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Good Friday 2021 Sermon
Date: April 2, 2021
The Cross is Proof of God’s Love for us.
Text: Romans 5:6-11

Intro: Tonight as we consider what was done for us on the cross I want us to be amazed at the love of God. God loves us. He has proven it by sending his Son to die in our place so that we could be forgiven for our rebellion against him. What a staggering reality! We sin against Him and instead of giving us what we deserve, he sends his son Jesus, to die in our place.

My sermon title is The cross is proof of God’s Love for us. Read Romans 5:6-11

Pray

1. The Recipients of God’s Love
Romans 5:6 Paul says Christ died for the helpless and the ungodly. In verse 8 he goes on to say he died for sinners and then in verse 10 he says enemies. These are the recipients of God’s love. People like us.

Dane Ortlund quote: “In defiance of what we deserved. When we, despite our smiles and civility, were running from God as fast as we could, building our own kingdoms and loving our own glory, lapping up the fraudulent pleasures of the world, repulsed by the beauty of God and shutting up our ears at his calls to come home--it was then, in the hollowed-out horror of that revolting existence, that the prince of heaven bade his adoring angels farewell. It was then that he put himself into the murderous hands of these very rebels…” While we were helpless, ungodly, sinners. Enemies of God, he died for us.

Ref. Luke 5:29-32

1st Main Point: Since God has proven his love for us, we can be honest about the sin in our lives.

There is a line from T.S. Elliot’s poem Love song of J. Alfred Prufrock that says “There will be time, there will be time, to prepare a face to meet the faces that you meet.” When I read those words I can’t help but think that’s how I live and that’s how many of us in the church live. We don’t have to show up at church pretending we are ok. We can be honest about the sin in our lives.

Ref. 1 Timothy 1:15-16

Application: Confront any sins and confess them. Admit that it was these sins that Christ had to die for.

2. Assurance of God’s Love
Read Romans 5:7-10
Paul argues that the proof God has provided of his love gives us the Assurance of our salvation.

2nd Main Point: Since God has proven His love for us, we can be sure of our salvation.

Ref. Philippians 1:6 Paul says he is certain God will complete the work he started in us.

Listen to the words of 17th Century puritan pastor John Flavel “As God did not at first choose you because you were high, he will not now forsake you because you are low.”

Application: I want us to trust in God’s love and trust that he will keep us safe to the end. Confront doubts and fears by looking at the cross and reminding yourself that Christ died for you while you were in sin, he will certainly keep you safe to the end.

3. Our response to receiving God’s Love.
Read Romans 5:11

3rd Main Point: Since God has proven his love for us, we can boast in Him and nothing else.

Ref. 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 God did this so that we would boast in him, not in ourselves. Ephesians tells us that too, that we were saved by grace and not in our works so that no one can boast.

Application: Confront any pride in ourselves and boast in God.