INTRODUCTION
• How many of you have been discouraged about something in the last week?
• How many of you loved to be discouraged?
• Discouragement can be something that can stop us in our tracks. Many of us have experienced the pits of discouragement from broken dreams, unfulfilled promises, failing health, and financial crisis among many other things.
• There are so many things that happen in life that seem to let the air out of our balloons.
• What is it that keeps a person going while they are in the throws of discouraging circumstances?
• It is so easy to get fixated on our circumstances that we loose sight of the fact that our circumstances are not permanent.
• Have you ever heard the statement, “You cannot see the forest for all the trees?”
• It is so easy for us the loose sight of things in life when we are standing in the midst of discouraging times.
• Today, I hope that when things do not seem to be going well, that we will be able to see the forest, that we will be able to see the big picture.
• Last week I we started looking at some of the freedoms we have in Christ. When we ask people to give their lives to Jesus, they are going to want to know what is in it for them. Last week we learned that one of the freedoms we have in Christ is the freedom from condemnation.
• This week we are going to start a three part mini-series on the subject of Freedom from Discouragement.
• God does not want us to be discouraged by bad circumstances that happen in our life. He wants us to know that better things are coming!
SERMON
I. THE PRESENT SUFFERINGS WE DEAL WITH (18) (READ)
• When we look at this passage it helps us to remember how difficult it was for the early Christians. Paul was not just discounting the difficult times the people were facing.
• Life in general was not easy, but for many it became more difficult for a person when they became a Christian.
• Life of Paul was much more difficult when he gave his life to serve Jesus.
• I know when we are going through difficult times; it is easy to think our problem is the worst thing that could happen to a person.
• The word “suffering” deals with any evil, afflictions, misfortunes, calamities, persecutions, or sicknesses. If more or less covers anything bad that can happen to a person.
• One would think when we give our lives to Jesus, that God would protect us from any bad things happening to us to us.
• When Paul tells us the sufferings of this present time are not “worthy” he is saying when you put all the suffering we face on one side of the scales and glory that is waiting for us on the other side, there is not comparison. The glory awaiting us is so much greater!
• The glory spoken of is the time when Jesus returns and we are raised again
• Suffering has been happening every since the fall of man. Why?
• Here are six quick thoughts that Gareth Reese includes in the footnotes of his Romans commentary. (footnote 106 p. 312)
1. All of creation was subjected to futility when Adam sinned. Adams sin has caused some of the suffering we face. (Things run down)
2. Some suffering is a result of our own sins and faults which necessitate chastisement. (Hebrews 12:4-11)
3. Some suffering is a result of the sin of others. (Drunk driver hitting you)
4. Some suffering happens for the glory of God. (John 9:3)
5. Some suffering is for the temporal punishment for sin that by God’s design automatically accompanies or results from the sin. (Romans 8:17) (Waste your money and suffer the consequences)
6. If a person is in Christ, they will face suffering.
II. AN EXPLANATION OF THE GLORY AWAITING US (19-21)
• In verses 19-21 we are given an explanation of the awaiting glory.
• In theses verses Paul gives human feelings and emotions to creation for illustration purposes.
• The creation Paul is speaking of is the whole world of nature in this context.
• He says that all of creation is longing for and waiting eagerly for the return of Jesus at which time a restoration will take place and the sons of God will be revealed. (Revelation 21:11; 2 Peter 3:10-13; Isaiah 66:22)
• When the Lord returns, not only will mankind benefit, but the curse put upon nature will be lifted also.
• GENESIS 3:17-18 says, “Then to Adam He said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ’You shall not eat from it’; Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you will eat of it All the days of your life. "Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; And you will eat the plants of the field;
• In verses 20-21 we are given three reasons creation is also longing for the return of the Lord. To long for something means to look for something with outstretched head, to have eager anticipation. It would be akin to stretching the neck out to get a first glimpse of something coming into sight.
• One reason for this longing by creation is the fact creation was subjected to futility.
