God’s Overflowing Grace

16 January 2022 AM – Romans 5:12-21 – Rom2022 – Scott Childs
Introduction: Illustrate the difference between enough and overflowing by using a cup and a jug of water. In our text this morning, God assures us that His grace is not just enough to help a sinner a little; it abounds and overflows to cleanse a sinner completely and give him eternal life.
When we speak of “grace”, we are talking about God’s divine help.
Transition: I want us to see that God reveals to us the need for His overflowing grace, the adequacy of His overflowing grace, and the goal of His overflowing grace.
God first reveals…
  1. The need for His overflowing grace
a.         We have all sinned
1)         We inherited a sin nature from Adam (v.12). None of our parents had sinning lessons with us. Disobedience, rebellion, selfishness and greed are part of our inner nature.
2)         However, we cannot just blame our nature for sin; we have all sinned by choice as well. We have chosen to disobey our parents or a speed limit. We have greedily sought to please ourselves rather than to please others. We have lusted for things that do not belong to us.
3)         Perhaps this story sounds familiar. A little boy was in a heated argument with his sister about who was going to get the last biscuit. His mother overheard the loud discussion in their kitchen and came in to resolve the conflict. Her two children were obviously very distraught about getting that final treat. Sensing the need to teach a deeper truth, the mom asked her children that ever-relevant question: “What would Jesus do?” The older sibling immediately answered, “That’s easy, Jesus would just break the biscuit and make five thousand more!” ministry127 Without question, we are all sinners.
b.         Sin brings death
1)         God told Adam that if he sinned, he would die (Gen 2:17). When Adam sinned, he died spiritually and began dying physically. Since the day Adam sinned, death has passed on to all, for we all sin (v.12).
2)         Sin was present and led to death even before God gave His law to Moses (v.13).
3)         Death reigned as a king (v.14). No mere human has ever conquered death.
  • Sin and death make it so we truly need God’s overflowing grace. In our own efforts, we cannot conquer sin or death.
Next, God reveals…
2.        The adequacy of His overflowing grace
a.         God’s grace is greater than sin’s offence (v.15)
1)         Through the offence of one (Adam) many died. Sin is no minor problem. Our sin separates us from God, both now and eternally. Physical death is permanent separation from body and mortal life, but spiritual death is eternal separation from God and eternal life. Sin is a HUGE problem that we cannot fix ourselves.
2)         Much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. Adam’s offence was a BIG problem for everyone, but in a FAR greater way, God’s grace and gift of forgiveness and eternal life overflows for all. It is more than sufficient. It is more than adequate. Christ died for the ungodly (Ro 5:6). While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us to pay for sin’s offence (Ro 5:8). There is no greater love!
3)         Grace Greater Than Our Sin, GH p. 209, lines 1-2
b.         God’s grace is greater than sin’s judgment (v.16)
1)         For the judgment was by one to condemnation. The sentence resulting from Adam’s sin led to condemnation in hell. All sinners since Adam face the same doom.
2)         But the free gift is of many offences unto justification. God’s free gift, out of the need caused by many offences, opens the door to justification.
3)         God’s grace IS GREATER than sin’s judgment. It is so much greater that God is now able to justify a repentant sinner. He will make the sinner totally righteous. He will completely forgive him (See Ro 5:8-9). That is God’s overflowing grace!
c.          God’s grace is greater than death’s reign (v.17)
1)         Because of Adam’s sinful offence, death reigns as king. Death, physical and spiritual, became a king that no human has ever defeated.
2)         However, God’s grace offers much more. Eternal life will reign in all who receive the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness through the one Jesus Christ.
3)         Jesus destroyed the power of death. He alone can deliver us from death. (Hebrews 2:14-15) “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he [Christ] also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” (1 Corinthians 15:55-57) “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.“
Finally, God reveals…
3.        The goal of His overflowing grace
a.         He longs to solve your sin problem (v.18-19)
1)         Christ, who was totally righteous, died in your place so that He could offer you justification and eternal life. Justification is a total cleansing from all sin. He offers you a new victorious life now and an eternal life in heaven. (2 Corinthians 5:17) “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.“
2)         Christ totally obeyed the Father’s will, even to the death of the cross, so that He can make you righteous. (Philippians 2:8) “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.“
3)         Yes, He longs to remove your sin and give you eternal life.
b.         God’s grace is more than sufficient (v.20-21)
1)         Sin abounds. It exists in abundance. It reveals itself in pride, selfishness, unkindness, rebellion, disobedience, greed, bitterness and hate. Sin fragments marriages, corrupts children, destroys relationships, and embitters our hearts. It pesters us like the flies in spring. It invades our lives like weeds in our gardens. Sin is an abundant curse that we cannot eradicate.
2)         However, where sin abounds, God’s grace much more abounds. It abounds beyond measure. It overflows continually. Where sin reigns as king, God’s grace can conquer and reign through the righteousness of Christ. Where sin reigned unto death, God’s grace can reign unto eternal life.
3)         God’s overflowing grace is greater than our worst sin. God wants to fill your cup to overflowing with His grace. He will give you a new life and an eternal hope if you will repent of your sin and receive His overflowing grace.
4)         There is no sinner so “good” that he can erase his own sin. Neither is there any sinner so “bad” that God’s overflowing grace cannot wash him clean and give him eternal life.
Conclusion: Every one of us has a need for God’s overflowing grace. We are all sinners, condemned to die and doomed for hell. However, God’s overflowing grace is greater than our worst offence, it is greater than our deserved judgment, and it is greater than the eternal death we deserve. God’s goal is that every sinner might repent of his sin and receive His overflowing grace provided by Christ’s death on the cross.
            Have you personally received God’s overflowing grace? Can you recall a time when you turned from your sinful way of life and received God’s gracious gift paid for my Christ on the cross? If not, will you do so right now?
Song: Let Jesus Come Into Your Heart – 244