[0:00] We welcome you to the media ministry of Bethel Community Church. Knowing Jesus, making Jesus known. What I intend to do is kind of set a different atmosphere or tone today in our message.
[0:20] Maybe it will be refreshing to you. Maybe it will be uplifting. Maybe we as a congregation, the people that are here, will have an opportunity to worship the Lord as I speak and sing a few songs in the middle of the message.
[0:36] So what I intend to do is speak a little bit, sing a song, speak a little bit, sing another song, speak a little bit, and then with two songs.
[0:48] So have a different feel to it. The songs are just not random. I believe that they fit the passage or the things that I might hit on. And so if you want to relax a little bit, let your spirit go a little bit, how do you want to phrase it?
[1:04] You know, dim the lights. You know, like when you go to a Casting Crowns concert or something, you know, interspersed with the songs, they might say something encouraging, and then you sing another song.
[1:17] So that's kind of the tone I'm trying to set. If you have a problem with the way I do it today, that's all right. You've got 98% of the year to take it the other way.
[1:30] Because there's 52 Sundays in the year. This is one out of 50. So this is like, percent-wise, this is 2% of our Sundays, right? Did I get my math right, Kent? Yeah, 98% of the time you can have it the other way.
[1:43] Just saying that up front. I know you guys are flexible. Just don't like change. Hey, that was a joke. I said a joke. What we find in Romans 8, 31 to 39, it's sort of like, my goodness, when you look at the book of Romans, if you could get a softball pitch, this might be it.
[2:06] I heard one preacher say, you know, like, this is an easy pitch to hit, man. That's me saying that. Oh my gosh, Romans 8, 31 to 39. Who wouldn't want those verses?
[2:18] One guy said, when the most familiar verses tend to be the most difficult ones to preach on. You know, I'd listen to a sermon, and I'm like, well, that's a possibility. But the way that it came to me was, I'm going to enjoy these verses.
[2:32] And I'm going to enjoy the position that we have in Christ. And I'm going to enjoy thinking about that. And I'm going to enjoy speaking about it. And I'm going to enjoy singing about it.
[2:42] So you can come along if you want. And that's just, if your week was like most people's weeks, this world is crazy, isn't it? Okay, so I loaned my camper to Teddy and Lydia to go to camp on their way to pick it up at Byerly last Saturday.
[2:58] They have a flat tire on their Honda, so they change that before they leave their house. So they go for a week. They're coming back. Guess what happens? A bearing seizes up on the trailer on Highway 44.
[3:11] People are waving you down, and you've got smoke coming out of your wheel. That's a story I hear in service at Byerly. I don't usually like it to happen to me or someone I know. So the trailer's left on the highway and got it towed in because the bearing seized up, you know.
[3:25] Tow truck driver said, don't you pack your bearings? Like, yeah, they are packed. I don't know what happened. Anyway, that's another story. You know, so that's like how the last week started, last Saturday. Or maybe you got a phone call from the nursing home where your mother's at and said, your mom fell.
[3:42] But she's okay. She kind of just let herself down from holding on to something. She just couldn't hold herself up. Or maybe you found out that your trash provider went out of business, and you've been having trouble with them for six months anyway, you know.
[3:57] Maybe you found out that a septic system you're planning to replace at your house costs $10,000 more than you thought, or that you planned for. Maybe it's three-quarters the price of your first house, you know.
[4:11] You know what I mean? All these things happen every day, every week, don't they? You know, maybe your wife's sick. If you're weak enough, your wife's sick. Maybe your mother, your sister, your mother-in-law, your mom has a brain tumor.
[4:27] I mean, you know, this is the world we live in every day. Maybe you had a miscarriage. Maybe you're on dialysis, you know. Maybe you lost your job.
[4:39] Maybe there's pressure from a job to do certain things that you don't agree with. I mean, all these things, these pressures of life, you know. So, Romans 8, just some quick overviews.
[4:54] Romans 8, 1, there's therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Verse 18, I consider the sufferings of this present time are not to be compared to his coming glory. Romans 8, 31 to 38, here's some key thoughts.
