Groans of the Spirit

Good morning. My name is Matthew Capone and I'm one of the pastors here at Cheyenne Mountain Presbyterian Church and it's my joy to bring God's word to you today.

A special welcome if you're new, visiting. We're glad that you're here. This morning we're continuing our series in the book of Romans.

The book of Romans is a letter written by the Apostle Paul in the 50s AD. It's called Romans because it is written to the churches in the city of Rome and it is about the gospel.

It's about the good news of Jesus' life and death and resurrection.

We are getting to the end of Romans chapter 8. If you read the congregational letter that came out in February, you know that after we finish chapter 8, we are headed back to the book of Genesis for the story of Isaac.

Romans 8 · chapter mention

It shows up in Genesis chapters 25 through 37 and then the plan, Lord willing, is when we finish with Isaac, we'll return again to Romans and we'll pick back up with chapter 9.

Genesis 25 · chapter mention

So we're finishing chapter 8, which is about life in the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, and we're continuing a problem that was introduced all the way back in verse 17.

So you remember verses 12 through 17 of chapter 8, Paul tells us, look, good news, you've been adopted by God, you're God's children.

And then he tells us this in verse 17,

And if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

And so there's the problem. Adoption ultimately results in glory, but we have to pass through suffering first.

And so that raised this question that we've been kind of chipping away at for a number of weeks, which is, okay, glory, that's great that that's coming.

How do we make it through the suffering in the meantime?

Verses 18 through 25 gave us our first answer.

We make it through the suffering by meditating on understanding, realizing how great heaven is.

So the hope of future glory helps us make it through present suffering.

We spent three weeks working through that first answer.

Now the second answer is coming in verse 26.

We make it through present suffering because of the work of the Holy Spirit on our behalf in prayer.

We make it through present suffering because of the work of the Holy Spirit on our behalf in prayer.

So with that, I invite you to turn with me to Romans chapter 8.

Romans 8 · chapter mention

You can find it many places.

One of them is page 7 of your worship guide.

And as you turn there, remember that this is God's word.

Psalm 19 tells us that God's word is more precious than gold, even the finest gold.

And it's sweeter than honey, even honey that comes straight from the honeycomb.

So that's why we read now Romans chapter 8, starting at verse 26.

Romans 8 · chapter mention

Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.

For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit,

because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

I invite you to pray with me as we come to this portion of God's word.

Our Father in heaven, we do thank you again this morning for your word, and we ask for your help.

That you would send your Holy Spirit to unstop our ears, to open up our eyes,

to clear our minds and soften our hearts, that we would be able to see and hear and understand and believe

everything that you've given us in your word.

And most of all, you'd show us Jesus Christ, that we'd see him clearly.

You'd grow our love and our affection for Christ.

You'd increase our reverence and our awe for him.

And you'd lead us in obedience to him.

And we ask all of these things in his mighty name.

Amen.

One of the great principles of Scripture that I mention to you all from time to time

is that God never commands us to do something that he does not enable and empower.

And he does that in a wide variety of ways.

God has a vast repertoire of things he gives us to help us.

The emphasis in chapter 8 of Romans is God's gift of the Holy Spirit,

the help that is given to us by the Spirit.

That's why verse 26 starts with the verse, likewise.

He's saying, look, here's the next item in this list of supports that I'm giving you.

God enables and empowers all your obedience.

Here's how he does it.

Here is another way.

In your tool belt, your toolbox of God's power,

here's one more item.

Here's another help for you as you face the challenges of life.

Here's another way that I enable and empower you.

It's not just verses 18 through 25.

It's not just a hope of future glory, but also, again, verse 26,

the Spirit helps us in our weakness,

for we do not know what to pray for as we ought.

Now, as we think about this word weakness,

there's all sorts of weaknesses that we experience because we're human.

The challenges that we face in the world are not just because of our struggle against sin.

They're also because of our own frailty.

There is this inability, this weakness,

that shows up in our lives,

even if it's not something sinful,

because it's part of being human.

There are significant limitations that we knock up against as finite people.

