Sermon

Romans 8 | Week 7

New Life Community Church

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  1. All right, so Romans 8. Today's passage really is

  2. structured in kind of a wonderful him like ways.

  3. Paul is coming to the end of arguments.

  4. He's been making reason, you know, reasons for our salvation

  5. and reasons for confidence in that salvation and reasons for

  6. confidence in the Lord, despite great tribulations and

  7. persecutions, and the like of which, he'll mention more of In

  8. this passage. And so it acts as a summary,

  9. It's a response, really a song like response to all that.

  10. Paul has said, not only in chapter 8, which we looked at in

  11. depth, but five through eight, really as a whole which we

  12. didn't look at 537. So you just got to have to kind

  13. of be familiar with those. I don't have time to go through

  14. the themes of chapters 5 through 7 but just trust me.

  15. It's wonderful. Good stuff.

  16. All right and you should read it if you have not.

  17. But the text here Lays into parts and so I'm going to

  18. present it to you in those two parts.

  19. First, is that Paul reminds us that God is for us?

  20. Paul reminds us right out of the gate that God is for us.

  21. The second part that we see is Paul celebrates the love of God

  22. in Christ for us. And so there's an everlasting

  23. love of God that has come to us through Christ and Paula

  24. celebrating that and the two go hand-in-hand.

  25. And so I've tried to summarize it this way.

  26. If you're taking notes which I Encourage you to do adults and

  27. children alike. You have a guide as well, you

  28. can take notes in I've summarized it this way since

  29. God, has for us in Jesus Christ, nothing can separate us from his

  30. Everlasting Love. So, since God is for us in Jesus

  31. Christ, nothing can separate us from his Everlasting Love.

  32. Now, if you would, would you stand to your feet?

  33. As we read the word of God. This morning.

  34. He's going to read verses Romans chapter eight, thirty 1339

  35. today. When I finish reading, I'll say

  36. this is the word of the Lord invites you to respond.

  37. Thanks be to God. All right?

  38. What? Then shall we say to these

  39. things if God is for us? Who can be against us?

  40. He who did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all.

  41. How will he not also with him? Graciously, give us all things

  42. who shall bring any charge against God's elect.

  43. It is God, who justifies, who is to condemn Christ?

  44. Jesus is the one who died, more than that, who was raised.

  45. Who is at the right hand of God. Who end?

  46. Deed is interceding for us who shall separate us from the love

  47. of Christ, shall tribulation, or distress or persecution or

  48. famine or nakedness or danger or sword as it is written for your

  49. sake. We were being killed all the day

  50. long, we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.

  51. Now in all these things, we are more than conquerors through

  52. him, who loved us for. I'm sure that neither death nor

  53. Life nor angels nor rulers nor things present, nor things to

  54. come nor powers nor height nor depth nor anything else in all

  55. creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God

  56. in Christ Jesus. Our lord, this is the word of

  57. the Lord. Thanks be to God.

  58. Let me pray for us. Heavenly Father, we thank you

  59. for today. We thank for this time we have

  60. to read and to study your word to hear it proclaims my Lord.

  61. I pray that you would speak. He threw me, Lord.

  62. I humble myself before you and ask Lord, that I had that you

  63. would take your word and impart it to your people, Lord, that it

  64. is not coming through my own opinions, are my own biases or

  65. my own shortcomings in essence, but however, Lord, that it would

  66. come as it is the unadulterated word of God is sufficient for

  67. all things pertaining to life and godliness for your people.

  68. I pray Lord that you would grant us life today that you would

  69. grant us godliness today as a result of having heard your word

  70. preached. Give us ears that are ready to

  71. listen hearts that are inclined to believe mines that are

  72. willing to put these words to work as we dwell on them.

  73. Think on them and hands and feet Lord, that are willing to go and

  74. do the work that you've called us to do.

  75. It's in the Name of Christ I pray.

  76. Amen. Amen.

  77. So here in Romans 8, verse 31, the first section I want to look

    Romans 8:31

  78. at again is that God has for us in Jesus Christ?

  79. Okay, God has for us in Jesus Christ and right here in Romans

    Romans 8:31

  80. 8:31. What you see is Paul begins with

  81. the question? What then shall we say to these

  82. things? As I mentioned, a moment ago,

  83. Paul is summarizing what he has said, thus far from Romans, 5:1

  84. to Romans, 8, 30, but this is the kind of statement that one

  85. makes when he finds out that something, which once seemed too

  86. good to be true is, in fact true.

  87. Hi. I remember being dumbfounded by

  88. Patricia so I had been there's a long story but I there's always

  89. a story, right? But I had been pursuing Patricia

  90. for some time and she was paying We know mind and not totally,

  91. but in essence and so, but I remember the first time she came

  92. to my to my house and told me that, you know, that she was

  93. willing to kind of start talking and what have you?

