Because of Calvary

The message was brought by Rev. Cody Boone on May 18, 2025.

The scripture reference for the message is Romans 5:1-22.

Millions know the name of Jesus, but Calvary lets us meet him.  You can have an encounter with him.  In the Old Testament, Moses had an encounter through a burning bush; the three Hebrews had an encounter in the fiery furnace.  In the New Testament a tax collector named Levi (Matthew) had an encounter. Jesus said “follow me” and he left his booth and followed him.  Simple fisherman heard the call from Jesus “follow me” and they left their nets and followed him.  They all encountered Jesus.  An encounter with Jesus changes you.  Saul thought he was doing the Lord’s work in persecuting, arresting and killing Christians until he had an encounter with the Lord on the Damascus Road.  He asked “Lord, what would you have me to do?” That encounter changed Paul’s life.

The world doesn’t mind hearing of/about Jesus, but the question we need to ask is what Paul asked:  “what would you have me do?”  As Christians, we have received him as Lord. We’re following him as Master. We serve one, the eternal Lord. An encounter with Jesus puts you under new management, not self but the Lord.  How can we honor him?  Obedience.  Following. Serving. He gave his life. Our response should be as stated in Romans 12:1 “present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service”.  Are you saved?  The only response we give is to give our life to him.  He knows the worst about us and still loves us the most.

Because of Calvary anyone can have an encounter with Jesus Christ. The thief on the cross encountered him in his dying breath. He called him Lord; he realized who Jesus was. Calvary is the intimate encounter that changes your life. We have access to God, one-on-one with the Son of God.  Without Calvary, this is impossible. Because of Calvary, it is possible. The Bible says the Lord himself gave us a sign:  he was born of a virgin; his name was to be called Jesus, Emmanuel….GOD WITH US.  Our sins can be forgiven because of Calvary.

In one man–ADAM–we all die. He sinned and that disobedience passed a death sentence to the human race.  In one man–JESUS–we all can be made alive.  Through the obedience of Christ, he went to the cross and purged our sins.  Jesus proclaimed the process complete when he said, “It is finished”.  The work was done. Jesus is no longer working toward it. He’s done and sitting at the right hand of God.  Only because of Calvary.  We need to be reminded of the sacrifice God made for us.  Our sins are forgiven and forgotten.  He remembers them no more.  We’ve been changed and made whole. We were born again by the blood of Jesus Christ.  Old things are passed away and now all things in Christ become new.

The cross is the dividing line. It separates us from the world.  We go about our lives. We live, raise our kids, pay our taxes, but Calvary is the line. We are in this world but not of this world.  Don’t walk and talk like the world. A friend of the world is an enemy of God.  Our life should mirror Christ.  This is between you and God alone. You must choose, but you cannot love God and love the world.  God gave the very best when Jesus was born.  He’s the very best Messiah, the only one, and the world killed him.  BUT he’s alive forevermore.

Start a new life in Jesus Christ.  The Holy Spirit helps us as he guides us to all truth.  Our new life comes with an instruction manual:  the Holy Bible.  It’s the manual for life. A renewed mind allows us to think like Christ and then we begin day by day acting like Christ.  Live out Christ in your everyday life.  It’s possible because of Calvary.