The gospel is great assurance for the believer because in the gospel we know that nothing can take us, or separate us, from Christ. Although it is an uneasy theological concept, predestination gives us this assurance. In Romans 8 Paul speaks of our predestined assurance before the Father because of Jesus and what he accomplished on the cross and through the resurrection. It is truly wonderful to know that nothing will take us away from the blessed hope we have if we are truly in Jesus Christ.
And Romans 8 gives us an insight into our future. As predestined people then future glory is ours because God has planned it as such. Paul tells us that this earth is groaning with sin and will one day pass away. But this groaning must be endured so that we can know the glory of heaven. John Bunyan in hymn encourages us to keep going in the faith so that we will know the full blessings of our salvation.
Romans - The heart of the Gospel is a teaching series from Annalong Presbyterian Church. Find out more at www.annalongpc.org/sermons.
When I was a child I couldn't wait for Christmas and I couldn't
2
:wait for birthdays and I couldn't wait for
someone to come home from their holidays.
3
:What have all three things got in common?
4
:Presents.
5
:What are you gonna bring
me home from your holidays?
6
:Where can I find the Christmas presents
and birthday presents and even if they're
7
:wrapped how can I take the tape off
even with a steam iron so that I can see
8
:what's inside and carefully put it back
together again so no one would know?
9
:Particularly with Christmas and
birthdays, what's the fun in that?
10
:What's the fun in waiting?
11
:Well, I thought there was no fun.
12
:I didn't like the surprise.
13
:I wanted to know what I was getting.
14
:And so when the day ruled round to
receive whatever gift was coming, of
15
:course it wasn't always as good as the
gifts that did come that surprised you.
16
:And in a way that's, that's a story
that covers what we're looking
17
:at in Romans 8 in these last
number of verses this evening.
18
:Because we're back in Romans having had a
bit of a break again, just like Genesis.
19
:Uh, but we're in a passage that
includes many familiar verses.
20
:Verses that we've possibly learned
over the years, but certainly that
21
:we've heard, read, and preached on.
22
:And it's a message in this
section about waiting.
23
:Waiting in all kinds of scenarios.
24
:Waiting because this world is
not a pleasant place and we have
25
:to wait until the Lord returns.
26
:Waiting again because we don't see,
we don't see the hope, or we have
27
:hope in what we don't see because if
we did see it then we wouldn't hope.
28
:So we have to wait and we
have to be a waiting people.
29
:As we know the heart of the gospel
is found in Romans chapter 8.
30
:And so as we go through this, we'll be
thinking of the assurance that God gives
31
:that He is greater than the world and
that His promises will last forever.
32
:We're not to be like the children
who want to get to the presence
33
:long before they're due to receive
them because we have to wait.
34
:We have to be patient people as the
psalmist says, wait on the Lord.
35
:And so as we look at this, there are
three natural sections in this passage.
36
:And we begin in verses 18 to 25
thinking about future hope, which
37
:is a helpful section heading in
the ESV translation of the Bible.
38
:And one of the reasons why we can
identify so easily with Paul and his
39
:teachings is because he's just like us.
40
:Whenever we read of Paul's life story,
particularly in the Acts of the Apostles,
41
:and whenever he gives personal testimony
in his letters, we can identify with him.
42
:Because we see that he, too, had
troubles in life just like us.
43
:Now, of course, he faced more
than any of us would want to face,
44
:but in these we see his humanity.
45
:He was a normal person, living
out the Christian faith.
46
:He was run out of town, he was flogged,
he was imprisoned, and he was shipwrecked.
47
:None of us here will
have had to face that.
48
:But look at what he says in verse
18 as he focuses on the future
49
:promise that God has given him and
to all his people about eternity.
50
:He says, For I consider that the
sufferings of this present time
51
:are not worth comparing with the
glory that is to be revealed to us.
52
:And we shouldn't be surprised
by this perspective from Paul.
