The Love of God
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The love of God
Romans 8:28-39
1. Introduction:
I likes things to be under control. I wonder if that’s you as well. I make plans and see things come to fruition in an orderly way. Well, that was completely blown out of the water at my daughters 6 year old birthday party. it was at our place. It was an all girls birthday. her school friends, 15 preppies. I decided I’ll run the games. how hard could it be? i had it all under control. I planned the games. We had pin the horn on the unicorn, musical chairs all the classics right, pass the parcel it was going to be fun. i had it under control. i even wrapped stuff up, calculated how many prizes to give out, planned how long each game should go for. It was going to be fine and dandy.
boy was I wrong. the games just did not go to Plan. It was out of control. Musical chairs was an absolute disaster. you cannot play games with 3-6 year olds where someone wins. it just leads to tears upon tears. you had my little one, walking around the musics playing, she’s only 3 right, I turn the music off, she can’t find a seat, she’s 3. She droops her shoulders bawls her eyes out. i couldn’t stop her crying. but i got to keep the game going right. So When the music comes back on she sprints back out to join in, now there’s even less chairs, i turn the music off she’s crying even louder and another 2 girls start crying. It was just out of control.
if that wasn’t bad enough, we play pin the horn on the unicorn. things are going well. put a blindfold on. one of the girls grabs a horn tries to stick it on the unicorn. that’s going okay, for about 1 minute. Everyone gets restless. Kids don’t just waiting around. so what do they do? Some of the other girls are taking all my prizes for the other games. No stop!! it was out of control!
Friends, do you reckon God is out of control?. You look at world. It seems chaotic. You see suffering, death, pandemics. How can God be in control?
As we come today’s passage, line after line its so comforting.. God is in absolute control. He not just in control because he is a control freak. He is not a dictator who just likes control.
He is so in control that he says everything happens for the good of those who love him. he is so in control that he is working things out for our good. So when you feel like life is swirling out of control, God says is working for your good. He loves his people.
How can we know this? How can he be so certain that God is in control, that he lives us? We know this because God’s love does not depend on us. It depends on him.
so as we come to the passage this morning, here’s my big idea: God is in absolute control and he promises us that nothing can separate us from his love. He speaks first to our head and then our hearts.
2. God is in absolute control (8:28-30)
Firstly, God is in absolute control. Notice how verse 28 starts, we know
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
This is one of those classic verses you put in a picture frame and hang it on your wall. We know that for those who love God all things work together for good. What does this verse say? It saysGod is in control of everything.
Notice, it’s not in some things, not just the good things. When life is a bed of roses. No, he is in control in all things. He is in control of the bad things. Wars, pandemics, mental health. He’s in control.
Feel the weight of that. This is important. It’s when life gets hard, when you doubt, is Hod even there? But God says he is working for your good, even if you don’t feel it.
So what does that say about God? Well, don’t box him in. he is God we are not. Even when things look terrible, you don’t get it, he is in control.
But also, he has a purpose. He has a plan. He has intention to bring about good for his people.
But you go, how can bad things work for good? How can it be good when Christians are beheaded? How?
It depends on our definition of good. My definition is: I want a nice comfortable easy life. That’s why my parents left Vietnam right. Good job. Good education. Good family. There may not be anything wrong with those things. But that’s not what God’s saying.
What is the good?
Romans 8:29 (ESV)
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son,
There’s the good. He’s making you more like Jesus.
That’s the good. To be more like Christ. And that actually means we will suffer in this life.
We live for him. We will suffer like him.
look at Jesus life. When the Lord Jesus was betrayed, sold for 30 pieces of silver, whipped mocked, wearing a crown of thorns, suffered incredible evil. It was the worst of suffering. But what was God doing? He was working for the good of those who love him. What the Jews meant for evil, God meant for good. What’s the good here? He died for us. Jesus brought us forgiveness of sins. He brought us back to God. We can have peace with God.
And we thank our God for that, don’t we?
God works for the good of those who love him to make us more like Christ. We just need to get our head around the good. It is to make us more like Christ.
But to be like Jesus is not even the ultimate goal.
romans 8:29
Romans 8:29 (ESV)
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
God is at work so that we might be more like Jesus. Why? So that Jesus will be number 1. He is the Lord. He is our king. Our lives are not about us. It’s not. It’s about Jesus. Glorifying Jesus. we live for Jesus.
Friends God is in absolute control. He is working out all things for the good of those who love him, so that Jesus might be glorified.
In fact, God wants to be so sure that he is in control. He gives us a history lesson of his big plan since before time. Don’t worry if you don’t know about the history of World War 2. This is the history you need to know.
What is it? Even before the universe existed. God’s plan was for Jesus to save a people. He chose to save us because he loves us. This is our history.
And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
That’s God’s big plan. His history lesson. His plan is from before all things to the end of all things.
