Pastor Taylor Guerin explores Romans 5 to illustrate how Christ's redemptive work overcomes the curse of Adam's fall, offering hope and transformation to all who believe.
• The life of John Newton demonstrates how Jesus transforms even the "chief of sinners"
• Through Adam, sin and death entered the world and spread to all humanity
• We are not just sinners because we sin; we are born into a sinful condition
• Christ's obedience brings justification where Adam's disobedience brought condemnation
• God's grace can reach deeper than sin ever could—there is no such thing as "too far gone"
• The righteousness Christ provides leads not just to transformed lives now but to eternal life
• Newton's hymn "Amazing Grace" emerged from his personal experience of God's transforming power
If you want to discuss a relationship with Jesus or make any decision of faith, Pastor Taylor welcomes you to come speak with him anytime.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
Hello and welcome to the FBC Eldorado Sermon Podcast.
My name is Taylor Guerin.
I have the privilege of beingthe pastor here at First Baptist
and I want to thank you forlistening in to our sermon this
week.
And I want to tell you this ifyou're in our area and you don't
have a church home, we wouldlove to see you any Sunday
morning at First Baptist, elDorado.
(00:25):
Will you join me now inlistening to our sermon from
this week?
Open with me to Romans 5,beginning in verse 12.
Romans 5, beginning in verse 12.
I'll begin this morning byreading our text, verse 12,.
(00:53):
Therefore, just as sin cameinto the world through one man
and death through sin, and sodeath spread to all men because
all sin For sin indeed, was inthe world before the law was
given.
But sin is not counted wherethere is no law.
Yet death reigned from Adam toMoses, even over those whose
(01:14):
sinning was not like thetransgression of Adam, who was
the type of the one who was tocome.
But the free gift is not likethe trespass, for if many died
through one man's trespass, muchmore had the grace of God and
the free gift.
By the grace of that one man,jesus Christ abounded for many
and the free gift is not likethe result of that one man's sin
(01:37):
, for the judgment following onetrespass brought condemnation,
but the free gift following manytrespasses brought
justification.
Condemnation, but the free giftfollowing many trespasses
brought justification.
For if because of one man'strespass, death reigned through
that one man much more willthose who receive the abundance
of grace and the free gift ofrighteousness reign in life
through the one man, jesusChrist.
(01:57):
Therefore, as one trespass ledto condemnation for all men, so
one act of righteousness leadsto justification in life for all
men.
For as by the one man'sdisobedience the many were made
sinners, so by one man'sobedience the many will be made
righteous.
Now the law came in to increasethe trespass.
(02:19):
But where sin increased, graceabounded all the more.
But where sin increased, graceabounded all the more.
So that as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through
righteousness leading toeternal life through Jesus
Christ, our Lord.
Let's pray together.
Lord Jesus, thank you for yourword, thank you for the truth of
(02:40):
your gospel that where sinincreased, grace abounded all
the more.
Lord, by your spirit, would youspeak today?
Transform our hearts inChrist's name, amen.
In the 1740s there was a captainof a slave ship named John
Newton.
John Newton again the captainof this slave ship was tasked
(03:03):
with making multiple journeysfrom the coast of Africa to the
coast as far as North America.
This great evil and wretched,dehumanizing practice of robbing
the really the humanity anddignity of individuals.
John Newton was at theforefront of that of individuals
(03:27):
.
John Newton was at theforefront of that to take
individuals from their home andtreat them as property.
This was John Newton's life,this is what he knew, this is
the sin he lived out.
And yet, at one point in hislife, christ Jesus got a hold of
his heart, got a hold of him insuch a way that everything
changed.
And not only did he become agreat preacher and teacher of
(03:49):
the gospel, he also became avery outspoken individual
against the British slave trade.
In fact, he published a bookagainst the British slave trade,
a book and really his personalmentoring had a great impact on
William Wilberforce whoeventually was the one that
(04:10):
quite literally led to the endof the British slave trade.
All of this happened becauseJesus Christ got a hold of John
Newton's heart and the man whowas formerly the captain of a
slave ship became the slave ofChrist Jesus At the end of his
life, or at least towards theend, as his health was declining
(04:32):
.
John Newton stated these wordsthat my memory fades me now.
But two things I remember wellthat I am a great sinner and
Christ Jesus is a great Savior.
I am a great sinner, christJesus is a great Savior.
I've got three points thismorning, and then I'll take my
(04:52):
seat, but they're this you are asinner who sins, you have a
Savior who saves and, lastly,your Savior can save better than
you can sin.
You are a sinner who sins.
You have a Savior who saves andyour Savior can save better
than you can sin.
Look with me in verse 12.
(05:14):
Therefore, paul is turning thepage, but really connecting it
back to what he said before.
So, therefore, just as sin cameinto the world through one man
and death through sin, and sodeath spread to all men, because
all sinned, for sin indeed, wasin the world before the law was
(05:34):
given.
But sin is not counted wherethere is no law.
Yet death reigned from Adam toMoses, even over those whose
sinning was not like thetransgression of Adam, who was
the type of the one who was tocome.
So in verse 12, we really get achain of events that is
unfolding.
So therefore, just as sin cameinto the world through one man,
(05:59):
that sin entered the worldthrough one individual.
And as we walked towards Easterwe looked at this moment in
Genesis, chapter 3, wherethrough that individual really
Adam and Eve, but collectivelymankind, through Adam, as Paul
states sin enters into the world.
(06:20):
And that's number one.
Sin came into the world throughone man.
And the number two link in thischain, in this verse is this
that death came through sin,that not only did sin enter the
world, but through that sindeath entered as well.
