A Son Has Come
The Story Behind the Christmas Story
Text: Romans 5:12-21
Advent is the time in the Christian calendar when believers focus on the incarnation of Jesus, who came into the world over two thousand years ago to bear away the sins of the world, to save repentant sinners from God’s wrath, to reconcile them by His peace, and to grant them immense blessings by His grace. This is why these Sundays focus on the themes that make up the Christmas story: Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love.
This year, by God’s providence, we find ourselves in a section of Romans that forms the foundation for everything Advent represents. The four Advent themes are deeply rooted in Romans 5:1-11: Peace (5:1); Hope (5:2,4,5); Joy (5:2,3,11); Love (5:5,8). Which brings us to the most significant paragraph in the book of Romans and perhaps in the entire New Testament: Romans 5:12-21.
The main question this section answers is: “How did sinners under God’s wrath (1:18-3:20) come to receive the immense blessings Paul describes in Romans 4-5 that, when properly understood, bring us unquenchable, contagious, life-changing joy no matter what is happening around us (5:1-11)?” Paul’s answer is to point us to the person responsible for the incredible transformation and blessing that has come upon us – Jesus Christ, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification (4:25)!
These 10 verses are the foundation of everything Paul has to say about the Christian life. What has been said in 1:1 – 5:11 is grounded on the foundation laid in these verses, and what will be said in 6:1 – 8:39 is built on this foundation. If we understand these verses, we will understand how to live the Christian life; if we don’t, we will find it almost impossible to live in the light and enjoy the bounty of the life Christ has given us in him!
This morning, I want us to listen to Paul tell the story behind the Christmas story! And the best way to hear him is to observe three things about the way he tells us this story behind the story, starting at the end and working backwards:
- The __________ of the Story: “Through Jesus Christ Our Lord” (5:21).
- The __________ of the Story: “. . . so, that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (5:21).
- The __________ that shape the Story: “For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through one man, Jesus Christ.” (5:17).
The contours of the story unfold along four lines of thought:
I. Two __________ __________ (5:12-15)
Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— 13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.
- Their Personal Identity
- Their Role and Function
- Their Representative Function
- Their Constitutional Function
- Their Corporate (Organic) Function
- Their relationship to humanity corporately and personally
II. Two __________ __________ (5:18)
Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.
The entire history of the human race can be traced back to two specific, deliberate acts.
- One Deliberate, Willful Act of Sin by Adam
- One Deliberate, Willing Act of Obedience by Jesus Christ
III. Two __________ __________ (5:16-18; especially vs 16)
16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 17 For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. 18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.
- __________ resulting in Condemnation (vs 16, 19)
For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation . . . For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners . . .
- __________ resulting in life (vs. 18)
Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. . . So by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.
IV. Two __________ and __________ __________ (5:21)
so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
- Sin came into the world, and __________ reigned over all men in the kingdom of Darkness (5:12-14; 17, 19)
- Grace came into the world and __________ over a new and better kingdom through righteousness that leads to eternal life extended to all who are justified by faith.
Conclusion: One Essential Personal Application
The significance of the story is that our past history, present experience, and eternal destiny are tied to this story and to our personal connection to these two Adams.
We experience the devastating effects of sin, suffering, and death because in Adam, we sinned and, along with Adam, are under God’s wrath (1:18).
But we can be born again from above into the lineage of a different, better Adam who came to save us from sin, rescue us from God’s wrath, and make us citizens of God’s kingdom and members of His family – if we repent and believe.
This is the gospel! And this is the story behind the Christmas story!