The Purpose Filled Life
Romans: Unashamed - Building the Church through the Gospel • Sermon • Submitted
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Review Sermon Theme -
Review last weeks passage -
Review last weeks sermon in a sentence -
ENGAGE
Grab attention to set the stage for the encounter of the text
ENCOUNTER
Main Idea - Life is Full of Purpose When You Truly Love God
Walk through the CHUNKS of the passage (use good transitions)
1. The God You Love Called You to Purpose (vs. 28)
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.
Explain -
You, Christian, have a glorious, wonderful, amazing purpose. What is this purpose? Well, that’s what this passage and sermon will help you and I discover.
I believe when you understand your purpose, your levels of determination and joy increase.
Paul, in this text makes an assumption in the first half of this verse.
“And we know”
They knew!
Wait, who are they?
21 Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you; so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen. 22 I Tertius, who wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord. 23 Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus, greet you.
These fellow workers of God, along with the Apostle knew something that all of us here this morning need to understand as well, GOD’S AMAZING PROMISE CONTAINED IN THESE VERSES EXCLUSIVELY FOR THOSE WHO ARE GOD’S THROUGH CHRIST.
“And we KNOW that for those who LOVE GOD...”
Who are those that love God? I mean the real God revealed in the bible?
Christians are the only ones who truly love the one and true God.
All other love for lesser deities, including self is damnable idolatry.
So, this promise if for those who love God.
By the way, do you? Do you truly love God?
There is one way to discover your level of love for the true God...
20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.
Anyway, that is another sermon. :)
The point is, the promise contained in this verse is exclusively for born-again followers of God through Jesus Christ.
What is the promise that Paul articulates?
For the lovers of God, “all things work together for good.”
Notice what Paul does not say, that “all things ARE good”… but all thing work together for good…All things…The good, the bad and the ugly!
Not all things are good! Sin is not good! The effects of sin are not good! Death, pain, sickness, all the atrocities and tragedies that this world produces are NOT good!
But our God, our heavenly Papa is able to take all the pain, sickness, seemingly random tragedies and with His powerful providential hand, weave something beautiful, something hopeful, something GOOD!
15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.” 16 So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this command before he died: 17 ‘Say to Joseph, “Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.” ’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18 His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” 19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. 21 So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.
This is a picture of how our God works. He is providentially at work, taking that which is evil and USING evil for His good purposes.
Notice three things about Joseph’s perspective…
Joseph is not God – He is not the captain of his fate…
Joseph’s God is at work behind the scenes taking evil and bringing about good…
Joseph’s God is not only focused on Joseph! In fact, the good that God is producing in this story has implications for you…The line of Judah was preserved…the line from which Jesus came!
God is always at work - always working and maneuvering situations to bring about good.
Dear friends, you are facing some sort of difficulty in your life. Some hardship, some pain. It may be self-inflicted or caused by someone else or seemingly without cause. God is IN THE MIDST OF YOUR pain and sorrow and promises to bring about good.
What is good? That’s a great question.
ἀγαθός agathós - Virtuous, upright, integrity, beneficial, profitable, useful. Rectitude (morally correct behavior or thinking; righteousness).
By the way, God is the ONLY one that gets to define that which is GOOD and that which is not. (Genesis 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31) “Good and very good.”
It was in the creation event that God made the moral proclamation of that which is GOOD. We do not have the privilege of such a declaration, only recognition of that which is good.
1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
But for believers, God is working good in all evil circumstances and situation. He is good and He is working good.
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
So in the midst of horrific circumstances, the believer must see that God is sovereignly behind the scenes working good! Remember, He is the Grand Weaver…
Believer, we have no other option but to trust the almighty God of the Bible!
But when trials come, and they will, those that Love God should learn to praise Him in the midst of that trial know God is working good regardless if we ever see the results!
