Hopefilled Hurting

OUR WORLD IS HURTING

Romans 8:22 ESV

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

Remember our context.. 8:17 - Paul has already referenced our suffering. So here he continues to not just reinforce our suffering, but to also expand on it… In a way this is a chapter about suffering as much as it is a chapter encouraging us to persevere!

We read of the sufferings of this present time in .18 but then in 19 and following he lets us know its not just us.. that in fact all of creation is suffering - .21 creation is in bondage to corruption, subjected to futility and this bondage was not voluntary and creation was in fact innocent! THIS bondage happened at the fall… when Adam and Eve rebelled against God… God cursed creation… And here creation seemingly joins us in our lament - we: 7:24 “WRETCHED MAN THAT I AM! WHO WILL DELIVER ME...” and now we see creation - .22 the whole creation has been groaning together…

We don’t really need to give a list of examples here do we? We see creation hurting all around us - natural phenomena like earthquakes, hurricanes, mudslides and fires - and then there are the disasters created by us! Oil spills, slash and burn farming, pollution, and fires… AND we know people are hurting… disease, sickness, violence, war, hunger, loss… Hurting is found on every continent and among every people group.

And while you may not have suffered from a debilitating disease or lost a loved one - maybe you’ve never suffered torture or actually known true hunger… but you’ve suffered, you’ve hurt, maybe even this week, this morning you had to push through a fog of hurt to make it to church.. to most of us - this first point is painfully apparent and already accepted…

What do we do with it? Is it just the way it is? That’s just life… Que sera, sera - whatever will be will be? We are just living in a cosmic game of chance… where is the hope??

OUR FUTURE IS GLORIOUS

Romans 8:18 ESV

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

THERE is a “glory” coming. The glory he spoke of in 8:17 - that we will be glorified with him - that is with Jesus. It is a glory .18 revealed to us - a glory .19 in the revealing of the sons of God. It involves a freedom - a freedom even creation longs for..

THIS glory is our final redemption - when we are finally made new through and through.

1 John 3:2 ESV

Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

IN fact… look again at the subjection of creation .20.. HE - that is GOD - subjected creation in hope - remember biblical hope isn’t wishful thinking but is rather a certain and joyful expectation… God subjected creation so that it could await and one day experience the FREEDOM of the glory of the children of GOD… That is a big part of this glory - FREEDOM...

Futilitiy is being unable to fulfill a purpose… and due to the fall and the subjection of creation we have been unable to fulfill God’s original purpose for Eden - our intentionally bringing him glory in all things. Brokenness began in our relationships… in our habits… in our bodies…

We fail to glorify God because we are hardened against him and continue in rebellion… we no longer view others with love seeing them partners but we see them as competitors.. rivals… AND our relationship with creation itself is broken.. we seem to be in conflict more and more...

Speaking of conflict.. we are even at odds with ourselves… Chasing what we think will bring us pleasure but only propagating hurtful patterns of finding temporary relief and pleasure from imperfect, marred, surrogate sources…

But in Christ, we have been freed from our subjection to sin and the law… our relationships are restored - with GOD so that we are able to intentionally love and obey the LORD albeit we do so imperfectly for now.. Our relationship with others is restored so that we can love and serve them in partnerships albeit we do so imperfectly for now - Our relationship with creation will be put right and one day we will no longer live in conflict with it — BUT WE ARE ALSO restored in our relationship with self… able to love ourselves and pursue healthy and holy patterns that bring joy and satisfaction albeit we do so imperfectly for now..

BUT WHEN CHRIST RETURNS we shall be made perfect - that is fully able to fulfill our purpose… that is our glory - which is to Christ’s glory and therefor to God’s glory...

We have a certain and joyful future because of the Work of Christ in our past… And while our sojourning here in the inbetween - between Christ’s first coming and his last coming - we hurt. But we know there is a future glory for those in CHRIST…

Remember your Senior year, or that final semester in college? You knew graduation was coming.. it wasn’t there yet - but you knew.. there was planning, there were reminders, you still had suffering - hurt - as papers were due, there were finals to study for, and morning classes to attend. But when you were mindful - when you set your thoughts on the ceremony, the celebration, the freedom, the family, the diploma… you knew the hurt was only temporary and that graduation was coming...

SO TOO for us believers… .18 - I consider the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us…

YES we hurt but our hurting is hopeful!

OUR HURTING IS HOPEFUL

Romans 8:24–25 ESV

For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Christianity does not deny the falleness or the brokenness of our world - in fact it teaches it… we are to expect it. See according to Paul the prosperity folks have it twisted...

.23 “not only the creation, but we ourselves… we ourselves what? are groaning in the PAINS OF CHILDBIRTH...

.19 - see how creation itself is eagerly awaiting the revealing of OUR GLORY… We usually reverse this, but here it is creation that is longing for Christ to return and restore US…

I remember when I was a junior in highschool and me and a couple of friends were going to a big concert in St. Petersburg FL… The opening acts weren’t great and thats not why we were there. After the second act it was time… we knew our favorite group was about to hit the stage and we were actually there - seeing it live… the anticipation was palpable - electric even… we were waiting… but waiting in great anticipation with a good sense of what was coming and that anticipation kept us on the edge of our seats..

Its kind of like that but it is creation itself that is sitting in the audience… waiting… knowing what is to come and filled with anticipation to see and then take part in the freedom that comes with the revelation of the sons of God.

YES, we are in a hurting world… and yes we face suffering, pain… hurt in our lives… BUT we know that there is something so much better - we have hurt… but we also have HOPE! And that gives us perspective and even compels our perseverance…

2 Corinthians 4:17 ESV

For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,

2 Corinthians 5:2 ESV

For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling,

Galatians 5:5 ESV

For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.

There is a difference between the groaning of a woman watching her child suffer knowing they are going to pass… and the groaning of a women in childbirth - suffering great pain but knowing the wonderful joy that is coming… SO .23-25...

We do not see it now… for who hopes for what they already have.. no the redemption of our bodies is still to come… when Christ returns and we are made new… our bodies, our entire persons being made perfect and dwelling with GOD in obedience… God putting His character on display for us - for all creation - in the redemption of His people…OUR glory is derivative.. it is a result of GOD showing HIS glory, a reflection of HIS GLORY…

BUT WE CAN WAIT FOR IT WITH PATIENCE..

WE CAN PRESS ON even through our hurting because WE KNOW THE PURPOSE AND THE PROMISE of what is to come - of our lives in CHRIST...