Now we can think in terms ofphysical death that quite
literally, adam and Eve werepunished in such a way that
(06:42):
eventually they would die, butmore than that, a spiritual
death, that Adam and Eve arecast out of the garden and
really there is a spiritualseparation from the Lord, a
spiritual death that comesthrough sin.
So sin came into the worldthrough one man, death entered
(07:03):
through sin.
But then here's the third linkin the chain that gets very
personal for each one of us.
And so death spread to all menbecause all sinned.
And so now death spread to allmen because all sinned.
And so what we realize in thismoment?
That this is not just Adam'sproblem, it's not just Eve's
(07:28):
problem.
But the reality is this that assin and death have come into
the world, that sin and deathhave now afflicted in, infected
all mankind because all sinned,because all sinned.
(07:49):
And so, quite literally, we getthis idea of this sin that is
even within you and I from thestart, because we have been so
affected by Adam's sin from thevery start, this kind of the
age-old question do I sinbecause I'm a sinner or am I a
sinner because I sin?
Do I sin because I'm a sinneror am I a sinner because I sin?
Do I sin because I'm a sinneror am I a sinner because I sin?
(08:19):
Mainly this am I born in sinand therefore, being born in sin
, I have no problem acting uponthat identity?
Or is it the fact that I'm bornquite all right, but it doesn't
take long for me to sinvoluntarily and therefore
inflict this damaged realityupon myself?
(08:41):
Well, I would argue this thatyou are a sinner who sins.
That from the start, because ofAdam's fall, adam's sin, adam's
rebellion.
From the start you are marredby sin.
I don't mean to offend you thismorning I'm talking to me too.
(09:03):
It's just the fact of ourreality that from the start, you
are marred in sin, you areinfected and inflicted with this
sin.
Now we also know this.
You and I have no problemliving up to that reality, do we
?
It's not just we were born insin, but then we did really all
(09:24):
right.
So it's really not fair, is it?
No, no, we were born in sin andwe had zero problem living up
to that reality.
We had zero problem voluntarilysinning for ourselves and doing
it.
Quite often.
Now we could be tempted to saythis Taylor, that doesn't sound
fair.
Like how in the world is thatfair that one man's act of
(09:48):
disobedience, however manythousands of years ago, that's
his problem in the garden?
How is it fair that that couldhave such an effect on my life
today?
How is it fair that one man'sdisobedience means now I am born
in sin?
Well, I'd say two things tothat.
Number one is this let's becareful acting as if we might
(10:13):
have done it differently in thegarden.
I wonder this morning if thefirst man had been named Taylor
instead of Adam, what thecondition of humanity would be
like even now and spoiler alert,I've got a feeling it would
look about the same.
Because, let's be honest, Ibelieve we know enough about our
(10:34):
heart, left to its own devices,to know that if we were in that
moment and God gave us thiscommand, this one command that
we know enough about, our humanheart left to its own devices to
know that we would have madethe same decision.
So let's be careful, actinglike things might would have
been differently, or didn't Adamdrop the ball?
(10:57):
He did, but we probably wouldhave done the same.
And number two is this to thatquestion of it's not fair, I
would be very careful sayingthat we don't like the idea of
what an individual did very longago having such an effect on my
reality today.
Our whole gospel is based on thefact that there was an
(11:19):
individual who did somethinglong ago that makes a great
impact on everything I do today.
And we'll see, just as in Adamall die, so Christ, all will be
made alive.
We are saved because of whatsomeone else did a long time ago
.
So this is our human condition,whether we like it or not.
(11:40):
And I'll tell you this we livein a world and a culture that
does not like it, does not wantto consider the fact that from
the start we are broken.
From the start we are marred bysin.
Our culture doesn't like it,our world doesn't agree with
that.
Our world says surely you'redoing all right?
Surely at your core there is,there is goodness within you.
(12:05):
But at the end of the day I'mnot talking about general
goodness, I mean you are allunbelievable people.
I love every one of you.
But at the end of the day youlook at the heart of humanity
outside of Christ, from thestart Marred by sin.
(12:30):
I want you to put that graphicon the screen of life in Adam,
if we have it.
This is not a groundbreakinggraphic.
It's probably showing younothing new that we didn't just
explain, but just a quickpicture of how this happens.
That way, back in the Garden ofEden, one man's sin now going
forward to all humanity.
(12:51):
That sin has gone forward.
And every one of us, every man,woman and child, we're not just
sinners because we act upon it.
We do.
But even from the start we areborn in sin and this is our
(13:12):
story.
I'm sorry to say it, but youare a sinner who sins.
But I want you to see pointnumber two.
You have a Savior who saves.
We talked a few weeks ago aboutthe power of a conjunction.
Paul loves doing this.
We talked about the old songconjunction junction.
(13:35):
What's your function?
Well, for Paul, so often thefunction really has eternal
impact.
He's so good at this of settingthe scene for all the
destruction in this world andthen adding a conjunction that
completely changes thetrajectory of our eternal lives.
And here he does it again inverse 15.
(13:56):
So, leading up to that, adambrought sin and death and
destruction into the world.
And guess what you and I are inon that?
It's our sin now, it's ourdeath now.
Verse 15,.
But the free gift is not likethe trespass.
Gift is not like the trespass,for if many died through one
(14:18):
man's trespass, much more hadthe grace of God and the free
gift by the grace of that oneman, jesus Christ abounded for
many.
And the free gift is not likethe result of that one man's sin
, for the judgment following onetrespass brought condemnation,
but the free gift following manytrespasses brought
justification.
What is Paul's argument inverse 15 and 16?
(14:41):
It's simple yet beautiful.
The argument in these two versesis simply this If you thought
what Adam did had effect onhumanity, just wait until you
see what Christ has done.
If you thought one man'sdisobedience could lead mankind
(15:07):
into sin, death and utter ruin,just wait until you see what one
man's obedience can do.
