The Greatest Chapter - Romans 8:31-37

This is ERC Sundays, the messages at Emmaus Rd.

Church in DeWitt, Iowa. ERC is a Church of people

striving to grow in Jesus and make Him known to others through

our faith, words and actions. Find out more about our church

at emmausrdonline.org. Here's this week's message a

little. Bit of a joke made if you if

you've come in the past month or so, I haven't preached in five

weeks, which seems some of you are like who that's I like that.

Some of you have missed me and for that I thank you.

There was a there was a joke made that today's sermon might

be extra extra long because of the five weeks.

I got a lot of got a lot of pent up things to say.

I got a lot of a lot of problems with you people and you're all

going to hear about it. No 90s fans.

You're welcome. That's that's the first of two

90s references we're going to have this morning.

So we're going to jump into the other one right now.

Mine is Pastor Matt, Really just delighted and joyful to be a

part of this community. Thank you for coming and

worshiping with us, being filled by the truth of God's Word and

looking forward to this week. We we celebrate the resurrection

of Jesus every week, but it's Easter, so that's going to be

the main, main thing this week. I recently rewatched.

And I say rewatched because it's actually like a nostalgic movie

for me. Some of you might judge my

parents for raising me with this movie in my upbringing.

But I'm OK. With how it worked out, I

recently rewatched the 1992 classic My Cousin Vinny.

I'm not going to go through everything.

Of how the plot works. The basic premise is there's

these two friends from Brooklyn, They're Rd. tripping to

California. On their.

Way in the backwoods of Alabama, they stop at a convenience store

or gas station and they're, they're loading up all this, all

this stuff to bring with them on their, on their trip and they're

arguing over whether or not to get beans and tuna and all this

stuff. And, and one of the friends, he

decides he wants to get tuna for himself, but he's all loaded up

and he just like stuffs the can in his jacket pocket just, and

just forgets about it. They pay for their groceries,

doesn't pay for the can of tuna. They forgets it's in his jacket

and they go on their way. Few miles down the road, police

car lights. They get pulled over and they're

freaking out. We're in the backwoods Alabama.

Like, what's the punishment for shoplifting?

Like they're crazy down here. And but like he knew he did it.

He he admitted that he did wrongdoing.

They get. They get.

Booked for shoplifting. And he's, he's wanting to be

very. Cooperative.

He he's got this. He's got this mindset of it's.

Just a little case of shoplifting.

How? Bad Can the penalty be a pay a

fine? We get back on the road, it's

just a can of tune. We got to give back the can of

tune to pay a fine. We're going to be fine.

What they didn't know when lost in translation of this, was

shortly after they were at that convenience store, two other

guys who looked just like them when we're driving a car very

similar to theirs held up that gas station, robbed it and shot

the clerk, shot the cashier and killed them.

They think they're being booked for shoplifting when in fact the

police have them booked for murder.

When they realize that, you can imagine.

Whoa, wait a minute. I don't want to deal with the

consequences of murder. I I was, I was ready to deal

with the. Fallout of my shoplifting.

I could. I could handle that.

I could come to grips with that. I might.

Even be able to like in in and of my own power.

I can deal with that murder where the death.

Penalty is on the line. I can't face those consequences.

I don't want to face those consequences.

At the root of it. I think all of us are guilty of

this at some point. We don't hate our sin, we hate

the consequences of our sin if the consequences for

shoplifting. Was the death penalty.

We wouldn't want any part of that either.

Why do I? Start with this solemn

reflection from a cheesy old movie in the past few weeks in

Romans 8, and we're coming to the end.

We read a big, beautiful promise from God in Romans 828 that God

causes all things to work together for good.

We know that. God causes.

All things to work together for good, for those who love God and

for those who are called according to this purpose,

according to His purpose, if you've been with us.

Through this series that promise.

In verse 28 after after going through the weeds and the

tension of the Spirit. Versus the flesh and sin versus

death and the Holy Spirit and salvation and sanctification and

all these things. Verse 28 is a is a big relief

that what I'm facing God's going to work it out.

But some of us can hear these verses after wrestling through

all that tension and what am I on the side of the Spirit or am

I on the side of the flesh? And we can get to this verse and

hear God works all things together for good.

And we go, oh. Shit, I'm off the hook.

I have to worry about those things.

We go back to living our lives the way we were.

Unchanged. By the work of.

Christ. Unfazed by our sin.

Because the consequence has been removed.

Church were called to more. We're called to a life.

Of love and obedience to Christ. To repent and turn.

From our. Sin I don't want.

Us to cheapen the promise of of the goodness of what's in Romans

828 what it cost God and what it cost Christ to work all things

together for good. I love you all too.

Much for us to be a people that does that.

Because just a few chapters earlier than where?

We are in Romans 6. Paul writes.

