Future Glory

Intro

My Bible study group is currently working through the book of Romans, and just this past Tuesday we discussed the future glory that we can look forward to.

I think that it’s essential that we hear a sermon every once in a while that reminds us of the hope we have. because all too often we can get caught up in the falleness of this world and lose sight of eternity.

So that’s all we’re gonna do today, we are going to remind ourselves of this amazing Glory which will reveal itself.

Romans 8:18-19

So go ahead and open up to Romans 8 and we are going to start in verse 18 and work through it.

Romans 8:18–19 ESV

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.

So right off the bat Paul reminds us that the suffering we face today is temporary, and not only is it temporary but that compared to the coming Glory of God it will seem as though it was nothing.

Now I assume that we are all aware of the current sufferings of this Earth, if you don’t go turn on the news for about 15 minutes. That is probably all the longer you’ll need to realize how much suffering the world is facing. But what is the glory that is going to be revealed to us?

Now when we look at verse 19 we see that that which is being revealed are the sons of God. Now as we read through Romans those who are saved are referred to as sons of God or children of God or those adopted by God many times. So we can assume that it means the same here, but if we are the saved than why are we looking forward to the sons of God being revealed, I mean here I am right? Aren’t I already revealed?

So what do we know will happen when the Lord returns? we will face judgement, but our judgement will be different than those who don’t follow Christ, we will be rewarded with a new body, an amazing body, a new body that will be like that of Jesus’ new body. But what will this new bo9dy be like? open to Luke 24:39

Luke 24:39 ESV

39 See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.”

So Jesus’ new body was a physical body we know this, and as a side note, look down to Luke 24:41-43

Luke 24:41–43 ESV

41 And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate before them.

So this means we are going to be able to eat and drink in Heaven and I can only imagine the kinds of food that will be there, and then when we go to Philippians 3:20-21 we read…

Philippians 3:20–21 ESV

20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

God will transform our lowly body, to be like his glorious body. Now you have to wonder what is it going to be like to receive this new body? 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 says...

1 Corinthians 15:51–52 ESV

51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.

It will be instant, just like that (snap) we will find ourselves in a new glorified body that will be like that of Christ. No longer struggling with sickness and disease, No longer crippled or scared, no longer sad or anxious, no longer burdened by death or pain, no longer burdened by sin. That alone is something to be excited about and a reason to have hope, but this isn’t even what we should be most excited about.

Romans 8:20-21

So let’s jump back to Romans 8:18-19

Romans 8:18–19 ESV

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.

So what does it mean that the sons of God will be revealed? When Christ returns in the second coming we will be revealed in his Glory. he will come and renew us and in that renewal we will be revealed to all as the sons of God.

But like I said, it get’s even better. Let’s read Romans 8:20-21

Romans 8:20–21 ESV

20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

So somebody tell me, when was the Earth subjected to futility? During the fall of man. Now remember the creation, as we see in verse 19, is waiting for this second coming and the revealing of the sons of God. Why? well when we read verse 21 it tells us that the creation desires to be set free in the same Glory that has set free the children of God.

So what will God do, he creates a new heaven and a new earth. Let’s read Revelation 21:1-4

Revelation 21:1–4 ESV

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

So everything will be made new, and we all will be one, and here’s what I’m most excited about, look at verse 3… We will be with God, here on Earth, we will be able to look at Jesus Christ with our very own 2 eyes. in fact here’s some speculation, but you could make a strong argument that when all of this occurs we will be able to look at the Father the same way that the son can look upon the Son.

and just to back this up with scripture, Job 19:25-27 says...

Job 19:25–27 ESV

25 For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. 26 And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, 27 whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!

This certainly seems like he’s talking about this final day when heaven and earth are united, does it not. Now I’m not going to say definitively that you will be able to gaze upon the fathers face, but I am saying it is certainly possible that we will.

Are you guys getting excited? I’m getting excited!

Romans 8:22-23

And so let’s look at Romans 8:22-23

Romans 8:22–23 ESV

22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

I find verse 22 very interesting, and this is why, so right off the bat this is referring back to Genesis 3:16 “16 To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children…”” and though this promise was originally made to women Paul is comparing this pain to the pain that the world and us, of waiting for this future Glory to come.

And what sticks out so much about this is that when we think of childbearing we think about the most painful experience known to humankind. and yet it is comparable to that of waiting for the coming glory. Now for that reason alone I don’t think we fully comprehend how amazing this will be, like we kind of understand but we don’t fully comprehend. But I think by the end of this sermon some of us will truly begin to feel that anguish of waiting.

and Something else I want to address in verse 23, it says, “but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the spirit, groan inwardly...” This isn’t translated in most Bibles the best, it would be better to say, “but we ourselves, though having the firs fruits of the spirit, groan inwardly...” and I draw this distinction because, it emphasizes that even though we have the fruit of the spirit one of the fruits being patience, we still groan inwardly as we wait.

Who here is ready for this wait to be over, Like just come already, this world is awful, I want my new body, I want to stand in the presence of God, and worship him. Now I’m only 23 I may have to wait the rest of my life to finally get to that point. It’s painful knowing I may have to wait that long.

Romans 8:24-25

But I know that we have to wait, patiently. cause there’s no way that we can speed up the process. now let’s read Romans 8:24-25, and then we’ll stop at that point today, and hopefully come back to finish out verses 26-30 in the future.

and know at this point we have already made it farther in this passage than we did at Bible study this past Tuesday with all our discussion, that being said, I know that this can be a lot of scripture to work through so I really would like for you guys to keep a hold of your notes insert and look over it again as you go throughout your week. But let’s look at Romans 8:24-25

Romans 8:24–25 ESV

24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Now this is essential because we know that we need to remain hopeful. That in all of our suffering Hope must endure. and That’s why Paul is writing this because he doesn’t want our hope to be diminished due to our suffering and he tells us that this glory that we are hoping for far exceeds the suffering we face now.

And you may struggle to have hope because you don’t entirely know what to expect. but I just told you what to respect we read it together so that we can understand what it is we are hoping for. So that we might know what the Glory of the Lord will be like. and it is because we have this hope that we will continue to run the race.

Ron and I were talking this week, and it’s sad to see people even ministers who spend there whole life serving the Lord and then in there last days, in their last days they turn away denouncing their faith. It’s foolish, did they loose the hope? they had almost finished the good race why give up right when you get to the finish line. Hold on to this precious hope people!

Close

Now the scripture tells us that we won’t know the day or the time that the Lord will return and that it will come like a thief in the night. And so what are we told to do? be vigilant while many are asleep we must be awake and prepared, and of course I don’t mean physically awake I mean spiritually and faithfully awake, always being prepared to come before the Lord in Judgement. In fact the lord could come today he could come as soon as I am done preaching he could come right this very second.

And so I ask you are you ready for he judgement, are you able to have this hope? have you repented and been washed clean in the waters of baptism. It’s not too late today to make yourself right with God so that you can hold onto that amazing hope that we who are saved can have. but Tomorrow it may be too late, but that is a decision that only you can make, and so I ask that you make the decision to get right with God sooner rather than later.

Let’s pray

(do invitation to be baptized or come to receive prayer before final song and have someone pray)