Why Christians Should Not Worry (Romans 8:31–39)

Introduction

Attention

We're continuing our series in the book of Romans. Today, we are in Romans 8:31-39. In Romans 8 Paul has been describing for us the power and the impact of the Holy Spirit in the Christian life. He has reminded us that there is for the Christian there is no condemnation in Jesus Christ. He has told us as Christians that we should have our mind set on the spirit of Christ in our life.

He told us that as we pray the Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf, and that God is working all things together for the good that we should be men and women conform to the image of his Son. And that God is ultimately bringing us to a place where we will behold the glory of Christ, our Savior.

Verses 31 to 39 is summarizing all of this together in one package, basically saying to the Christian, “Christian, if all God is working all these things together for us, why do you worry?” His point is that Christians don't need to be people who worry, because God is for us.

And it feels like there's an endless list of things to worry about today. People worry about all kinds of things.

You're worried that your dollar doesn't stretch as much as it used to.

You're worried if you will make it financially this month.

Maybe you're worried about your marriage or your worried about your kids.

Maybe you're worried about the world that your kids are growing up in.

You're worried about their education and their future.

And if the big things aren't enough there are lot of little things we worry about.

We're worried about what people think of us. I heard some one say, you wouldn't worry about what people think of you if you knew how little they do.

You're worried that you got something stuck in your teeth.

Maybe you're worried that when you go to the supermarket, you're going to get that shopping cart that gets stuck or starts veering off to one side.

You're worried that your phone's not going to have enough battery today.

Your worried because you want to say hi to that new person at church, but you forgot their name.

You would hang out for fellowship after the church, but you’re worried about making small talk.

We are really good at inventing things to worry about.

As I got into this, I started getting interested in the process of worry. What actually happens?

What happens is there is an external or internal stimulus that triggers a thought. And the problem today is that there is so much information constantly coming to us, that it's really dangerous to sit there as a sponge and just allow all kinds of stimulus to give opportunity to trigger a thought that will cause you worry.

And when the worrisome thought happens, scientists say there is a part of the brain called the amygdala, and the the amygdala acts as an alert system to the body. So the thought triggers this amygdala to go off and the body has a physical reaction. This is where you get overwhelmed with anxiety and fear because of the worrisome thought. It's an amazing how our mind and our body are so intertwined together.

I like what one person said about worry. He says,

The Complete Book of Zingers: Over 5,000 Perfect One-Liners Worry

When we worry, we believe more in our problems than in God’s promises.

And it's so easy for us to get caught up in worry and fear. And how can we be people who move from believing in our problems, to people who believe that God's promises are greater than our problems?

Let's take a look at that as we open our Bibles to Romans 8, starting in verse 31.

Remember that Paul has just told us that God is working all things together for our good, that he's conforming us to the image of his Son, and that he is bringing us to a day where we will behold his glory. Then it gets to verse 31.

Scripture Reading

Romans 8:31–39 CSB

31 What, then, are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He did not even spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. How will he not also with him grant us everything? 33 Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies. 34 Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us. 35 Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: Because of you we are being put to death all day long; we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered. 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Pray

Romans 8:31-39 is such a beautiful passage. He's taken us through this whole list of questions. They're really rhetorical questions. Rhetorical questions are questions that are kind of self explanatory. It's a method that the author uses to bring us to a point.

He's asked us:

What are we to say about these things?

If God is for us, who is against us?

How will he not grant us everything?

Who will bring an accusation against God's elect?

Who is the one who condemns?

Who can separate us from the love of Christ?

The answer to all of this is that nothing can separate us from Christ. Christian, God is for us.

The obvious audience for ver. 31 or 39 are Christians. In verse 33, he describes us as God's elect. We're not going to get into a whole conversation on election. For our purposes today, if you are someone in Christ, meaning if at the end of the day when you stand before the Lord, God identifies you as someone in the Son of God, Jesus Christ, Jesus knows you, then, brother or sister, you are God's elect.

And when we're talking about Christianity, talking about the church, sometimes we can get into our denominational things. But really, what matters at the end of the day is that when you stand before the Lord, does he know you? That's the church that matters. Are you one of God's elect?

