Yeah, Romans. We don't actually land here too often at ReNew.

We'll start with One. Because that's where Paul starts. One moment. One decision. One human being. Adam. Through one, sin enters, fracture enters, death enters. From one to many. So it seems like we're not talking about personal failure here. We're talking about something larger. More like a current - a flow - a ripple that keeps rippling. Paul isn't saying, "Shame on you." He's saying, "Look around. This is how the world works. Something is off. We all feel it."

Then Paul pivots away from Adam and on to Jesus. There's another One, and this time it's Jesus. If one can tilt the world towards death, then another one can tilt the world towards life. That's Jesus. Grace is stronger than failure. Love is a bigger flex than hate. The Grace of Jesus. It doesn't just forgive, it overflows. Grace isn't fragile. It's aggressive. It's persistent. It's relentless. God didn't leave humanity in the death that Adam brought. God came after us in the person of Jesus; through his birth, life, death, and resurrection he showed us what it looks like to be human. He showed us that love is the strongest thing the universe has ever seen. God came after us in Jesus.

This shouldn't surprise us; the scriptures are filled with stories about God coming after humanity. This isn't about life after death, it's about what's happening now, it's about life now. Our choices matter. Our lives ripple with grace if we let them.

The question isn't, "Am I guilty? Am I saved? Will I go to heaven after I die?" The question is, "In what current am I swimming?" Or, even better, "What current is my life creating?" Again, grace doesn't just forgive. It transforms. It recreates. It helps us live into and create a better world.

Speaker: Aaron Vis

Scripture: Romans 5:12-21

http://bible.com/events/49569376