December 23 - Romans 5:6-8

December 23, 2025
December 23 - Romans 5:6-8

“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6-8).

“Is it Christmas yet?! Do we still have to wait?” My home has been ringing with these phrases for weeks! The tree is up, the stockings hung, the presents not quite wrapped. Christmas is coming! But to my kids, the wait seems endless and frustrating.

If I’m honest, I also ask “yet/still” questions of a different sort. Mine are brought on by the mundane demands of daily life or by trials that overstay their welcome. (“Is it over yet? Are we still in this same place? Is my heart still struggling with this same thing?”) I get frustrated with where I am and lose sight of God’s love for me and others.

Romans 5 sets my thoughts on the right course. My greatest “yet/still” in life was completely transformed by the cross! While I was yet weak, while I was still a sinner, while I could never be a righteous person, that was the moment Christ died for me.

When I feel stuck and begin to doubt the love of my Father, this passage gives me great courage. He did not turn away from me when I was yet weak and still a sinner. Instead, He poured out forgiveness and love. It’s the same love that He pours into my heart daily through His Word, His Spirit, and His people as I walk through the “yet/still” challenges of life. My frustration is transformed into praise because of the love of Jesus!

Hi, Northland Church. Merry Christmas. We're almost there. If you've joined us on this advent season. We've been talking about the hope, the joy, the peace, and now the love of God that he gives us not only at Christmas, but all season long. And uh, sometimes I find that my life, instead of being marked by these 4 qualities, is actually marked by their opposite. And instead of peace, I have discontent and turmoil instead of joy, I feel downcast and burdened and weary. Instead of hope, I'm discouraged and frustrated and irritated by what's not happening in my life. And instead of love, I find selfishness and pride and conceit, and everything ugly in life in my heart. And so at Christmas, um, a time that's meant to be joyful and, uh, anticipation of, of merriment and wonder, um, I find instead, the reality that my own heart is full of everything unlovely and ungodly. And we're uh, asked the question, what do we do with this? And so our scripture reading today is from the book of Romans, chapter 5 versus 6th through 8. And in these verses, God just shares amazing truth with us, truth that we need to remember that sets our hearts to think rightly about his love for us. He died for us while we were still sinners, and he shows his love for us. By not waiting for us to become righteous or godly or good, but by entering into what he knows is already unrighteous and ungodly, and not good, and transforming us from the inside out. So this Christmas, I too am learning to die, learning to die to my own self, my own way of thinking, my own way of doing things. Instead, asking God to teach me how to love him and to love others in a way that reflects his love for me. So this Christmas, I'm celebrating that I have a savior, a savior who loves me while I was still weak, while I was still a sinner, and is teaching me how to love other people in the midst of their brokenness too. I hope that you will join me in celebrating the savior and in learning to love like Christ.