Friends, did you read that word there predestination, and did you think, that’s just confusing. Talk about a hard history lesson. What do we do with it? How can God chose these people, but he doesn’t chose those people. what?
I’m not saying it’s easy to understand. It’s not easy. It is hard. But I am saying it doesn’t mean it’s not true. Why? We see it in the Bible. God says he chooses people he saves. God also says we’re responsible for our actions. Does God choose or are we responsible? The answer is Yes. Both. That’s what the scriptures say.
Friends, it’s arrogant to say if I can’t understand it, it must not be true. That’s just arrogant. I don’t get immunology; my wife Joy has a major in it tries to explain vaccines and how it all works. For me, it’s in one ear out the other right, but it doesn’t mean its not true.
So, when we think about God, getting your head around God. he’s God! he’s intimidating. He’s above and beyond us. But at the same time, he has revealed himself to us in the Scriptures. This is our authority. God reveals himself to us in his Word. He didn’t have to. But God is merciful kind and loving. He reveals himself to us.
Now, the problem we have with predestination is that we like to be in control. we love that feeling. I run my life my way. I can chose to do whatever I want. you know what that’s called? sin. That’s rebellion against God. When God says I’m in control, not you, we hate it. We think we can rip the crown off God’s head and put it on our own head.
But here’s where the rubber hits the road. We reject God, we sin, therefore we are dead. Spiritually dead. And God says:
Romans 6:23 (ESV)
For the wages of sin is death
So the fact is, we can’t choose God. we’re dead. Dead people don’t chose anything. And that’s all of us. We all deserve God’s judgment.
So the fact that God mercifully choses anyone. Wow. The fact that God saves us. It’s his work, by his Spirit working in our hearts, then I can be completely confident. Do you get that? I can be confident that he loves me. If it’s my choice, I just can’t be sure. Have I prayed hard enough? Am I living like Jesus well enough? Am I giving enough? Am I doing enough and I know I will fail. I won’t be sure.
But the Scriptures tell us, God chose us because of his love. See the word there ‘foreknew’ – we think God takes a magical telescope, sees us observes our lives and thinks oh that blokes alright, that lady, she’s so helpful I’m going to save them. that’s not foreknowledge.
In the bible knowledge is more intimate. In Genesis 4:1
Genesis 4:1 (ESV)
Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain
See the word knew. It’s not like he intellectually knew about Eve. He knew her. It’s intimate, personal, relational.
In a similar way, when people come to Jesus on the last day and say to him Lord Lord: didn’t we do all these things in your name? Jesus himself says Matthew 7:23
And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
Jesus says. I never knew you. We never had a relationship.
When God foreknew, it means he for-loved.
He decided to love us beforehand. He decided to enter into relationship with us. We do not deserve God’s love. We have rejected him. We are sinners. We deserve judgment. All of us. But he wanted to love us anyway. This is God’s mercy. that’s the key to this all. it’s love. It’s undeserved love. Not that we love God, but that he loved us and sent his only son for our sins. It’s just wow, what love.
God sets his love on us before time.
He predestined us.
Not only that, the history lesson tells us that he calls us. when we heard the Gospel of Jesus he really called us so we believe. God brings us into his kingdom. He works in us by Spirit and calls us. Then he justifies us. we’re declared not guilty before God the judge. And he glorifies us. Glory is what’s coming. That’s our future. Paul is so sure of this he tells us in past tense.
Friends, this is God’s big plan. can you see that he is absolutely in control? He’s working for our good to be like Christ. He has chosen us. He loves us.
so what are you waiting for? come. Believe in jesus, believe. this is Gods great love for you, forgiving you of your sins, risen to give you life trust in him. That’s the application trust in Jesus, that’s the application of predestination be ever so thankful that God would love you, trust in Jesus.
Now, even if you don’t completely understand predestination, welcome to club. Here’s the thing. Here’s what God wants you to know - he’s for you. he’s in control. and he says, nothing can separate us from his love.
3. God says nothing can separate us from his love (8:31-39)
That’s my second point. Paul answers 5 big questions to make this point very clear.
First question; Romans 8:31
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Excellent question isn’t it? think about it. From beginning to end. God is for us. you don’t need to stress out about predestination. Why? Well his big point is that God is for us. God is reassuring us. Before time, now, into eternity the Lord of the universe is for us. He’s on our side. He is committed to us.
If God is for us, then who can be against us? You think, everybody. Paul’s point, yes, but who cares? Our victory in Christ is assured. In life we get to live for Christ, in death we get to be with Christ. If God is for me then who can be against me?
Do you think some social media, clever atheists, the government, your mates can come up against God?
They are not going to win.