  94. And I was just dumbfounded. And here's here's how you know,

  95. Charming, I was this is first conversation about dating and

  96. all of that and I told her in the opening moments, I love you.

  97. So which she never answered for like the next three or four

  98. weeks she just left me hanging but that's the kind of thing

  99. that happens when you see something that doesn't make

  100. sense. For hate like, how can these

  101. things be? What shall I say to these

  102. things? I love you, right?

  103. And that's, that's essentially what Paul is getting at here,

  104. right? Having written and seen all that

  105. he has about God's Saving Grace toward his people, over the last

  106. eight chapters Paul now, Says, what more shall we say to these

  107. things? What what more can be said he's

  108. astounded by it like he thinks these are things too marvelous

  109. for him. It sounds a bit, like job a job

  110. at the end of The Book of Job, which, again a whole lot

  111. transpires. But Joe comes to see God in a

  112. way that he has never seen God before.

  113. Because God speaks to job in a way that he had never spoken to

  114. man before at least that we have recorded for us and in the end

  115. of all of that job and 42 23 says this to God.

  116. He says, I know that you can do all things.

  117. And that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.

  118. I have uttered. What?

  119. I did not understand things too wonderful for me, which I did

  120. not know. And then in verse 5, just a

  121. verse later, he says, I heard of you by the hearing of the ear,

  122. meaning I've heard these things about you, but now my eye sees

  123. you Now, my eye sees and that's really what's happened to Paul

  124. here and I think it's what's happened.

  125. Probably to this church in Rome as I begin to read these things

  126. to Jews and Gentiles alike and they see what's transpired for

  127. their salvation, how God is working together for their good,

  128. which is for their eternal glory in heaven?

  129. What then shall we say to these things?

  130. These things are too wonderful for us.

  131. They're so wonderful that they've got Paul nearly

  132. speechless. Nevertheless he collects himself

  133. by the power of the spirit, he sums up for us in glorious

  134. fashion. What he is saying and thank God

  135. he does or left. We'd be left with the question.

  136. What more shall we say? Nothing.

  137. Right, but he doesn't say that. He says, one more.

  138. Shall we say to these things if God is for us?

  139. Who can be against us? What a marvelous point.

  140. It's really again things too. Wonderful for us.

  141. Now, you may come to the end of Romans 8, and the study, which

  142. is only been seven weeks and we flew by some really difficult

  143. things in Romans 8. But you may come to the end of

  144. Romans 8, with no small amount of questions.

  145. As what I'm saying, we've dealt with several difficult,

  146. understand, themes things, you may need.

  147. You may never fully Plumb the depths of this side of Eternity.

  148. However, this I know to be true. We must commit ourselves to

  149. being lifelong Learners, because once again, when you see God's

  150. truth clearly your heart comes, your heart cry becomes.

  151. What then shall I say to these things?

  152. It's a cry of praise. It's an acknowledgement of the

  153. glory of God in a question. What more shall I say to these

  154. things? What then shall I say to these

  155. things? So if you have questions at the

  156. end of Romans 8, great it means your inquisitive, you're

  157. curious. You're using the mind that God's

  158. given you to learn. Fantastic.

  159. Do it right? That's fine.

  160. This is part of your growing, in your knowledge of God, and the

  161. Lord Jesus Christ. This is what we hope for you at

  162. New Life Community Church. When we say, we exist to glorify

  163. God by growing in our faith in Jesus Christ.

  164. We're saying is we hope that your knowledge of him grows that

  165. your understanding of the Lord grows?

  166. We want it to continue to grow. But one thing Paul wants you to

  167. understand here, one thing he's making abundantly clear, is

  168. this, if God is for you, who can be against, Who can be against

  169. you? It's really an incredible thing.

  170. In other words, the opposition of Satan and his workers against

  171. us will never succeed. Since God is for us.

  172. Amen. But I'll be honest, I expected

  173. more of the name in there, but I'll keep going.

  174. All right throughout chapter 8, we've discussed the themes of

  175. adoption and sonship we've seen that we are children of God by

  176. adoption. That God has made us his own

  177. child, through his adoption and that we are co-heirs with Christ

  178. and his. So we are children of God.

  179. If we are in Christ by faith, in other words, if we have placed

  180. our faith in Christ, For the Forgiveness of our sins.

  181. We are a child of God. This is what Paul says in Romans

  182. 8. Are sure hope in the midst of

  183. sufferings and trials. It is your great hope when

  184. things are not going. Well it is your great hope.

  185. When Satan seeks to Buffett you and all that he throws at you,

  186. it is your great hope when those fiery arrows are those fiery

  187. darts is Ephesians, six calls them come flying at you.

  188. And all you can do in that moment is hold up.

  189. The shield of faith that you've been given its faith in Christ

  190. Jesus. Is that Wards off the sufferings

  191. that Satan would seek to throw it here?