What shall we say then? Are we the continuance in that

grace may abound? The idea being the.

More I sin, the more God can pour out His grace on over my

sin. Isn't that great?

By no means. How can we who died to sin?

Still live like it. Still live in it.

For sin will have no dominion over you, since.

You are not under the law, but under grace.

What? Then are we to sin because we

are not under law, but under grace?

By no means for the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of

God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

So you're sitting there saying, I'm glad Pastor Matt's back,

really glad I got out of bed for this, get beat up this morning

at church. Yeah, you did.

You're here, and I'm not here to preach the word of God to make

you comfortable. Living a life.

On a path to destruction. God's Word and His grace do not

exist to make you comfortable living a life.

Of sin. They are meant to save you, but

that are they are not meant to make you comfortable.

In that sin. Because you get the promise of

verse 28 and that he works all things together for good.

If if what? If you love God and are called

according to his purpose. I promise His purposes are not

for you to remain in the sin that He saved you from.

That's not what that promise is for.

We know that for those. Who love God all.

Things work together for good for those who are called

according to his purpose. We're at a critical juncture in

this passage. Paul is both giving an answer to

this wrestling of sin of A. Flesh.

Versus spirit to this point in the passage.

And he's also alluding to what remains in the rest of this

letter in Romans. We're at a big point in this

passage. We're a big week in this church

in. Celebrating the resurrection.

Of Jesus Christ on Easter. Every time we remember that,

it's by His wounds we're healed. By His resurrection, we have

hope of eternal life. We do that every week.

Next Sunday's Easter, it really matters this week.

We've got to get that right. This coming week that it's in.

The resurrection of Christ. Alone that we have hope.

Last week, Dom. Beautifully laid out this chain

of salvation that follows this 828 promise.

Why? How does God work all things

together for good for those who love Him and are called?

Well. He foreknew them.

He predestined them to be conformed to the image of his

son in order that they might be the first born in inheritance,

among many others. Those he predestined he also

called. Those he called he justified.

And those whom he justified, he also glorified.

That's what's at stake. Here ending in God's glory.

The fullness of God revealed in the fullness of heaven.

I saw a reel this week. I I shared it, but the Peach

preacher posed this question. I'm I'm paraphrasing if you were

to get to heaven and it was the. Glorious.

Paradise that you envision. All your favorite foods were

there. You were able to do whatever fun

activities you want. The weather's beautiful.

Your favorite people, your family and friends are all there

all around you. There's no sin, there's no

suffering, no crying, no pain, all those things.

Does that sound like heaven? Some of you are saying yes, I'm

seeing nods. Sounds like heaven.

That's that's. What we picture heaven to be

like. Now imagine there's all of those

things that I just lifted off. But there's no Jesus.

There is that heaven we got? We got some more Nos and we got

some young Nos. I love that.

No, it's not. All of those things are not what

makes heaven heaven. Jesus is what makes heaven,

heaven, That picture of heaven without.

Jesus is not heaven. Jesus is heaven, and we're

called into relationship with Him right here and now.

Not so that we can have the paradise of heaven someday.

And, and, and set him aside. Could you imagine showing up to

heaven and be so enraptured with all of those other things?

You don't even care where Jesus is hanging out?

No, I'm in heaven to hang out with Jesus.

Knowing Jesus isn't just purchasing or punching a ticket

to eternity. It's knowing and growing closer

to the. Very source of your.

Being to the. Giver of eternal life.

So no, I'm not here. To make you more comfortable in

this life on earth. I'm here to build us up in his

words, so that our hearts. Would break for the things that

break. His heart that we would learn to

love him and each other. And the world in the way that.

He. Would I'm here to encourage.

You to live a life guided by God's Word eyes.

Fixed on Jesus because he's the best.

Thing. For you, the best thing for each

and every one of us. So here we are, our passage for

today, Romans 831. We're going to.

Go through verse 37. We're going to hit some overlap

in these final weeks here, but first let's pray our great God,

would your Spirit do its work in this time?

Rebuke, rebuke. Teach, correct.

Train us up in your righteousness.

May our hearts see and sense. What working out the good for

each of? Us, what it costs you, what it

costs Jesus. And may we respond in the lives

we're called to. Amen.

Romans 8 verses 31 through 37, reading in Jesus name.

Romans 8:31–37

What then shall we say to these things?

That's the predestined, glorified that chain that we

talked about last week. What shall we say to these

things? If God is for us.

Who can be against us? He who did not spare his own

son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him

graciously? Give us all things who shall

bring any charge against God's elect?

It is God. Who justifies?

Who is the one who condemns Christ Jesus?

Is he who died but rather. Was raised.

Who is at the right hand of God? Who indeed is interceding?

For us. Who shall separate us from the

love? Of Christ shall tribulation or

distress, or persecution. Or famine, or nakedness, or

danger, or sword. It is.

