WEBVTT 00:00:00.880 --> 00:00:08.160 Church, we are going through our Advent series, which concludes today, and we're going through Romans chapter 8. 00:00:09.119 --> 00:00:10.720 Romans chapter 8. 00:00:10.960 --> 00:00:16.640 This has been by far for me the most challenging preaching preparation. 00:00:17.280 --> 00:00:29.600 I think we've all mentioned this as we preached the three pastors and how Romans is this kind of pinnacle, if you will, of scripture, and because it just says so much in such a condensed space. 00:00:30.320 --> 00:00:34.240 And every verse, I just feel like I we can preach sermons on this. 00:00:34.320 --> 00:00:35.759 We can do series on these things. 00:00:35.840 --> 00:00:37.679 And we're kind of doing these overviews. 00:00:37.759 --> 00:00:42.479 And so this morning we're going from verse 28 through the rest of the chapter. 00:00:43.119 --> 00:00:49.280 And we've been talking about citizens, as saying citizens of the kingdom of God and what it means to belong to Him. 00:00:49.439 --> 00:00:53.439 Because there's no more condemnation because of what Christ has done for us. 00:00:54.399 --> 00:01:01.039 Talking about how, as citizens, we're to act like the people of God, act like citizens of the king, who belong to the kingdom. 00:01:01.200 --> 00:01:06.879 The way that we go about our life, the way that we do, we're to act like citizens of the kingdom. 00:01:07.599 --> 00:01:11.040 And last week, Ron preached on how we're to be a people of hope. 00:01:11.519 --> 00:01:18.159 To hope in the midst of suffering, in the midst of hardship, we hope because God is sovereign and he's good. 00:01:18.480 --> 00:01:20.400 He is our hope. 00:01:21.040 --> 00:01:26.640 This morning, as citizens of God's kingdom, we are to rest in him. 00:01:27.200 --> 00:01:28.079 We're to rest. 00:01:28.239 --> 00:01:31.680 There's so many things I could have said with these verses. 00:01:32.079 --> 00:01:34.000 So many places to go. 00:01:34.159 --> 00:01:35.840 Good, every one of them good. 00:01:36.319 --> 00:01:46.400 This morning I want to look at this text and it's encouragement for us that we are to rest in Christ's work on the cross for us. 00:01:47.040 --> 00:01:49.280 That it is complete. 00:01:51.040 --> 00:01:55.439 We see how God has achieved this for his people, that we are to rest. 00:01:55.599 --> 00:01:58.159 Now there's different kinds of rest, obviously, right? 00:01:58.319 --> 00:01:59.120 There's different ways. 00:01:59.200 --> 00:02:04.480 There's sleeping, there's lounging, kind of sitting down and relaxing for an afternoon. 00:02:04.560 --> 00:02:05.760 And those are good things. 00:02:05.920 --> 00:02:08.319 It's good to sleep well and take care of your body. 00:02:08.719 --> 00:02:13.520 It's good to kind of sit down and just enjoy conversation or just to rest. 00:02:13.759 --> 00:02:23.039 What a blessing from God that we can rest, that He has modeled that for us, and He's called us to that, to rest physically. 00:02:24.639 --> 00:02:33.360 What God has done for us, what Jesus Christ has done for us, is that we can, he's redeemed us, so we can now rest spiritually. 00:02:34.479 --> 00:02:36.639 We rest in Him. 00:02:37.039 --> 00:02:42.000 This isn't a kind of rest where we just kind of chill out, hey, He's got it taken care of. 00:02:42.240 --> 00:02:51.360 This isn't a kind of rest where we just kind of show up when we need to and we'll just kind of eat and then we'll kind of go home and He's done all the work and we can just kind of enjoy. 00:02:51.439 --> 00:02:54.479 There's no really responsibility or expectation. 00:02:56.000 --> 00:03:00.719 But we're no longer working our way into the family of God. 00:03:00.879 --> 00:03:05.840 We're no longer trying to earn our adoption or our salvation from him. 00:03:06.800 --> 00:03:08.960 We rest in him. 00:03:10.400 --> 00:03:15.599 Read with me God's holy and sacred word. 00:03:16.479 --> 00:03:18.240 Romans 8, 28. 00:03:18.960 --> 00:03:27.840 And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 00:03:28.240 --> 00:03:40.240 For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 00:03:40.639 --> 00:03:52.879 In those whom he predestined, he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. 