  192. Martyn lloyd-jones says this. He said, God is for me.

  193. We could say it along with Martin lloyd-jones, because this

  194. is what Paul is saying to Believers.

  195. God is for me, go ahead. Say it one, two, three.

  196. God is for me, amen. I am his child.

  197. Martyn lloyd-jones continues. I'm his child because he is for

  198. me. And if God be for me, no one and

  199. nothing can be against me in the sense of ever separating me from

  200. him. So, what we mean, when we say

  201. the God is for us, is what Paul is saying is that because God is

  202. for you, nothing can come against you two ever finally.

  203. Separate you from God. It's not that nothing can befall

  204. you. It's not that no one can ever

  205. persecute. You absolutely evil will happen

  206. in your life. You will be persecuted.

  207. You'll be mocked, you'll be scoffed at you'll suffer for the

  208. name of Jesus Christ. Praise God.

  209. We do. Right?

  210. Because we read early and Romans 8 that we will also be glorified

  211. with him provided we suffer with him.

  212. So this is good for us, the truly Christian Life is riddled

  213. with persecution and suffering. It must be, if you serve God

  214. wholeheartedly, you set yourself against the powers of this

  215. world. Meaning you set yourself against

  216. Satan and his work, in this world, meaning unbelievers, who

  217. are doing the bidding of Satan unbeknownst to them most of the

  218. time. Will not like that.

  219. You serve God. They will not like you for

  220. serving God. This is why it's important for

  221. you to remember, again, Ephesians 6.

  222. Paul says, we do not wrestle against flesh and blood.

  223. But the bringing against dark Forces and Powers, right?

  224. So, even when evil is having its way in a person's life, you must

  225. have the wherewithal about yourself.

  226. The mind about yourself to decry the evil.

  227. Yes, to rebuke the person. Yes, in the right ways, right?

  228. That they are influenced by the enemy in the same way that your

  229. mind has been transformed by the Living.

  230. God, there's has been transformed by Satan.

  231. Right? And so, it's important for us to

  232. remember these things yet. None of those things suffering,

  233. persecution. None, of those things could

  234. ultimately separate you from God.

  235. How do we know this because Paul says?

  236. So right here, in Romans 8:32, he who did not spare his own

    Romans 8:32

  237. son, but gave him up for all things.

  238. Sorry, he who did not spare? His own son, but gave him up for

  239. us all. How will he not also with him?

  240. Graciously, give us all things. So we know that God has for us,

  241. this is how we know that God has for us, how because he

  242. graciously gave his own son. For God.

  243. So loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever

  244. believes in him, will not perish, but have eternal life.

  245. This is how we know that God loves us.

  246. So we know that he is for us. If you believe that Christ is

  247. the savior, then God is for you. Because Christ is the only one

  248. who could ever deliver his people from their sins.

  249. Not only did he give us his son but he made us his own children.

  250. Not only did he make us children but true children in the sense

  251. that you are co-heirs with Christ.

  252. And so he will graciously, give us all things.

  253. He gives you all things. Now for your Holiness and in the

  254. life to come for your glorification, If God has given

  255. us the greatest thing he can give which is his own son.

  256. Will he not also? Give us countless lesser things

  257. as well. Yes, he will.

  258. Amen. Amen.

  259. Romans 8:33 continuing on. Who shall bring any charge

    Romans 8:33

  260. against God's elect? It is God.

  261. Who justifies here? We see another way that God is

  262. for us. It's in your justification.

  263. It's in the that erasing of debt to sin, right?

  264. Our debt freely erased by the work of Christ Jesus on the

  265. cross. So who can bring any charge then

  266. against God's elect. Now elect here means chosen

  267. ones. Those chosen by God for his

  268. purposes, coincides with Romans 8:28, 29 and 30.

    Romans 8:28

  269. Which we looked at last week, anyone who calls on the name of

  270. Jesus Christ in Saving, faith is what we know about.

  271. God's elect anyone who calls on the name of Jesus Christ in

  272. Faith is numbered among the elect people of God.

  273. Anyone who calls on him to be saved those who come to faith in

  274. Christ will then never be found guilty because they are

  275. Justified freely from from their sins for God, declares them

  276. righteous forever. Righteous forever.

  277. There's not a time where you become righteous your justified

  278. in a moment and then you know, as you go and you sin now, your

  279. unjustified and then as you repent your re Justified and so

  280. because that's a re crucifixion of Christ and in essence and in

  281. Christ is not to be re crucified.

  282. It what this means is that you are Justified forever and so as

  283. you go on in your life and you battle against the Flesh, and

  284. you find yourself in sin, you repent and believe.

  285. Just as you did to could become a part of the family of God,

  286. repent and believe therefore any accuser any accuser of the

  287. redeemed, any accuser of God's people's whether they be Satan

  288. himself is demons or your very own.

