Essentials Of The Faith / Sunday Morning Sermon Series / Romans

Romans 8:12-27 Part 2

Summary: Last week I said that in Romans 8:12-27 we will find that those who are 'in Christ' who are Christian have been given three things by the indwelling Holy Spirit.

I. God's Spirit gives......a New Obligation  (Rom. 8:12-13)
        To put sin to death.

II. God's Spirit gives......a New Identity (Rom. 8:14-17a)
       One who is led and adopted by the Spirit

TRANS: A third thing that
III. God's Spirit gives......a New Hope (Rom. 8:17b-27)

INTRO: Years ago, Andre Kole, as illusionist who traveled the world as a representative of a Christian youth organization, wrote about the death of his wife Aljeana. She had an incurable brain tumor, and for two years she endured incredible suffering.  She gradually lost the use of her arms and legs and couldn't move her head or body.  She became totally blind.  Day after day she could do nothing but lie helplessly in bed. Kole wrote, "While Aljeana was still able to do some speaking, she always shared a poem that ended with these lines: 'We would not long for heaven, if earth held only joy'"

        Heaven is the place where our hope becomes reality.

    A. Our New Hope
Read: vs. 17b-18
         When great affliction comes to us, we often think  we are being torn to pieces under the pressures of  our circumstances. But know this Believer, no matter how badly you are suffering.  No matter how much pain you have or will experience. No matter how many times God's seems far off...  One day, one day all this will dim in comparison to the glory we will know for all eternity when we see Christ face to face. Amen? Part of our inheritance is Glory....but what is Glory?

DEF: Glory as it is used in the Bible means worth,    acceptance, approval, splendor and  beauty.

          You will be known and loved for who you are in Christ. Wholly approved, accepted, and you will beautiful in God's eyes. Unlike anything you can ever experience here. And it awaits the Believer in Jesus Christ.

Know what else awaits us?
 1. A new creation/universe
 2. New bodies like Christ's
 3. No more pain, suffering, tears or sorrow.
 4. We shall be with Christ and like Him
 5. We shall know and experience the glory of God
 6. We will feast forever at the table of God.

        O that will be glory, be glory for me.

Trans: That is our future. Now, in verses 19-27 Paul tells us of our present and how even though it is not easy or pleasant, even though there is suffering, even though we will groan, there is hope. First Paul speaks of Creations present condition and how it groans in hope.

    B. The present condition of Creation is that it groans in Hope
Read: Rom. 8:19-22

ILL: Have you ever seen a woman in natural childbirth. The pain, the pushing, the pain, the breathing, the pain...it is visible on her face. That is why few women will allow their picture to be taken during this time. BUT when the baby is born and lying in their mothers arms, an amazing change overtakes the mothers countenance. All the pain is gone, the agony gone from her face and it is replaced by a peace and joy like never before seen. And that's a  Kodak moment.

         Creation is longing for the day it will be liberated. In Gen. 3 we are told that creation suffers; it is decaying dying, barren, and destructive. This is not how God created it. This is not how it will be forever. One day when all those who will be saved are saved, they will be revealed as the one true people of God and all creation will then be restored to it's glorious pre fall existence. The difference between what is and what will be, will be worth the price of admission. We will be spellbound by the sight and wonders  of God's creation as it was intended to be enjoyed. And we wont need a camera to capture that sight because we will see it and experience it for all eternity.  Creation groans for now.. but, it groans in hope.

    C. Believer's Groan in Hope
Read: Rom. 8:23-25

We groan for many reasons. We groan...
-For the sin in our lives and in the lives of those we love.
-For the missed opportunities to serve Christ.
-For the unfulfilled potential we see in others.
-For the physical and emotional pain we and our loved ones suffer.

         But we groan in HOPE because through the indwelling Holy Spirit we have tasted heaven but are left here in this decaying and sinful world. We desire heaven but are told to wait patiently in confident hope...For what? For the fulfillment of Phil. 1:6 and our  glorification 2 Cor. 5:2 (for in this house we groan longing to be clothed with  our dwelling from heaven)

Trans:  The Believer suffers, groans, and waits.. in hope. But how can we endure the wait, the suffering?

    D. The Spirit is our Hope

ILL: Corrie Ten Boom once said 'If God sends us on stony paths, he provides strong shoes'.
         We have the strong shoes of the Holy Spirit.

Read: Rom. 8:26-27

         Can you remember a time when you were unable to pray. A time when a loved one was so desperately ill and the urgency of the circumstances so great that you couldn't form the words of a prayer....at lease anything that made sense.
Perhaps it was the death of a loved one that has caused you to be so depressed, so downtrodden, so overwhelmed with emotion that your only words are impassioned sighs and groans. So burdened is your heart that your mind either races or is like a void, either way, it's uncontrollable. It is at this time that the Holy Spirit says what you can not.

         The indwelling Holy Spirit takes our minds and emotions and quiets and silences them, then directs and guides them...towards  our heavenly Father. The Holy Spirit helps us when we are at our weakest.  He comes along side and lays hold of and carries our burden to the throne of grace.

APP: Have you ever experienced the loosening of a burden by the hands of the Holy Spirit? Have you ever felt the peace of God in the midst of great tragedy and turmoil?  Then you have experienced God and you can know for sure that your are In Christ.

         Believers have two advocates, two intercessors. Jesus, who sits at the right hand of God and the Holy Spirit of Life who resided in our hearts, both continually making intercession on our behalf to our Father in Heaven. We are truly blessed, so cared for, so loved!

Conclusion
 The Holy Spirit gives! Amen! If you are a Believer in Jesus Christ the Holy Spirit has given you

1. A new Obligation...to put to death the deeds of the flesh, our sinful desires and ways.
2. A new Identity... as one led and adopted by the Holy Spirit.
3. A new Hope...that our suffering will not compare with  the glory we will know when we see Christ face to face.

ILL: C. S. Lewis in his book The Problem of Pain  said 'God whispers to us in our pleasures ... but shouts in our pains.'
         God is shouting to all you who are suffering, who are depressed, who are experiencing pain, either emotionally or physically, who feel God is distant, who just don't think they can make it through another day...

God is shouting.....
HAVE HOPE IN ME.....I LOVE YOU,

WHATEVER YOU ARE GOING THRU...THIS TOO SHALL PASS.

MY GLORY, THE GLORY OF THE CREATOR AND REDEEMER OF THE UNIVERSE AWAITS YOU.....

HAVE HOPE DEAR CHILD, HAVE HOPE!