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If you would take your scriptures and turn to the epistle to the Romans, to Romans chapter
5, this will serve as our preaching this morning, the whole of chapter 5.
We will be looking obviously at other verses as well.
I also do want to remind you, if you didn’t get a chance of getting the sermon outlined,
they are out there on the podium out there in the hallway.
That will hopefully help with the sermon listening and hearing.
But before we come to the reading and preaching of God’s word, let us again go to him in prayer,
knowing that we need the Lord to enliven his word by his Spirit, that we would have ears
to hear and hearts to receive what the word the God has for you, his people this day.
So let us pray.
Our gracious and almighty God, we thank you and praise you that you have not left us to
grope in the darkness of understanding what you expect of us and of your word and of your
will and what you are doing and of your great and mysterious plan of salvation for us, your
people.
We’ve been reminded that we are sinners and that we need saved.
We need saved from the guilt of our sins.
We need saved from breaking your holy covenant, your law that you have made.
We need saved from ourselves, from our own flesh.
We need saved from this world that would lead us astray.
We need saved from the evil one, the enemy of our soul, the devil.
And so Lord, we need you.
We need you.
We need your word.
We need your gospel.
We need your son, Jesus Christ, our savior and our Lord.
And so Lord, we do pray that you would help our eyes to focus upon him this day as we
consider the great work in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
And we do pray that your word would be living and be a sharp sword that pierces down into
our hearts, into our very flesh, in through and in our spirit and soul, that it might
be become one of us, that we might be your people.
Called by your name, followers of Jesus Christ, disciples of Christ, conquerors, soldiers
of the cross.
We thank you and praise you for it this day and we pray it all again in our precious savior’s
name.
Amen.
And now, brothers and sisters, I’d ask out of honor of God’s word, if you would stand
for the reading of it.
I do remind you, grace, orthodox, presbyterian church, these are the words of your God.
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our
Lord Jesus Christ.
Through him, we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand
and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
More than that, we rejoice in our suffering, knowing that suffering produces endurance
and endurance produces character and character produces hope and hope does not put us to
shame because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who
has been given to us.
For while we were still weak at the right time Christ died for the ungodly, for one
will scarcely die for a righteous person, though perhaps for a good person one would
dare even to die.
But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Since therefore we have now been justified by his blood, which much more shall be saved
by him from the wrath of God.
For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son, much more
now that we are reconciled shall we be saved by his life.
More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ through whom we have
now received reconciliation.
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, for sin indeed was in the world before the
law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Therefore as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads
to justification in life for all men.
For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s
obedience the many will be made righteous.
Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all
the more, so that as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness
leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God it stands forever.
Please be seated.
Each one of us has a role to fulfill, responsibilities to meet, obligations to keep, rules to obey.
There are particular expectations placed upon us.
Children you probably know that.
Your parents have many expectations of how you are to behave and act and do.
Again many of us have these things.
And sometimes you parents you put expectations upon your children that may not be met, maybe
about what they will do in their career as they grow up or goals upon them.
And they may or may not again take those things on.
But then there are certain individuals who excel all expectations, who not only meet
that which is set before them, but they go far beyond what is thought or even imagined.
And my friends, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is the epitome of someone who exceeds
far above and way beyond the role set before him.
And this morning I want to suggest one such role that we read about in the Bible and that
is his obligation and responsibility as the second or new Adam.
The Apostle Paul tells us that the first Adam, the first man in the very beginning is a type
of him who is to come.
And there is a clear comparative contrast made between Adam and Jesus.
We have this revealed plainly in Romans chapter 5 and we’ll see next Lord’s Day from 1 Corinthians
15.
But we also have Jesus throughout his earthly ministry referring to himself, his favorite
title of himself during his earthly ministry was what?
The son of man, Ben Adam, which transliterated would be the son of Adam.
And there is a whole biblical theology based upon the idea that Jesus is sent by his father
to fulfill a mission, to fulfill that which Adam failed to do, which was to keep the covenant
of God.
But he also was required to undo that which Adam did, which was to plunge God’s whole
creation under the curse of sin and death.
And the good news of the gospel message is that Jesus as the second Adam, the new man,
the covenant head, the son of man fulfilled his role, met the responsibilities, all the
requirements, kept the obligations, obeyed all the rules and the regulations and stipulations
that were set before him.
He achieved what Adam failed to achieve in the garden in the beginning.
And yet, it must also be acknowledged that Christ Jesus goes far beyond what Adam was
expected to fulfill, which brings us to our purpose statement for our message for today,
which is Jesus excels way beyond all expectations in his atoning sacrifice on the cross.