  289. Audience, right? All those accusers shrivel in

  290. stature, alongside the Risen Christ, who is interceding for

  291. us now, at God's right hand. They shrivel and stature.

  292. They cannot compare to Christ. Who has defeated death and the

  293. grave, who is defeated, Satan and Hell who has defeated sins

  294. once. And for all those accusations,

  295. cannot compare to the love that you've received in Christ Jesus.

  296. To make himself abundantly clear, Paul, just restates the

  297. argument, in the very next verse he's like, hey, you need to

  298. understand this, let me re say it, who is to condemn Christ.

  299. Jesus is the one who died, more than that, who was raised who at

  300. the right? Who's at the right hand of God,

  301. who indeed is interceding for us.

  302. Now, again, this is a summary of all that we've seen so far in

  303. Romans 8, but especially verse 1.

  304. In Romans 8:1 we read There is therefore now no condemnation

    Romans 8:1

  305. for those who are in Christ Jesus.

  306. Paul told you at the beginning of Romans 8, what he wanted, you

  307. to know, He's explained it all in verses 2 through 30.

  308. And now here again, he is telling you once again there is

  309. therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ

  310. Jesus, who is to condemn? You, that's what he's asking.

  311. Who is to condemn you? All right, Christ.

  312. Jesus is the one who died, more than that, who was raised, who

  313. is at the right hand of God. Who indeed is interceding for

  314. us. You see, Christians will never

  315. be condemned because Christ was condemned for them so that they

  316. might live eternally. A Christian will never be

  317. condemned to death. Because Christ died and rose

  318. again. His victory is your Victory by

  319. faith. His strength to overcome is your

  320. strength, overcome by faith. His willingness to submit to his

  321. father as your willingness to submit to the father by faith.

  322. Everything that you need. Again, we've been saying this

  323. all of Christ for all of life, all of Christ, for all of life,

  324. you have everything you need in Christ, Jesus for Life, as a

  325. believer. If you're not lacking a thing

  326. and Paul again, who is to condemn, no one cried, it was

  327. Christ. Jesus, who is who is dead?

  328. It was Christ. Jesus, who was raised with

  329. Christ Jesus, who is at the right hand of God?

  330. It was now interceding for us. So, Paul is grounding the work

  331. that you know, in your life, that no one can condemn you,

  332. that Satan demons, your consciences, nothing can condemn

  333. you and he grounds it in the past and present.

  334. Work of Christ Jesus he looks back.

  335. Right? Christ died.

  336. He's looking back to the death of Christ, Christ died.

  337. And therefore, the argument is the penalty of sin is paid fully

  338. It's paid fully. Somewhere in Hebrews which is

  339. okay to say because the writer of Hebrews says, somewhere it

  340. says, alright. So I'm going to say somewhere in

  341. Hebrews, I think it's chapter 10, not sure.

  342. But in Hebrews, we read about this great high priest which

  343. we've received and Hebrews 4. But later on, he talks about how

  344. there would be no end to the out, the offering of the blood

  345. of bulls and goats the that a priest would have to come into

  346. the temple day after day. Not only would he make

  347. sacrifices for the sins of the people who would have to make

  348. sacrifices for his own sins, because he wasn't a perfect high

  349. priest. There's none.

  350. Perfect. No, not one.

  351. There's none righteous. No, not one right?

  352. Romans 3. But in Hebrews, what we see is

  353. there is one who has come a great high priest.

  354. Greater than the line of priests, which we know from the

  355. Old Testament. One who was able to not only

  356. enter the glory of the temple which is heaven.

  357. As it says, Not only was able to enter it, but he was also able

  358. to make sacrifices once and for all for the sins of all the

  359. people and he didn't need to make sacrifice for himself.

  360. And so his sacrifices, once for all good, meaning, there's no

  361. there's now no need to continue making sacrifices.

  362. And so you are, if you are in Christ, your sins are finally

  363. and fully paid for forever. What an amazing thing.

  364. Christ died in the full penalty for your sin has been paid.

  365. By the Merit of his death, he paid your debt.

  366. Christ is our able all sufficient savior a mess.

  367. Christ was raised from the dead. This is the second argument here

  368. that he's grounding this in Christ.

  369. Was raised from the dead. It is Christ who died as Christ

  370. was raised and he's being raised what, you know, then is that his

  371. death was effective. Listen, if Christ needed to die.

  372. Are you listening if Christ needed to die?

  373. For the Forgiveness of sins, which he did.

  374. And yet his sent his death didn't accomplish what was

  375. needed for the Forgiveness of sins.