And one way, Paul tells us,

that inability, that weakness, that frailty pops up in our lives

is when we turn to pray.

And we turn to pray,

and our frailty means often we have no idea what to pray for.

We know we're supposed to talk to God,

but what is it we're actually supposed to say?

We hit up against our own significant human limitations.

So someone comes up to you,

they say,

hey, I really need your prayers,

I want you to pray for me,

and you say, yes, absolutely,

and then you go to pray for them,

and you realize,

what am I praying to God for?

I know what the problem is.

I have no idea what the solution is.

I'm not sure what it is exactly I'm supposed to be asking for.

There are situations that are truly baffling to us.

So you have a friend,

and there's a great tragedy, right?

They're facing a terminal illness.

You know that within a short amount of time,

this person will die.

So it doesn't make sense for you to pray for healing.

Death comes for all of us.

It's inevitable.

Maybe you pray for comfort or relief from pain.

Maybe you ask that God would fix their eyes on heaven.

What else?

What else can you pray that will help?

How is God using this within his greater purposes for the world?

Well, you don't know.

You don't know because of your weakness.

Maybe someone asks you,

hey, I really need you to pray that my kid will get into Harvard.

And you think, well, is that a good prayer?

Will that take them closer to Christ,

or will it draw them farther away?

Will that make them proud or arrogant,

or will they serve as a light for the gospel there?

Well, for some people, maybe that's a good thing for them.

Others, it's a bad thing.

And you don't know God's will.

You don't know if it's good or bad in this situation.

So how should you pray?

Should you do what they've asked?

Should you pray that God doesn't get them into Harvard?

You don't know.

You have great weakness.

And then, of course, there are situations that are overwhelming.

And this really gets at the groaning that's spoken of in this passage

and the passages that preceded it.

There are tragedies in this life,

and when they happen,

there are times where grief and sorrow and confusion is so overwhelming,

perhaps you feel like you can't even breathe.

Your spouse tells you that they want out of the marriage.

Your doctor tells you that you have cancer.

Your child has a severe and crippling disability.

You find out that your best friend has left the Lord.

Wars and rumors of wars break out,

whether in the Middle East or somewhere else.

And you want to cry out to God.

You just don't know what to say.

And you don't know what to say because of your weakness.

It's in that confusion that the Holy Spirit helps.

Verse 26.

The Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

In all of those situations,

the Holy Spirit takes your desire,

he takes your groanings,

he takes your confusion and frustration,

and he prays to God

for exactly what will be for your good and God's glory.

The Holy Spirit knows the groanings of your heart.

Remember the Holy Spirit dwells within you.

Romans chapter 8 verse 9.

Romans 8:9

If you're a Christian,

he understands your confusion and frustration.

He knows your inability and your weakness,

and so he steps in.

The Spirit prays to God

for something that will bring your good and his glory.

Now maybe you're not praying for yourself.

Maybe you're praying for another Christian.

Maybe you're praying for the parent

whose kid needs to get into Harvard.

The Spirit will pray for something

that is for their good and his glory.

You don't know what to pray for?

That's okay.

Because the Holy Spirit does.

You have a problem.

We have a problem.

Because of our weakness.

And the Holy Spirit helps.

The point is this.

You pray,

and you groan,

in your confusion.

The Holy Spirit

prays and groans with you,

but not in confusion,

with clarity.

The Holy Spirit

knows exactly what to pray for,

and he does.

The Greek word for help here,

speaking of the Spirit,

in verse 26,

means to come alongside someone

or to share the load.

So,

some boxes,

maybe you've had a box

arrive at your house,

has this sticker on it,

and what does the sticker say?

To man lift.

It shows these little stick figures,

right?

One stick figure on one side of the box,

one stick figure on the other.

Paul's telling us

the life of prayer

is like that.

There are times

when it is too heavy

for you to carry alone.

Good news.

The Holy Spirit

lifts as well.