[5:08] It's God who justifies. It's God who perseveres. It's God who keeps. Romans 8, 31 to 32, Jesus died for us. He died for me.
[5:20] Romans 8, 35, what can separate us? Romans 8, 37, we're more than conquerors. Romans 8, 38, 39, nothing can separate us.
[5:33] Let's pray. Father, we thank you for your word. We thank you for this time this morning. May we just be lifted up today from the words and encouragement that you bring us through your word and through song.
[5:46] Amen. You know, the concepts in this section of scripture, who are they dependent on? You know, I said God perseveres. It's not based on me. It's not based on you.
[5:58] It's not based on your performance, is it? It's not based on mine. It's based on the character of God. Nothing can separate us from the love of God because it's based on his eternal character and his eternal love.
[6:13] Not on us at all. Do you ever not feel worthy to receive God's forgiveness? Huh? Who lives there? That's my address.
[6:25] You know, I'm not worthy of God's forgiveness. Over and over again, I fail him. Yet all I hear is his love to me. Come to the cross.
[6:37] Forgive your, confess your sins. You know? Stop. Repent. Turn around. Change your mind. You were never worthy by your own merit.
[6:50] And you will never be by your own merit. Right? You're never going to measure up to God's holy standard. You never did. You never will. And then between new birth and death, translation into heaven, you're going to fail.
[7:05] Constantly. I don't care how old you are. Our eternal security of being kept forever by his love is possible because of the one time sacrifice for sins completed by Jesus Christ.
[7:18] Do you agree with that? Yeah. Of course we do. What does the scripture tell us? For this man, Jesus, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down in the right hand of God.
[7:30] Now he ever lives to make intercession for us. Our salvation is based on Jesus Christ's work, not ourselves. Romans 8.39 teaches us.
[7:41] Since God is one who justifies the sinner, who then can condemn? And since God is the justifier, what can condemn? Is that clear?
[7:53] Yeah. Isn't that great? Romans 3.24. There's one of my... I have several favorite verses. This is one of them in here, Romans 3.26. But 3.24 to 26.
[8:06] Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by his blood through faith to demonstrate his righteousness.
[8:17] Because in his forbearance, God has passed over the sins that were previously committed. And here it is. To demonstrate at the present time his righteousness.
[8:28] This is the one I love. The phrase I love. That he might be just. And the justifier of him who has faith in Jesus. I like that. That puts it all on him.
[8:40] And not on me. John 5.24. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes in him who sent me has everlasting life and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.
[8:55] It's a... When do you transfer from death to life? At belief. Here's an eternal security verse that you probably don't think about. Jude 1.1. Who would turn to Jude for this?
[9:07] You might want to look at this. Open it up. Jude's first couple verses have three points in each verse. And Jude 1.1. Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ and brother James, to those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ.
[9:25] Isn't that cool? He called us, sanctified you, and preserved you. We're going to get ready to sing a song.
[9:37] And just join us with this. And, you know, here's the point. This love has existed from the beginning and still continued.
[9:47] And we're partakers of that love. If you want more references, look at Ephesians 1, 3-14, chapter 2, 1 John 2. Let's go ahead with a song here.
[10:01] And as we're getting ready, I'm going to read a couple verses out of the voice translation. I'm going to read verses 31 to 34. That's it. So what should we say about all this?
[10:14] If God is on our side, then tell me, who shall we fear? If he did not spare his own son, but handed him over on our account, then don't you think that he will graciously give us all things with him?
[10:26] Can anyone be so bold as to level a charge against God's chosen? Especially since God's not guilty verdict is already declared.
[10:38] Who has authority to condemn? Jesus, the anointed who died, but more importantly, conquered death when he was raised to sit at the right hand of God where he pleads on our behalf.
