Romans 8:28

I've grown up every summer going to a house on the shore of Lake Erie that my mom grew

up in. We go there for vacation, learn how to sail, sunfish there, play in the sand, swim, all sorts of

wonderful things. I have a very vivid memory one day. My two brothers and I took out our old, and if you

know anything about boats, slightly leaky and fairly rickety sunfish. Three of us on a slightly

waterlogged boat with a rudder that kept popping out if you pushed it too hard against the waves

of the wind and the pressure. We decided to take this boat out on a quite windy day where the breakers

were breaking over the sandbar, and as we headed out in the southeasterly direction with the southwest

wind blowing us this way, we set a course, and if you head out, the first thing you need to do is to

get enough momentum to turn the boat and get back into the bay. We lived in a bay that sort of circled

around like this, and if we didn't get back into the bay, we'd get pushed out over the reef and out

into the lake. Well, hard over, the winds are pushing this way. The waves are pushing this way.

The rudder kept popping out every time. We couldn't come about. My brother even jumped off the boat and

tried to swim the bow of the boat out to the right direction. Eventually, we gave up, and as we sang,

we all live in this yellow submarine, we headed out into the eastern end of Lake Erie, and if you know

anything about the geography of Lake Erie, it dumps itself into the Niagara River, which is one of the

strongest currents in the world and ends in Niagara Falls, which is a lovely place to be, but not on a

sailboat. All of our strategies in the face of winds and waves had failed. We had no way to help ourselves,

and we are headed out to sea, so to speak, uncertain as to how it would turn out, or how we would be saved.

I think many of you have experienced times in your life when you have faced things that are

overwhelming, when you don't know what to do anymore, when all of your strategies have failed,

failed, and where you wonder where your help is going to come from.

It might be in your studies, as you face the overwhelming amount of work, and your inability

to actually accomplish it and complete it. It may be in your marriages, as you see the path ahead

only being full of briars and thorns and darkness. It may be when the bottom falls out in your life,

and you lose your job, and you lose your home.

It may be that the relationships you've leaned on suddenly disappear.

In the face of trials, in the face of suffering, in the face of life in a fallen world,

we feel often overwhelmed, alone, and helpless.

So where do we turn?

We read Psalm 121.

This is what the psalmist asks.

Where does my help come from?

That's what we're going to talk about this morning.

And as we talk about it, I want to say this.

It is a weighty thing for us to talk about.

We are delving into the depths, yes, of theology, but even more of the depths of our experience

of God and the reality of the gospel at work in our lives.

It is a privilege, and I know I speak for Greg and for Nick, it is a privilege as our pastors

to walk with you and know many of you are facing situations like this even now.

And we hope, because this passage points us to a place of hope this morning.

We're in Romans chapter 8.

Romans 8 · chapter mention

I forgot to write down the number.

Anyone?

It's in the bulletin.

I heard lots of murmurs and no number.

It's in the bulletin.

So, Romans chapter 8.

Romans 8 · chapter mention

We're going to continue in our series as we've looked on this.

But the fundamental message of this passage that we're going to look at this morning is this.

God is with you to help you.

It's not very complicated.

I hope it will be meaningful as we explore this passage together.

So, let's read Romans.

We're going to start all the way back in verse 16 of Romans 8 in order to get the run-up.

We're going to be focusing particularly on verses 26 and 27 this morning.

So, let's read and look together.

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God 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.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it,

in hope 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.

For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.

And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruit of the Spirit,

grown inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

For in this hope we are saved.

Not now.

Hope that is seen is not hope.

For who hopes in what he sees?

But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

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.

Let's pray together.

Lord, we thank you for your word.

And we thank you that it is not just advice, not just information.

But Lord, in your word.

Lord, you point us to life and hope in you.

And you point us most of all to yourself.

Who you are and what you have done for us in Christ.

And Lord, as we look at this passage this morning, I pray that you would help us to see and to know and to have confidence

that you are God who helps.

Lord, that you have not left us abandoned or alone or without help.

But Lord, you are with us to help us.

Lord, I pray that you would, by your Spirit, work in us this morning for your glory,

for your namesake, and for our good.

Lord, we pray these things in Jesus' name.

Amen.

The context of this passage, as we've read it, I want to just run you quickly through the flow of thought

so that we see where we're coming.

Because these verses, 26 and 27, that we're looking at this morning,

it'd be very easy to take out of context.

In fact, many times in the church, they have been taken as an isolated unit

and then taken in all sorts of interesting directions, interpretively.

And so, I want to ground it in the argument.

