WEBVTT 00:00:03.120 --> 00:00:14.000 Ministering to the heart of Western Arkansas's River Valley for over 165 years, welcome to Chapter and First, the Bible Teaching Ministry of Fort Smith's First Baptist Church. 00:00:14.160 --> 00:00:19.440 You'll find sermons and teachings from Pastor Greg, our ministry staff, and guest speakers. 00:00:19.679 --> 00:00:21.199 Thank you for listening. 00:00:21.519 --> 00:00:22.879 Good morning, church family. 00:00:22.960 --> 00:00:24.160 It's great to see you. 00:00:24.399 --> 00:00:26.640 I hope everyone weathered the storm well. 00:00:26.719 --> 00:00:30.160 I know we had things going on, but uh glad you're here this morning. 00:00:30.320 --> 00:00:30.960 Great to see you. 00:00:31.039 --> 00:00:35.439 I want to reiterate what Dave said if you're visiting with us in person or online. 00:00:36.079 --> 00:00:37.679 Great to see you this morning. 00:00:37.840 --> 00:00:49.759 As we continue our series uh this summer on uh studying the ten favorite verses of our church, I want to invite Jeremy Schreckheis to come up and help me this morning. 00:00:49.920 --> 00:00:59.039 Jeremy is the chairman of our deacons, and it's a joy to work alongside him in so many ways, and he has the task of keeping me out of trouble. 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:01.840 And so that's hard work, Jeremy. 00:01:02.399 --> 00:01:03.439 I don't think anybody can do that. 00:01:04.239 --> 00:01:04.799 Turn your mic on. 00:01:04.879 --> 00:01:05.599 Are you on? 00:01:06.640 --> 00:01:06.959 I'm on. 00:01:07.040 --> 00:01:08.799 I don't know if anybody can keep you out of trouble. 00:01:09.040 --> 00:01:09.439 It's true. 00:01:09.680 --> 00:01:10.480 Maybe Janet. 00:01:10.959 --> 00:01:11.680 She's got a tough job. 00:01:11.920 --> 00:01:14.319 She's been trying for a long time, and it's worked. 00:01:14.480 --> 00:01:17.680 Let's uh let's look at our four nominations this morning. 00:01:18.000 --> 00:01:28.959 These are verses that you nominated uh as part of this group of ten verses, John 3.16, Romans 8.28. 00:01:29.120 --> 00:01:31.120 We know that all things work together for good. 00:01:31.359 --> 00:01:33.760 Those who love God are called according to his purpose. 00:01:34.000 --> 00:01:40.239 Romans 5.8, God proves his own love for us, and while we're yet sinners, Christ died for us. 00:01:40.719 --> 00:01:43.760 Number 4, Philippians 1, 6. 00:01:44.079 --> 00:01:46.879 Jeremy, I think you're ready to reveal for us. 00:01:55.680 --> 00:01:59.920 And the winter is a life of the camp. 00:02:02.480 --> 00:02:04.239 Romans 8 28. 00:02:04.480 --> 00:02:11.120 For we know that all things work together for good of those who love God and those who are called for Him. 00:02:12.000 --> 00:02:12.479 Excellent. 00:02:12.639 --> 00:02:13.759 Thank you, Jeremy. 00:02:14.479 --> 00:02:19.199 So turn with me in your Bibles this morning to Romans chapter 8, verse 28. 00:02:19.439 --> 00:02:24.639 This is a well-known verse, and this is an awesome verse. 00:02:25.199 --> 00:02:32.400 This is a verse that speaks to our hearts and our minds throughout all kinds of circumstances in life. 00:02:32.560 --> 00:02:41.360 And in fact, it is really fundamental to, I think, one of the most fundamental questions that people have in life. 00:02:41.520 --> 00:02:43.840 And that is, can I trust the Lord? 00:02:44.080 --> 00:02:55.280 And so this verse, I think, gives us some incredible spiritual truths and foundations that teach us that we can trust the Lord. 00:02:55.520 --> 00:03:01.680 Now you answer this question when you make the decision in searching for Jesus. 00:03:01.919 --> 00:03:05.280 Am I going to trust Him as my Savior or not? 00:03:05.439 --> 00:03:08.159 Can I trust that He is true? 00:03:08.400 --> 00:03:09.840 Can I trust that He loves? 00:03:10.000 --> 00:03:12.560 Can I trust Him with my life? 00:03:12.800 --> 00:03:24.400 Even as a believer, as we begin walking the Christian life, we come to these places, these forks in the road, these situations where we have to again make this call. 00:03:24.560 --> 00:03:26.639 Am I going to give this to the Lord? 00:03:26.800 --> 00:03:28.159 Am I going to be obedient? 00:03:28.319 --> 00:03:30.159 Am I going to trust in His promise? 00:03:30.400 --> 00:03:32.319 Am I going to follow Him? 00:03:32.560 --> 00:03:38.879 And I think this verse gives an incredible foundation for trusting the Lord. 00:03:39.039 --> 00:03:48.639 Now, when you look at this verse, it is just chock full of truth, but really it answers this fundamental question. 00:03:49.840 --> 00:03:55.280 Can I truly trust the Lord with the details and directions of my life? 00:03:55.520 --> 00:04:01.120 Now, trust is something that is very difficult to give. 00:04:01.360 --> 00:04:12.159 It is something that in relationships, for example, it takes time to know that I can know this person and I can trust them with what we're going to do. 00:04:13.120 --> 00:04:18.879 I have a friend who's been a longtime friend, and I trust him in a lot of areas in life. 00:04:19.360 --> 00:04:24.720 In one of my previous ministry positions, I was a singles pastor, and we went on a ski trip. 00:04:24.879 --> 00:04:27.360 We went on a single adult ski trip. 00:04:27.680 --> 00:04:28.480 Some of you have done that. 00:04:28.560 --> 00:04:29.120 We do all that. 00:04:29.199 --> 00:04:35.360 Now I was a pretty good athlete in life, but I never could get the hang of skiing. 