[0:00] Genesis, somebody from Romans. Thank you, Peter. So, Genesis chapter 3, it's on page 5, from verses 8 through to 19.
[0:18] Thanks very much, Chris. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
[0:33] But the Lord God called to the man, Where are you? He answered, I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, so I hid. And he said, Who told you that you were naked?
[0:46] Have you eaten from the tree from which I commanded you not to eat? The man said, The woman you put here with me, she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it. Then the Lord God said to the woman, What is this you have done?
[1:02] The woman said, The serpent deceived me, and I ate. So the Lord God said to the serpent, Because you have done this, cursed are you above all the livestock, and all the wild animals.
[1:15] You will crawl on your belly, and you will eat dust all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.
[1:28] To the woman he said, I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing. With pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.
[1:41] To Adam he said, Because you listened to your wife, and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, you must not eat of it. Cursed is the ground because of you.
[1:52] Through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken.
[2:06] For dust you are, and to dust you will return. Thanks very much. And then if you'd flick over to Romans chapter 8, which is on page 1135.
[2:21] Romans 8, page 1135, starting at verse 17 through to verse 30. Now if we are children, then we are heirs, heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.
[2:39] If indeed we share in his sufferings, in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
[2:51] The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself would be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
[3:11] We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth, right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
[3:27] For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
[3:40] In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.
[3:59] And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
[4:15] And those he predestined, he also called. Those he called, he also justified. Those he justified, he also glorified. Thanks, Peter.
[4:26] Well, we've been looking through the Book of Romans in this last mini-series from chapter 5 through to chapter 8.
[4:55] looking at how we experience the Gospel. And here we see how the Gospel brings hope to our lives. So let's pray together as we look at his Word.
[5:15] Our Father, we thank you so much for your many gifts to us, and we thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit. the Spirit of Christ living within us.
[5:30] And we pray that by your Spirit you would take your Word and make it alive in our own lives. Make it real and make it fresh.
[5:43] may it remind us of the eternal hope and glory that your people have. May it give us courage and strength for this coming week.
[6:00] And may we be people who celebrate all that you have given to us. So please speak to us afresh this morning.
[6:11] In Jesus' name. Amen. Well, who would have thought it? Ireland beating England at cricket.
[6:25] cricket. Hmm? The scenes were quite incredible. Bats were thrown in the air in excitement. The whole team rushed on to embrace each other.
[6:36] The fans cheered in the stands with tears running down their face. You would have thought they'd won the World Cup. Maybe beating England is better than winning the World Cup.
[6:47] I don't know. But every one of those people was a picture of joy and delight as together they celebrated and reveled in their new glory.
[6:59] But before that famous victory there came an awful lot of suffering. The work in the gym. The endless hours of practice.
[7:10] The years of defeat and being written off by the press as losers. Before their victory there was a lot of agony. Before their glory there was a lot of groaning.
[7:26] Now in Romans 8 there's a lot of talk of glory but before we get to the glory there is a lot of groaning. It starts in verse 17 with the promise of glory.
[7:42] Look at the end of verse 17. It says that we may also share in his glory. And the passage that we read finishes with the assurance of glory.
[7:57] Verse 30. Those he justified he also glorified. But between this promise of glory and the assurance of glory in between we have an awful lot of groaning going on.
[8:14] verse 22 tells us that creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth.
[8:25] Verse 23. People are groaning. Not only so but we ourselves groan inwardly. and the spirit groans.
[8:39] Verse 26. We do not know what we ought to pray for but the spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
[8:52] this passage gives us a picture of life showing in detail that Christians are people who are moving from groaning into glory.
[9:07] Now the reason why we're in that position why we're moving from groaning to glory is because we have lost the glory.
[9:19] If you remember from our study last week the first part of Romans 8 reminded us that those who have faith in Christ are supernatural people. The spirit of Christ lives in us empowering us to live the life that God has called us to.
[9:36] But being supernatural people does not mean we are suffering free people. In fact we live in a world where the glory has been lost.
[9:50] Keep your finger in chapter 8 and just go back to chapter 1 of Romans. Verse 22. Chapter 1 verse 22.
[10:05] This is true of all people. Verse 22. Although we claimed to be wise we became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images.
[10:24] So it's telling us that we have exchanged God's glory for an imitation glory. Rather than looking to God for life and meaning and purpose we have looked to idols.
[10:38] We have substituted God with things and people. And the consequences are a complete breakdown in the world's order.
[10:50] Look at verse 28 of chapter 1. God's glory. Furthermore, furthermore, since we did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God he gave us over to a depraved mind to do what ought not to be done.
[11:07] You see, the people in this world do not reflect God's glory. We have distorted God's glory. glory. Everything has become twisted.
[11:19] Go to chapter 3 verse 22. Here was his summary of the way things have gone.
