Jesus gives grace and the gift of righteousness for you to reign in life

Where are you today? Do you feel overwhelmed? Anxious? Perplexed? Defeated? Discouraged?

You and I live in a fallen creation. Everyone is born with a sinful, rebellious nature. Sin and death have entered our world. No man can see God face-to-face and live. Jesus wants you and me to walk by faith not by sight. When you and I receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, His enemy becomes our enemy. Your enemy wants to steal your joy and your testimony, prevent you from claiming your earthly inheritance, destroy your witness and take down many others with you.

However, Jesus came that you and I might have abundant life

John 10: ¹¹The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Jesus wants you and me to reign in life with victory over the wiles of our enemy. In contrasting death/life; judgment/justification for the Romans, Paul provides these amazing truths.

Romans 5:¹⁴ Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. ¹⁵But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. ¹⁶And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. ¹⁷For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) ¹⁸Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. ¹⁹For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. ²⁰Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: ²¹That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Major points

By one man’s offense death reigns

By the abundance of grace and gift of righteousness you and I can reign in life by Jesus Christ!

By Adam’s disobedience you and I became sinners

By Jesus’ obedience you and I can become righteous!

Sin reigns unto death

Grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord!

What does it mean to reign? Some definitions of reign

To possess or exercise sovereign power or authority

To have control, rule, influence

Questions for Reflection

1) No matter what accusations others throw at you, Jesus’ gift of righteousness enables you to exercise sovereign power over your sin nature. What does that mean to you? How is that significant in your current circumstances?

2) How can you exercise your authority over your sin nature?

3) Which wiles of your enemy are most affecting you now?  How can you use the abundance of grace and gift of righteousness to reign in life over sin?

In Christ Alone

“In Christ alone my hope is found; He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground, Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace, When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all—Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh, Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness, Scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died, The wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev’ry sin on Him was laid—Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay, Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day, Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory, Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine—Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death—This is the pow’r of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow’r of hell, no scheme of man, Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home— Here in the pow’r of Christ I’ll stand.”

Our focus – Hebrews 12:¹ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, ² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Our challenge – Dearly Beloved,

Run with your eyes on Jesus alone!

Run in faith that Jesus loves you, has uniquely designed and created only one you, has a good plan for your life, runs with you and will accomplish His purposes for you and through   you!

Run in His strength alone!

Run with your eyes on the prize!

Run with the desire to finish strong!

Run with the desire to finish with your lamp burning!

Run with the expectation of being in His physical presence when you cross your finish line!

Run to His glory alone!

Run and keep on running!

Coach Patti