53
:In the previous section, he's considered
what it meant to be heirs with Christ.
54
:And this is what he said
in just a verse prior.
55
:He said, And if children, then heirs,
heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ,
56
:provided we suffer with him, in order
that we may also be glorified with him.
57
:So that's where Paul's come from.
58
:He recognizes that we must
suffer as God's people.
59
:But then he bursts open and says,
For I consider, though, that those
60
:sufferings at the present age are not
worth comparing to the riches and the
61
:glory that is to be revealed to us.
62
:See, at the heart of the Gospel
is a message that takes us from
63
:this present world to eternity.
64
:That's what the Gospel does.
65
:Our focus is not that we are
saved for the here and now.
66
:Yes, we are to undertake good works.
67
:We're created for good works, that we
might proclaim the truth of the gospel
68
:and demonstrate the love of Christ.
69
:But our salvation is not
just to make life easier now.
70
:The gospel is about the assurance
of our eternal presence with God.
71
:That's what, and that's why Paul explains
the world as he does in verses 19 to 22.
72
:There's a song that we learned a couple
of years ago, and we sung it last Sunday,
73
:so that's why we're not singing it this
week, by Ben Slee, entitled Creator God.
74
:And it actually sums up, it's closing
four lines, sum up this section very well.
75
:Because he says, And so we wait
in eager expectation, And join
76
:the song that all creation groans.
77
:Lord, haste the day, Decair is slain
by glory, The day you call your sons.
78
:I've often thought that those last
four lines that we sing encapsulate
79
:this passage from Romans 8 very well.
80
:Because sometimes we don't know
what to do when we hear the line
81
:that all creation is groaning.
82
:What does that mean?
83
:It means that all creation
is not what it should be.
84
:You know what it's like if you
wake up tomorrow morning and you're
85
:in the wrong side of the bed.
86
:You're gonna groan about it.
87
:Maybe because you've hit the
wall, you know, and you don't
88
:normally go out that side.
89
:But you know what I mean?
90
:If you wake up cranky, you're gonna
groan, and you're gonna moan about
91
:it, and we're all guilty of it.
92
:Well, that's what creation is like.
93
:It's not what it was meant to be.
94
:Creation, and us as humanity, and in
fact every part of creation, because
95
:of the consequence of sin, is groaning.
96
:And the reason why we groan
is for something better.
97
:If you do wake up tomorrow and you
get out on that wrong side of the
98
:bed and you're moaning and you're
groaning, you're hoping that you'll get
99
:over it and probably everyone around
you will be hoping you get over it.
100
:Because we want to get back
to what we should be and what
101
:the day should have been.
102
:You see, this world was not made
to last and neither were we.
103
:The image is one of groaning.
104
:heaving towards an end.
105
:That's why we continue to declare
that this world is not our home.
106
:So don't get too comfortable in it.
107
:It will fade away.
108
:And Paul continues in verse 23,
the reality that we are like.
109
:And there in verse 23, he says, and not
only the creation, but we ourselves who
110
:have, who have the first fruits of the
spirit grown inwardly as we wait eagerly.
111
:The adoption of sons, the
redemption of our bodies.
112
:There is a weariness to this
world and we must feel it too.
113
:In Christ, we are people
who are being transformed.
114
:We join with creation, and
we groan, waiting the day our
115
:transformation is complete, and we
are fully redeemed for all eternity.
116
:And so Paul concludes this section
with what seems to be a riddle.
117
:He says in verses 24 and 25,
For in this hope we were saved.
118
:Now hope that is seen is not hope,
for who hopes for what he sees?
119
:But if we hope for what we
do not see, we wait for it.
120
:The hope that Paul is speaking of
is the certainty that we will end
121
:our time in this world and wake up
in eternity, perfect and redeemed.
122
:But we can't see this.
123
:It is unseen.
124
:We can't determine it through reading
an instruction manual or looking
125
:into a crystal ball or by reading
a horoscope to tell the future.