And if you doubt this, look at the cross. That’s where you find your assurance. Question 2: Romans 8:32
He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
See how Paul argues? If God has done the hardest thing, he will do the easier thing. What’s the hardest thing God has done? He gave up his only son, Jesus Christ. If he did that, do you think he won’t forgive you? Do you think he won’t give you eternal life, a resurrected body, that you’re not part of his family? Of course not. He’s already done the hardest thing. The rest of it is easy.
God says nothing can separate us from his love
But Brian you don’t understand. You don’t understand what I’ve done in my life. You don’t understand what’s going on in my head. You don’t understand how hard it is for me. Sin still lurks. I feel so guilty. Satan is accusing me.
God knows you’re asking this question so he says verse 33, question 3
Romans 8:33
Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.
Step back with me for a second. The book of Romans chapter 1-3 starts in a courtroom scene. Everyone is in the courtroom. And God issues a verdict. There’s no one righteous not even one. All of us. we are all sinners, without exception. We deserve God’s judgment. But God does not leave us in that situation. In Christ, God declares just not guilty. The judge says, you’re are not guilty, you are free to go! That’s the verdict. There’s no condemnation. we are justified. If the judge has declared you innocent, then no one has the right to condemn you.
And if you condemn yourself. That’s saying God I know better than you. I’ll go back into my cell. Come on now.
Friends before you go on condemning yourself. Do you actually know what Jesus is doing on your behalf? He’s interceding for you. look at verse 34 question 4.
Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
Jesus has died. He has risen again. He’s at God’s right hand and he see the word there intercedes for you. What do you think Jesus is doing when he speaks to his father? Dobbing you in? slandering you? Oh man, she is a pathetic Christian. Far out, she is still not reading the Bible. She doesn’t pray, she thinks she can go it alone. I don’t know why you put up with her. Then she complains about me! What is he saying about you guys? He is still battling with porn. Do you believe it? get rid of him. He is hopeless.
No. no. every moment of every day the Lord Jesus stands as our advocate. He doesn’t plead our innocent. We’re not innocent. He doesn’t point out our guilt. He intercedes for us. Jesus presents his righteous life of perfect obedience to his Father – I died for him. I died for her. He intercedes for you. he’s got your back. Even in the middle of your sins. Do you hear that? What kept Christ on the cross was his love. He loves you. this is the love of God. nothing can separate you from God’s love.
So Paul weighs it all up, he gets to the end this line of question; he thinks about every single scenario that could make you doubt God’s love question 5: verse 35
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
Where did we get the idea there’s no pain when you follow Jesus? No suffering. That’s not Biblical. The Christian is hard. Full of suffering. But it’s not a sign that we don’t have enough faith. God says; nothing can separate you from his love. Suffering cannot take you away from his love. Suffering does not mean he loves you any less. Remember God works for our good to make us like Christ.
the Apostle Paul knows suffering. 40 lashes less 1. beaten with rods. stoned. shipwrecked. in danger from rivers, robbers, his own people, from Gentiles. the list goes on and on. read Acts. He knows suffering.
Paul through his own experience says; Nothing can separate you from his love.
So friends, when you feel distant from God, don’t we all some times. Like God isn’t in control.
When you feel like you are separated from God’s love. Don’t trust your feelings on this one. Don’t look inside. Look at the cross. Look at God’s words.
And remember these beautiful verses, remember God’s love.
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
God is in absolute control. And God says nothing can separate us from his love. Isn’t that wonderful? Praise God.
As we conclude here are some implications.
4. Implications
4.1 God works out all things to make us like Christ
I remember back when Andrea was a little little baby. i’m talking 3 months. it was just a hard time. she would not sleep. we’d get 2-3 hours max in one stretch. i remember at the time i’d sing this song Jesus loves me this i know for the Bible tells me so, little ones to him belong, we are weak but he is strong. i’d sing that over and over. it really got me through that time. but in that time, i look back on it now and i think - couldn’t see it at the time. but God has made me more what’s the word, gritty, tougher, more dependent on him, Joy and i through conflict more about to understand each other, boy did we fight at the time, a little bit more empathetic, more forgiving, more like Christ. At the time i hated it. So instead of asking God, why… you can ask God this question: Father, what are you teaching me father in this time? How can i grow to be more like Christ here? God works out all things for our good to make us more like Christ.
4.2. Keeping reminding yourself of the Gospel
Friends, we are very forgetful. we slip back into thinking God does not love us. Paul Tripp – pastor/author he says helpfully: no one is more influential in your life than you are. Because no one talks to you more than you do. So remind yourself. remind youself in the word, Romans 8:31-39 Get out the 5 questions and answer them. God is for you, who can be against you? He did not give up his Son, how will he not graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against us? Who is to condemn? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Friends,God is in absolute control and he promises us that nothing can separate from the love of Christ. Will you trust him?
Conclusion:
Let’s pray.