Pastor Derek Thomas

illustrates this

with the story

of moving a piano,

which at one point

he had to bring into his house,

and so he had many men

helping him lift this piano,

and he said this,

I had my hands firmly

on a section

of the piano,

but can I honestly say

that I lifted

that piano?

The truth is,

the young men

were doing most

of the lifting,

even though I groaned

along with them,

as the piano seemed

to grow heavier

with each step.

Christian,

so it is in prayer.

Yes,

your hands

are on the piano.

Yes,

you are groaning.

The Holy Spirit

is doing

the real work.

The Holy Spirit

is doing

the heavy lifting.

The point is this.

As a Christian,

as you walk

in this life

and you face

your own weakness

and inability

and frustration

and confusion

in prayer

and life,

you are not alone.

The Holy Spirit

is there

with you.

Another reason

why Jesus' words

are true,

it's better

that he left us

so that he could

send the Spirit.

Another benefit

that comes

from what we saw

in Romans 8,

Romans 8:9

verse 9,

that there's this

indwelling

of the Spirit

for every Christian.

If you are a Christian,

you have the Spirit

full stop.

Page 7

of your worship guide,

the indwelling

of the Holy Spirit

refers to

his special presence

in every believer

in Christ.

If you are a Christian,

the Holy Spirit

lives in you

and what does it do?

Many things

including

groaning

with you

in prayer.

Verse 27

goes on

to tell us

that these prayers

of the Spirit

are 100%

effective.

Verse 27,

and he who searches

hearts

knows what is

the mind

of the Spirit.

That first phrase,

he who searches hearts,

is a reference

there to God the Father.

Knows what is

the mind

of the Spirit,

so God the Father

knows the desire

of the Holy Spirit

and why does

God the Father

know that desire?

Well,

27 goes on,

because the Spirit

intercedes

for the saints

according to

the will

of God.

So the Spirit's

intercession

is effective

because both

God the Father

and God the Holy Spirit

are members

of the Trinity.

They're part

of the Godhead.

Remember,

as Christians,

we believe

in the triune God.

That is,

there is one God

in three persons.

And so,

they are always

in perfect

agreement.

The will

of the Father

and the will

of the Spirit

are always

the same.

And so,

the prayers

of the Spirit,

the answer

is always

yes.

Remember,

the Spirit

takes your groanings

and longings

and confusion

and frustration

and turns them

into a clear prayer

for your good

and God's glory.

Pastor Tim Keller

puts it this way,

God will either

give us

what we ask for

in prayer

or give us

what we would

have asked for

if we knew

everything

He knows.

God will either

give us

what we ask

for in prayer

or

give us

what we would

have asked for

if we knew

everything

He knows.

Now,

there is one

who asks

for what we

would have asked

for if we knew

what God knew,

the Holy Spirit.

and so those

prayers

are already

being

offered.

Great preacher

Martin Lloyd-Jones

compares the work

of the Holy Spirit

here to the work

of a good

lawyer.

There are

certain situations,

if you've lived

life long enough,

you know this,

unless you have

a lawyer,

you might

as well

give up.

Now,

when our

congregant

Shabnam

was taken

by ICE

last year,

the task

number one,

number one,

find a lawyer.

Find a lawyer

as fast

as

possible.

They tell you,

you know,

the conventional

wisdom is

if you get a DUI

and it's your

first DUI,

what's the

real punishment?

The real

punishment

is the

$10,000

you have to

shell out

for a lawyer.

And they've

been saying

that for years,

so I bet

it's $15,000

or $20,000

now.

Why is it

people start

legal defense

funds?

It's for that

reason.

When we were

calling around

for Shabnam,

they were

saying,

hey,

the going

price,

$20,000.

You want

someone to

help you

get out

of ICE

detention?

That is

your entry

fee.

Why?

Because a

good lawyer

represents

you.

A good

lawyer knows

the right

thing to

say and

when to

say it.

The right

lawyer understands

the system.

He's been

there before.

He knows

how this

works.

He anticipates

the questions

from the

judge.

The results

with the

right lawyer

are vastly

different.

Of course,

you hear in

the news,

right,

there's

celebrity

lawyers.

