Blessed Assurance
Notes
Transcript
Good morning Valley Church!
It’s so good to be back up here, and back with you all.
Express appreciation for Ron, Phil, Travis, Dillon
Today, we will be in Romans 8:31-34, so please get your Bibles open to that passage if you have it,
And please join me in a word of prayer as we start our journey in this Scripture today.
Okay, so, this might be a controversial topic, but I am a huge fan of the beach.
I know some people hate the sand and saltwater and the drive, but literally everything about the beach and the ocean I absolutely love.
I love fishing, seafood, waves, all of it. As long as I have SPF 70 every 15 minutes, I’m good to go.
I think the Lord made it healing for the body and the soul, I sometimes wish he would’ve invented more money in my bank account so I could go more often,
But, it’s something I look forward to when my family and I are able to go, it’s something I’ve now watched my own kids enjoy as much as I did growing up.
In fact, here are some photos from our most recent trip a couple weeks ago…
And growing up, this was a yearly thing, we always went to the beach.
I got to play in the ocean, in the giant waves, boogie boarding, and I always remember, the second you think you’ve mastered the waves, you suddenly get pulled under with more force than you’ve ever felt in your life.
In fact, I always remember trying to tackle and stop waves as a kid, and of course, there was absolutely no point.
I also remember fishing with my dad on the beach, and you may not know this, but the best fishing is when the tides are moving in or out,
And at the bait shop, they would have these free tidal charts on a little business card so you could time up your fishing based on low or high tide.
On year, in fact, I learned about tides really well when my cousin and I were pulled out to sea by a rip tide, and before we knew it, our parents looked like ants on the beach and we were in wayyy over our heads.
That was a scary day.
All this to say, over the course of these beach trips, I’ve learned a healthy respect for the ocean and it’s immense power.
And if you think about it, the ocean is really an immovable force.
As a kid, I tried to stop and wrestle the waves. They didn’t care, they just kept on going for thousands of miles, both down the coast and from the sea where they originated.
The tides were on a schedule set by none other than the moon. They don’t care what anyone or anything says, or if anyone objects to the rising tide: it happens on schedule, without fail, every time.
Currents do not stop, for any reason whatsoever, weather, tsunamis, hurricanes, - they do not ask anyone for permission or care about any buildings in the way, they happen with such force that all we can do is bunker down and hope for the best.
Such is our God.
There are a lot of different ideas that have come from Romans 8 so far, lot’s of theological truths and promises and conclusions that we can have,
But one thing, perhaps the central thing, the main idea that Paul is trying to convey is something called assurance.
Just as the ocean ebs and flows and does what it does, God assures us of complete victory in Jesus Christ and assures us that His Spirit is here as our helper,
That we are no longer under the law of sin and death but we are under the law and power of the Spirit of God,
And while there may be powers that oppose that, or threaten it, or try to tackle it, or are unhappy with it…
It doesn’t matter,
Because when God speaks, it is final.
And this is the thrust of our passage today,
Let’s start breaking this down beginning in Romans 8:31, this is what it says:
31 What, then, are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us?
What an amazing line in and of itself, but let’s look at the broader context of what Paul is writing about here, first we need to address the question you may already be asking:
What Are These Things?
What Are These Things?
What things is Paul referring to here?
Well, in short, it’s everything from Paul’s argument so far, which actually begins all the way back in Romans chapter 5.
Just to give you a very brief synopsis:
Romans 5 deals with justification by faith, and creating a new humanity in the image of Jesus, who is the better Adam, he is the perfect human that we need to live our lives modeling, this is what Israel was meant to be but failed.
Romans 6 starts with the same question: what shall we say then? And talks all about the believers freedom from sin and that we are united with Jesus in the likeness of his death, and likewise through his resurrection, which is a picture of baptism, and that we are now liberated to truly love our neighbors.
Romans 7 then gos on to talk about how the law paradoxically makes us more guilty, and the more we try to follow the letter of the law reveals how far we fall short of the glory of God, and that the point of Torah, or the Law, is actually to ft ourselves into God’s story and show us how to live lives of wisdom.
