Sermon | Romans 4:25 | Raised For Our Justification
INTRODUCTION
Easter is about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is also called “Resurrection Sunday.”
What is significant about the resurrection of Jesus Christ?
The resurrection vindicates Jesus. It proves that He was right.
What were some of Christ’s claims?
- He taught the existence of God.
- He taught that there is only one God.
- He taught the inspiration of the OT.
- He taught that there is a heaven.
- He taught the existence of an eternal hell.
- He taught that He was God.
- He taught that faith in Him was the only way to heaven.
- He taught that He would die and rise on the third day.
- He taught that He would come back one day and judge the living and the dead.
Anybody can make claims, but that doesn’t mean we should believe them.
But Jesus backed up His claims by rising from the grave, thus vindicating His claims. If He rose from the grave, then everything He claimed is true. He is who He says He is.
C. S. Lewis explained it this way. After making such bodacious claims, we have to conclude that Jesus was either a lunatic, a liar, or the Lord of all. But when He rose from the grave, it proved that He was Lord of all.
However, the resurrection doesn’t just vindicate Christ and His claims. There’s another significant result of the resurrection.
TEXT: Romans 4:25
Romans 4:25 “He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.”
Christ has many great accomplishments: Creation; incarnation; miracles; teachings; transfiguration; ascension; exaltation; started the world’s largest religion. But this verse lists His two greatest accomplishments.
CHRIST’S GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS
1) His death.
Romans 4:25 “He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.”
“delivered up”
Gk. Paradidomi; used often in Scripture. It literally means delivered up, or delivered over, or handed over. Figuratively it is talking about Christ’s crucifixion. Christ was crucified for our trespasses.
Scripture says that several parties “delivered up” (paradidomi) Jesus to die:
- Judas to the Jewish leaders. Luke 22:3-4 “Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, who was numbered among the Twelve. 4 He went away and discussed with the chief priests and temple police how he could hand him over (paradidomi) to them.”
- The Jewish leaders to Pilate. Matthew 27:2 “After tying him up, they led him away and handed him over (paradidomi) to Pilate, the governor.”
- Pilate to the Roman soldiers. Mark 15:15 “Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them; and after having Jesus flogged, he handed him (paradidomi) over to be crucified.”
While several parties were guilty in the murder of Jesus, it was God who ultimately delivered Him up. Christ’s death did not surprise God, or alter His plan. It was all a part of God’s plan from the beginning.
Acts 2:23 “Though he was delivered up according to God’s determined plan and foreknowledge, you used lawless people to nail him to a cross and kill him.”
At the same time, we have to remember that the Father did not force Jesus to go to the cross. He died willingly.
Ephesian 5:2 “and walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.”
So, the first part of this verse is about Christ’s death.
What are the facts surrounding Christ’s death?
Scholars believe Jesus was crucified on Friday, April 3, A.D. 33.
He was betrayed by His disciple, Judas, for thirty pieces of silver, who handed Him over to the Jewish leaders. Mt 27:3; Lk 22:3-4
The Jewish leaders condemned Him to death. They spat in His face, beat Him, and mocked Him. Mt 26:57-68
Then the Jewish leaders handed Him over to Pilate, the Roman governor, for crucifixion, since the Jews were not allowed to carry out capital punishment. Mt 27:1-2
Pilate saw that Jesus, being from Galilee, was in Herod’s jurisdiction, and sent him to be tried by Herod. Herod and his soldiers just mocked Him and sent Him back to Pilate. Lk 23:6-12
Pilate’s custom at every Passover was to release to the crowd a prisoner they wanted. He gave them a choice between Barabbas, a notorious criminal, or Jesus. The Jews chose Barabbas, so Pilate sentenced Jesus to crucifixion. Mt 27:15-26
First, the Romans flogged Him (severely whipped). Mt 27:26
Then the Roman soldiers stripped him, and mocked Him by putting Him in a purple robe, placing a crown of thorns on His head, and placing a staff in His right hand. They spat on Him, and kept beating Him on the head with a stick. Then they put His own clothes back on Him and led Him away to be crucified. Mt 27:27-31; Mk 15:19
He was forced to carry His cross to a hill outside the city called Golgotha (Latin Calvary; The Skull). Lk 23:33
Because He was so weak, they forced a man named Simon of Cyrene to help Jesus carry the cross. Mt 27:32; Mk 15:21
At Golgotha, He was stripped, and His hands and feet nailed to the cross. Jn 19:23; Jn 20:25; Acts 2:23;
He was crucified at 9 am (on the cross for six hours). Mk 15:25
He was crucified between two criminals. Mk 15:27
Pilate had a sign made and posted on the cross that said, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” Jn 19:19
The soldiers cast lots for His clothes. Jn 19:23-24
As He hung on the cross, people yelled insults at Him and mocked Him. Mt 27:39-44
From noon until 3 PM, darkness came over the whole land. Mt 27:45
At 3 P.M., He said, “It is finished,” and died. Jn 19:30
Scholars believe He died of asphyxiation and cardiac arrest. Asphyxiation is a fatal lack of oxygen, which would have led to cardiac arrest – His heart stopped beating.
