Sermon Notes, October 8, 2017 AM
Much
More
Steve W. Reeves
INTRODUCTION:
A. How
much are you worth?
1. If you added up the value of all of your
possessions, all of your property, all of
your bank accounts, retirement accounts,
stocks, bonds and anything else of value,
then subtract all of your debts. The
result would be your net worth. Is that really
what you’re worth?
2. If you calculate your value from a
chemical standpoint what is your body worth? In
1924 Dr. Charles Mayo said the average
human body contained enough sulfur to
rid a dog of its fleas and enough iron
for an eight penny nail. He calculated the
worth of a body chemically to be about
85 cents. Today it would be about $4.50.
3. Obviously, your life is more valuable
than your net worth or chemical structure.
4. Suppose a young man wanted to ask his
girlfriend to marry him. He picks the right
moment and presents her with a
beautiful, small velvet box lined with satin. Can
you imagine her taking that box and
saying, “how beautiful, I always wanted a box
like this?” Oh no! She’s not interested
in the box. The value is on the inside!
5. We spend so much time, energy, effort
and money on the box of this body while
neglecting the diamond of our soul. You
are not a body with a soul. You are a soul
with a body – for a little while. Your
body is going to wear out and deteriorate but
your soul is eternal. James Anderson and
I were discussed recently how in the past
four months we have conducted eleven
funerals (he has done six. I have done
five). The fact is, we haven’t buried a
soul. You don’t bury a soul – you bury a body.
You are worth much more than the worth
of your body.
B. When
Paul wrote to Christians in Rome he wanted them to understand that their
worth was not based on human wisdom. They
were not valuable because of their
ethnicity or religious heritage. Their
value did not come from religious rites and rituals.
Rather, their value was demonstrated by
what God had done for them.
1. Four times in Romans 5 Paul
used the phrase, “much more” to demonstrate the
value God places on our soul.
2. You are worth much more to God than you
ever imagined.
I. MUCH MORE THAN WRATH (vs. 9)..
A, Romans 5:9 – “Much more then, having now
been justified by His blood, we shall
be saved from the wrath of God through
Him.”
B. Does it seem as if Paul talks a lot
about wrath in Romans? He does.
1. In 1:18-32 he said the gentiles were under
wrath because they had rejected God.
2. In chapter 2 he said the Jews were under
wrath because they had not kept the
law.
3. His conclusion was stated in 3:23,
“All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of
God.”
C. Be sure to hear what Paul went on to
say, “Much more then, having now been
justified by His blood, we shall be
saved from the wrath of God.” There is a way to
be justified before God so that we are
no longer subject to His wrath.
1. The description of justification is
in 5:1-3, “Therefore, having been justified by
faith, we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom
also we have obtained our
introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand;
and we exult in hope of the glory of
God. 3 And not only this, but we also exult in
our tribulations, knowing that
tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and
perseverance, proven character; and
proven character, hope; 5 and hope does
not disappoint, because the love of
God has been poured out within our hearts
through the Holy Spirit who was
given to us.” Notice the words Paul uses –
peace, love, hope. These are the
opposite of wrath.
2. The basis of our justification is in
verses 6-8. “For while we were still helpless, at
the right time Christ died for the
ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous
man; though perhaps for the good
man someone would dare even to die. 8 But
God demonstrates His own love toward
us, in that while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us.”
D. Suppose you lived along the coast and
you heard of a fierce hurricane
approaching – wosre than Katrina, Harvey,
Irma or Camille. Devastation is a
certainty. But thankfully there is a
highway leading away from the danger. What
would you do?
1. It amazes me how there are always people
willing to risk their lives by refusing to
leave.
2. In 1980 when Mount St. Helen’s
exploded in Washington State, there was an old
man who lived at the base of the
mountain and refused to leave. His name was
Harry Truman. He died when the
volcano exploded.
E. God’s wrath against sin is real but God
has “much more” in store for us.
II. MUCH MORE THAN SEPERATION (vs.
10).
A. Romans 5:10 – “For if while we were
enemies we were reconciled to God through
the death of His Son, much more, having
been reconciled, we shall be saved by His
life.”
