If God is For Us - Week 1

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I want you guys to do me a favor and just imagine for a second that you get a call from the bank, and they tell you that there’s been some kind of bank issue, and you’ve had a million dollars deposited in your account. But they say you can have it — they’re not going to take it back out. There’s no catch — all you’ve got to do is come down there and withdraw it.

Would you go down to the bank and withdraw it? Of course you would? In the words of one of the great philosophers of our time — Shawn Corey Carter (also known as Jay-Z) — I got 99 problems… and I’m pretty sure money could solve a lot of ‘em! (Y’all don’t sing the rest of that line… it’s not appropriate for church. Also — where else in town are they gonna make a Jay-Z reference in a message? You’re welcome.)

The point is — there’s nothing we did to earn this money. It was placed there for us and all we have to do is access it. We weren’t good enough — or special enough — or smart enough — or perfect enough to get this money placed in this account — and yet, we can take it.

See, our faith is the same way. God calls us to place our faith in Him and experience a relationship with Him, not because of anything we’ve done, or anything we can do for Him, but because of what He has done for us. All God is asking for us to do is respond.

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So tonight we’re starting a new quick series — just two weeks — called “If God is For Us”. And what’s cool about these next two weeks — tonight and next Wednesday — is that Roger and I are teaching from the exact same passage — but we’re going to be challenging you with two different perspectives and two different challenges.

Before we jump into the passage — I wanna ask you guys a question: What would your life look like if you truly felt accepted? Like, if you truly felt comfortable in your own skin — and didn’t worry about the approval of other people, or didn’t live in the shame of something you’ve done in your past, or live in fear of somebody else rejecting you, or telling you that you’re not good enough?

See, the truth is, we’re all looking to be accepted. Whether you’re somebody who’s pretty extroverted and you like to have a lot of people around you, or if you’re more introverted and you’ve got a really small circle — regardless of whether you say you don’t care what other people think — all of us — at our core — were created for relationship and were created to feel love — approval — and acceptance.

And if you’re a Christian in the room it’s probably not hard to guess where I’m going with this, right? The only place we can truly find acceptance is in God alone. Only God will truly give us the love — and approval — and acceptance that we’re searching for. Christians here tonight know that our relationship with Him is the true source of joy and peace, amen?

And yet… we still forget and we still try to do all the “stuff” to earn God’s love don’t we? We think we’ve got to be a good enough person — or do enough good stuff — or show up to every church event — and when we don’t do those things perfectly, then we believe the lie that God doesn’t love us, right?

And this is nothing new — people have been struggling with acceptance for thousands of years. And the Apostle Paul actually addresses this to a group of believers in Rome.

So turn in your Bibles tonight to the Book of Romans — and we’re in Chapter 8. If you’re new or newer to your Bible — Romans is toward the back — it’s in the New Testament — it’s the sixth book of the New Testament - Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, and then Romans.

The eighth chapter of Romans is smack-dab in the middle of this 16-chapter letter. And Romans — if you’re not familiar — is just this huge mountain of theology. And the Apostle Paul — who wrote this — introduces all these doctrines that have formed really the foundation of the Christian faith. And so if the Book of Romans is a mountain of theology — then Chapter 8 is the peak of the climb.

And throughout this chapter, Paul asks his readers at the church in Rome a series of rapid-fire questions. See this was a hodge-podge of people from all kinds of different cultures, and backgrounds, and beliefs, and they — like a lot of modern-day believers — were struggling to understand that what Jesus did on the Cross was enough — and because of Jesus’ sacrifice — God called them righteous.

Let’s take a look at some of these questions tonight. And as we do, here’s what I want you to walk away with: If you’re a believer here this evening — if you’re in Christ… then nothing — and nobody — can separate you from the love God has for you.

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.

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So all these questions that Paul is asking us here — they’re meant to be rhetorical questions, but they’re also meant to be truly unanswerable. What you’ve gotta know about Paul is that he was an academic — he asked questions to make you really think. And I mean, think about that question — If God is for us, then who can be against us?

That sounds really great… until that lady cuts you off in traffic, right?

Or what about when your boss yelled at you even though you knew you were right?

Or maybe it’s that thing one of your family members said to you but you don’t respond because you love Jesus now and you know He doesn’t want you to swing on your sister?

On a more serious note — what about when you lose a family member?