That’s our main focus is that Jesus excels way beyond all expectations in his atoning
sacrifice upon the cross.
And we will consider this truth under three points this morning.
And our first point is going beyond the command, going beyond the command.
If we go all the way back to the beginning with man in the garden, we find God encapsulating
man’s covenant obligations into one primary command, simplifying for Adam the central
focus of his obedience and his covenant Lord’s requirement of him to fulfill his role and
achieve active righteousness.
And children, you learn what that one command is as you study your catechism.
It was that it was a command to restrain himself from partaking of the forbidden fruit, to
not eat from that singular tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
And yet, we also all know that Adam’s track record, do we not?
We’re giving it there right there.
There’s his resume in the Word of God, how Adam failed, utterly failed to keep himself
from eating of that which God had forbid him to eat.
And the apostle Paul in Romans five emphasizes over and over and over again that one offense,
this one transgression and the devastating result of plunging the whole human race into
death because of his failure.
And so how does Jesus as the new man, the second Adam, go beyond the command?
Well Paul again focuses upon Jesus’s righteous obedience.
And yet it was not merely a bare single command that Christ could keep to achieve eternal
righteousness and to make him qualify as that perfectly unblemished lamb of God who could
take away the sin of the world.
No, Jesus was not merely placed in a beautiful, luscious garden paradise who could eat of
every tree of the garden but one, but Jesus was, we’re told, born a Jew.
He was born under the law.
That is the law that was given through Moses.
And yet Paul tells us that the law was given to increase sin.
The purpose of the law was for sin to abound.
The apostle is saying that one of the reasons God gave the law was to reveal the extent
of human sin and our deep need for it to be dealt with.
So by multiplying the commandments, the law provides many more opportunities for disobeying
and rebelling against the Lord.
And as Jesus says, to whom much is given, much more will be required.
Therefore Jesus being born under the law was required to keep the whole law fully, completely,
absolutely, perfectly.
And yet what do we have in Holy Scripture?
We have the testimony, do we not?
We have the testimony that the Father, God the Father took perfect delight in His Son.
The Father took perfect delight in His Son.
He declares as much at Jesus’ baptism.
He hears the voice from heaven and we read of the Father speaking.
And we have Jesus’ own testimony where He says that He only does that which pleases
the Father.
We read about that in John chapter 8 verse 29.
Jesus only did what pleased the Father.
And He also challenged the Jews of His day to find fault with Him.
He challenged the Jews to find fault with Him saying, can any of you prove me guilty
of sin?
And of course it was silence.
And yet we read that He was tested far more severely than any other man.
He was tested far more severely than any other.
His temptations were real and they were painful to the extent that He sweated great drops
of blood told to us by the physician Luke in the Garden of Gethsemane.
But yet He overcame them all.
And so the witness of God in Holy Scripture is clear that Jesus is sinless.
That Jesus is sinless.
His sinlessness is declared over and over again in that sense as a man.
He’s unique.
He is sinless.
John tells us the Apostle John says in Him is no sin.
The Apostle Paul again says He is the one who knew no sin.
The writer to the Hebrews says although He was in all points tempted as we are yet He
is without sin.
And as our high priest He is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners.
Not only is He separate from sinners but He’s actually separate from the other priests
that served because the author goes on to say those who had to daily offer up sacrifices
for their own sins before those of the people.
Christ didn’t have to do that.
He was a perfect priest, completely sinless.
But not only is Jesus sinless but positively Jesus is the righteous one of all.
That’s what distinguishes Him from the rest of mankind.
He is the righteous one.
The apostolic gospel running through the book of Acts testifies to this truth.
Peter accuses his own people in Acts 3.
You deny the holy and righteous one and ask for a murderer to be granted in his place.
Of course there he’s referring to Barabbas and he says to this we are witnesses.
Stephen too charged them which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute and they killed
those who announced beforehand the coming of the righteous one whom you have now betrayed
and murdered you who received the laws delivered by angels and you did not keep it.
Also Paul recounts his conversion to the Jewish mob in Jerusalem recounting the words of Ananias
the one that was sent to minister to him saying the Ananias said to me the God of our fathers
appointed you to know his will and to see the righteous one and to hear the voice from his mouth.
When did he do that?
When he was cast down from his horse on the road to Damascus because he saw Jesus Christ and heard from his lips.
Jesus went so far beyond the command given to Adam in the garden as we heard earlier
read from the pen of the prophet Isaiah.
God speaks of the work of his chosen beloved and faithful servant declaring by his knowledge
the righteous one my servant shall justify many.