If you thought Adam could marall of human life, just wait
till you see what Jesus can do,that the free gift of Christ is
not like the trespass, that thetrespass has brought
(15:30):
condemnation and every one of usis condemned.
You and I are condemned.
That's the beauty of Romans 8,verse 1, where suddenly we
realize how condemned we are andthen Paul breaks in to say
therefore, there is now nocondemnation for those who are
in Christ Jesus, but you and Iare condemned.
But now the free gift, whatChrist has done once and for all
(15:54):
, has brought justification.
That word justification, we'vetalked about it the point on the
map, the point in time whereyou and I, because of the
finished work of Christ, are nowcounted as righteous before him
.
That's what the gift of Christhas done Verse 17,.
(16:14):
For if, because of one man'strespass, death reigned through
that one man, much more willthose who receive the abundance
of grace and the free gift ofrighteousness reign in life
through the one man, jesusChrist.
I like how Paul says it herethat death reigned through the
(16:36):
one man.
And then he says much more willthose who receive the abundance
of grace.
That quick phrase, those whoreceive the abundance of grace.
Paul doesn't want you to thinkfor a moment that what is being
described here is someuniversalism, that everyone will
be saved and everyone is underthis grace umbrella of Christ
(17:02):
Jesus.
Now it is our job as believersto go out and try to make it the
case that everyone will besaved.
I'm not saying it like that.
Let's go for it and let's telleveryone about the news of Jesus
.
But Adam's condemnation, that'suniversal.
Everyone gets it, every humanto ever walk the earth.
(17:22):
But Jesus' gift those who havereceived it.
Those who will receive it nowlive under that new gift.
So let's put Adam's graphicback on the screen.
We saw this that one manbrought destruction into the
world.
It spread to all men.
But now let's see what happensnext, that Christ as the center
(17:43):
point of humanity.
His free act now extendsforward and backwards to all
people of all time.
You ask, taylor, how in theworld are Old Testament
believers saved?
I'll tell you by the finishedwork of Jesus Christ on the
cross and through hisresurrection.
That one man's act of obediencefor all time has saved those
(18:08):
who will receive him, and so thefree gift now goes out.
We continue.
18, therefore, as one trespassled to condemnation for all men,
so one act of righteousnesshere it is again leads to
justification and life for allmen.
19,.
(18:29):
For as by one man'sdisobedience, the many were made
sinners, so by one man'sdisobedience, the many were made
sinners.
So by one man's obedience, themany will be made righteous.
I love, around Christmas time,singing Joy to the World, this
hymn by Isaac Watts, and you mayremember the one verse that
says this no more let sins andsorrows grow, nor thorns infest
(18:53):
the ground.
He comes to make his blessingsflow.
Does anybody know what thatlast line is?
Far as the curse is found.
He comes to make his blessingsflow.
Far as the curse is found.
I love what he picks up on inthat moment is found.
(19:17):
I love what he picks up on inthat moment that, though Adam's
destruction has gone out to allhumanity and all have sinned and
fallen short of the glory ofGod, that Christ has now,
through the free gift, throughhis obedience, his death, his
burial, his resurrection, hisdefeating of sin and death, has
come to make his blessings flowfar as the curse is found, so
(19:41):
that there is not a nook orcranny or crevice in all of the
world or human history that hisgrace cannot extend further than
sin ever could.
His grace cannot extend furtherthan sin ever could, that His
grace cannot find the one whohas been afflicted by Adam's
(20:01):
fall.
His grace can find it and, lordwilling, his grace will.
I remember seeing the televisionon September, the 14th 2001,.
When our president at the time,george W Bush, stood on the
rubble that three days beforewas the World Trade Center.
(20:24):
It was a devastating scene atground zero.
So much activity still ongoing,quite literally to try to pull
life out of the rubble stillongoing.
And the president stood atground zero and he was going to
(20:46):
say a few words and they handedhim a bullhorn.
But he's in the middle ofdowntown New York City and what
is first responders everywhere.
I mean, there's loud noises.
If you weren't real close youcouldn't hear him.
This bullhorn wasn't doinganything against the sounds of
New York City, especially atground zero.
But he starts speaking and justa moment into his speech
(21:10):
someone yells from the back.
He just yells out.
We can't hear you.
George W Bush was never mistakenfor a master of rhetoric.
I sometimes think he got a muchharder time than he should have
.
I thought he was just fine,though he certainly missed a
(21:30):
word from time to time, or evenmade up a word from time to time
Doesn't help.
He was sandwiched betweenClinton and Obama and, whatever
you think of their politics,they could both give a speech.
And then, right in the middle,you had George W Bush.
Again, media gave him a hardtime, but in this moment you
(21:51):
couldn't have told me he wasn'tShakespeare, because this man
yells out we can't hear youwithout missing a beat into that
bullhorn.
George Bush looks up and saysbut I can hear you without
missing a beat into thatbullhorn.
George Bush looks up and saysbut I can hear you.
And then he said this I canhear you, the world hears you,
(22:15):
and soon the men who broughtthese buildings down are going
to hear all of us.
The crowd erupted.
Who brought these buildingsdown are going to hear all of us
.
The crowd erupted On televisionsets.
A nation erupted Three daysbefore this.
Such a blow to our nation, oursense of safety, our sense of
(22:40):
who we are as a nation and inthis moment, the leader of the
free world stands there and saysevil will not have the final
word.
Evil, destruction will not getthe final say.
(23:01):
As we look at Adam'sdisobedience, as it has spread
forward to all humanity, thatsin and death has gone forth, we
look at one who stands ready tojustify and say that Adam's
destruction does not get thefinal word, that wherever the
(23:24):
curse is found, however deepsinfulness goes, however far you
believe you are from the graceof God and the throne of God,
jesus Christ stands to say mygrace can go further still.
