All Things Work Together for Good
Philadelphia Baptist Church
10/7/007 Sun. a.m.
All Things Work Together for Good
Romans 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Introduction: The promise of Romans 8:28 is one to which Christians for centuries have clung. The first three words of this promise are the basis for our message “and we know.” Scripture gives supporting evidence of this truth. Through personal experience Paul indicated that in all of the circumstances of life, God is at work for good because we love Him. And the God who was at work in Paul’s life has an objective for his life, namely, to make him more and more like Jesus Christ. Paul learned this, and we can, too, through:
1. Unavoidable Sickness (2 Cor. 12:7–10). Paul wrote that even in sickness and in pain, God works to accomplish His purpose. Scholars have debated for centuries as to precisely what the “thorn” in Paul’s flesh refers to. The bottom line is, we don’t know. Satan works by the permission of God and within the boundaries that God establishes. So, God allowed and God permitted a messenger of Satan to torment Paul with some sort of ongoing physical infirmity, sickness, or disease. Like all of us, when we get sick, Paul prayed for his own healing. The automatic response of all of us in difficulty is deliverance. God can do it, but doesn’t always. One main point in Paul’s situation, though: he wasn’t sickness focused, but Jesus focused. He wasn’t circumstance focused, but Christ focused. Paul said, when healing did not come, he discovered the power of Christ in his weakness.
| In our Christian lives, our expectation is that God will create the spiritual equivalent of the wealthy Christian dressed nice, shopping from quaint little expensive stores, eating at the finest restaurants, barbecuing on the loveliest yachts, staying at the nicest condos. That’s a wrong expectation of God. The reality is we are sojourners. This world is not our home, we’re pilgrims, we’re aliens, and we’re strangers. When we entered the family of God, God issued us a temporary permit. The more I focus on heaven and Christ, the more I realize that in every circumstance of life, God is at work. What is my expectation? To carry on this journey for Jesus knowing that this world is not my home, I’m just passing through. I understand whether on the mainland or on the island, in the midst of plenty or alone in the wilderness, God works all things together for good for those who love Him, who have been called according to the purpose of God. |
2. Unfair Circumstances (Phil. 1:12–14). Paul discovered that even when he was the victim of injustice, and even when his circumstances were the result of unfair treatment, God was still at work, still in control, accomplishing His purpose. Let me pause to remind you what had happened to Paul. Paul had been active on missionary journeys, preaching the gospel, planting churches, encouraging believers. He became the victim of unfair and unfounded accusations. As a result, he had been illegally arrested. He made his appeal to Caesar because he was a Roman citizen, and was transported to a Roman prison, from which he wrote to the Philippians. Almost everyone had forsaken him. There he was in prison separated from his ministry, forsaken by his friends, the victim of unfair circumstances. But, as these verses reveal, Paul saw every obstacle as an opportunity to advance the gospel. What a perspective! Other believers were encouraged through his imprisonment and he was able to preach to his captors!
In this world there are things hoped for, and things stuck with. The thorns are what we are stuck with. We cannot extract them. All of them cause pain, the real pain that is associated with loss: Loss of health; loss of faith and hope, as when we somehow feel unblessed, loss of joy; loss of love; and certainly loss of power.
What are we going to do when it doesn’t get better? Paul shows us what to do.
1. First, stand on the truth that God has a reason.
We can always know that God has a purpose for every trouble He allows in our lives. Paul got to see the purpose for his problem, and he shared it with us in vs. 7, when he said, lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.
The Apostle Paul certainly had an abundance of revelations. On the road to Damascus, Paul saw Jesus shining in glory brighter than the sun! And God chose Paul as His instrument to write more New Testament books than any other person. Paul certainly wrote 14 of the 27 books in the New Testament.
2. And keep praying until God tells you to stop.
3. Unfair Criticism (Phil. 1:15–18). Different people have different motives for preaching the same gospel. We don’t know exactly what occurred that Paul refers to in these verses except that in Rome there were people preaching the gospel who were sympathetic toward Paul. There were others also preaching Christ who were not sympathetic to Paul, but looking to stir up trouble for him through preaching. If you study the life of Paul, you’ll discover that throughout his life, Christians sought to discredit him because he was not one of the original twelve disciples. People continually undermined him, criticized him, and put him down. Paul’s answer was basically, “Who cares?” His desire is that the gospel be preached despite what that meant to him.
4. Inevitable Death (2 Tim. 1:11–12; 4:16–17). When Paul was nearing the end of his life, he expressed his faith in God and entrusted his soul to Him. Paul was imprisoned twice in Rome. The first time he wrote Philippians and other letters. The second time he wrote 1 and 2 Timothy. Second Timothy was the last letter that he wrote shortly before his death. He writes about those who deserted him during imprisonment, “At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me;…” (2 Tim. 4:16–17). Paul wasn’t interested in fighting the “unfair” things in life because he knew all things work together for good!
| The Anabaptist leader Michael Sattler, was arrested in the mid-1520s. His tongue was sliced, chunks of flesh were torn from his body with red-hot tongs, and he was burned at the stake. As soon as the ropes on his wrists were burned, Sattler raised the two forefingers of his hand giving the promised signal to his brothers that a martyr’s death was bearable. Then the assembled crowd heard coming from his seared lips, “Father, I commend my spirit into Thy hands.” Sattler’s wife was executed by drowning eight days later. |
Conclusion: Others may forsake you, you may be sick, you may be the victim of criticism or unfair circumstances, but God always stands by us and gives us strength. I must remind you of some harsh theology: the gospel of God and the glory of God are far more important than our personal convenience and circumstance. He will strengthen you through trials so that His gospel will be made known. God works all things together for good for those who love Him, who have been called according to the purpose of God. Do you believe that?