Paul has said, going all the way back to verse 16,

you are, for those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ,

you are now children of God.

He has declared it and he has made you so.

And therefore, as you face sufferings in this world, right?

Verse 17 and following.

As you face sufferings, you have recognized that these sufferings,

as great as they actually are, are not worth comparing

to the salvation and the glory that results from it

that is for all who have placed their faith in Christ.

And he says, he goes on, he says,

for creation was subject to the futility of corruption.

That is, the fall of humanity has corrupted everything.

So, we live in this place that's so hard to live in.

And in fact, we ourselves groan, longing for this fullness of redemption

because we know in ourselves we are not yet what we could be

and what we ought to be.

And we struggle and we groan in this gap between what is now

and what has been promised, the reality of our present sufferings

and the glory, the beauty of this future that God has accomplished for us

and awaits us in Christ.

And this is the hope that sustains us.

And then we come to verse 26 and he says,

likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.

And then he explains why.

He explains how it is that the Spirit helps us in our weakness

just as this future glory gives us strength to persevere in our present suffering.

Likewise, the Spirit helps us.

How is it that the Spirit helps us?

Look again at verse 26.

First of all, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.

What is this weakness?

I hardly feel like I need to say anything about this.

But let's just explore it for a minute.

Do you know your weakness?

Do you know that you live in a fallen world

where it's not going to be as it should be?

Do you understand that your inability to perfectly manage your life,

to perfectly live a life of righteousness,

to perfectly respond to trials and to the fallenness of the world,

do you understand this is what Paul is saying in your weakness?

All of us suffer from this weakness.

Paul is saying, I get it.

All of you are experiencing these things in various ways.

And just as Nick talked about two weeks ago,

and so we experience the painfulness like the pain of childbirth.

And friends, it goes on for this life,

because the childbirth now is producing the glory later.

So we suffer these trials.

If you haven't been here the last couple of weeks

and heard Nick and Greg expound 18 through 25,

go back and listen to them.

I don't want to re-preach their sermons,

but they did a beautiful job in explaining and digging into

what is it about life in this fallen world that's so profound.

Go back and listen to them if you're wondering how to connect to that.

So first, Paul says,

the Spirit helps us in our weakness,

and that weakness is connecting to the groaning,

the groaning of creation,

and the groaning of the children of God,

as we long for what is not yet,

and look forward to it.

But then he goes on and he says,

specifically, we have a particular kind of weakness, right?

Look at verse 26 again, the second half.

For we do not know how to pray as we ought.

And this is particularly about life in between the now and the not yet.

When you are suffering, what do you pray for?

Do you pray for relief that God would take the trial away?

Or do you pray for sustaining grace,

that God will carry you through this without removing it?

Friends, if you feel confused about that,

welcome to the club.

The Apostle Paul thought that.

In Philippians 1, he says,

well, I long to go and to be with Christ,

but I think it's better for me to stay and be with you.

But he felt the pull and the tug.

Now, Paul seems to have resolved it there,

but think about other places.

In Acts 16, he wants to go over here

to Bithynia to preach the gospel,

and God says,

no, that's not the right thing to go.

I want to take you over to Macedonia.

Or think about 2 Corinthians 12.

Paul's suffering.

Whatever his thorn of the flesh is,

it is suffering for him.

And he pleads,

Lord, take it away.

Three times,

Lord, take it away.

The Lord says,

no.

See, you don't know how to pray as you ought.

My grace is sufficient for you.

My power is made perfect in your weakness.

Preacher Charles Spurgeon

talks about the confusion of our prayer in this way.

How can I pray?

My mind wanders.

I chatter like a crane.

I roar like a beast in pain.

I moan in the brokenness of my heart,

but oh my God,

I know not what is my inmost spirit,

what it is my inmost spirit needs.

Or if I know it,

I know not how to frame my petitioner right before you.

I know not how to open my lips

in your majestic presence.

I am so troubled that I cannot speak.

My spiritual distress robs me of the power

to pour out my heart before my God.

Friends, if you haven't faced this confusion yet,

you will.

And if you think that your prayer life

needs to be encompassed by

theologically precise,

carefully crafted,

beautifully articulate prayers,

let the scriptures correct you.

You don't know how to pray as you ought.

And when you're pushed

in the face of suffering and trial,

you will get there and you will know.

But the passage goes on.

He says,

the Spirit helps us.

Even though we are in this place of weakness,

even though we don't know how to pray,

the Spirit is there.

And He has come to help us, right?

Look at the second half of 26.