Written for your sake. We are killed all day long.

We. Were regarded as sheep.

To be slaughtered. But in all these things.

We overwhelmingly conquer through.

Him who loved us, this is the word of God.

Those of you that are following along in in your own Bibles or

the the Bibles under the chairs in the ESVI took a little left

turn on that last verse. ESV says in all those things we

are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

The Greek phrase there is exceedingly conquering,

translated in the NSB as we overwhelmingly conquer through

him who loved us. And in that way, we're ending

with the punchline if that's the only thing that you.

Take from this message. Today, in all these things,

through all these things, these tribulations, trials and

persecution, Christ has overwhelmingly conquered.

And next week it's going to be that.

And the week after that it's going to be that.

Spoilers. Christ wins, not death or sin or

whatever is facing you in this moment.

Today, He didn't. Win it with a last minute buzzer

beater. The game is 100 and nothing at

halftime. We're just running up the score.

Overwhelmingly conquered. Paul asks the question.

Because like I kind of started talking about today, it seems

like these people forgot or they're not getting it.

If you go back, he's said the same.

Thing of assurance, he's made the.

Same promises of blessing. Over and over again.

Just kind of. Well, maybe they'll get it this

way. Well, they didn't get that, so

I'll say it this way. They didn't get it that way, so

I'll say it this. Way.

And he comes to verse 31. After making these promises.

Again and again. What?

Then shall we say to these things, if God is for us?

Who can stand against us? And God.

Is for us my. Cousin Vinny on my mind, but

that the courtroom setting of that judge I've.

Never been in a courtroom, not personally.

Some of you have hope. I'm never on.

The the. Stand there with facing

something that's against me, but imagine.

In that moment, imagine. Being on the stand.

And that judge is on your side. He believes you.

He knows how it actually went down, and he's ready to acquit

you. That's God for you.

When you're on trial, the judge is already on your.

Side more than that. In Christ that judge.

Imagine. Yourself in the courtroom is

calling up his own son to take your place.

On the stand? How much more on your side can

it get? That's the biggest thing, the

most valuable thing that Judge could give us.

He already gave it. We already have it.

If God is for us, if that judge is for us and he's willing to

give his Son, He already gave the biggest thing.

There's nothing that could overwhelm that.

There's nothing that could mean more than that.

He's asking this rhetorical. Question, almost jokingly, why?

Why are you even bringing up these things that can't measure

up to what God? Has already done.

Who will bring? Charges against God elect.

God is the one who justifies who.

Is the one who? Condemns How could there be

anything brought against you that Trump's what God says about

you? No one can stand against us.

No thing, we're going to get to the list.

That Paul rattles off. Here in just a second, but

there's nothing that could hope to.

Oppose God and emerge. Victorious against those who are

covered. By the blood of.

Christ at the end of. Verse 33.

That that phrase, that it is God who justifies that should do two

things for you. It's a rebuke to our pride that

I've got this, it's only a can of tuna.

I got this. That murder charge comes up

later. God, I'm going to call you in,

but it's only a can of tuna right now.

So I'm I'm good. Nope.

It's. God, who has justified?

It's a warning. You don't got this.

You did shoplift a can of. Tuna.

And the punishment is death. You need a God who's called you

innocent. In light of the sacrifice of his

son. So while it takes our pride down

a peg, it's also a promise of assurance that God knows you

can't. Handle what's facing you.

God's got this, I've got this, he says.

You don't have to. It's God who we wronged, and

it's Jesus the Son who's actually sitting in our place on

the stand, leaning over, talking to the judge.

Saying, Yep, I can take that one too.

I'm going to take the punishment for that one too.

That one's on me too. They're covered.

I did it verse 34. Who is to condemn Jesus?

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

What does anyone have against him?

Jesus willingly put himself. On the cross.

By the power of God was raised back to life.

Who could stand and condemn you? Paul then asks.

The big question because. We are a people who are

forgetful. Who are doubtful, who are

unbelieving and I'm I'm saying. I'm right there.

With you, I don't have this perfectly done and figured out.

I've doubted this week. I've struggled this week.

It's unnatural for us to agree with and and and absorb these

promises of God. Our sinful flesh is prone to

doubt. So Paul asked, Who will separate

us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress?

Or persecution or. Famine or nakedness?

Or danger. Or sword.

And then he quotes. For your sake we are.

Killed all day long. We are regarded as sheep to be

slaughtered. That that doesn't sound like.

Working all things together for good, that's.

But what it does promise God? What?

What God? Doesn't promise is that a life

in Jesus is going to be a life void and immune to.

Sin and pain and struggle, we still have those things for

sure. But what Paul is asking is when

those things stand against you. Is your hope.

Shaken because it shouldn't. Be, he answers.

