God’s plan, from the beginning, was to send his Son to die for us, at just the right time, referring to both the timing in history and the timing in God’s plan. The events in human history did not determine the plan of salvation; the plan of salvation was designed by God to happen at just the right time. We are saved only because God took the initiative and demonstrated his incredible grace and love by sending his own Son to take the punishment we deserved.The highest expression of human love is when someone gives his or her life so that another person can continue to live. People are able to understand sacrificial love, even though it is rarely practiced. While we were rebellious and despicable, Christ died for us so that we could come to God, find peace with him, and become heirs of his promises. Christ did not die so that we could be made lovable; Christ died because God already loved us and wanted to bring us close to himself.
God made us right in his sight through the blood of Christ shed on the cross. Because God is holy, he could not accept us by simply disregarding or ignoring our sins. Instead, those sins had to be dealt with. And God did this through the sacrificial death of his Son.
We were enemies because we were rebels against God. Because of Christ’s death, we were restored to friendship with God by the death of his Son. Because Christ’s death accomplished this, so his life—his present resurrection life—delivers us from eternal punishment and insures our salvation.
Sin came into the world through one man. Adam sinned against God causing a domino effect: sin entered the entire human race, then sin brought death. Because everyone sinned, then everyone also died. Death is the consequence of being under the power of sin.
The contrast between Adam and Christ is that Adam’s one act determined the character of the world; Christ’s one act determined the character of eternity. God’s generous gift of forgiveness through Christ (justification) has a greater but opposite effect than the trespass of Adam and its consequences. Yet in each case, the act of one affected the lives of many.
By capitulating to sin, Adam caused death to rule over the whole human race. However, there is a remedy. Those who receive God’s wonderful, gracious gift of righteousness will live in triumph over sin and death. What a promise this is to those who love Christ!
Adam’s one sin brought condemnation on the human race; this one person disobeyed God causing all people to become sinners. But Christ’s one act of righteousness, done because he obeyed God, opened the way for all people to be made right in God’s sight and given eternal life.
SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)
This passage is so rich with truth. What stands out to me though is the difference one person can have on all of us. Adam brought sin into the world. Christ brought righteousness and sacrifice and love and a remedy for Adam's sin.
Let me ask you this morning - what kind of difference has God made you to make? Do you have a sense of destiny about your life? Do you live with a sense of purpose? Do you understand that this one and only life that God has gifted you with is not to be spent in the pursuit of pleasure or power or prestige or popularity or parties - but in the pursuit of blessing others and loving others and serving others?
Just this week, I was contemplating throwing a pity party for myself. I began asking questions like - Who cares about me? Who reaches out to me? Who prays for me? Who loves me?
And then I read this passage today and I am reminded of what Warren Weirsbee said. "True humility is not thinking less of yourself. True humility is not thinking about yourself at all."
God's game plan to save me by Christ's sacrifice was that I would spend my life in a way that honors Christ death and sacrifice. It's as if God is shouting out to me this morning - "Pedlowe, don't waste your life." Determine to live with passion!
What is passion? A lot of people think it synonymous with excitement. It’s not. Excitement comes and goes. Yesterday I got a slurpy. I was really excited for that slurpy. That’s me. But it’s gone. That’s not passion. Passion is deeper. Passion bubbles up in your soul. It’s what you live for. It’s what you get up in the morning for. Passion recognizes that life is short.
Passion embraces a bigger picture of life. Passion appears when one’s close to God. Listen to how important passion is to God. Matthew 22:37-38, the Great Commandment, from the message Bible Jesus said, "Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence." This is the most important ...”
Do you get that? God wants you to love Him with all of your passion. He wants to be your life. He wants to be your passion. You’ve heard me say before, Greeks didn’t write obituaries for each other – They simply asked one question – did he/she live with passion? I dig that. Folks, today if you get nothing else get this – you must live a life of passion. Determine that this morning.
The frustrating thing for me? I can’t coach you how to live with passion. I can’t give you a heart transplant . You can’t take a pill to get passion. I can’t say, “Get up in the morning and listen to Tony Robbins and walk on hot coals and greet people like you’re amped up on triple expresso - that’s passion.” No, that’s fake. Passion is the result of your pursuing what matters most.
Passion wakes up inside of you when you understand what matters most. Passion comes when you decide to give your life to something greater than yourself. What matters most? Living for God's purposes and plan for my life.
“How do you know what will happen tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog, it’s here a little while, and then it’s gone." James 4:14
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