15 Though he slay me, I will hope in him; yet I will argue my ways to his face.
Trials are hard, exhausting and at times, horrible. Beyond explanation from our limited, finite perspective…But we must never forget that they are purposeful, productive and carefully measured from a God who loves us with an everlasting love!
A God who has pursued us from before the very foundations of the earth! Imagine that!
Believer, there is nothing haphazard or random about the circumstances you are in…God is and has been at work
What does verse 28 have to do with the thought that “The God You Love Called You to Purpose”? What is our purpose?
Well, you are called! You are called to follow Christ regardless of the challenges of this life.
23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
He call you and you follow him and that act of following him will lead to ultimate goodness, eternal life with Him!
There is no greater PURPOSE than to follow Christ’s leading in your life!
Illustrate -
Pastor Tim and family
Elliot and Lori and family
Bethany Berendon
The Lemmon Clan
My dear friend Luke Bylsma
These are drastic examples of following Christ. This following causes suffering and pain but it will ultimately bear the peaceable fruit of righteousness in the presence of the Lord.
You may NEVER see the GOOD fully in this life. BUT THIS AIN’T HEAVEN!
Apply - So what do I do with this?
LOVE GOD! Do you?
TRUST GOD! Everything will end up good! That’s the promise here
SERVE GOD! This life is not your own you have been bought with a price. Stop living your life as a practical atheist and start recognizing that your purpose will only become evident in your life when you give your life over to the one who gave His life for you!
Review - Life is Full of Purpose When You Truly Love God
The God You Love Called You to Purpose
Transition -
2. The God You Love Will Conform You to Christlikeness (vs. 29)
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.
Explain -
· Vs. 29 – The purpose of the trial is conformity to the image of Christ. It is interesting that in verses 29 and 30, Paul shows salvation from God’s perspective. From our perspective Salvation is by faith. However, faith is not mentioned in these two verses.
God was at work a long time before you ever had faith…How do we know this? Look at the 5 terms Paul uses…and as you notice these terms, please see the progressive timeline, how they are inextricably linked to each other and how God is the active agent behind them all!
He Foreknew – “foreknew” The Greek word used here, proginōskō, means “to know in advance” or “to choose beforehand.” FSB
Predestined - The Greek verb used here, proorizō, refers to choosing or deciding beforehand. Salvation ultimately depends on God’s choice. FSB
The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament 4309. προορίζω proorízō
The objects of predestination are those whom He foreknew. Predestination does not involve a predetermined plan only but also includes the individuals for whom the plan is devised. The goal of predestination is expressed in the phrase, “to be conformed to the image of his Son.”
Salvation is initiated by God
There is nothing in us that pursues salvation. There is nothing within us that chases after God. Not even a little bit.
10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”
In actuality, without a work of God through His Spirit and through His Word, we do not accept the things of God at all.
14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
§ He must be the one to awaken us to our need for him…
4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.
John MacArthur - Believers were foreknown in the same way Christ was foreknown. That cannot mean foreseen, but must refer to a predetermined choice by God.
I will tell you, we are starting to wade into the meat of word. Chapters 9, 10, and 11 are going to contain some awesome and challenging concepts.
This might help as we think about these next two chapters in particular...
Chapter 9 - God’s responsibility in salvation.
Chapter 10 - Our responsibility in salvation.
But, let’s not get lost in the weeds here...
We don’t want to miss the pastoral point that Paul is making.
Never read or interpret verse 28 without verse 29!
Verse 28 says God works all things together for Good.
Verse 29 says the good that he is working is you becoming more and more like Jesus.
He predestined us to be conformed to the image of God (to take on the character).
A few thoughts...
Humanity was created in the IMAGE of God. But then the fall happened...
Through salvation you are recreated and received the Image of Christ.
While we have His image, He is the preeminent One! - “in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
What is the pastoral point here?
God runs you through the trials and tribulations of this life to make you grow in the character of Christ.
“praying for patience for Angie”
These verses are about your sanctification - Your growth in holiness.
Illustrate - Prince Corporation...
