(Romans 8:18-23) A Promise of a Better World!

INTRODUCTION:

A normal, natural response to suffering is frustration and cynicism.

But may I suggest the Christian has no reason to be cynical and every reason to be hopeful.

But may I suggest the Christian has nothing to be cynical about and everything to be

And that may seem - unrealistic and out of touch with reality.

All of humanity born since the fall has been faced with a constant reality - futility and pain.

After all,

Everyone born since the fall has been faced with a constant reality - futility and pain.

We live in a world where -

Careful organization has no guarantee of success.

Wisdom may not yield wealth and happiness.

And suffering and pain is often unavoidable.

We live in a world where -

disaster and

You might say - we live in a world of Murphy's Law.

"Anything that can go wrong will go wrong"

“"Anything that can go wrong will go wrong"

So,

why shouldn’t a Christian be a cynic?

The Christian has nothing to be cynical about.

There are several answers to that … and even will teach us different answers to that.

Does your phone reflect

Consider these Portraits of suffering

And will teach us - Because Glory changes everything.

Romans 8:18–23 ESV

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 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.

Rom 8:18-23

According to Paul -

PROP: We should place our hope in the future Glory instead of this World.

TRANS: and we will explore two questions that will help us answer why.

love

value

The first question -

1) Why shouldn’t we value this world?

ILLUSTRATION:

If you're like me, you grew up singing “America the beautiful”.

Every year my elementary school would have a school wide music concert.

And every year we would sing, America the beautiful.

And this song might make you think this world is perfect and wonderful.

And as an unsaved, heathen … I thought … We live in an awesome world.

I bought into one of the great lies of American culture - that this world is wonderful, beautiful, and can satisfy you.

After all - consider the opening lines.

America the Beautiful - (The edited song my school had me sing)

O beautiful for spacious skies,

For amber waves of grain;

For purple mountain majesties

Above the fruited plain!

America! America!

God shed His grace on thee,

And crown thy good with brotherhood,

From sea to shining sea.

In America, and along with the rest of the world,

We have championed the belief - that this world can satisfy you.

Because this world isn’t worth

That if you work hard,

do the right things,

… you can find success - and that success will make you happy.

For spacious skies

But let me declare to you… That is a out right lie.

- What is perhaps amazing is that we can live in such a wonderful world while it is still corrupted.

- It speaks more of the majesty and grace of God ... then the reality that we can live successful and happy lives.

It speaks more of the majesty and grace of God ... then the reality that we can live succesful and happy lives.

Because our mountains may be beautiful,

but our lives are futile and painful.

In the wealthiest country in the world,

we more often find life to be hard and painful … then full of success and happiness.

Consider what Paul teaches us about the reality of this world.

Far from success and happiness -

a) This world is futile. ()

American you can live a wonderfully blessed life.

Romans 8:20 ESV

20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope

Romans 8:20 ESV

20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope

Romans 8:20 ESV

20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope

English Standard Version Chapter 8

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope

Romans 8:20

The word futile has the idea of "being unable to achieve its purpose".

In other words… Your best efforts in this world can often result in utter and total failure.

Even careful diligence… Can result in utter destruction.

Even careful diligence… Can result in utter destruction.

a) This world is futile.

ILLUSTRATION:

After all,

consider one person who on September 11th started the first day at the World Trade Center…

The person worked hard through college.

They worked hard through an MBA.

They were careful to apply to the right internships.

They were careful to apply to the right internships.

They carefully groomed themselves for their dream job… a business executive at a Fortune 500 company in the World Trade Center towers.

But what did their best efforts achieve?

Nothing… Because the person died on the first job day of their dream job.

It was futile.

It was futile. This world is futile.

This world is futile.

ILLUSTRATION:

It's interesting that our Constitution does not promise happiness,

only the pursuit of happiness.

The Declaration of Independence:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

I think our founding fathers knew it was futile to say that we had the right to happiness.

And that we are naïve to think that we have any guarantee of happiness.

Don’t hope in this world because this world is futile.

ILLUSTRATION:

It’s like banging your head against the wall.

But not only futile,

b) This world is corrupted. ()

Romans 8:21 ESV

21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

What does it mean that this world is in corruption?

Perhaps when you hear the word corruption

and you think of a politician a politician that has

accepted bribes

or paid someone off for the crimes.

A corrupt politician.

********But I think this is just scratching the surface here.**********

What does Paul mean this world is in bondage of corruption?

And I think this usurers us back to what Paul taught us in .

Romans 5:12 ESV

12 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—

I think for Paul,

corruption is the same as sin and death.

