Episode Transcript
Speaker 1 00:00:01 Welcome to Lent Meditation and Worship with Westside Church during this lentin season. Meet us here each day as we read scripture, worship, and rest in the presence of God together. Know that as you listen today, you are doing so with others, whether in the same places as you are not. And we pray that the Holy Spirit permeates the places we each find ourselves in right now. For more resources and to find each week's prayer and song, visit westside church.org/lent. Let us start today by clearing our minds and opening our hearts to what the Lord wants to speak to us through His word. Take a deep breath in and out and another in and out. Romans chapter five, verses 12 through 19.
Speaker 1 00:01:04 When Adam sinned, sin entered the world, Adam sin brought death. So death spread to everyone. For everyone sinned. Yes, people sinned even before the law was given, but it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break. Still everyone died from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God as Adam did. Now, Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ who was yet to come. But there is a great difference between Adam sin and God's gracious gift for the sin of this one man. Adam brought death to many, but even greater is God's wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. And the result of God's gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man sin for Adam.
Speaker 1 00:02:12 Sin led to condemnation, but God's free gift leads to our being made right with God. Even though we are guilty of many sins For the sin of this one man, Adam caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God's wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. Yes, Adam's one sin brings condemnation for everyone. But Christ's one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. Because one person disobeyed God. Many became sinners, but because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.
Speaker 1 00:03:13 Earlier this week we read the account of when sin and death entered the world through Adam and Eve. For Paul, the writer of Romans, Adam is a mirror of Jesus. Through one man, death entered the world, and through another man death was defeated. In the garden of Eden, life was perfect. We will never get a better example of what an unobstructed life with God looks like than these moments. In Genesis, everything was great. Adam and Eve had everything they could ever need, and more than that, they had perfect unity with God himself. But then Adam was disobedient and chose himself. He chose the path that would make him just like God, as the serpent said. And through that generation after generation has known death to be the reality of this life. However, and this is a huge giant, however, there was one man that in his obedience to God brought grace, forgiveness, life and the hope of living in the presence of God once again.
Speaker 1 00:04:35 In all the ways that Adam had failed, Jesus was victorious. Paul tells us no less than six times in these short verses that yes, sin, condemnation, and separation from God are our reality, but even greater is the wonderful grace and gift of forgiveness. You will. However, God gives his gift of righteousness through Jesus. Verse 19 sums it up so beautifully because one person disobeyed God. Many became sinners, but because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous. Let's pray. God of mercy, your word was the sure defense of Jesus in his time of testing. Minister to us in the wilderness of our temptation that we who have been set free from sin by Christ may serve you well into life everlasting. Amen
Speaker 3 00:05:48 Them in your heart. Thank these words at night. Let them be to you light. Then you'll be like a tree planted by peaceful streams, bearing fruit in it. Every season it you have the words of She is my confidence. Every word I, I can put my, fix it in your mind. Be kept in his perfect peace, not forgetting what he said. Let them be to you better than silver. Transforming your heart. And it is you have the words of life is my confidence. Every word you speak, I can put my I can. In the wilderness confronted with temptation, I'll remind myself the power of what is written on the mountain top. Joy is over. I'll remind myself the power of is written. Coz have the words of life and they shield around is my confidence. Every word.