[10:50] Let's sing a song. Before the throne of God above I have a strong and perfect plea The great high priest whose name is love Whoever lives and pleads for me My name is graven on his hands My name is written on his heart I know that while in heaven he stands No tongue can bid me then depart No tongue can bid me then depart
[11:53] When Satan tempts me to despair And tells me of the guilt within Upward I look and see him there Who made an end to all my sin Because the sinless Savior died My sinful soul is counted free For God the just is satisfied To look on him and pardon me Thank you Jesus To look on him and pardon me Behold him there
[13:04] The risen lamb My perfect spotless righteousness The great unchangeable I am The king of glory and of grace One with himself I cannot die My soul is purchased By his blood My life is hid With Christ on high With Christ my Savior and my God One with himself I cannot die My soul is purchased By his blood My life is hid
[14:04] With Christ on high With Christ my Savior and my God With Christ my Savior and my God With Christ my Savior and my God Romans 8.31 It says, What then shall we say to these things If God is for us, who can be against us?
[14:46] William MacDonald's commentary in this verse says If the omnipotent one is working on our behalf No lesser power can defeat his program I like that He continues in his comments on about verse 32 The reasoning is that if God already paid the ultimate price Through Jesus dying on the cross Will he not give us any lesser gift?
[15:12] If he paid so high a price to redeem us Will he let us go? Does that make sense? First reading it might kind of throw you But He paid the ultimate price for your salvation Will he let that go?
[15:30] Is there anything that he would do to let that gift go? You know, does it make sense? Romans 8.33 says Who shall bring a charge against God's elect?
[15:43] It is God who justifies You can look at this as like a courtroom setting Alright Who's going to bring the charge? Who can prove that the eternal God Through his own son's precious blood Redeemed us Has somehow now completely paid the full price For our redemption?
[16:04] Has somehow not completely paid for our redemption Right? I said it wrong I should probably read that over Who can prove that the eternal God Who through his own son's precious blood Redeemed us Has somehow now Not completely paid the full price For our redemption Is there any other unfinished redemptive act That Jesus or the Godhead has to do?
[16:28] It's a rhetorical question No Did you say no? No No one Nothing can bring against a charge Against God's elect Why? The second part of verse 32 Verse 33 Gives the answer What does it say?
[16:46] It is God who justifies It bothers me Another way to translate the Greek phrases here In verse 33 Is to state it as a question Which may imply a stronger statement You know sometimes Who shall lay any to the charge of God's elect?
[17:13] Shall God who justifies? It's another way of stating the same thing The passage implies that there would be a higher degree of absurdity In supposing that the same being would both justify And condemn the same individual The Christian therefore is secure That's pretty cool the way he describes that In verses 35 to 36 Who shall separate from the love of Christ?
[17:45] Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or the sword? As it is written For your sake we are killed all day long We are counted as sheep for the slaughter I found that verse 36 was a struggle Like what is that verse in there for?
[18:08] What does it mean? But I'll just read some notes I have on these verses These verses state That in this life We will have trouble Granted right?
[18:21] If God is love Why do these terrible things happen in our world? Why is there suffering in the world? We would say we live in a fallen world right?
[18:34] Maybe if we change the question We may understand suffering a little better Is God's eternal love for mankind Meant to preserve us in this world? Or the world to come?
[18:48] Did you catch the question? Yeah Is his eternal love demonstrated in the ultimate way In deliverance from the evils in this world? Or the promise to keep us with him forever And not experience hell?
