For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life

Sermon notes from Sunday 5 November 2017

Romans 6 verses 15 -23

"For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."  

There are 2 opposites in this text.  It reveals to us the penalty of a man or woman who ignores God`s salvation.  Remember how the young man given a million pounds if he could answer the question inside the envelope - how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation.  We are dealing tonight with the soul of men and the salvation of that soul.  He uses the analogy of a soldiers wages.  Wages are something we are paid for work done.  Wages for something we have earned.  Something here that we cannot earn, cannot purchase.  if this world could put together a package it could not save man from a lost sinners hell.  Salvation does not come by merit but rather by means of a gift - the gift of God to your soul.  Take a moment to go to Calvary, see what he had to bear.  Pilate`s ridicule and spat on him, pulled the very hairs off his face.  They beat him until he was unrecognisable, placed him on a cross, drove those spikes through his hands and feet.  There he hung bearing your sin and mine.  See how the Lord had to die for you.  Think of this text of scripture.  The gift of God is eternal life.  I wonder are we in receipt of that gift God gives us.  Was there a moment when we bowed and accepted that gift from God`s hands or are we still ignoring it, trying to get to heaven on our own way?  He who provides for this life alone but takes no care for eternity is wise for a moment but a fool forever.  Doing what you can to get through this life but forgetting about eternity.  One day you will realise you will stand before God.  The gift of God is eternal life.  The gift of God shows to me something of the goodness of God.  The goodness of God that would ever give you or I a second thought.  It is the goodness of God that leadeth men to repentance.  In the Old Testament scriptures when the children of Israel went down into Egypt God didn't forget about them.  He heard their groans and sent a deliverer to bring them out.  God doesn't turn his back on us.  The gift of God is given to us tonight.  It is the goodness of God that leadeth to repentance.  Without repentance no man can be saved.  You cannot be saved tonight by not realising you have failed and come short of God`s glory.  He has said if we confess our sin he is wanting you to open up your life to God.  You are a sinner that needs to be saved.  See the value God holds you in tonight.  he loves you with an everlasting love.  God`s love - he didn't turn away from the children of Israel when they were taken into captivity by King Nebuchadnezzar.  He didn't forget about them.  70 years later he brought them back to their own land again.  the goodness of God came down and found them.  Peter said about the scoffers they would come in the last day.  They will say about his second coming - where is the promise of his coming.  This is not slackness, this is a demonstration of God`s great goodness for He is not willing that any should perish.  If you are not saved and die in that situation where God is you cannot be.  Only one place you can be - in a lost Christless hell but he is not willing that you should perish.  The goodness of God leadeth men to repentance.  Sometimes there is a thought that God will not judge sin sometimes because he does not execute judgement there and then.  All is OK somehow sin is a trivial matter.  Sin cost heaven`s very dear and special one.  Jesus had to leave it, to come down into this old world.  One day he had to die just for you and I.  The writer in Ecclesiastes said "because sentence against an evil world is not executed".  Man believes it is alright to go ahead and sin.  Acts 17 Paul to the men of Athens "the times of ignorance God winked at it but now he commends you to turn away form your wickedness."  Trust Christ as Saviour. 

See also the grace of God.  The goodness of God sending his son.  The grace of God sent him down to this cursed world. it is the grace of God that leads us to repentance, that saves us.  The wonderful grace of God.  The gift of God is eternal life.  Are we prepared to take it?  Would you be prepared to reach out and take it tonight.  Man deserves the penalty of sin.  The wages of sin is death.  He deserves to be cast into a lost Christless hell.  It is the symbol and revelation of God`s love.  It is from Jesus my son as takes my penalty on himself.  We have sinned and deserve to die.  He never sinned.  He never deserved to leave yet he died.  he died that we might live.  He was just yet he died for the unjust that he might bring us to God.  Remember how God suffered long with Cain.  Abel went into the flock and took a lamb and presented it to God.  God was well pleased and accepted it.  Cain brought the very best of the produce, what grew that year.  He presented it before God.  God was not well pleased.  The way to approach God was through the blood of a little lamb.  If you want to be saved tonight you didn`t come through, bringing your best to get.  You come tonight as a sinner and take him as Saviour his precious blood no other name.  We can come in.  God was pointing to Cain.  Way he should come by a little lamb always will be the means to God.  Grace is that God will accept us as we are.  When I look at the cross I see the goodness of God and the grace of God.  I see also the glory of God on that day.  Jesus brought great glory to his father.  John 15 I have finished the world that thou hast given me to do on the cross.  He cried it is finished.  He glorified his father in glory.  The goodness of God draws us to God.  Grace that saves us.  Glory of God that carries us through.  Paul writing to Galatian church speaking of the various churches who he had never met "and they glorified God in me."  Thank God at the cross we see the glory of God.  At the announcement of Christ`s birth shepherds gathered on the mountainside guarding their sheep.  All the angels of the Lord came upon them and the glory of God came on them.  There was glory at the announcement of his birth and there was great glory at the cross of Calvary.  He conquered over death itself because he was raised from the dead on the third day.  He can save to the uttermost all that will come to him.  What must it be like in heaven.  As we come to the end of this meeting tonight, as the angels are looking down, angels looking into meetings like this.  Peter said can you imgine tonight what it must be like in heaven.  If you were to come to Christ you see the bible talks of the joy in heaven and the prayers in heaven and the glory in heaven over the sin that repenteth.  Maybe tonight as you look on the cross of Calvary and you see the one whose visage was married beyond any man.  Realise that you have sinned, realise that is the reason why he is there for you and I tonight.  You realise you will never be in heaven tonight.  You are coming in childlike faith.  Lord I have sinned, never be in heaven without you.  I want you to save my soul.  What a prayer and all heaven will rejoice at that decision you will make.