00:04:35.759 --> 00:04:38.000 And so here's what he kept saying. 00:04:38.319 --> 00:04:41.279 He would take me out at the first day and try to show me how to do that. 00:04:41.439 --> 00:04:46.240 But there is an element of trust in skiing, those of you who are good at know what it is. 00:04:46.480 --> 00:04:50.240 You have to get on the sides and the edges of those skis. 00:04:50.720 --> 00:04:53.839 And you're going pretty quickly down the mountain, right? 00:04:53.920 --> 00:04:58.720 And you're supposed to turn and get on the edge of those skis, and the edge of those skis is about that much. 00:04:58.879 --> 00:05:02.319 So you're going 25, 30 miles an hour, and you're on about the edge like that. 00:05:02.639 --> 00:05:03.920 That just takes a lot of trust. 00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:05.600 I never could quite get to. 00:05:05.839 --> 00:05:08.240 I just couldn't get over far enough to get to that. 00:05:08.319 --> 00:05:11.920 And my friend would take me aside and he'd say, Listen, just trust me. 00:05:12.079 --> 00:05:13.199 Just trust me. 00:05:13.439 --> 00:05:19.040 I'm like, no, you're not going to be there when I fall over and break my neck, right? 00:05:19.199 --> 00:05:20.319 You're not going to be standing. 00:05:20.399 --> 00:05:21.199 No, just trust me. 00:05:21.279 --> 00:05:22.399 You got to trust the skis. 00:05:22.560 --> 00:05:23.519 You've got to trust on the edge. 00:05:24.000 --> 00:05:25.600 I'm like, I can't do that. 00:05:25.680 --> 00:05:26.240 I don't know how. 00:05:26.319 --> 00:05:27.680 I never could get that. 00:05:28.000 --> 00:05:29.439 I just couldn't get comfortable. 00:05:29.600 --> 00:05:34.480 I couldn't give up that moment to get on those sides of those skis. 00:05:34.639 --> 00:05:40.160 Just to kind of finish the story, by the last day of it, I was just starting to get the hang of it. 00:05:40.240 --> 00:05:44.959 And I was just starting to get on that edge enough where I'm going, oh, this is why they're having fun. 00:05:45.120 --> 00:05:50.079 Because the first three days of that, all I did was snowplow like this down the mountain. 00:05:50.240 --> 00:05:53.759 And I'm telling you, that's like lifting weights 12 hours a day. 00:05:54.240 --> 00:05:58.079 I mean, that's the most non-fun thing you could possibly do. 00:05:58.160 --> 00:05:59.519 And I finally got that. 00:05:59.680 --> 00:06:06.240 So the last morning, uh, we were going to fly out that morning right after lunch, and he said, Hey, let's go down and take a few more runs. 00:06:06.319 --> 00:06:07.279 You're just getting the hang of it. 00:06:07.439 --> 00:06:10.000 I said, Look, I got through this without breaking my neck. 00:06:10.079 --> 00:06:10.639 Let's just go. 00:06:10.800 --> 00:06:13.040 And he goes, Trust me, trust me. 00:06:13.360 --> 00:06:14.639 Yeah, right, okay. 00:06:15.279 --> 00:06:18.639 It has snowed about seven inches of new powder that night. 00:06:18.800 --> 00:06:26.319 And what I didn't know, because you know, I didn't know how to ski, it's the first time I've ever been, when you get all that powder on the top of it, it changes how you do it. 00:06:26.399 --> 00:06:27.439 It's a different deal. 00:06:27.680 --> 00:06:34.319 And so, sure enough, here we go, my friend and I going down the mountain, and of course, just like I knew, he's way down there in front of me. 00:06:34.399 --> 00:06:43.920 He's not there when I'm doing this swooshing thing, and I get on that, and I get on the edge of my skis, and one of them sticks in the powder that way, and the other one goes that way. 00:06:44.079 --> 00:06:49.519 And I went over and faceplanted, and I tore the MCL in both knees. 00:06:50.959 --> 00:06:53.680 Watch it when a friend says, trust me. 00:06:56.000 --> 00:07:03.839 Trust is hard sometimes to do in these situations where I'm thinking, can I can I let that go? 00:07:04.000 --> 00:07:09.199 Can I can I get on the edge of that ski in whatever decision that you have? 00:07:09.439 --> 00:07:14.240 Can I trust that friend that's trying to coach me and can I trust their advice? 00:07:14.399 --> 00:07:15.680 Can I really get there? 00:07:15.920 --> 00:07:18.959 Well, here's the answer when we're talking about the Lord. 00:07:19.279 --> 00:07:25.839 This verse says it plainly and clearly for us, and this answers every question you would ever have in life. 00:07:26.160 --> 00:07:35.759 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, those are called according to his purpose. 00:07:36.079 --> 00:07:46.000 This says in so many ways and in so many foundational truths that the Lord is infinitely and eternally trustworthy with everything in your life. 00:07:46.720 --> 00:07:50.000 Let's take a minute and look at just some of the central truths of this verse. 