Heaven's Logic (Sam Castro Sr.)
Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 11 viewsNotes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Introduction
Good afternoon. My name is Pastor Alex Hong and I’m Sam Castro Senior’s pastor. Sam and Carol have been members of Christian Fellowship Bible Church probably as long as I have been alive and it is a privilege to share God’s word with you this morning.
I had the privilege of being with Sam with his final remaining days on earth. I remember waking up early in the morning having the urge to pray for him. As I came to the hospital, I greeted Tita Carol and she told me that his heart had stopped that morning but was brought back to life through the doctors and nurses. He was conscious and in good spirits.
And I think the Lord allowed him to be conscious that Tuesday to get things in order and prepare for eternity. I read God’s Word and prayed for him. He had a breathing tube on him and I asked him if he was prepared to meet the Lord. He waved with his hand pointing up at the sky acknowledging he was confident where he was going.
On the final Thursday of his passing on February 7, 2019, I arrived a little past one. The family was gathered there. And he was still conscious. We read Scriptures, prayed, sang some of his favorite hymns. He received a phone call from one of his sons and I prayed a final benediction over him saying, “The Lord bless you, keep you, make his face shine upon you, be gracious to you, lift his countenance upon and and give you eternal peace.”
When I uttered amen, he was immediately I believe in the presence of the Lord. Although it was a sad occasion, I believe I was comforted in the fact that the Lord was there.
And what I want to share with you this afternoon in our short time together is what I read to Sam with his final remaining hours on earth. And it is from what some call the greatest chapter in the Bible in .
This passage is well known for the believer’s freedom from guilt:
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
It is known well for the believer’s final destiny (everything will work out for ultimate good)
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Romans
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
It is known well for the believer’s final goal in salvation
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
But what I love about this passage is Paul’s description about the believer’s eternal security made possible by God’s eternal love. Let me read it for you:
Scripture Reading:
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
In this passage, we see what I call heavenly logic. Through a series of rhetorical questions, Paul is building an argument to show that nothing can separate a believe from the love of God. And all things work together for good, even in death, for the the believer because of what Christ has achieved.
So for our meditation this afternoon, just want to focus on three gospel truths so that we may grieve with hope with the reality of God’s eternal love in Christ.
I. The Promise of God’s Love (vv. 31-32)
II. The Proof of God’s Love (vv. 33-34)
III. The Security of God’s Love (vv. 35-39)
I. The Promise of God’s Love (vv. 31-32)
I. The Promise of God’s Love (vv. 31-32)
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
The story of the Bible begins with creation of the universe and the creation of man in perfect paradise.
The God of the Bible is a loving and just God and placed man to be a representative of his glory and rule.
Instead of loving God, man turned and rebelled against God and therefore brought God’s judgment against man.
Because of our sinfulness, God’s holy nature is against man.
But in this text, it tells us that God is for us. What shall we say to these things? Paul spent a couple chapters describing everything Christ achieved for us.
Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—
How can Holy God be for sinful sinners for his judgment?
He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
God gave His Son for us. It says that the Father gave him up for us all. People think that the God of the OT is a God of Wrath and the God of the NT, Jesus, is a God of love. That is a false heresy.
The God of the NT is the same God of the OT. And it was God who sent the Son into the world to pay for man’s sin.
And Paul is saying if God did the harder thing, will he not do the easier thing in raising the dead and remaking and renewing all of creation? He is using a greater to lesser argument.
Greater to Lesser Argument
A greater to lesser argument is an argument used to convince a person through reason: if the harder thing has been done, will not the easier be done?
If I am willing to pay a college education for my child, will I not pay for an amazon text book he is asking for a class?
If God has done the harder thing (giving his only Son for us for our sins), will he not do the lesser things (raising the dead, ushering them into his presence)?
What are the all things?
Adoption, Redemption, and Glorification
And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
We can be comforted in the promise that God will graciously give us all things. He will give us the future inheritance he has promised. He has promised a future resurrection body. He has promised glorification of the believer.
II. The Proof of God’s Love (vv. 33-34)
II. The Proof of God’s Love (vv. 33-34)
Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.
The fact that all men die testifies that man stand guilty and cursed by a holy God. Satan’s greatest accusation against man is our sin. But God has removed Satan’s greatest accusation against us by removing our sin from us.
But Paul ask another question by bringing us into the courtroom.
Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? Who shall bring any accusation? Who shall bring any evidence against God’s elect.
It is God who justifies
Justification is the legal act by which God declares a sinner righteous.
How does God justify a sinner?
Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
Romans 8:
God justifies a sinner through the condemnation of Jesus Christ. In other words, the proof of God’s love is seen not only in giving his son, but in the death, resurrection, ascension and intercession of the Son.
Jesus died. He died for man’s sin and rebellion.
Jesus was raised. He rose again from the dead to show that payment for sin was accepted by a holy God.
Jesus is reigning. He is at the right hand of God, an expression of authority and power.
Jesus is interceding. Because Jesus lives, he stands as a defense attorney and advocate for those who trust in him.
I’m sure Sam was ready to be home with the Lord because He knew that the Lord is there. If Jesus is alive, then that means Satan cannot accuse or bring our guilt against us anymore because Jesus died, was buried, was raised, seated at the right hand of God, and interceding on behalf of believers.
but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
Sam’s future is as secure because Jesus’ is alive and well.
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,
Transition: The promise of God’s love, how will he not graciously give us all things? The proof of God’s love, Jesus was condemned so that no charge could be brought against us…the security of God’s love
III. The Security of God’s Love (vv. 35-39)
III. The Security of God’s Love (vv. 35-39)
In these next verses, Paul lays out the believers security. Paul is quoting from a Psalm saying that believers are not exempt from suffering in this world.
But he is also saying that no circumstance can take away our eternal security. Our future is secure by Jesus. And our eternity is secured by Jesus.
“Our salvation was secured by God’s decree from eternity past and will be held secure by Christ’s love through all future time and throughout all eternity.” MacArthur, pg. 517
Romans 8:
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
Paul says if God has done the harder, by giving his son, if he has proven his love in his death and resurrection of his Son, the believer can rest eternally because his love is sure.
Hardships in this life? Persecution for following Jesus. Paul quotes a psalm saying that we are all being given over to death in a fallen world.
But in Christ, our death is working out for eternal good because in death, death turns out good for us because it transitions us to our eternal home.
It puts us face to face with the One who loved us, proved his love for us, and continues to show his love for us in eternity by raising us from the grave.
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:
The word is super-conquerors. It refers to a victor overcoming a difficult obstacle. Not even death itself can separate the believer from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,
for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
“Christ, the perfect Priest, offered a perfect sacrifice to make us perfect. To deny the security of the believer is therefore to deny the sufficiency of the work of Christ. To deny the security of the believer is to misunderstand the heart of God, to misunderstand the gift of Christ, to misunderstand the meaning of the cross, to misunderstand the biblical meaning of salvation.”
We want to be with the Lord because we want to experience the love that has been shown to us in the past and forever with him in eternity.
I believe Sam is experiencing the eternal love of the trinune God. The Father’s gift in sending the Son. The Son’s sacrifice in dying and rising again. And the Spirit’s guarantee and pledge who ushers the believer into the eternal love relationship of the triune God.
Death is not the end for a believer, but the beginning of eternal life where man is in fellowship with the Triune God.
We find hope in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Conclusion
Family
Find comfort in these words. The Bible tells you to grieve, but grieve not like unbelievers do. Grieve with hope. Encourage one another with these words.
For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.
Unbeliever
Unbeliever
The promise of all things working out for good only applies to those who trust in Jesus Christ. Outside of Christ, all things are working out to the final judgment and justice of God.
But if you repent of your sins, and trust in the One who died for your sins and was raised from the grave, all things will work together for your good even though you may experience trial and tribulation and death. You can too be a conqueror because of God’s great love in Jesus Christ.
Will you repent and trust in Christ today?
I believe Sam is truly in a better place and he is a conqueror through God’s love in Jesus Christ.
Let us pray.
We praise you Almighty God, sovereign Lord, maker of heaven and earth, governor and sustainer of all things, the God in whom we live and move and have our being. You give to us life and breath and all things. You declared the end from the beginning; you numbered our days when as yet there was not one. Against your will a sparrow may not fall from a tree, for you work all things after the counsel of your will, ordaining all things that come to pass.
We come to you through the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, the Lord of glory, who is the resurrection and the life, who has gone to prepare a place for us. We pray that all would find peace and comfort in the promise of the gospel.
We ask on this day that you would be a refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. We plead for your to send your Spirit to comfort, and your Word to console us as we grieve with hope.
May the gospel be more glorious at this moment than at any other, as it draws us close to Christ. We pray all this in Jesus name. Amen.
“Christ, the perfect Priest, offered a perfect sacrifice to make us perfect. To deny the security of the believer is therefore to deny the sufficiency of the work of Christ. To deny the security of the believer is to misunderstand the heart of God, to misunderstand the gift of Christ, to misunderstand the meaning of the cross, to misunderstand the biblical meaning of salvation.”