My finished work can speak intoyour condition, into any
(23:46):
condition, and so you are asinner who sins.
Number two you have a Saviorwho saves, but I'll end with
this your Savior can save betterthan you can sin.
Verse 20.
Now the law came in to increasethe trespass.
The law came, god's gloriousstandard, god's commandment
(24:11):
regarding how we should live asfollowers of him.
It came in and what we see isPaul says that it increased the
trespass.
We see is Paul says that itincreased the trespass.
What that means is this thatonce God's glorious standard
came, we received the law ashumanity.
Guess what we found out?
We found out more and more justhow sinful we are, because once
(24:36):
we have a standard, we foundout quickly just how much we
fail to meet that standard.
But it says this where sinincreased, where we found out
just how sinful we really were,look where it ends.
Grace abounded.
All the more that Paul is sayingthis, as we've already said,
(24:57):
that wherever sinfulness goes,however deep it goes, christ's
grace can go further.
That there's no one on thisplanet and maybe you know these
people in your own life that youwould say, maybe they're too
far gone.
You wouldn't say those wordsout loud, but in the back of
your mind you just think it thatI know him or I know her enough
(25:20):
that she's never going to wantto have anything to do with the
God of this Bible, she's nevergoing to want to have anything
to do with the grace of JesusChrist.
And yet what the word of Godsays is that wherever sin has
reached, his grace can go deeper.
That within the kingdom of Godthere's no such thing as a lost
(25:42):
cause.
Within the kingdom of godthere's no such thing as too far
gone.
And verse 21, so that as sinreigned in death, great grace
also might reign throughrighteousness, leading to
eternal life through jesuschrist, our lord.
I grew up in a world ofinfomercials.
You'd fall asleep watching yourTV show at 8 o'clock at night.
(26:06):
You'd wake up at 3 in themorning and they were trying to
sell you a 78 CD set of yourfavorite songs of the 80s.
And it went on and on and youwere just sleeping through it
and those songs were in yourdreams somehow, sleeping through
it, and those songs were inyour dreams somehow.
And the infomercial, even thecommercials.
You probably have bought a canof Flex Seal and you may have
(26:27):
used it in your life.
Let me know if it works.
Any as seen on TV product?
What is the motto?
What is the cry of everyinfomercial?
Of every one of thesecommercials?
The cry is this but wait,there's more.
Infomercial.
Of every one of thesecommercials, the cry is this but
wait, there's more, but wait,there's more.
If you thought we were justsending you one of these for
(26:48):
$19.95, we're actually going tosend you a second.
If you thought you were onlygetting a small can of Flex Seal
, have I got news for you it'san extra large, but wait,
there's more.
What I love about verse 21,.
We didn't need this text to getany better.
(27:10):
It's already better than wecould ever imagine.
It's as if Paul says but wait,there's more.
That not only in this life haveyou moved from death to life,
not only in this present timehas the curse of Adam's fall
been replaced and overwhelmed bythe victory of the obedience in
(27:33):
Christ.
But wait, there's more.
Because this righteousnessleads to eternal life.
And not only is there more,there is eternally more in
Christ Jesus.
That the one who has beenraised with Christ has been
raised both now and for eternity, and so your future is secure.
That where Adam's sin gave youa future of hopelessness and
(27:58):
death, christ's grace has givenyou a future.
That where Christ Jesus is, youwill be also for all eternity.
You are a sinner who sins.
You have a Savior who saves,but your Savior can save better
(28:20):
than you can sin.
John Newton carried slaves fromthe coast of Africa to the coast
of North America.
John Newton would proclaimhimself and maybe we'd agree the
(28:41):
chief of sinners, the one whohad been a part of much evil.
And yet he would say I am agreat sinner, but I have a great
Savior.
But in fact that is not allthat John Newton would say,
(29:03):
because John Newton was a writer, a preacher, a teacher and at
one point the former slavetrader even wrote a hymn that
through the years has caught alittle bit of popularity.
John Newton wrote these wordsamazing grace, how sweet the
(29:25):
sound that saved a wretch likeme.
I once was lost but now amfound, was blind, but now I see.
T'was grace that taught myheart to fear, and grace my
fears relieved.
How precious did that graceappear the hour I first believed
(29:51):
the former slave trader couldunderstand what it means to be a
wretch, what it means to belost.
But the slave of Christ Jesus,the one who has been turned
upside down by the blessed workof Christ, knows what it is to
(30:12):
be found to now see, knows whatit is to have life in Christ
Jesus.
And Amazing Grace may be thegreatest hymn of all time, the
most popular hymn of all time, ahymn that people know that
haven't even walked through thedoors of the church, was not
written by the absolute, bestand brightest, the most noble,
(30:33):
the most significant.
It was written by a greatsinner who knew a great Savior.
That's what the grace of Christcan do, that's what the free
gift of Christ can do, that,while Adam's sin brought death
(30:56):
and destruction to all men.
So Christ Jesus' life bringslife to all who would believe.
I hope you'll be reminded ofthat today.
To the believer in the room whoknows well the grace of Christ
Jesus, I pray that you would bereminded once again just how
(31:19):
good he is.
And to the one who does notknow him, I pray today would be
your John Newton moment, whereyou say I once was lost but now
am found, was blind, but now Isee.
If that's you, I'd love tointroduce Jesus to you right
down here.
I'd love to talk to you aboutour relationship with him.
(31:41):
If you want to come join thischurch family, if you have any
decision to make, if I can praywith you about anything, please
come.
As we respond, I'll be rightdown front.
Let's pray together.