How is this world corrupt?

Sin and death has been forced upon it.

Because Adam and Eve sinned,

all of humanity now sins

and all of creation was corrupted by death.

ILLUSTRATION:

- From a human perspective – this world is corrupt because every one of us are corrupt.

That is why Jesus had to come and dying on the cross to save us from our sins.

Because were not good, we are corrupt. We are sinners.

Because were not good, we are corrupt. We are sinners.

- But from a creation standpoint - the primary corruption is death.

This world looks nothing like the garden,

even if it has majestic mountains.

Plants, animals, and people suffer physically.

ILLUSTRATION:

Just in the last week, I went to a funeral.

And as I am on the plain I hear lady say on the plane to go to a funeral.

And I texted with someone who attends our church time to time this week … Who just came back from a funeral.

Sin and death has corrupted this world.

And you have no need to look any farther than the cemetery on 15th St.

Why would anyone of us think this world can satisfy us, when every one of us, apart from God – one day die!

We should value this world because it's corrupt but also because –

c) This world is trapped.

c) This world is in pain. ()

Romans 8:22 ESV

22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.

Some passages you don't need to illustrates, because they are already so illustrative.

ILLUSTRATION:

Paul says this world is like a woman in labor.

I had one friend, who just had a baby.

He walks into the hospital room to check on his wife and newborn…

And his wife looked at him and said don't you dare come near me.

I think every husband in the new appreciation for his mom and his wife after having a child.

Pregnancy is no joke.

Labor is no joke.

And Paul says the whole world is groaning like a woman in labor.

We can call it the miracle of life, but we all have to admit it comes in pain.

EXHORTATION:

Every one of us,

no matter how studly you may be,

have had a point in our life were tears roll down our eyes.

Some of us have been close to death and pain - we faced it front on.

This world cannot possibly satisfy you,

no matter how majestic mountains are,

because it is a world filled with pain.

So why do we look to the world to satisfy us?

However, Perhaps you think you're different.

Your young.

Your strong.

Your smart

You have good luck....

And you can beat the odds.

Consider that -

d) This world is trapped in corruption. ()

Romans 8:21 ESV

21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

Romans 8:

Verse 20 says – for the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly.

Verse 21 uses the word bondage - which is the idea of slavery.

Verse 21 uses the word bondage - which is the idea of slavery.

ILLUSTRATION:

There was an old show called - the unshackled series… Which talks about people being shackled like slaves to sin and death until Jesus.

Perhaps you sit here and think you can beat the odds?

And I'm telling you… Your believing a lie.

If all of creation was forced against its will.

If all of creation is in slavery to sin and death.

Then it's just a matter of time until its your turn.

You will not beat the odds.

You cannot possibly be the exception.

Don't be a fool in thinking this world can satisfy you,

because this world is trapped in sin and death.

One final reason why we should value this world – because

e) This world is waiting for hope.

e) This world is waiting for something better. ()

Romans 8:19 ESV

19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.

ILLUSTRATION:

I once tried to make a swap with my brother.

My younger brother had a dollar bill.

my younger brother had a dollar bill.

and I had two quarters.

And you can almost fill in the blank here…

I was trying to convince my younger brother that two metal quarters are worth more than one paper dollar.

And unfortunately… my younger brother believed that lie until my parents caught me.

But in many ways we are no different than they are.

We look at this world

and because I can touch it and feel it I think it must be better the world to come.

But when we try to satisfy ourselves with this world… We are believing a lie that this world is better.

The reality… We can't touch or feel the world to come.

We have to wait for what is truly better.

We have to wait and believe the promise God has given us.

We have to wait for what is truly better.

According to this passage…

Creation is eagerly longing for the day when it receives freedom from

futility,

pain,

corruption,

and bondage.

We ought not to value this world because there something better coming.

In this case - it's a simple math problem, the world to come is better than the world we have now.

In this case it's a simple math problem, the will to come is better than the world we have now.

But

2) Why is glory worth hoping for?

The second question we shall consider today.

Many consider that this world is all there is.

Atheist

Agnostic

A worldly Christian

.... All consider this world as all there is.

And as such, since this is all there is… then I am going to get all that I can get out of it.

And so their life pursuit… is what makes me happy.

And so their life pursuit… is what makes me happy.

- They may have a wife and kids.

But they're not servants to their wife and kids… Their wife and kids are part of what makes them happy.

But they're not service to their wife and kids… Their kids are part of what makes them happy.

- They are passionate about their hobbies… Because their hobbies make them happy.