And the point of all that he is saying in verses 31 to 39 is that today, if you are in Christ, you have everything you need. Why do you worry?

And we start off with this first point. It's this,

Christians should not worry because God is on our side.

We start off in Romans 8:31,

Romans 8:31 CSB

31 What, then, are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us?

Think of all the people who have had to trust God in difficult circumstances.

Abram, who later became Abraham, had to trust God even though he couldn't see how God's promises to him could be fulfilled. Let's take a look at Genesis 15:1,

Genesis 15:1 CSB

1 After these events, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield; your reward will be very great.

See, the Lord had promised Abram a child, but Abram was childless, and he was getting old and his wife was getting old. It seemed like an impossible situation.

But God gives an answer to Abram regarding his promises He says, here is how I can prove to you that my promise is real and sure. My promise is based on who I am, that I am your shield.

That the God who brought the world into existence is your shield, and God is on your side. If God is on your side your reward will be very great. No one can take anything away from you because God is on your side.

You look at the life of David, a man who time and time again. was up against forces that seemed too powerful for him. He was a young man with some rocks and a sling, literally standing before a giant in full armor. In his life, he had to deal with a king of Israel who was chasing after him to take away his life. And I love what David says in Psalm 27:1-3,

Psalm 27:1–3 CSB

1 The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom should I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— whom should I dread? 2 When evildoers came against me to devour my flesh, my foes and my enemies stumbled and fell. 3 Though an army deploys against me, my heart will not be afraid; though a war breaks out against me, I will still be confident.

What is his confidence based on? His confidence is based on the fact that he's seen God move impossible things before, and he knows that no matter what comes against him, there is a stronghold, there is a defense, a shelter, a shield in his life that is stronger than anything coming against him.

He has the best defense in the universe. Why should he be afraid? Why should he worry? He knows in his mind and his heart that there is nothing, there is no one so powerful on the outside that should cause anything within him to go on red alert, because there is a stronghold, a shelter, a shield in his life that is more powerful than anything he faces. God is on his side.

He's not worried about enemies. He serves the God who conquers his enemies. He's not worried about armies coming against him. He serves the Lord of Armies.

And the God who was the shield in Abraham's life and the stronghold in David's life is the same God you serve. There's a defense, a shield that is covering you. And if you are in Christ today, if God is for you, no one in the world can come against you. God is on your side.

When I was in the police department, we would show up for something called roll call, right before patrol, which is basically the police officer still standing the line. And the sergeant was in front of us and he's giving us our assignments for the day. And one of the things they would tell you is that, no matter what happened tonight on patrol, make sure that you go home at night to your family You know that you were going out into a world where people hated you because of the uniform you're wearing. And as I became a Christian I had a different perspective on this. the danger that was part of my job. I realized something. And I remember telling myself this. I would say this to myself. I would say I am invincible until God decides to take me home.

Because I serve a God that is greater than my enemies. I am invincible until God decides to take me home.

Christians should not worry, because God is on our side.

Second,

Christians should not worry because God provides all we need.

We get into verses 32 to 34. And a Romans 8:32, he gets into this question by saying, look at what God has done for you already. He says,

Romans 8:32 CSB

32 He did not even spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. How will he not also with him grant us everything?

Now I got interested in this word, “everything,” where he says “grant us everything.” I said, “O. K. What is Paul really saying here? Now, what's the fine print? What does he mean by everything?”

So I went and looked up what the Greek word means that is translated in English as everything. It means “each, every, any; any and every, every; all; every kind of, all sorts of,” it means everything.

Then we get it to Romans 8:33 where he says,

Romans 8:33 CSB

33 Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies.

So what is he saying here? He's a God that has justified you in Jesus Christ. He has given his Son for you. He's not even spared his own Son, but gave him up for us. He's going to grant us everything, so you have all you need in Christ.

Who's going to bring anything against you? Who's going to accuse you of anything? Because there's no condemnation for those in Christ. You know, so often it's we ourselves. We are the ones I want to accuse ourselves and condemn ourselves with things as we look at ourselves.