00:07:50.079 --> 00:07:54.319 If you just break down these phrases, it is filled with truth. 00:07:54.560 --> 00:07:56.240 Now here's the way it begins. 00:07:56.800 --> 00:08:05.279 Many times when we quote this in our shorthand quote, we get in a situation and in our minds we go, can I handle this? 00:08:05.360 --> 00:08:06.720 Can I gonna trust the Lord in this? 00:08:06.879 --> 00:08:08.639 We think all things work together for good. 00:08:08.879 --> 00:08:14.879 Or we find ourselves in a difficult spot and we go, all things work together for good. 00:08:15.040 --> 00:08:17.360 And we forget the first part of this. 00:08:17.600 --> 00:08:27.040 Sometimes, even when you're encouraging a friend, a friend finds themselves in a difficult spot, and you say, Now you know the Bible says all things. 00:08:27.680 --> 00:08:30.240 Do not skip these two words. 00:08:31.439 --> 00:08:33.519 This says, we know. 00:08:35.039 --> 00:08:36.000 We know. 00:08:36.960 --> 00:08:49.200 It is inherent in the Christian's life when you have trusted Jesus Christ with your life, that He is infinitely trustworthy with everything that comes or everything that will ever happen. 00:08:49.440 --> 00:08:51.279 It is all in his hands. 00:08:51.519 --> 00:08:53.120 And here's this word no. 00:08:53.279 --> 00:09:01.200 This word no describes an inherent, intimate knowledge that is by virtue of the fact that I am who I am. 00:09:01.440 --> 00:09:05.840 I do not have to ask the question if my mom and dad loved me. 00:09:07.200 --> 00:09:08.559 I was an Addison. 00:09:09.120 --> 00:09:10.000 I knew. 00:09:10.240 --> 00:09:14.480 They gave me their name, they gave me their lives, they built the home that I lived in. 00:09:14.639 --> 00:09:16.240 I didn't have to ask. 00:09:16.559 --> 00:09:17.759 I just knew. 00:09:18.000 --> 00:09:18.799 I just knew. 00:09:18.960 --> 00:09:22.240 In fact, my dad, when I was young, his dad died when he was 19. 00:09:22.320 --> 00:09:29.440 And my dad spent my entire adult life or my childhood telling me, son, I'm so excited that we're gonna get to be friends when you're an adult. 00:09:29.519 --> 00:09:34.639 I'm looking forward when we get to be friends when you're an adult because I didn't get a chance to do that with my dad. 00:09:34.799 --> 00:09:36.320 He left, and I'm so excited. 00:09:36.480 --> 00:09:38.559 Your brother and I, we're gonna get to be friends. 00:09:38.720 --> 00:09:45.360 And we had that friendship, but what it did was it created an inherent knowledge in me that I knew my dad loved me. 00:09:45.679 --> 00:09:47.440 Just because of who I was. 00:09:48.080 --> 00:10:04.480 And as a follower of Jesus Christ, when you have given your life to Christ, what happens in your identity as a believer is that you should never again have to question whether God is trustworthy because of the inherent identity in who you are. 00:10:05.120 --> 00:10:17.120 In fact, the scripture says in this chapter that in verse 14, all those led by God's Spirit are God's sons. 00:10:17.440 --> 00:10:28.720 For you do not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received the spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, Abba, Father. 00:10:28.879 --> 00:10:31.279 That is the most intimate, loving name of Father. 00:10:31.360 --> 00:10:40.159 And what he says is, when we are adopted, when we are a child, it is inherent in who we are, the relationship that we have with God the Father. 00:10:40.480 --> 00:10:46.720 The Spirit Himself testifies together with our Spirit that we are God's children. 00:10:46.799 --> 00:10:52.399 And if we are God's children, we are also heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. 00:10:52.639 --> 00:10:54.559 It is inherent in who we are. 00:10:54.799 --> 00:11:05.279 As a believer, as I know him more in my walk, I know more inherently that he is trustworthy in every circumstance. 00:11:05.600 --> 00:11:07.759 It is in my identity as a believer. 00:11:07.919 --> 00:11:09.919 Don't skip over those two words. 00:11:10.159 --> 00:11:18.639 Then he says this we know that all things work together for the good of those who love God. 00:11:19.039 --> 00:11:20.000 For good. 00:11:20.240 --> 00:11:22.480 Now here's what you get out of that. 00:11:22.720 --> 00:11:27.519 First of all, it does not say that God creates all things. 00:11:28.799 --> 00:11:31.919 It doesn't say that he makes everything happen. 00:11:32.639 --> 00:11:39.759 What we know is that God takes the things that do happen and he works them for good. 00:11:40.559 --> 00:11:50.559 In fact, this idea of working together, if you go in the original language, the word there is the word that we get synergy or synergism from. 00:11:50.720 --> 00:11:55.840 And here's what he says: God is so strong and powerful. 00:11:56.080 --> 00:12:01.279 He is omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, he is all-knowing, all-powerful. 00:12:01.440 --> 00:12:03.919 He is everywhere, he is over all those things. 