Jesus Christ as the last and perfect Adam whose sinless obedience pleases the father
completely and fully satisfies the demands of God’s holy law goes far beyond its mere letter
but plunges the depths of its heart and spirit which reflects the holy divine nature of God himself.
The apostle Peter tells us quoting again from Isaiah 53 the song of the suffering servant
that Jesus committed no sin nor was there any deceit found in his mouth.
And not only that but Peter states that Jesus went much further than merely being innocent.
He wasn’t just innocent but he ultimately suffered for doing good.
He was sinless but suffered nevertheless.
He suffered insults and wounds and even death and torture.
He suffered unjustly at the hands of sinners though he himself was sinless was perfectly
righteous before God and man.
And so this brings us to our second point which builds upon the first that Jesus goes
beyond the mere command by going to the extent of taking upon himself our punishment.
And here is where we really need to compare and contrast Adam with Jesus.
Again as we consider Adam’s response to the temptation in Genesis chapter 3 he clearly
fails by taking the fruit given to him from the woman and eating it and thus falling into
sin and rebellion.
But let us for a moment consider the scenario.
Just imagine use your creative minds for a minute and say Genesis 3 proceeds as it does
up until verse 6 when the woman takes and eats of the fruit.
And at this point Adam does not take and eat.
He does not partake of that which is forbidden, the forbidden fruit.
At this point the woman has disobeyed but Adam has not.
This potentially raises the question has Adam kept the command?
Has he fulfilled his role?
Now we may question the fact that he also had a duty to protect his wife to guard her
from listening to the whispers and temptations of the serpent.
Why was the serpent in the garden anyways?
Wasn’t he the guardian of the garden?
I grant all that but keeping to the comparison and contrast for Jesus let’s set those things
aside for a moment and consider the extent that Jesus himself goes to in Adam’s shoes.
For not only does he not partake of that which is forbidden since he is perfectly sinless
and perfectly positively righteous but Jesus doesn’t stop there does he?
He doesn’t stop there.
Jesus’ desire is not merely for the sake of keeping a command.
No his desire, his love, his passion is to please his heavenly father and part of pleasing
his heavenly father includes his love to save his bride.
His love to save his bride.
Here then is Jesus’ love moving him to excel beyond Adam, beyond the command to not partake
but rather to not only be the perfectly faithful new Adam but going to the extent of taking
Eve’s place and himself bearing her punishment.
Is this not what Jesus has done for you and me?
He’s gone beyond the command.
This is what we call his work of substitutionary atonement.
He has been our substitute.
He’s taken our place as the second and last Adam.
He stepped into the place of his guilty bride and bore her punishment that which she deserves.
And so this too shows how Jesus goes beyond the command.
Not only does he perfectly fulfill the moral law of God but absolutely fulfills the whole
of the ceremonial law of the Old Covenant.
The letter to the Hebrews is all about how Jesus is superior, how Christ is superior
to all who came before him bar none.
We are told that the blood of bulls and goats could in no way take away sin nor our guilt
before God.
These were merely shadows pointing forward to him who would come and become the perfect
sacrifice for sinners.
In fact, we’re giving a hint that bulls and goats cannot take away sin at the very beginning
in chapter two.
As God parades these creatures before Adam, what did he see?
What did he perceive?
What did he understand that there were none there comparable to him?
He needed someone comparable to him and thus the reason why Christ had to come and had
to become man, to take upon himself humanity again.
So that we see that he comes as that perfect sacrifice for sinners and this Jesus has done
once and for all upon the cross of Calvary.
Not only has he achieved perfect righteousness before God but he’s also laid down his life
in our place, taking upon himself the full punishment which we deserved because of our
sin and rebellion.
He was tested and tempted to a greater degree than any other person because he drank the
full cup of divine wrath.
He drank the full cup of divine wrath to the very dregs and bears the sins of his people
as our mediator.
You see Jesus moves beyond the garden in the gospels doesn’t he?
He goes beyond the garden.
Yes he does suffer in the garden of Gethsemane but he continues further all the way to the
cross even to the grave.
This is the deep mystery.
This is the mystery that God has revealed to his holy apostles concerning Christ for
you and draws again you into his love.
This is that which Christ has done for his church.
When Paul begins speaking of the blessed union of marriage this is the deep well that he
draws from in Ephesians chapter 5.
In Ephesians 5 we read that Christ loved the church and gave himself for her.
He would not see her perish in her sin so because of the deep love with which he loved
her he takes upon himself her punishment, her judgment.
This is a high and holy calling for you husbands.
Is it not?