Lord Jesus, I thank you for thegospel.
I thank you for your amazinggrace that, though we were lost,
we are found.
Though we were blind, we nowsee.
Though we didn't deserve it andcould not earn it, thanks to
(32:07):
the work of Christ it can beours.
And so, lord, if there are anydecisions in this room even now,
maybe one who wants to comefrom death into life this
morning.
I pray that you would do it byyour spirit In Christ's name
amen.
Hello and welcome to the FBC Eldorado Sermon Podcast.
My name is Taylor Guerin.
I have the privilege of beingthe pastor here at First Baptist
and I want to thank you forlistening in to our sermon this
week.
And I want to tell you this ifyou're in our area and you don't
have a church home, we wouldlove to see you any Sunday
morning at First Baptist, elDorado.
(00:25):
Will you join me now inlistening to our sermon from
this week?
Open with me to Romans 5,beginning in verse 12.
Romans 5, beginning in verse 12.
I'll begin this morning byreading our text, verse 12,.
(00:53):
Therefore, just as sin cameinto the world through one man
and death through sin, and sodeath spread to all men because
all sin For sin indeed, was inthe world before the law was
given.
But sin is not counted wherethere is no law.
Yet death reigned from Adam toMoses, even over those whose
(01:14):
sinning was not like thetransgression of Adam, who was
the type of the one who was tocome.
But the free gift is not likethe trespass, for if many died
through one man's trespass, muchmore had the grace of God and
the free gift.
By the grace of that one man,jesus Christ abounded for many
and the free gift is not likethe result of that one man's sin
(01:37):
, for the judgment following onetrespass brought condemnation,
but the free gift following manytrespasses brought
justification.
Condemnation, but the free giftfollowing many trespasses
brought justification.
For if because of one man'strespass, death reigned through
that one man much more willthose who receive the abundance
of grace and the free gift ofrighteousness reign in life
through the one man, jesusChrist.
(01:57):
Therefore, as one trespass ledto condemnation for all men, so
one act of righteousness leadsto justification in life for all
men.
For as by the one man'sdisobedience the many were made
sinners, so by one man'sobedience the many will be made
righteous.
Now the law came in to increasethe trespass.
(02:19):
But where sin increased, graceabounded all the more.
But where sin increased, graceabounded all the more.
So that as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through
righteousness leading toeternal life through Jesus
Christ, our Lord.
Let's pray together.
Lord Jesus, thank you for yourword, thank you for the truth of
(02:40):
your gospel that where sinincreased, grace abounded all
the more.
Lord, by your spirit, would youspeak today?
Transform our hearts inChrist's name, amen.
In the 1740s there was a captainof a slave ship named John
Newton.
John Newton again the captainof this slave ship was tasked
(03:03):
with making multiple journeysfrom the coast of Africa to the
coast as far as North America.
This great evil and wretched,dehumanizing practice of robbing
the really the humanity anddignity of individuals.
John Newton was at theforefront of that of individuals
(03:27):
.
John Newton was at theforefront of that to take
individuals from their home andtreat them as property.
This was John Newton's life,this is what he knew, this is
the sin he lived out.
And yet, at one point in hislife, christ Jesus got a hold of
his heart, got a hold of him insuch a way that everything
changed.
And not only did he become agreat preacher and teacher of
(03:49):
the gospel, he also became avery outspoken individual
against the British slave trade.
In fact, he published a bookagainst the British slave trade,
a book and really his personalmentoring had a great impact on
William Wilberforce whoeventually was the one that
(04:10):
quite literally led to the endof the British slave trade.
All of this happened becauseJesus Christ got a hold of John
Newton's heart and the man whowas formerly the captain of a
slave ship became the slave ofChrist Jesus At the end of his
life, or at least towards theend, as his health was declining
(04:32):
.
John Newton stated these wordsthat my memory fades me now.
But two things I remember wellthat I am a great sinner and
Christ Jesus is a great Savior.
I am a great sinner, christJesus is a great Savior.
I've got three points thismorning, and then I'll take my
(04:52):
seat, but they're this you are asinner who sins, you have a
Savior who saves and, lastly,your Savior can save better than
you can sin.
You are a sinner who sins.
You have a Savior who saves andyour Savior can save better
than you can sin.
Look with me in verse 12.
(05:14):
Therefore, paul is turning thepage, but really connecting it
back to what he said before.
So, therefore, just as sin cameinto the world through one man
and death through sin, and sodeath spread to all men, because
all sinned, for sin indeed, wasin the world before the law was
(05:34):
given.
But sin is not counted wherethere is no law.
Yet death reigned from Adam toMoses, even over those whose
sinning was not like thetransgression of Adam, who was
the type of the one who was tocome.
So in verse 12, we really get achain of events that is
unfolding.
So therefore, just as sin cameinto the world through one man,
(05:59):
that sin entered the worldthrough one individual.
And as we walked towards Easterwe looked at this moment in
Genesis, chapter 3, wherethrough that individual really
Adam and Eve, but collectivelymankind, through Adam, as Paul
states sin enters into the world.
(06:20):
And that's number one.
Sin came into the world throughone man.
And the number two link in thischain, in this verse is this
that death came through sin,that not only did sin enter the
world, but through that sindeath entered as well.
Now we can think in terms ofphysical death that quite
literally, adam and Eve werepunished in such a way that
(06:42):
eventually they would die, butmore than that, a spiritual
death, that Adam and Eve arecast out of the garden and
really there is a spiritualseparation from the Lord, a
spiritual death that comesthrough sin.
So sin came into the worldthrough one man, death entered
(07:03):
through sin.
But then here's the third linkin the chain that gets very
personal for each one of us.
And so death spread to all menbecause all sinned.
And so now death spread to allmen because all sinned.
