Buried in the heart of Romans 5, we find this familiar passage: “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die.”

But the chapter is also rich with reminders of everything we have gained (and will gain) through Jesus’ death on our behalf. Let’s think about those gifts as we remember His sacrifice today:

• We were justified by His blood.
• We were reconciled to God.
• We received the gift of righteousness.
• We have peace with God.
• We abound in the grace of God.
• We exult in hope of the glory of God.
• We will be saved from God’s wrath.
• We exult in our tribulations because they teach us to persevere, prove our character and give us hope.
• We will reign in life through Him.

The chapter closes with this summation: “As sin reigned in death, even so grace reigns through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Justification. Reconciliation. Righteousness. Peace. Grace. Hope. Salvation. Life.

That’s how we benefit from the death of Jesus Christ our Lord. Let us thank God for sacrificing His Son as we break the bread, the symbol of Christ’s broken body on the cross, and drink the fruit of the vine, the symbol of the blood he spilled in agony for us.