[19:04] What's God's ultimate purpose? When we suffer And we all suffer It does not prove that God does not love us These things These difficulties Are things God is using in our lives The Bible teaches No, through all these things We are more than conquerors God is using them for good in our lives There's another song that we could sing It's called You Hold Me Now I was You can do that That's fine I was wondering Why didn't Paul Give us that list of things That he suffered Right there Doesn't that come to mind When you're reading those verses You know Paul says I shipwrecked three times Beaten Forty less one Left for dead Stoned All these things That had happened to him You know I think you can find that In Corinthians It's interesting I think because Paul didn't want to draw the attention
[20:05] To himself I think he's kind of in Romans Talking about more universal things Than his own life You know When you read it in Corinthians He's talking about them How he gave his life for that church You know And here he's just kind of saying The general condition of man And the sufferings that we go through We could sing this song And we'll move on Amen On that day when I see All that you have for me When I see you face to face They're surrounded by your grace
[21:07] All my fears swept away In the light of your embrace Where your love is all I need And forever I am free Where the streets are made of gold And your presence healed and whole Let the songs of heaven rise to you alone No weeping No hurt or pain No suffering You hold me now You hold me now No darkness No sin calling No hiding You hold me now
[22:09] You hold me now And as life I will stand Know the joy and my pain Knowing there's a greater day There's a hope that never fails Where your name is lifted high And forever praises rise For the glory of your name I'm believing for the day When the wars of violence cease All creation lives in peace All creation lives in peace Let the songs of heaven rise to you alone
[23:10] No weeping No weeping No sick or lame No sick or lame No hiding You hold me now You hold me now No darkness No sick or lame No hiding No hiding You hold me now You hold me now guitar solo
[24:15] For eternity All my heart will give All the glory to me For eternity All my heart will give All the glory to me For eternity All my heart will give All your glory to me No weeping No hurt or pain No suffering You hold me now You hold me now No darkness
[25:19] No sick or lame No hiding You hold me now You hold me now No weeping No hurt or pain No suffering You hold me now You hold me now If you have your Bibles You can turn to Hebrews chapter 10 There's just two verses there Just read them Verse 10 By God's will We have been purified And made holy Once for all Through the sacrifice Of the body Of Jesus the Messiah Verse 14 And by his one perfect sacrifice He made us perfectly holy
[26:21] And complete For all time That is so good Isn't it? It's such a complete Salvation Try something here See if it works What can separate us From the love of God?
[26:44] That neither death Nor life Nor angels Nor principalities Nor powers Nor things present Nor things to come Nor height Nor depth Nor any other creature Shall be able to separate us From the love of God Which is in Christ Jesus Our Lord Thank you Bill Gates Isn't that amazing?
[27:11] Try it Don't try Alexa She doesn't do theology It's true Ask her Ask her She doesn't I don't know why Google On the phone does I don't know I'm going to read Romans 8 31 to 38 Out of the Passion translation I know these aren't Like the King James N.E.S.B.
[27:37] You know I know that It's not I know that this is a Not a Literal translation Okay But it gives us A lot of insight Into the writing And into the tone And feeling of these scriptures So enjoy the The reading of the This passage In the Passion Bible And the title Across the top of it Is the triumph Of God's love So what does all this Mean If God has determined To stand with us Tell me Who then could ever Stand against us For God has proved His love by giving us His greatest treasure The gift of His Son And since God Freely offered Him up As a sacrifice For us all He certainly Won't withhold From us Anything else He has to give Who then would dare To accuse Those whom God
[28:38] Has chosen And loved To be His God Himself Is the judge Who has issued His final verdict Over them Not guilty Who then is left To condemn us Certainly not Jesus the Anointed One For He gave His life for us And even more Than that He has conquered Death and is now Risen, exalted And enthroned By God At His right hand So how could He Possibly condemn us Since He Continually is Praying for our Triumph Who could ever Divorce us From the endless Love of God's Anointed One Absolutely no one For nothing in the Universe has the Power to diminish His love toward us Troubles Pressures Problems Are unable to Become between
[29:38] Us and Heaven's love What about Persecutions Deprivations Or distress Dangers And death Threats No for they Are all Impotent To hinder Omnipotent Love Even though It is written All the day Long we face Death threats For your sake God We are considered To be nothing More than sheep To be slaughtered Yet even in the Midst of all These things We triumph Over them all For God has Made us to be More than conquerors And His Demonstrated love Is our glorious Victory Over everything So now I live With the confidence That there is Nothing in the Universe with the Power to separate Us from God's Love I'm convinced That His love Will triumph Over death Life's troubles Fallen angels Are dark rulers In the heavens There is nothing
