Is This Thing Up to Standards?

Intro

Family Intro

Pictures

Londan Story

Title of today's message: "Is This Thing Up to Standards?"

Prayer

Text for today's message

Romans 8:19-30 "Future Glory"

This is a section of text that is a complete idea around where we are, where we are headed, and the journey of getting there.

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Romans 8:20–23 (NLT)

20 Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, 21 the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. 22 For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering.

1. Are you groaning?

Explanation:

Story of Romans

The church in Rome was established in Acts 18:1-2 around 48-50 AD

Rome

The seat of government for the expanding world think Washington DC

Very immoral & decadent society.

Extravagance was the desire.

Time of the "arena"

People being maimed was common entertainment

Sexual immorality was rampant

Monogamy was almost non-existent with partners being willing to participate in same gender activities

Same sex relationship were normalized

Abuse of minors was considered culturally acceptable

People of low socioeconomic status or not of the prominent race were among the most abused

Womenhood had almost no value

Outer persecution of the church =

Extremely Greek society all around

Knowledge was more valuable than anything

Polytheism, mythology, "gods not God"

Monotheism was considered a simpleton's belief. Only simple minded people would believe in only one God.

Moral pressure coming from the church made it extremely unpopular

Inner persecution =

Different sects of Jews & Gentiles were arguing about "how to worship properly."

Great division among those who were following Christ.

Does this sound familiar?

So Paul writes a letter to the churches in Rome in an attempt to UNIFY them under the banner of Jesus.

Application:

What does groan(ing) mean?

Stenazo: to groan or sigh as the result of deep concern or stress

Acts 7:34 (ESV):

34 I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to deliver them.

Genesis 27:34 (ESV):

As soon as Esau heard the words of his father, he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry and said to his father, “Bless me, even me also, O my father!”

Mark 7:34 (ESV):

34 And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.”

How does the creation groan?

When God finished His Creation, it was a good Creation (Gen. 1:31); but today it is a groaning Creation. There is suffering and death; there is pain, all of which is, of course, the result of Adam’s sin. It is not the fault of creation.

Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 540). Victor Books.

BUT! The groans of the creation are related to the groans of childbirth. They are expectant!

When a mom sees her baby for the first time the level of pain is no longer the focus. The joy of the new baby is the focus.

Her pain has given way to joy. (not that I understand)

This is what the creation is waiting on!

How do we groan?

Guttural sighs calling out to something we hope will rescue us.

Oh my gosh would you get out of the left lane!

(breath) how many coffees can one person order

(breath) will someone come raise these kids!

These are all signs of our judgement, offense, and inadequacy.

All signs of the fall of man

These are pains inside of us that the groan points out.

Illustration:

Fellas you ever get the wife big eyes followed by the frightening phrase, "are you serious right now?"

This happens to me often because I groan when I am asked to do something...

As a child I groaned like this...

Now I've become more sophisticated in my groan...

It's still groaning.

Beth groaning at the dishwasher not being turned on. 3 times...

The groan communicated a bigger truth. It wasn't just complaint, it was dread. Would she ever be cared for enough?

2. Are you partnering?

Explanation:

Romans 8:26–27 (NLT)

26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. 27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.

Now we see the Spirit prays through us in ways we cannot understand.

The Spirit helps us in our weakness

this helps literally means to help by joining in an activity or effort—‘to join in helping.’

In other words... partnering

And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying

The Father is listening to the Spirit rising up out of you!

Application:

Are you praying in the Spirit?

What's the T?

McLane, "what's the T?" - DRAMA

Fear?

Denominational Tradition

Bad Beliefs

Performance

Being a wierdo!

Here we find ourselves back on the roller coaster with Londan shouting, "is this thing up to standards?!"

Myths About Praying in the Spirit/Praying in Tongues

If I try to or desire to pray in tongues the Holy Spirit will just take over my body and make me do crazy things!

I guess I didn't really receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit because I didn't immediately speak with an unknown tongue.

Since I received my prayer language when I was filled with the Spirit I am spiritually superior to those who didn't.

I should Google my prayer language for accuracy.

Should you be praying in the Spirit?

Ephesians 6:17–18 (ESV)

17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.

1 Corinthians 14:14–15 (NLT)

14 For if I pray in tongues, my spirit is praying, but I don’t understand what I am saying. 15 Well then, what shall I do? I will pray in the spirit, and I will also pray in words I understand. I will sing in the spirit, and I will also sing in words I understand.

Why don't we pray in the Spirit in weekend service?

1 Corinthians 14:16–19 (NLT)

16 For if you praise God only in the spirit, how can those who don’t understand you praise God along with you? How can they join you in giving thanks when they don’t understand what you are saying? 17 You will be giving thanks very well, but it won’t strengthen the people who hear you. 18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than any of you. 19 But in a church meeting I would rather speak five understandable words to help others than ten thousand words in an unknown language.

1 Corinthians 14:23–25 (NLT)

23 Even so, if unbelievers or people who don’t understand these things come into your church meeting and hear everyone speaking in an unknown language, they will think you are crazy.

Because we're all about people!

Tongues are welcome in any gathering where:

1. Everyone is a believer.

2. The gift of Tongues can be explained through teaching.

Groups, prayer meetings, classes, etc

Illustration:

Beth's Comment about 1 Corinthians 14:18 (NLT)

18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than any of you.

"If Paul prayed in tongues more than all of us and he wrote 2/3 of the New Testament what could be the result of us praying in the Spirit more?"

3. Are you becoming?

We left off on Romans 8:27 27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.

Explanation:

Romans 8:28–29 (NLT)

28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

Can we just address this scripture is not talking about when bad things happen to us?

It is addressing what God is trying to work in us and that it's good!

If He's asking us to pray in the Spirit it's for our good!

Hobby Lobby joke

"I know Hobby Lobby has made a fortune off of this text, and no you shouldn't go home and remove it from your wall! DON'T DO THAT!

Let it be a reminder to what the text is ACTUALLY encouraging:

29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

Application:

Define become

σύμμορφος symmorphos

1. like-natured† — similar in representative essence or nature to something else.

Philippians 3:20–21 (NKJV)

20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body,

Christlikeness is the goal

Scriptures on being Christlike

2 Corinthians 3:17–18 (NKJV)

17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Christ is the one who will change the world and He will partner with you to do it.

He partners with you through the Spirit that has taken up residence in you.

The Spirit in you calls to the Father in an unknown tongue praying things you don't know!

When you yield your tongue to Him He works to cause you to become more like Him.

His last words before departing were:

Acts 1:8 (NLT)

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—

Wouldn't it be like the deceiver to convince thousands of believers that a tool the Lord gave us is either no longer needed, demonic, or somehow not necessary?

What might be possible for us as a community if we began to pray with tongues and with our understanding over the universities in our state?

What if we began to pray for Plano, Richardson, and Garland ISDs (oh and Rockwall, sorry Dr. V. ... Dr John "JJ" Villarreal is here today and he's the Superintendent of Rockwall ISD, isn't it great to know that there are Spirit-Filled believers in those roles?!)

CLOSING ILLUSTRATION:

Story to illustrate God's invitation as a Father

McLane & the caterpillar

I want you to bow your heads and close you eyes.