And so what we realize in thismoment?
That this is not just Adam'sproblem, it's not just Eve's
(07:28):
problem.
But the reality is this that assin and death have come into
the world, that sin and deathhave now afflicted in, infected
all mankind because all sinned,because all sinned.
(07:49):
And so, quite literally, we getthis idea of this sin that is
even within you and I from thestart, because we have been so
affected by Adam's sin from thevery start, this kind of the
age-old question do I sinbecause I'm a sinner or am I a
sinner because I sin?
Do I sin because I'm a sinneror am I a sinner because I sin?
Do I sin because I'm a sinneror am I a sinner because I sin?
(08:19):
Mainly this am I born in sinand therefore, being born in sin
, I have no problem acting uponthat identity?
Or is it the fact that I'm bornquite all right, but it doesn't
take long for me to sinvoluntarily and therefore
inflict this damaged realityupon myself?
(08:41):
Well, I would argue this thatyou are a sinner who sins.
That from the start, because ofAdam's fall, adam's sin, adam's
rebellion.
From the start you are marredby sin.
I don't mean to offend you thismorning I'm talking to me too.
(09:03):
It's just the fact of ourreality that from the start, you
are marred in sin, you areinfected and inflicted with this
sin.
Now we also know this.
You and I have no problemliving up to that reality, do we
?
It's not just we were born insin, but then we did really all
(09:24):
right.
So it's really not fair, is it?
No, no, we were born in sin andwe had zero problem living up
to that reality.
We had zero problem voluntarilysinning for ourselves and doing
it.
Quite often.
Now we could be tempted to saythis Taylor, that doesn't sound
fair.
Like how in the world is thatfair that one man's act of
(09:48):
disobedience, however manythousands of years ago, that's
his problem in the garden?
How is it fair that that couldhave such an effect on my life
today?
How is it fair that one man'sdisobedience means now I am born
in sin?
Well, I'd say two things tothat.
Number one is this let's becareful acting as if we might
(10:13):
have done it differently in thegarden.
I wonder this morning if thefirst man had been named Taylor
instead of Adam, what thecondition of humanity would be
like even now and spoiler alert,I've got a feeling it would
look about the same.
Because, let's be honest, Ibelieve we know enough about our
(10:34):
heart, left to its own devices,to know that if we were in that
moment and God gave us thiscommand, this one command that
we know enough about, our humanheart left to its own devices to
know that we would have madethe same decision.
So let's be careful, actinglike things might would have
been differently, or didn't Adamdrop the ball?
(10:57):
He did, but we probably wouldhave done the same.
And number two is this to thatquestion of it's not fair, I
would be very careful sayingthat we don't like the idea of
what an individual did very longago having such an effect on my
reality today.
Our whole gospel is based on thefact that there was an
(11:19):
individual who did somethinglong ago that makes a great
impact on everything I do today.
And we'll see, just as in Adamall die, so Christ, all will be
made alive.
We are saved because of whatsomeone else did a long time ago
.
So this is our human condition,whether we like it or not.
(11:40):
And I'll tell you this we livein a world and a culture that
does not like it, does not wantto consider the fact that from
the start we are broken.
From the start we are marred bysin.
Our culture doesn't like it,our world doesn't agree with
that.
Our world says surely you'redoing all right?
Surely at your core there is,there is goodness within you.
(12:05):
But at the end of the day I'mnot talking about general
goodness, I mean you are allunbelievable people.
I love every one of you.
But at the end of the day youlook at the heart of humanity
outside of Christ, from thestart Marred by sin.
(12:30):
I want you to put that graphicon the screen of life in Adam,
if we have it.
This is not a groundbreakinggraphic.
It's probably showing younothing new that we didn't just
explain, but just a quickpicture of how this happens.
That way, back in the Garden ofEden, one man's sin now going
forward to all humanity.
(12:51):
That sin has gone forward.
And every one of us, every man,woman and child, we're not just
sinners because we act upon it.
We do.
But even from the start we areborn in sin and this is our
(13:12):
story.
I'm sorry to say it, but youare a sinner who sins.
But I want you to see pointnumber two.
You have a Savior who saves.
We talked a few weeks ago aboutthe power of a conjunction.
Paul loves doing this.
We talked about the old songconjunction junction.
(13:35):
What's your function?
Well, for Paul, so often thefunction really has eternal
impact.
He's so good at this of settingthe scene for all the
destruction in this world andthen adding a conjunction that
completely changes thetrajectory of our eternal lives.
And here he does it again inverse 15.
(13:56):
So, leading up to that, adambrought sin and death and
destruction into the world.
And guess what you and I are inon that?
It's our sin now, it's ourdeath now.
Verse 15,.
But the free gift is not likethe trespass.
Gift is not like the trespass,for if many died through one
(14:18):
man's trespass, much more hadthe grace of God and the free
gift by the grace of that oneman, jesus Christ abounded for
many.
And the free gift is not likethe result of that one man's sin
, for the judgment following onetrespass brought condemnation,
but the free gift following manytrespasses brought
justification.
What is Paul's argument inverse 15 and 16?
(14:41):
It's simple yet beautiful.
The argument in these two versesis simply this If you thought
what Adam did had effect onhumanity, just wait until you
see what Christ has done.
If you thought one man'sdisobedience could lead mankind
(15:07):
into sin, death and utter ruin,just wait until you see what one
man's obedience can do.
If you thought Adam could marall of human life, just wait
till you see what Jesus can do,that the free gift of Christ is
not like the trespass, that thetrespass has brought
(15:30):
condemnation and every one of usis condemned.
You and I are condemned.
That's the beauty of Romans 8,verse 1, where suddenly we
realize how condemned we are andthen Paul breaks in to say
therefore, there is now nocondemnation for those who are
in Christ Jesus, but you and Iare condemned.
