Dock Resource Kit
Sunday sermon, 23 February 2025
This week, Brigid spoke to us about the incredible depth of God’s grace as revealed in Romans 5:1-11. She explored what it means to be justified by faith, highlighting how we are given peace with God, hope that doesn’t disappoint, and the freedom to rejoice even in suffering. Brigid emphasised that our peace with God removes all barriers, allowing us to draw near without fear or shame. She challenged us to place our hope in God’s faithfulness, even when life is hard, and encouraged us to rejoice in God’s love, which is proven through action. We were reminded that because of Jesus, we are fully known, fully loved, and invited into a life of joy, peace, and hope.
Dock Discussion Questions
What does it mean to you to have peace with God? How does this peace impact your daily life and your relationship with others?
Brigid spoke about hope that doesn’t disappoint. How have you experienced this hope, especially in difficult seasons? Where do you find it hardest to trust in God’s promises?
Paul invites us to rejoice even in suffering. How do you reconcile this with the reality of pain and hardship? Have you experienced moments where God used pressure or suffering to grow your character?
Brigid mentioned that God has done everything necessary for us to draw close. What barriers do you still feel between you and God? How might you take a step towards deeper intimacy with Him this week?
Long-form, editted transcript
Romans Chapter 5:
What Does It Mean to Be Saved by God's Grace?
We are continuing our journey through the book of Romans. We’re in chapter five today. We started at chapter one a couple of weeks ago, and now we’ve made it to chapter five. This is part two of exploring the question: What does it mean to be saved by God's grace?
To set the scene, we’re going to hear Romans 5:1-11. Let’s listen as we read these powerful words.
Romans 5:1-11 – Justification, Peace, Hope, and Reconciliation
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while 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! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Setting the Scene: The Therefore of Romans 5
This passage begins with the word therefore. I once heard someone say, If you read ‘therefore’ in the Bible, you’re about to hear what the last section has been there for. Clever, isn’t it? I really enjoyed that.
We’re exploring Romans as one sweeping narrative. It’s important to take in the whole context, not just isolated bits. Here at the start of Romans 5, Paul shows us the consequences of everything he’s been teaching in chapters 1 to 4.
Paul has been painting a vivid picture of humanity's state. He explains that all humans were created in the image of God, loved more than we can fathom from the very beginning of creation. Yet, we resist the notion of being created. We want to play God for ourselves, resisting authority, control, and even love itself. We fail to love God and others as we were designed to do, leading to fractures and barriers – between us and others, and between us and God.
But God wasn’t content to leave things that way. God became human in Jesus to demonstrate His character. Jesus showed us that God would not stop until humanity was restored to a good relationship with Him.
The Heart of the Gospel: Forgiveness Over Condemnation
Jesus endured the cross, and it wasn’t to bring condemnation. He chose forgiveness instead. And Jesus didn’t stay dead. He rose again, showing us that the power of sin was defeated, as was the power of death.
Yes, we sin. Yes, we fall short. But we are loved by God, who refuses to let sin and brokenness have the final say. This is grace. It’s a free gift. It’s not about willpower or self-help. It’s about what God has done for us.
This truth sets us free to live the new life that God offers. And that’s what we’re exploring today: What is this new life that God offers?
There’s so much richness in this passage, but we’re going to draw out three key themes:
Peace with God
Hope in God
Boasting in God
Paul identifies these as hallmarks of the new life offered to us as redeemed people.
1. Peace with God
No Barriers
Paul says in verse one, Since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God.
Now, peace here isn’t just about a quiet night, a good book on the sofa, a sleeping baby, or switching off your phone. All of those things are wonderful, but the peace Paul is talking about is so much deeper. It’s about connection – a connection without barriers.
We were made for connection, weren’t we? We crave it. Human beings are wired for relationships, for community, for belonging. Why? Because we’re made in God’s image. And at the heart of God is connection.
God is three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – in a relationship of love and mutual enjoyment. Interdependent, interrelated, enjoying each other’s company. That’s the essence of who God is, and we were made to reflect that. We were made to be interdependent, interconnected, and to delight in one another’s company.
This includes intimacy, honest conversation, shared fears, dreams, and ideas. We crave it. And yet, isn’t it true that we also fear it? We crave connection but are terrified of vulnerability.
The Tension of Craving and Fearing Connection
Life experiences shape how we connect. If we’ve been hurt, rejected, or abandoned, we might fear that happening again. We might keep our guard up, not wanting to risk being hurt or disappointed. We live in this tension between wanting connection and fearing it.
We wonder: What if they don’t love me when they really get to know me? What if they reject my offer of connection? What if they break my trust?
So, to avoid that risk, we keep our distance. We convince ourselves it’s safer to be independent, to go it alone. We avoid vulnerability, and our connections stay on the surface.
But Paul reminds us that when it comes to God, we don’t need to carry these fears. The consequence of being justified – redeemed, set free, forgiven, accepted – is that we have peace with God.
Access to God’s Presence and Power
Paul uses language that would have resonated deeply with his first listeners. He says, Through Jesus Christ, we have gained access by faith into the grace in which we now stand. We have gained access.
