Perfect Timing
By Rev. Heidi L. Barham | March 8, 2026
Click here to listen to the service
Read Romans 5:1 – 11 (NIV)
If you ever talk to a comedian or some other theatrical performer, they will tell you that timing is everything when it comes to delivering the punchline to a joke or the dramatic line that creates that poignant moment in a particular scene of a movie, a play or TV show... it is all about that PERFECT TIMING.
Now, have you noticed how it seems like the Internet and our email inboxes, as well as our text messages and social media feeds, are being flooded with news updates on what feels like a moment-by-moment basis? It’s why I don’t have the notifications turned on... because all those updates are just too distracting.
The rapid-fire changes that are happening are enough to make your head spin... or at the very least swivel back and forth as if there was a tennis match going on as we try to keep up with everything that is happening... we barely have time to breathe, much less, respond to one thing before the next thing begins calling for our attention.
But on this third Sunday in the season of Lent... as we remained focused on the events leading up to Christ’s death on that cross at Calvary... these verses from Paul’s letter to the Romans remind us that everything that happened then... as well as everything that we see taking place right now... is all happening in accordance with God’s PERFECT TIMING.
Now, it is no secret that the world, as we know it, is in a state of upheaval... the likes of which most of us have never seen before.
And while there are those who might contend that this is all about the distraction... the families and loved ones of the children as well as US service members who have died in just this past week might beg to differ with them.
And while this is probably not the last military conflict we will encounter... it is certainly one that ought to serve as a wake-up call for all of us. As Christians, we have a unique opportunity... as well as the responsibility... to be the beacon of light and hope that God calls us to be in a dark and dying world.
As we watch events unfolding... and we hear false claims being uttered... we can offer words of hope and encouragement for people to turn to the True and Living God... and we can rest assured that none of what we are witnessing has caught God by surprise. And when all is said and done... God will be glorified... and it will be according to His PERFECT TIMING.
So, let’s turn our attention to our New Testament lesson to see what Paul has to say to us in the midst of these challenging times.
In the first verse of our text, Paul writes, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ…”
It is because of Christ’s sacrifice for us that we can have peace with God... even in the midst of circumstances and situations that are far from peaceful.
Perhaps you will agree that there is much that is happening around the world and right here at home that most people would describe as not being peaceful.
One of the problems that arises, in what feels like a perpetual election season... is how easily people lose sight of the concept of civility. Rather than simply agree to disagree, people on all sides of the political spectrum go out of their way to try to destroy their opponents with words and actions that do nothing that promotes peace or encourages unity.
And things have only gotten worse as people find ways to politicize pretty much EVERYTHING that happens. But thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ... even in that... we have the promise of the peace of God that surpasses all understanding.
Now, the next verse of the text tells us that through our Lord Jesus Christ, “we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.”
Although it is not normally a socially acceptable thing to boast... when we are able to “boast in the hope of the glory of God,” it is more than acceptable – it is expected.
As people of faith, we can and should be the voice of calm and reason in the midst of life’s storms... because rather than placing our trust in the systems of this world... we put our trust in the Lord our God.
In Psalm 20 (6-7), the Psalmist David wrote:
Read Romans 5:1 – 11 (NIV)
If you ever talk to a comedian or some other theatrical performer, they will tell you that timing is everything when it comes to delivering the punchline to a joke or the dramatic line that creates that poignant moment in a particular scene of a movie, a play or TV show... it is all about that PERFECT TIMING.
Now, have you noticed how it seems like the Internet and our email inboxes, as well as our text messages and social media feeds, are being flooded with news updates on what feels like a moment-by-moment basis? It’s why I don’t have the notifications turned on... because all those updates are just too distracting.
The rapid-fire changes that are happening are enough to make your head spin... or at the very least swivel back and forth as if there was a tennis match going on as we try to keep up with everything that is happening... we barely have time to breathe, much less, respond to one thing before the next thing begins calling for our attention.
But on this third Sunday in the season of Lent... as we remained focused on the events leading up to Christ’s death on that cross at Calvary... these verses from Paul’s letter to the Romans remind us that everything that happened then... as well as everything that we see taking place right now... is all happening in accordance with God’s PERFECT TIMING.
Now, it is no secret that the world, as we know it, is in a state of upheaval... the likes of which most of us have never seen before.
And while there are those who might contend that this is all about the distraction... the families and loved ones of the children as well as US service members who have died in just this past week might beg to differ with them.
And while this is probably not the last military conflict we will encounter... it is certainly one that ought to serve as a wake-up call for all of us. As Christians, we have a unique opportunity... as well as the responsibility... to be the beacon of light and hope that God calls us to be in a dark and dying world.
As we watch events unfolding... and we hear false claims being uttered... we can offer words of hope and encouragement for people to turn to the True and Living God... and we can rest assured that none of what we are witnessing has caught God by surprise. And when all is said and done... God will be glorified... and it will be according to His PERFECT TIMING.
