IF GOD BE FOR US…
Rom. 8:31
INTRODUCTION
OFFERING HUMOR
1. Father Michael, of St. Mary’s Church said, “I was on a plane last week from Edinburgh to London, when we ran into some very severe weather which resulted in turbulence. As it got worse, the passengers became more and more alarmed, and even the airline stewards began to look concerned.
2. Finally one of them noticed that I had ‘Reverend’ in front of my name on the passenger list, so she approached me, and said, “Sir, this is really frightening. Do you suppose you could, I don’t know…….do something religious?” “So I took up a collection,” retold Father Michael with a grin.
A. HUMOR: THE PRICE IS RIGHT
1. At a fabric store, a pretty girl spied a silky material that would be perfect for a dress and asked the male clerk, “How much does it cost?”
2. He smiled warmly. “Since it’s for You, I’d sell it to You for the price of ‘one kiss per yard’,” he said, showing dimples. “That’s fine,” said the girl. “I’ll take ten yards.”
3. With expectation and anticipation written all over his face, the clerk quickly measured out the cloth, wrapped it up, and then teasingly held it out.
4. The girl took the bag, stepped up close to him with a coy smile, then turned and pointed to an old man standing by the wall, and said, “Grandpa will pay the bill!”
B. TEXT
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. 31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Rom. 8:28-34.
C. THESIS
1. These are some of the most famous and power-packed verses in the Bible. Each one is a jewel to be revolved and marveled at.
2. Our emphasis this morning is the second half of verse 31; “If God be for us, who can be against us?” There is a message so profound in this verse that it should shape our worldview, our view of God, and how we speak and conduct ourselves in life.
3. The title of this message is, “If God Be For Us…”.
I. WE POSSESS GOD’S TRUMP CARD
A. POWER OVER ALL CIRCUMSTANCES, OPPOSITION
1. “Trump Card” – (defined): “The Trump Card is the highest-ranking card; it overwhelms and has power over every other card currently in play. The person who plays it automatically wins that hand of cards.”
2. The Redeemed possess the ultimate Trump card – it is God’s favor set upon us! GOD IS FOR US, ON OUR SIDE!
3. Listen to Thomas Schreiner’s comment on Romans 8:31;
“There is something about power that is being communicated here. God’s favor, love, and grace trump everything because there is no one or nothing greater than God. When God is for you, no one can be against you because there is nothing greater or more powerful than God. This is not a promise of the absence of opposition. Rather, it is a promise regarding the impotence of the opposition. God will vanquish any enemies that present themselves before believers.” [Romans, (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 1998), 458]
B. EFFECT OF GOD’S FAVOR: WE’RE OVERCOMERS!
1. The Apostle John rightly sized up the situation, “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world” 1 Jn. 4:4.
2. God’s presence in us and our relationship to Him as His children automatically confer the status of ‘overcomer’ on us.
3. There is no situation God doesn’t have the key to. There is no adversary who is more powerful than God. The same overcoming nature resident in Jesus now resides in us.
C. YOU’RE A WINNER, NOT A LOSER. You WILL eventually triumph!
1. In Adam you were born a loser, but in Christ you’re born a winner! In Adam you had a dark future; but in Christ you have an awesome future! In Adam you were separated from God; in Jesus you were reconciled to God!
2. When you were born again, you were born in God’s image, created in His likeness and born of His Spirit. You’re a child of the Most High God; you’re a King’s kid, Royal Blood now flows in your veins! You’re not average!
3. You’re an Overcomer! The term "overcomer" is the Greek word ????? (nikao) which means “to subdue” and is translated as “conquer, overcome, prevail, get the victory.”
4. This word “overcomer” doesn’t mean someone who always wins every battle. In fact, it was used of those who went from one defeat to another, but kept on fighting until eventually they won the war!
5. REMEMBER, HELL IS NO LONGER IN CHARGE OF YOUR DESTINY! 1 Cor. 6:19 says, “You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body and in your spirit, which are God's!”
6. YOU’RE GOD’S PROPERTY, NOT SATAN’S. The devil has to trespass on God's property to mess with you. God is jealous over what is His. He guards and fights for what is His own. Say; “I’m God’s Property!”
II. HOW DO WE KNOW WE WILL TRIUMPH?
Paul says we can be confident of it because of three things: God has Predestined us, Justified us, and glorified us (vs. 30).
A. YOU WERE CHOSEN, PREDESTINED
1. Deut. 7:6 says, “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.”
2. Eph 1:4 says, “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.” Jesus said, “You didn’t choose me, remember; I chose you” John 15:16 Msg.
3. When God chose us, He also predestined us to be conformed to the image of His Son (vs. 29) and to be rewarded with eternal life and endless blessings in God’s presence. God has made these “decrees” about you!
4. Eccles. 8:4 says, “Where the word of a king is, there is power.” When God speaks, it happens!
a. God spoke and the universe was created.
b. God commanded and the ancient world was deluged and destroyed.
c. God spoke and Israel came out of Egypt, defeating the mightiest army in the world.
5. But before the creation of the world, God spoke about you, you were chosen to be part of His holy people throughout eternity.
6. ILLUSTRATION
a. Pro Wrestling is staged. Before the wrestlers ever go out, it’s been predetermined who will win.
b. The contenders go through the battle for entertainment purposes but the point of the battle is not to decide who will win but to give the crowd a show.
c. The winner of the match does not battle for victory, but from victory. He battles knowing that he's already won. [Tony Evans Bk. Of Illus., p. 337.]
d. When you accepted Jesus Christ, you got on the winning side. You can’t help but win because Jesus already won the key battle at Calvary!
7. Paul notes 2 guarantees; “If God…did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all” (vss. 31-32) and “Christ… is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us” (34).