[11:33] The end of verse 22. There is no difference no matter who you are. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
[11:43] it's become unrecognizable. It's broken and twisted and so what we see now in this world is a people who live in a world that suffers and people who suffer and we suffer because we have exchanged God's glory for an imitation glory.
[12:04] But the wonder of the gospel is all about the restoration and the renewal of that glory. The promise and the assurance of a world and a people who will one day experience God's glory in all its fullness.
[12:20] And so with our feet firmly fixed in this life but with our eyes firmly fixed on the life to come he says in chapter 8 verse 18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
[12:47] Compared contrasting what we have today and the glory that is to come it's not worth comparing. Christians are people who are moving from groaning into glory.
[13:04] Well let's see how this is worked out in three stages. Firstly creation groans for glory. All around us we see the signs of a broken and a decaying world.
[13:18] Verse 20 chapter 8 for the creation was subjected to frustration not by its own choice but by the will of the one who subjected it in hope that creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay.
[13:36] The story at the beginning of Genesis in the Garden of Eden we had Adam and Eve where they enjoyed a world which reflected the glory of God. It was full of beauty everything in harmony with its creator there was no death there was no disease there was no decay there was enjoyment with God but then they exchanged God's glory didn't they?
[14:01] They substituted God for things and for people and when that happened the physical world broke. We read in Genesis 3 that God cursed the world.
[14:14] It was not just a cause an effect result but God at work in the world verse 20 for the creation was subjected to frustration not by its own choice but by the will of the one who subjected it and ever since that day we have felt and experiences the consequences and we were reminded of it two weeks ago as an earthquake ripped through Christ Church in New Zealand the plates that moved underground were an outworking of that initial curse God who had frustrated the world we see it in parts of Africa as thousands and millions live with drought some parts of that vast continent haven't seen a raindrop in years some parts in decades the land is barren and cracked dried bones litter the landscape as children die as quick as they are born with no food or water and in contrast in another part of the world in Australia we see it's been submerged through extensive flooding homes towns whole cities destroyed in what seemed like an endless flood and that's not to mention the ongoing cycle of hurricanes and tsunamis and typhoons and other destructive weather patterns the world verse 21 is in bondage to decay the glory has gone and the curse is at work so what are we to make of all of this well all this groaning in the physical world is a sign of the glory that is to come look at verse 22 we know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time now for those who've experienced the maternity ward you'll know that it's a place where we see and perhaps hear a lot of groaning and glory before the glory of holding a newborn baby in your arms comes the groaning and agony of giving birth but it's a pain that is full of hope because you know that at the end of it all you will hold a new life in your arms in the same way the groaning in this world the earthquakes the volcanoes the destructive weather patterns is like birth pains it is all signs of a new and a perfect world to come verse 21 creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of
[17:29] God with every earthquake with every storm with every lightning bolt it's like creation crying out in pain shouting at the world telling us that glory is coming one day there is going to be a world where there will be no more earthquakes no more drought and no more flooding creation is moving progressively from groaning into glory but it's not just creation Christians also groan for glory not just the physical world in which we live but our own bodies suffer as well look at verse 23 not only so but we ourselves who have the first fruits of the spirit groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption of sons the redemption of our bodies it's a reality of life isn't it that the moment we are born we begin to die that is the process of life we don't like to talk about death but it's too real for us to avoid
[18:55] I was reminded of it again this week as I stood with a friend who buried his mum very well before the weekend and then died very suddenly somewhere along the course of life things begin to slow down our vital organs don't function as they should our faculties begin to deteriorate it may happen at birth a rare disease or a syndrome because the genes somehow got twisted it may happen as we grow old aches and pains increase sometimes they go only to return with greater force cancers grow and spread and eventually our physical bodies fail look at what it says in verse 23 we groan inwardly every ache and every pain is a cry and a reminder that our bodies don't work and they don't function the way they should the glory has gone and the curse is at work and what are we to make of all this suffering that so many people have to endure well for the unbeliever the person who is not yet a
[20:21] Christian it's completely hopeless it's just an empty cycle of life we've come from nowhere we're going nowhere and these things just happen but for the Christian it is so much more look at the end of verse 23 as we groan inwardly we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons and the redemption of our bodies yes we know from chapter 8 verse 15 that we have been adopted into God's family yes we have been redeemed but that experience is only partial each aching cry each shout of pain is a groan not just of empty suffering but of anticipation for the day when we will enter into the fullness of our adoption and our redemption our cries and our pain are not empty and hopeless they are cries of expectation for what is to come again look what it says in verse 23 it says we have the first fruits of the spirit the holy spirit in us is a mark it's a sign and a seal on our lives that one day we will experience the redemption of our bodies in all its fullness and completeness look back at verse 11 of chapter 8 here is real hope as we live with our aching and suffering bodies verse 11 if the spirit of him who raised
