The Solution for Sin

Transcript

JR 16
04/07/2023
The Solution For Sin
Romans 5:12
Jesse Randolph

Well, for the last several years, the story, “the” story which has dominated our world’s headlines, has been a virus. A virus which, it was said, could lead to the elimination of massive segments of the entire world population. A virus which led to the world all but being shut down. A virus which led to grounded planes and cancelled sports leagues and forced homeschooling. A virus which led to political grandstanding. And virtue signaling. And economic stimulating. A virus which led to social distancing and double masking and triple vaxxing. Now, unless you’ve lived under a rock for the past three or so years, you know the virus I’m referring to. And I won’t say anymore.

But tonight, on Good Friday, a night on which we remember the crucifixion and death of our Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ. We’re going to spend some time putting a different virus under the microscope, so to speak. We’re going to be looking at a virus that has had its death grip on the world for much longer than three years. We’re going to look at a virus which results in people not only being socially distanced from one another, but relationally distanced from the God who made them. We’re going to look at a virus whose curve has never been flattened. A virus which leads, not only to a body bag, but unless there’s repentance of sin, and a turning to Christ in faith, the unceasing flames of an eternity spent in a real hell. The virus I’m speaking of, of course, is the virus of sin. Which is the ultimate virus. The ultimate malady. The ultimate sickness. Which plagues not only the murderers and rapists and the thieves of this world. The liars and the adulterers and the drunkards and the gluttons of this world. But everyone in this world. All of mankind. All of creation.

If you have a Bible here with you this evening, I’d invite you to turn with me to Romans 5:12. If you don’t have a Bible, that’s ok, feel free to look over your neighbor’s shoulder, they won’t mind. Our text for this evening, Romans 5:12 says this: “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned.” In that single verse, we see the start of sin: “Through one man sin entered into the world.” We see the spread of sin: “And so death spread to all men.” We see the scope of sin” “Because all sinned.” This verse will be our anchor point for our time together this evening. But before we work through it, I do think it would be helpful to lay down some groundwork and to define some terms.

Of course, today is Good Friday. Good Friday and Easter, are at most churches, are days where you typically have a larger number of first-time visitors. What that means is that there may be people here this evening who haven’t heard much teaching about sin and its nature and its consequences. There may be people here this evening, who think that sin is some sort of antiquated concept that’s been replaced by modern medicine and psychological constructs. There may be people here this evening who simply disagree with the concept of sin, because they, meaning you, consider yourself to be good people, or a good person.
So, let’s get down to the basics. What is “sin”? Well, the word “sin” comes from a Greek term that literally means to “miss the mark.” The way an archer’s arrow falls short of the bullseye. Or a bowler misses the head pin. Or a pitcher misses the catcher’s mitt on opening day. Sin is missing the mark.

Alright, well if sin is just about having a bad aim, the way an archer or a bowler or a pitcher might have a bad aim, what’s the big deal? This big deal is this, when we sin, when we miss the mark, and we all do, the sin that we commit is not some morally neutral act. It’s not an offense, that’s without consequence. It’s not a violation without a needed reprimand. No. The sin that we commit is against someone. The sin that we commit is against God Himself. The God who has revealed Himself in creation and in nature. The God that we know is there. Psalm 19:1 says, “the heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.” He’s the One who has revealed Himself through history and providence. He’s the One who has revealed Himself by impressing the reality of His existence, and His standards for every one of us, upon our consciences and we all have one of those. Which is why Psalm 14:1 says it is the “fool [who] has said in his heart, ‘There is no God’.” Meaning, there’s really no such thing as an Atheist. He’s the One who has revealed Himself, this God has revealed Himself through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, as Hebrews 1:2 says. He’s the One who has revealed Himself through His holy Word, the scriptures. The scriptures describe this God, as a consuming fire. As a jealous God. A God who is jealous for His own glory. He’s described as a holy God. A God who is set apart in His perfection. A God who will not, and can not tolerate sin, imperfection, in His presence. He’s described in the scriptures as the God of vengeance and wrath. Nahum 1:2, he says “The Lord is avenging and wrathful. The Lord takes vengeance on His adversaries, and He reserves wrath for His enemies.” Last, the scriptures teach that God is a God who “has indignation every day” as Psalm 7:11 says. Who “hate[s] all who do iniquity” Psalm 5:5. See, sin is an offense against that God. That’s the God who has set up the target for us to hit, in terms of our conduct. Which we continually and repeatedly have failed to do. So, back to Romans 5:12 – “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned.” Again here, we’re going to see the start of sin, the spread of sin, and the scope of sin. Let’s start with:

1. The Start of Sin
“Through one man sin entered into the world.”
Sin cannot be explained through human reason. Or Darwinian evolutionary theory. Or modern psychological constructs. Rather, sin has historical roots and a provable lineage. Which runs all the way back to the first man – Adam, who, along with his wife, in the Garden of Eden, did the one thing the Lord had commanded them not to do. Which was to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It was through that one act of disobedience. That initial act of rebellion, that sin entered into the world. It wasn’t always supposed to be this way. God had created all things. He had declared all things He’s created, Genesis 1:31, to be “very good.” He had created man for eternal fellowship and perfect communion with Him. But that’s not the way it turned out. Because as it says in our text: “Through one man sin entered into the world.”

As we continue to work through Romans 5:12, we now come upon this statement about:

2. The Spread of Sin
The spread of sin and its consequence – death. “Death spread to all men.”
Sin entered the world through Adam. Then he and his wife, Eve, procreated. As they and their descendants populated the earth. The plague of sin spread to all men. Sin isn’t boxed or wasn’t boxed within the boundaries of the Garden of Eden. It has spread as its carriers, people, you and me have spread that virus throughout the world. It’s crossed borders. No nation or country can build a wall high enough to keep it out. Sin isn’t limited to also, to a particular people group. It has infected all people groups. All age groups and all religious groups. It’s impacted every nationality and every church denomination, and it’s impacted both genders. And dare I say, and I will say, there are two genders, and only two. Sin isn’t a relic of a bygone era. It is a virus that has contaminated the centuries. It’s infected multiple millennia of human existence. We haven’t outgrown it. We haven’t solved it. We certainly haven’t evolved our way out of it. No, sin has spread to all men, everyone of us, everywhere.

Its consequence – death- has spread to all men, as well. As we see here, in verse 12, Romans 5:12 – “death spread to all men.” The reason that we still grieve the loss of that beloved family member around the holidays is because of sin. The reason that you’ll one day feel your spouse’s fingers tips go limp in your hand, as they are on their death bed, is because of sin. The reason that hospice care exists, the reason for the death rattle. The reason that we’ll all one day have two dates on our headstone, and not one, is because of sin. Because “death spread to all men.” Sin not only started with Adam, which it did. It not only spread to all men, which it has. We also learn:

3. The Scope of Sin
We learn the scope of sin here in Romans 5:12, at the end of the verse it says: “all sinned.” Note, that it doesn’t say: “a few sinned.” Or “only the really really wicked people sinned.” Or “some sinned.” Or “many sinned.” No. What does it say? “All sinned.” Solomon said something similar in 1 Kings 8:46, when he said “There is no man who does not sin.” Of course, Paul in Romans 3:23 says “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Those cute, cooing little babies in the nursery? Sinners. Your sweet old grandmother who always exuded such warmth and joy? Sinner. The saintliest Christian you ever knew? Sinner. The most prolific theologian, the godliest pastor you ever knew? Sinner. You on your best day? Me on my best day? Sinner. “All sinned.” All have sinned. All face the consequence of sin – death. Talk about a virus. Talk about a plague. Talk about something we would like to distance ourselves from, protect ourselves from, and get immunized from.