At that moment, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom; the earth quaked; the rocks split; the tombs were opened and many dead people came to life and went into Jerusalem. Mt 27:51-53
Since the Jews wanted the bodies taken down and buried before sundown, the Roman soldiers broke the legs of the two men crucified beside Jesus. But when they came to Jesus, they didn’t break His legs because He was already dead. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and blood and water came out. Jn 19:31-37
Those are the facts of Christ’s death. But why did Jesus die?
Romans 4:25 “He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.”
“Trespasses” is just another word for sin.
The NT uses several Greek words for sin.
a) Paraptoma: This is the word used her, translated “trespass.” Think about what it means to trespass. We’ve all seen “No Trespassing” signs. To trespass means to go where you’re not supposed to go. Webster’s 1828 dictionary says, “In a moral sense, to transgress voluntarily any divine law or command; to violate any known rule of duty.” It is to do what God forbids. An example would be theft, or dishonesty, or adultery, or murder.
b) Hamartia: This is the most popular Greek word in the NT for sin. Usually when you read the word “sin” in the NT, it is this Greek word. It literally means to miss the mark. To miss the target. God’s will for your life is to obey His commands and imitate His character. That’s the bull’s eye. To sin is to miss the mark; to miss the bull’s eye. For example, the greatest command is to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Any time you fail to do that, you miss the mark, is a sin against God.
The two words together capture the complete picture of sin. Sin is any failure to obey God’s commandments, either by commission or omission. Paraptoma are sins of commission – doing what God forbids. Hamartia are sins of omission – failing to do what God commands.
Christ was delivered up (crucified) for our trespasses (sins).
To understand why Christ died you have to understand three realities:
a) The sinfulness of man.
All of us have sinned (Rm 3:23). We have all committed sins of omission and commission. We have all done things we shouldn’t have done. We have all failed to live up to all God wants us to do.
Everyone agrees with that. But most people underestimate the seriousness of sin in light of God’s holiness. They understand that they have sinned against God, but they don’t understand the gravity of the situation. But you have sinned against all-holy, all-loving, almighty, eternal God.
b) The justice of God.
God is the judge of the universe, and He will never negotiate His justice.
In the Bible justice is linked with the concept of righteousness, or doing what is right. God’s justice is His eternal, immutable commitment always to do what is right.
Therefore, God cannot tolerate, overlook, excuse, or minimize sin. He must punish sinner.
Habakkuk 1:13 “Your eyes are too pure to look on evil, and you cannot tolerate wrongdoing.”
c) The love of God.
On the one hand, we are sinners who deserve punishment.
On the other hand, God is just and must punish sin.
However, God is loving and does not want us to go to hell. He wants to be reconciled to us.
Thus, God’s plan was to send His only Son to pay for the sins of the world, so that we could be forgiven, reconciled, and have eternal life.
Isaiah 53:5-6 “But he was pierced because of our rebellion, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on him, and we are healed by his wounds. We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the Lord has punished him for the iniquity of us all.”
Christ died in our place, for our sins, so we could be free. So we don’t have to die. So we don’t have to be punished.
2) His resurrection.
Romans 4:25 “He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.”
Christ’s second great accomplishment was His resurrection.
What are the facts about Christ’s resurrection?
After His death, two of His followers, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus took His body down from the cross and buried it in a tomb in a garden near Golgotha. The women who had followed Jesus looked on. Lk 23:5-56; Jn 19:38-42
To secure the body, Pilate sent a guard of soldiers to set a seal on the stone and to stand watch. Mt 27:62-66
Early Sunday morning, April 5, AD 33, Mary Magdalene, Mary, and Salome went to see the tomb and brought spices to anoint His body. There was an earthquake as an angel descended from heaven, rolled back the stone, and sat on it. Mt 28:1-7; Mk 16:1-7
The Roman guards were so shaken by fear that they became like dead men. Mt 28:4
The angel announced to the women that Christ had risen. Mt 28:1-7
The women looked inside the empty tomb. Mt 28:1-7; Lk 24:1-7
The angel told the women to tell the disciples that He had risen, and that Jesus would meet them in Galilee. Mt 28:1-7
The women ran to tell the disciples, but they met Jesus on the way and worshiped Him. He told them to tell the disciples that He would meet them in Galilee. Mt 28:8-10
At first the apostles didn’t believe the women. Lk 24:8-11
Peter and John ran to the tomb. John got there first; He looked and saw the linen cloths lying by themselves, but didn’t go in. When Peter arrived, he went in immediately and saw the linen cloths, and the face cloth folded up in a place by itself. Then John went in the tomb and believed that Jesus had risen. Jn 20:3-10
Mary Magdalene went back to the tomb, weeping. Jesus appeared to her. He told her not to cling to Him, but to tell His disciples that He was going to ascend to heaven. Jn 20:11-18
The Roman soldiers went to Jerusalem to tell the Jewish leaders what happened. The Jewish leaders paid the soldiers a large sum of money to lie and say that Christ's disciples stole the body during the night while they were sleeping. Mt 28:11-15