00:03:53.360 --> 00:03:55.680 What then shall we say to these things? 00:03:55.919 --> 00:03:59.439 If God is for us, who can be against us? 00:04:00.400 --> 00:04:10.719 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? 00:04:11.280 --> 00:04:14.400 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? 00:04:14.639 --> 00:04:16.879 It is God who justifies. 00:04:18.079 --> 00:04:19.839 Who is to condemn? 00:04:20.319 --> 00:04:30.399 Jesus Christ is the one who died, more than that who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 00:04:31.839 --> 00:04:35.120 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? 00:04:35.279 --> 00:04:43.920 Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 00:04:44.639 --> 00:04:49.680 As it is written, for your sake we are being killed all the day long. 00:04:50.319 --> 00:04:53.680 We are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered. 00:04:54.079 --> 00:05:01.199 No in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 00:05:03.120 --> 00:05:30.720 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor heights, nor depths, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus, our Lord. 00:05:31.279 --> 00:05:33.759 This is the word of the Lord. 00:05:35.360 --> 00:05:43.360 Paul's writing to the church, we pick this up in verse 28, and he's mapping out our position as Christians. 00:05:44.399 --> 00:05:49.279 This is as God's people, this is where we're at. 00:05:50.399 --> 00:05:59.199 For those whom he loved, he works all things out for their good. 00:05:59.759 --> 00:06:02.959 Because they're called according to his purposes. 00:06:03.839 --> 00:06:14.800 For those whom he foreknew, he predestined, he called them, us, to be conformed to him, to his image. 00:06:16.240 --> 00:06:25.839 Not to be called just to kind of be good people or be moral people or, you know, you're the people who go to church, you're the Christians because you live in the Western culture, people. 00:06:27.279 --> 00:06:28.800 He's called us. 00:06:29.279 --> 00:06:35.600 The creator of the universe has called us, predestined us, secured us. 00:06:37.360 --> 00:06:39.519 He has justified us. 00:06:40.959 --> 00:06:42.800 He's made us right with God. 00:06:42.959 --> 00:06:45.600 This is the term justification, legal term. 00:06:45.759 --> 00:06:49.439 He's made us in right standing with God. 00:06:50.240 --> 00:06:55.439 Not because of us, not because you're here or you're a good person, you're not. 00:06:56.079 --> 00:06:57.279 God is good. 00:06:59.279 --> 00:07:01.279 God has justified you. 00:07:02.399 --> 00:07:04.800 And he will glorify his people. 00:07:05.040 --> 00:07:08.560 He will finish the work, he will make us holy. 00:07:09.120 --> 00:07:10.639 This is his work to do. 00:07:10.800 --> 00:07:12.399 But this is who we are. 00:07:12.800 --> 00:07:14.160 This is where we stand. 00:07:14.240 --> 00:07:15.360 This is our identity. 00:07:15.519 --> 00:07:20.639 This is our position in life for eternity. 00:07:22.319 --> 00:07:27.839 Last week, when Ron was closing out his sermon, he said, I'm really reluctant to give like application. 00:07:28.399 --> 00:07:34.000 Like, I just want us to read this and feel the weight of it and live as people of hope. 00:07:34.480 --> 00:07:39.040 And I feel similarly, I'm reluctant to expound upon this. 00:07:39.600 --> 00:07:41.279 This is God's work for us. 00:07:41.519 --> 00:07:47.839 He's sovereign over all things, including our salvation. 00:07:48.959 --> 00:07:52.480 He does not leave our salvation up to chance. 00:07:53.279 --> 00:07:55.040 Think about that for a moment. 00:07:55.920 --> 00:07:58.560 What an amazing gift from God. 00:07:58.800 --> 00:08:01.600 He does not leave our salvation up to chance. 00:08:02.000 --> 00:08:05.040 He didn't send his son and say, Well, you know, here's my book. 00:08:05.120 --> 00:08:06.480 I hope you can figure it out. 00:08:06.639 --> 00:08:09.199 I paid an extremely high price for this. 00:08:09.920 --> 00:08:11.759 Hope it works out for you. 00:08:13.439 --> 00:08:16.800 And there are people in life who are good at making decisions. 