Scripture Text:

Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only [so], but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad (poured out) in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. 6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

1. We have received peace with Him. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ… Once we were against God, but now we are with him and he is with us. If God be for us who can be against us. Now we are on the same side with him. All those who have believed him and received him are altogether his sons and daughters. John 1:12
2. We have received access to his grace. By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, His amazing grace is what continues to sustain us and enable us to walk in this world with Him. Grace is receiving that free gift from him, which we don't deserve. This free gift provides for us the payment for our sin, which makes us able to stand in his presence. Come and stand in the presence of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Come to stand in his presence because he gives you a free ticket that allows you. Come because you can.
3. We have received joy in the hope of His glory. and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. We rejoice because of the glory of God that we share in. We know that we have hope now and forever because Christ has died for us. We know that we have him in our hearts. We know that we are alive forever more. We know that He gives us his glory that he has had from the beginning.

A few years ago the psychology department of Duke University carried on an interesting experiment. They wanted to see how long rats could swim. In one container they placed a rat for whom there was no possibility of escape. He swam a few moments and then ducked his head to drown. In the other container they made the hope of escape possible for the rat. The rat swam for several hours before finally drowning. The conclusion of the experiment was just the opposite of our common conclusion. We usually say, "As long as there is life, there is hope." The Duke experiment proved, "As long as there is hope, there is life."

-- Bruster & Dale, How to Encourage Others

4. We have received glory in tribulation. And not only [so], but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: We don't have gloom, despair, and agony to endure. But, we can rejoice through tribulation because of the joy that we know that is ours in Christ. Heb. 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. The principle for our lives is that all true joy (lasting) comes through tribulation. There is no short cut to heaven. We have to come his way or no way. John 6:14 Because we have tribulation then we can have patience/ endurance. The Christian life is a life long race more like a cross-country marathon than it is a sprint. I always liked the sprints because of the short amount of pain one had to endure. We will suffer tribulation in this world looking forward to the life in the world to come. Jesus says for us to take up our cross and follow him. This is not an easy life but it is a life full of joy. Once we have had to endure then we can experience have the character/experience that brings the hope that spoke of earlier.

C.S. Lewis likened God's use of adversity to walking a dog. If the dog gets its leash wrapped around a pole and tries to continue running forward, he will only tighten the leash more. Both the dog and the owner are after the same end, forward motion, but the owner must resist the dog by pulling him opposite the direction he wants to go. The master, sharing the same intention but understanding better than the dog where he really wants to go, takes an action precisely opposite to that of the dog's will. It is in this way that God uses adversity.

A young man, a Christian, went to an older believer to ask for prayer. "Will you please pray that I may be more patient?" he asked. The aged saint agreed. They knelt together and the man began to pray, "Lord, send this young man tribulation in the morning; send this young man tribulation in the afternoon; send this young man...." At that point the young Christian blurted out, "No, no, I didn't ask you to pray for tribulation. I wanted you to pray for patience." "Ah," responded the wise Christian, "it's through tribulation that we learn patience."

In the pictures of the ancient Roman method of threshing grain, one man is always seen stirring up the sheaves while another rides over them in a crude cart equipped with rollers instead of wheels. Sharp stones and rough bits of iron were attached to these cylinders to help separate the husks from the grain. This simple cart was called a tribulum -- from which we get our word "tribulation." When great affliction comes to us, we often think of ourselves as being torn to pieces under the cruel pressures of adverse circumstances. Yet as no thresher ever yoked up his tribulum for the mere purpose of tearing up his sheaves but to disclose the precious grain, so our loving Savior never puts us under the pressure of sorrow and disappointment needlessly.

5. We have received his Holy Spirit. And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad (poured out) in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. I Cor. 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost [which is] in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? We have received God himself who comes to live within us. He will go where you go. He will see what you see. He will hear what you say and do what you do. He unites himself with us as we choose to unite ourselves with him. God is not only with us, but now he is within us.
6. We have received God's Love. We have all of this because of one simple fact. Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. He didn't love us because we were lovable. We were his enemies. We crucified him. We stoned his prophets and preachers with stones, words, and evil actions. We rejected him time and time again. But, he had patience with us. Now he gives that same love to us so that we can give it/Him to others, because God is love, I John 4:8. His unconditional acceptance of us is given to us so that we may give his unconditional acceptance to others. So that, we may give him to others.

During the Civil War in the United States, a farmer named Blake was drafted as a soldier. He was deeply concerned about leaving his family, because his wife had died and there would be no one to support and take care of his children in his absence. The day before he was to leave for the army, his neighbor Charlie Durham came to visit him. "Blake," he said, "I've been thinking. You're needed here at home, so I've decided to go in your place." The farmer was so overwhelmed that a few moments he was speechless. The offer seemed too good to be true. He grasped the hand of the young man and praised God for this one who was willing to go as his substitute. Charlie went to the front-lines and performed his duties nobly. But sad to say, he was shot and killed in the first battle. When the farmer heard the news, he immediately saddled his horse and rode out to the battlefield. After searching for some time, he found the body of his friend. He arranged to have it buried in the churchyard near the spot where they had often stopped to talk after the services. On a piece of marble he carved an inscription with his own hands. It was roughly done, but with every blow of the hammer on the chisel tears fell from his eyes. He placed the marker on the grave of his devoted substitute. Many villagers wept as they read the brief but touching inscription: HE DIED FOR ME.