00:12:04.000 --> 00:12:06.639 In church life, we use the word sovereign. 00:12:06.960 --> 00:12:16.159 God is so sovereign, he is over all those things, that what happens is whatever is going on in life, he never wastes that circumstance. 00:12:16.320 --> 00:12:24.799 And he steps in and he puts his hands on it, and then it begins to create a synergy that works for us. 00:12:25.519 --> 00:12:31.679 It doesn't say that all things are good, it says that he works all things for good. 00:12:32.000 --> 00:12:42.480 Now, sometimes if we're looking for encouragement in this verse, we'll say, look, all things work together for good, and we take the idea that it's always going to get better, it's always going to get better, right? 00:12:42.879 --> 00:12:45.279 Well, it doesn't always get better. 00:12:46.000 --> 00:12:49.039 We live in a broken, fallen world. 00:12:49.600 --> 00:12:52.240 Death is a real thing, right? 00:12:52.799 --> 00:12:54.879 And so here's what he says in this chapter. 00:12:55.039 --> 00:13:06.000 If you go back and read in verse 19, for the creation eagerly waits with anticipation for God's sons to be revealed. 00:13:06.240 --> 00:13:21.519 Verse 20, for the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in the hope that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage of corruption into the glorious freedom of God's children. 00:13:21.759 --> 00:13:28.159 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains until now. 00:13:28.399 --> 00:13:29.759 What is he talking about there? 00:13:29.919 --> 00:13:38.159 He's using this illustration that when Adam and Eve sinned, they not just broke the human race, they broke the world that we live in. 00:13:38.399 --> 00:13:46.159 We now live in a world that is broken by sin, tainted by sin, and we walk around in a world of people who have been tainted by sin. 00:13:46.320 --> 00:13:49.840 And because of that, things go wrong. 00:13:50.159 --> 00:13:51.759 They go wrong because of that. 00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:53.440 He uses the illustration. 00:13:53.600 --> 00:13:57.919 It is in this futility, and the creation is groaning. 00:13:58.159 --> 00:14:00.240 Where do storms come from? 00:14:00.720 --> 00:14:04.480 God didn't create the storm that came through here. 00:14:04.879 --> 00:14:11.679 Sin broke the world that we live in, and it is tainted and struggles under moments like that. 00:14:12.320 --> 00:14:29.279 God, what he does is he steps into these moments and he puts his thumbprint on it and he works in the midst of it, and he works to create a synergy between the things that we're going through and his purposes to work them for good in our life. 00:14:29.600 --> 00:14:33.919 This word good, all things work together for the good of those who love God. 00:14:34.080 --> 00:14:36.960 That word good, it doesn't mean comfortable. 00:14:38.000 --> 00:14:43.600 I fully expect I'm going to use the word good tonight a lot of times. 00:14:44.399 --> 00:14:51.120 You're going to bring desserts tonight, and I'm going to walk over and take a bite, and I'm going to go, that is good. 00:14:52.240 --> 00:14:55.919 And somebody's going to bring some pie and I'm going to say, that is really good. 00:14:56.000 --> 00:14:58.399 And somebody's going to make some cake and I'm going to say, that's really good. 00:14:58.480 --> 00:15:04.799 And some of y'all, because you love your church family, you're going to bring homemade ice cream that has peach flavor in it. 00:15:05.279 --> 00:15:07.600 And we're going to go, that is so good. 00:15:08.000 --> 00:15:09.279 Oh, that's good. 00:15:09.600 --> 00:15:10.879 That is not this word. 00:15:11.039 --> 00:15:12.320 That is not this word. 00:15:12.639 --> 00:15:15.600 This word means in a benevolent way. 00:15:15.759 --> 00:15:16.799 It means useful. 00:15:16.960 --> 00:15:18.320 It means productive. 00:15:18.480 --> 00:15:23.279 It means something like the idea, we would say, the greater good. 00:15:24.000 --> 00:15:30.000 It means that he steps into that and he turns it into something that grows us. 00:15:30.159 --> 00:15:31.679 It grows us closer to him. 00:15:31.840 --> 00:15:32.960 It touches our lives. 00:15:33.039 --> 00:15:37.039 It improves our faith and our understanding of who he is. 00:15:37.679 --> 00:15:47.360 And this picture is not that God creates the things that we go through, but he steps into those moments in whatever we're going through. 00:15:47.519 --> 00:15:57.200 And he makes all of them work in his benevolence and his purpose to grow us closer to him, stronger in our faith. 00:15:57.519 --> 00:16:00.399 If you read all throughout Scripture, you'll see a number of times. 00:16:00.639 --> 00:16:02.480 James chapter 1, for example. 00:16:02.799 --> 00:16:06.879 He says, Count it joy when you go through these various trials and tribulations. 00:16:07.039 --> 00:16:07.360 Why? 00:16:07.600 --> 00:16:11.840 Because it works the growth of our patience and our faith. 00:16:12.159 --> 00:16:15.759 God never wastes these circumstances. 