Rom 8-The Guarantor of Our Faith
| The Guarantor of Our Faith! Romans 8:28-39
July 8, 2007 28 (NLT) And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn, with many brothers and sisters. 30And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And he gave them right standing with himself, and he promised them his glory. 31What can we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32Since God did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t God, who gave us Christ, also give us everything else? 33Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? Will God? No! He is the one who has given us right standing with himself. 34Who then will condemn us? Will Christ Jesus? No, for he is the one who died for us and was raised to life for us and is sitting at the place of highest honor next to God, pleading for us. 35Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or are hungry or cold or in danger or threatened with death? 36(Even the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) 37No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. 38And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels can’t, and the demons can’t. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away. 39Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. PRAY Scripture Memory: Nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Intro: What produces confidence? What enables people to avoid fear or anxiety? We live in a world where it could be said that nothing is certain. We could leave this building this morning and pass away before we reach home.We have all known confident people. Sometimes we can see that this confidence is misplaced or self-generated. Other times we can understand why the confidence is justified.When we get into a car…When we eat food…When we take a deep breath…Why are we confident?Why are little children often fearful when Mom and Dad put them in bed and leave them? Why are some people confident when standing in front of a group like this, while others are so uncomfortable…?On another plane, why would a bank be quick to lend money to Cheryl and me, while they would require a co-signer before they would lend money to my son? What is necessary for sufficient confidence to loan money to someone? When we get to the point of breaking ground on our new building…If we had a guarantor…Imagine someone trying in vain to get something from a store on credit, when the manger gets a call from the owner…This morning we want to look at the basis of true confidence in life and in our relationship with God, the basis of pleace in the midst of uncertainties on many fronts…. 1. Our Need for a Guarantor2. God as Guarantor3. Christ as Guarantor 1. Our Need for a GuarantorF What is a guarantor?Webster’s One who undertakes to answer for the payment of a debt or the performance of a duty of another in case of the other’s default or miscarriage. Explain… F Why do we need a guarantor of our faith?Ø Because of the Spiritual Blessings we receiveWe don’t deserve the spiritual blessing God gives us, and we know it…Ø Because of AccusationsSatan is constantly accusing us…Our hearts are constantly accusing us…Other people are constantly accusing us…Ø Because of our PainWe live in a fallen and broken world which leads us to doubt and fear in the midst of our pain and uncertainties…Ø Because of our UnbeliefThe gospel is just too good to be true. It is NOT the way WE function…We can understand grace given to a good person…We can understand justice served against the guilty…But grace to the guilty?!? And justice to the good?!? F What difference does it (should it) make that Christ is our guarantor?Ø The BASIS of our Blessings:Spiritual Blessings – Spiritual blessings are based upon HIS righteousness, not ours.Ø The Payment of our DebtAccusations – God knows our sin and has covered it with Christ’s atoning work on our behalf.Ø The Empathy of our SufferingPain – Christ understands, firsthand, our pain…Ø Grace AND JusticeOur confidence is bound up in HIS goodness, not ours, in His grace AND His justice… | | 2. God as guarantorAnd we know that God causes everything to work together for our good29For God knew his people in advance, & He chose them to become like his Son, 30And having chosen them, He called them to come to him. & He gave them right standing with himself, & He promised them his glory. If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32Since God did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t God, who gave us Christ, also give us everything else? 33Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? Will God? No! He is the one who has given us right standing with himself. F Causes everything to work together for our good (v. 28) Sovereignty / ProvidenceF Knew us even before anything was created (v. 29) IntimacyF Chose us to become like His Son (v. 29) PurposeF Called us to come to Him (v. 30) DirectionF Gave us right standing with Himself (v. 30) StandingF Promised us His glory (v. 30) Future HopeF Gave us His own Son (v. 32) Love 3. Christ as guarantor34Who then will condemn us? Will Christ Jesus? No, for He is the one who died for us and was raised to life for us and is sitting at the place of highest honor next to God, pleading for us. 35Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or are hungry or cold or in danger or threatened with death? 37No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. 38And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels can’t, and the demons can’t. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away. 39Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, Nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.F Died for us (v. 34) No Limit to His LoveF Was raised to life for us (v. 34) No Limit to His powerF Is pleading for us (v. 34) No Limit to His ProtectionF Loves us. (More on that next week) (vv. 35-37) Summary / Review:What is a guarantor and why do we need one?A guarantor has the resources we do not have to guarantee our success. He speaks on our behalf and orchestrates circumstances for us so that we have the resources we need.When we are honest with ourselves we are aware of all the undeserved blessings God showers upon us. We are painfully aware of the sin which continually besets us. We are attacked from all sides, sometimes causing such pain that we almost give up. We want to blame someone! It’s to painful to blame ourselves and accomplishes nothing when we blame others. We are called to live by grace and yet we really do not like grace!What a joy to know that Christ is our guarantor, that HIS righteousness and HIS resources are ours! Because of His unique blend of grace and justice, we are secured in our standing with the God of the Universe!HE is the One who causes all things to work together. HE is the One who chose us, who called us, who justified and glorified us! No Limit to His LoveNo Limit to His powerNo Limit to His ProtectionHe didn’t even spare His own SON! And His Son now pleads for us, intercedes for us, loves us! He is our guarantor. Do we believe that?A Truth to Remember: God has provided EVERYTHING we need to secure our eternal future with Him. Jesus, Himself, guarantees that! A Challenge to Consider:Are we willing to entrust ourselves to Him by faith, rather than demanding that our security be tangible and visible?One thing I heard this morning was… |