I've grown up every summer going to a house on the shore of Lake Erie that my mom grew
up in. We go there for vacation, learn how to sail, sunfish there, play in the sand, swim, all sorts of
wonderful things. I have a very vivid memory one day. My two brothers and I took out our old, and if you
know anything about boats, slightly leaky and fairly rickety sunfish. Three of us on a slightly
waterlogged boat with a rudder that kept popping out if you pushed it too hard against the waves
of the wind and the pressure. We decided to take this boat out on a quite windy day where the breakers
were breaking over the sandbar, and as we headed out in the southeasterly direction with the southwest
wind blowing us this way, we set a course, and if you head out, the first thing you need to do is to
get enough momentum to turn the boat and get back into the bay. We lived in a bay that sort of circled
around like this, and if we didn't get back into the bay, we'd get pushed out over the reef and out
into the lake. Well, hard over, the winds are pushing this way. The waves are pushing this way.
The rudder kept popping out every time. We couldn't come about. My brother even jumped off the boat and
tried to swim the bow of the boat out to the right direction. Eventually, we gave up, and as we sang,
we all live in this yellow submarine, we headed out into the eastern end of Lake Erie, and if you know
anything about the geography of Lake Erie, it dumps itself into the Niagara River, which is one of the
strongest currents in the world and ends in Niagara Falls, which is a lovely place to be, but not on a
sailboat. All of our strategies in the face of winds and waves had failed. We had no way to help ourselves,
and we are headed out to sea, so to speak, uncertain as to how it would turn out, or how we would be saved.
I think many of you have experienced times in your life when you have faced things that are
overwhelming, when you don't know what to do anymore, when all of your strategies have failed,
failed, and where you wonder where your help is going to come from.
It might be in your studies, as you face the overwhelming amount of work, and your inability
to actually accomplish it and complete it. It may be in your marriages, as you see the path ahead
only being full of briars and thorns and darkness. It may be when the bottom falls out in your life,
and you lose your job, and you lose your home.
It may be that the relationships you've leaned on suddenly disappear.
In the face of trials, in the face of suffering, in the face of life in a fallen world,
we feel often overwhelmed, alone, and helpless.
So where do we turn?
We read Psalm 121.
This is what the psalmist asks.
Where does my help come from?
That's what we're going to talk about this morning.
And as we talk about it, I want to say this.
It is a weighty thing for us to talk about.
We are delving into the depths, yes, of theology, but even more of the depths of our experience
of God and the reality of the gospel at work in our lives.
It is a privilege, and I know I speak for Greg and for Nick, it is a privilege as our pastors
to walk with you and know many of you are facing situations like this even now.
And we hope, because this passage points us to a place of hope this morning.
We're in Romans chapter 8.
I forgot to write down the number.
Anyone?
It's in the bulletin.
I heard lots of murmurs and no number.
It's in the bulletin.
So, Romans chapter 8.
We're going to continue in our series as we've looked on this.
But the fundamental message of this passage that we're going to look at this morning is this.
God is with you to help you.
It's not very complicated.
I hope it will be meaningful as we explore this passage together.
So, let's read Romans.
We're going to start all the way back in verse 16 of Romans 8 in order to get the run-up.
We're going to be focusing particularly on verses 26 and 27 this morning.
So, let's read and look together.
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God and if children,
then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.
For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it,
in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption
and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.
And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruit of the Spirit,
grown inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
For in this hope we are saved.
Not now.
Hope that is seen is not hope.
For who hopes in what he sees?
But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.
For we do not know what to pray for as we ought.
But the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit
because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
Let's pray together.
Lord, we thank you for your word.
And we thank you that it is not just advice, not just information.
But Lord, in your word.
Lord, you point us to life and hope in you.
And you point us most of all to yourself.
Who you are and what you have done for us in Christ.
And Lord, as we look at this passage this morning, I pray that you would help us to see and to know and to have confidence
that you are God who helps.
Lord, that you have not left us abandoned or alone or without help.
But Lord, you are with us to help us.
Lord, I pray that you would, by your Spirit, work in us this morning for your glory,
for your namesake, and for our good.
Lord, we pray these things in Jesus' name.
Amen.
The context of this passage, as we've read it, I want to just run you quickly through the flow of thought
so that we see where we're coming.
Because these verses, 26 and 27, that we're looking at this morning,
it'd be very easy to take out of context.
In fact, many times in the church, they have been taken as an isolated unit
and then taken in all sorts of interesting directions, interpretively.
