Bible Passage: Romans 5:6-11
Pastor: Joel Jenswold
Sermon Date: November 2, 2025

Bulletin – November 2, 2025

In the name of, and to the eternal glory of, Jesus,

Crucifixion was meant to be a display.  It was intended to be a display of Roman power and might.  It was meant to be a display of Roman justice and judgment.  It was meant to put the crucified on display.  Crucifixions were done publicly in public places.  The crucified person was lifted high so all could see.  The crucified was stripped bare and exposed for all to see.  It was designed to be a display of pain and suffering and shame.  God’s Son, our Savior, was crucified.

But while the Romans wanted to put Jesus on display for all the wrong reasons, something else was on display when Jesus was crucified.  God’s love was on full display!  This is the point the apostle Paul wants to make in our text for today.  God demonstrates his own love for us in this:  while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (v. 8)  Just the way a jeweler might display a beautiful pearl on black velvet, so God displayed the Pearl of Great Price against the black sky of Calvary!  And there we see God’s Love on Full Display.

There are a number of things about the cross that make this display so breathtaking.  The first is mentioned in the opening verse of our text.  Paul wrote, You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. (v. 6)  Christ’s death on the cross was at just the right time.  Why?  Why was 30ish A.D. “just the right time”?  God could have had Eve give birth to the Christ-Child and he could have displayed his love one generation into world history.  God could have determined to send his Son into the world this week and have him born at the birthing center at St. Mary’s or Meriter downtown.  Why then?  Why Mary?  Why four millennia after the Fall into sin?  Why Calvary?  Why on a Friday?  Because the God who orders and arranges all things perfectly determined that “there” and “then” was “just the right time” to display his love!

But there is more to this display that arrests us.  It is the “for whom” Christ died!  Paul says, Christ died for us (v. 8).  But look at the words Paul uses to describe “us.”  Powerless (v. 6).  Ungodly (v. 6).  Sinners (v. 8).  God’s enemies (v. 10).   Not a very flattering picture of us, is it?  Honestly, who could have blamed God if he would simply have said to humanity, “You go to hell”?  Instead God says, “I will send my Son to die for them.”  Who does that?  Pretty much no one!  Paul makes that point in our text when he says, Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. (v. 7)  The word in our text “very rarely” could also be translated “just barely.”  It just “barely happens” in human experience that someone is willing to die for a good man.  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:  While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (v. 8)  The cross of Jesus is a display of love this world has never known!  We heard the prophet Micah say in our Old Testament reading today, Who is a God like you? (Micah 7:18)  Who, indeed!

This display of God’s love has an impact on your life right now.  We have now been justified by his blood. (v. 9)  God looks at his Son on the cross.  He sees the blood trickling from his head, his hands, his side.  He “hears” the blood of Jesus flowing from his head, his hands, his side.  It is speaking a better word than the blood of Abel (Hebrews 12:24) which cried out to God for vengeance.  “But the blood of Jesus, for our pardon cries.” (CW 103:4)  The Father speaks his word of pardon to you, “By the blood of Jesus, you are not guilty!”

Our relationship with God has been changed!  Whereas we were God’s enemies (v. 10), now Paul says we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son. (v. 10)  Reconciled!  What the angels sang about when Jesus was born, Peace on earth (Luke 2:14) has come to pass with the cross of Christ!  That display of love on Calvary is God’s great, “Shalom!” to the world!  God and you are friends again, thanks to Jesus.

This display means you have a glorious future!  Paul loves to speak in terms of “how much more.”  Listen again to verses 9-10:  Since we have now been justified by his blood, HOW MUCH MORE shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!  For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, HOW MUCH MORE, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!  Paul speaks of “God’s wrath.”  Those really are terrifying words!  God is angry because of sin.  In chapter 1 of Romans Paul wrote, The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men. (1:18)  We shouldn’t think that God in heaven doesn’t know the wild rebellion of humanity down here!  He sees it all!  And he’s not happy!

The inspired prophets and apostles who wrote this book spoke of a “day of wrath” that is coming.  It is the final day of this world’s history.  Revelation 6 describes it this way:  Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains.  They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!  For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” (Revelation 6:15-17)  Who can stand the day of wrath?  Those who have seen and believe the full display of God’s love!

There is one more place the cross of Jesus will be on display.  Paul says,  Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (v. 11)  We boast of God’s love in Christ!  We are proud of God’s love and Jesus’ cross!  We want others to know what we, by God’s grace, have come to know!  This wonderful truth:  God demonstrates his love for us in this:  While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  Go, boast about this love and Christ’s cross!

Amen.