00:16:16.080 --> 00:16:22.080 Now just let me just say this for just a moment because it is inherent in this question if I can trust God. 00:16:22.399 --> 00:16:25.759 Listen, God does not make evil. 00:16:26.879 --> 00:16:28.879 He doesn't cause evil. 00:16:29.120 --> 00:16:38.320 In the same chapter of James, chapter 1, the Bible says, God is not tempted by evil, and he literally doesn't even tempt people into evil. 00:16:39.840 --> 00:16:48.960 Evil entered into the world through sin, and it broke the world, and it is in every part and aspect of life, and we walk through all of this. 00:16:49.600 --> 00:16:52.320 But the Bible teaches us that God is good. 00:16:52.879 --> 00:17:04.640 In fact, in John 3.16, one of the verses you've nominated, he says, For God so loved the world that he gave his only son that whosoever believes in him will never perish but have everlasting life. 00:17:04.880 --> 00:17:12.880 That means God did not create people to go to hell, but God created the plan of salvation to redeem people from hell. 00:17:13.119 --> 00:17:22.960 The next verse says, God did not come into the world to condemn the world because the world was condemned already. 00:17:23.200 --> 00:17:26.640 It is the effect of sin that has done that. 00:17:27.039 --> 00:17:35.119 But yet Jesus stepped out of heaven and stepped into life, as the next part of that verse says, but that the world through him might be saved. 00:17:35.359 --> 00:17:46.880 He stepped out of heaven into this world and created the plan of salvation and accomplished the plan of salvation, and he rose again conquering death and sin to offer us salvation and new life. 00:17:48.240 --> 00:17:58.640 And listen if the Holy Spirit speaks to your heart and he calls you to give your life to Jesus, you come and you surrender your life to Jesus. 00:17:58.960 --> 00:18:02.160 He loves you, and that verse is written for you. 00:18:02.720 --> 00:18:08.559 God steps into life and he makes all things work. 00:18:09.119 --> 00:18:12.480 The New American Standard Version makes it clear. 00:18:12.799 --> 00:18:19.279 It says, He causes all things to work for the good of those who love him. 00:18:19.759 --> 00:18:22.480 And so he steps in and he makes them work. 00:18:22.720 --> 00:18:24.319 Here's the next part of this verse. 00:18:24.480 --> 00:18:26.319 And this is important to understand this. 00:18:26.559 --> 00:18:32.319 Those who love God, we know that all things work together for the good of those who love God. 00:18:32.559 --> 00:18:34.799 This verse is written to believers. 00:18:35.119 --> 00:18:42.000 This is helping us understand our position and identity as followers of Jesus Christ. 00:18:42.319 --> 00:18:51.200 This verse is written primarily for us to understand what happened to us by virtue of our salvation and because we are saved. 00:18:51.839 --> 00:18:53.519 This is written to Christians. 00:18:53.680 --> 00:18:58.240 In fact, if you look at this chapter, the entire thing was written to believers. 00:18:58.480 --> 00:19:06.559 Verse 1 of Romans 8 says this therefore, no condemnation now exists for those in Christ Jesus. 00:19:06.799 --> 00:19:11.839 This is written to someone who is a follower of Christ, who has surrendered their life to Christ. 00:19:12.079 --> 00:19:15.759 He then explains how salvation occurs in verse 3. 00:19:15.920 --> 00:19:21.119 What the law could not do, since it was limited by the flesh, God did. 00:19:21.680 --> 00:19:28.319 What he says is he gave us the law in the Old Testament to point out here is the standard of holiness. 00:19:28.880 --> 00:19:36.000 And when we take our lives and we compare it against the Ten Commandments, all of us know that all of us have sinned. 00:19:36.319 --> 00:19:38.319 No one can meet those. 00:19:38.640 --> 00:19:41.279 No one can meet that standard of perfection. 00:19:41.440 --> 00:19:46.960 And in Galatians, Paul says this that the law is a teacher or a schoolmaster. 00:19:47.119 --> 00:19:50.160 It teaches us of our need for salvation. 00:19:50.480 --> 00:19:54.880 And we cannot in our own lives fix what is wrong. 00:19:55.039 --> 00:19:56.799 We can't fix the sin in our lives. 00:19:56.960 --> 00:19:58.559 We can't fix the sin in the world. 00:19:58.720 --> 00:20:00.400 We can't fix any of that. 00:20:00.640 --> 00:20:06.640 The law simply points out that we are sinners and we are under judgment and we need Jesus. 00:20:06.880 --> 00:20:09.119 But in Jesus there is no condemnation. 00:20:09.279 --> 00:20:09.839 Why? 00:20:10.160 --> 00:20:13.279 Because verse 3, what he says, God did. 00:20:13.680 --> 00:20:30.880 He condemned sin in the flesh by sending his own Son in flesh like ours under sin's domain and as a sin offering, in order that the law's requirement for judgment would be accomplished in us who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 00:20:31.039 --> 00:20:36.720 In other words, what he says is Jesus stepped out of heaven to take the full wrath and punishment of God on the cross. 