For the first-century Romans hearing this, the image that would come to mind is the Jewish temple. The temple in Jerusalem was the holiest place on earth, the place where God’s presence dwelled most powerfully. But only the high priest could enter the innermost chamber – the Holy of Holies – and only once a year. Even then, he went in with a rope tied around his ankle in case the presence of God overwhelmed him and he died.
That rope was there so they could pull him out without anyone else risking entering God’s presence. It was an image of separation – God was seen as distant, far off, too holy to approach.
But Paul is saying something radical: Something has changed. Now, through Jesus’ death and resurrection, we all – anyone and everyone – have access to God’s presence and power, no matter who we are or where we are.
Jesus Changes Everything
The change is because of Jesus. He endured the cross, rose again, and ascended to heaven, and now what is true of Jesus is true of us.
This means we don’t need to be the holiest, highest-trained priest to experience God’s presence. Jesus is our High Priest.
We can draw close to God because there are no barriers between us. We can experience God’s presence and generosity as close as the air we breathe. That’s how near God is to us now.
Jesus’ Radical Inclusion and Connection
Jesus demonstrates this over and over again. In the accounts of His life, we see Him hanging out with people who were far from holy or religious. Jesus spent time with those on the margins – the tax collectors, the outcasts, the sick, the neglected, the forgotten. He sat, ate, and shared life with those everyone else avoided.
This was scandalous. Jesus, fully God, chose to spend time with the very people who were discounted by society. And by doing so, He demonstrated that no one is excluded from God’s love.
There are no longer any barriers between us and God. No need to wonder, Will God love me when He really knows me? or Will God reject me if I’m honest about who I am?
This peace with God is so profound because it’s built on God’s faithfulness, not our own.
God’s Love Is Proven Through Action
Three times in this passage, Paul reminds us that God’s love is not just words. It’s shown through action.
Verse 6: While we were still powerless, Christ died for us.
Verse 8: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Verse 10: While we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son.
Three times Paul emphasises this. Why? Because it’s at the very heart of the Gospel.
When we were at our worst, God loved us the most. When we were powerless, God’s love was strongest. When we were furthest away, God’s love drew us near.
It’s incredible to think about, isn’t it? This powerful, cosmic Creator God wants a personal relationship with each one of us – closer than our closest loved ones. It seems almost unbelievable. But this is who God is.
God’s Love Is More Than Human Love
It can be hard to grasp because we often imagine God as just a bigger, better version of ourselves. But God’s love is so much greater.
Some people say that the closest we can get to understanding God’s love is the love a parent has for a child. It’s fierce, protective, and unconditional. I can’t speak to that myself, but I am an older sibling, and the love I have for my younger siblings is fierce. I would protect them no matter what.
Think about the great loves in your life – your wedding day, the birth of a child, lifelong friendships, or those moments of instant connection with someone who just gets you. Those are beautiful, God-given loves, but Paul tells us that God’s love is even greater.
So great, in fact, that God, who is completely holy and just, cannot bear for us to be separated from Him. That’s why Jesus came – to reconcile us, to make peace between us and God.
No Barriers, No Shame, Only Peace with God
Paul wants us to understand that God has done everything necessary for us to be at peace with Him. It’s not about earning it. We don’t have peace with God because we’ve prayed enough, worked hard enough, or behaved well enough.
We have peace with God because Jesus was faithful.
Even when we’re grumpy, even when we mess up, even when we put up barriers and curl away from God – God is still faithfully loving us.
A practice that helps us remember this is confession. Each week, we confess the ways we’ve fallen short, and in doing so, we are released from shame and guilt. It creates space for God’s love to reach the parts of us that we find unlovable.
There’s a quote from Saint Ignatius: Sin is the belief that God doesn’t want our deepest happiness. Confession allows us to draw closer to God and trust that He truly wants joy and peace for us.
This is the peace Paul is talking about – deep, unshakeable peace with God.
2. Hope in God
Expectation of God’s Faithfulness
Paul goes on to say that this new life includes hope in the glory of God. Humanity is fuelled by hope. It’s what keeps us going through difficulties and challenges.
Without hope, we either fall into despair or detach from reality in denial. Neither option is healthy, and neither leads to the abundant life that Jesus offers.
But hope doesn’t ignore reality. It faces the difficulties head-on and still believes that things can change.
Hope That Doesn’t Disappoint
Paul uses the Greek word Elpis for hope, which also means expectation. It’s not just wishful thinking or blind optimism. It’s the confident expectation that God will do what He has promised.
This hope is grounded in:
The promises of God the Father, who is faithful to keep them.
The actions of Jesus the Son, who was faithful even to death on a cross.
The cross proves that God’s love is willing to go to any length to redeem us, and the resurrection proves that God has the power to make it happen. There is nothing God can’t do.
Paul says that hope does not put us to shame because God’s love is poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.
Hope in Suffering – Pressure and Perseverance
Paul takes it further, saying that we are to celebrate in our sufferings because suffering produces perseverance, perseverance produces character, and character produces hope.