[22:14] Jesus from the dead is living is living in you he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his spirit who lives in you just as Christ was raised from the dead just as the spirit's power raised Christ so with that same spirit in us we also will rise with a brand new body just like the Lord Jesus with no more disease no more pain no more cancers and no more death look at the end of verse 24 who hopes for what they already have but if we hope for what we do not yet have we wait for it patiently we don't want what we see around us because what's around us is broken it's frail we hope for what is to come for what is to come is eternal this life that we live in is marked not with glory but with a curse and so we wait patiently in expectation and in anticipation of what will be ours one day creation moves from groaning to glory and Christians because we have the spirit within us are moving from groaning to glory glory where the experience of suffering in this world and in our lives has become so intense that we can feel utterly weak and helpless and because of that we discover that the spirit within us also groans for glory look at verse 26 in the same way the spirit helps us in our weakness we do not know what we ought to pray for but the spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express as we journey through life if we haven't yet experienced it we will experience all kinds of suffering it can be an illness it could be the loss of a loved one it could be the extreme poverty the wasted life that we see around our world and at times all of these things can be too much for us it's overwhelming all the suffering in the world we feel broken and we feel defeated the glory has gone and it's like the weight of the curse is crushing down upon us and crushing down upon the world but into our helplessness comes the spirit literally he comes alongside he joins in with our agony and pain that's what's being said here in verse 26 the second part the spirit the spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express he takes our cries and our shouts of pain he makes them his very own and he prays them out to god our helpless
[26:16] and hopeless groans are taken by the spirit and turned into prayer before god he joins with us in our agony and he prays it to our father but what's happening as he prays what's this mystery of this groaning with words that words cannot express what's being achieved in this prayer well look at verse 27 and he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the spirit because the spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with god's will we're told aren't we here that the spirit intercedes for us he prays on our behalf but we also know and we saw this last week that the spirit in us is the spirit of god that's why it says in verse 27 that he knows the mind of the spirit so in effect when the spirit is praying it is god who is praying to god it's not something separate to god it is the spirit of god god himself within us praying to god so it's not just us who feels the weight of the curse it's not just us who feels crushed by the suffering in the world god also groans longing and waiting for the glory to come so these wordless prayers is god within us groaning out to god himself for the fulfillment and the completion of his plan it is god longing for his promised future for he has promised that a day will come when everything will be put right but the prayers that the spirit prays within us is god himself crying out to god longing for the day when christ will come again and renew and restore all things now i don't know about you but when you pray we're always wondering am i praying according to god's will is this what god wants is he going to answer well if god is praying to god for us we can be assured that that prayer will be answered god praying to god for us praying that we will receive and that we will enter into his eternal glory we can't get greater assurance than that so creation groans for glory christians are groaning for glory and god himself within us groans for glory glory if anyone suggested to you a couple of weeks ago that ireland was going to win the cricket against england you would have laughed you probably would have said cricket what's that never heard of it you say it's not possible it's in your dreams for something like that to happen well the suffering that we face in this world can be so heavy that it makes glory seem unreal it makes it seem just not possible our experience in this life of all that goes on it's just a dream the stuff you talk about heaven it can't be true
[30:16] but the gospel doesn't do dreams the gospel isn't about wishful thinking it guarantees and it secures our hope look at verse 29 and as we read these couple of verses look at the unbroken chain that starts in eternity past and goes on to eternity to come from eternity past to eternity to come look at verse 29 for those God foreknew that doesn't mean that he knows about us in the future it means he knew us personally and intimately in eternity past before we were even born God knew us for those God foreknew he also predestined verse 30 those he predestined he also called and those he called he also justified and those he justified he also glorified glorified can you see that unbroken chain from eternity past
[31:30] God foreknew to eternity to come he will glorify God begins the process and God will finish the process and the promise is so sure it is so guaranteed that a future event glory is spoken of as a past event look at the tense of the verb it says glorified it's all past tense so something that we don't yet have he speaks of as if we already have it that is the absolute certainty that the restored glory to come is ours today we don't yet have it in all its fullness and all its completeness but each day little by little we are people who are moving from groaning into glory every day that goes past is not just another day of suffering it is not just another day of living within the curse of this world it is actually a step closer to the glory that is to come let's pray together our father god we thank you for this amazing promise your sure and certain guarantee that your people all those who love you and put their trust in you are heading towards a glorious home a day when creation will be full of glory everything made right no more natural disasters no more droughts and no more famine and your people will no longer ache or struggle for we will receive our brand new bodies living in your new creation and we thank you that this is true that this is sure that this is guaranteed because god by his spirit is living within us praying prayers to god himself that we would receive our eternal glory we thank you for the promise that we have in you and we thank you that that is ours today please give us eyes to keep looking forward and faith to trust you in the midst of our struggles and our suffering in jesus name amen well we're going to try and sing hopefully there'll be no explosions but a celebration as we look forward to the life that is to come as long as we're there'll остан we take another verse start to and氣 has the beautiful and continues through things happening in through the you continue really