[30:39] In our present Or future Circumstances That can weaken His love There is no Power above us Or beneath us No power that Could ever be Found in the Universe that Can distance us From God's Passionate love Which is Lavished upon Us through Our Lord Jesus The anointed That's great Isn't it That's a great Reading of it One thing Before we sing Those last two Songs And lately On a personal Level what I've Been trying to do I don't know How your life's Going lately But I've found That the Crud of life And junk And the world Presses in heavy Sometimes right And I'm finding That I have to Like open my Head up And pour more Stuff in That's godly And more and More By song By word By teaching When I'm Walking Driving in my Car
[31:39] If I can't Sleep at night You know And this is Lately This is something I've been doing Recently And I'm just Trying to Overfill my Head With things Of God By song Listening to Casting Crowns For like a Month now You know And then Find some guys That I like Listening to Online If I can't Sleep during The night Sometimes I Had these There's these Readings you Can put on You know That read Through songs It's just been A different way To approach Daily life And I'm Working through That personally You know It's just Kind of interesting I just encourage You you know Whenever you say Something when you Stand up here You feel like Wayne you're not Going to live up To it Now you're a Hypocrite You know But try to have More of Jesus In your life Try to fill Yourself up With more of Him It's been Really encouraging A couple guys At work Have gotten Saved You know What a Blessing You know And then A guy will Text me Hey listen To this guy Listen to this Song That's cool You know But anyway
[32:40] Let's just Close with a Couple songs And just Enjoy what God's done For us Thank you Everyone electric guitar playing There is love that came for us Humbled you, a sinner's cross
[33:44] You broke my shame and sinfulness You rose again, victorious Faithfulness none can deny Through the storms and through the fire There is truth that sets me free Jesus Christ who lives in me You are stronger, you are stronger Sin is broken, you have saved me
[34:48] It is written, Christ is risen Jesus, you are Lord of all No beginning and no end And you're my hope and my defense You came to see and save the lost You paid it all upon the cross You are stronger, you are stronger Sin is broken, you have saved me
[35:54] It is written, Christ is risen Jesus, you are Lord of all So let your name be lifted higher Be lifted higher Be lifted higher So let your name be lifted higher Be lifted higher
[36:59] You are stronger, you are stronger Sin is broken, you have saved me It is written, Christ is risen Jesus, you are Lord of all Why don't we all stand for this last song?
[37:36] Why don't we all stand for this last song? You are stronger, Lord of all And everyone needs compassion Love that's never failing Let mercy fall on me Everyone needs forgiveness The kindness of a Savior The hope of nations
[38:37] And Savior He can move the mountains My God is mighty to save He is mighty to save Forever Author of salvation He rose and conquered the grave Jesus conquered the grave So take me as you find me All my fears and failures And fail my life again
[39:40] I give my life to follow Everything I believe in And now I surrender I surrender And Savior He can move the mountain And my God is mighty to save He is mighty to save Forever Author of salvation He rose and conquered the grave Jesus conquered the grave Jesus conquered the grave And above the воды It is mighty to save Jesus conquered the grave His name is Kingvik
[40:40] Enix Savior Forever author of salvation He rose and conquered the grave Jesus conquered the grave Shine your light and let the whole world see We're singing for the glory of the risen King Jesus, shine your light and let the whole world see We're singing for the glory of the risen King
[41:48] And Savior, He can move the mountains My God is mighty to save He is mighty to save Forever author of salvation He rose and conquered the grave Jesus conquered the grave Shine your light and let the whole world see We're singing for the glory of the risen King And Jesus, shine your light and let the whole world see We're singing for the glory of the risen King
[42:55] Savior, He can move the mountains Because my God is mighty to save He is mighty to save Forever author of salvation He rose and conquered the grave Jesus conquered the grave One more time And Savior, He can move the mountains My God is mighty to save My God is mighty to save He is mighty to save He is mighty to save Forever author of salvation He rose and conquered the grave Jesus conquered the grave Lord God, He is mighty to save
[43:56] Lord God, thank you so much for this week Where we could just come and remember you this morning And worship you I pray that our worship this week doesn't stop But it continues on every day God, I just pray as my dad said Just that we would just know you more To know Christ more this week And just start with the small things And build up And Lord, I just pray that We would just draw close to you this week And take the things we learned from Romans 8 And apply them to our lives It's in your name we pray Amen Amen Amen