The Spirit Himself intercedes for us

with groanings too deep for words.

Now, the commentators have spilled more ink

than I have time to even repeat this morning

about what all of this actually means.

I'm going to cut to the chase.

If you want to talk to me about it afterwards,

you can ask me all of your questions.

But I think the clearest meaning of this

is that the Spirit,

because He dwells within us,

which we've already learned earlier in Romans 9-11,

because the Spirit dwells within us,

He is writing on our hearts

and working in our groanings

to God that are inarticulate.

He is writing on our hearts

these longings and desires

that we cannot put into words.

And as then we groan these things towards God,

He takes them to the Lord.

We'll see that in the next verse a little bit more.

But here, I think the clearest sense

is that His intercession is not for us,

like He is standing between us and God

and telling to God what we can't articulate,

but in fact He is working in us

and through us

these groanings,

these expressions of longing.

And somehow, in the mystery of the fact

that God Himself dwells within us,

in the place of our greatest trial,

where the greatest pressure is,

God tells us the Spirit is there working.

I am with you.

John Piper says this,

one of the reasons this matters so much

is that it means that in the very moment

of some of our deepest frustrations,

our groanings are the very work

of God's Spirit for us

and not against us.

Remember, Paul is helping us

to endure the suffering and futility

and decay and the groaning of this world.

That is the point of all of these verses.

And here, he encourages us

by saying that our weakness in this world

will always include some ignorance

about what the will of God is

and how to pray.

And in that ignorance,

to know that God is with us

in the middle of it.

So friends,

when you face those overwhelming circumstances,

when you feel like

you've been abandoned

and are alone

and there's no help,

the Spirit helps you

in your weakness.

The Spirit helps me

in our weakness

with these groanings

that He writes on our hearts.

There's a place in Branford,

I can't remember what it's called,

it might just be called

the Trolley Trail

or something like that.

Some of you may be familiar with it.

You get there

by going out to Stony Creek.

But there's a trail out there

where you can walk

on what used to be

a railroad track.

And in the last couple of years,

that has been,

for me,

a place

where I go

and groan.

Drop the kids off to school,

head on out,

grab a cup of coffee

along the way,

and then I walk.

And often I would walk

in the sunshine,

sometimes I'd walk

in the cold of the winter.

And I often didn't have words

to pray.

I often didn't know

what to say

or what to ask for.

Feelings,

the groanings,

the longings

that spilled out of my heart

as I walked,

sometimes with tears

of pain

or of grief,

sometimes of longing,

expressing my longing

for God

and for His kingdom

and His will,

sometimes for help

and for healing.

sometimes the old

Episcopalian liturgy

that I learned

way back when,

Lord,

have mercy.

Christ,

have mercy.

Lord,

have mercy.

I think that's

as articulate

as I got

a lot of the time.

In these times

when it often felt

like God was far off

and I cried,

where are you?

I was reminded

by this passage

and others.

The Spirit

is with me.

The Spirit

was with me.

The Spirit

will be with me.

And these groanings

and these times,

He's helping.

maybe you've been there.

Maybe you haven't

been there yet.

Jesus did promise us

in this world

you will have tribulation.

I doubt

that you will make it

through this life

without a moment

where you will face

this kind of

depth.

death.

And I hope

that this verse,

this passage

will be an anchor

for your soul

at that time.

That you will cling

to this and say

I am not abandoned

and I am not alone.

And even though

I don't even know

what to say,

God is with me.

He's my help.

I do want to say this,

friends.

This is for those

who have the Spirit

of God.

That is for those

who have believed

in Christ Jesus.

And if you're here

this morning

and you are facing

deep waters

and great storms

and you are looking

for help,

friends,

the help is there

but it comes

first of all

by looking

at the foot of,

by standing

at the foot

of the cross,

by looking

at Jesus

who in his

sufferings

for us,

for our sin

cried out,

my God,

my God,

why have you

forsaken me?

He who

interceded

for us

and entered

in with us

in our sin

so that we

might be forgiven,

so that we

might have

new life,

so that we

might be

restored

in a relationship

to God.

I hope

this morning

that in the

midst of your

storm

and in the

midst of your

pain,

you hear

the invitation.

The Lord

says,

come,

come to me

and abandon

yourself to me

and my salvation.

Trust in Christ,

receive my spirit

and I will be

your help.

And if you're

here this morning

and you have

placed your faith

in Christ,

then that help

is there,

right there

for you.

Remember this

and have hope.

our hope.