126
:We trust in the words of Jesus,
and as such we wait patiently.
127
:As Hebrew 10 verse 23 tells us,
Let us hold fast the confession
128
:of our hope without wavering,
for he who promised is faithful.
129
:Let me ask you, are you holding fast?
130
:Eagerly awaiting the return of Christ?
131
:Perhaps you were, but you aren't now.
132
:It seems that he's taking his
time, and the lure of the world has
133
:greater appeal and perceived promise.
134
:Don't give up.
135
:Keep going.
136
:Because Christ will come back,
and he will bring his people.
137
:The race is worth running, because
the finish line will be in sight.
138
:Christ will come, and he will take us.
139
:That's where Paul begins, so that we
would know a future glory, that even
140
:though we face things that we would
never ordinarily choose to face, we
141
:face them with future glory, because
it is a hope, the hope of the gospel.
142
:That takes us from this
world to all eternity.
143
:And so moving on to verses 26 to 30,
we see the strength of the spirit.
144
:And Paul very quickly brings us
into the focus of the comforter.
145
:Let's remind ourselves of
why the new Testament speaks
146
:so much of the Holy Spirit.
147
:In John chapter 14, in verses 16 and
17, Jesus tells us of the coming of
148
:the Holy Spirit, and I will ask the
Father and he will give you another
149
:helper to be with you forever.
150
:Even the spirit of truth whom the
world cannot receive because it
151
:neither sees him nor knows him.
152
:You know him, for he dwells
in you and will be in you.
153
:And again, in Acts chapter 1 and verse
8, Jesus says, But you will receive
154
:power when the Holy Spirit has come
upon you, and you will be my witnesses
155
:in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and
Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
156
:We're given the Holy Spirit as a gift.
157
:And this gift is sent to help
us to be followers of Jesus.
158
:That's what Paul tells us in this passage.
159
:The Spirit leads us.
160
:The Spirit challenges us.
161
:The Spirit directs us.
162
:In these verses, Paul says that it is the
Spirit who helps us in our weaknesses.
163
:And he links a particular
weakness to the Spirit.
164
:in prayer.
165
:We don't know what to pray for.
166
:And we might think, of course we do.
167
:We see all the trouble of the world
and that encourages us to pray.
168
:Well, Ian Duguid says this, One of
prayer's great challenges and hindrances
169
:is human indecision and ignorance.
170
:Paul frankly acknowledges it.
171
:We do not know what to
pray for as we ought.
172
:This limitation tempts
us to prayerlessness.
173
:You see, we need to be a people who pray.
174
:To pray at home.
175
:To join with others on
a Wednesday evening.
176
:To pray in midweek.
177
:To join in prayer before
the services on Sundays.
178
:to engage in prayer in worship.
179
:But we make decisions that hinder us
from these moments and these times
180
:and in what we should be praying for.
181
:But we can take hope.
182
:Because even the shortest of prayers
and indeed the longest of them as
183
:well are interpreted on our behalf.
184
:The Holy Spirit is fully God.
185
:So it is God's will that
the Spirit intervenes for us
186
:according to his very will.
187
:And this is done in a loving way
because the Spirit is our comforter.
188
:And Paul in verse 28 continues his
encouragement by stating, And we know
189
:that for those who love God, all things
work together for good, for those who
190
:are called according to his purpose.
191
:And we can take, quickly take this
verse out of its context and use
192
:it as a stand alone verse that
covers anything we want it to mean.
193
:But it comes as part of this
section, so what does it mean for us?
194
:Well, this verse is pointing us
not only to the verses to come,
195
:but also to the verse just before.
196
:God is sovereign, and as such nothing
escapes him or falls from his view.
197
:He has ordained all things, and
his purposes through his people
198
:will fulfill his plan of salvation.
199
:And the assurance comes in verse 29.
200
:And often we don't like verse 29
because of the word that's used in it.