00:08:16.959 --> 00:08:17.439 You know? 00:08:17.680 --> 00:08:23.040 Maybe you're one of those people, maybe you, maybe you just know those people, but you feel like, you know, I tend to make good decisions. 00:08:23.360 --> 00:08:26.399 I'm successful in my business life or career. 00:08:26.480 --> 00:08:27.920 I've done well in school. 00:08:28.000 --> 00:08:38.240 Uh, I've, you know, these things are going well, I've I've married well, the family's good, like, just in general, not perfect, far from those things, but I'm uh I feel good, like I've made some good decisions. 00:08:39.120 --> 00:08:43.759 And you might feel a little bit confident, like, okay, I think I can navigate this faith thing. 00:08:44.000 --> 00:08:48.159 I think I can kind of figure out what's God want from me, and how can I get that to him? 00:08:48.320 --> 00:08:51.039 And let's just try to make this thing work. 00:08:52.240 --> 00:09:08.080 And it might be true that you've made good decisions in life and you're you have good common sense or you got a lot of street smarts, but left to your own devices, you make terrible decisions. 00:09:08.799 --> 00:09:11.360 Left to your own self. 00:09:11.840 --> 00:09:15.039 You're just you're awful, you're wicked, you're selfish. 00:09:15.200 --> 00:09:16.080 I'm selfish. 00:09:16.240 --> 00:09:17.600 We're wicked people. 00:09:18.080 --> 00:09:25.519 Left to our own to navigate salvation one hundred times out of one hundred, you're going to hell. 00:09:26.320 --> 00:09:27.120 That's it. 00:09:28.480 --> 00:09:34.799 You can't get there, heaven, by just navigating this thing on your own. 00:09:36.720 --> 00:09:44.799 Rather, God has graciously, lovingly said, I will come for you. 00:09:45.440 --> 00:09:48.320 I will come for you and I will redeem you. 00:09:48.559 --> 00:09:49.840 You will be mine. 00:09:50.960 --> 00:09:54.639 He didn't leave it in our hands and say, Man, he figured out. 00:09:55.200 --> 00:09:59.679 He came to rescue, to redeem, and to adopt. 00:10:01.039 --> 00:10:12.399 He came to save us so that we can become like him and worship him forever and glorify him forever and enjoy him forever. 00:10:13.279 --> 00:10:17.840 God is sovereign over our salvation. 00:10:19.840 --> 00:10:29.600 And maybe you're here and you're not a follower of Jesus Christ, and you're you're listening to this, and maybe you think, well, man, my life's been kind of full of trash, or things just haven't gone the way I wanted them to. 00:10:30.399 --> 00:10:34.480 I kind of feel like God's maybe this whole God thing's kind of a scam. 00:10:35.120 --> 00:10:39.519 Why isn't God shown up to save me and do these things for me? 00:10:39.679 --> 00:10:40.559 Where's he at? 00:10:40.799 --> 00:10:41.840 He's coming. 00:10:44.559 --> 00:10:50.320 I just want to encourage you to read God's word. 00:10:53.360 --> 00:10:56.879 He's made clear his way of salvation. 00:10:58.000 --> 00:11:03.200 Repent of your sin, your rebellion to him and follow him. 00:11:04.080 --> 00:11:07.200 Turn away from the things of the world and follow him. 00:11:08.000 --> 00:11:18.960 And if you want that, I mean it's if you want that, if you truly want that, and you repent and you are seeking to follow Jesus, he will save you. 00:11:20.159 --> 00:11:21.840 He will save you. 00:11:23.039 --> 00:11:31.360 Our position as citizens is that we've been saved by God, made holy for God. 00:11:32.799 --> 00:11:34.480 God has done this work. 00:11:34.799 --> 00:11:39.360 We rest in the fact that He has done this work. 00:11:39.840 --> 00:11:42.240 So Paul writes that, and this is where you're at in Christ. 00:11:42.320 --> 00:11:44.159 And then he goes on to clarify this. 00:11:44.399 --> 00:11:46.960 He said, Here's your position, here's some clarification. 00:11:47.200 --> 00:11:48.399 Verse 31. 00:11:49.039 --> 00:11:53.120 What shall we say then to these things? 