Resoundingly in all these. Things we overwhelmingly conquer

through Him who loved us. Look again at this list.

So tribulation or distress, or persecution or famine, or

nakedness, or danger, or sword. This is meant to be an

exhaustive list. Paul wasn't leaving loopholes or

asking this as a challenge of. Can you find?

Something that God can't heal, can you?

Find something that God can't conquer.

That's not. What he's asking here, some of

these words are kind of. Broad.

Broad but I. Promise.

Whatever past, present, future struggle, you were or will be or

are in right. Now it's in this list and it

can't separate you from the love of.

Christ, he's already conquered it.

Whatever you're facing, it can't threaten your standing with God.

There is more grace in Jesus than there is sin in you, then

there is sin in your life. There's still more grace in

Jesus. And Paul didn't write these

words with a caveat either. Some of you might read these.

Words and and try to again justify yourself but remember we

just read it's God who justifies we can't even be in that place

of justifying ourself or our struggle or our sin.

There's there's not nothing that can separate you from the love

of Christ unless you had a terrible childhood or unless

you've struggled with this sin, or unless you did this terrible

thing. OK, Yeah.

Then those things could separate you from the love of Christ.

That's not what's in my Bible. There's no caveats.

There's no outs. There's no justifications for

why we're not covered by Christ's sacrifice.

There's no out. Christ covered it all.

Don't cheapen. The work of Christ.

With your justification or your excuses?

For why you put. Things between yourself and God,

His love. His grace, His sacrifice.

They're all more powerful than that.

It's the father who justified. In Mark Chapter 9 there's a

Mark 9 · chapter mention

story of a man who brought his demon possessed son to Jesus and

asked him to heal him. And Jesus asked him, do you?

Believe I can do this. The man's response was, I

believe, but help my unbelief. That's the tension we get caught

in day-to-day. That's what happened on Palm

Sunday, right? They believed, and then five

days later, all the twists and turns of the world, all the

snares of the devil, brought them into unbelief.

God, I believe. But help my unbelief.

I think that's what we struggle with most.

The devil's really good at making us feel isolated and

question our worthiness of Jesus's sacrifice, even at the

point of where we fully believe that these day-to-day things can

chip and tear that down. So how do we how do we fight

that? How do we get back to?

A place of understanding that Christ already did it.

It's finished. It's.

Done and and we. Hold to that without being

shaken, without. Being swayed by the storms and

waves of life, how do we wholly, resolutely, fully believe?

That he's already won. I think the first step is to

admit your doubt. That guy with.

Jesus was I I. Believe, but it'd still be.

Crazy if you heal them like. Really.

Help my unbelief. Admit your doubt.

Praying that. Prayer itself, acknowledging

that you have faith, but it's weak, it's prone to be shaken.

God help my unbelief. Secondly, how do we help our

unbelief? Focus on His power and mercy

rather than your own. Capacity to believe.

Focus on what he did not. What you could do?

Because even if you feel like you can handle that shoplifting,

that can of tuna. You can't.

He covered it all. There's no sin too great.

There's no. Sin too.

Small that he didn't cover. Focus on what he did, not what

we could do. Admit your doubt.

Look to Jesus the third way we help.

Our unbelief. Ask for his continued strength.

The man admitted his unbelief by saying he needed.

Help, but he also. Asked for the help.

Right, he said. I believe, but my faith is weak.

I need you to help my unbelief. Acknowledge that your.

Faith can be shaken, but look to God.

Pray to God. For his strength.

To help your unbelief in the final way.

Admit your doubt. Look to Jesus.

Ask God for help. Understand that it's normal.

Understand that it's not just you, it's our human condition.

The enemy wants you to think you're the only one who's so

terrible, who's so depraved, who's so messed up.

We're all right there with you. We all need Jesus just as much

as each other. Friends, there's nothing facing

you in this moment, in your past, or in your future that

Christ hasn't covered and that His grace can't redeem.

We have to return to the Father, trust that His way is best, and

cling to the Holy Spirit to help our unbelief.

Son has finished it. The battle's already won.

Let's pray, Holy Spirit, we believe, but help our unbelief.

In this time of relative safety in your.

Presence in your house. Feels like an easy prayer to

pray between the Sundays. On the battlefield.

Our human eyes lose sight of you.

Holy Spirit, fix our eyes on Jesus.

Give us daily assurance again and again through the truth of

Your Word, through your still small voice.

Remind us of your promises. Remind us of your work.

Remind us that our shortcomings are nothing compared to what

you've already faced and beaten. Jesus.

Strengthen and preserve us in true faith unto everlasting life

in a heaven where you're there. We look forward to that day.

In the name of Jesus, we pray. Would you stand and sing as we

respond? Thanks for listening to the ERC

Sundays for the work God is doing, an Amazed Rd. church.

Visit amazedrdonline.org/giving.