More Than Conquerors

Today I want to bring in a special message that is a piggy back off of last week’s message out of Galatians. As I prayed about what direction to go this week, God kept bringing me back to the topic of grace. I feel like God is wanting us to unpack the topic of grace just a bit more. If you have your Bibles with you, I invite you to turn with me to Romans 8 as we prepare to conclude our sermon series called Amazing Grace.

We are going to talk about what God’s grace means for us… because of the enormity of God’s grace, I want to look closely at the what happens when His grace is applied to our lives. As stated last week, God’s grace is something more than we deserve and better than we could ever imagine!

It’s that MORE THAN reality we are going to concentrate on today. More than can be used in both a positive or negative sense.

More than simply means the content received was greater than what was expected. It’s a comparative statement that identifies something as more instead of less.

In a positive use, in Missouri, we used to go to a place called Creamy to get ice cream cones and the first time we went… we were pleasantly surprised! We had been told they had great ice cream, but the final product was like 8 inches tall!

In a negative sense, we’ve been working on the house since we moved in making repairs and updates to the home. And a few of the projects proved to be more work than originally thought they would be.

So why all the talk regarding the phrase more than? Because in Christ… because of the reality of God’s grace God has exploded through the ceiling of expected results and has delivered MORE THAN we could have ever hoped for!

Romans 8 sums it up in verse 37 saying “…in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

A quick break down reveals we are MORE THAN THROUGH HIM! Through Christ, we ARE more than conquerors… in a place BETTER THAN we could have ever hoped for or imagined!

Romans 8:37 specifies we are MORE THAN Conquerors… defined, a conqueror is one who wins a country in war, subdues or subjugates a people, or overcomes an adversary.

In short, to conquer is to overcome, to overpower that which tries to overpower you. And Romans 8 gives us a list of that which through Christ, we are MORE THAN conquerors. The list begins in verse 35 and includes trouble, hardship, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, and the sword. All of these are very real threats but such cannot separate us from His love for it is through His love that we are able to MORE THAN conquer each of these concerns!

It’s the difference between victory and defeat, advancement or retreat. It’s more than a gain in momentum, it’s a guaranteed win!

This morning’s message is simply called More Than Conquerors and it is based off the new MORE THAN reality we live in because of the grace of God – a reality delivered to us through the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Jesus did more than beat the grave…. He flat out conquered the grave! He didn’t merely escape the effects of death, He died on the cross and three days later, WALKED OUT OF THE GRAVE leaving death completely behind Him!

And today… through His amazing grace… we have received MORE THAN we could ever ask for from our heavenly Father and it’s all because of Jesus’ victory over death and the grave!

Here’s the problem I want to address today: Too often people settle for a less than life while living under the influence of the enemy. John 10:10 makes clear the thief (who is the enemy) comes only to steal and kill and destroy. The enemy wants you to feel and believe you are less than… you fall way below God’s expectations, and simply do not qualify for His love. Such could NOT BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH!

Today we trade our less than existence in sin for a more than reality in Jesus! Our look at the new MORE THAN reality in Jesus begins with a point that I believe is so important for people to realize today. Because of God’s grace, you are MORE THAN in fellowship with God, you now belong to the family of God.

In Christ, you are adopted into the family of God.

Romans 8:14 …those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.

Let’s take a good look at what was just said in that text.

First, who are those who are led by the Spirit? These are those who have given their lives to Jesus – those who have chosen to believe and therefore have received the grace of God through Christ our Lord.

Secondly what does the Spirit do for those who believe? The Spirit has BROUGHT ABOUT YOUR ADOPTION TO SONSHIP! You have been adopted into the family of God! Talk about an amazing MORE THAN reality!

We are pretty familiar with the concept of adoption in our culture and we have a pretty good idea of what it means.

In our culture, to be adopted is to legally take another’s child and bring him or her up as one’s own. This is more than simply looking after that child for a season, it is bringing that person into the family permanently. While this understanding is powerful to think about… I want to go back and look at what adoption looked like when Romans 8 was first written.

In Paul’s time an adopted child actually had more privilege than a biological child. There was a different intentionality to it. You weren’t just born into a family; you were chosen to be part of that family!

First of all, the adopted person lost all rights to his or her own family and gained all rights in the new family.

Second, the adopted person’s old life was completely wiped out. If there were debts, they were canceled, if there was a record of crime, it was expunged. It was as if the previous person had never existed! Interestingly enough, the adoption didn’t necessarily happen with children, although it could. Often times it was adults who were adopted! Thus, in the eyes of Roman society, it was as if the adopted person was literally and completely the son or daughter of his or her new father in every sense!

This is what happens when God saves us! We are accepted as God’s children in every way, without exception!

I want you to see something very important here. Go back to Romans 8:16 for a moment and pay close attention. The Spirit of God does what here? He testifies or bears witness to this amazing truth and is actively involved in our adoption! The Holy Spirit declares to our Spirit that we ARE the children of God!

Bottom line: Where sin created a separation in our fellowship with God, salvation has made us a part of the family of God!

What more could anyone possibly want? But let me remind you the theme of this sermon is MORE THAN and yes folks… THERE IS MORE TO COME! Once separated by sin, now adopted through salvation, and our next point will again demonstrate how our less than existence in sin has been traded for a more than reality in Jesus!