B. I don’t like to be separated from people
I love. Why are we sad at funerals – even
if we know that person has gone to be
with the Lord? We do not like to be
separated from people we love.
1. There is no separation greater than humanity’s
separation from God by sin.
2. Isaiah said, “Behold, the Lord’s hand
is not so short that it cannot save;
Nor is His ear so dull that it cannot hear. 2 But your iniquities have made a
Nor is His ear so dull that it cannot hear. 2 But your iniquities have made a
separation between you and your God,
and your sins have hidden His face from
you so that He does not hear.”
C. God created you to live in a
relationship with Him. Sin separates us from that
relationship. What happens if you take a
fish out of the water and place it in a tree?
It will die. What happens if you take a
bird out of a tree and put it under the water?
It will die because it is in the wrong
environment.
1. When you take a person, created in
the image of God, and separate them from
God there is always an empty heart.
2. We try to fill the void with pleasure
and possessions but there is always an
emptiness.
3. Jesus said, “For what does it profit
a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his
soul” (Mark 8:36). Do you know why
it is foolish to put your trust in riches?
a. No one will ever gain the whole
world. You will never be satisfied.
b. What you gain, you will lose.
D. God offers “much more!” He offers
reconciliation and life!
III. MUCH MORE THAN DEATH (vs. 15).
A. “Romans 5:15 - But the free gift is not
like the transgression. For if by the
transgression of the one the many died,
much more did the grace of God and the
gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus
Christ, abound to the many.”
1. Many years ago I attended a grave
side service for a little baby who had died.
The service was conducted by
long-time Little Rock preacher John Gibson. He
began by stating, “Death is not the
will of God. Death has never been the will of
God.” He was correct.
2. If that is so why do we have death?
Read what Paul wrote in 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.”
3. In Genesis 5 the Bible lists the
descendants of Adam and Eve. Each one is
described by the words, “they lived
a number of years and had a child. They lived
a number of years and died.” Each of
them died with just one exception, Enoch,
who “walked with God.”
B. We live in a fallen world. Death, suffering,
sickness and pain are the human
condition because sin is the human
condition.
1. God has “much more.” Though death is
not His will He allowed His Son to die so
we might live.
2. By the gift of God’s grace, Jesus Christ,
life abounds to many.
IV. MUCH MORE THAN SIN (vs. 17).
A. Romans 5:17 – “For if by the
transgression of the one, death reigned through the
one, much more those who receive the
abundance of grace and of the gift of
righteousness will reign in life through
the One, Jesus Christ.”
B. Do you ever feel overwhelmed by sin’s
power? God’s grace is much greater. Do
you ever feel lonely and isolated by the
actions of others? God’s grace is much
more. Do you ever wonder if Satan has
won? God’s grace is much more.
C. A well-known preacher was driving
through a small town and was pulled over for
going ten miles over the speed limit. He
pleaded guilty but was told he would have
to appear in court. When he appeared he
was asked to enter a plea, “guilty or not
guilty.” He pleaded “guilty.” About that
time the judge recognized this preacher and
said, “the law demands a fine of one
dollar for every mile over the speed limit. That
will be ten dollars.” The, pulling out
his own wallet, he took out a ten dollar bill, laid it
on te table and said, “case closed.” He
then looked at the preacher and said, “Let
me take you out to lunch.” The preacher
deserved to pay – but he received more –
much more than he deserved.
CONCLUSION:
A. God
offers much more than you and I deserve. The question is, “will we receive it
through faith and obedience?
B. A jewelry
salesman with a briefcase containing thousands of dollars of jewels was
making sales calls in a mall one day. He
took a break for lunch and spotted a video
arcade nearby. He sat the briefcase down,
put his coins in the game and started
playing. While he engaged in intergalactic
battles on the screen someone picked up
the briefcase and walked off. How foolish!
1. Some of you are even more foolish.
You’re playing games while your eternal
destiny is at stake.
2. You’re playing Russian Roulette on the
hope that God will give you more time to
obey the Gospel and be right with
Him.
C. God
offers much more than we can imagine. Will you come and claim His offer for
your life today?
