WEBVTT

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 Please do open your Bibles back to Romans chapter 8. We're continuing the series and this

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! We'll be continuing over the next few evenings. We're verses 18 to 25 tonight. It's very easy

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! It's very easy to start something and not finish it, isn't it? We can start DIY projects

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 or new workout routines or start a new hobby, but it's so easy just to give up and not finish

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 them, isn't it? And one of the reasons is that we just don't think it's worth it. We weigh it up in

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 the scales of our minds and think that the inconvenience, the faff, the effort is not worth

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 the outcome. So think about cross-country in school. So everyone has these dreaded memories of cross-country,

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 don't they? Remember the cold January mornings and the rain and the mud and your lungs wheezing

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 and the lactic acid burn? And what is so often the case in those races? You just give up. Stop running,

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 sit out on the side or you just walk the rest. And why do we give up? Because we don't think the pain

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 is worth it. We weigh up in the scales of our minds that the pain and suffering of our lungs

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 and our legs now. And then we put on the other side what we're going to get at the finish line,

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 maybe the PE teacher saying, well done, maybe just the joy of having depleted it, being stronger and

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 faster. And we weigh both up and we tell ourselves, well, the finish line, it just isn't worth it.

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 The pain is too big, so we just give up. Well, in this passage today, Paul is telling us the Christian

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 life is a bit like that. There is suffering and there is pain and it is difficult running the race

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 of the Christian life. Paul fully acknowledges that, just like we saw this morning, that the battle,

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 the trials, the agony. But he's also showing us what lies ahead at the finish line. In this passage,

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 he's kind of zooming out, showing us the whole race of the Christian life and giving us a preview of the

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 finish line. He looks ahead to that glory and he puts both in the weighing scales and he's telling us

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 the suffering now is so small in comparison to the huge weight of glory to come.

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 In fact, they're not even worth comparing. Look at verse 18. For I consider that the sufferings

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 of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

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 You weigh up suffering now versus glory later and glory just completely shatters the weighing scales.

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 As we run this race and we feel the pain and whatever suffering you may be experiencing right now,

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 God is telling us today the glory to come is worth it. It outweighs everything you are going through.

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 And part of the reason why Romans 8 is such a wonderful chapter is that Paul is showing us

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 why this glory is so weighty. And he does this by showing us that the story of salvation,

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 the work of the Spirit, is far bigger than we can see. So far in Romans, we've been seeing that the

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 work of the Spirit is deeper than we can see. He's working far deeper in each of our lives than we

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 realize. But also, the work of the Spirit is far bigger and wider than we realize. Paul takes us to

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 the finish line. We glimpse into the glory that awaits us and we see the Spirit's work goes beyond

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 saving individuals. And actually, the Spirit's work is cosmic. Salvation involves the whole creation,

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 the whole universe. And the reason why the glory that awaits us is so worth it is that the Spirit is

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 about to free the whole creation. God's plan and the Spirit's work, it is far, far bigger than we can see.

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 But what is even more glorious is that the church and your life lies at the very heart of this cosmic

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 plan. And so the race you are in, life in the Spirit, it is so, so worth it.

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 And so I want us to go to the glory side of the weighing scales and I want us to see God's cosmic

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 plan. And I want us to see this, my first point today, creation is waiting for freedom. Creation is

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 waiting for freedom. Look at verse 19. Paul jumps into why the glory to come is so worth it. Verse 19,

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 for, because the creation waits with eager longing. By creation, he means everything created. The world,

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 the earth, the sky, the universe, the galaxies, all creation is waiting for something. It's like the

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 universe is on the edge of its seats, looking at the clock, tapping away, on the edge, waiting.

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 And what is it waiting for? Verse 19, for the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing

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 of the sons of God. And by sons of God, he means us, Christians, the church. Remember from this morning,

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 we are children of God. We are adopted into his family. But at the moment, it doesn't look like it.

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 Deep inside, the spirit is doing powerful work in us. We are radically different on the inside.

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 Resurrection life beats inside of you. We are sons of God. But to compare the church and the world

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 outwardly, it doesn't look like we are sons of God. We are frail and weak. Our bodies waste away.

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 We get the same diagnosis, same injuries. If you go to a graveyard and you never read the headstone,

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 you couldn't tell which mound of dirt belonged to a Christian or a non-Christian.

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 It is not obvious that we are children of God. The spirit's power is hidden and deep inside,

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 working in your heart. But it's not yet revealed. And so the creation is waiting for the revealing of the

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 sons of God. And what is this revealing? Look at the end of verse 23. We wait eagerly for adoption as sons,

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 the redemption of our bodies. Now, we are currently adopted. In Christ, you are right now and always a loved

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 child of God. But there's another stage to our adoption. There is a now and a not yet to our salvation.