00:11:53.360 --> 00:11:56.879 If God is for us, who can be against us? 00:11:57.679 --> 00:12:02.639 He who did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all. 00:12:03.679 --> 00:12:08.960 How will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 00:12:09.919 --> 00:12:11.360 What a question. 00:12:11.759 --> 00:12:13.600 What two questions? 00:12:14.320 --> 00:12:16.159 What shall we say to these things? 00:12:17.360 --> 00:12:20.879 If God is for us, who can be against us? 00:12:21.840 --> 00:12:27.039 Paul's question in verse 31, it's not a battle cry to conquer the world. 00:12:27.279 --> 00:12:28.720 Just kind of have our way. 00:12:28.879 --> 00:12:30.559 God's for us, who can be against us? 00:12:30.639 --> 00:12:32.480 Let's just take that thing, let's do this thing. 00:12:32.720 --> 00:12:34.799 We're God's people, no one can stop us. 00:12:36.960 --> 00:12:43.519 But rather, it is a battle cry to obedience and to faithfulness to God. 00:12:45.200 --> 00:12:46.879 What shall we say then? 00:12:47.600 --> 00:12:49.759 Why can we not follow the Lord? 00:12:49.919 --> 00:12:51.519 What's holding us back? 00:12:52.240 --> 00:12:55.519 What things are too big for us to follow the Lord? 00:12:55.759 --> 00:12:59.919 What things stand in our way to keep us from following Him? 00:13:00.559 --> 00:13:06.559 What things are we worried about if He has called us and He's predestined us and He's going to glorify us? 00:13:06.799 --> 00:13:10.000 What is there that's keeping us from following Him? 00:13:11.200 --> 00:13:12.159 Nothing. 00:13:13.039 --> 00:13:14.399 There's nothing. 00:13:14.799 --> 00:13:22.879 Because He who did not spare His own Son removed everything that's holding us to this world and keeping us from God. 00:13:23.039 --> 00:13:32.320 He's removed all those things so that we can walk in obedience to Him because He has saved us. 00:13:34.960 --> 00:13:39.440 It's a very exhausting thing as Christians, or I should say as people. 00:13:39.600 --> 00:13:44.399 It's very exhausting to try to obey God out of our own strength. 00:13:44.799 --> 00:13:56.639 We do this, people do this when it's like, I mean, I'm living, I'm reading my Bible, I'm praying, I'm not watching trash on TV, I'm not cheating on my time card at work, I'm trying to be faithful to my spouse. 00:13:56.799 --> 00:14:01.039 Like, I'm doing the things, why is God's blessing not coming? 00:14:02.080 --> 00:14:05.120 Because you're doing them from the wrong heart. 00:14:05.919 --> 00:14:08.559 You're doing them from the wrong reasons. 00:14:08.799 --> 00:14:16.000 You're trying to muster up some kind of obedience and righteousness out of your own strength for yourself. 00:14:16.320 --> 00:14:22.080 So you can just put yourself in good standing instead of saying, Man, God has given me the strength to obey him. 00:14:22.399 --> 00:14:25.840 God has given me the desire to obey his word. 00:14:26.240 --> 00:14:34.159 May I obey and live in a way that glorifies him, that points to him, that people see him. 00:14:36.080 --> 00:14:38.480 Not just good deeds. 00:14:40.080 --> 00:14:41.840 So Paul clarifies. 00:14:43.840 --> 00:14:46.320 God is sovereign over our salvation. 00:14:46.639 --> 00:15:08.879 He's removed all the things that stand in our way, whether they're in us or in the world, opposition that comes to us, false teachers that come, self, fleshly condemnation that come, all these things, they don't stand up against what God has done for his people. 00:15:09.279 --> 00:15:14.960 And that's what this whole kind of passage is he's saying, this is your position, Christian. 00:15:15.440 --> 00:15:16.720 Let me clarify it. 00:15:16.879 --> 00:15:18.960 Let me show you what that means. 00:15:20.480 --> 00:15:24.559 So this big statement: God's sovereign over our salvation. 00:15:24.799 --> 00:15:25.919 He's in control. 00:15:27.519 --> 00:15:30.000 He will use everything for our good. 00:15:30.240 --> 00:15:30.720 Everything. 00:15:32.159 --> 00:15:33.360 And he's called us. 00:15:33.519 --> 00:15:34.639 He will glorify us. 00:15:34.799 --> 00:15:36.159 He will make us holy. 00:15:38.240 --> 00:15:41.519 This is a good spot to ask ourselves. 00:15:44.799 --> 00:15:47.360 Why do we ever turn to other things? 