- The passionate about their hobbies… Because their hobbies make them happy.

The passionate about their hobbies… Because their hobbies make them happy.

- They are hard workers, not because of character… But because they like what money can buy them.

They are hard workers… Because they like what money can buy them.

And I am suggesting today that a person who lives for this world is making the biggest math mistake they could ever make.

But that's only true if the coming glory is incomparable to what we have now.

But that's only true if the coming glory is incomparable to what we have now.

And this begs the question… Why is glory worth hoping for?

And this text gives us two reasons the glory to come is so much better than this world.

One Reason,

a) Creation will be set free. (Changed) ()

Romans 8:21 ESV

21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

Romans 8:19–21 ESV

19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

Rom 8:1921

Remember,

I began this morning by talking about how this world was

futile,

I began this morning by talking about how this world was futile, corrupt, and in pain.

corrupt,

and painful.

And that is the sad, harsh reality of this world.

And you might even say… that this reality makes the American dream a lie.

I cannot guarantee you happiness and prosperity this morning.

Without degrading the great privileges we have as Americans,… Realize the greatest hope this country can give you is the legal freedom to pursue happiness.

There is no one in this life that can guarantee your life will be happy.

But

There is only one who can promise

I can promise you that

But I can promise you that

futility,

corruption,

and pain

>>>>>>>>are not forever.

The struggles of this life and the pain of this life will not last forever.

The struggles of this life and the pain of this life will not last forever.

Because one day all of creation will be set free.

Because one day all of creation will be set free.

In the new heaven and new earth… We will live in a world free of futility, corruption, and pain.

It will be a world where wisdom will result in prosperity

Diligence will pay off.

And suffering will not be behind the next-door.

But even more personal, another reason the coming glory is better then this world.

Because -

b) Our bodies will be redeemed. (Changed) ()

Romans 8:23 ESV

23 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.

EXHORTATION:

One of the reasons I know you know what I'm talking about today

- because our text we all “grown inwardly as we wait eagerly”

The Christian is not exempt to the struggles of this world.

On Monday morning we can expect futility, corruption, and pain.

On Monday morning we can expect futility, corruption, and pain.

And Paul makes this personal here… Because it is not simply creation who is suffering, but us personally.

>>>>>>We all have our stories of hardship.

But again… This suffering is not forever.

Whatever pain,

and frustration,

and setback, and sickness… You face in this world – realize it is not forever.

The reason the next world is better is because our bodies will be redeemed.

Sin and death will be conquered and we will say -

1 Corinthians 15:55 ESV

55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”

1 cor 15

The world to come, glory, is a world worth waiting for.

CONCLUSION

>>>>That is the point Paul begins with in verse 18.

Now that we understand what Paul is teaching… go back and realize the weight of Paul's first verse

Romans 8:18 ESV

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

CONCLUSION

Are you going to suffer in this world?

And the answer is absolutely yes.

{{{{{{{{{{{Even being a Christian doesn’t exempt you from that. }}}}}}}}}

But does that mean that God doesn't care?

Does that mean that God isn't the fountain from whom all blessings flow?

Realize that is exactly the mistake Paul is addressing here.

>>>>>>>>>That we begin to doubt God simply because we suffer in this world.

So many people,

Christian and non-Christian,

Believer and unbeliever

Lost and saved

Believe the lie that I can find happiness in this world.

>>>>>>>And then we are shocked when we find out this world doesn't have happiness.

**********That it is a world that is full of futility and pain. **********

And so we becomes a cynic.

We becomes bitter against people and against God.

We become pessimists who assume everything is going to go wrong.

Most people live this lie riding this roller coast of life … coming to the end as bitter, cynics of God and life.

But as I suggested when we began,

the Christian has no reason to be cynical and every reason to be hopeful.

God is not a god who doesn’t care.

Suffering is not a proof that God doesn’t exist.

Because God demonstrated his love for the World

That whoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 3:16 ESV

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

We should value glory, hope, love.

It is because of Jesus - that we have a glory worth waiting for.

It is because of Jesus - that one day creation and our bodies will be redeemed.

What happens when we fail to hope in glory? more then this world?

It is because of Jesus - that a Believer can rightly be called the children of God.

Application possibilities

Don’t ride the roller coaster of a lie … who leaves you broken and hurting.

Endure suffering.

But remember,

Not doubt God because of Evil and suffering.

You have guaranteed promise that the world to come (“glory”) is incomparable to this world.

And live life waiting for the hope that is only found in God.

ILLUSTRATION:

Come and everyone is wearing a mask … why is everybody

Single piece of information can change everything.