But God doesn't look at you as someone he accuses. God looks at us as someone that he has already justified in Christ. Our sins are on the cross, past, present and future. So there's nothing coming against you. Why are you worried?

Look at Romans 8:34,

Romans 8:34 CSB

34 Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us.

We've already seen earlier in verses 26 to 27 that, as we are people of prayer, the Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf. And here he describes Christ interceding for us on our behalf.

The point is this, the point is that God is on our side. God looks after his children. He didn't justify you to walk away from you. He justified you in Jesus Christ, and he is with you at all times. He intercedes on your behalf. He is bringing us to a place where all of these temporary issues are behind us.

I love how the Lord describes worry for us in Matthew 6. Take a look at Matthew 6:31-34,

Matthew 6:31–34 CSB

31 So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. 34 Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

The counselor said this about worry. He said that worry is a good emotion. which he described as concern. It's good to be concerned. But he said the problem with worry is that worry is focused on the wrong day: tomorrow. That is what Jesus says here, where he says, don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow worry about itself.

For the Christian, there is a cure for worry. And the cure for worry is prayer, because worry is fear-thought, And it's cured by prayer-thought.

And when we are worried, we can pray to God and say, Lord, these things are hard. Lord, I put all these things in your hand, because I know that you are the stronghold of my life. I know that you are stronger than the things that I face, and how your word says that you will grant us everything in Christ. So Lord, I trust you. God, I trust in your promises more than I trust in my worries.

And his word says the Lord sits at the right hand of God, interceding for you right now. And as we pray how this Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf. And we say as a church, “Forgive us, Lord, as we get caught up in our worries.”

I used to teach a course on anger management in a homeless shelter. And I would ask the students. about the things that they are concerned about today. Remember these are men and women experiencing homelessness. Some of them had real concerns about falling back into addiction, concerns about how they're going to get a job and how they're going to support themselves in San Diego. Many of them were just starting what was a year long program at the shelter.

And I would ask them, I would say the things that you are so concerned about today. Are these things going to matter in 6 months? Maybe. The things that you're really concerned about today, are they going to matter in a year? Are they going to matter in 5 years?

Then I would ask them, Do you remember what you were worried about 6 months ago? Do you remember what you were worried about a year ago?

So often the things that seem so big in the moment, when you look back at it a year later, you realize that it wasn't that bad. That somehow that fear that I had about tomorrow, that fear about the future, when the future happened, it all worked out somehow. My needs were provided for. And I was so worried about what would happen in a year. Later, I just looked back and just say God look at what you got me through.

And the Christian perspective on the future is not worry, but confidence. This based on what God is done for me in the past. I know that he's going to get me through my future. and that God is ultimately working all things together so that we are men or women conformed to the image of his Son, heading to a place where we will behold his glory.

We are justified in Christ and we are his children. Christian,

You don't have to worry because God is on your side.

You don't have to worry because he provides all you need.

Last,

Christians should not worry because our bond with Christ is inseparable.

Outline

And if you look at the totality of everything that he's been saying. he's been describing that we don't have to worry because God is for us. But if our greatest defense, our greatest stronghold, is that God is for us. We ask ourselves the question, is there something so bad, so terrible, that if I am in Christ today, is there something so terrible that would drive a wedge between? Is there something that I could do, or something that could happen to me, that would separate the bond that I had with Jesus Christ?

Because if that were true, then that would be something to worry about. If there was some possibility that there could be something so terrible that could drive a wedge and separate me from the love of Christ, then my salvation is not sure. It's not on a solid rock. There's something extra that I have to do beyond the cross. For my salvation, I would need the cross, plus I would need my good works.

Is there something that could separate me from Jesus? And what does he say here? The Holy Spirit inspiring Paul as he's writing this. The Spirit says through his word, No. He says in Romans 8:35,

Romans 8:35 CSB

35 Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

And then after bringing us through this long list of possible ways that we could die. He then quotes Psalm 44:22. He says in Romans 8:36-37,

Romans 8:36–37 CSB

36 As it is written: Because of you we are being put to death all day long; we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered. 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

The question that he's asking here is that, is there any possible way that I could be separated from Christ, that when I die at my death, that there would be something in my death that could separate me from Jesus Christ? That's a scary thing, because if you're separated from Christ by your death, there's no coming back from that.