00:15:48.960 --> 00:15:52.799 We read this verse, verses 28, 29, 30 through 32. 00:15:52.879 --> 00:15:54.480 It's like, man, God's doing all these things. 00:15:55.120 --> 00:15:59.120 All these things he's done for us, this work, who can shall stand against us? 00:15:59.440 --> 00:16:02.480 He didn't spare anything, he came for us. 00:16:04.960 --> 00:16:12.320 Why do we ever turn to other things or people to try and make us happy or satisfy us? 00:16:12.879 --> 00:16:14.399 Why do we do that? 00:16:15.679 --> 00:16:17.360 It doesn't make sense, does it? 00:16:17.679 --> 00:16:27.759 You have perfection, God, creator of the universe, all good things, all things you are made for to enjoy and glorify forever. 00:16:28.799 --> 00:16:33.840 But yet we choose worldly things, broken things. 00:16:34.720 --> 00:16:36.799 Just looking, will this satisfy me? 00:16:36.960 --> 00:16:38.559 Will this make me happy this time? 00:16:38.799 --> 00:16:40.399 I've gone back to this for 40 years. 00:16:40.559 --> 00:16:43.200 Maybe this time it'll finally make me happy. 00:16:44.879 --> 00:16:48.240 We do this because we're sinful. 00:16:48.480 --> 00:16:49.600 We're broken. 00:16:50.639 --> 00:16:52.799 We're prone to wander. 00:16:54.639 --> 00:16:56.159 Prone to foolishness. 00:16:56.320 --> 00:16:58.639 We're prone to leave the God we love. 00:16:58.879 --> 00:17:00.320 It's our sinful nature. 00:17:00.399 --> 00:17:11.200 And we must rebuke ourselves, repent, and turn to Jesus Christ day after day after day, remembering what Romans 8 says about who we are in Christ. 00:17:12.960 --> 00:17:17.359 Who we are, and preaching God's word into our hearts. 00:17:19.440 --> 00:17:25.599 He did not spare his own son, but graciously gave us all things. 00:17:27.279 --> 00:17:38.319 If that statement is true, if Romans 8.32 is true, it should change the way we live in a radical way. 00:17:39.440 --> 00:17:53.759 If this is true, that God did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all, the Father did not spare his son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 00:17:54.640 --> 00:18:00.240 If it's true, brother, sister, it should change the way we live. 00:18:01.359 --> 00:18:12.160 Doesn't mean we're all living in tents or we're all like in a commune, but our priorities, what we do with our time, what we do with our money, it should change all those things. 00:18:13.920 --> 00:18:19.759 So Paul gives us our position, he clarifies our position, and then he kind of lays out this is what it means. 00:18:19.920 --> 00:18:21.119 This is the outflow of that. 00:18:21.440 --> 00:18:23.200 These are the ramifications. 00:18:24.559 --> 00:18:29.039 Verse 33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? 00:18:30.480 --> 00:18:32.720 It is God who justifies. 00:18:34.400 --> 00:18:36.160 Who is to condemn? 00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:45.839 Christ Jesus is the one who died, more than that who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 00:18:47.599 --> 00:18:51.279 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? 00:18:51.599 --> 00:18:57.440 Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or sword? 00:18:58.880 --> 00:19:02.480 And then verse 36 is a quote out of Psalm 144. 00:19:02.720 --> 00:19:05.119 For your sake we are being killed all the day long. 00:19:05.200 --> 00:19:08.240 We are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered. 00:19:08.799 --> 00:19:09.119 No. 00:19:10.240 --> 00:19:15.119 In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 00:19:17.680 --> 00:19:21.680 And just looking at verse 33, 34, 35. 00:19:24.559 --> 00:19:29.039 How many of these things come from the world around us? 00:19:29.440 --> 00:19:30.960 People in our life. 00:19:32.000 --> 00:19:32.640 Man, you're not. 00:19:33.200 --> 00:19:35.680 Did God really say that He really do that? 00:19:38.240 --> 00:19:39.680 Are you really God's people? 00:19:40.240 --> 00:19:40.799 I mean, I don't know. 00:19:41.119 --> 00:19:42.960 Your life kind of looks like it's a mess. 00:19:43.200 --> 00:19:48.480 Most of these things, the questions that come for me come from my own head and my own heart. 