Sermon
Text: Romans 5:12-19
Title: “Adam and the Greater Adam.”
I. Adam was a man who sinned and fell from
God.
II.The Greater Adam was the Son of Man who
did not sin and ascended to God.SIN CAME INTO THE WORLD THROUGH ADAM,
AND SALVATION FOR THE WORLD CAME INTO THE WORLD THROUGH THE GREATER ADAM, JESUS CHRIST.
In
the name of the Father and the Son + and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Grace,
mercy, and peace from God our Father, and from our LORD and Savior Jesus
Christ. Amen.
The
sermon text for this Sunday, is taken from the epistle lesson just read. I would read again these verses…
18 Therefore, as one
trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to
justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man’s disobedience the
many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made
righteous.
Dear
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I.
Out with the old and
in with the new.
We’ve all heard it whether it was a garage sale, a new hairstyle or new clothes.
This phrase reminds me of the old cartoons when Tweety has saved Sylvester from
drowning and he is pumping Sylvester's legs saying out with the old and in with the new.
Our
Catechism speaks of this getting rid of the old and bringing in the new. Only
in this case it is getting rid of a condition and bringing in a new condition. Martin
Luther speaks of this concept in this way…
Baptism
signifies that the Old Adam in us should, by daily contrition and repentance be
drowned and die with all sins and evil lusts and, again, a new man daily come
forth and arise, who shall live before God in righteousness and purity forever.
What
in the world is Luther talking about here. Did Luther write this after having
one too many Meister Braus? Is he off his rocker? What’s he getting at and
where is he getting it?
Look
no further than our text today. Although this explanation of Luther found in
the Catechism sites Romans six as the source of his clarification on Baptism,
the concept of the two Adams clearly comes from this section of Romans that is
our text today.
So
let us begin at the beginning which means going all the way back to the Old
Testament reading for today. There in Genesis three is an important part of
Holy Scripture, where we see the fall into sin. There in the Garden we see in vast
detail man’s leap into sin – choosing himself over GOD. Adam follows his own heart
rather than the LORD’S Law. He chooses to give into his own lusts rather than treasure
the will of GOD. What follows is the revealing of the consequences, first to
the serpent, then to Eve, and lastly to Adam, the one with whom God’s covenant
had been made.
Here
as GOD is pronouncing judgment we see for the first time the story of the two
Adams. We see that first glimmer of what is to come – another Adam Who will set
things right.
Then
you have our Gospel lesson where Jesus – this one who is said to be the Messiah,
the very Son of the Most High – is being tempted in the wilderness by none
other than that old serpent from the Garden. Time after time Jesus resists the
devil by turning to the Word of GOD. The devil knows he’s up against it and
flees the scene leaving Jesus to be cared for by angels from Heaven.
Jesus
has passed the test set before Him by the Father. For in the wilderness – and
truly all through His earthly life – Jesus was enduring His own personal Garden
of Eden, being tested just like Ada – just like you and I. Truthfully Satan’s
words aren’t all that from Adam to Jesus. Satan is appealing to a base desire
of man – his stomach. For Adam it was the
forbidden and for Jesus it was bread in the stones around Him. This is where
the Great Deceiver goes to get Adam, and it is the first place that old rascal
goes with Jesus. The temptations are very similar – but the similarities end
here, for the outcomes are is dissimilar as they come. Jesus resists the devil trickery
where Adam did not.
So
what does all of this have to do with our sermon text today? A lot. In his letter to the Romans St. Paul begins
at the beginning like we have done today. He takes them to the Garden of Eden
and presents his case much like a lawyer would in a court of law. Here he
parades Adam in front of the church at Rome and says, “Guilty as charged.” He then goes on to explain why. St. Paul says…
Therefore, just as
sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death
spread to all men because all sinned… Romans 5:12
Then
St. Paul leads in the Greater Adam – Christ Himself – and says, “Innocent.” And
then he goes on to explain why.
For if many died
through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift
by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16 And the free
gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following
one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses
brought justification. 17 If, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned
through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace
and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus
Christ.
And
then St. Paul says something unexpected – he tells them that this Greater Adam –
Jesus – although He is innocent, nevertheless He dies. And then explains that
this is necessary for the salvation of the world. For St. Paul writes…
18 Therefore, as one
trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to
justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man’s disobedience the
many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made
righteous.
In
the death of this Innocent Man Christ was saving the world. He was making the
disobedient obedient, and the unrighteous righteous. He was making
sinners into saints through His
suffering, death and resurrection.
Jesus
is the Greater Adam the one spoken of and promised by God to Adam and Eve. And
that death was not only promised for Adam and Eve – it was promised for you and
for me. We too are in need of saving for
our text doesn’t only condemn Adam, but you and me too, for all have sinned.
II.
St.
Paul wrote to that church in Rome to convince them that they were sinners and
that they were in need of the blood of Christ in their lives for their
salvation and though the letter was addressed to the Church at Rome, God saw
fit to make sure the world heard this letter.
For in this letter are words of forgiveness, life and salvation. In this
letter is the love of the LORD not just for a select few – but all
mankind.
There
is another Garden of Eden moment for Jesus – in the Garden of Gethsemane. Here
Jesus prays for another way to do His Father’s work pf salvation – truly the
Father’s will. But Jesus follows that up with – ‘not My will but Thy will
Father’ – and in that moment chases away the devil and his tempting spirit for
the last time. Jesus chose to go the road of the cross – the road of torture
and suffering – with you in mind – not just mankind but you specifically in
mind. He chose you and not Himself – out of love. He is the Greater Adam indeed
– choosing the will of the Father in all things.
And
through the gifts sent by the Father above we are given this forgiveness earned
for us on the cross. One such gift is the gift of Holy Baptism – which brings
us back to our Catechism and Martin Luther and this idea of two Adams. The Old
Adam in us is drowned through the miraculous waters of Holy Baptism, both on
the day of Baptism and each and every day thereafter.
Therefore if anyone
is in Christ he is a new creation, the old has gone the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17
Out
with the old and in with the new? Absolutely! Amen.
The
Peace of the LORD – which surpasses all understanding – will guard your hearts
and minds in Christ Jesus the Light of the world. Amen.
+ Soli Deo Gloria +
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