So, we’ve seen the start of sin. The spread of sin. We’ve seen the scope of sin. Well, praise the Lord. He’s offered a solution for sin. That’s really why we’re here this evening, isn’t it? That He’s offered a solution for sin. As we remember that the very God that we have sinned against. The very God whom our sin has offended. Though He is a holy God, who cannot tolerate or excuse the presence or existence of sin. Though He is a God of justice. He will not fail to dispense His perfect justice. Though He is a God of wrath, who is angry with the wicked every day. He is also a God of patience, and a God of mercy, and a God of love. He is also a God who 2 Peter 3:9, does not desire that any would perish, but that all would reach repentance. He is a God “who so loved the world, that He gave Hs only begotten Son, so that whoever might believe in Him, would not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Though it was we who, on account of our sin, deserved to face God’s righteous judgment and wrath. He spared us. He rescued us. He saved us. He did so, not because He somehow changed His mind, or reversed course, or suddenly decided to withhold His judgment against sin. No, He did pour out His judgment against sin. But He poured out His judgement, not on us, but instead, on His Son. God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. At Calvary, God’s measured fury. His perfect justice. His righteous wrath was served up through the insults and the taunts and the jeers that were directed against our Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ, by Roman soldiers and curious onlookers. It was meted out through whips and cords which ripped through the flesh of our Lord as He was violently flogged. It was dispensed through the five-to seven-inch nails which were driven into our Lord’s hands and feet. It was shown through a mocking robe and a scepter which were thrust upon our Lord. It was given through a crudely twisted crown of thorns which was hammered into our Lord’s skull. It was ultimately displayed in our Lord’s battered and bruised and bleeding body as He hung upon that cross, from morning until the early afternoon. With His body heaving. With His energy depleting. With His leaving Him. Until He cried out with His final breath: “Tetelestai.” “It is finished.”

Through His death, Jesus Christ declared victory over sin, and death, and Satan. Which is why we can say with Paul: “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” Through His death, Jesus Christ offered Himself up as a perfect and spotless sacrifice for sinners like you and me. 1 Peter 1:18-19 says, “You were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold . . . but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.” Through His death, Christ provided a way for sinners like you and me to be reconciled against that God that we’ve sinned against. 2 Corinthians 5:21 “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
Returned to the fellowship that we were designed to have with Him. Before sin entered into the world through that “one man” back in Romans 5:12.

What I’ve just shared with you, friends, is the “good news.” The “good news” message of the Gospel. The “good news” message of what Jesus Christ did for you, and for me, which is why we can call, today, “Good Friday.” That’s not only “good news” that we hear though, it’s great news! That wretches and rebels like us. That black-hearted sinners like us. That hell-deserving and hell-bound sinners like us, could not only be spared hell, but offered heaven. Could not only be saved from eternal death but offered eternal life. If we would only trust wholeheartedly in what He accomplished in His atoning death on the cross. And in His resurrection, which we’ll celebrate on Sunday morning, as being the only means by which a sinner might be saved.

One of the greatest hymnwriters the church has ever produced was Charles Wesley. In 1742, he wrote a hymn titled “O Love Divine, What Hast Thou Done.” In addition to the hymns and songs that we’ve been singing here this evening, this song and its lyrics do a wonderful job of encapsulating what the crucifixion of our Lord entailed and accomplished. I’m going to read to you from it. He says:

“O love divine! What hast thou done! The incarnate God hath died for me! The Father’s co-eternal Son, bore all my sins upon the tree! The Son of God for me hath died: My Lord, my Love is crucified.

Behold Him, all ye that pass by, the bleeding Prince of life and peace! Come, sinners, see your Saviour die, and say, was ever grief like His? Come, feel with me His blood applied: My Lord, my Love, is crucified:

Is crucified for me and you, to bring us rebels back to God: Believe, believe the record true, Ye all are bought with Jesus’ blood: Pardon for all flows from His side: My Lord, my love is crucified.

Then let us sit beneath His cross, and gladly catch the healing stream: All things for Him account but loss and give up all our hearts to Him: Of nothing think or speak beside, The Lord, my love is crucified.”

