Its Got to Work

(NASB)

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

Introduction

Everyone knows what Post-it® Notes are. They're those great little self-stick notepapers. Most people have Post-it® Notes. Most people use them. Most people love them. But Post-it® Notes were not a planned product.

Everyone knows what Post-it® Notes are. They're those great little self-stick notepapers. Most people have Post-it® Notes. Most people use them. Most people love them. But Post-it® Notes were not a planned product.

No one got the idea and then stayed up nights to invent it. A man named Spencer Silver was working in the 3M research laboratories in 1970 trying to find a strong adhesive. Silver developed a new adhesive, but it was even weaker than what 3M already manufactured. It stuck to objects, but could easily be lifted off. It was super weak instead of super strong.

No one knew what to do with the stuff, but Silver didn't discard it. Then one Sunday four years later, another 3M scientist named Arthur Fry was singing in the church's choir. He used paper markers to keep his place in the hymnal, but they kept falling out of the book. Remembering Silver's adhesive, Fry used some to coat his markers. Success! With the weak adhesive, the markers stayed in place, yet lifted off without damaging the pages. 3M began distributing Post-it ® Notes nationwide in 1980 -- ten years after Silver developed the super weak adhesive. Today they are one of the most popular office products available.

Scripture Background

We’re here in the book of Romans which was written by the Apostle Paul to Christians in Rome to introduce himself to them and give a sample of his message before he arrives there. Paul writes this letter about A.D. 57, from Corinth, as he was preparing for his visit to Jerusalem. Apparently Paul had finished his work in the east, and he planned to visit Rome on his way to Spain after first bringing a collection to Jerusalem for the poor Christians there (15:23–28). The Roman church was mostly Jewish but also contained a great number of Gentiles.

Tyndale House Publishers. Life Application Study Bible NLT (Kindle Location 72010). Tyndale House Publishers. Kindle Edition. Paul writes this letter about A.D. 57, from Corinth, as he was preparing for his visit to Jerusalem. Apparently Paul had finished his work in the east, and he planned to visit Rome on his way to Spain after first bringing a collection to Jerusalem for the poor Christians there (15:23–28). The Roman church was mostly Jewish but also contained a great number of Gentiles.

“Life in the Spirt” 8:1-17

Tyndale House Publishers. Life Application Study Bible NLT (Kindle Location 72016). Tyndale House Publishers. Kindle Edition.

Tyndale House Publishers. Life Application Study Bible NLT (Kindle Locations 72016-72018). Tyndale House Publishers. Kindle Edition.

Tyndale House Publishers. Life Application Study Bible NLT (Kindle Locations 72014-72015). Tyndale House Publishers. Kindle Edition.

“The Future Glory” 8:18-30

v. 28 seems to be disconnected from the thoughts before (v. 26-27) and the thoughts after it (v. 29-30)

Points

Information (...and we know)

Notice Paul doesn’t say, “And we think...” or and we guess...” because to use the words “think” or “guess” suggest that there is some inconclusiveness. It is to suggest that we are leaning towards this conclusion but we are not settled in our findingsThis, “we know” is not informational, it’s experiential; it is not the “we know” because someone taught us. This is the “we know” because we’ve experienced it. (+2=4)

Paul uses this phrase, “we know” a few times in the book of Romans.

Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

TOOLS

For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.

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For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

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Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

TOOLS

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.

One transliteration of the original Greek word means to “inspect or examine.” So Paul literally says that we’ve “inspected and examined things and have concluded that God causes all of them to work together for good.

This isn’t a “head knowledge”; this is experiential

Declaration (...God causes all things to work together for good...)

Notice, the text doesn’t say that God causes all things. It’s says that “God causes all things to work together for good.”

God causes some things; but God doesn’t cause all things.

Some things are caused by Satan; some things are caused by us. (Expound) But what Paul says is that regardless of who caused it; God can make it work together to end in good.

That phrase “work together” is the Greek word “synergeō” (soonergayo) spelled...which is where we get the English word, “synergy,” from. And we know that synergy is defined as “the interaction of elements that when combined produce a total effect that is greater than the sum of the individual elements or contributions.” In other words, when you look at those “things” that Paul is referring to when he says, “all things,” they don’t feel good; they don’t look good; they are not comfortable to face individually. But when you combine all of those things; when they interact; when you assemble all of the pieces to the puzzle; you’ll discover that what was brutal, ugly, and uncomfortable by itself turned out to be something amazingly beautiful when you place them all next to each other.

Qualification (...for those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose)

*The best interpreter of scripture is scripture

“If you love me, keep my commandments.”

Close:

Cake ingredients (flour, eggs, butter, sugar…)

Through It All

Andre Crouch

I’ve had many tears and sorrows,

I’ve had questions for tomorrow,

there’s been times I didn’t know right from wrong.

But in every situation,

God gave me blessed consolation,

that my trials come to only make me strong.

Through it all,

through it all,

I’ve learned to trust in Jesus,

I’ve learned to trust in God.