Then, Romans 8, which we’re currently studying, tells us all about the freedom of bondage from death and decay, and it introduces this character called the Spirit, and that the Spirit shapes our outlook on life and allows us to follow this new Torah-wisdom and allows us to fulfill being true image bearers of God, and this same Spirit raised Jesus from the dead, we are adopted into God’s family as coheirs of Christ,
Which Ron spoke about being our only hope, as we are saved by hope, as all of creation groans. We also know, as Travis spoke on, that the Spirit actually helps us be wise, and helps us pray even when our own words fall short. Which brings us to the absolute sovereignty of God, which Phil preached on, who is absolutely good and actually brings us the definition of goodness, and also wants a connection with everyone.
Phew. That was all of this section of Romans in about 2 minutes. But, these are the things. This is what Paul is talking about, and is now winding down his writings on in this section.
So, what shall we say about all these things?
If God is for us, who can be against us.
What an incredible line.
Paul just spent multiple chapters describing all the wonderful God has done, is doing, and will do in the future.
It would make no sense, now, for Paul to write:
“And this is what you need to do to get God on your side”
“Here’s the checklist of items you better do to be good with God”.
No.
Paul writes, God is for you.
Remember, Paul is writing to all the believers in Rome, in the church. Jews and Gentiles alike, both those who assumed they we’re God’s chosen people no matter what, and those who we’re outside of God’s apparent view.
And Paul spends all this time saying - No, because of Jesus Christ, God is available to anyone and everyone who calls on Him as Lord, and that the power of God’s Spirit, once only available to certain people in certain times, is now freely given.
There is no temple to enter into, that is you.
And like usual, Paul is drawing on his Old Testament knowledge, because this is a very common theme amongst the Israelites, that God is for them. He is on their side,
6 The Lord is for me; I will not be afraid. What can a mere mortal do to me?
So, you can see, the Psalmist here is writing essentially the same thought as Paul - there is no one who can stand up to God.
No one in all of creation, no creature, no power is even comparable to God.
It’s laughable to Paul for anyone to ever suggest that God is even mildly threatened by some outside force, because God literally created everything in existence.
And here’s how Paul proves that God is indeed for us, the mode in which God is for 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?
And here’s what that tells us this morning:
God Gave Up Everything
God Gave Up Everything
To be for us. To be with us.
He gave up his own, precious, perfect son, for us. For our wretched souls, for our imperfect, sinful natures, he gave up his son for us who aren’t even appreciative most of the time.
At first glance, this verse may not seem super connected to the last one - if God is for us, who can be against us, ok.
He didn’t even spare His own son. Ok. How do these connect?
What Paul is doing is giving a condition for God’s nature of people for his people.
He’s saying “look, guys, of course God is for you, he didn’t even spare the most prized possession in all of the heavens, he even gave up his own son for you”.
And do you know what that means? It means we are protected by the blood of Jesus Christ, the final sacrifice, forever and ever.
It means we’ve been saved by the best means that are possible, by sacrificing the kings own firstborn son, who we freely gave to us.
This verse might not seem like an Old Testament reference or allusion, but it certainly is, and it’s a story you’re probably pretty familiar with, this is a story even those outside the church are familiar with found in Genesis.
Verse 32 is an allusion to the story of Abraham and Isaac, and it’s usually titled “The Sacrifice of Isaac”.
And just to refresh you on this story in Genesis chapter 22, God was testing Abraham by telling him to take his son, Isaac, up the mountain and sacrifice him as a burnt offering.
Now, child sacrifice was surprisingly common in this time, a disgusting practice that was supposed to win the favor of the gods, but the God of Abraham had never been one to demand this.
Until now.
So, seemingly quietly, Abraham got up, early in the morning, got the donkey ready, got a couple of guys to carry all the wood for the fire, and then finally told Isaac to come with.
And part way up the mountain, Abraham tells the two servants to stay with the donkey, and he says him and Isaac will just go worship.
