Sermon Central
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Romans, Part 25 Series
Contributed by T.j. Conwell on Mar 18, 2011 (message contributor)
Summary: The hope that God provides brings salvation to all, if only we will live a life that is directed by the Holy Spirit and submits to the will of God. (Ref: Romans 8:23-27)
Romans, Part 25
Introduction
- The Law (shedding of blood) had to be fulfilled for mankind to be forgiven
-- Hebrews 9:22, “In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”
- It is true that the creation is in shambles today, but Jesus has overcome it all
- It is Jesus that has given us an example of right living that we must endure
- We must strive to suffer through today for the glory revealed tomorrow
- 1 Cor 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”
- We are able to overcome if we remain faithful to Christ; for He is the only way!
- Read Romans 8:23-27/ Pray
Point 1 – God’s Hope Brings Salvation (23-26)
- Life brings struggles and hardships which cause us to groan
- Because we live in a fallen creation; we see the despair all around us if we look
-- Tsunamis, earthquakes, volcano’s, massive storms, tornado’s, etc.
- But even with that, there are additional fallings of this creation
-- Sickness, disease, starvation, desperate societies, terminal illness, death
- But, do we even see the truth in which we should groan daily
-- APP: How about the fact that without Jesus more and more people go to hell?
- The constant beating and assault on our senses causes us to groan inwardly
- Farmers and those who work the land understand completely the term “first fruit”
-- They work and fight off the weeds, the diseases, the critters, and the weather
-- Seed is planted all around them with no guarantees, only a hope that it will grow
- So, when the green begins to show, there is rejoicing/celebration
-- The first fruit usually can give a farmer an idea of the remainder of the season
- If the first batch is high quality, they are able to rejoice and focus on the rest
- It’s cause for celebration because when the first is the best, there’s more to come
- Consider for a moment God’s first … it is His Son, Jesus
-- We have been given the very best of God’s fruit; King of Kings
-- When we take time to consider what God has given us – do we rejoice also?
- The heartbreak of this world falls in comparison to the joy of Christ
- But just as Adam and Eve brought death and decay into the world; our lives
- We groan inwardly as the war wages between good and evil
-- APP: But, we are able to rejoice for the best is yet to be “seen” with our eyes
- V24-25 tells us that we hope for what we don’t see
-- But, if God were to reveal everything to us would we really hope for more?
- TRANS: Would we continue to follow the Spirit or live our own lives?
Point 2 – Following the Spirit (26-27)
- The Spirit groans because He understands the pain in which we feel today
- He has been sent by God as a conduit for us to communicate and He knows
- Think for a moment of a grieving parent, a grieving spouse, a grieving friend
- All of these bring sadness to us; and God is faithful to provide us hope
Turn to and read John 16:5-16
- When we grieve we can be assured the Spirit grieves with us; comforting us
- THOUGHT: When we grieve is it because God is working or from our choices?
-- Hosea 14:9, “The ways of the Lord are right, and the righteous will walk in them, but transgressors will stumble in them.”
- But … Praise God, the Spirit has power in which you and I do not
-- He has been sent to comfort and bring us peace, if only we would follow Him
- V26 – We are given strength when we are weak
-- We do not know what to pray for but yet we must be faithful to pray
- Sometimes we need to be reduced to a pile of total obedience; so He can work
- Sometimes we need to fully surrender and give Him total control to work
- A.W. Tozer wrote, “It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until He has hurt him deeply.”
-- Can you picture the hurt in that statement? Sometimes, God has to crush us
-- He has to bring us to a place a total submission to rebuild or even use us