Or when that person you love — and care about — and have been praying for — gets locked up again?

Man when I’ve got the disconnect notice that the lights are about to get shut off I’m really glad that bumper sticker on the car says “If God is for us, then who can be against us,” right?

The problem is — we hear that question — “If God is for us, then who can be against us?” — but we don’t stop long enough to actually consider what that means. See, Paul starts this passage with this question, but then he ends with the answer that just knocks your right on your rear end. It’s because he knows that we’re going to start arguing with him in our minds as soon as we hear that, right?

“If God is for us, then who can be against us.” —————

“Well, I don’t know Paul who’s gonna pay the electric bill this month? How am I gonna get the kids fed?”

And he’s like just hush and listen — ya dummy.

Before we can even finish forming that thought in our head — he’s already hitting us with statement after statement and question after question.

Look again at Verse 31:

Romans 8:31 CSB

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

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You know what’s wild about this question? It’s not saying we won’t face hard stuff — it’s saying none of that hard stuff is gonna succeed. Paul isn’t promising an easy road for us — but he is promising that in the battle — God is on our side.

That means those people talking about you behind your back? They don’t get the final word.

That means your sin — as real and as ugly as it may be — it doesn’t have the final say.

That means no diagnosis — no betrayal — no mistake — none of it — gets to overrule the verdict God has already handed down. And if the One Who created the universe is backing you — then the opposition just becomes background noise. That doesn’t mean it won’t be loud — it means those things won’t win.

But He doesn’t just stop there. Look at Verse 32:

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?

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Think about that for a second: God didn’t give us secondhand grace, right? He didn’t recycle some leftover mercy. He gave the most precious thing He had — His own Son.

And Paul’s logic is airtight here. If God has already done the hardest thing — handing over Jesus for our sake — then why do we doubt He’ll handle the small stuff? If He didn’t hold back Jesus — why do we think He’s gonna hold back strength for tomorrow — or peace in the storm — or wisdom when we’re confused?

If God was willing to sacrifice His own Son for us — why do we believe the lie that He isn’t for us, or that anything could separate us from His love?

But if you’re still not convinced — Paul has more to say. All told in this passage — he asks us five questions:

If God is for us, who can be against us?

Will God not provide us with everything we need?

Who can accuse us?

Who can condemn us?

And then finally — who can separate us from the love of God?

These unanswerable questions are high points for the Christian life that teach us about what it means to live in the power and the presence of a God who is not against us — but He’s for us.

Jesus’ sacrifice proves that God’s “YES” to us isn’t just emotional — it’s carefully planned and perfected.

Let’s keep going. Verse 33:

Romans 8:33 CSB

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

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God’s elect — talking about those who have been saved. And Paul even answers his own question here. God is the one who justifies. See in the original Greek — the word for justify here is a legal term that means to demonstrate evidence for the truth. In this case — that we are righteous.

In a courtroom — an accusation only matters if the judge agrees. But in this case — God is both the judge and the one who justifies. So Satan can accuse you all day long — he can say you’re guilty — and worthless — and unlovable — but guess what? The gavel’s already dropped. And the Judge has already declared you righteous.

And then he hits us over the head again with Verse 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.

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Guys this is a big dang deal: Paul reminds us that Jesus isn’t just the one who died for us. He rose — and He reigns — and He intercedes. That means — right now — in this present moment — Jesus is interceding on our behalf. How cool is that? Right now — in the middle of whatever you walked in here with — whatever struggle — or crappy situation… whatever relationship issue — or problem at work… whatever family drama — or even just a broken heart… Jesus sits at the right hand of the father — right now — praying for you.

If you ever feel like nobody’s got your back — or like nobody understands — Paul is saying Jesus is sitting in the Throne Room of Heaven — saying your name to the Father — not to accuse — but to advocate.

That is how we know that God is for us and not against us.

But Paul’s like well, just in case you don’t believe me — I’ve got a little more to say. Verse 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?

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Y’all see that? Not even seeing y’all nekkid keeps Jesus from loving you. Praise be to God.

Seriously though — think about that:

Affliction — so illness and struggle

Distress — when you’re dealing with things that have hurt you — or family drama — or fear — or anxiety

Persecution — even when everybody else comes against you

Famine — when you’re hungry — and lacking — and hurting

Nakedness — even when you’re at your poorest — and lowest

Danger — even when the situation looks unwinable

And Sword — even when death comes against you

Nothing can separate you from the love of God. Y’all know what the word for nothing meant in the original Greek? NOTHING. Y’all know what it meant when it was translated into Latin? NOTHING.