And so, I want to ground it in the argument.
Paul has said, going all the way back to verse 16,
you are, for those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ,
you are now children of God.
He has declared it and he has made you so.
And therefore, as you face sufferings in this world, right?
Verse 17 and following.
As you face sufferings, you have recognized that these sufferings,
as great as they actually are, are not worth comparing
to the salvation and the glory that results from it
that is for all who have placed their faith in Christ.
And he says, he goes on, he says,
for creation was subject to the futility of corruption.
That is, the fall of humanity has corrupted everything.
So, we live in this place that's so hard to live in.
And in fact, we ourselves groan, longing for this fullness of redemption
because we know in ourselves we are not yet what we could be
and what we ought to be.
And we struggle and we groan in this gap between what is now
and what has been promised, the reality of our present sufferings
and the glory, the beauty of this future that God has accomplished for us
and awaits us in Christ.
And this is the hope that sustains us.
And then we come to verse 26 and he says,
likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.
And then he explains why.
He explains how it is that the Spirit helps us in our weakness
just as this future glory gives us strength to persevere in our present suffering.
Likewise, the Spirit helps us.
How is it that the Spirit helps us?
Look again at verse 26.
First of all, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.
What is this weakness?
I hardly feel like I need to say anything about this.
But let's just explore it for a minute.
Do you know your weakness?
Do you know that you live in a fallen world
where it's not going to be as it should be?
Do you understand that your inability to perfectly manage your life,
to perfectly live a life of righteousness,
to perfectly respond to trials and to the fallenness of the world,
do you understand this is what Paul is saying in your weakness?
All of us suffer from this weakness.
Paul is saying, I get it.
All of you are experiencing these things in various ways.
And just as Nick talked about two weeks ago,
and so we experience the painfulness like the pain of childbirth.
And friends, it goes on for this life,
because the childbirth now is producing the glory later.
So we suffer these trials.
If you haven't been here the last couple of weeks
and heard Nick and Greg expound 18 through 25,
go back and listen to them.
I don't want to re-preach their sermons,
but they did a beautiful job in explaining and digging into
what is it about life in this fallen world that's so profound.
Go back and listen to them if you're wondering how to connect to that.
So first, Paul says,
the Spirit helps us in our weakness,
and that weakness is connecting to the groaning,
the groaning of creation,
and the groaning of the children of God,
as we long for what is not yet,
and look forward to it.
But then he goes on and he says,
specifically, we have a particular kind of weakness, right?
Look at verse 26 again, the second half.
For we do not know how to pray as we ought.
And this is particularly about life in between the now and the not yet.
When you are suffering, what do you pray for?
Do you pray for relief that God would take the trial away?
Or do you pray for sustaining grace,
that God will carry you through this without removing it?
Friends, if you feel confused about that,
welcome to the club.
The Apostle Paul thought that.
In Philippians 1, he says,
well, I long to go and to be with Christ,
but I think it's better for me to stay and be with you.
But he felt the pull and the tug.
Now, Paul seems to have resolved it there,
but think about other places.
In Acts 16, he wants to go over here
to Bithynia to preach the gospel,
and God says,
no, that's not the right thing to go.
I want to take you over to Macedonia.
Or think about 2 Corinthians 12.
Paul's suffering.
Whatever his thorn of the flesh is,
it is suffering for him.
And he pleads,
Lord, take it away.
Three times,
Lord, take it away.
The Lord says,
no.
See, you don't know how to pray as you ought.
My grace is sufficient for you.
My power is made perfect in your weakness.
Preacher Charles Spurgeon
talks about the confusion of our prayer in this way.
How can I pray?
My mind wanders.
I chatter like a crane.
I roar like a beast in pain.
I moan in the brokenness of my heart,
but oh my God,
I know not what is my inmost spirit,
what it is my inmost spirit needs.
Or if I know it,
I know not how to frame my petitioner right before you.
I know not how to open my lips
in your majestic presence.
I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
My spiritual distress robs me of the power
to pour out my heart before my God.
Friends, if you haven't faced this confusion yet,
you will.
And if you think that your prayer life
needs to be encompassed by
theologically precise,
carefully crafted,
beautifully articulate prayers,
let the scriptures correct you.
You don't know how to pray as you ought.
And when you're pushed
in the face of suffering and trial,
you will get there and you will know.
But the passage goes on.
He says,
the Spirit helps us.
Even though we are in this place of weakness,
even though we don't know how to pray,
the Spirit is there.
And He has come to help us, right?
Look at the second half of 26.
