wanted back home by the police.  The dying man drew his friend down close to his face, removed his dog tag and his ID chain, and thrust it into the hand of his friend.  He said, “Listen, Dominic, you've had a really bad life.  You're wanted by the police, but I don't have any convictions against me.  My slate is clean, so take my dog tag, my wallet, my papers, my identity, my good name, and my life.  Give me your papers and I'll carry all your crimes away with me in death.”

At just the right time in human history, when humanity was utterly helpless, Jesus died for all sinners.  This means that no matter what we have done, or how far we have gone away from GOD, if we just believe and surrender our lives to Christ, salvation can be ours.  Jesus lived to show us the way to GOD.  Jesus died so we could have eternal life.  Jesus rose from the grave to break the curse of death that is upon us all.  What more could He do that He hasn’t already done for you and me?