Those are beautiful lyrics. They’re loaded with truth. But even then, Wesley’s words pale in comparison to what the Apostle Paul would say in Romans 5:8, just a few verses up from where we’ve been this evening. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” May we never lose sight of, and never loosen our firm grip upon that simple yet glorious truth.

Let’s pray. Lord, we thank You for Your grace. We thank You for being a gracious and patient and merciful God. A God who has shown such patience and mercy toward us, wretches and rebels and sinners as we are. We thank You that in the perfect plan in Your eternal mind, that You saw fit to send Your Son, the Lord Jesus, into the world to die for sinners like us. To die for our sin, so that our sin debt could be paid and so that we could be restored to fellowship with You. In doing so, have the hope of eternal life secured. Thank You for Your grace. Thank You for the precious blood of the Savior. We thank You for Jesus. It’s in His name we pray. Amen



Well, we’re going to turn now to the Communion portion of our service this evening. As we do so, what timely reminders from God’s word up to this point. Including the fact there is a God. You know, we aren’t “cosmic stardust”, as I saw recently on a billboard the United Methodist Church put on the west side of town. No, there is a God. There is only one God. He is a God who is holy. A God who is just. A God who is righteous because on account of His holiness, he hates sin. But we’ve also seen that this God is patient and merciful and is a God of love. He demonstrated His love toward mankind most powerfully. In the sending of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, into this world. He sent His Son on a mission. That mission was to die. To stand in the place of sinners like you and me. To do so on Calvary’s cross. To atone for sin. Not His own, because He had none. But, instead for ours. To take the sneers and the spitting from curious onlookers on our behalf. To take the flogging and the whipping on our behalf. To take the nails and the crown of thorns on our behalf. To shed His own innocent blood, and to die, on our behalf. With our sin being imputed to Him. His inherent righteousness, as God, being imputed to us.

When we partake of the elements were about to partake of, we’re simply remembering and reflecting on this evening, Good Friday, with gratitude, rejoicing. As we consider who we once were in our sin. As we consider the great debt to a holy God that we had incurred on account of our sin. As we consider the sure and terrifying wrath of God that we faced because of our sin. As we consider the finished work of Christ on the cross. How, through His death, He paid, in full, the debt of our sin. So that our sins could be forgiven. So that our relationship with that holy God could be restored. So that the hope of eternal life and fellowship with that God could be secured.

Paul instructed the early church, in 1 Corinthians 11:26, he said, “as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” That’s what we’re doing now. We’re remembering that Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, the Word who became flesh, died for us. We are “proclaim[ing] the Lord’s death.”

Just a few words of reminder. And a few words of caution.

First, I want to make absolutely sure that you know that only believers in the Lord Jesus Christ should be partaking of these elements. What we’re doing now, communion, is one of two ordinances, which God, through the scriptures, has called on Christian churches to perform with some degree of regularity. One is, communion, the other is baptism. Believer’s baptism, which we’re going to have the joy of witnessing on Easter morning. But I want to make sure I’m being clear, that what we are about to do and what we’re about to partake in, is for believers and believers only. So, if you have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, I’d invite you to partake. Even if you’re from a different church. Even if you’re visiting. You are welcome to join us in partaking of these elements, as we remember the Lord’s death. But if you haven’t believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, I’d ask you to let these elements just pass you by. This is a family meal, for those who are in the family of God, based on their mutual faith we all share in the Lord Jesus Christ. But if you haven’t believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, I would love nothing more than to visit with you after the service this evening. Up here in the south lobby and answer any questions you might have about what it means to follow Christ, to pray with you, and just give you general council on what it means to count the cost of following the Lord.

Second, I want to give a reminder to the believers in this room, that we are all warned against taking these elements in an unworthy manner. That’s what Paul said, also in 1 Corinthians 11:27-28, he says, “Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup.” So as we get ready to partake of these elements, and as they are being ready to be distributed, make sure you’re confessing any unconfessed sin in your heart to God. Make sure you’re resolved to turn from that sin to any sin that’s been clinging, or you’ve been losing the battle too. Make sure you’re resolved to live in an upright and godly manner in Christ Jesus, for Christ Jesus, from this day forward. Examine yourself. Don’t take these elements in an unworthy manner.