He’s not listing these things because they’re rare. He’s saying them because they’re so common. And He’s not sugarcoating anything — following Jesus doesn’t mean you’re exempt from the hard stuff. In fact — in the next verse, Verse 36, is actually a callback to Psalm 44:22. Look:

Psalm 44:22 CSB

22 Because of you we are being put to death all day long; we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered.

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The question isn’t “Will life be hard?” —— The question is, “Can any of the hard stuff we go through separate us from God’s love?”

And Paul’s answer isn’t just a weak “maybe”… it’s a defiant NO, amen?

The Word of God tells us to expect persecution — to expect things to be crappy — to expect the times to be tough and the troubles to be hard. If you’re a Christian — that should be a given. The world is out to get you and the enemy HATES you — and he’ll do whatever he can to try to get you to believe the lie that you’re not good enough — and not smart enough — and not worthy enough for God’s love.

But you know what Paul says about that? — MALARKY! Verse 37:

Romans 8:37 CSB

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

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MORE. THAN. CONQUERORS. That means we win! So get you some of that Satan.

But maybe you’re here and you still are having a hard time refusing to believe it. Paul’s still not done. The last two verses — 38 and 39, just in case you need a little more convincing:

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.

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You know what I love about Paul’s list here? It’s cosmic. Like — it goes galactic. Life — and death — and angels — and demons — and the past — and the future. It’s like Paul is running out of categories here and finally just says, “any other created thing, okay? Like, all the stuff”!

But you know what’s included in that? You.

This shows us that God’s character is entirely for — in favor of — and lovingly disposed toward His people. What’s that mean? It means He’s on our side. When we face problems — and difficulties — and when crap hits the fan and you’re trying not to drop kick that jack leg in WalMart for being rude to you in the toilet paper aisle — God is immediately beside us and goes through every single difficulty with us.

We don’t earn God’s love, so we can’t lose it. And we’re not powerful enough to break what God has already secured.

In fact, Scripture tells us that He is always with us:

Psalm 139:5 CSB

5 You have encircled me; you have placed your hand on me.

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This is how we know God is for us. And that nothing will separate us from His love.

So here’s what I want us to consider, church: if we actually believed that God is for us… if we truly believed that He is on our side — how would our life look different? What would change?

Would we stop believing the lie that God is disappointed in us?

Would we finally let go of the guilt that we’ve been carrying for years?

Would we stop trying to earn what Jesus has already paid for?

And would we stop looking to other people for approval and start resting in the truth that God already accepts you if you have been saved?

See — if God is for you — and He is — then we don’t have to strive for His love. We already have it. And if you’ve ever doubted it — look at the Cross. That’s how we know. That’s the proof, amen?

Verse 32 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?

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We can’t get a clearer picture than that. The Cross is the receipt that proves the payment was made. God doesn’t just talk about being for us — He shows it.

So tonight — I don’t know what lies the enemy has been whispering to you. Maybe you’ve been believing that God’s love has limits — that it’s tied to your behavior or how well you’ve performed lately. Maybe shame has been loud. Maybe fear has been stealing your peace.

But the truth is, God is for you. Period.

And if you’re in Christ — if you’ve said yes to Him — then nothing — and nobody — can ever take His love away from you. Tonight — I’m challenging you to believe the truth that what Jesus has already done is really enough. Don’t walk out of here wondering if God’s love will last. Because His love for you is sealed by His blood and promised in His Word.

Guys — this isn’t just fluff to make you feel good. This is the Gospel! It’s the Good News! And what makes the Good News so good is that God is willing to do whatever it takes to be with you. If you don’t know Him tonight — if you’ve never experienced that grace and forgiveness — please hear me when I tell you — He’s not waiting for you to clean yourself up. He’s not watching you with a magnifying glass waiting for you to mess up again. He’s saying “Come home to Me.” And so if you’ve never said yes to Him — if you’ve never trusted Him — let tonight be your night. All you’ve got to do, is respond.

Just like that million dollars in the bank — you don’t earn it. You just say yes to the gift.

God is for you. Rest in that.

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