00:20:37.200 --> 00:20:38.720 Jesus would have never died. 00:20:38.880 --> 00:20:48.880 He was never touched by sin, and yet he voluntarily went to the cross, and there he gave his sinless, eternal life as a substitute for ours. 00:20:49.200 --> 00:20:54.079 The Bible says in this very book of Romans, for the wages of sin is death. 00:20:55.920 --> 00:21:06.720 Our sin must be punished eternally because it has been an offense to God, and in his holiness it must be judged. 00:21:07.039 --> 00:21:09.839 Someone has to pay the price for our sin. 00:21:10.079 --> 00:21:18.319 And what it says here is that Jesus stepped out of heaven and he went as a sin offering in order that the law's requirement would be accomplished. 00:21:18.559 --> 00:21:23.920 He went and died so that his death could pay the price for our sin. 00:21:24.640 --> 00:21:33.039 And so now what happens when I trust him as my Savior is I bring him my life and my sin, everything I've been, I am, and I ever will be, and I give it all to Jesus. 00:21:33.200 --> 00:21:36.400 And he pays the price for all of that sin on the cross. 00:21:36.559 --> 00:21:42.160 And because he rose again, offering, conquering death and sin, he offers to us a new life. 00:21:42.240 --> 00:21:44.720 It's a spiritual rebirth. 00:21:44.880 --> 00:21:46.000 We are born again. 00:21:46.160 --> 00:21:50.240 We are made new because of our faith in Jesus Christ. 00:21:50.480 --> 00:21:55.119 And that's why he says, there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. 00:21:55.359 --> 00:21:59.759 And then the Bible tells us at the end of this chapter, Paul says, For I am condemned. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:04.559 Persuaded, I'm convinced it's the same concept as the we know. 00:22:05.039 --> 00:22:28.000 Because of all the things he's taught here, and our adoption as a Son of God and the Holy Spirit speaking to us and bearing witness to our spirit, he says, I know, I'm convinced, I am persuaded, that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, or things that are present, nor things that might come, nor any other created thing can ever separate me from the love of God which is found in Christ Jesus. 00:22:28.400 --> 00:22:34.000 And so it begins with no condemnation and it ends with nothing can ever take it away from you. 00:22:34.319 --> 00:22:35.839 Jesus paid it all. 00:22:36.079 --> 00:22:42.960 And when he paid it all on the cross, and we trust him, we are eternally saved, and we are saved forever. 00:22:43.200 --> 00:22:47.599 We are saved gloriously, eternally, spiritually, and powerfully. 00:22:47.759 --> 00:22:51.039 In this life, this verse becomes ours. 00:22:51.279 --> 00:22:56.720 Our identity becomes, I know that God is with me in all of this. 00:22:57.119 --> 00:23:03.039 I know that I am his, and so I can trust him with everything. 00:23:03.359 --> 00:23:09.359 This verse is written to those who are Christians, who have trusted Christ as their Savior. 00:23:09.680 --> 00:23:16.400 If you have this question this morning, should I trust God as my Lord and Savior? 00:23:16.720 --> 00:23:23.680 Should I surrender my life to Jesus Christ and trust his death, burial, and resurrection to pay the price for our sins? 00:23:23.920 --> 00:23:26.079 The answer to this is yes. 00:23:27.039 --> 00:23:30.880 Come to him, and this promise is yours. 00:23:32.240 --> 00:23:34.960 Then he says this called according to his purpose. 00:23:35.200 --> 00:23:36.960 Called according to his purpose. 00:23:37.279 --> 00:23:40.079 He has a purpose in our lives. 00:23:40.319 --> 00:23:44.640 When you are saved, you have a purpose. 00:23:44.880 --> 00:23:52.960 When he has called you into salvation, he has called you into the transformation process to become like Jesus. 00:23:53.279 --> 00:23:57.440 He is working in your life to change you and transform you. 00:23:57.839 --> 00:24:14.319 And then he is going to transform you, not just for your good, to make you like Jesus, but he is going to transform you for his glory so that you are an example to others around you of the beauty of what happens when you give your life to Christ. 00:24:14.799 --> 00:24:21.359 Because this is written to Christians, this verse of calling, sometimes people get confused with this. 00:24:21.839 --> 00:24:24.319 Here's what this word called means. 00:24:24.480 --> 00:24:29.599 It's a beautiful picture in Scripture, and these are the people who have been saved. 00:24:30.240 --> 00:24:39.680 When you've been saved, you have heard the voice of the Holy Spirit call you, and you have responded, and you are in this position of being a believer. 00:24:39.839 --> 00:24:42.960 You are in this position of having been saved. 00:24:43.200 --> 00:24:50.400 You have an identity that can never be taken away from you, and He has a purpose in your life now. 00:24:50.640 --> 00:24:58.880 You don't just get saved and get fire insurance from hell and don't ever have to worry about that, and then you go off and live your own life doing whatever you want to. 00:24:59.119 --> 00:25:13.119 When he saves you, he steps into your life purposefully with a plan to transform you to be like Christ, to transform you as an example of what happens when God changes the life of a believer. 