|
Introduction:
Life is tough; then you die. That’s what the world tells
us. Sadly, sometimes we buy into that philosophy. We see the
futility of the world and wonder what is the point. We mess up.
Others mess up. People complain and grumble and blame us for
everything. It seems like every time we turn around something
negative is happening. Through all of this, Satan is trying to
tell us everything is getting worse and worse. Everything is going
to be all wrong. But in Romans
8:18-39, Paul turns this idea on its head. Yes, there is
suffering. Yes, the world is futile. But hang in there; God is
with us. Everything is going to be all right. Discussion: I.
Suffering happens A.
Romans
8:18-25
starts out telling us there is suffering in the present time. Then
it talks about the futility we see in this world (see Ecclesiastes).
Right now, it is as if we are going through growth pains, groaning
as we suffer. B.
There are numerous kinds of suffering. We obviously think
about persecution whenever suffering in a Christian context comes
up. However, this is not really about persecution. It is the
suffering that is common in a world subjected to futility. C.
We suffer illness, loss of loved ones, financial turmoil,
family troubles. We face betrayals from friends, co-workers, and
even brethren. We suffer because things don’t always go our way.
We suffer because of our own sins. We suffer because of others’
sins. We suffer doubts, fears, resentments. We suffer when
brethren don’t get along. We suffer when there is trouble in the
home, on the job, and even in the church. We suffer when people
grumble, complain, nag, and badger us. We suffer when friends
leave us, family ignores us, foes attack us. Sometimes it feels
like no matter what we do it is the wrong thing. We get
frustrated. We get discouraged. We think about giving up.
Sometimes we get disgruntled and start looking around to complain.
Certainly we’ll find plenty to complain about in this life, in
our homes, on our jobs, in our schools, even in our churches. We
live in a world subjected to futility, do we honestly expect
anything to be perfect? The complaining and grumbling simply
heightens our discouragement. We need to see things differently.
We need to see them as Paul did. D.
The important part of Romans
8:18 says, “For I consider the sufferings of this
present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be
revealed to us.” Instead of focusing on the present suffering,
Paul focused on the promised glory. We have a sad tendency to get
caught up in our sufferings and think that means something is
wrong. We think something must be wrong with our relationship with
God. We think something must be wrong with us. We think something
must be wrong with everyone else. We think somehow everything is
going to work out badly. Notice, however, that Paul assumes glory
will be revealed to us. Whereas we tend to think suffering means
everything is going to be all wrong, Paul assumes it’s going to
be all right. That was why he could face the suffering. That is
why we can be encouraged and encouraging throughout the suffering.
We can look forward to something. Everything is going to be all
right. II.
Our hope in the midst of suffering. A.
Yes, we may go through tough times, but Paul points out it
is going to be all right. We have been saved in hope, that is, in
an earnest expectation that even through all the trouble we face
and the discouragement it causes we know something better is
coming. B.
Paul demonstrates three things we have to look forward to.
In Romans
8:21, we know the creation is subject to bondage, but we
look forward to freedom and glory. In Romans
8:23, we look forward to an adoption as sons. As we go
through the futile sufferings of this world, we feel disconnected.
However, we look forward to that eternal connection that cannot be
severed (Romans
8:38-39). Also, in Romans
8:23, we look forward to the redemption of our bodies.
These bodies that age and grow infirm will be redeemed. They will
be bought back and remade into bodies that do not suffer. C.
Yes, we may suffer, but the suffering is not worthy to be
compared with the glory that will be revealed to us and in us.
Don’t get distracted and discouraged by the futility of this
life. Simply remember that despite what is going on right now,
everything is going to be all right. III.
Why can we have this hope? A.
We can have this hope because we are not alone. We are not
by ourselves trying to work everything out to be all right. If we
were, then the only recourse would be despair. We can’t make
everything all right. But we are not alone. In fact, Paul explains
everything is going to be all right because each member of the
Godhead is working to make it all right. B.
According to Romans
8:26-27, the Holy Spirit is interceding for us, helping us
in our weakness. We are weak. We can’t make everything work out
all right. We struggle and spin our wheels. We don’t even know
what to pray for as we ought because of our weaknesses. But we are
not alone in our praying. Even when we don’t know what to pray,
the Spirit intercedes for us in prayer. He offers up groanings too
deep for words. We don’t even know what to ask God for so
everything will be all right, but the Spirit does. We’re not
even praying alone. If the Spirit is interceding for us,
everything is going to be all right. C.
According to Romans
8:34, Jesus is interceding for us. Even though we have
sinned and deserve for things to go badly, Jesus died for us to
make everything all right. Satan is the accuser of men. He is the
one that says we deserve a bad eternity. But Jesus is the one who
died for us, who is at the right hand of God, and is interceding
for us. No one, not even the great accuser, can separate us from
His love. If Jesus is interceding for us, everything is going to
be all right. D.
According to Romans
8:31, God is for us. Who can be against us? In Romans
8:28-30, Paul explains that everything works together for
good for those of us who love God. It works together for good
because God Himself has predestined that those who love Him will
be conformed to the image of His Son. Those He predestined, He
called. Those He called, He justified. Those He justified, He
glorified. This is all God’s work. We are not doing this on our
own. God is working. Then in Romans
8:32 explains to what extent God has gone to make it all
right for us. He did not even spare His own Son. If God is for us,
everything is going to be all right. E.
Don’t miss this important point. Everything is going to
be all right because God, in all three persons, is working to make
it all right for us. Let’s quit living in the worry of trying to
do God’s job. Instead of trying to make everything work out all
right, let’s just love God, doing His will and let Him make
everything all right. When we simply let God do His job, we can
rest easy knowing everything is going to be all right. IV.
We are more than conquerors. A.
Satan is trying to discourage us through the suffering we
face, whether great or small; whether mental, emotional, or
physical; whether spiritual or material. But Paul provides us with
one more encouragement in Romans
8:37-39. Those of us who are in Christ are more than
conquerors. Sometimes it may feel like we are losing. Sometimes it
may feel like we can’t possibly overcome, but we will win. All
we have to do is hang on to Jesus. B.
Nothing can separate us from the love God has. Nothing can
separate us from the interceding love of the Spirit and of Jesus
Christ. Nothing can separate us from the conforming love of God.
It doesn’t matter what anyone else does, we’ll not be
separated from God. It doesn’t matter what the president does,
what the economy does, what our brethren do, what the church does,
what our family does, nothing can separate us from God and His
love. Everything will be all right not because of our power, but
because God has said it will be and no one can change that. All we
have to do is stay with God. He will make everything all right. Conclusion: I don’t know what discouragements and fears you are facing. I don’t know what might be causing you to give up on others, on yourself, on God. Understand that suffering is just part of this futile world. But we have a hope, not a wishful thinking kind of hope but an earnest expectation kind of hope. We who love God will win. Keep hanging in there; be encouraged, everything is going to be all right.
Glory
to God in the church by Christ Jesus
|
||||||||||