The Spirit Himself intercedes for us
with groanings too deep for words.
Now, the commentators have spilled more ink
than I have time to even repeat this morning
about what all of this actually means.
I'm going to cut to the chase.
If you want to talk to me about it afterwards,
you can ask me all of your questions.
But I think the clearest meaning of this
is that the Spirit,
because He dwells within us,
which we've already learned earlier in Romans 9-11,
because the Spirit dwells within us,
He is writing on our hearts
and working in our groanings
to God that are inarticulate.
He is writing on our hearts
these longings and desires
that we cannot put into words.
And as then we groan these things towards God,
He takes them to the Lord.
We'll see that in the next verse a little bit more.
But here, I think the clearest sense
is that His intercession is not for us,
like He is standing between us and God
and telling to God what we can't articulate,
but in fact He is working in us
and through us
these groanings,
these expressions of longing.
And somehow, in the mystery of the fact
that God Himself dwells within us,
in the place of our greatest trial,
where the greatest pressure is,
God tells us the Spirit is there working.
I am with you.
John Piper says this,
one of the reasons this matters so much
is that it means that in the very moment
of some of our deepest frustrations,
our groanings are the very work
of God's Spirit for us
and not against us.
Remember, Paul is helping us
to endure the suffering and futility
and decay and the groaning of this world.
That is the point of all of these verses.
And here, he encourages us
by saying that our weakness in this world
will always include some ignorance
about what the will of God is
and how to pray.
And in that ignorance,
to know that God is with us
in the middle of it.
So friends,
when you face those overwhelming circumstances,
when you feel like
you've been abandoned
and are alone
and there's no help,
the Spirit helps you
in your weakness.
The Spirit helps me
in our weakness
with these groanings
that He writes on our hearts.
There's a place in Branford,
I can't remember what it's called,
it might just be called
the Trolley Trail
or something like that.
Some of you may be familiar with it.
You get there
by going out to Stony Creek.
But there's a trail out there
where you can walk
on what used to be
a railroad track.
And in the last couple of years,
that has been,
for me,
a place
where I go
and groan.
Drop the kids off to school,
head on out,
grab a cup of coffee
along the way,
and then I walk.
And often I would walk
in the sunshine,
sometimes I'd walk
in the cold of the winter.
And I often didn't have words
to pray.
I often didn't know
what to say
or what to ask for.
Feelings,
the groanings,
the longings
that spilled out of my heart
as I walked,
sometimes with tears
of pain
or of grief,
sometimes of longing,
expressing my longing
for God
and for His kingdom
and His will,
sometimes for help
and for healing.
sometimes the old
Episcopalian liturgy
that I learned
way back when,
Lord,
have mercy.
Christ,
have mercy.
Lord,
have mercy.
I think that's
as articulate
as I got
a lot of the time.
In these times
when it often felt
like God was far off
and I cried,
where are you?
I was reminded
by this passage
and others.
The Spirit
is with me.
The Spirit
was with me.
The Spirit
will be with me.
And these groanings
and these times,
He's helping.
maybe you've been there.
Maybe you haven't
been there yet.
Jesus did promise us
in this world
you will have tribulation.
I doubt
that you will make it
through this life
without a moment
where you will face
this kind of
depth.
death.
And I hope
that this verse,
this passage
will be an anchor
for your soul
at that time.
That you will cling
to this and say
I am not abandoned
and I am not alone.
And even though
I don't even know
what to say,
God is with me.
He's my help.
I do want to say this,
friends.
This is for those
who have the Spirit
of God.
That is for those
who have believed
in Christ Jesus.
And if you're here
this morning
and you are facing
deep waters
and great storms
and you are looking
for help,
friends,
the help is there
but it comes
first of all
by looking
at the foot of,
by standing
at the foot
of the cross,
by looking
at Jesus
who in his
sufferings
for us,
for our sin
cried out,
my God,
why have you
forsaken me?
He who
interceded
for us
and entered
in with us
in our sin
so that we
might be forgiven,
so that we
might have
new life,
so that we
might be
restored
in a relationship
to God.
I hope
this morning
that in the
midst of your
storm
and in the
midst of your
pain,
you hear
the invitation.
The Lord
says,
come,
come to me
and abandon
yourself to me
and my salvation.
Trust in Christ,
receive my spirit
and I will be
your help.
And if you're
here this morning
and you have
placed your faith
in Christ,
then that help
is there,
right there
for you.
Remember this
and have hope.
our hope.