It is so because you have an example.
You have a pattern to follow.
Not after the first Adam who blames his wife who throws her under the bus when immediately
when God interrogates him but you are to follow the second Adam, the new Adam, the last Adam
that goes way beyond the mere command to give himself for her in her place.
Again the Lord Jesus Christ who excelled beyond all expectations and loving his bride to the
extent of giving himself fully and completely for her.
Well this brings us to our third and final point.
Because of these truths Jesus is the agent of God’s grace.
Because of all this Jesus is the agent of God’s grace.
The word appears in Romans chapter 5 six times the grace of God and grace is defined for
us here specifically as the free gift of God which occurs again five times in the same
chapter.
Jesus is the one through whom we have access into this grace in which we stand and in which
we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
Remember what Paul says in Romans 3, all have fallen short of the glory of God.
We’ve fallen short of it but then how do we attain to it?
How do we receive it?
How do we come to it?
It’s through the grace that comes through our Savior Jesus Christ.
And we have this grace of God through Jesus’ sacrificial death for us as Paul mentions
again in Romans 5 verses 6 through 9.
And we’re also told in Ephesians 1-7 in Christ we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness
of sins according to the riches of his grace.
The beginning of John’s gospel we’re told that the word became flesh and dwelt among
us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father and that glory
is what?
Full of grace, full of grace and of his fullness we have all received grace for grace for the
The law was given through Moses but grace came through Jesus Christ.
This is the reason why the Westminster divines have given the title of the covenant in which
Jesus is the federal head, the covenant of grace.
It is grace upon grace.
Adam was a type of him who was to come.
They were both federal covenant heads over the people they represent and are in covenant
union with.
The incarnate Son of God Jesus Christ is all that Adam was meant to be but oh so much more.
So let us give thanks.
How should we respond to this reality, to this truth?
Brothers and sisters, there should not be a day that goes by in your lives that you
don’t fall down on your knees and thank your heavenly Father for not sparing his Son.
He sent him into this world to become man and not just to tromp around in King’s palaces
but to go to the depth that he went to in his suffering, a bearing the wrath of God.
Brothers and sisters, Jesus Christ took hell for you.
He experienced hell for you, eternal hell for you upon the cross.
And so brothers and sisters, let us thank God for Jesus excelling way beyond all expectations
in his atoning sacrifice upon the cross.
Do you realize that we’re going to be spending all eternity contemplating and trying to fathom
the depths to which Christ has gone in his love for you, his people, for us?
Again, it was his expectations that he went beyond in the atoning sacrifice on the cross
in which the grace of God is poured out abundantly.
So let us thank the Lord and praise the Lord and share this news with others.
That is our witness.
That is, we have this fire in our bones as we consider what Christ has done.
Where sin abounded, we are told grace abounded all the more.
It super abounded.
It overflowed.
So that where sin reigned in death, even so much more grace might reign through righteousness
to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Jesus has gone well beyond the expectations of the Garden of Eden to reveal the glory
and the majesty of our God in his love, in his compassionate care, his tender kindness
toward us.
We don’t deserve it.
And yet God graciously outpours it through his Son.
The Father has poured out upon us the overflowing abundance of his grace in Jesus Christ our
Savior and Lord.
Your church is properly named Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church, but it’s not grace that
proceeds from the church.
It’s the grace that proceeds from the church’s head and Lord Jesus Christ.
So may you be reminded continually of his divine, of Christ’s divine love, a love that
excels, loves excelling we praise and we thank God for.
Beyond all expectations, as he has held nothing back of his goodness and kindness toward us,
but has given of himself fully, completely, abundantly, fulfilling all righteousness.
And so as we respond to his free gift, may we all as his people respond in denying ourselves
of giving ourselves to him as living sacrifices.
What more can we do?
Why not give yourself fully to a Lord and a God who has fully given himself to us?
Amen.
Amen.
To the glory of God, let us pray.
O gracious and heavenly Father, we thank you and praise you for so great a gospel that
you have gone so well beyond what we can think and imagine through Jesus Christ our Lord
in his giving himself for us, in redeeming and saving us from all of our enemies, his
and our enemies, of bringing us to himself.
May we respond, Lord, in giving ourselves to you so great a God because we love you,
but we know that you first loved us and you show us this great and deep love for us in
Christ, the one who has gone beyond all expectations in his atoning sacrifice upon the cross.
And it’s in his precious and holy name that we all pray, amen.
Well, brothers and sisters, let us take in response our hymnals and turn to hymn number
275 and stand and sing, Arise, My Soul, Arise, hymn number 275.