Third, I want to remind you all. That the bread and the cup. That we’re going to be partaking of. Are simply representative. They don’t “become”, as you hold them in your hand or as you ingest them, the actual body and the actual blood of our Lord. As for instance, the Roman Catholic Church would teach. Nor is Christ “mystically present” in the elements. As the Lutheran Church would teach. No, what you’re about to receive and hold in your hands is merely a cup of grape juice and bread, specifically a cracker. The bread and the juice are simply symbols. With the bread representing the body of our Lord. Who took humanity upon Himself. Who lived in a body of flesh. A body that was eventually broken and bruised on our behalf. The cup represents the blood of our Lord. Which was shed on our behalf. In 1 Corinthians 11:23-24 of the Apostle Paul, writing under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, wrote these words “For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me’.”

[Partake]

[Prayer] God, we thank You again, for sending Your Son, the Eternal Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ into the world. That He would leave the courts of heaven. That He would stoop, that He would come into this earth and put on humanity and walk this earth. Be among sinners and ultimately, be turned over to prosecution and a trial. Death at the hands of those sinners. That He would have such love for us, is almost too much to fathom. Almost too much to grasp. But we know it’s true, because Your word declares it to be true. So, thank You for sending Your Son into the world, who would become and is a suffering Savior, but a sympathetic Savior. One who walked in flesh and walked this earth. Was a man acquainted with sorrows and grief. Who ultimately bore the sins of us all. We thank You, Lord Jesus, for Your willingness to come into this world. Your willingness to bear our sin on Your shoulders. To carry that weight. To be bruised and beaten on our behalf. To have stripes laid across Your back on our behalf. To wear a crown of thorns on our behalf. To go through suffering that ultimately, we should have suffered, in light of our sin, and our wretchedness. We simply thank You for Your love for us and praise Your holy name this Good Friday. It’s in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen

Well, as we turn to the cup, we remember the blood of our Lord. The eternal and holy God revealed in the Bible has always required the shedding of blood for the purifying of His people and the forgiveness of sins. He required the shedding of blood in the days of the Tabernacle, back in the days of the Old Testament. The same concept is stated in the New Testament as well, in Hebrews 9:22, which says, “that without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin.”

Well, thank the Lord. Because He is gracious and merciful and loving and kind. He has always provided a way for His people to have their sin transferred to a substitute. He initially did this, back in the old days of the Levitical priests in Leviticus 16. In the form of a scapegoat. Later, He offered a substitute in the Person of His Son. Who bled, and who died on our behalf. It’s through His shed blood that our sins have been forgiven. Washed as white as snow. Our sin debt cancelled and nailed to the cross. In 1 Corinthians 11:25, Paul says, “In the same way, Christ took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me’.”

Lord, again, we thank You for the special privilege that we have. For those of us who have trusted in Christ, know that our sins have been atoned for, washed, purified, now made white as snow. We know as Colossians 2 says, that our sin debt, our sin package, has been nailed to the cross and done away with. We thank You, that all of that is true. All of that we can look to, because of what Jesus has accomplished on the cross, on our behalf. That though He was pure and innocent, a sinless and spotless lamb, He shed streams of blood on our behalf. His precious blood. His pure blood, so that we, though sinful and sin cursed and sinning, could be made new. Could be washed and purified and cleansed. Though our sins are like scarlet, they are washed white as snow. That’s all because of the blood of Christ, for which we praise You and thank You. Thank You, again Father, for sending Your Son into the world to die a sinner’s death on our behalf. So that we could be reconciled to You. Have fellowship with You. Have the hope of heaven. The hope of eternal life secured before You. It’s all because of Your goodness. All because of Your patience. All because of Your mercy. Ultimately, all because of Your love for us. For that, we say thank You. And pray these things in Jesus’ name. Amen