Quit Your Groaning Part 2
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
We began this morning looking at the thought of “Quit Your Groaning” out of Romans 8:18-23...
I had five points to the message, and was only able to get two covered this morning, so, hopefully, we will finish them tonight.
This morning, we looked at “The Anticipation of the Believer” and “The Anguish of the Believer”
We are anticipating a brighter tomorrow! We learned that all of creation saw the effects of sin that day Adam sold us all into the bondage of sin, and even as a believer, we face a struggle everyday between the Spirit and the Flesh, and it can get aggravating at times, it can get tiring, but listen, we have a better day coming! A better day when our groaning will cease, and we will trade that groaning in for glory!
We are learning in these verses to stop focusing on today’s groaning and look forward to tomorrow’s glory!
Let’s continue looking at these verses tonight...
3-The Assistance of the Believer
3-The Assistance of the Believer
24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? 25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
Someday God will deliver our bodies from disease and death, and give us new bodies like the resurrected body of Jesus.
What a blessed hope we have!
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
The word hope speaks of something yet in the future, a future expectancy.
When people use the word hope today it often carries with it the idea of uncertainty. They say, I hope I have enough money to pay my bills. I hope gas prices come down.
However, in the Bible the word hope carries the idea of certainty because when God says something is going to happen we can expect it to happen without any doubt.
As believers we have the assurance that because we stand justified, we will someday be glorified. These old weary and worn out bodies will be exchanged for perfect and glorified ones.
Blind eyes will see. Deaf ears will hear. The lame will walk again.
My hope is not in science. It is not in the armies of the world. It is not in religion. Listen to me, our hope lies in the coming of our Savior!
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
Look at the assistance the believer has...
26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
The Holy Spirit helpeth our infirmities.
The word helpeth carries the idea of coming to one's aid to give support...
The word infirmities means "weakness, feebleness, and frailty."
We don't like to admit it, but we are weak, feeble and frail at times. How often we get in a place where we are utterly helpless. Paul said at those times, we know not what we should pray for as we ought.
One of the great struggles in the Christian life is to be consistent in our prayer life. Prayer is the one thing that everyone can do and yet, many do not have a prayer life.
The only thing the disciples ever asked Jesus to teach them was how to pray.
Every believer encounters some difficulty in prayer. Sometimes the burden is so heavy that we can't bare it. Sometimes there are no words to express the hurt of our heart. The load on our heart goes beyond our ability to cry out to God.
Under the crushing weight of our circumstances the Holy Spirit cries out to God making intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
After seeing the assistance of the believer, we see in the next verse:
4-The Assurance of the Believer
4-The Assurance of the Believer
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
R.A. Torrey said, “This verse is a soft pillow for a tired heart.”
The words “work together” come from the Greek word that forms our English word “synergism” which is the working together of multiple elements to produce an effect that is greater than each element if they were separate.
Let me illustrate that this way: harmful chemicals by themselves are toxic, but when they are combined, they can be beneficial; here’s an example: Sodium and chlorine are poisonous themselves, but when combined they form salt. Bad events and circumstances work together for good.
16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
All things … good or bad; sweet or bitter; victory or defeat; happy or sad; health or sickness; prosperity or poverty; calm or storm; comfort or suffering; life or death … all things work together for good. This doesn’t mean that everything that happens to us is good. Evil is prevalent in our world, but God is able to turn the bad around for our good and for His sovereign purpose in our lives.
12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
We believers have a sure thing in Jesus Christ. We can face every situation with the confidence that God is in charge and we will prevail.
5-The Atonement of the Believer
5-The Atonement of the Believer
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
The word “for” in verse 29 explains the reason why all things work together for good to them that love God. We are part of an eternal purpose. In verse 28, we are identified as “the called according to his purpose,” and in verses 29–30 we are told more about that purpose.
The people to whom Paul wrote were having a hard time. Evil appeared to have the upper hand and Satan seemed to be in complete control. In a time like that what words would have been more comforting or convincing than these?
Our salvation began in eternity.
Dean Weaver wrote, “Behind it is God’s infinite wisdom. In it is God’s infinite love and by it we are introduced to God’s infinite power.”
From beginning to end, from here to heaven, from the first moment of faith until the final moment of fulfillment, we are in the hands of God and he will never let go. I can think of no stronger statement than the words of verses 29–30 to prove the eternal security of the believer. Once saved, always saved; once a child of God, always a child of God. No one, who is a part of God’s eternal purpose, will ever be lost.
The mind of God conceived our salvation, the love of God granted it, and the power of God will bring it to completion.
What is the eternal purpose of God? Verse 28 says, it’s to be conformed to the image of his Son...
Now if we “love God” all things work for good and that for several reasons:
(a) We are Foreknown. We are not God’s after thought, but God’s forethought. We are on His heart with a purpose in view.
(b) We are Predestinated. “To be conformed to the image of His son.” Yes, the ultimate purpose of God for every believer is to be just like Jesus. We who are saved are headed for that goal.
(c) We are Called. By the preaching of the gospel. Through faith He imparts to us Christ’s righteousness.
(d) We are Glorified. This is the full purpose of God for every Christian. In the mind of God this is an accomplished feet.
2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
Conclusion
Conclusion
There is coming a future day when all believers will quit their groaning!
We will go from groaning to glory!
What a day that will be!