  376. Then he would have never risen from the dead.

  377. He must still be dead, but that's not what we see here.

  378. We see that he was raised. He's now at the right hand of

  379. God he's interceding for us. His ministry goes on.

  380. So his death was effective for the Salvation of all who call on

  381. his name. Death was the payment for sins,

  382. Resurrection, then is the legal release.

  383. Marking, the dead of sin paid in full amen.

  384. It's why you two will be raised from the dead, when Christ

  385. returns. It's your debt has been paid and

  386. so your soul. Now, when you die, your soul

  387. will depart from your body and be immediately present with the

  388. Lord. And when Christ returns your Our

  389. soul will meet your body in the air at some in some way somehow

  390. it will meet your body in the air and you will live with a

  391. glorious body in the new Heaven and new earth.

  392. You'll 12 forever in the state read 1st Corinthians 15 if you

  393. struggling to comprehend, that make a note and read it later.

  394. All right, now just do much good to hear.

  395. Death was the payment for sins resurrections, the legal release

  396. your debt of sin has been paid, Christ has died.

  397. Christ is risen. We have hope then for True final

  398. salvation. Because he died and because he

  399. rose, we also see it in that he is now seated triumphantly at

  400. God's right hand. At God's right hand.

  401. This is further evidence that the work of Salvation is

  402. complete. Again, he was raised from the

  403. dead if that, which he had done, did not please God.

  404. If that which he had done, did not satisfy the need for

  405. salvation, right? If that was that which was done,

  406. was not ultimately completed. Then Christ could not be invited

  407. back to the right hand of the father.

  408. He would have no place there. He would have been disobedient

  409. to the father and what he accomplished.

  410. But he was not disobedient. He says himself in John multiple

  411. times that I and the father are one.

  412. I only do that, which the father has sent me to do.

  413. Right, I and the father are Unified.

  414. He makes those statements over. And again, throughout the Book

  415. of John, it's ultimately what led to his execution.

  416. He was equating himself to be God.

  417. The problem was he was goth. He is God.

  418. So this is further evidence that he's that, the work of Salvation

  419. is complete. All of a sudden has fired their

  420. for accusations against God's children will not stand because

  421. we have a friend in Heaven's Court.

  422. You have a friend in Heaven's courts.

  423. The Son of God stands there on your behalf and that's the next

  424. point. He makes Christ intercedes for

  425. his people on the basis of his own work.

  426. Their Hebrews 7:25 says this consequently.

    Hebrews 7:25

  427. Jesus is able to save to the uttermost.

  428. Those who draw near to God through him, since he always

  429. lives to make intercession for his people.

  430. Here's what we know about. Interceding, interceding means

  431. effective intervention for someone Okay, it's effective

  432. intervention, he's intervening in your life and he always lives

  433. now to make intercession for his people.

  434. Now what this does it mean is that God sits in heaven?

  435. God the Father their presence is in heaven, wanting to whack you,

  436. you know the whack-a-mole game. He doesn't sit there with a

  437. padded Hammer, looking to beat you over the head, every time

  438. you pop up in some sinfulness. This is not the Father's Heart

  439. towards you for God. So loved the world that he sent

  440. his son. Okay.

  441. This is not the Father's Heart towards you, so I don't want you

  442. to hear that. Jesus is interceding for us and

  443. we know that that's a pleading. It's effective intervention,

  444. right? So it can sound like he's up

  445. there. Pleading with God.

  446. No, no, no, don't do it. Right?

  447. Look at my hands. Look at my side.

  448. Look at my feet. And they've been pierced.

  449. I'm bled. I died.

  450. I've paid that debt. Like it's not like he's trying

  451. to intervene in that God's coming at you.

  452. To whack you over the head. This is not God's disposition

  453. towards his people. Know, when you read that Christ

  454. intercedes, he lives always to make intercession for his

  455. people. That's meant for you.

  456. Not the father? You understand that, at the

  457. Father Knows from beginning to end, all that has happened.

  458. He has planned it all out, especially the salvation of his

  459. people through the death and resurrection of his son Christ,

  460. right? So he knows that the death was

  461. effective because he ordained the death.

  462. He did that work, so he doesn't need Christ, pleading with him,

  463. rather. When you read that Christ makes

  464. intercession for you, that's for your confidence in your comfort.

  465. That's for you to know that Christ stands with a body like

  466. yours with scars and his hands and his feet and his side, he

  467. was pierced for your transgressions.

  468. He was wounded for your iniquities by his stripes.

  469. You have been healed That's the intercession that's being made

  470. for you. I'll Stand I'll make a few more

  471. comments here. He stands in heaven with concern

  472. for you. He's not unconcerned about you,

  473. he's not disconnected from your life.

  474. It's not that he doesn't want, he's not interested in what's

  475. going on in your life. He is fully concerned for you.

  476. He stands always lives, always to make intercession for you.

  477. This is his ministry and Heaven for you and what we read earlier

  478. in, Romans 8. And when I say earlier, I mean,

  479. a few weeks ago, all right. What we read earlier in Romans 8

  480. is that the spirit of God enter seeds Within In you and Christ

  481. intercedes on your behalf and Heaven, the spirit of God,

  482. intercedes carries those things to Christ Christ carries those

  483. things to the father, you can trust that everything that is

  484. being done in that, intercession is effective for your life and

  485. godliness. It's really incredible, right?