Hey,

this famous

person hired

this lawyer,

you know,

charges $10,000

an hour,

and they've

helped all

these other

famous people

get out.

And why

are they

worth that

much money?

Because they

know how

to win.

they know

how to

get it

done.

Christian,

the Holy

Spirit

always

wins

his

case.

And

he

is

your

lawyer.

Wow.

That's

what Paul's

saying.

you have

the best

legal defense

possible

before God

the Father.

You feel

like this

situation in

your life

is overwhelming

and beyond

your ability

to comprehend

and process

and understand,

and you do

not know

the right

words to

say.

No problem.

You have

a lawyer

who does

know

exactly

what

to say.

I have

a friend

here in

town

who at

one point

was taken

advantage of,

defrauded,

we might say

abused,

by a local

businessman.

Actually,

a number

of people

lost money

investing

with this

man.

People in

our circles,

Presbyterian

people who

trusted him

and he

walked away

with tens

of thousands

of dollars.

And I

talked to

this individual

at one

point about

legal

representation

because he

didn't have

any.

And he

was trying

to basically

negotiate this

situation on

his own.

And he

said this

to me,

Matthew,

we ain't

got lawyer

money.

This is a

way of saying,

yeah,

we've been

defrauded,

we've been

abused,

we've taken

advantage of,

but I don't

have the

resources.

I don't

have ten,

twenty,

thirty thousand

dollars to

throw at this

case.

So we're

going to have

to figure it

out on our

own.

If you

are in

Christ,

you have

lawyer money.

You have

the best

lawyer that

money can

buy.

In fact,

you have a

lawyer money

can't buy.

You have a

lawyer who

can only be

purchased in

one way.

and that

is the

blood of

Jesus

Christ.

Why is

the Spirit

with you?

Because

Jesus rose

from the

dead on

the third

day,

ascended to

the right

hand of

God the

Father,

and sends

the Spirit

to you.

you.

Why would

you fear?

You have

someone better

than Frank

Azar.

The

strong man,

strong arm.

Now,

Martin

Lloyd-Jones

uses that

to talk

about the

Holy Spirit.

Funny

enough,

the Puritan,

Richard

Sibbes,

who lived

a long

time before

Martin

Lloyd-Jones,

uses almost

the same

exact

illustration,

but not

of the

Holy Spirit.

No,

Sibbes

uses it

of Christ.

The

Holy Spirit

is not

the only

lawyer you

have on

your side.

You also

have Christ,

and by the

way,

we're going

to see

this in

a couple

weeks in

Romans,

representing

you before

the Father.

Because if

you're in

Jesus,

you have

both.

You ain't

got just

one lawyer.

You have

two

lawyers.

Theologians

would say

you have

Jesus

standing

before the

throne of

God

interceding

for you,

and you

have the

Spirit

in your

heart

crying

out

for you,

pleading

your

case

in

heaven.

How

much

better

could it

get?

All

because

of

Jesus'

life

and

death

and

resurrection.

And so

Arkant

Hughes

sums it

up in

this way.

It's

page

eight

of

your

worship

guide.

How

marvelous

this

all

is.

We

have

two

intercessors,

one

in

heaven,

our

Lord

Jesus

who

intercedes

for

our

sins

and

one

in

our

hearts,

the

Holy

Spirit

himself.

How

greatly

we

are

loved.

Christian,

how

greatly

you

are

loved

by

God.

Let's

pray.

Our

Father in

heaven,

we do

praise you

and thank

you that

you haven't

left us

alone in

our

confusion

and our

weakness,

that our

future doesn't

rely on the

greatness of

our prayers,

but instead

you've given

us the

Holy Spirit

to help

us,

to support

us,

to intercede

for us.

We ask

that you'd

remind us

of that.

It would

give us

great courage

and joy

to continue

following you

in this

life to

the glory

that is

to come.

And we

ask all

of these

things in

the mighty

name of

Jesus

Christ.

Amen.

I invite

you to

stand for

our

communion

hymn.