• Futility means failing to reach or accomplish an objects intended purpose. When God created everything, He said it was good. Nature was meant to serve man and help him fulfill man’s purpose. Since sin entered into the picture, all of creation has fallen short. It is like trying to beat an unbeatable team, it is futile.
• Why would God put a curse on creation? Think about it. If everything was perfect and fulfilled its’ purpose, there would be no cause for us to hope for something better. If the were no suffering, disease, or catastrophic events, we would not long for something better.
• The second reason creation longs for glory is the fact creation was subject to futility by no fault of its own. God subjected creation to futility because of man. (Genesis 3:16-20)
• The last reason is found in verse 21. Not only will mankind be raised and the saved redeemed, but the curse of creation will be lifted and there will be a restoration, a new heaven and new earth. REVELATION 21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.
• The word “set free” in verse 21 implies that creation will continue to exist after the second coming, but in a new form.
• Once the renovation takes place, creation will be able to fulfill its intended purpose.
III. THE FUTILITY OF CREATION (22-23)
• When we look at creation, we know it is not perfect now, and we also receive a constant reminder of the sin that caused all our problems.
• Natural disasters, although not caused by our sin, are an indirect result of Adams sin. Many of the diseases we suffer from come to us for the same reason.
• Creation was once perfect. When God created everything, cancer, heart disease, and other terrible diseases were unheard of. Natural disasters were unheard of.
• Creation longs for the perfection it once possessed as much as we do.
• Why do we die? Disease, accidents, old age. In a perfect world, these things would not happen. If we were perfect genetically, we would not run down and wear out. I have known people who when they died, their minds were fine, but the body finally wore out.
• There will come a day when that all ENDS! 2 PETER 3:13 But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
• Revelation 21:4 says concerning heaven, “and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away."
• Creation suffers and so do Christians along with all mankind.
• Paul says even though we belong to God, we suffer. He says Christians have the first fruits from God, but still we suffer. He is speaking of the Holy Spirit within us.
• First fruits were the very first part of the harvest that was dedicated to God, and as a result, God would promise more of a harvest.
• When we look around us and see some of the bad things happening, it should stir within us a desire to see the Lord return so that the suffering and pain will stop.
• When we are adopted into the family of God, we first are received by God into His family, and then later on when the Lord returns, we will receive the rest of what God promises us as adopted children, GLORY! A perfect body, a perfect home, and being in the presence of the perfect master!
V. THE HOPE WE HAVE (24-25)
• In hope we have been saved. Even though we have been freed from the slavery to sin, we still live in a dying body. Even though we have been released from our slavery to sin, we still suffer from the effects of sin around us.
• We are stilling hoping for eternal life and a new eternal home.
• Paul says with perseverance we a awaiting for theses things.
• Perseverance implies we will face adverse circumstances until we possess our resurrection body.
• God will bring to pass everything in due time. Our part in the scheme of things is to persevere until this happens.
• REV 2:10 ’Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
• We cannot quit in the middle of the game. We must not give up when adversity strikes us. Our football team had another great season that just ended. One of the things that made them great was the fact they did not quit. During the Nokomis game, they were down by 24 at halftime. Did they quit? No! The game was not over.
• Too many people only want to play in the game when they are winning and quit when they are behind. Your game is not over until the day you die or until the Lord returns, whichever comes first!
• Meanwhile, you may face and most likely will face some very adverse times in your life. Your job is to stand up to the test and go down fighting. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we are fight through the tough times; this is what brings glory to God.
• Impatience, or a lack of perseverance or a lack of conquering the adversity in our lives is displeasing to God.
• The suffering we face helps to foster hope for better times.
CONCLUSION
• We can have freedom from discouragement because we know that better times are coming. We know that God will deliver as promised.
• Some of us will be dealt a terrible hand in the game of life, but you know what, when the Lord returns, you hand will be a winner if you will stay in the game with God now.
• We can over come discouragement by realizing there is more to this life than living and dying. No matter how bad it seems now, when you look back on it when you are with the Lord, it will not compare with the glory you will share with Jesus!
• In two weeks we will see that we can have freedom from discouragement because of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