00:19:50.640 --> 00:19:56.160 The enemy deceives and he's sowing lies because he'll come to my head and he'll say, Are you really? 00:19:56.480 --> 00:19:58.400 Are you really God's chosen? 00:19:58.559 --> 00:19:59.839 Are you part of God's elect? 00:20:00.240 --> 00:20:01.680 Is that really true? 00:20:02.559 --> 00:20:04.960 He's not the one who justifies. 00:20:05.519 --> 00:20:07.279 He's not the judge. 00:20:09.359 --> 00:20:11.519 It is God who justifies. 00:20:11.759 --> 00:20:13.359 Who is to condemn? 00:20:14.000 --> 00:20:18.640 How many times do we struggle with thoughts of condemnation with ourselves? 00:20:19.759 --> 00:20:26.160 Or we have voices about what other people have said to us, it's kind of haunting us for years and years. 00:20:27.759 --> 00:20:29.920 Is Christ's love really enough? 00:20:32.240 --> 00:20:35.680 I mean, you know, if anyone's going to be condemned, it's probably me. 00:20:37.119 --> 00:20:38.960 But you're not the one who died. 00:20:39.119 --> 00:20:42.400 You're not the one who gave your life on the cross. 00:20:42.960 --> 00:20:46.000 That was Christ's work that he did. 00:20:48.240 --> 00:20:51.119 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? 00:20:53.359 --> 00:20:59.519 You think that you're big enough, you're powerful enough to separate yourself from Christ? 00:21:00.640 --> 00:21:04.640 Sure, you can rebel and you can reject God. 00:21:06.319 --> 00:21:17.119 Once God has redeemed you, He's put a new heart in you, He's put new desires in your heart, He's regenerated you, He's adopted you in you, but atoned for. 00:21:18.319 --> 00:21:22.720 Brother and sister, you cannot reject Him. 00:21:24.559 --> 00:21:26.240 Who shall separate us? 00:21:26.960 --> 00:21:28.799 Your family lineage? 00:21:29.279 --> 00:21:30.799 Your mistakes? 00:21:31.839 --> 00:21:39.119 The bad feelings you have about yourself that you feel not worthy or unworthy, like it's not worth it to God to save me. 00:21:39.839 --> 00:21:43.039 See, all these thoughts that Paul's just bringing this question. 00:21:43.200 --> 00:21:44.000 Who's bringing the charge? 00:21:44.079 --> 00:21:44.720 Who's condemning? 00:21:44.960 --> 00:21:46.319 Who shall separate? 00:21:47.279 --> 00:21:49.200 He's saying, nobody can. 00:21:49.440 --> 00:21:51.200 You can't do it, he can't do it. 00:21:51.359 --> 00:21:52.720 Take your eyes off yourself. 00:21:52.880 --> 00:21:58.960 Look to the king, the one who has redeemed you, who has saved you, who is holding you fast. 00:22:00.960 --> 00:22:03.839 Then he goes in the second part of verse 35. 00:22:04.319 --> 00:22:18.240 Even the things around us, the hard things, tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, sword. 00:22:19.920 --> 00:22:24.000 These are things that for us are unimaginable, most of these. 00:22:24.720 --> 00:22:25.599 A famine? 00:22:26.160 --> 00:22:27.359 Or we're starving to death. 00:22:27.440 --> 00:22:31.279 We're watching our families starve to death, our kids starve to death, nakedness? 00:22:31.440 --> 00:22:35.759 Literally, like we're in such a terrible situation, there aren't even clothes. 00:22:39.039 --> 00:22:40.720 Will that separate you? 00:22:41.200 --> 00:22:41.519 No. 00:22:42.160 --> 00:22:43.839 It will not separate you. 00:22:44.079 --> 00:22:47.359 It never has separated God's people from him. 00:22:49.119 --> 00:22:51.440 They're being killed all day long. 00:22:51.599 --> 00:22:54.160 The church has been persecuted for thousands of years. 00:22:54.400 --> 00:22:57.200 Christians are being killed. 00:22:57.759 --> 00:23:12.640 John Piper takes a stance on this text saying he believes that Christians have been killed every single day since the church began every day. 00:23:12.960 --> 00:23:17.440 Christians martyred, dying for their faith around the world. 00:23:17.759 --> 00:23:19.119 Maybe, maybe not. 00:23:19.359 --> 00:23:27.039 But there's definitely thousands of Christians being killed all over the world throughout our lifetime in this past centuries. 