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 When Christ returns on that final day and raises our bodies from the grave to immortal life, never to die

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 again, that is when what is hidden inside of you will now be revealed. The resurrection life inside of you

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 now will be resurrection life on the outside of you. In your glorious, imperishable body, it will then be obvious.

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 And for all to see that you are a child of God. God's glory and grace will shine forth through your resurrection like no other.

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 And Christ's return will be the revealing of the sons of God. And so creation is on the edge of its seat, eagerly waiting for your resurrection.

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 And why? Why is the universe waiting for that of all things? Well, it's because the creation is currently trapped.

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 Look at verse 20. For because the creation was subjected to futility. Now, the word futility here, it means frustrating emptiness.

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 It's the same word as vanity in Ecclesiastes. Remember, vanity, vanity, everything is vanity.

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 Ever since the fall, creation is not functioning as it should be. Its purpose has been distorted. Its design has been disordered.

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 And we experience that every day. We have so many hopes for our lives, all these expectations and plans for the future, but it all just gets frustrated.

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 Life in this creation, it doesn't go where we want it to.

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 We get moments of joy and fulfillment, but they just pass so quickly.

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 And then we just meet another roadblock.

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 Well, that is the curse creation is under, futility.

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 And look at verse 21. It's in bondage to corruption.

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 Corruption. Corruption means decay and brokenness.

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 We often use the word corrupted when files on our computer get corrupted, don't we?

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 I'm really no computer expert, but when files get corrupted, the original data, it's basically there, but it's damaged.

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 And it's all out of order and mashed up. It gets warped.

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 And then it becomes this useless, unreadable mess.

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 Or think of when food gets corrupted. It degrades and rots and stinks.

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 Well, that is like creation.

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 Creation was made very good, but now that good has been corrupted.

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 There is disease.

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 There is disaster.

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 There's death.

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 And so creation is in bondage to this corruption.

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 It's trapped and enslaved in this brokenness.

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 In the fall, the curse of sin struck.

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 And the bars went up around our hearts, but also the bars went up around creation.

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 And creation is waiting and waiting and longing and longing for the revealing of the sons of God,

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 because that is when it will be released from its bondage.

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 And why?

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 Why is creation waiting for humanity?

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 Well, creation fell with man in the beginning.

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 And so creation will be raised with man in the end.

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 Think back to Genesis.

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 Humanity, Adam, caused this corruption.

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 We are rulers over this creation, dominion over it.

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 And so when humanity rebelled against God, we all fell into the prison cell of sin,

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 and creation fell with us.

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 We aren't tied to creation.

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 Creation is tied to us.

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 And so if it fell with us, it will be raised with us.

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 Our resurrection will be the cause of creation's freedom.

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 And Christ is leading this charge.

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 His resurrection paved the way to this freedom, broke through that corruption,

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 and so his return, it's going to trigger it.

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 And so when we are revealed as sons of God, outwardly, fully, free in glory,

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 creation is going to share in that.

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 Verse 21.

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 The creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

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 And so what is creation doing now?

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 Waiting.

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 The world is waiting for you, Christian, to be glorified.

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 In fact, it's groaning.

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 Verse 22.

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 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.

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 When we're in pain, we groan, don't we?

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 So your toddler headbutts you in the stomach.

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 You don't smile.

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 You groan.

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 I've got the experience of that.

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 We groan when something isn't right.

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 Well, right now, creation is groaning in pain.

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 And you can hear it.

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 The drought this summer, that was creation groaning.

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 That huge flash flood in Nepal and Tibet, that was creation groaning.

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 And think of the wars going on right now.

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 With every bullet, with every ballistic missile, those are the sounds of groans.

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 COVID.

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 Malaria.

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 TB.

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 Smallpox.

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 Creation has been groaning for millennia.

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 We can't stand, we hate that word, cancer.

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 Well, creation groans over it too.

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 Every time a cell mutates or DNA gets damaged, that is creation groaning.

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 And you can't escape it.

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 It's there in the hospitals, the hospices.

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 It's in the park, in the streets.

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 We can hear and feel those groans.

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 But notice that these are not groans of pointless pain.

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 So if you were to snap a ligament in your knee, you groan, don't you?

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 But it's groans of purposeless pain.

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 That pain isn't leading anywhere.

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 It's not good pain, directionful pain.

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 You leave that injury and it's just going to get worse.

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 It's just bad groans.

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 But creation has different groans, verse 22.