This is not about glorifying suffering or suggesting that hardship is good in itself. It’s about recognising that in a broken world, suffering is inevitable, but God can use even that to transform us.
The word translated as suffering can also mean pressure. When we’re under pressure, when life is hard, God is with us, shaping us, drawing us closer to Him.
The Tension of Hope and Reality
I don’t know about you, but I find this part challenging. It’s one thing to hear about peace with God – that’s comforting and hopeful. But the idea of a hope that never disappoints feels risky.
We’ve all experienced hope that didn’t pan out – broken dreams, failed relationships, disappointments. We’ve hoped for healing that didn’t come, for opportunities that fell through.
It reminds me of one of my favourite stories in the Bible – the disciples on the road to Emmaus. They were heartbroken because they had hoped Jesus was the Messiah, but then He was crucified. They said, We had hoped… – such a crushing statement because it shows the depth of their disappointment.
Hope is risky. It’s vulnerable. But Paul isn’t talking about human hope. He’s talking about hope in God, who keeps His promises.
Hope Surprises Us
Hope doesn’t always look the way we expect. Those disciples didn’t recognise Jesus walking beside them until the end. Hope surprised them in the midst of their grief.
Maybe this hope that doesn’t disappoint is less about striving for optimism and more about being surprised by God’s presence in the hardest moments.
Hope is an encounter with God that transforms us and captivates our imagination. It leads us to live for something greater, even when it seems preposterous and impossible.
3. Boasting in God
Rejoicing in His Faithfulness
Paul uses an interesting word multiple times in this passage – boast. He says we are to boast in God, boast in the hope of the glory of God, and even boast in our sufferings.
The Greek word here is Kauchaomai, which can be translated as boast but also as rejoice. It’s not about pride or arrogance. It’s about celebration – celebrating who God is and what He has done.
Paul is reminding us that our rejoicing is not in our own ability to keep the law or be good enough. It’s about boasting in what God has done for us.
Rejoicing in Hope, Suffering, and Reconciliation
Paul gives us three places to rejoice:
Rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
Rejoice in our sufferings, because God is at work even there.
Rejoice in God through Jesus Christ, because we have received reconciliation.
This boasting is a deep, unshakeable joy rooted in the faithfulness of God. It’s not about pretending everything is okay or putting on a brave face. It’s about recognising God’s faithfulness in every circumstance.
If Jesus Is Alive, Anything Is Possible
Paul makes a powerful point in verses 9 to 11:
We were redeemed while we were still sinners.
How much more will we be saved now that Jesus is alive?
If God could accomplish so much through Jesus’ death, how much more can He accomplish now that Jesus is alive and reigning?
The word Paul uses for saved is Sozo, which means not just to save but also to heal and make whole.
This is God’s intention for us – to be healed and made whole in every area of our lives, filled with joy and able to boast in what God is doing.
An Invitation to Joy
This isn’t just about having peace or hope. Paul is inviting us to joy. Real, deep, God-given joy.
I’m reminded of a line from C.S. Lewis’ Narnia books – in the very last book, Aslan says to the children, “You don’t look as happy as I mean for you to be.”
Imagine God saying that to you today: “You don’t look as happy as I mean for you to be.”
God isn’t indifferent to your joy. God wants deep joy for you. He invites you to experience it by boasting in His goodness, by rejoicing in His faithfulness, by celebrating what He has done, is doing, and will do.
Peace, Hope, and Joy in the New Life God Offers
This is the new life God offers us by grace:
Peace with God – a connection with no barriers, no fear of rejection, just love.
Hope in God – even in suffering, because God is faithful to His promises.
Boasting in God – rejoicing in who God is and what He has done.
It’s a life of deep connection, secure hope, and abundant joy.
Drawing Close to God – An Invitation
This is just the beginning of the new life God offers us by grace. Next week, we’re going to look at how to move forward from here – what it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit and to live as the church, together.
But today, it starts here: You are set free.
You are set free from the things that enslave you, and you have peace with God. Nothing stands between you and God’s love.
A Moment of Prayer and Worship
As we pray and worship, I want to invite you to draw close to God.
Imagine yourself standing before God. I don’t know how you picture God – maybe on a throne, or in a garden, or sitting beside you on the sofa. Whatever that image is for you, picture it now.
And imagine yourself there with no barriers, no shame, no fear. There is nothing keeping you from God’s presence because Jesus has done everything necessary for you to draw close.
We’re going to worship and take communion – a symbolic act that reminds us that nothing separates us from God.
We have peace. We have hope. We have joy.
Closing Prayer
God, we come before you as those justified, set free, and redeemed by your faithfulness, Jesus.
Thank you that we can approach you boldly, that we have peace with you.
Thank you that you have declared that we can stand in your presence and receive your love and power.
God, we ask today that you draw close. Fill us with your love and your power.
For those who need hope, fill us again. Remind us of who you are.
For those who need joy, come by your Spirit and fill us with joy.
For those walking through suffering, meet us in your love. You are always faithful to your promises.
Reveal who you are making us to be, so we might reflect you more.
Come, Holy Spirit, and fill us as we worship. In Jesus’ name, Amen.