201
:Predestined.
202
:We often interpret predestination
as if we are robots without free
203
:will, yet the Bible speaks of both.
204
:Predestination is not a baseball bat to
be used in theological debate, rather
205
:it is to be the assurance that once we
are gods, we, he will never let us go.
206
:Again, Paul assures us of this, and
says that when we are called according
207
:to his purpose, we are conformed and
shaped to the image of his son, so
208
:that we will be his first fruits.
209
:And this is, it's wonderful.
210
:It's a wonderful calling to be Christ's.
211
:Because once we are
his, we are always his.
212
:And again, Paul runs off this section
in verse 30 by saying, And those whom
213
:he predestined he also called, And those
whom he called he also justified, And
214
:those whom he justified he also called.
215
:glorified.
216
:When we are Christ's we
receive the full package.
217
:We are justified here
and now through Jesus.
218
:Daily we are strengthened by the
Holy Spirit and we are and will be
219
:glorified because of all of this.
220
:You see how lovingly
the Father cares for us?
221
:Do you see what he's done?
222
:That he wants us to embrace, to know
that we are justified, to know that we
223
:are redeemed, that we are strengthened
by his spirit day and daily, and
224
:that yes, we are glorified now, and
225
:Whether you believe yourself to
be predestined by God or not,
226
:take hope in the Holy Spirit.
227
:Because the Spirit is not the
third wheel of the Trinity.
228
:The Holy Spirit is God and
as such we must be attentive.
229
:One of the creeds of the church
that I tend to read occasionally
230
:is called the Athanasian Creed.
231
:And in it there's a very specific
line that talks about the Holy Spirit.
232
:And how the Holy Spirit is not
distinct from the Father nor the Son.
233
:That the Holy Spirit is part
of the Trinity, not some
234
:minor piece, but fully God.
235
:Just as the Son is fully God, just
as the Trinity is one yet three.
236
:And so we must pay attention
to the work of the Spirit.
237
:And so the question may be,
well, how do we do this?
238
:Well, we read Scripture and
see how the Spirit speaks to
239
:us through the Word of God.
240
:We pray privately and corporately and
allow the Spirit to lead us for what
241
:we should be praying for and have the
assurance that we are heard in heaven
242
:through its intercession for us.
243
:And we simply allow the Spirit to lead us
in what aligns with Scripture because the
244
:Spirit will not work outside of Scripture.
245
:Any sense that we have that
does not comply with Scripture
246
:is not from God and is not the
true working of the Holy Spirit.
247
:How open are we to the
leading of the Spirit?
248
:And at times you can't articulate it.
249
:It's not as if there's going
to be a plane in the sky with a
250
:banner floating along its back.
251
:There's something within us that
we know is simply right when the
252
:Spirit leads us and speaks to us.
253
:Always, always within Scripture,
will you listen to the Holy Spirit?
254
:Will you allow the unction
of the Spirit to guide you?
255
:That's, that's a great old
word, unction, but it's true.
256
:Something we cannot explain, but
yet we know it real and true.
257
:And don't think you can fool yourself
or fool God by saying this is of the
258
:Spirit when it's not, because you won't.
259
:That's why we read Scripture, not just
on a Sunday, so that we will know for
260
:sure that we can test the Spirit and know
exactly what is true and what is not.
261
:Be open to the work of the Holy Spirit.
262
:Because Paul says it is the
Spirit who is the comforter.
263
:It is the Spirit who works on our behalf.
264
:And so we must be open
to how the Spirit leads.
265
:When we come to the final
section of this chapter, and
266
:it looks at God's eternal love.
267
:And this is one of these sections
that reads as if Paul can't
268
:get the words out quick enough.
269
:He begins with a familiar question.
270
:What then shall we say to these things?
271
:Well, what is your response?
272
:That's what he's asking.
273
:After everything I've taught you, he
says, well, how are you going to respond?
