Suffering With Hope Romans 8:18-25

Introduction:

Some passages have a few nuggets in them and some of them have several. This passage we are going to begin looking at this morning is more like a Party Platter than a Kid’s Meal. It is loaded with nuggets. This morning, we are going to look at 3 or 4 of those nuggets that will help us fully understand the verses we will look at next week. With that being said, let’s look at the passage.

Romans 8:18–25 ESV

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

All Christians Will Suffer (vs. 18)

Romans 8:18 ESV

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

Jesus Predicted It

John 16:33 ESV

33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Matthew 24:9 ESV

9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.

All Christians will deal with suffering. However, we can rejoice in knowing that the suffering is only temporary and is no comparison to what beauty and peace we will experience one day in Glory.

I think VBS was more for me this year than the kids. The idea of keeping our eyes on Jesus no matter what the waves of life around us are doing means everything. If we stay focused on Jesus we can accomplish all He has for us to accomplish. If we start focusing on the waves around us, we won’t accomplish all He has for us nor will we walk With Jesus as we should.

I read a great book several years ago by John Ortberg called, If you want to walk on water, you have to get out of the boat.

Walking with Jesus won’t always be easy but if we never step out of the safety of our lives and surroundings, we can never fully experience the abundant life Jesus desires for us.

I’ve had 2nd Corinthians 1 on my heart alot lately as well.

2 Corinthians 1:3–5 ESV

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.

We are going to suffer through some heartaches and sufferings. However, as a follower of Christ, we have someone there to comfort us through those sufferings. However, in order to have Christ walking through us in those sufferings we must have died to self, the old way of living, the flesh, the law, and been raised to a newness in Christ to Walk worthy of the calling to be a follower of Christ.

Romans 6:3–10 ESV

3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.

All Creation Will Suffer (vs. 19-21)

Romans 8:19–21 ESV

19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

John MacArthur:

Rom. 8:19 the creation. This includes everything in the physical universe except human beings, whom he contrasts with this term (v v. 22–23). All creation is personified to be, as it were, longing for transformation from the curse and its effects. the revealing. Lit., “an uncovering,” or “an unveiling.” When Christ returns, God’s children will share his glory. See note on v. 18.

Tony Evans

8:19-21 Human sin corrupted creation and dragged it down into the messes we see today. It brought about things like earthquakes, volcanoes, and disease. But our righteousness, bought and perfected by Christ, will act as the agent of change in creation. When the children of God are ruling, the earth will once again have order, perfection, and untarnished beauty.

In Verse 20, we read about Creation was subject to futility, not willingy, but because of someone else. You see, when Adam and Eve it wasn’t just the fall of man, it was the fall of all Creation. It was at that point that God would have to destroy all of Creation someday in order for there to be complete newness of life.

Your actions in the flesh don’t just affect you, it affects those around you.

CSB Study Notes:

8:19–21 The created order of this earth was cursed at the fall (Gn 3:17–19), and it will be restored in the regeneration. When we receive our freedom, the entire world will be changed (Is 2:2–4; 11:6–9; Rv 21–22).

Even In Suffering There’s Hope For The True Christian!

But There’s Hope For Mankind

there’s Hope for All Creation

That Hope Is Jesus!

What Is Hope?

Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (Eleventh Edition) Hope

1hope \ˈhōp\ verb

hoped; hop•ing [Middle English, from Old English hopian; akin to Middle High German hoffen to hope] verb intransitive before 12th century

1: to cherish a desire with anticipation 〈hopes for a promotion〉

2 archaic: TRUST verb transitive

1: to desire with expectation of obtainment

2: to expect with confidence: TRUST synonym see EXPECT—hop•er noun—hope against hope: to hope without any basis for expecting fulfillment

2hope noun

before 12th century

1 archaic: TRUST, RELIANCE

2 a: desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment 〈came in hopes of seeing you〉 also: expectation of fulfillment or success 〈no hope of a cure〉

b: someone or something on which hopes are centered 〈our only hope for victory〉

c: something hoped for

Hebrews 11:1–2 ESV

1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation.

8:24 in hope In the nt, hope is not wishful thinking; it is a confident expectation in the fulfillment of God’s promises. Paul described Abraham as an example of hope in God (see note on 4:18).

Tony Evans:

8:24 Hope is a joyful expectation about the future, a trust that our tomorrows will be greater than our yesterdays. Real hope combines radical trust in God with the candid admission that we don’t know the details about our futures. What we do know, however, outweighs what we do not.

8:25 patient endurance Present troubles are manageable when living in hope of future redemption.

8:24–25 Our salvation is secure, but it is as yet unseen and thus a matter of hope. We wait in faith and patience.

So What or Who Is Your Hope In?