Now, this was the point in which Isaac was noticing there was no animal to sacrifice. Suspicious, probably, and Isaac is asking “where is the animal to sacrifice?”
And Abraham keeps saying “God will provide the sacrifice”
So they continue up the mountain, and eventually get to their destination, and Abraham binds Isaac and lay him on the altar they’ve prepared and raises the knife to slaughter his own son…
And remember, this is the son Abraham was been waiting on. For years, his wife Sarah was barren, not able to have children, they even laughed at God when he promised them a son at his old age, for 100 years Abraham lived and waited on his son Isaac,
And now, he’s about to slaughter his son and give him back to the God that gave him in the first place.
And right as the knife is about to plunge, the Angel of the Lord stops him.
And Abraham sees a ram, caught in the bushes, which was replaced for Isaac.
Here’s the redeeming factor at the end of that story:
15 Then the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, “By myself I have sworn,” this is the Lord’s declaration: “Because you have done this thing and have not withheld your only son, 17 I will indeed bless you and make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your offspring will possess the city gates of their enemies.
See, what was celebrated was Abrahams willingness to give up his own son. Abraham did not withhold even the most precious thing in his life, from the Lord.
And the irony to all this, of course, is that God came to us. He told his only son - hey, come with me to earth, we need to make a sacrifice.
And Jesus was saying “where’s the sacrifice?”
But there was no replacement, God let his own son be given to us.
Just like Abraham, God was willing to do this, just to give us the blessing of full assurance and salvation and redemption, forever.
And the end of verse 32 in Romans chapter 8 says “How will he not also with him grant us everything?”
God has given us His son. What else is anything compared to that? It is the greatest gift of any gift ever imagined, or created by anyone, better than anything that exists or doesn’t exist.
Any other thing that God could give us is easy. Because nothing compares to the greatest thing in the universe, Jesus Christ.
That’s why he can make us heirs, he can give us the keys to the kingdom, he’s prepared a place in heaven for us,
Because what is even heaven compared to the glory of Jesus Christ our Lord?
We’ve already been given the greatest gift.
Which is why Paul then goes on to write this:
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.
This is continuing the theme this morning - not only can anyone stand against us, there is now a legal aspect of our identity in Christ.
There is No Condemnation
There is No Condemnation
And this is amazing to cap the end of this chapter by saying this, because remember where we started in verse 1 of this chapter:
1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus,
This is the good news.
There is no condemnation, you are not guilty, you are free in Jesus Christ, free from sin and death,
Because as God’s elect, we are justified.
So, if we are justified by Jesus Christ, who can possibly bring any kind of charge against us?
Because if they bring a charge against us, guess what? They need to take it up with my boss.
Right?
And why can’t anyone condemn us?
Well, Paul says because Christ Jesus is the one who died.
And then he says but even more, has been raised.
I think in the modern evangelical church we spend a disproportionate amount of time on the death of Jesus, which don’t get me wrong, isn’t a bad thing,
But the gospel, the good news about Jesus, is that he resurrected from the dead.
Anyone can die for me. I would die for my family and friends.
But one man has a tomb with a marker that says “Jesus of Nazareth”, “King of the Jews”, he has an empty tomb, because he defeated death.
And he walked out of that grave. That, friends, is the good news.
3 For I passed on to you as most important what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve.
This is why there is no condemnation, because that power that raise Jesus from the dead lives in you as the temple.
That is why, if you are a believer, you are the elect,
Because God has chosen you, and you have chosen God, and he has entered a covenant agreement with you,
A covenant in which he has fulfilled both sides of the contract for,
An agreement where God is faithful to us, and was faithful for us, and will forever be chesed, loving kindness, covenant faithful,
And that covenant cannot fail.
Who can bring a charge against God’s elect?
And the cool thing about this, is even Jesus doesn’t condemn.
Even though he can, and has the right to, and should….
I think we often picture Jesus, God sitting in a big judges seat just waiting for us to screw up so he can bring down the gavel and declare us guilty and punish us,
But that’s not the picture.
Look what Paul writes Jesus is doing right now:
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.
