Sermon Central
-
Benefits Of Justification
Contributed by Jerry Shirley on May 6, 2011 (message contributor)
Summary: What are the benefits to salvation? Not just in the sweet by and by, but in the nasty now and now? They are many and this sermon will be in several parts. Link inc. to formatted text, audio, PowerPoint.
v. 1 ’through Jesus’
A mediator tries to bring reconciliation, but it has to be agreeable to both sides.
[baseball strike / Israel and Palestinians / you and your spouse!
5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
Jesus is our go between. Hanging on the cross He was suspended between heaven and earth. He reached down to sinful man and reached up to the Holy Father and brought us together by paying our penalty and breaking down the wall of division between us!
"Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinner reconciled!"
That peace is permanent.
25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
1. Peace with God
2. Access
v. 2 Ever tried to call the President? You don’t have access!
But thru justification we have access to the Author of life, of salvation, and of the Bible!
14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.
’Access’ means entrance to the king thru the favor of another.
ill.--years ago a little boy living in the British Isles wanted to see the king of England. He slipped away from his parents to Buckingham Palace and presented himself at the gate. He had no business there...no credentials. He was turned away by the guards. He went and sat on a curb and put his face in his hands and began to weep. Another older boy walked by and asked why he was crying. "I wanted to see the king!" The young man said, I can help you. He took him by the hand and walked right past the guards unchallenged, in the doors, up the stairs and right to the living quarters. The little boy got to meet the king. He didn’t buy his way in, he performed no great feats or tricks to get the king’s attention.
The only thing that changed was he was holding the hand of the prince, the king’s son! That’s how he got access to the king. Just like Jesus did for us!
