we-are-the-championsINTRODUCTION

In 1977, the rock group, Queen, introduced a song to the world.  This song has gone on to become one of the most recognized songs in history.  You will hear it played at almost any sporting event to celebrate the victory of a team.  The song is “We Are the Champions.”

This morning, we are going to begin a new series that I am calling “We Are the Champions.”  Romans 8:37 says, “No, in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us.”  Through the work of our Lord Jesus Christ, He has made us champions. Over the next four weeks, we are going to look at a couple of things that Christ has made us champions over.

We are going to begin our journey by looking at how Jesus Christ has made us champions over sin.

WHAT IS SIN?

Sin is one of those words that is used frequently, but sometimes people have a hard time defining it.  In short, sin is the breaking of God’s commands.  The holy God of the universe has set up standards that all of creation are supposed to go by.  Sin happens when creation decides on its own free will to go against those commands.

THE BEGINNINGS OF SIN IN MANKIND

We see in Genesis 3 that sin came to mankind in the Garden of Eden.  This seems strange to me because in the Garden there was just one man  (Adam) and one woman (Eve).  They had everything that a person could dream.  The entire created world was theirs to enjoy.  The only forbidden thing was one tree in the Garden.  We see that through the cunning words of Satan, Adam and Eve broke the one rule that was given to them.

THE UNIVERSAL NATURE OF SIN

Romans 5:12 tells us, “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all men, because all sinned.”  Every single human being since Adam and Eve have been carrying a spiritual disease within themselves – it is called sin.  The act of Adam in the Garden instilled within each human being a tendency to rebel against the ways of God.

Romans 3:9-12

This sin nature within us causes us to go in the opposite direction of God.  We all are prone to it.  The Bible says that not one person seeks after God on their own.   There have been good people in the world, but at the center of every heart is this longing to rebel against our Creator.

THE EFFECTS OF SIN

Romans 3:13-18 shows us some of the effects that sin has on a person’s life.

  • Their language is filled with venom  – cursing and bitterness (v 13-14)
  • Their actions are hateful (v 15-16)
  • There is no peace (v 17)
  • There is no fear of God (v 18)

Romans 6:23 shows an even more dreadful effect on each person’s life.

  • Death – both physical and spiritual

THE DEFEAT OF DEATH

With all that we have talked about so far, it seems to be a very bleak picture.  We see from God’s word that we are all infected with this sin and guilty before God.  But there is hope.  God in His amazing graceful manner has chosen to provide a remedy.  That remedy was the cross of Calvary.

Romans 3:23-26

  • This remedy for sin came from the gracious heart of God (v 24)
  • Jesus’ sacrifice was a propitiation – a substitute that appeased the needed judgment

Through the sacrifice of Jesus upon the cross, a way to be made right with God has come!  Our part is to recognize that we in ourselves cannot do anything about our sin and come to Jesus by faith and allow Him to wash our sins away by His blood.

This cleansing that Christ provides is one that will last for eternity.  He takes the guilt of our sins away and replaces it with the Holy Spirit who lives inside of us and gives us the ability to live according to God’s plans instead of in opposition to them.

CONCLUSION

The question of the hour is who is paying for your sins?  The price has to be paid by someone.  Either we choose to come to Jesus by faith and give our lives to Him allowing Him to pay for our sins, or we once again turn from God and pay for them ourselves.  The choice is up to us.