But the spirit
not only helps
us by standing
with us
in the middle
of suffering,
but verse 27
tells us
that there's
more than that.
Verse 27
says that
the spirit
stands for
us
and that
in his work
he is bringing
about God's
perfect
and best
will
for our
lives.
so let's look at verse 27 we want to read it again it's not a simple passage and not a simple verse
he says and he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the spirit because the spirit
intercedes for the saints according to the will of God
what does this mean let's try to take it apart a little bit so that we know first of all who is
he who searches our hearts friends this is God the father you can look throughout scripture this is
the description of God the father the one who knows the thoughts and intentions of our hearts
God the father is searching our hearts the depths he's he is looking into the depths of the groaning
that we are bringing before him that does not have articulation that does not have words
to capture it God is searching our hearts and he knows the mind of Christ
and if I understand this rightly this is not the mind of Christ that we saw back in
verses six and seven which is contrasted with the mind of the flesh that's in rebellion against God
this is God knows what the spirit is doing as he is writing on our hearts these groans and these cries
that we cannot articulate
God knows what the spirit is doing through us
and as the spirit is working through us with these groans of prayer where we cry out to the Lord
God the father is looking in that and he knows
how to respond
because he knows the mind of the spirit
because the mind of the spirit knows our perfect knows God's perfect will for us
there is this beautiful convergence
of the three persons of the trinity in us
Christ is assumed
God the father looks into the groanings of our hearts
he sees what the spirit is writing on our hearts
to accomplish the perfect will of God
which we will see in this whole chapter of Romans 8
is about us being conformed to the image of Christ
and living out the salvation that he has accomplished in Christ for us
this is a beautiful thing
it is not an easy thing for us to wrap our minds around
let me read another commentator who tries to elucidate exactly what's going on here
as God searches the heart of the children of God
he finds unuttered and unutterable groanings
though they are thus inarticulate
there is a meaning and intent that cannot escape
the omniscient eye of God
that is they are wholly intelligible to him
and furthermore
they are found to be in accordance with his will
they agree with his will
because though surpassing our understanding
and ability to articulate
they are written by the Holy Spirit
and are the ways in which the Holy Spirit's intercession
comes to expression
in us consciously
and since they are the intercessions of the Holy Spirit for us
they always meet with understanding and approval
God is for you in a profound way
and the Holy Spirit is now interceding
his writing on our hearts
bringing the will of God
to bear on this unutterable groaning that we have
gives us this
absolutely unshakable confidence
that God will do
what is good and right
in our lives
in the face of the biggest storm
we have one who is interceding for us
doing things that we cannot do for ourselves
so that God's good would be done in our lives
stealing an illustration from Spurgeon
it's like we are poor
uneducated people
who are being sued
by unscrupulous people
by an unscrupulous man
who wants to take all of our land
and all of our property away
and we don't know what to say
we don't know how to fight this charge
we know that it's come to us
and we feel ourselves completely unable
to defend ourselves in court
against these accusations
and then
one of the great lawyers of the land
comes and says
I will take up your case
I understand the law
I understand the matters
and the means
that
of what's going on here
and I will give you words
I will allow you to
I will give you the ability
to plead your case
I will intercede for you
and I will defend you
and I will stand for you
and I will accomplish
what is right
in this circumstance
we who are helpless
then have one
an advocate
who comes alongside of us
and is able to do
all the things
that we aren't able to do
so that what may be right
in our lives
would actually be the outcome
it's always humbling
to have an illustration like that
because we have to admit
that we are poor
and we are inarticulate
and we are unable
takes humility for us
to know how desperately
we need this help
but what this passage tells us
is that that help
is the best help
you could ever have
Spurgeon ends this illustration
by saying
how happy are you and I
that we have the Holy Spirit
to be our counselor
to be our advocate
because when the Holy Spirit
intercedes for us
as he is standing for us
before God
and speaking through us
these words to God the Father
who receives them
and approves them
and will accomplish them
because they are according to his will
it means that
even though our circumstances
suggest
that God's will
is not being done
when we suffer
when we face trials
and we think
God
can this really be your will
this is so hard
this is too hard God
I cannot bear this
can this really be
what you want to do
God comes and says
yes
I am working out
my perfect will
for you
look at
