God's Wonderful Love

God's Wonderful Love
Romans: 5:1-11

         I celebrate with you that thirty years ago I came to Kansas City from Massachusetts. Before that time the furthest West that I had ever gone was New York. I came to Kansas City without a job, a place to live or anyone I knew. The only thing I knew for sure was that God called me to this place so that I might prepare to be a minister by enduring the rigors of seminary and trusting after I was done with my education there would be places where I might hone my skills.

         The Apostle Paul goes forth into the Christian ministry with similar concerns in the back of his mind. Prior to taking on the role of being a minister, he was faced with going to new places. He was about to deal with persons he never met before. He had no place to call home and over time he became a bi-vocational minister in order that he might be able to help finance his ministry.

I. God's wonderful love was seen in cultivating an environment of faith

         There is a calling to be put in a right relationship by faith. Another word for talking about this right relationship is the word "justification". It refers to the fact that God no longer sees us as not belonging to His plan. Paul expresses what this relationship means in Romans chapter four when he talks about Abraham being our father according to faith. The promise and work of God puts us in a right relationship with our Creator, there is nothing we can do to earn it.
         Because of this we can enjoy peace. We do not have to worry about all manner of accomplishments or remedies that will make us right with God. Old Testament characters such as Noah, Samson, and Moses had things like boats (Arks), condition of hair (Samsons strength came from long hair) and tablets (the ten commandments) to signify they were doing what God wanted. We have Jesus Christ.
         Because of this we can glory in the hope of God. God's grace opens up the way to know the wonder/glory of having hope. We can see this hope as Paul did on the Damascus Road when he was struck with a flash of light. There was nothing he did to deserve God's love. He heard the words "Paul" "why do you persecute me" and responded by trusting in a hope that they were invited to enter into.
         There is a calling to see how this is possible in knowing that in life there is trouble and that we can know who God in a real and personal way through these times. In the Greek the word we translate as trouble is the word "thlipsis". It means that persons are under any number of pressures/stresses. These pressures test persons to recognize what gives them faith to go on with life.
         For we know that trouble or tribulation produces patience. The word in Greek is "hupomene" and can also be translated as fortitude. The word refers to an attitude of knowing victory. Help is on the way.
         And patience produces character. The Greek word is "dokimene" and is used in relationship to metals being made pure. We are seen for who we are, not by expectation that we or others have for us.
         And character produces hope. Hope is the culmination of all that has gone before. The Greek word is elpis and has the word faith encase within it. It is best identified by the words in verse 5. Because of hope we will no longer know disappointment because the love of God is poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.

II. There is a Person sent from God to share with us what this wonderful love means. We do not need to figure out what this all means for ourselves. Paul's writing of the book of Romans reflects the challenge of preparing a ministry that would extend into the farthest reaches of the Roman empire. Paul was a pioneer with only one thing in mind and that was to pass on the good news of Jesus Christ love to the world as he knew it.

         While we were helpless in God's good time Christ came to die for the ungodly. The word “helpless” pointed to the fact that people were without power. Power in the Roman and Christian world meant two different things.
         In the Roman world it referred to the fact a ruler that was known as a god had power to put somebody to death if they were a threat to his authority. Rome knew about the tools of intimidation and fear to keep people in their place. Crucifixion was the main source of punishment. Jesus known as the Christ experienced this punishment for himself.
         In the Christian world view power was looked at from the perspective of being a servant and determining ways to bring people back to life. Rome knew about the tools of intimidation and fear to keep people in their place. The Christian knew of someone who could raise a person from the dead to new life.

         God demonstrated love in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.

         Scarcely would a man die for a just man. There are many that we could think of.

There are persons like Moses who delivered the Israelites out of Egypt.
There are persons like Joseph the dreamer and was instrumental in taking care of people during a time of famine.
There persons like Samson who were powerful enough to rip apart a lion.
And persons like Mary as a virgin carried the birth of the savior in her womb.

         Maybe we might die for whatever we might call the good event.

There are events like Purim that required the presence of Esther to save God's people.
There are events like the Exodus whereby Israel escaped oppression
There are events like the life, death and resurrection that spurred on people to share good news.
God shares with us a whole new perception. God demonstrates love to us while we were yet sinners!!!!! How could we not want to do the same?

III. We are called to share this Wonderful love with whoever will hear it. Paul knew about persecution, was imprisoned and was familiar with dealing with the limitations that came his way in the form of a thorn in the flesh. These experiences helped Paul become a more caring presence to others who like him that did not have it all together. Sin meant missing the mark and Paul knew from his life what this meant.

         Since we have been brought into relationship with God at the price of his life's blood, there is impetus for us to offer our body in ways that allow for others to have life. We call ourselves the body of Christ, because we want others to know how persons who see themselves as sinners/messed up can feel alive inside.
More over we are saved from the wrath. What better way to share good news than to share with others that God is not in line waiting to spew wrath toward them. There has to be a better way of sharing love!

         For if we are clear in know that we are reconciled by the death of God's son, how much more being reconciled by Jesus Christ to go on being saved by the life God has sent. This is the challenge set before us. We have already talked of the work of justification which means we are put in right relationship with God. There is a further calling to spread this good news into the world of relationships with others. I am saved from death/sin in order that I might be dedicated to a life of loving and learning with others. In essence this is what sanctification is all about. The core word means that I am being made holy. I am sharing with the world what makes a Christian different than everyone else.

         The even greater celebration of this wonderful love is that I can be a part of living out how God is at work and true to the Word. The example for this ministry is to be found in seeing how our Lord Jesus Christ minister while on this earth.
Jesus did not look for persons that had it all together and had nothing better to do than wait until they got to heaven.
Jesus spoke good news to the poor and outcast,
Jesus healed the leper and others that physicians had given up hope on. In Jesus own words this happened so God could be glorified.
Jesus spoke to women, that other religious folk saw more as a nuisance and empowered them to minister
Jesus spoke to children, and shared with anyone who would listen that the kingdom of God belonged to them.
It is the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead that calls to share our spiritual gifts so that we might do some of the same work that Jesus did. If God is for us who can be against us? What can separate from the love of Jesus Christ if we join others in sharing that the Love of God reigns supreme in spite of all manner of trials that might come our way.

Conclusion:
          In the year 2000 my dad had died, a church that I had pastored for ten years decided to close and I went through a very painful divorce. I was deep in debt with no job and no home to call my own. God's wonderful love rescued out of the pit of despair. Since that time I am remarried to a beautiful loving wife and in April will have seen all three of my children graduate from college. I am excited to be on my way back into professional ministry.
         There is nothing more wonderful than knowing God's love. We know this love by faith. We know this love as we come to know that God loves us while sinners. We know this love as we determine to respond with the same spirit through which God delivered us.
How marvelous, how wonderful and my song shall ever be
How marvelous how wonderful is my saviors love for me.