But now the free gift, whatChrist has done once and for all
(15:54):
, has brought justification.
That word justification, we'vetalked about it the point on the
map, the point in time whereyou and I, because of the
finished work of Christ, are nowcounted as righteous before him
.
That's what the gift of Christhas done Verse 17,.
(16:14):
For if, because of one man'strespass, death reigned through
that one man, much more willthose who receive the abundance
of grace and the free gift ofrighteousness reign in life
through the one man, jesusChrist.
I like how Paul says it herethat death reigned through the
(16:36):
one man.
And then he says much more willthose who receive the abundance
of grace.
That quick phrase, those whoreceive the abundance of grace.
Paul doesn't want you to thinkfor a moment that what is being
described here is someuniversalism, that everyone will
be saved and everyone is underthis grace umbrella of Christ
(17:02):
Jesus.
Now it is our job as believersto go out and try to make it the
case that everyone will besaved.
I'm not saying it like that.
Let's go for it and let's telleveryone about the news of Jesus
.
But Adam's condemnation, that'suniversal.
Everyone gets it, every humanto ever walk the earth.
(17:22):
But Jesus' gift those who havereceived it.
Those who will receive it nowlive under that new gift.
So let's put Adam's graphicback on the screen.
We saw this that one manbrought destruction into the
world.
It spread to all men.
But now let's see what happensnext, that Christ as the center
(17:43):
point of humanity.
His free act now extendsforward and backwards to all
people of all time.
You ask, taylor, how in theworld are Old Testament
believers saved?
I'll tell you by the finishedwork of Jesus Christ on the
cross and through hisresurrection.
That one man's act of obediencefor all time has saved those
(18:08):
who will receive him, and so thefree gift now goes out.
We continue.
18, therefore, as one trespassled to condemnation for all men,
so one act of righteousnesshere it is again leads to
justification and life for allmen.
19,.
(18:29):
For as by one man'sdisobedience, the many were made
sinners, so by one man'sdisobedience, the many were made
sinners.
So by one man's obedience, themany will be made righteous.
I love, around Christmas time,singing Joy to the World, this
hymn by Isaac Watts, and you mayremember the one verse that
says this no more let sins andsorrows grow, nor thorns infest
(18:53):
the ground.
He comes to make his blessingsflow.
Does anybody know what thatlast line is?
Far as the curse is found.
He comes to make his blessingsflow.
Far as the curse is found.
I love what he picks up on inthat moment is found.
(19:17):
I love what he picks up on inthat moment that, though Adam's
destruction has gone out to allhumanity and all have sinned and
fallen short of the glory ofGod, that Christ has now,
through the free gift, throughhis obedience, his death, his
burial, his resurrection, hisdefeating of sin and death, has
come to make his blessings flowfar as the curse is found, so
(19:41):
that there is not a nook orcranny or crevice in all of the
world or human history that hisgrace cannot extend further than
sin ever could.
His grace cannot extend furtherthan sin ever could, that His
grace cannot find the one whohas been afflicted by Adam's
(20:01):
fall.
His grace can find it and, lordwilling, his grace will.
I remember seeing the televisionon September, the 14th 2001,.
When our president at the time,george W Bush, stood on the
rubble that three days beforewas the World Trade Center.
(20:24):
It was a devastating scene atground zero.
So much activity still ongoing,quite literally to try to pull
life out of the rubble stillongoing.
And the president stood atground zero and he was going to
(20:46):
say a few words and they handedhim a bullhorn.
But he's in the middle ofdowntown New York City and what
is first responders everywhere.
I mean, there's loud noises.
If you weren't real close youcouldn't hear him.
This bullhorn wasn't doinganything against the sounds of
New York City, especially atground zero.
But he starts speaking and justa moment into his speech
(21:10):
someone yells from the back.
He just yells out.
We can't hear you.
George W Bush was never mistakenfor a master of rhetoric.
I sometimes think he got a muchharder time than he should have
.
I thought he was just fine,though he certainly missed a
(21:30):
word from time to time, or evenmade up a word from time to time
Doesn't help.
He was sandwiched betweenClinton and Obama and, whatever
you think of their politics,they could both give a speech.
And then, right in the middle,you had George W Bush.
Again, media gave him a hardtime, but in this moment you
(21:51):
couldn't have told me he wasn'tShakespeare, because this man
yells out we can't hear youwithout missing a beat into that
bullhorn.
George Bush looks up and saysbut I can hear you without
missing a beat into thatbullhorn.
George Bush looks up and saysbut I can hear you.
And then he said this I canhear you, the world hears you,
(22:15):
and soon the men who broughtthese buildings down are going
to hear all of us.
The crowd erupted.
Who brought these buildingsdown are going to hear all of us
.
The crowd erupted On televisionsets.
A nation erupted Three daysbefore this.
Such a blow to our nation, oursense of safety, our sense of
(22:40):
who we are as a nation and inthis moment, the leader of the
free world stands there and saysevil will not have the final
word.
Evil, destruction will not getthe final say.
(23:01):
As we look at Adam'sdisobedience, as it has spread
forward to all humanity, thatsin and death has gone forth, we
look at one who stands ready tojustify and say that Adam's
destruction does not get thefinal word, that wherever the
(23:24):
curse is found, however deepsinfulness goes, however far you
believe you are from the graceof God and the throne of God,
jesus Christ stands to say mygrace can go further still.
My finished work can speak intoyour condition, into any
(23:46):
condition, and so you are asinner who sins.
Number two you have a Saviorwho saves, but I'll end with
this your Savior can save betterthan you can sin.
Verse 20.
Now the law came in to increasethe trespass.
