The Believers' Hope
Acts: Christ Builds His Church • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 13 viewsNotes
Transcript
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.
For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope;
because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.
Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.
For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?
But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.
Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
Intro:
Intro:
In ch 8, Paul has been discussing the assurances we have as believers. The Holy Spirit has a major role to play in that. Paul pointed out that we are no longer under condemnation (no longer judged guilty) and that we are now adopted sons and daughters of God.
In v. 18, Paul goes on to discuss our new Hope..
The nature of this hope is the full and final redemption of all things, including:
I. Redemption of Christians (8:18, 23–25)
I. Redemption of Christians (8:18, 23–25)
A. The present grief (8:18a, 23)
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.
Believers groan to be released from pain and suffering.
In life, we will experience hardship
Life under the sun is lived in a fallen world
disease, conflict, sin, etc all exist and impacts us
We sometimes suffer
and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
B. The future glory (8:18b, 24)
1. The comparison (8:18b)
Today’s grief is nothing when compared with tomorrow’s glory.
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.
Our bodies will be transformed!
When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
We will be with Him
Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
Tears- GONE
Pain- GONE
Suffering- GONE
Sting of loosing loved ones - GONE
And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
2. The command (8:25)
But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.
Until then, however, we are to wait patiently and confidently.
II. The Redemption of Creation (8:19–22)
II. The Redemption of Creation (8:19–22)
A. Nature, the victim (8:20, 21b–22)
For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope;
The natural world of plants and animals groans in pain because of the fall.
Nature was changed when we fell
Thorns from ground
Death
Storms
Harmony was removed
For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope;
God cursed the physical universe and now no part of creation entirely fulfills God’s original purpose
because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.
Nature was broken in the fall and remains that way today in spite of all our efforts to “fix” it.
B. Nature, the victor (8:19, 21a)
Nature, too, will be liberated from decay and death to freedom and fruitfulness.
For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.
There is coming a day when the Earth and all creatures and systems within it will be redeemed.
“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.
Paradise will be restored planetwide!
III. The Redemption of Prayer (8:26–27).
III. The Redemption of Prayer (8:26–27).
Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
In the OT, worship was very regulated by God.
It focused on prescribed sacrifices and special days of observances.
It all pointed to Jesus, but it was all external.
The veil was torn when He died opening the way to God for us. We now have direct access
He sent us a helper
A. The identity of this helper (8:26a)
That access is made possible by the Holy Spirit within us.
He is our helper
And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—
the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
Prayer is one area in which He constantly helps us.
Look again at
Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
THE SPIRIT HIMSELF intercedes for us
God the Holy Spirit prays on our behalf!!
We can’t even understand or pronounce these prayers
“groanings which CANNOT be uttered”
B. The indispensability of this helper(8:26b)
His prayers are vital, because we don’t even know what we should pray for.
God knows our every need better than we do!
The Holy Spirit is praying for us
This is similar to Jesus role of intercession on our behalf
Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
God the Spirit and God the Son both are interceding on our behalf!!!
This is why Paul can confidently say:
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
C. The intensity of this helper (8:26c–27)
1. How he prays (8:26c)
He prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.
2. What he prays (8:27)
He pleads for us in harmony with God’s own will.
I must confess, I have prayed at times for things that weren’t God’s will. You have as well
As humans, we can easily fall into the trap of praying to be healthy, wealthy, and wise. (some whole movements of Christians build churches on this idea)
That is self centered and fleshly.
In the model prayer, what did Jesus say?
Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
As God, the Holy Spirit doesn’t fall into that.
Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
He prays according to the will of God because He is God!
But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,
This is not a call to some ecstatic form of prayer, but simply a call to pray consistently in the will and power of the Spirit, as one would pray in the name of Jesus Christ
It isn’t speaking of OUR groanings, it is the Spirit speaking to GOD the Father on our behalf.
Our prayer life needs to be redeemed to align with GOD’s will.
Conc
Conc
Focus on hope
The power of hope
Everything that is done in the world is done by hope. No husbandman would sow a grain of corn if he hoped not it would grow up and become seed … Or no tradesman would set himself to work if he did not hope to reap benefit thereby.
Martin Luther (Founder of the German Reformation)
While we live here under the sun in a fallen world, we suffer and nature itself groans along with us for a better day.
But we have hope!
We have the Holy Spirit within us interceding for us
We have Our Savior in Heaven interceding for us
We have the promise of the the Father that one day, we and all creation will be redeemed and made new.
Walk in that HOPE
References:
The Outline Bible (Section Outline Eight (Romans 8))
John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006), Jud 20.eferences