00:23:28.000 --> 00:23:30.480 Does that separate us? 00:23:32.000 --> 00:23:32.319 No. 00:23:33.920 --> 00:23:38.960 In all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 00:23:40.319 --> 00:23:44.880 This word more than conquerors, in the Greek, it means super conquerors. 00:23:45.039 --> 00:23:51.920 We're super conquerors, not in ourselves, not because we're just good, like, hey, I've done my Bible reading plan every day this year. 00:23:52.079 --> 00:23:53.119 That's a wonderful thing. 00:23:53.279 --> 00:23:54.000 Praise the Lord. 00:23:54.160 --> 00:23:54.960 Be disciplined. 00:23:55.119 --> 00:23:55.759 Stay with that. 00:23:55.920 --> 00:23:58.000 You're not a conqueror because of that. 00:23:58.240 --> 00:24:00.960 You're a conqueror because of Jesus Christ. 00:24:01.200 --> 00:24:04.240 So we rest in that. 00:24:05.759 --> 00:24:07.440 We open the word in the morning. 00:24:07.599 --> 00:24:08.400 We pray. 00:24:08.640 --> 00:24:13.440 We pray as families around the table, family devotions, and around meals. 00:24:14.559 --> 00:24:18.319 Because what Christ has done for us. 00:24:18.960 --> 00:24:21.119 Because He has done it. 00:24:21.440 --> 00:24:29.440 And the natural outflow of that is obedience and joy in living as people. 00:24:29.599 --> 00:24:34.079 Although we might be starving, although we might be dying. 00:24:35.279 --> 00:24:36.640 We're in distress. 00:24:37.279 --> 00:24:40.720 We're more than conquerors in Him. 00:24:42.240 --> 00:24:53.119 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor heights, nor depths, nor anything else in all creation. 00:24:54.559 --> 00:24:56.640 Paul's covering the basis here. 00:24:56.960 --> 00:25:05.839 There is nothing that will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus, our Lord. 00:25:07.359 --> 00:25:14.720 He doesn't say there's nothing that's going to separate you if you, you know, just kind of believe in God and have a Bible in your home. 00:25:15.279 --> 00:25:20.799 He doesn't say, listen, nothing can separate you as long as you kind of just are a good person. 00:25:21.440 --> 00:25:25.359 Or if you attend a good church and tithe. 00:25:25.680 --> 00:25:31.200 He's saying, nothing will separate you from the love of Jesus Christ, our Lord. 00:25:31.359 --> 00:25:35.519 For those who call upon Jesus as their Lord. 00:25:35.839 --> 00:25:40.000 For those whom He has redeemed, He's making new. 00:25:40.160 --> 00:25:44.079 For those who are followers of Him. 00:25:47.359 --> 00:25:49.920 So you read a passage like this, all these things. 00:25:50.000 --> 00:25:54.000 I mean, it's just like, how do you even handle these things? 00:25:55.200 --> 00:25:56.559 Who shall bring any charge? 00:25:56.640 --> 00:25:57.519 Who is to condemn? 00:25:57.599 --> 00:25:58.880 What shall separate us? 00:25:59.039 --> 00:25:59.759 Nothing. 00:26:00.079 --> 00:26:04.880 Death nor life nor angels or rulers or things present, heights, death, nothing. 00:26:05.920 --> 00:26:09.759 Because God has called us and He's provided for us all things. 00:26:10.640 --> 00:26:12.079 You read that. 00:26:14.319 --> 00:26:17.039 What does that do to your heart? 00:26:18.480 --> 00:26:19.920 What does it do to your heart? 00:26:20.960 --> 00:26:23.200 You have read it maybe dozens of times. 00:26:24.240 --> 00:26:25.920 And so it's kind of old news. 00:26:26.000 --> 00:26:26.799 It's good news. 00:26:27.039 --> 00:26:28.319 It's good news. 00:26:28.559 --> 00:26:30.079 But it's kind of old news. 00:26:31.680 --> 00:26:32.799 Can you believe it? 00:26:37.359 --> 00:26:42.480 Does it create in you a sense of complacency? 00:26:42.960 --> 00:26:44.400 Well, he's done it. 00:26:45.200 --> 00:26:45.920 Praise the Lord. 00:26:46.000 --> 00:26:48.240 Like genuinely, praise God he's done it. 00:26:48.640 --> 00:26:49.440 I can rest. 00:26:49.599 --> 00:26:55.359 I'm just gonna rest by the kind of being to myself, not really worried about my neighbor. 00:26:55.440 --> 00:26:59.200 Like, you know, I care about people, but I'm trying to keep my world kind of contained. 