Adam and Jesus

Adam and Jesus

(Romans 5:12-21)

Yearly Theme:  “Goodness is… Grace”

Series Title:  “Course Correction:  How Jesus Sets Things Right”

March 3^rd, 2024

Something to think about:

There is a great decision that exists for us all:  Will we continue to be Adam, or will we surrender to Christ?  There are only two ways to go.  As we come to a new series today entitled “Course Correction:  How Jesus Sets Things Right,” we will be exploring the many contrasts that exist between sin and salvation, darkness and light, law and grace, Adam and Christ, as written about in Paul’s letter to the Romans.  We will learn that the only solution to the problems of sin and death is receiving the grace that GOD offered through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross.  As we move closer and closer to Easter (March 31), we will discover that our only hope for a course correction is in Christ.

Romans 5:12-21 (NLT),

¹² When Adam sinned, sin entered the world.  Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.  ¹³ Yes, people sinned even before the law was given.  But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break.  ¹⁴ Still, everyone died—from the time of Adam to the time of Moses—even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did.  Now Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come.  ¹⁵ But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift.  For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many.  But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ.  ¹⁶ And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin.  For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins.  ¹⁷ For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many.  But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.

¹⁸ Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone.  ¹⁹ Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners.  But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.

²⁰ God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were.  But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant.  ²¹ So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Key Point:  “Adam ushered in death because of his sinfulness, but Jesus ushered in life because of His righteousness.”

•  tried to become a  and  .

Romans 5:12 (NLT),  When Adam sinned, sin entered the world.  Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.

•  became a  in order to conquer  .

Romans 5:17 (NLT),  For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many.  But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.

Something to take home:

We all are “Adam,” and we are all in need of Jesus.  The One who walks into the battlefield of our lives and takes the bullets for us is the One to whom we owe our allegiance.  Jesus is that One who desires to set us free by allowing Himself to take our sin and nail it to the cross through His own suffering.  “So, just as sin ruled over all people and brought them death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”[1]

[1] Romans 5:21 (NLT).