Rom 8-Two More Important Questions

| Two More Important Questions! Romans 8:31-32

June 3, 2007 31What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?   PRAY Scripture Memory:What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)Intro:Our text this morning raises 3 important questions which we need to understand and apply in our lives if we want to be at peace with God in this life. We looked at the first one last week and we will look at the other two this morning, with a special emphasis to our graduates with one and to our new members with the other:Last Week: What, then, shall we say in response to this? FLOWTM – Faith, Love, Obedience, Worship, Thankfulness, and MercyThis week: 1. If God is for us, who can be against us?2. He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 1. If God is for us, who can be against us?As we look at this question, I want all of you who are recent graduates to pay special attention…In fact, I want all of you who have EVER graduated to pay special attention…No. I want all of you who ever HOPE to graduate to pay special attention…Graduation speaks of moving on, of beginning a new chapter in our lives. It speaks of leaving some things behind and beginning some new things. As we think of these new beginnings we need to keep in mind that there are three enemies that stand against us:The world, the flesh and the devilTwo weeks ago: Providence – God’s loving and all-powerful control over all of our circumstancesThe point: SINCE God IS for us, no one can do ANYTHING to us apart from His good pleasureThe World: He directs the actions of the greatest of this world’s leadersThe Flesh: He understands our sinfulness and is conforming us to the image of His Son.The Devil: Not equal and opposite – the devil’s power is in the lie…The World:Secular education – “separation of church and state”Evolution and creationJohn 15:18-19 (NIV) – “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.Romans 12:2 (Phillips) Don’t let the world press you into its mold.1 John 2:15-17 (NLT) – Stop loving this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love the world, you show that you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only the lust for physical pleasure, the lust for everything we see, and pride in our possessions. These are not from the Father. They are from this evil world. And this world is fading away, along with everything it craves. But if you do the will of God, you will live forever.James 4:4 (NIV) – You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.The world IS against us, if we belong to Christ. And yet, if we belong to Christ, that fact is irrelevant. The only harm the world can do to us is what we bring on ourselves by loving what He has clearly told us NOT to love. He directs the actions of the greatest of this world’s leadersProverbs 21:1 – The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord; He directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.  The Flesh:Galatians 5:16-17 (ESV) – But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.The flesh – (NIV): sinful nature – That part of us which rejects God’s standards, which craves and seeks after pleasure and comfort, after the stuff of this world, after status and power…Education can open many doors. Why do we want them open?The flesh IS against us. Yet if we belong to Christ, He has delivered us from bondage to it. It is no longer our master. We CAN SAY “NO”He understands our sinfulness and is conforming us to the image of His Son. The Devil:Satan, The Prince of this World, The Accuser of the brethren, The Deceiver, The Tempter…Not equal and opposite – the devil’s power is in the lie…(elaborate if time)The Devil IS against us. He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short. (1 Cor. 7:29 – NIV)Yet he can do NOTHING to us apart from what God permits… A Truth to Remember: No matter what circumstances appear to be against us, if we belong to Jesus Christ, then God is causing ALL thing to work together for our good and for His glory.  |   | A Challenge to Consider: Are you willing to turn away from the things of this world, which your flesh craves, which Satan wants you to have, so that you might know God better? One thing I heard this morning was…   ** 11:26  Acknowledging our Graduates**  2. 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? What else compares?John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Wait-a-hold-it! Didn’t you just say, a few minutes ago, that we are not to love the world because the world hates Jesus…?This is precisely WHY the world hates Jesus…Think about it. How do you feel when someone points out your sin? How do feel when you are seen to be a sinner? How do unbelievers feel?We need to understand this!“Everyone has their price…”I have a reputation for being somewhat frugal…What price are we WILLING to pay?There some things that I would pay ANY price for within my power – the life of my wife or my kids…Why? Because I love them more than life itself…God paid the ULTIMATE price. For what? Why?When we were unable to help ourselves, at the moment of our need, Christ died for us, although we were living against God. 7 Very few people will die to save the life of someone else. Although perhaps for a good person someone might possibly die. 8 But God shows his great love for us in this way: Christ died for us while we were still sinners. (Romans 5:6-8 New Century Version)What more can He say, what more can He do to prove His love for us?How ungrateful we are so much of the time!Complaining about this or that petty annoyance…Criticizing each other and those around us…Justifying and rationalizing what we know in our hearts to be sin…Focusing on the “what if’s” of life to the point of anxiety and fear…Question: Do you believe that God loves you? Do you believe that He loves more than anyone else does, including yourself? Are you willing to trust Him, even when doesn’t make sense? Are you willing to, by faith, thank Him even when life is hard? A Truth to Remember: God’s love for you is so great that He did not even spare His OWN SON, but gave up for you. A Challenge to Consider:Is there an area of your life which you need to acknowledge His goodness, even though you cannot understand? One thing I heard this morning was…   We are about to receive four new members. Why does anyone join a church? Because we need the commitment. Love without commitment is shallow at best….God gave Jesus to create a PEOPLE for Himself, not just a bunch of individuals… 11:40 Receive New Members:!! MEMBERSHIP COVENANT

To become a communicant member of this church you will be required to credibly reply in the affirmative to the following questions:(1) Do you acknowledge yourself to be a sinner in the sight of God, justly deserving His displeasure, and without hope save in His sovereign mercy? (2) Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and Savior of sinners, and do you receive and rest upon Him alone for salvation as He is offered in the Gospel?(3) Do you now resolve and promise, in humble reliance upon the grace of the Holy Spirit, that you will endeavor to live as becomes the followers of Christ? (4) Do you promise to support the church in its worship and work to the best of your ability through: *    Regular attendance at corporate Lord’s Day worship.*    Participation in fellowship opportunities beyond Sunday morning worship.*    Regular proportional financial support of the church.*    Participation in some ministry with Hope Church.(5) Have you read and seriously considered the recommendations to all members:*    Committed participation in a Fellowship Group.*    Regular participation in Sunday School.*    Regular time in personal and family Scripture and prayer.*    Participation in monthly corporate prayer.(6) Do you submit yourselves to the government and discipline of the church, and promise to support its purity and peace? In the presence of God and of the church of Jesus Christ, I understand and affirm these questions and am hereby entering into a solemn covenant with God and His church to live by them.Signature:                                                                              11:45 Intercessory Prayer  |