  486. Christ is your Advocates. He's the answer to all the

  487. accusations from Satan and his demons and your own conscience.

  488. When your conscience arises to accuse you of being a no-good

  489. and worthless. When Satan Rises to accuse you

  490. saying, you sinful wretch, you do not deserve the love of God

  491. in Christ. When demons come to you too, Tim

  492. to and your own Temptation arises within you even right.

  493. Not the demons enter in you, that's confusing.

  494. Okay? But that you're tempted from

  495. without you or from within you, right?

  496. When those things happen in your conscience would accuse you when

  497. those things happen and you would stand there in your guilds

  498. in your shame. You must remember, you must

  499. remember that. Christ lives in heaven, as one,

  500. who died, and rose again, seated, at the right hand of God

  501. and full approval of God's work. Interceding for you.

  502. Pleading his own blood for you. Able to save Hebrew says to the

  503. uttermost all who draw near to God through him, able to save to

  504. the uttermost. Why?

  505. Then in sin, would you ever turn away from God?

  506. She this is the great scheme of Satan in your life.

  507. Guilt and shame are meant to paralyze you to, where you will

  508. never run to the one who can actually save your soul.

  509. You'll go on thinking I don't deserve the love of God and the

  510. truth is you don't but it's been graciously given to you.

  511. Been graciously afforded to you and so you don't have to run

  512. away from the Lord, when you sin, right?

  513. Go and hide. I know, I'm really jacking the

  514. camera up here. I'll stay.

  515. You don't have to do that. Instead you can come boldly as

  516. Hebrews, 4 says the throne of grace and receive mercy and

  517. Grace in your time of need because Christ is the great high

  518. priest. He's able to sympathize with you

  519. in all of your weaknesses because he was tempted and tried

  520. as you are yet without sin. Incredible stuff.

  521. This is why he's able to save to the uttermost.

  522. What create comfort then is this for you.

  523. What shall you say to these things right now?

  524. You see my balls? Like what shall we say to these

  525. things? What room is left and your heart

  526. and in your mind for doubting when you suffer, when you find

  527. yourself in despair or all other manners of difficulty and

  528. strife, right? What room is there for doubting

  529. the goodness of the Lord towards you?

  530. There is no Rune now. It's what I'm saying to you.

  531. There is no room left if you will believe the words of Romans

  532. 8. There is no room for doubting

  533. God. Any longer?

  534. Trust him. Or more Jones.

  535. Again, he said this. He said because Christ is

  536. eternal, his word will always be the same.

  537. It is a perfect work. It can never end or fail.

  538. It goes on forever in all its absolute perfection and glory.

  539. Amen, No matter what? May come your way, you can

  540. confidently, answer those things.

  541. Those people if God is for me who can be against me, Since God

  542. is for us in Jesus Christ, nothing can separate us from his

  543. Everlasting Love. Let's look at that second half

  544. of this now. Romans 8:35 through 37.

    Romans 8:35–37

  545. Paul's just continuing here with the questions who shall separate

  546. us from the love of Christ, shall tribulation, or distress

  547. or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword as

  548. it is written for your sake. We are being killed all the day

  549. long, we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.

  550. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him

  551. who loved us. Let's hit those wonderful words

  552. right, though, tribulations and distress, and persecution, and

  553. famine and nakedness and danger, and sword.

  554. May come to us. May threaten us.

  555. We are more than conquerors through him.

  556. Who loved us? We are more than conquerors

  557. through him who loved us. so what this means is brothers and

  558. sisters, Paul was Just not denying it, especially in his

  559. day, his love for the Lord. Would eventually bring about his

  560. death, he would lose his head for Christ.

  561. Many of his brothers and sisters have already died for their

  562. belief in Christ. And so when he says we were

  563. being regarded as sheep led to a Slaughter, he's being for real.

  564. This is not hyperbole He's being honest about what they're

  565. facing. Especially here in Rome where

  566. things were going to get real bad real soon.

  567. And so we're not exempt from dangers.

  568. Rather, we are empowered by God in the midst of dangers.

  569. We're a strengthened to believe that nothing can take us from

  570. his hand, which is just what? The great Shepherd.

  571. Jesus Christ. Himself explains in John chapter

    John 10 chapter mention

  572. 10, verses, 27, and 30. Listen to this, my sheep hear my

  573. voice Christ says, and I know them and they follow me.

  574. I give them eternal life and they will never perish and no

  575. one will snatch them out of my hand.

  576. My father who has given them to me. is greater than all and no

  577. one is able to snatch them out of the father's hand, I and the

  578. father are one You can be certain that you can be certain

  579. as he said in Romans 8:28 that God is working together.