274
:And let's remember how he started.
275
:He said, For I consider the
suffering of this present time
276
:are not worth comparing with the
glory that is to be revealed to us.
277
:And so he continues by asking, What
then shall we say of these things?
278
:If God is for us, Who can be against us?
279
:And this is a great question that
Paul is asking because the answer
280
:is simply no one can be against
us if we are in Christ Jesus.
281
:Verse 21 details that God has
given us his son to save us.
282
:This not only demonstrates God's love
in salvation, but also that he is good
283
:towards us and will be gracious to us.
284
:Paul goes on in verse 33 by
asking, Who can bring any
285
:charges against God's people?
286
:The elect.
287
:And again, no one.
288
:And Paul points us to Jesus in verse 34.
289
:Which I should have somewhere.
290
:Who is to condemn?
291
:Christ Jesus is the one who died.
292
:More than that, who was raised,
who is at the right hand of God,
293
:who indeed is interceding for us.
294
:Because of Christ's victory over the
grave, we need not fear this world.
295
:Nothing will snatch us away
from God if we are truly His.
296
:Paul goes on to list the
sufferings of the present time.
297
:Tribulation.
298
:Distress, persecution, famine,
nakedness, danger, and sword.
299
:These sound like issues that
we continue to face today, here
300
:and right across the world.
301
:But these, as difficult as they are, will
not separate us from the love of God.
302
:These are the consequence of sin and
the consequence of the fallen world.
303
:But God is greater than the world
and he will have the victory.
304
:Amen.
305
:And Paul goes on to quote Psalm 44
and verse 22 to drive his point home
306
:that the world doesn't change and it
continues to be against God's people.
307
:And this is a central verse in a
lengthy psalm that cries out to
308
:God for help because his faithful
people are suffering persecution and
309
:God does not seem to be responding.
310
:In fact, the next verse of the
psalm explains or exclaims, wake up!
311
:Why are you sleeping, O Lord?
312
:Rouse yourself.
313
:Do not reject us forever.
314
:And so we come back.
315
:We come back to the, that first
section that we looked at where we
316
:might feel it's not worth going on.
317
:Where this life of faith is tiresome
and God doesn't seem to be working
318
:or moving in the ways we would like.
319
:This is part of the testimony of God's
people through all generations because
320
:it's in the hymn book of his people.
321
:Amen.
322
:It's not something new that humankind
has thought, but God is not slow.
323
:God works exactly in his own time
because God knows what is best for us,
324
:for all his people, and for his gospel.
325
:And so in verse 37, by way of
concluding all of this passage,
326
:we get an affirmative knew that
nothing will separate us from God.
327
:We will not be taken down by these
things that are a consequence of sin.
328
:We are more than conquerors, not in
ourselves, but in Jesus Christ and
329
:listen to how Paul finishes this passage.
330
:For I am sure that neither death, nor
life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things
331
:present, nor things to come, nor powers,
nor height, nor depth, nor anything else
332
:in all creation will be able to separate
us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
333
:Isn't that an amazing statement
for Paul to finish on?
334
:Isn't it amazing what
he says about our God?
335
:That the love of God is so great towards
us that nothing will separate us from it?
336
:Is this the love you knew?
337
:Is this the love you want to know?
338
:Because this is Paul being
confident in God's eternal love.
339
:Nothing will separate us from
him because he gave his one
340
:and his only son to die for us.
341
:And so is this your confidence tonight?
342
:Are you sure that nothing
will separate you from God?
343
:Or perhaps you do want this for yourself.
344
:And so you're asking, well,
how can I get this assurance?
345
:How can I be certain that when I lay
down to sleep tonight and wake up in
346
:the morning, I will be confident that
nothing will separate me from God's love?
347
:And the answer comes, it is Jesus Christ.
348
:Because we are to turn to Jesus.
