Article

 Sam Ferrell - March, 2025

Romans 5:6-11 ESV - For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person--though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die-- but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

All of us have terms to describe something that blows our mind.

“That’s crazy!”

“That’s unheard of!”

“That blows my mind!”

“That’s incredible!”

You find out school is cancelled again, and you say “You’ve gotta be kidding me!”

When something catches us off guard, our usual response is to be shocked and act surprised. 

When we walk in a straight line and somebody nudges us into another direction, we get confused with a startled look on our face. But once we walk through a large crowd, with pushes and shoves coming from every direction, we become desensitized to anything that hits us. Someone might be trying to tap you on the shoulder or get your attention in some way, but you can’t notice: there’s too many distractions to keep you from making that connection.

Sometimes, that’s how I feel with my Bible: too much is going on, so many influences are trying to get my attention, and the words just aren’t jumping off the page. Shouldn’t this book be speaking to me? What am I doing wrong? 

This book, the Bible, has been shouting for 2000 years, but the world has been getting louder every single day! The Bible has been telling us about the most amazing, counter-culture event that changed the course of history, but so many have allowed it to be overshadowed by what the world has to offer.

God did the Unthinkable! But, have we become desensitized to it!?

Right now, I want us to clear our heads and listen to what the Word has to say. Being sensitive to the Spirit is about blocking out the noise of the World and letting the Word be our central focus.

These words in Romans chapter 5 speak loud and clear, but are we really listening? Are we grasping what they’re showing?

The first thing we see in this passage is that . . .

1. The Strong Died For The Weak

Romans 5:6 ESV - For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

“Weak” in this verse is used to describe the inability to live up to God’s standard. As human beings, it is impossible to please God within ourselves when we are separated from Christ. The weakness of our sinful flesh prohibited us from doing anything good. The Bible tells us just how bad our weakness is:

Romans 3:10 ESV - as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one. . ."

This weakness and inability is expressed through the constant urge to disobey God. When God is not in the equation, our sinful flesh motivates us to disobey Him. Over and over, we willingly disobeyed, we willingly gave up our relationship with God, we willingly turned from doing anything good, but Christ loves us. 

Christ loves you too much to have forsaken the agony of the cross: He saw you in your weak state, and said “It’s worth it.” Now, He’s telling all of us:

2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV - “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

Our flesh is weak, but the Spirit of God is willing to do whatever it takes to retain our relationship with Him.

That’s unheard of!

The second thing we learn from this passage is that . . .

2. The Most Righteous Man Died For The Most Wicked People

Romans 5:7-8 ESV - For one will scarcely die for a righteous person--though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die-- but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Human beings don’t just volunteer themselves to die for you. Suffering isn’t pleasant, and death is not a thing to be desired. You’d have to be insane to think that any one of us is actually “to die for!” No one is going to willingly punish themselves for your sake. No one, except for one man: Jesus Christ. 

We’ve all made mistakes, we’ve all done wrong, and we’re all deserving of punishment, but none of us have to face this punishment! Doesn’t that knock your socks off?

This one man, Jesus could not have been any more righteous and undeserving of punishment, yet He was punished. 

Why?

Isaiah 53:4-6 ESV - Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned--every one--to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

You want to know why Jesus suffered on the cross? Look in the mirror.

What kind of man endures the cross for the sake of us wicked and feeble humans in order to have a relationship with Him? Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God.

How many kings step down from their thrones?

How many lords have abandoned their homes?

How many greats have become the least?

How many gods have poured out their hearts

To romance a world that is torn all apart?

How many fathers gave up their sons for me?

Only one did that for me!

Jesus Christ bearing our punishment on the Cross was God’s way of saying “I love you.” 

That’s incredible!

The final thing this passage shows to us is that . . .

3. God Gave Unfaithful Humans a Second Chance

Romans 5:9-11 ESV - Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

We don’t deserve a thing, but God loves us. 

Is the world too loud to let that sink into us?

God didn’t return to us what we are, He gave us what His Son is: powerful, unchanging, eternal LIFE!

We deserve the silent treatment after what we’ve done towards God, but what does He give us? Reconciliation: a completely restored relationship with Him. What does He do to us? Justification: making it just as if we’ve never sinned.

Our God is a just God, and sin cannot be dismissed. . . but God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life!

Someone has taken my place on death row, and yet I sometimes treat it like it’s just dust in the wind! “God, forgive me for not realizing, each and every day, just how much you had to do in order to show your love to me.”

God has given everyone a second chance to experience His love and be reconciled to Him.

John 15:13 ESV - Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

That blows my mind!

In Conclusion:

God has done it all for you and me through His Son, Jesus Christ. Something I want you to notice is this: Christ died while we were yet sinners, not when we were righteous. Christ didn’t die for us when we were on our best behavior: He died for us when we were weak. He didn’t give His life for us when we were in the family of God: He gave His life when we were estranged.

Are you feeling weak?

Is the world distracting you from God’s Word?

Do you feel distant from God?

Is your walk with God holding up?

I have good news: Christ died for you, and that’s Unthinkable!