Suffering with Purpose (Romans 8:18-30)

Sermon

Theres a clause in verse 17 to our inheritance.

This makes me think of someone that puts stipulations on their inheritance.

Lets put it to the test.

So a great uncle dies, and plans to leave you an inheritane, but heres the thing, you must keep his dog. The dog is not house broken, plus its old and stinky, and is probably going to ruin your house. But in order to get the money, you have to keep the dog in your house.

Worth it? (thinking maybe the kids will say how much do we get)

how much makes all the difference.

What if your inheritance is 500 bucks? Would you do it?

What if 5 million?

What if 5 billion?

The greater the amount, the less the suffering seems to be important huh?

We have so much to gain from our inheritance as newly adopted children of God.

Thats how good eternity with God is going to be!!!

Heres the deal, we have to suffer with him then be glorified with him.

Exegete

Theres a clause in verse 17 to our inheritance.

This makes me think of someone that puts stipulations on their inheritance.

Kids wont know the movie but i think richard prior or eddie murphy did a movie like that where the requirement was that he had to spend it all or something like that.

We have so much to gain from our inheritance as newly adopted children of God.

Heres the deal, we have to suffer with him then be glorified with him.

He continues the thought in verse 18.

All that suffering is nothing compared to what we get out of the deal.

I still dont know that I comprehend what all glorification will be like. What ever it is, its so good that suffering is worth it.

Thats a pretty staggering statement because there is some pretty horrible suffering that people have to go through.

Verse 19

In the various commentaries I read, there is discussion on whether Paul is referring to christians, humanity, or all of creation. I think i agree with Moo that Paul seems to have the entire of creation in mind. Creation is broken and there is tension built up with how it operates that is groaning to be repaired.

There seems to be a reference here to either the final judgement, or the new heaven and new earth, or some other apocalyptic event here that is the revealing of the sons of God. This event is where creation will finally get the relief that it has yurned for, for so long.

Verse 20 seems to give more evidence to who he describes. This whole burdening process has a purpose. God is doing something through the grind and ripping that happens on a daily basis.

Verse 23 solidifies the idea that all creation is probably in mind, but definitely not christians is the limit. He says we also have been waiting for all this to happen.

He also is saying that the final adoption into the family will be the restoration of our bodies. We are saved by the power of the hope that we have that this will indeed happen.

Waiting with patience. that may be something i need to hit!!!!

Verse 26-27 is a very promising verse.

Noah hit so strongly on the power of the spirit. Paul is saying that we are so dependant on the spirit that even when we dont know what to pray, the spirit is interceding for us.

The promise of this. the bedrock for why suffering is ok. The reason that it will work out.

-The Holy Spirit has our back

-The Father is ordaining our steps

Romans 8:28 is where we see this become foundation.

The tempation here is to get stuck in the weeds. And i do like being in the weeds sometimes. But thats not what I want to do here. I want to maximize the significance of all this.

Romans 8:28–30 ESV

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

There is a direct relationship between 28 and 29. So Loving God, Being Called, Being known, being predestined, being conformed, to being justified, and being glorified.

If God is working in your life, and if you love God, then you can be confident that he has every intention of conforming you to be what he wants you to be. Its as guaranteed as him saving you, justifying you, and glorifying you.