So, let’s turn our attention to our New Testament lesson to see what Paul has to say to us in the midst of these challenging times.
In the first verse of our text, Paul writes, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ…”
It is because of Christ’s sacrifice for us that we can have peace with God... even in the midst of circumstances and situations that are far from peaceful.
Perhaps you will agree that there is much that is happening around the world and right here at home that most people would describe as not being peaceful.
One of the problems that arises, in what feels like a perpetual election season... is how easily people lose sight of the concept of civility. Rather than simply agree to disagree, people on all sides of the political spectrum go out of their way to try to destroy their opponents with words and actions that do nothing that promotes peace or encourages unity.
And things have only gotten worse as people find ways to politicize pretty much EVERYTHING that happens. But thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ... even in that... we have the promise of the peace of God that surpasses all understanding.
Now, the next verse of the text tells us that through our Lord Jesus Christ, “we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.”
Although it is not normally a socially acceptable thing to boast... when we are able to “boast in the hope of the glory of God,” it is more than acceptable – it is expected.
As people of faith, we can and should be the voice of calm and reason in the midst of life’s storms... because rather than placing our trust in the systems of this world... we put our trust in the Lord our God.
In Psalm 20 (6-7), the Psalmist David wrote:
Now this I know: The Lord gives victory to his anointed. He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary with the victorious power of his right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
So, when anyone asks how we can stay calm and peaceful when the rest of the world seems to be in a perpetual tailspin... we can explain that because of our faith... we can trust that God’s grace will see us through even these difficult times.
Because one thing is for sure... in this life we will continually face difficult times. But our hardships do not have to define us. In reality, they should refine us, as we put our hope in the only One who is able to bring us through the hardships and challenges we face.
And that is why we read in the next verses of the text:
Because one thing is for sure... in this life we will continually face difficult times. But our hardships do not have to define us. In reality, they should refine us, as we put our hope in the only One who is able to bring us through the hardships and challenges we face.
And that is why we read in the next verses of the text:
…we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Or as we read from the Message Paraphrase:
There’s more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we’re never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can’t round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!
These are absolutely trying times to say the least... but when our faith is tested... we can come out even stronger on the other side... as long as we keep our eyes focused on the Lord. God promises to shower us with His grace... we just need to remain faithful.
As events continue to unfold in the hours, days and weeks ahead, some people may begin to experience a sense of being helpless and hopeless. As we watch gas prices rising day by day and the cost of everything else starting to skyrocket as well... it can be more than a little daunting.
But we must remember that everything is happening according to God’s PERFECT TIMING... which takes us to the next verse of our text which says, “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.”
Or as it reads in the Message, “He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready.”
It was according to God’s PERFECT TIMING that Christ gave His life for each and every one of us... when we were weak and rebellious... when we were still powerless over the temptation of sin.
And if we are being honest, we live in a world that seemingly has no qualms about yielding to the temptation of sin.
In fact, we have practically turned the temptation to sin into an art form – just look at the plot lines of what is considered to be “reality TV.” How many of you remember that there was even a show, back in the early 2000s, called “Temptation Island” where couples were taken to a tropical island where they lived apart from their spouses and were placed in the middle of attractive single people to see what they would do?
And as if that weren’t bad enough, just a few years ago, they tried to revive the franchise by creating Temptation Island VIPs... bringing celebrities and reality TV personalities to the island to test their relationships.
Let that sink in for a moment... the television industry deliberately setting people up to give into the temptation to sin as a form of entertainment...
And then when you couple that with all of the atrocities that we see happening here and around the world... it is not hyperbole to say that this world is in need of a Savior!
Now, let me just say this...
I don’t think that it is merely a coincidence that everything we see unfolding right now is happening in the days and weeks leading up to Resurrection Sunday.
When we reflect on the events that preceded Christ’s sacrifice at Calvary, we are reminded that it was our sins that paved the way to the cross... but it was God’s love that was waiting at the end of the pathway.
That is why the next verses of our text say:
As events continue to unfold in the hours, days and weeks ahead, some people may begin to experience a sense of being helpless and hopeless. As we watch gas prices rising day by day and the cost of everything else starting to skyrocket as well... it can be more than a little daunting.
But we must remember that everything is happening according to God’s PERFECT TIMING... which takes us to the next verse of our text which says, “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.”
Or as it reads in the Message, “He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready.”
It was according to God’s PERFECT TIMING that Christ gave His life for each and every one of us... when we were weak and rebellious... when we were still powerless over the temptation of sin.
And if we are being honest, we live in a world that seemingly has no qualms about yielding to the temptation of sin.
In fact, we have practically turned the temptation to sin into an art form – just look at the plot lines of what is considered to be “reality TV.” How many of you remember that there was even a show, back in the early 2000s, called “Temptation Island” where couples were taken to a tropical island where they lived apart from their spouses and were placed in the middle of attractive single people to see what they would do?