But the spirit

not only helps

us by standing

with us

in the middle

of suffering,

but verse 27

tells us

that there's

more than that.

Verse 27

says that

the spirit

stands for

us

and that

in his work

he is bringing

about God's

perfect

and best

will

for our

lives.

so let's look at verse 27 we want to read it again it's not a simple passage and not a simple verse

he says 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

what does this mean let's try to take it apart a little bit so that we know first of all who is

he who searches our hearts friends this is God the father you can look throughout scripture this is

the description of God the father the one who knows the thoughts and intentions of our hearts

God the father is searching our hearts the depths he's he is looking into the depths of the groaning

that we are bringing before him that does not have articulation that does not have words

to capture it God is searching our hearts and he knows the mind of Christ

and if I understand this rightly this is not the mind of Christ that we saw back in

verses six and seven which is contrasted with the mind of the flesh that's in rebellion against God

this is God knows what the spirit is doing as he is writing on our hearts these groans and these cries

that we cannot articulate

God knows what the spirit is doing through us

and as the spirit is working through us with these groans of prayer where we cry out to the Lord

God the father is looking in that and he knows

how to respond

because he knows the mind of the spirit

because the mind of the spirit knows our perfect knows God's perfect will for us

there is this beautiful convergence

of the three persons of the trinity in us

Christ is assumed

God the father looks into the groanings of our hearts

he sees what the spirit is writing on our hearts

to accomplish the perfect will of God

which we will see in this whole chapter of Romans 8

is about us being conformed to the image of Christ

and living out the salvation that he has accomplished in Christ for us

this is a beautiful thing

it is not an easy thing for us to wrap our minds around

let me read another commentator who tries to elucidate exactly what's going on here