Apply - Start to view your difficulties in life as God orchestrating your growth in Christlikeness.
It’s not that God delights in His children suffering - that would be weird and actually wicked.
However, God’s greatest desire for His children is that they would be the spitting’ image of Jesus. Suffering is one of God’s greatest tools to create you into the best thing possible - A person LIKE Jesus.
Review - Life is Full of Purpose When You Truly Love God
The God You Love Called You to Purpose
The God You Love Will Conform You to Christlikeness
Transition -
3. The God You Love Has a Glorious Plan for You (vs. 30)
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.
Explain -
o He Predestined – (predestined) means literally to mark out, appoint, or determine beforehand. The Lord has predetermined the destiny of every person who will believe in Him. Just as Jesus was crucified “by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God” (Acts 2:23), so God also has predestined every believer to salvation through the means of that atoning sacrifice.[1]
Ephesians 1:4–5 (ESV) 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,
What did he predestined you to? According to the end of Vs. 29, conformity to the image of Christ. God’s plan for those He foreknew and predestined was that they would look like Jesus. Jesus was the First born and we would bear his likeness because we are in the same family…
1 Corinthians 15:49 (ESV) 49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.
In other words, we would behave like Christ exuding his love and grace to a world in desperate need of a savior…
o He Called - The outward call is the proclamation of the gospel (Rom 10).
Romans 10:14 (ESV) 14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?
o The inward call is the inner workings of the Holy Spirit.
2 Timothy 1:9 (ESV) 9 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,
o He Justified – The instantaneous declaration of my innocence based solely on the righteousness of Christ. In other words, it is when a person is made right with God.
Romans 3:24 (ESV) 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
o He Glorified – The ultimate result of God’s salvation plan…
2 Thessalonians 2:14 (ESV) 14 To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Apply – Why does Paul arm us with this information? Information like…
· God is sovereignly behind all aspects of your life, working good from evil…
· God is in the process of conforming you to the likeness of His Son…
· God Foreknew you
· God Predestined you
· God Called you
· God Justified you
· God Glorified you / or He will! It is as good as done!
Why does Paul tell us these things?
I think the answer is found at the end of verse 28…if you are a Christian, you are called according to HIS PURPOSE!
Do you know what HIS PURPOSE is for your life?
To Glorify God (to make him famous). This is hard for me because in my flesh I want me to be famous…
But the more we grow in this…the more He can use us to do amazing things for him.
Daniel, Joseph, Paul were regular men with an extraordinary God.
The difference between these men and me is they truly believed the promises of God. How would your life change if you truly believed ALL of God’s promises…Radically I suspect…
A Believer with “Eternal Perspective” Projects Confidence
2 Corinthians 3:12 (ESV) 12 Since we have such a hope, we are very bold…
The fact that God is investing in you for His eternal purposes should boost your confidence levels of the charts and renew a vigor in you to live for His fame above all else!
[1] John F. MacArthur, Jr., Romans, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1991). 497.
Illustrate -
Apply -
Review - Life is Full of Purpose When You Truly Love God
The God You Love Called You to Purpose
The God You Love Will Conform You to Christlikeness
The God You Love Has a Glorious Plan for You
Transition -
EMPOWER
Combination of Exhortation, Animation, and ultimately Application of the preacher’s words to make space for God’s power to flow.
You don’t tell them about a truth: you give an experience of it.
Don’t turn into powerless moralism
In the life of Jesus, those hypotheticals become actuals
Jesus becomes the stories he tells
The message becomes about Jesus
Connection Group Reflection Questions
a. Daniel + Prayer = Lunch for Lion’s
b. Paul – Acts 14:19–22 (ESV) 19 But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. 20 But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe. 21 When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.
· These men and countless other men and women over the centuries have risked and even given their lives because they refused to shrink back in the face of opposition.
· Hebrews 11:32–40 (ESV) 32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— 38 of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. 39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
Look at our text - 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.