    Romans 8:28

  580. All things for the good of those who love him and are called

  581. according to his purpose. You don't have to doubt this.

  582. You don't have to wonder about this.

  583. It's important to distinguish between.

  584. And as you think about that, it's important because it talks

  585. about for those who love God and are called according to his

  586. purpose. So we need to distinguish

  587. between the tribulation of unbelievers, and believers.

  588. I like what Robert how they ain't said, he said, the

  589. tribulation of unbelievers is the effect of the wrath of God.

  590. The tribulation that unbelievers face is the effect of the wrath

  591. of God. But the afflictions of his

  592. people are beneficiary. Corrections, that's so far.

  593. From separating them from his love.

  594. They yield the Peaceable fruit of righteousness and our, for

  595. their profits, that they might not be condemned with the world,

  596. but partakers of his holiness, Getting all things work together

  597. for the good of those who love God and are called according to

  598. his purpose. I'm reminded though of Christ's

  599. own encouragements to his disciples.

  600. This comes on the night when he was betrayed when he was led to

  601. wrongful trial after wrongful trial and when he was ultimately

  602. condemned to death and died on a cross, he told his disciples

  603. this as he sees the growing fear in them as he's announcing these

  604. things he says I have said these things to you.

  605. I've warned you what's coming. I've told you about the helper,

  606. the Holy Spirit, who will be with you.

  607. I have said these things to you that in you, sorry.

  608. That in me, you may have peace. In the world, you will have

  609. tribulation Christ, does not say in the world.

  610. You might have in the world. You may have in the world is

  611. possible that you will know in the world.

  612. You will have tribulation, but take Hearts mean, be of good

  613. cheer. Be encouraged be strengthened,

  614. take heart because I have overcome the world.

  615. Charles Hodge said this, he said all strength to endure and to

  616. conquer comes to us through Christ who loved us all these

  617. things may seem like they could defeat you.

  618. Trial, tribulation nakedness sword hunger.

  619. Famine. Bright holder. this thing seem

  620. like they ought to defeat you They seem like they ought to

  621. stop the work of God in your life that will put an end to it

  622. immediately. And yet God and his people whom

  623. he loves remain United and Inseparable now and forever even

  624. in all those things. And that is where Paul takes you

  625. Nets. Look at verses 38 and 39.

  626. For, I am sure that neither death.

  627. Nor live. Nor angels nor rulers nor things

  628. present, nor things to come nor powers nor height nor depth nor

  629. anything else in all creation. Just in case I've left something

  630. off the list, anything else in all creation, will be able to

  631. separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

  632. Our lord. As I was reading that it came to

  633. my attention that boys and girls, you guys are doing an

  634. incredible job. And I just wanted to say that,

  635. You're doing a wonderful job, keep it up.

  636. Absolutely nothing and all the created World, absolutely

  637. nothing and all the created world can sever the relationship

  638. of love that we share with God in Christ Jesus.

  639. But the Creator will not be defeated by his creation that's

  640. impossible. And, you know, unless it's

  641. Terminator and I, alright, it's a human creation.

  642. But the creator of all things are at the god of Heaven and

  643. Earth, the God, who spoke and things came to being literally

  644. out of nothing, out of nothing. He thought the things up, he

  645. spoke them into being and they were this God, nothing in his

  646. creation can thwart his purposes.

  647. Nothing can defeat him in his creation rather rather in it's

  648. important to make this distinction is not just that he

  649. won't be defeated. Here's what's actually happening

  650. the creation will always serve the ultimate.

  651. Good purpose of the creator for the glory of God, who created

  652. all things and the good of his people, whom he eternally loves.

  653. That's what Paul is telling you here.

  654. That's important, right? Because if I think that God is

  655. in heaven and he's the creator of all things, and I believe

  656. that because that's what the Bible tells us.

  657. But all the things can just kind of do whatever they want.

  658. And they can cause whatever problems they want the cause

  659. then it's a chaotic world. I live in, and you have a

  660. decision to make. Do you want Christ, or do you

  661. want chaos? Because what we see here is that

  662. Christ is seated at the right hand of the father always

  663. interceding for us and so you can't have chaos and Christ at

  664. the same time. Now they can go together but

  665. you're going to believe the one in the one's going to save you

  666. from the other. Chaos will not defeat you.

  667. You're more than a conqueror. In Christ because of the love of

  668. God. If God is for you, who can be

  669. against you, if God is for you, what can be against you all

  670. manner of things can come against you ride, but not

  671. ultimately against you, not ultimately to sever the love

  672. that you've received. That's not going to happen.

  673. Absolutely nothing. And all the creative world, can

  674. sever the relationship that we have with God, that we share

  675. with him in Christ. And so again I'll say it one

  676. more time, the creation will always serve the ultimate.