8. DEMONSTRATION. Set up balance beam. Get volunteer from audience to walk the beam. But to ensure their success, get a person to walk on each side to support them. This symbolizes how we have the support of Jesus’ sacrifice and His continual intercession.
B. JUSTIFIED
1. When we accepted salvation in Jesus Christ we were washed us in the blood of the Lamb – all our sins were cleansed away. We were justified, “just-as-if-I’d” never sinned at all and declared us “NOT GUILTY” in the Courtroom of Heaven. Say, “No Condemnation!”
2. In addition, we were wrapped about with the righteousness of Christ, and wearing that glorious robe, the eyes of God see no fault in us, because Jesus is perfect – He never sinned.
3. DEMONSTRATION. Bring a volunteer to the front. Notice that their clothes aren’t fit for heaven. But then pull out a kingly/queenly robe and a crown & put it on them. That’s what God has done.
C. GLORIFIED
1. In one sense, God’s people are glorified even now, for He “has raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” Eph. 2:6.
2. It does not say, “we SHALL sit there,” but He “HAS” made us sit there. Our spiritual beings, in Christ, DO NOW sit there this very hour, for Christ is our representative Head, and when Christ took His seat in heaven, we also took our seat in heaven in Him.
3. GOD CERTIFIED HIS WORK FOR US BY SEATING US IN HEAVENLY PLACES IN CHRIST! Such an enthronement guarantees our future position!
III. HOW THIS AFFECTS OUR WORLDVIEW
A. POSITIVE: WE’RE ON THE WINNING SIDE!
1. How was it that the early Christians could “joyfully accept the confiscation of their property?” (Heb. 10:34). Because they were sure that God loved them and had adopted them into His family. Eternal rewards beyond our imagination awaits.
2. Most of us began our lives feeling conviction for our sins and feeling that God wasn’t on our side. But all that has changed since we accepted Christ!
3. Predestination is like two elevators. One is going down toward Hell and has on its door, “Without Christ.” The other is going upward toward Heaven and has on its door, “Those in Christ.” Everyone who gets “in Christ” automatically switches from the elevator going to Hell to the one going to Heaven!
4. If you have accepted Christ then everything in the universe belongs to You! Every blessing God has, is Yours! Jesus is the Heir of God; all “in Him” are joint-heirs with Him!
5. The most wealthy Person in the Universe is NOW your patron! “If God be for us, who can be against us?”
B. IT SHOULD AFFECT YOUR LIFESTYLE
1. ILLUS.
a. In 2011, Prince William married Kate Middleton. Kate was a commoner, not royalty. We can only imagine the transformation she was required to make to conform to the Royal Family.
b. From the moment she began dating Prince William, she was expected to ACT like the Royal Family, SPEAK like the Royal Family, DRESS like the Royal Family, WATCH HER BEHAVIOR AT ALL TIMES, etc. Her whole lifestyle and thinking were required to conform to that of the Royal Family.
2. When we become Christians, we are also expected to conform to our Royal Family of heaven! We have a new family and a new identity
3. YOUR IDENTITY OUGHT TO DETERMINE:
a. What kind of Music you listen to;
b. What kind of Books you read;
c. What kind of TV you watch;
d. How you dress;
e. How you spend your time;
f. What your priorities are;
g. Who you date and eventually married.
4. If you're a peasant, you act like one. If you’re of Royal Blood, and are destined to fulfill a historic role in your nation, you should rise to fill the part!
5. COME ON CHURCH, ACT LIKE THE REDEEMED! GROW UP INTO CHRIST!
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION: WHO YOU LOOK LIKE
1. Ben Hooper told the story. “I was born not far from here across the mountains. My mother wasn’t married when I was born so I had a hard time. When I started school my classmates had a name for me, and it wasn’t a very nice name.
2. I used to go off by myself to escape because the taunts of my playmates cut so deeply. What was worse was going down town on Saturday afternoon and feeling every eye burning a hole through me. They were all wondering just who my real father was.
3. When I was about 12 years old a new preacher came to our church. He preached hell fire and brimstone. He scared me and fascinated me all at the same time. I would always slip into church late and leave early because I feared they would ask what a boy like me was doing in their church.
4. One day the preacher dismissed church so fast I got caught and had to walk out with the crowd. Just as I got to the door I felt a big hand on my shoulder. I looked up to see the preacher looking down on me.
5. He said, ‘Well young man, I see a resemblance in you. You look a lot like... Why you’re the son of.. the son of...’ I cringed and figured here it comes. And then he said, “Why you’re a son of God!” And slapping me on my back he added, “Now go out and collect your inheritance.”
6. Ben Hooper said, “That was the most important single sentence ever said to me;” I finally realized I DID HAVE A FATHER – IN HEAVEN! This truth was responsible for Hooper being elected Governor of Tennessee two times!
B. ILLUS. #2: THE ONE WHO NEVER FORGOT
1. In the early 1800s, a number of people were on a dock watching slaves unloading cargo. Most of the slaves hung their heads in weariness or discouragement. But one slave held his head high, with a kingly bearing.
2. A man asked the dock manager, "Is he newly a slave? Or just come over from Africa?"
3. The dock manager responded, "No -- he's been a slave many years. But he's never forgotten that over in Africa he's a prince, for his father is a King."
4. Neither should we forget that we’re Sons and Daughters of God and that one day we’ll rule and reign with Christ. Never forget your identity!
C. THE CALL
1. You are no longer an outcast, but you've been adopted.
2. You are an heir of an incredible inheritance.
3. You will reign in heavenly places with Christ.
4. 2 Timothy 2:19, "Let all who named the Name of Christ depart from iniquity." Do you need to lay some things down?
5. Salvation Call: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me” Rev. 3:20.