He says no. he says we're more than conquerors. And we have conquered so much. We have even conquered death. because Jesus Christ has conquered death for us on the cross.

So even though I die, I will live. I am more than a conqueror in Jesus Christ. Even if you take me to my grave. when you go to my funeral, my body may be there, but my life is with Jesus Christ. Romans 8:38-39,

Romans 8:38–39 CSB

38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Send me the best that you've got.

Bring anything against me in my life. And I am with Christ.

Take me to my grave, and I am with Christ.

Let's Satan try to come and work against me. I am in Christ.

Bring all of your armies. Bring all of your lawyers. Bring all the legal problems against me. Bring all the enemies you want. I am in Christ.

There's nothing created. There is no power strong enough. There is nothing on Earth or in the entire universe that can come against the stronghold in my life. The defense that is over me. I am in Christ.

I love what the Lord says and John 10:27-30. And listen, if you've heard the voice of Jesus Christ in your life, if the Lord Jesus has called you to him and you've recognized that call on your life, you are a follower of Jesus Christ. You are his sheep. You are his. Listen to what he says here in John 10:27-30,

John 10:27–30 CSB

27 My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”

And if Jesus is who he says he is, the Son of God who takes away the sin of the world, the sin in your life, then there is power in Jesus, and no one will take you from him.

There's a kid in a schoolyard, and he was really worried about a bully. He'd been hearing threats from this bully all day. The bully had been kind of taunting him. telling him, wait till I see you in the school yard. And it gets to recess time where the kids are in the schoolyard. And so is a little boy, and he's worried he's looking around. And out comes the bully. The bully is walking towards him.

And the little boy's eyes gets wide as he sees his bully coming toward him. A crowd starts to form around. And he says, you know what? That's it. This bully is going to beat me up. It's been. a knock me out. What am I going to do? And it's little kids afraid. and

All of a sudden, this little kid, he sees the bully and the bully’s eyes start getting really wide. because behind that little boy comes this huge dude and actually the bully recognizes him. He's a famous wrestler. and the little boy. He feels his presence behind him and he looks behind. And so he turns around and looks up at the looks up at the man and he says, oh, hi, dad. And the boy's father looks at the bully and says, is there a problem here in the bully? Says no, no, no problem.

And so often we're the ones hearing the voice of the worries in our life. The voice of those finances that aren't enough. The voice of that relationship we're worried. All the voices of the distress around us. Worried about our kids. Worried about what's happening to them. We're worried about everything that we see. Just this scary future.

And as we look at that bully in the school yard, we forget. whose child we are. And we have a hard time just getting our minds wrapped around and comprehending what it means to be a child of God. The totality of it. is easier to look at the bullies in front of us, and it's hard to get our mind around the immensity of what it means to be in Jesus Christ, to be a child of God today.

I love what Paul says in Ephesians 3:17-21, is he just starts praying for the church. And this is a prayer that I have for all of us. He says in Ephesians 3:17-21,

Ephesians 3:17–21 CSB

17 and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, 19 and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us— 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

(as we begin to close)

And when you can get your mind wrapped around the fact that there is a bond. with Christ in your life that is inseparable, that there's a love and a power in your life that's incomprehensible, that is a defense in your life that is stronger and bigger than you could ever dream.

Christian you can leave here today. Walking tall. saying I am in Christ. We're telling the world. Throw the best you've got against me. because there is nothing that you have. There's nothing that you're going to face. that compares with who I am in Christ.

Christian should not worry because God is on our side. We shouldn't worry because God provides all we need. And Christian shouldn't worry because our bond with him is inseparable. God is for us.

Conclusion

Prayer

Last Song

Doxology

Numbers 6:24–26 CSB

24 “May the Lord bless you and protect you; 25 may the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 may the Lord look with favor on you and give you peace.” ’

Jude 24–25 CSB

24 Now to him who is able to protect you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of his glory, without blemish and with great joy, 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority before all time, now and forever. Amen.

You are dismissed. Have a great week in the Lord!