And as if that weren’t bad enough, just a few years ago, they tried to revive the franchise by creating Temptation Island VIPs... bringing celebrities and reality TV personalities to the island to test their relationships.
Let that sink in for a moment... the television industry deliberately setting people up to give into the temptation to sin as a form of entertainment...
And then when you couple that with all of the atrocities that we see happening here and around the world... it is not hyperbole to say that this world is in need of a Savior!
Now, let me just say this...
I don’t think that it is merely a coincidence that everything we see unfolding right now is happening in the days and weeks leading up to Resurrection Sunday.
When we reflect on the events that preceded Christ’s sacrifice at Calvary, we are reminded that it was our sins that paved the way to the cross... but it was God’s love that was waiting at the end of the pathway.
That is why the next verses of our text say:
Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
The Message Paraphrase says it like this:
Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn’t, and doesn’t, wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn’t been so weak, we wouldn’t have known what to do anyway. We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him.
In other words, God didn’t give His Son’s life for us because of anything we could or would do in return for Him. The truth is that there is nothing that we have or anything that we can do that God needs from us. But there is something that God does want from us – and that is love. Love for God and love for God’s people.
In response to the question posed by one of the Pharisees as to which is the greatest commandment, Jesus replied:
In response to the question posed by one of the Pharisees as to which is the greatest commandment, Jesus replied:
‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ (Matthew 22:37-39).
And in the midst of this crisis, in the midst of the Lenten season, we have the perfect opportunity to fulfill Jesus’ command to love one another... it is all about getting back to basics – loving and caring for one another.
And because this is all about God’s PERFECT TIMING... we can use this time, during the Lenten season and beyond, to discover the ways in which we can offer the loving embrace of God to our family, friends, neighbors and yes, even strangers as well... to be Jesus’ hands and feet of compassion here on earth.
It is PERFECT TIMING for us tell them all about God’s love and God’s grace. As Paul writes in the closing verses of our text:
And because this is all about God’s PERFECT TIMING... we can use this time, during the Lenten season and beyond, to discover the ways in which we can offer the loving embrace of God to our family, friends, neighbors and yes, even strangers as well... to be Jesus’ hands and feet of compassion here on earth.
It is PERFECT TIMING for us tell them all about God’s love and God’s grace. As Paul writes in the closing verses of our text:
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
During the season of Lent, we are reminded of the great lengths to which God was willing to go in order for us to be reconciled with Him... so that the promise of eternity in God’s kingdom would one day be fulfilled.
And we have the assurance that if God went to such great lengths to save us then... He will continue to save and protect us now. And that is good news worth sharing, wouldn’t you agree?
That is why we do not have to live in fear even as we find ourselves facing this global crisis. It is in 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV) that we read, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
Rather than living in fear about what could happen in the days, weeks and months ahead... let us rise to the challenge to show love to one another, right here and right now... setting aside our differences... and honoring Christ’s command by putting into practice the words of the Apostle Paul as found in his letter to the Philippian church:
And we have the assurance that if God went to such great lengths to save us then... He will continue to save and protect us now. And that is good news worth sharing, wouldn’t you agree?
That is why we do not have to live in fear even as we find ourselves facing this global crisis. It is in 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV) that we read, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
Rather than living in fear about what could happen in the days, weeks and months ahead... let us rise to the challenge to show love to one another, right here and right now... setting aside our differences... and honoring Christ’s command by putting into practice the words of the Apostle Paul as found in his letter to the Philippian church:
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Philippians 2:3-4)
In the end, this is what it means to extend grace to one another, putting the needs of someone else above our own... not because they deserve it... but simply because we love them, just as Christ loves us.
The grace that God gives to us through the sacrifice of His Son at Calvary is a grace that has always been meant to be shared... it was never intended that we should keep it for ourselves.
And since this is all about God’s PERFECT TIMING... let me suggest that the time is perfect for us to make the commitment to spread the good news and tell a dying world about a living Savior who is Christ the Lord... and to let them know that because of His Amazing Grace we have the gift of salvation that is available to all who will believe.
Talk about PERFECT TIMING for us to stand and join in singing our Hymn of Discipleship Amazing Grace #546! Amen.
Back
The grace that God gives to us through the sacrifice of His Son at Calvary is a grace that has always been meant to be shared... it was never intended that we should keep it for ourselves.
And since this is all about God’s PERFECT TIMING... let me suggest that the time is perfect for us to make the commitment to spread the good news and tell a dying world about a living Savior who is Christ the Lord... and to let them know that because of His Amazing Grace we have the gift of salvation that is available to all who will believe.
Talk about PERFECT TIMING for us to stand and join in singing our Hymn of Discipleship Amazing Grace #546! Amen.
