Scripture Focus- Romans 8:18-25Listen to Sermon Here
God calls us to a life of victory. There is an unbroken strand of redemption from- Justification (penalty), Sanctification (power), Glorification (presence).
When you live life in the Spirit:
- There is no condemnation- All sins, past, present, and future have been forgiven, a message of grace.
- There is power to live a holy life- your thinking is set on the Spirit, the Spirit of God lives in you.
- There is joy in the family of God- Adoption (placed into the family of God), Intimacy ( Abba, Father), and Inheritance (heirs of God, co-heirs with Christ).
v17 If children, also heirs- heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ- seeing that we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.
What does it mean that we must suffer with Christ in order to be glorified with Him in this way?
1) All of creation is subject to suffering. vv19-23
What is the root of suffering? The Garden of Eden and the curse that followed was a judicial act of a Sovereign God.
v20 creation was subjected to futility, v21 bondage of corruption, v22 groaning together with labor pains.
2) Future glory will outweigh present suffering. v18
Our sufferings pale in comparison to the glory to come.
The intensity of suffering is heavy, it hurts, we cry out in pain, but it is not worth comparing to the glory to come.
Paul's experience- 2 Corinthians 11:21-27
The Lord Jesus is the ultimate example of suffering- Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper at the Passover meal with His disciples. That night, after He led them in the Lord's Supper, we find Him in the Garden of Gethsemane. It was the night before His crucifixion, He was there by the will of God. He was weeping and brokenhearted, sweating as it were, drops of blood, submitting Himself to the will of the Father.
Isaiah 53
Suffering is earthly, glory is heavenly. Suffering is short, glory is forever. Suffering is limited, glory in infinite. Suffering is physical, glory is spiritual.
3. We are to wait patiently in suffering with confident hope. vv23-25
We persevere in suffering with confident hope knowing that God will complete in us the good work that He has started.
Creation eagerly waits with anticipation- Phillips Translation- the whole of creation is on tiptoe to see the wonderful sight of the sons of God coming into their own.
We have the Spirit as the firstfruits.
We eagerly await the redemption of our bodies.
We hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with patience.
Sometimes there appears to be no hope. God says there is hope. Sometimes there appears to be no way out. God says there is a way out. Sometimes there appears to be no joy. God says there is joy. If there is not cross, there is no crown. If there is no suffering, there is no inheritance.
Heaven won't be glorious in spite of our suffering, it will be glorious because of our suffering. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. Your reward will be eternal joy in the glory of God.
How do we live in suffering while moving toward glory? Embrace the reality of suffering. Get passionate about the glory of God. Cultivate an eternal perspective.
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