SF474 - FREEDOM FROM DISCOURAGEMENT (Romans 8 18-27)

SF474

FREEDOM FROM DISCOURAGEMENT

Romans 18-27

INTRODUCTION

Have You Ever Felt Like Giving Up?

Did you ever wonder if the Christian life was worth living?

Ever been discouraged?

Paul seeks to help us understand that we can and should be free from discouragement.

No encouragement in economy.

No encouragement in politics.

No encouragement in religion.

We find our encouragement in the Spirit!

Notice How The Spirit Bring Freedom From Discouragement.

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1A.       THE HEALING OF CREATION (18-22)

1B.       Creation’s Expectation (18-19)

“eager expectation” = to stand on your tip toes to see!

2B.       Creation’s Frustration (20)

“frustration” = futility, vanity, unable to achieve a goal or purpose.

3B.       Creation’s Liberation (21-22)

1C.       Bound by the curse (21a)

Genesis 3:17‑19

To Adam he said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat of it,' "Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. {18} It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. {19} By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return."

“groaning” = agony

2C.       Blessed with a cure (21b-22)

God because of man cursed creation; God because of the new man will cure creation.

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2A.       THE HOPE OF THE CHRISTIAN (23-25)

1B.       Produced By The Spirit (23a)

“groan inwardly”

Romans 8:16

The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.

Ephesians 1:13

... Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,

2B.       Promised By The Father and the Son (23b-24)

Hebrews 6:17‑19

Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. {18} God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. {19} We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,

John 6:37

All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.

3B.       The Patience Of The Children (25)

“patiently”

Because salvation is completely the work of God we can wait for it patiently with full confidence in God.

Philippians 1:6

being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

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3A.       THE HELP FROM THE COMFORTER (26-27)

1B.       The Weakness Of The Believer

The inability of the believer (26a)

“weakness”

The ignorance of the believer (26b)

“We do not know...”

2B.       The Work Of The Spirit (26c)

Intervention for the believer

“helps” = to take hold of opposite together, i.e. co‑operate (assist):‑‑help.

Intercession for the believer

“intercedes” = to intercede in behalf of:‑‑make intercession for

“groans that words cannot not express...” = “... are not utterances in unknown tongues... the groans are not even audible and are inexpressible in words... divine articulations by the Holy Spirit to the Father.” McArthur

3B.       The Will Of The Father (27)

APPLICATION

Do Not Be Discouraged!

God is still on His THRONE!