00:25:13.440 --> 00:25:23.519 He transforms who you are so the people around you can know who Jesus is, so that they can know that Jesus loves them and that salvation is available for them. 00:25:28.319 --> 00:25:36.000 He saves you because he has desires and plans and wants for you. 00:25:36.720 --> 00:25:46.160 In fact, if you read in this chapter again where he talks about adoption and all of that, what he's explaining is that we have this. 00:25:46.720 --> 00:25:48.160 Look in verse 23. 00:25:48.400 --> 00:25:55.279 Not only that, the creation groaning, but we ourselves have the Spirit as the first fruits. 00:25:55.599 --> 00:26:02.960 We groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. 00:26:03.279 --> 00:26:05.359 Now, in this hope we were saved. 00:26:05.519 --> 00:26:10.880 Yet hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he's seen, what he sees? 00:26:11.039 --> 00:26:15.039 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with patience. 00:26:15.200 --> 00:26:16.079 What is he saying? 00:26:16.240 --> 00:26:19.839 He's saying, listen, I was saved as a nine and a half-year-old boy. 00:26:20.079 --> 00:26:21.920 My future was determined. 00:26:22.160 --> 00:26:25.200 No one can ever take me away from the hand of God. 00:26:25.359 --> 00:26:27.440 I will never lose my salvation. 00:26:27.680 --> 00:26:33.519 No one else can affect that, and I can't even mess up so bad that I cause God not to love me anymore. 00:26:33.759 --> 00:26:37.359 I am saved from the bottom of my feet to the top of my head. 00:26:37.519 --> 00:26:43.680 When I got saved at nine and a half, I was saved, and I can always be confident that I will be in heaven forever. 00:26:43.839 --> 00:26:51.119 I am persuaded that neither death nor life or angels or principalities nor powers or things are present, things might come, nor heights them to death, or any other creative thing. 00:26:51.279 --> 00:26:56.400 That verse at the end of the chapter can separate me from the love of God, which is found in Christ Jesus. 00:26:56.640 --> 00:27:02.559 But I'm 58 now, and in that course of almost 50 years, I've messed up a lot of stuff. 00:27:02.640 --> 00:27:03.599 I've learned a lot of stuff. 00:27:03.680 --> 00:27:07.119 I've gone through some difficulties, I've gone through things that are blessing. 00:27:07.200 --> 00:27:09.119 I've gotten to know more things about the Lord. 00:27:09.200 --> 00:27:11.200 I've gotten to know more things about myself. 00:27:11.359 --> 00:27:16.960 There are things I'm grateful that God has changed, and there are things that I wish God would continue to work on and change. 00:27:17.200 --> 00:27:24.240 In that journey, I am looking forward to the day when I will be in heaven and be complete. 00:27:25.359 --> 00:27:32.480 Paul said in Philippians chapter 1, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 00:27:33.519 --> 00:27:38.640 He told the church in Philippi, he said, look, I really want to go to heaven to be with Jesus. 00:27:38.720 --> 00:27:40.160 I'm looking forward to that. 00:27:40.319 --> 00:27:42.240 That's what he's describing here. 00:27:42.480 --> 00:27:47.920 We are hoping for that day when we will see Jesus and will we will be in heaven with him. 00:27:48.240 --> 00:27:51.359 Every Christian should live in light of eternity. 00:27:51.599 --> 00:27:56.079 We should be thinking about what heaven's going to be like and what it's going to be like when we get there. 00:27:56.240 --> 00:27:58.960 And I'm so excited about being with Jesus. 00:27:59.119 --> 00:28:04.559 And I'm so excited when I don't have to struggle with this anymore, and I don't have to struggle with that anymore. 00:28:04.720 --> 00:28:06.960 And I'm looking forward to that heaven. 00:28:07.119 --> 00:28:11.599 But between now and then, God still has purpose in my life. 00:28:11.920 --> 00:28:20.240 I'm hoping for what I have not seen yet, the clear physical presence of Jesus as I'm with him in heaven. 00:28:20.480 --> 00:28:25.599 But that doesn't mean he's not using me now, and it doesn't mean he's not working on me now. 00:28:25.839 --> 00:28:33.039 In this moment, I am waiting for that time when my adoption and salvation is completed in heaven. 00:28:33.200 --> 00:28:36.799 But he doesn't just save me and leave me here to wallow in this stuff. 00:28:36.960 --> 00:28:38.720 There's a purpose. 00:28:39.680 --> 00:28:57.119 We know he causes all things to work together for the good, those who love God, called according to his purpose, to transform me into the image of Jesus, to draw me closer to his person, to make me more like him. 00:28:57.599 --> 00:29:01.920 And then to use me as an example to all the people around me who need Jesus. 00:29:02.079 --> 00:29:07.200 That look, if God can do this in Greg's life, he can do this in your life. 00:29:08.240 --> 00:29:12.079 Now you attach this verse to the next verse. 00:29:12.880 --> 00:29:16.079 Verse 28 attaches to verse 29. 00:29:16.480 --> 00:29:25.440 For those he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that we would be the firstborn among many brothers. 