Later that day Jesus appeared to two disciples on their way to Emmaus and spent some time with them. At first they didn’t recognize Him, but when He broke the bread and gave it to them, they realized it was Him, and He vanished. They went back to Jerusalem to tell the other disciples. Lk 24:13-35
On Sunday evening the disciples were in a room with the doors locked, and Jesus appeared to them. He invited them to look at His scars on His hands, feet and side, and to touch Him. He ate a piece of broiled fish. Thomas wasn’t with them, and when they tried to tell him that Christ was risen, he refused to believe unless He saw Christ for Himself. Lk 24:36-43; Jn 20:19-23; Jn 20:24-31
The next Sunday the disciples were meeting once again with the doors locked, and Thomas was with them. Jesus appeared again and invited Thomas to touch His hands and side. Thomas believed. Jn 20:24-311
The following Thursday, Jesus appeared to some of the disciples at the Sea of Galilee. The disciples had returned to Galilee as Christ instructed them to. They went fishing. At dawn, Jesus called from the shore and asked if they had caught anything. When they said no, Jesus told them to cast their net on the right side of the boat. When they did, they caught too many fish to haul in the net. John told everyone that it was Jesus, so Peter dove into the water and swam to shore while the others took the boat. On the shore, Jesus offered them breakfast (fish and bread). Jn 21
In all, Jesus appeared to over 500 of His followers over a period of forty days. He commanded His followers to make disciples of all the nations, and then He ascended into heaven as they watched. Mt 28:19-20; Acts 1:1-11; 1 Cor 15:3-8
As I mentioned earlier, the significance of Christ’s resurrection is that it vindicates Him. It proves that He is who He says He is, and that He can be trusted. But the resurrection has more significance.
Romans 4:25 “He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.”
What is justification?
Justification is a way of describing salvation.
Apart from Christ, we are sinners who deserve hell, but Christ died on the cross to save us, and when we believe in Jesus, God declares us legally righteous in His sight.
Your justification is an instantaneous, one-time, eternal declaration when you become a Christian.
When you believe in Jesus, God imputes the righteousness of Christ to you, or counts it as yours.
Justification is both negative and positive. Negatively, God no longer holds our sins against us. Positively, God gives us a righteous standing before Him (NIV Study Bible).
Justificaiton means when you die and stand before God, He will treat you as righteous, rather than as a sinner. Instead of condemning you to hell, God will give you heaven.
What does the resurrection have to do with justification?
Notice that Romans 4:25 says that Christ was “raised” from the dead. In other words, Christ was passive. He didn’t rise; He was raised. Just as Jesus rose Lazarus from the dead, someone raised Christ from the dead.
Acts 3:15 “You killed the source of life, whom God raised from the dead; we are witnesses of this.”
Acts 13:30 “But God raised him from the dead.”
Romans 10:9 “If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
The Father raised the Son from the dead.
When the Father raised the Son, it proved that He accepted Christ’s death on our behalf.
We sinned. A penalty had to be paid to satisfy God’s justice. Christ died to pay our penalty. But how do we know that God accepted Christ’s death as payment for our sins? God raised Him from the dead. He resurrection proves our justification.
One time I went to the bank to deposit my paycheck. I only get paid once a month, so it was a big check and an important check. A couple days later I looked at my bank account online and noticed that there was no record of a deposit. Very concerned, I called the bank and told them. They said, “Do you have your receipt?” I didn’t. I threw it away. The receipt is the proof that the bank has accepted the deposit. Christ’s resurrection is the proof that God accepted Christ’s sacrifice for our sins.
1 Corinthians 15:17 “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.”
If Christ stayed dead, then God hasn’t accepted His sacrifice, and we are still headed for eternal destruction. But God raised Christ from the dead, which means that His death was accepted on our behalf.
Wayne Grudem (Systematic Theology, p. 615) “By raising Christ from the dead, God the Father was in effect saying that he approved of Christ’s work of suffering and dying for our sins, that His work was completed, and that Christ no longer had any need to remain dead. There was no penalty left to pay for sin, no more wrath of God to bear, no more guilt or liability to punishment – all had been completely paid for, and no guilt remained. In the resurrection, God was saying to Christ, ‘I approve of what you have done, and you find favor in my sight.’”
By the way, fortunately the bank was able to investigate and find my deposit, and everything worked out. But it would have been so much easier for everyone if I had kept my receipt.
CONCLUSION
What are Christ’s greatest accomplishments? His death and His resurrection.
Romans 4:25 “He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.”
The resurrection is significant not only because it proves that Christ is who He says He is, but it proves that God accepted Christ’s payment for our sins.
Jesus died and rose again so you could be forgiven and go to heaven. Salvation is a free gift. But you have to receive it. How do you receive it? Admit you are a sinner. Believe in Christ’s death and resurrection on your behalf. Call on Jesus to save you.
.jpeg)
Comments
Post a Comment