as God searches the heart of the children of God

he finds unuttered and unutterable groanings

though they are thus inarticulate

there is a meaning and intent that cannot escape

the omniscient eye of God

that is they are wholly intelligible to him

and furthermore

they are found to be in accordance with his will

they agree with his will

because though surpassing our understanding

and ability to articulate

they are written by the Holy Spirit

and are the ways in which the Holy Spirit's intercession

comes to expression

in us consciously

and since they are the intercessions of the Holy Spirit for us

they always meet with understanding and approval

God is for you in a profound way

and the Holy Spirit is now interceding

his writing on our hearts

bringing the will of God

to bear on this unutterable groaning that we have

gives us this

absolutely unshakable confidence

that God will do

what is good and right

in our lives

in the face of the biggest storm

we have one who is interceding for us

doing things that we cannot do for ourselves

so that God's good would be done in our lives

stealing an illustration from Spurgeon

it's like we are poor

uneducated people

who are being sued

by unscrupulous people

by an unscrupulous man

who wants to take all of our land

and all of our property away

and we don't know what to say

we don't know how to fight this charge

we know that it's come to us

and we feel ourselves completely unable

to defend ourselves in court

against these accusations

and then

one of the great lawyers of the land

comes and says

I will take up your case

I understand the law

I understand the matters

and the means

that

of what's going on here

and I will give you words

I will allow you to

I will give you the ability

to plead your case

I will intercede for you

and I will defend you

and I will stand for you

and I will accomplish

what is right

in this circumstance

we who are helpless

then have one

an advocate

who comes alongside of us

and is able to do

all the things

that we aren't able to do

so that what may be right

in our lives

would actually be the outcome

it's always humbling

to have an illustration like that

because we have to admit

that we are poor

and we are inarticulate

and we are unable

takes humility for us

to know how desperately

we need this help

but what this passage tells us

is that that help

is the best help

you could ever have

Spurgeon ends this illustration

by saying

how happy are you and I

that we have the Holy Spirit

to be our counselor

to be our advocate

because when the Holy Spirit

intercedes for us

as he is standing for us

before God

and speaking through us

these words to God the Father

who receives them

and approves them

and will accomplish them

because they are according to his will

it means that

even though our circumstances

suggest

that God's will

is not being done

when we suffer

when we face trials

and we think

God

can this really be your will

this is so hard

this is too hard God

I cannot bear this

can this really be

what you want to do

God comes and says

yes

I am working out

my perfect will

for you

look at

look with me

at the text again

friends this is what launches us

into these

beautiful words

that we know so well

and we know

that for those

who love God

all things work together

for good

for those who are called

according to his purpose

for those whom he foreknew

he also predestined

to be conformed

to the image of his son

in order that he might be

the firstborn

among many brothers

and those whom he predestined

he also called

and those whom he called

he also justified

and those whom he justified

he also glorified

just let that sink in

he is working all things for good

for those who love him

what you are walking through now

is a part of his good plan

and it does not mean

that the thing you are enduring

must be called good

it may be evil

it may be suffering

but God is working

for good in it

and not only is he working

for good

but he is working for you

so that you might

accomplish the fullness

of what Christ saved you for

which is that you might be

conformed to his image

that you would be transformed

out of

your fallenness

your sin

your ignorance of God

your rebellious

independent ways

your desire

to do things

on your own

your selfishness

your unwillingness

to allow him

to be king in your life

God is going to rescue you

from all of that

and bring you into this place

where you will be conformed

to the image of Jesus

who is perfectly

what we are meant to be

as human beings

and then he reminds us

in verse 30

of the process

God has chosen you

God has called you

God has declared you

right before him

and God is taking you

to glory

and so he goes back

to this theme of glory

that we have already seen

in verses 18 through 25

brothers

sisters

do you see

the Holy Spirit

is interceding for you

so that you might have

these things

and he will

not fail

he will bring you home

he will take you

to this place

and I know

it doesn't feel like that

for some of you

I know

for some of you

it just looks like

darkness

and hopelessness

and pain

it's unbearable

but it's not

that's what this verse

has to say to us

no eye has seen

no ear

has heard

nor the heart of men

imagine what God

has prepared

for those

who love him

so what do we

respond to this

first of all

I don't know

about you

but when things

are hard

sometimes praying

is the last thing

I want to do

I don't want

to talk to him

it's too hard

but friends

do you see

what this passage

is telling us

about our prayers

you don't have

to come to God

with anything

but your groanings

you don't have

to muster

articulation

you don't have

to have good words

to say

because our prayer

is entering

into a conversation

within the Trinity

that is already

happening

for your behalf

Christ is standing

giving you access

to the throne of God

the spirit

is working

in you

stirring

these longings

and these groanings

and even

exposing

this pain

for you

to bring

to God

the Father

the one

who loves

you

the one

who is

accomplishing

his perfect

will

in your life

you don't

have to do

anything

but just

run to him

and fall

on him

and let him

catch you

and know

that the spirit

in you

is with you

and the spirit

in you

is for you

in that moment

pray

pray

pray

as you face

trials

I'll give you

the GPS

to that trail

in Branford

if you want

to go walk

with me

and we'll just

groan together

that'll be good

pray

allow your prayer

life to be messy

if you need help

let the psalms

be your guide

the psalms

are not neat

and tidy

if you think

they are

you haven't

read them

carefully

go back

and read

them again

and let them

be your guide

the commentator

Murray says

this

the encouragement

extended to the

people of God

is that

the unuttered

groans

are the index

to the fact

that God

does exceedingly

abundantly

above all

that we ask

or think

we ask

we can go to God

in prayer

because we are

weak and because

we don't know

what to pray

and the Holy Spirit

is there with us

and we are not

effective in prayer

because we know

exactly how to pray

rightly

we are effective

in prayer

because we have

nothing to bring

but the Spirit

is with us

and so we can

bring everything

and let God

do what He's

going to do

in our lives

so we need

to pray

and we need

to hold

on to hope

this is what

Romans 8

is all about

it's why

we're preaching

through it

it's because

God has done

in Christ

all that is

necessary

for you

to be

secure

in Him

secure

in your

relationship

with Him

secure

in your

forgiveness

where there

is no longer

any condemnation

secure in your

battle to do

what is right

and to live

a righteous life

because now

the Spirit

is in you

and has set

you free

from the

slavery

of sin

you are

secure now

because He

has called

you His

sons and His

daughters

and heirs

of His

kingdom

that is yet

to come

you are

secure

because the

resurrection

of Jesus

Christ

is the

first fruits

of the

resurrection

that we

will anticipate

and experience

one day

with Him

and you

are secure

when you

head out

to sea

and your

rudder is

too weak

and the

waves are

too big

and the

wind

is too

strong

there is

a glory

waiting for

you

and the

Spirit

is with

you

friends

this is

our hope

this is

the good

news

of the

gospel

for us

let's pray

Lord have

mercy

Christ

have mercy

Lord have

mercy upon

us

for we

are weak

and we

need your

help

Lord I

pray this

morning

Lord that

these truths

would sink

deep into

our souls

Lord and

that we

might know

your

Spirit's

work in

us

Lord that

we would

know it

in our

heads

that we

would know

it in

the depths

of our

souls

God we

pray that

you would

give us

hope

today

Lord I

pray these

things in

Jesus name

Amen