00:29:25.599 --> 00:29:32.079 Now, this is a beautiful picture that speaks to us of the fact that we will never lose our salvation. 00:29:32.319 --> 00:29:39.039 The Bible says very clearly, for those he foreknew, God is infinite. 00:29:39.519 --> 00:29:42.640 As the creator of time, he is above all time. 00:29:43.200 --> 00:29:47.519 God always exists, then, present, and in the future. 00:29:47.680 --> 00:29:51.440 To him, he's always there, and he's always a part of that. 00:29:51.680 --> 00:29:55.759 That's why the Bible says Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 00:29:56.000 --> 00:30:01.599 We spent a couple of weeks ago talking about how Jesus was at the beginning of creation. 00:30:02.079 --> 00:30:04.880 And the Bible says that God sees all those things. 00:30:05.039 --> 00:30:10.640 So when I was made and when he saw me in my life, he knew that he would call me to salvation. 00:30:10.799 --> 00:30:12.880 He knew that I would respond to salvation. 00:30:13.200 --> 00:30:14.559 He just knows that. 00:30:14.880 --> 00:30:16.160 He knows that. 00:30:16.559 --> 00:30:24.480 And because he knows that, and because he knew I would respond to him, he sealed forever that I would be his. 00:30:24.880 --> 00:30:26.640 What the scripture says. 00:30:26.960 --> 00:30:31.119 Predestined to be conformed to the image of his son. 00:30:31.599 --> 00:30:35.279 You see, that's the purpose that he has for us as Christians. 00:30:35.519 --> 00:30:47.759 If you will give your life to Jesus, what will happen is he will step into your life and he will cause to happen this transformation process and continue in your life until he takes you home to be in heaven. 00:30:48.079 --> 00:30:49.759 And you are saved forever. 00:30:50.079 --> 00:30:57.440 A lot of struggles in these verses and a lot of theological issues that people wrestle with and all of that. 00:30:57.680 --> 00:31:05.119 They try to make it determined that somehow God determines who's going to be going to heaven and who's going to be going to hell. 00:31:05.279 --> 00:31:08.160 And I do not believe that's what this verse means. 00:31:09.119 --> 00:31:10.960 Whom he foreknew. 00:31:12.160 --> 00:31:19.359 You see, nobody wakes up and decides, oh, I'm just spiritually adept today. 00:31:19.440 --> 00:31:24.240 And I think, you know, that was really bad what I did with my kids yesterday, or what I did with that deal. 00:31:24.400 --> 00:31:25.839 So I think I need to be saved. 00:31:25.920 --> 00:31:28.000 So I think I'm going to go find me a Savior. 00:31:28.319 --> 00:31:31.680 And we're so smart, we just go out and start finding that. 00:31:31.920 --> 00:31:33.359 That's not what that means. 00:31:33.599 --> 00:31:37.359 Listen, we are called, convicted by the Holy Spirit. 00:31:37.519 --> 00:31:42.160 The Bible says in this very same book, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. 00:31:42.319 --> 00:31:46.960 We hear from the Word of God that Jesus is the plan of salvation. 00:31:47.440 --> 00:31:52.720 It is from the Word of God that we hear that God did what the law could not do. 00:31:52.880 --> 00:32:03.119 It is from the Word of God that we hear that Jesus stepped out of heaven and he was condemned in our place as a sin offering in order that the law's requirement would be accomplished. 00:32:03.279 --> 00:32:10.880 It is the Holy Spirit that takes that scripture and applies it to our lives and talks to us about our heart and our sin. 00:32:11.119 --> 00:32:17.440 If you have any question about the Holy Spirit, whether he talks to hearts or not, listen to what he says in his same chapter. 00:32:17.759 --> 00:32:22.079 The Spirit Himself testifies together within our Spirit. 00:32:22.400 --> 00:32:25.359 The Holy Spirit is a person who speaks to us. 00:32:25.599 --> 00:32:35.279 And if you feel a conviction of your sin, and if you have a question about Jesus and salvation, that is the Holy Spirit at work in your life. 00:32:35.680 --> 00:32:40.079 He is talking to you, He is calling you, He is speaking to you. 00:32:40.319 --> 00:32:46.240 That's not something that you're doing because you're so smart and wise, you figure out you need a salvation. 00:32:46.559 --> 00:32:49.119 No, the Holy Spirit teaches us that. 00:32:49.279 --> 00:32:50.559 And he calls us that. 00:32:50.720 --> 00:32:57.839 And if you are feeling that conviction, I want you to understand that God is speaking to you. 00:32:59.359 --> 00:33:01.759 He is calling you salvation. 00:33:02.559 --> 00:33:06.720 And you are responsible to respond. 00:33:08.240 --> 00:33:09.200 To respond. 00:33:09.440 --> 00:33:13.279 All throughout Scripture, we see choices all throughout Scripture. 00:33:13.440 --> 00:33:15.440 It's a theme throughout Scripture. 00:33:15.759 --> 00:33:17.680 And so you have a choice to make. 00:33:17.920 --> 00:33:23.119 Are you going to try to do your best and fix yourself and make yourself worthy? 00:33:23.279 --> 00:33:25.279 I hear people all the time say this. 00:33:25.440 --> 00:33:26.960