Jesus is pleading on our behalf.
Isn’t that crazy? Us, who killed him. Jesus is interceding for us. He’s convincing God that he’s covered us with his blood, that were good,
And guess what? It’s working.
Jesus isn’t waiting for us to stumble, he’s actively trying to prevent it, and is lifting us up when we do.
Let me tell you a short story of the nature of Jesus Christ in relation to condemnation:
This is another one you’re probably familiar with: the woman caught in adultery.
This is in John chapter 8, and Jesus is teaching at the temple, and the Pharisees, the religious elite, they “catch” a woman in adultery.
Since there are kids in the room, I’ll let you explain that later to them over lunch.
And this was an obvious setup, they know this lady was gonna do this, and they knew Jesus was in the area,
This whole thing was a gross setup to test Jesus and essentially either force him to stone this woman, or leave and therefore reject the law and Torah.
Okay, so they catch this woman, they drag her out in the street, probably naked or partially clothed, into the dirt at Jesus’s feet.
And they ask Jesus - what are you gonna do? The law of Moses demands we stone her.
And you know what? Jesus didn’t say a single thing. He bent down and started writing in the dirt.
And of course, they were just so confused. They kept pressing Jesus - what are you gonna do? Condemn her!
Jesus said “okay, anyone who hasn’t sinned, cast the first stone.”
And you know what? One by one they started dropping their stones. And they started walking away.
10 When Jesus stood up, he said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 “No one, Lord,” she answered. “Neither do I condemn you,” said Jesus. “Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.”
The one person left was Jesus, who by the way, by staying claimed to be sinless.
The one person that had the absolute right, every power in the world to condemn and kill this woman, Jesus said “neither do I condemn you”.
That is the God we serve.
He is not waiting for you to trip up so he can smite you, he wants to be with you, and he’s made a way for that to happen,
He’s made a way for absolute future assurance that no one can keep you from or condemn you to,
Like the ocean, there is nothing that can stop our God from getting to you.
He’s a God that leaves the 99 for the 1, he the God that gave up his own son for you,
Who could stand against you?
So, to land this plane, there’s one challenging question that I just couldn’t get our of my brain as I was studying this passage,
As I was really considering why God would do this for us,
As I was thinking about the swath of humanity that just has ignored this, and tainted this,
Why do we continue to give ourselves to lesser things?
Why do we time and time again worship and serve anything other than God?
I think it’s time, church, to rededicate ourselves as the bride of Christ.
Because eventually, times up. Eventually, it will be too late.
My challenge is this:
Give Yourself Back to God
Give Yourself Back to God
Because here’s the thing: God gave up everything for you.
And you, if you are in Christ, if you have already made that decision this morning to follow Him and declare Him as Lord of your life,
You are enjoying the benefits of blessed assurance. Absolute salvation. Untouchableness.
Because it’s pretty easy to read these verses in Romans 8 and conclude - okay, I’m good.
No one can touch me, so sin is okay. Because I have assurance, I can sin and be good.
God says he’ll give me everything, so I should get money and health and everything I want.
No one can condemn me, so don’t judge me, don’t tell me I’m doing anything wrong. Only God can judge me.
Friends, this is a false gospel that Jesus does not call us to.
What Jesus calls us to is faithfulness.
And what does faithfulness look like?
It looks like Abraham giving up his own son.
It looks like Jesus telling the woman caught in adultery to go, and sin no more.
It means living the life that Jesus calls us to, in humbleness, and gentleness, and goodness, and love, filled tot he brim with the Spirit.
Paul isn’t writing these things to say: go do whatever you want now, you’re good to go.
He’s writing these things to say “Look at what God has done for you. How could you not follow him with all your heart, soul, mind and strength”.
1 Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
This is what we’re called to, friends.
To be living sacrifices, not to earn God’s favor, because we are God’s elect already.
But as a response to how good and amazing our God is, who gave his only son, so that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but will have eternal life.
Rededicate yourself in view of these mercies. In view of God’s sacrifice for us.
Let’s Pray.