349
:We are to stand firm in him and stand firm
in his love because he will lead, he will
350
:protect, and he will guide as he prepares
us for future glory, living each day in
351
:the strength of the spirit and having
great confidence in his eternal love.
352
:As I was getting ready to come out
tonight, I was listening to the radio.
353
:And a hymn came on the radio that brought
me back to my childhood because it's a
354
:hymn that we not only learned in Sunday
school, but that we sung in Sunday school.
355
:You will have heard of John Bunyan.
356
:John Bunyan wrote Pilgrim's
Progress, and Pilgrim's Progress is
357
:exactly what it says in the title.
358
:It is the journey of a pilgrim,
of a Christian, who comes to know
359
:Christ and have his burden removed,
but as he journeys to the celestial
360
:city, he is tempted along the way
on the path that he should walk.
361
:And parents and grandparents, if you have
the opportunity, get a, get a copy of
362
:Pilgrim's Progress if you don't have one.
363
:And there's some newer
versions in, in modern English.
364
:Buy it and give it or sit and read it
with your children and grandchildren
365
:because it's a wonderful story
that links back to scripture.
366
:Bunyan wrote it as he faced the gallows.
367
:It was a vision given to
him by God, he will say.
368
:And from it came a hymn.
369
:He who would valiant be, or
who would true valor see.
370
:And the second verse goes like
this, and forgive the old English.
371
:Who so beset him round with dismal
stories, Do but themselves confound.
372
:His strength the more is, No lion can
him fright, Heal with a giant fight, But
373
:he will have a right, to be a pilgrim.
374
:And verse three begins, Hobgoblin
nor foul fiend can daunt his spirit.
375
:He knows he at the end shall life inherit.
376
:Then fancies flee away.
377
:He'll fear not what men say.
378
:He labor night and day to be a pilgrim.
379
:I would sing it for you because
I was singing it at home.
380
:And I thought, what a, what a hymn
that encapsulates what it means
381
:to be on this journey of faith.
382
:And maybe as a child I loved verse 3
because it's talked about a hobgoblin.
383
:I mean we didn't have too many of
those in Cady, I don't know about
384
:Anna Long, but it's all about image.
385
:Hobgoblin nor foul fiend, no
matter what comes we are safe in
386
:Christ and we need to know this.
387
:You need to know this.
388
:So that tomorrow, no matter what you
face, whatever diagnosis the doctor will
389
:bring, whatever trial and tribulation
family members may come with, whatever
390
:you will face, the hobgoblins and
foul fiends of your life, do not
391
:despair, because there is future glory.
392
:There is strength in the
Holy Spirit for the moment.
393
:and the day, and there is great
confidence in God's eternal love
394
:that will see us through this world
and bring us to the next faithful
395
:pilgrims of our loving Savior.
396
:Is this your life?
397
:Is this what will be contained in
that great red book that Michael
398
:Aspel will bring and present to you?
399
:That in it, a hymn such as the
one I've just quoted, will be the
400
:journey that you will have taken.
401
:It may not be the easiest of journeys,
but it is the safest because it is
402
:a journey that will lead you home.
403
:Will you rise and will you follow
Christ and will you know him tonight,
404
:tomorrow, and all the days he gives
you so that you will not fear and
405
:you will stand in his strength.
406
:I genuinely and truly hope you will.
407
:Let's pray.
408
:Our Father God, we
thank you for your word.
409
:And we acknowledge that in this heart
of the gospel that Paul wants to
410
:communicate to us, he, he doesn't always
make it plain, but we thank you that
411
:we can read it in our own language.
412
:We thank you that we can understand it.
413
:And we can learn from it
so that we can live it.
414
:And Father, thank you that your word is
given to us so that we may indeed do that.
415
:Live it out as we walk before you, before
the face of God, as your pilgrims on
416
:that journey that will lead us home.
417
:So make us faithful, we pray.
418
:And may we follow you and
know your great strength.
419
:In Jesus name.
420
:Amen.