look with me
at the text again
friends this is what launches us
into these
beautiful words
that we know so well
and we know
that for those
who love God
all things work together
for good
for those who are called
according to his purpose
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
and those whom he predestined
he also called
and those whom he called
he also justified
and those whom he justified
he also glorified
just let that sink in
he is working all things for good
for those who love him
what you are walking through now
is a part of his good plan
and it does not mean
that the thing you are enduring
must be called good
it may be evil
it may be suffering
but God is working
for good in it
and not only is he working
for good
but he is working for you
so that you might
accomplish the fullness
of what Christ saved you for
which is that you might be
conformed to his image
that you would be transformed
out of
your fallenness
your sin
your ignorance of God
your rebellious
independent ways
your desire
to do things
on your own
your selfishness
your unwillingness
to allow him
to be king in your life
God is going to rescue you
from all of that
and bring you into this place
where you will be conformed
to the image of Jesus
who is perfectly
what we are meant to be
as human beings
and then he reminds us
in verse 30
of the process
God has chosen you
God has called you
God has declared you
right before him
and God is taking you
to glory
and so he goes back
to this theme of glory
that we have already seen
in verses 18 through 25
brothers
sisters
do you see
the Holy Spirit
is interceding for you
so that you might have
these things
and he will
not fail
he will bring you home
he will take you
to this place
and I know
it doesn't feel like that
for some of you
I know
for some of you
it just looks like
darkness
and hopelessness
and pain
it's unbearable
but it's not
that's what this verse
has to say to us
no eye has seen
no ear
has heard
nor the heart of men
imagine what God
has prepared
for those
who love him
so what do we
respond to this
first of all
I don't know
about you
but when things
are hard
sometimes praying
is the last thing
I want to do
I don't want
to talk to him
it's too hard
but friends
do you see
what this passage
is telling us
about our prayers
you don't have
to come to God
with anything
but your groanings
you don't have
to muster
articulation
you don't have
to have good words
to say
because our prayer
is entering
into a conversation
within the Trinity
that is already
happening
for your behalf
Christ is standing
giving you access
to the throne of God
the spirit
is working
in you
stirring
these longings
and these groanings
and even
exposing
this pain
for you
to bring
to God
the Father
the one
who loves
you
the one
who is
accomplishing
his perfect
will
in your life
you don't
have to do
anything
but just
run to him
and fall
on him
and let him
catch you
and know
that the spirit
in you
is with you
and the spirit
in you
is for you
in that moment
pray
as you face
trials
I'll give you
the GPS
to that trail
in Branford
if you want
to go walk
with me
and we'll just
groan together
that'll be good
pray
allow your prayer
life to be messy
if you need help
let the psalms
be your guide
the psalms
are not neat
and tidy
if you think
they are
you haven't
read them
carefully
go back
and read
them again
and let them
be your guide
the commentator
Murray says
this
the encouragement
extended to the
people of God
is that
the unuttered
groans
are the index
to the fact
that God
does exceedingly
abundantly
above all
that we ask
or think
we ask
we can go to God
in prayer
because we are
weak and because
we don't know
what to pray
and the Holy Spirit
is there with us
and we are not
effective in prayer
because we know
exactly how to pray
rightly
we are effective
in prayer
because we have
nothing to bring
but the Spirit
is with us
and so we can
bring everything
and let God
do what He's
going to do
in our lives
so we need
to pray
and we need
to hold
on to hope
this is what
Romans 8
is all about
it's why
we're preaching
through it
it's because
God has done
in Christ
all that is
necessary
for you
to be
secure
in Him
secure
in your
relationship
with Him
secure
in your
forgiveness
where there
is no longer
any condemnation
secure in your
battle to do
what is right
and to live
a righteous life
because now
the Spirit
is in you
and has set
you free
from the
slavery
of sin
you are
secure now
because He
has called
you His
sons and His
daughters
and heirs
of His
kingdom
that is yet
to come
you are
secure
because the
resurrection
of Jesus
Christ
is the
first fruits
of the
resurrection
that we
will anticipate
and experience
one day
with Him
and you
are secure
when you
head out
to sea
and your
rudder is
too weak
and the
waves are
too big
and the
wind
is too
strong
there is
a glory
waiting for
you
and the
Spirit
is with
you
friends
this is
our hope
this is
the good
news
of the
gospel
for us
let's pray
Lord have
mercy
Christ
have mercy
Lord have
mercy upon
us
for we
are weak
and we
need your
help
Lord I
pray this
morning
Lord that
these truths
would sink
deep into
our souls
Lord and
that we
might know
your
Spirit's
work in
us
Lord that
we would
know it
in our
heads
that we
would know
it in
the depths
of our
souls
God we
pray that
you would
give us
hope
today
Lord I
pray these
things in
Jesus name
Amen