  677. Good purpose of the creator for the glory of God, who created

  678. all things, and the good of his people, whom he eternally loves,

  679. amen. Me tell you what Charles Simeon

  680. wrote at the end of this. He said, nothing can nothing

  681. surely can be conceived. More delightful than to possess

  682. an assured hope of Eternal happiness and Glory.

  683. Nothing you can conceive. Could be more delightful than to

  684. possess an assured hope of Eternal happiness and Glory.

  685. He goes on if we profess that nothing shall separate us from

  686. the love of God, let us then take care, that nothing does

  687. separate us from it. Let nothing in the whole

  688. creation draws, aside from the path of Duty or hinder our

  689. progress in the Devon life. Amen.

  690. So here's the deal brothers and sisters.

  691. If you've been saved by the grace of God in Christ Jesus,

  692. your lord serve him as such. If you've made him Lord, through

  693. faith submit to him as Lord. What I mean is obey God.

  694. See to it that nothing separates this again, Paul makes the

  695. argument all the way back in, Romans 6.

  696. That just because Grace abounds does not mean we that our sin

  697. must have bound. He says it's the exact opposite

  698. because Grace abounds our obedience should have bound.

  699. Again, it's like Patricia coming to me and saying hey you know,

  700. if I'm ready to see what might come of this.

  701. I love you, right? It's really foolish thing to say

  702. somehow it worked like it's because God's greater than I am.

  703. Miracles happen. Brothers.

  704. Miracles, happen. and so, When you've received the grace of

  705. God, though, when you've received the love of God in

  706. Christ Jesus, the disposition of your heart.

  707. Right? The stature of your spear heart

  708. and your mind and your will is to say I love you and it's

  709. Tennille. It's to bend the knee to Christ

  710. the King. It's the say to him.

  711. You were Lord of lords and King of Kings.

  712. I'm surrendering my whole self to your lordship.

  713. Not one area of my life is off of off-limits from you.

  714. That one area of my life is my own.

  715. I surrender to you my mind. My heart, my strength, my soul.

  716. Right. What's the greatest commandment?

  717. Love the Lord, your God with your heart, your mind, your

  718. soul, your strength, and some translations.

  719. You're surrendering those things to have.

  720. You're saying not my will but your will be done, not my

  721. kingdom, but your kingdom come. And that's since God has for you

  722. in Jesus Christ. Nothing can separate you from

  723. his Everlasting. Love, would you stand to your

  724. feet this morning? We're going to receive the

  725. Lord's supper together. And so a couple of quick notes

  726. on that before my instructions for you.

  727. First is we practice communion for believers here?

  728. so if you are believer in Christ Jesus, you've been baptized In

  729. Christ Jesus, in the name of the father.

  730. Son. Holy Spirit, right?

  731. You submitted yourself to him. Then we invite you to receive

  732. communion with us today, whether you're a member of New Life

  733. Community Church or not. You are a member of the Church

  734. of Christ. Amen.

  735. Second thing is, if you have a gluten allergy, there is a

  736. gluten-free option there. You just have to look at the

  737. tape. That's provided like your

  738. brother at the top part of that. So trust, you'll figure that

  739. out. She looks awesome.

  740. You'll find that allergy there's nuts in there.

  741. So sweet Okay, all right, so two great reasons to protect of the

  742. Lord's Supper this morning. One is that God is for you in

  743. Christ Jesus? We looked at it right.

  744. His death, his resurrection, he sits at the right hand of God,

  745. he makes intercession for you. Those actions those Works.

  746. Save all, who believe forever from their sins.

  747. And so I invite you today to believe these things to trust

  748. these things, to prepare your heart to receive the Lord's.

  749. Supper in a worthy manner, as you see the work of Christ that

  750. we've seen today, his body and his blood are now provided in a

  751. Cup for you to partake of. You're saying, I will always

  752. trust in the broken body and shed blood of my Lord Jesus

  753. Christ for my salvation. Second.

  754. As I mentioned, just a second ago, we must take great for

  755. suits. Great care.

  756. Sorry must take, great care in our pursuit of Jesus Christ.

  757. You must repent of sins. Believe In Christ for your

  758. forgiveness and salvation. This is the work.

  759. I tell. I even tell children when they

  760. come and they want to talk about salvation repentance and believe

  761. they explain. They've repented they believe

  762. the gospel. I just encourage him.

  763. This will be your life from now until your final breath to

  764. repent and believe always. You never outgrow repentance and

  765. belief. You never outgrow it.

  766. It strengthens your maturity and so today, as we prepare, our

  767. hearts to receive the Lord's supper, if there's sin in your

  768. life, repent of it. and so we're going to sing a song together

  769. this morning as the worship team sings, you need to pray can sing

  770. along it Parts if you want to but commit your heart to prayer

  771. in this moment. Pray for repentance, pray that

  772. the Lord would strengthen belief as you receive Christ in the

  773. Lord's Supper today. Amen.