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 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.

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 These are groans of birth pains.

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 Creation is in labor.

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 And something is about to appear.

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 Groans of something amazing to come.

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 I remember when Bethany was in labor with our first, with Lydia.

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 My job, my only job, was talking her through the pain.

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 And she'd even give me some cue cards that she'd written during the pregnancy.

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 Cue cards to say the right thing.

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 And I'm not ashamed of saying that.

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 If you say the wrong thing, that is a dangerous thing.

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 So cue cards to say the right thing.

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 And some of the things that I would say to her were, keep going.

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 These contractions are normal.

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 Don't worry.

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 The pain means you're making progress.

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 This is going somewhere.

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 You're going to see the baby soon.

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 You're going to see the baby soon.

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 And for the mothers here, you know it is a different type of pain, isn't it?

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 It's a big pain, but it's purposeful.

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 It's leading somewhere.

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 Well, that is like the groans of creation.

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 It's hopeful pain.

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 Look at verse 20.

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 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it,

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 in hope that the creation itself will be set free.

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 God cursed this world, but he did so with a hope, a plan.

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 That all this will lead to something glorious, a glorified new creation.

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 When creation will be set free from corruption and disease and disaster and futility, it will be released to what we know this world should be, glorious.

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 And this is key to God's plan of salvation.

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 Eternal life.

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 It's not about escaping this world.

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 Not a floating future in the sky, but a physical world.

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 Walking here on earth, living on this planet.

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 But this planet freed from corruption.

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 On the day that we are raised, we will get to walk on the soil of this earth, but without the prison bars around us.

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 No fear of landslides.

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 No worries about what pandemic is coming next.

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 No more frustration with your home and those leaks and those breaks.

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 No more worry about food or where AI is going to take us or the economy or politicians.

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 Tiger enclosures will never make the headlines again.

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 But the world will be as it should be, perfect.

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 We get tiny, pale glimpses of it now.

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 Those moments when we just think, this is the life.

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 Well, it will be like that, but infinitely greater and forever.

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 In C.S. Lewis's The Great Divorce, he tells the story of basically someone visiting the new creation.

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 And it's a bit imaginative, but he has some great moments that really capture how much better, greater the world to come will be.

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 The main character, I remember this moment, the main character says he tries to pluck a daisy,

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 but he can't because it's so solid and heavy.

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 It feels like diamond.

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 And as he stands on the grass, the grass passes through his feet.

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 And he says he feels like a phantom.

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 But not because the grass is dangerous, but because the world is now so much more real.

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 And I think that really captures the glory to come.

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 The world we're living in right now, it's like a phantom, a ghost, compared to the eternal, solid reality.

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 The glory of what the world to come will be like.

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 So you put the two on the scales, the groans of this world now, and the freed creation to come,

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 and there's just simply no comparison.

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 The Spirit's work, it's so much bigger than we realize.

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 He's begun the renewal in your heart right now, this moment.

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 But he's about to renew the entire universe.

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 And so in your frustration with this world, if you are here and you are thinking that this world isn't right,

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 and you hear the groans and it is agonizing,

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 and yes, we must be thankful for lots of good things.

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 God is so merciful in our lives, but you know the world should be so much better.

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 And life does seem futile.

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 It doesn't go as we hope, and you keep hitting those roadblocks.

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 Well, here is the glorious news.

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 This isn't all there is.

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 We are on the way to something far greater, and the finish line is glorious.

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 And what is even better is that you can be a part of it.

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 This is God's cosmic plan, and we, his people, we are a part of it.

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 In fact, we are at the center of it.

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 Because as creation waits for freedom, it's waiting for us.

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 And what are we waiting for?

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 We wait for redeemed bodies.

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 That's my second and final point today.

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 We are waiting for redeemed bodies.

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 There's another groan amongst all this.

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 Did you notice?

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 Verse 23.

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 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit,

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 groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

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 We don't just hear the groans of this futility.

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 We join it.

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 This world is not only frustrated.

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 We are frustrated.

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 And so what are we waiting for?

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 So what is the answer we are longing for?

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 The redemption of our bodies.

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 Our bodies are the source of so much frustration, aren't they?

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 And sometimes we do literally groan.

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 With age, you can actually hear it.

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 But when you go down to bend down to pick something up, or you get off a chair,

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 and you groan, don't you?

00:22:24.579 --> 00:22:26.619
 It's the groans of a failing body.

00:22:26.619 --> 00:22:31.599
 It's the frustration of our bodies not moving like they're 16 anymore.

00:22:31.599 --> 00:22:36.179
 But often, the frustration doesn't need to be audible.