00:26:59.279 --> 00:27:02.559 I'm trying to play things safe. 00:27:04.400 --> 00:27:09.519 You read a passage like that and you think, man, I just don't know. 00:27:09.680 --> 00:27:10.400 I just don't know. 00:27:10.559 --> 00:27:12.079 Is this is this really it? 00:27:12.240 --> 00:27:15.440 Like, does God really mean this when he says this? 00:27:18.960 --> 00:27:25.200 Do you feel a desire to, does it create a desire to be bold and to walk in your faith? 00:27:25.839 --> 00:27:29.119 Even in hard and uncomfortable situations? 00:27:31.599 --> 00:27:39.759 Do you feel strengthened to live a life that is to the world foolishness, but to God is obedience and faithfulness? 00:27:40.799 --> 00:27:43.519 What's a passage like this do to your heart? 00:27:43.680 --> 00:27:48.960 Do you feel the weight of sin and shame in your life kind of piling in? 00:27:49.359 --> 00:27:51.279 Are there things that haunt you? 00:27:53.599 --> 00:27:57.119 Do those things come to mind when you start to kind of size this up? 00:27:58.559 --> 00:28:02.640 It's like, well, man, the things I've done in life are pretty pretty big mistakes. 00:28:02.799 --> 00:28:03.839 Lots of sin. 00:28:04.720 --> 00:28:06.720 Can God really forgive that? 00:28:08.240 --> 00:28:17.599 One of the reasons I love Romans 8 is because it's like God says, test me. 00:28:18.960 --> 00:28:19.920 Test me. 00:28:20.559 --> 00:28:25.119 Not like an angsty way, but you can trust me. 00:28:25.440 --> 00:28:26.160 Test me. 00:28:26.480 --> 00:28:27.680 You can trust me. 00:28:28.000 --> 00:28:28.799 Test me. 00:28:29.279 --> 00:28:31.279 I am true to my word. 00:28:31.680 --> 00:28:32.799 I will forgive you. 00:28:33.039 --> 00:28:34.160 I will do it. 00:28:34.400 --> 00:28:35.680 I can redeem you. 00:28:35.920 --> 00:28:36.880 I will do it. 00:28:37.119 --> 00:28:40.400 I can make you hate sin and love righteousness. 00:28:41.039 --> 00:28:42.640 I can do these things. 00:28:42.960 --> 00:28:43.839 Test me. 00:28:44.319 --> 00:28:51.680 I will prove myself to you because I've proven myself before and again and again and again. 00:28:52.400 --> 00:28:54.000 Test my love. 00:28:54.720 --> 00:28:57.599 Test my grace and my mercy for you. 00:28:57.759 --> 00:28:59.039 It will not fail. 00:28:59.279 --> 00:29:02.640 It will not return empty or void. 00:29:03.920 --> 00:29:05.519 For I am God. 00:29:06.799 --> 00:29:09.680 He lays this out for us in Romans 8. 00:29:11.119 --> 00:29:12.079 Test my love. 00:29:12.240 --> 00:29:13.279 Test my sovereignty. 00:29:13.440 --> 00:29:14.480 Test my goodness. 00:29:14.720 --> 00:29:16.000 It is true. 00:29:17.359 --> 00:29:19.680 Nothing can separate us. 00:29:19.920 --> 00:29:23.519 Nothing can undo the work that God has done. 00:29:24.799 --> 00:29:28.880 There is no one greater, and there is nothing more powerful. 00:29:29.279 --> 00:29:32.480 And he will show his people his love. 00:29:33.519 --> 00:29:35.440 He has come for us. 00:29:37.359 --> 00:29:38.960 He will come again. 00:29:39.680 --> 00:29:44.480 He will never leave us or forsake us. 00:29:46.640 --> 00:29:49.599 Christ has come bringing salvation to all people. 00:29:50.720 --> 00:29:56.480 He's building his church, and he will return for his church, his bride. 00:29:56.720 --> 00:30:02.000 And as we wait for Christ's return, we do so resting in him. 00:30:02.559 --> 00:30:23.759 We do so pouring out our lives, being spent to love God and to love others, love our neighbors, sharing the gospel, showing others grace and mercy and truth, helping those in need, speaking the truth, standing up for righteousness, showing great kindness. 00:30:24.880 --> 00:30:29.839 So we can kind of pat ourselves on the back and feel good about ourselves. 00:30:30.160 --> 00:30:35.279 But rather so we can obey God, give him glory. 00:30:36.000 --> 00:30:43.119 For in that, in our obedience to him is rest. 00:30:44.400 --> 00:30:46.640 And in that is joy. 00:30:47.039 --> 00:30:50.960 And in that obedience is hope. 00:30:51.279 --> 00:30:52.480 We belong to him. 00:30:52.880 --> 00:30:56.400 There's no condemnation for those who are in Christ. 00:30:56.720 --> 00:30:59.359 We act like him as his people. 00:30:59.680 --> 00:31:03.119 We hope in him and we rest in him. 00:31:03.680 --> 00:31:04.720 Let's pray.