The law came, god's gloriousstandard, god's commandment
(24:11):
regarding how we should live asfollowers of him.
It came in and what we see isPaul says that it increased the
trespass.
We see is Paul says that itincreased the trespass.
What that means is this thatonce God's glorious standard
came, we received the law ashumanity.
Guess what we found out?
We found out more and more justhow sinful we are, because once
(24:36):
we have a standard, we foundout quickly just how much we
fail to meet that standard.
But it says this where sinincreased, where we found out
just how sinful we really were,look where it ends.
Grace abounded.
All the more that Paul is sayingthis, as we've already said,
(24:57):
that wherever sinfulness goes,however deep it goes, christ's
grace can go further.
That there's no one on thisplanet and maybe you know these
people in your own life that youwould say, maybe they're too
far gone.
You wouldn't say those wordsout loud, but in the back of
your mind you just think it thatI know him or I know her enough
(25:20):
that she's never going to wantto have anything to do with the
God of this Bible, she's nevergoing to want to have anything
to do with the grace of JesusChrist.
And yet what the word of Godsays is that wherever sin has
reached, his grace can go deeper.
That within the kingdom of Godthere's no such thing as a lost
(25:42):
cause.
Within the kingdom of godthere's no such thing as too far
gone.
And verse 21, so that as sinreigned in death, great grace
also might reign throughrighteousness, leading to
eternal life through jesuschrist, our lord.
I grew up in a world ofinfomercials.
You'd fall asleep watching yourTV show at 8 o'clock at night.
(26:06):
You'd wake up at 3 in themorning and they were trying to
sell you a 78 CD set of yourfavorite songs of the 80s.
And it went on and on and youwere just sleeping through it
and those songs were in yourdreams somehow, sleeping through
it, and those songs were inyour dreams somehow.
And the infomercial, even thecommercials.
You probably have bought a canof Flex Seal and you may have
(26:27):
used it in your life.
Let me know if it works.
Any as seen on TV product?
What is the motto?
What is the cry of everyinfomercial?
Of every one of thesecommercials?
The cry is this but wait,there's more.
Infomercial.
Of every one of thesecommercials, the cry is this but
wait, there's more, but wait,there's more.
If you thought we were justsending you one of these for
(26:48):
$19.95, we're actually going tosend you a second.
If you thought you were onlygetting a small can of Flex Seal
, have I got news for you it'san extra large, but wait,
there's more.
What I love about verse 21,.
We didn't need this text to getany better.
(27:10):
It's already better than wecould ever imagine.
It's as if Paul says but wait,there's more.
That not only in this life haveyou moved from death to life,
not only in this present timehas the curse of Adam's fall
been replaced and overwhelmed bythe victory of the obedience in
(27:33):
Christ.
But wait, there's more.
Because this righteousnessleads to eternal life.
And not only is there more,there is eternally more in
Christ Jesus.
That the one who has beenraised with Christ has been
raised both now and for eternity, and so your future is secure.
That where Adam's sin gave youa future of hopelessness and
(27:58):
death, christ's grace has givenyou a future.
That where Christ Jesus is, youwill be also for all eternity.
You are a sinner who sins.
You have a Savior who saves,but your Savior can save better
(28:20):
than you can sin.
John Newton carried slaves fromthe coast of Africa to the coast
of North America.
John Newton would proclaimhimself and maybe we'd agree the
(28:41):
chief of sinners, the one whohad been a part of much evil.
And yet he would say I am agreat sinner, but I have a great
Savior.
But in fact that is not allthat John Newton would say,
(29:03):
because John Newton was a writer, a preacher, a teacher and at
one point the former slavetrader even wrote a hymn that
through the years has caught alittle bit of popularity.
John Newton wrote these wordsamazing grace, how sweet the
(29:25):
sound that saved a wretch likeme.
I once was lost but now amfound, was blind, but now I see.
T'was grace that taught myheart to fear, and grace my
fears relieved.
How precious did that graceappear the hour I first believed
(29:51):
the former slave trader couldunderstand what it means to be a
wretch, what it means to belost.
But the slave of Christ Jesus,the one who has been turned
upside down by the blessed workof Christ, knows what it is to
(30:12):
be found to now see, knows whatit is to have life in Christ
Jesus.
And Amazing Grace may be thegreatest hymn of all time, the
most popular hymn of all time, ahymn that people know that
haven't even walked through thedoors of the church, was not
written by the absolute, bestand brightest, the most noble,
(30:33):
the most significant.
It was written by a greatsinner who knew a great Savior.
That's what the grace of Christcan do, that's what the free
gift of Christ can do, that,while Adam's sin brought death
(30:56):
and destruction to all men.
So Christ Jesus' life bringslife to all who would believe.
I hope you'll be reminded ofthat today.
To the believer in the room whoknows well the grace of Christ
Jesus, I pray that you would bereminded once again just how
(31:19):
good he is.
And to the one who does notknow him, I pray today would be
your John Newton moment, whereyou say I once was lost but now
am found, was blind, but now Isee.
If that's you, I'd love tointroduce Jesus to you right
down here.
I'd love to talk to you aboutour relationship with him.
(31:41):
If you want to come join thischurch family, if you have any
decision to make, if I can praywith you about anything, please
come.
As we respond, I'll be rightdown front.
Let's pray together.
Lord Jesus, I thank you for thegospel.
I thank you for your amazinggrace that, though we were lost,
we are found.
Though we were blind, we nowsee.
Though we didn't deserve it andcould not earn it, thanks to
(32:07):
the work of Christ it can beours.
And so, lord, if there are anydecisions in this room even now,
maybe one who wants to comefrom death into life this
morning.
I pray that you would do it byyour spirit In Christ's name
amen.
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