Because of our adoption, believers are now Co-heirs with Christ

Romans 8:17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

What does it mean to be a co-heir? A Co-heir is an heir who shares and inheritance with one or more other people. To be a co-heir means you will receive from another an inheritance… in this case… because you are a part of the family of God.

Paul makes something very clear here in this passage. In Christ, we will share in His sufferings…

Now wait a minute… I thought the idea of this message was more than? Suffering sounds like a less than idea… not something to be celebrated for sure!

Christ made clear that suffering would be a part of our following Him. He did not hide this truth from His disciples. He stated clearly in Luke 9:23“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” Taking up the cross daily means we can expect to suffer in this world for our faith. Why? Because this world is immersed in sin and there is a very real enemy who looks to make this hard on you. BUT DO NOT LOSE HEART: look at how Romans 8:17 concludes: IF indeed we share in his sufferings, we can be assured we may also share in His glory!

To be a co-heir with Christ means we can expect some suffering along the way – HOWEVER, we must also expect and accept that through grace, we have been restored to God’s glory! We will share in the glory of Jesus!

Talk about going above and beyond expectation! Before Christ, we can expect nothing but judgment and death for our sins, but after Christ, we are not only brought into the family of God but also will experience being restored to the glory of God!

And there is one more reality I want to look at… a reality that will certainly help us in the suffering aspect we just talked about a moment ago. Suffering for Jesus is NOT a less than issue, but truly is a more than reality. Why?

As children of God and as co-heirs with Christ, God in now in our corner!

Romans 8:31-34 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 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? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

I’m going to jump right into this by asking what more could we possibly want than knowing that GOD IS FOR US and is in our corner?

God went so far as to give His Son for us – don’t you think that through your adoption God will not continue to graciously give you all things?

Now don’t get fleshly here – I’m not talking about God making a hot rod sports car show up or miraculously make your dream home appear. God does know the desires of your heart and I’ve seen Him do some incredible things! But nothing compares with the gift He has offered us through Jesus Christ His Son – the gift of eternal life!

God’s love for us is unending, His grace unimaginable and His power unmatched. He is in your corner supplying for your every need. There is NOTHING this world can throw at you that God cannot overcome!

And I love this… there is NO CONDEMNATION that will be received either. Look again at verse 33 and 34. Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? Who then is the one who condemns? NO ONE.

I see it this way… the enemy might try to bring up the past. The enemy might try to smear your name. The enemy might try to tarnish your new reputation… but then God stands up and says “HEY! You’re talking about my son… you’re talking about my daughter… their sins are forgiven and they have been justified through the blood of the Lamb! The accusation of the enemy has been shut down by the grace and power of our God!

BUT WAIT!!! THERE’S MORE!!! Jesus who died… MORE THAN THAT… who was raised to life now sits at God’s right hand interceding for us!

Are you beginning to feel it? Are you beginning to see and rejoice in this new MORE THAN REALITY? With God for you, who can be against you?

Even in your sin… God’s love for you NEVER quit! Romans 5:8 specifies that God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

God never left you nor abandoned you! GOD IS FOR YOU! But you must come to make the choice to live your life for God! Stop settling for a less than existence in sin and come alive in a new MORE THAN reality in Jesus!

Making the Move From Less-Than to More-Than

Moving from less than to more than means we acknowledge our sin and accept Jesus as our Savior. This move IS NOT POSSIBLE without Jesus.

The world tried to shut down the influence of Jesus. They desired to “quarantine” His message, to try to silence His ministry. They attempted to intimidate and to test… the tried to entrap Him… but Jesus continued on. In one last ditch effort, they worked to put Him in a place from which by the world’s standards, He would never return.

In a way… the spiritual leaders of Jesus’ day saw Christ as a virus… someone who was causing trouble and unless silenced… His message would continue to spread. Little did they know, Jesus was not the virus but the cure to the real virus of sin that was spreading out of control!

Jesus was arrested, Jesus was condemned, Jesus was sentenced to death by crucifixion… a sentence that was carried out on Calvary. Jesus was laid in the tomb. Jesus was thought to be silenced, quarantined, locked down once and for all… but the world was about to find out that even the grave could not hold Jesus Christ down! Why? Because you cannot quarantine a move of God! You cannot stop what God puts into motion and Christ was our heavenly Father’s answer to the sin problem that was leading so many to death!

Jesus died and was raised again to move people from a less existence to a more than reality. Jesus doesn’t want to bring you to just an okay existence… He wants to take you beyond anything you could expect! Without Christ, there is no hope in making the change… in making the transition. More Than can only be found THROUGH JESUS! Jesus didn’t come just give life… go back to John 10:10 with me as it makes clear Jesus came to give life TO THE FULL or life MORE abundantly! If we were to compare life in Christ with ANYTHING else in this world… one would NEVER use a less than or equal too sign… When it comes to Jesus… the greater than sign would be applied every single time!

He died for you! And when we come to a place of belief – a place where we acknowledge our sin and our need for a Savior, then, through Jesus, we can turn from our sin, be set free of our sin, and come alive through His resurrection and new life!

More than Conquerors means this world has NOTHING on us! In Christ, we are sons and daughters of God, Co-heirs with Christ with God our heavenly Father in our corner! This is what more than look like… but you must be willing to let go of the less than life.

Salvation – is the point where we drop less than for mare than. It’s the part we let go of sin and hold on to God. Through Christ and His death, your sins can be forgiven. Through Christ and His resurrection, you can receive renewed and eternal life! Will you choose this more than reality today?