“Epic Story”
Sermon Title: Epic Story
Scripture: Romans 5:12, 18-19 ESV
Introduction
The book of Romans is one of the clearest and most powerful explanations of the gospel in all of Scripture. But it is not just giving us doctrines to understand or truths to believe—it is telling us a story, a story that we are all part of. It is the story of what went wrong in the beginning and how God has been working to make it right.
We are people who love stories. There is something about stories that draws us in because they reflect something true about our lives. Many of us, at some point, have wished that we could go back in time. We think about moments we regret, decisions we wish we could undo, words we wish we could take back, and we imagine what it would be like if we could just go back and fix it. But we all know that we cannot do that. Time moves forward, and the past cannot be changed.
But the gospel tells us something greater. God does not go back to undo the past, but He steps into history to redeem it. He does not erase what has happened, but He brings it to its proper end. He takes what was broken and makes it new. And in doing so, He tells the greatest story ever told—the story of how what was broken in the beginning is restored through Jesus Christ.
The Fall
This story begins in Genesis 3, where sin first enters the world. Adam and Eve were created by God to live in a perfect relationship with Him. They lived in a world that was whole, good, and full of life. There was no sin, no shame, no fear, and no death. Everything was as it should be.
But then the serpent comes and asks a simple question, “Did God really say?” That question plants doubt in their hearts. It causes them to question God’s goodness and His word. They look at the fruit, they see that it is desirable, and they take it and eat. In that moment, everything changes.
Sin enters the world. Their relationship with God is broken. Shame enters their hearts, and they try to cover themselves. Fear enters, and they begin to hide from God. What was once open and joyful becomes distant and broken. And death, both physical and spiritual, begins from that moment.
Romans 5:12 tells us, “sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.” Adam was not just acting for himself—he was representing all of humanity. Through his disobedience, sin and death entered the world, and it spread to every single person.
This means that the problem of sin is not just something outside of us—it is something inside of us. It is not just that we sin, but that we are sinners by nature. This is the great problem of the story. We are separated from God, we are living in a broken world, and we are under the reality of death.
The Second Adam
But even in that moment, God does not leave humanity without hope. In Genesis 3:15, God makes a promise that one day the offspring of the woman will come and crush the serpent. From the very beginning, God shows that He has a plan to deal with sin and restore what was broken.
That promise is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. John 3:16 tells us that God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have eternal life. God’s solution to sin is not temporary or partial—it is complete.
Romans 5 shows us that Jesus is the second Adam, the true and better representative of humanity. Verse 18 says, “as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.” Verse 19 continues, “by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.”
Where Adam failed, Jesus succeeds. Adam’s disobedience brought sin and death, but Jesus’ obedience brings righteousness and life. God does not simply reset the story or pretend the fall never happened. Instead, He brings the story to its turning point through Jesus.
Why the Cross?
The cross is the center of this story. It is not an accident or a tragedy that got out of control. It is the very place where God’s plan comes together.
The Bible even describes the cross as a “tree” in 1 Peter 2:24. That is not just a random detail. It connects us back to the tree in the garden. The tree in Eden was the place where sin entered and death began. But the tree of the cross becomes the place where sin is dealt with and life is given.
There are so many connections between the beginning and the cross. In the garden, Adam disobeyed God, but in another garden, Gethsemane, Jesus submits fully to the will of the Father. Adam took what was not his to take, but Jesus gives Himself freely for others. Adam hid in shame, but Jesus is exposed in shame on the cross. The curse brought thorns into the world, and those same thorns are placed on Jesus’ head as a crown. The pain, suffering, and death that came because of sin are all taken on by Christ.
Even creation reflects what is happening. When Jesus is crucified, darkness covers the land. It is as if creation itself is responding to what is taking place. This is not just another moment in history. This is the moment where sin is being judged.
At the cross, God’s justice and mercy come together. God does not ignore sin or pretend that it is not there. As a holy and righteous God, He must judge sin. But in His mercy, He takes that judgment upon Himself. Jesus stands in our place and bears the punishment that we deserve.
The Justice of God
The cross also shows us something about how God works in this world. The events leading to the crucifixion were real human actions. Judas betrayed Jesus. The religious leaders rejected Him. Pontius Pilate chose to condemn Him. These were real decisions, and each person is responsible for what they did.
And yet, Acts 2:23 tells us that all of this happened according to God’s definite plan and foreknowledge. This means that God is not surprised by sin, and He is not overcome by it. He is able to work through it without being the author of it.
The worst act in human history—the crucifixion of the Son of God—becomes the very means by which salvation is accomplished. What people intended for evil, God used for good. This shows us that God does not just defeat evil; He uses it to bring about His purposes.
Restoration
Because of what Jesus has done, the way back to God is now open. When Jesus speaks to the thief on the cross, He says, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” That word “paradise” points us back to the garden. It reminds us of what was lost in the beginning.
But now, through Jesus, that is being restored.
Revelation 22 gives us a picture of the end of the story, where the tree of life appears again and God dwells with His people. The story comes full circle. What was lost is not just recovered—it is restored in an even greater way.
The Church
If this is the story that God is telling, then this is the life we are called to live. We are not called to pretend that everything is fine or to hide our struggles. We bring our sin and brokenness into the light.
But we do not do this with condemnation. We do it with grace, humility, and love. The church is not a place where perfect people gather—it is a place where broken people are being made new through Jesus Christ.
We do not ignore sin, but we also do not use it to tear people down. We confront sin so that there can be restoration, and we continually point one another to the finished work of Christ.
Where Adam brought ruin, Jesus brings restoration. Where sin brought death, Christ brings life. And through Him, what was broken in the beginning is being made new.
So we are not just observers of this story—we are part of it. We are a people redeemed by the blood of Christ, called to live for Him. Let us not remain on the sidelines, but respond with our whole lives to what Christ has done, because Christ has died, Christ is risen, and in Him, all things are being made new.