00:22:37.439 --> 00:22:44.959
 You walk around with chronic back pain, and you just quietly live with that frustration and groaning every day.

00:22:44.960 --> 00:22:46.960
 The arthritis.

00:22:46.960 --> 00:22:47.340
 The arthritis.

00:22:47.340 --> 00:22:53.440
 You groan with that frustration that this is not what life should be.

00:22:53.440 --> 00:22:57.900
 Those injuries on the sports field, that they're more than painful.

00:22:57.900 --> 00:23:03.019
 You groan with the frustration of the fallen corruption of our bodies.

00:23:03.019 --> 00:23:07.240
 As our eyesight and hearing goes.

00:23:07.240 --> 00:23:13.440
 As our minds and our memories lose their sharpness, that the neural pathways just not functioning.

00:23:14.440 --> 00:23:19.839
 Or the chemicals in our bodies, that the hormones going out of balance, we groan.

00:23:19.839 --> 00:23:25.419
 That diagnosis that throws our families and our lives up in the air.

00:23:25.980 --> 00:23:29.759
 We cry, we weep, and we groan.

00:23:29.759 --> 00:23:34.440
 And of course, the greatest pain of all, when death strikes.

00:23:34.440 --> 00:23:37.680
 And we have to say those goodbyes.

00:23:37.680 --> 00:23:42.279
 We grieve, and we bear a pain beyond words.

00:23:43.400 --> 00:23:46.720
 Those are the groans of longing for something more.

00:23:46.720 --> 00:23:50.120
 And we are right to groan.

00:23:50.120 --> 00:23:52.660
 Not grumble, not complain to God.

00:23:53.059 --> 00:23:54.620
 But it is right to groan.

00:23:55.579 --> 00:23:57.900
 To recognize our bodies do matter.

00:23:58.079 --> 00:23:59.819
 We are made body and soul.

00:24:00.819 --> 00:24:03.039
 And to recognize this isn't right.

00:24:04.660 --> 00:24:09.620
 But what is unique to a Christian's groaning is that we groan with a hope.

00:24:09.880 --> 00:24:10.460
 Verse 23.

00:24:11.799 --> 00:24:16.420
 We groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons.

00:24:16.720 --> 00:24:18.279
 The redemption of our bodies.

00:24:18.400 --> 00:24:21.059
 For in this hope, we were saved.

00:24:22.259 --> 00:24:28.259
 These groans we have are the cries for a resurrection we know is coming.

00:24:29.559 --> 00:24:32.279
 We have the first fruits of the Spirit.

00:24:32.579 --> 00:24:35.259
 Resurrection life is hidden inside.

00:24:35.519 --> 00:24:37.900
 But we are longing for it to be revealed.

00:24:39.140 --> 00:24:44.440
 And the glorious hope of the Christian life is that it is coming.

00:24:44.440 --> 00:24:52.019
 That the risen Lord Jesus and the Spirit who raised him, the Spirit who now dwells in you,

00:24:52.340 --> 00:24:55.420
 they guarantee this day is coming for you.

00:24:57.019 --> 00:25:01.120
 And so your pains and your suffering and the agony you are going through right now,

00:25:01.799 --> 00:25:02.680
 it is not pointless.

00:25:02.680 --> 00:25:05.660
 It is leading somewhere.

00:25:06.860 --> 00:25:11.460
 Just like the pain of giving birth, the groans of your life are not empty cries.

00:25:11.960 --> 00:25:13.259
 You don't suffer in vain.

00:25:13.360 --> 00:25:14.660
 No, you are heading somewhere.

00:25:14.660 --> 00:25:24.680
 And Christian, you need to know the pain now is nothing compared to when you open your eyes on that final day.

00:25:25.940 --> 00:25:27.720
 And the Spirit raises you.

00:25:27.720 --> 00:25:30.720
 And you emerge from your grave.

00:25:31.440 --> 00:25:35.019
 And your hearing has never been clearer.

00:25:35.579 --> 00:25:39.140
 You hear the restored creation like never before.

00:25:39.140 --> 00:25:45.240
 And you take in that first breath with a perfect heart and perfect lungs.

00:25:46.040 --> 00:25:48.200
 And your joints move with no pain.

00:25:49.020 --> 00:25:52.040
 And your muscles perform like never before.

00:25:52.940 --> 00:25:56.480
 And your mind isn't your enemy but your peaceful friend.

00:25:56.480 --> 00:26:02.920
 And with perfect vision, you see your Savior come back down to earth.

00:26:03.120 --> 00:26:05.900
 And your restored eyes take in all his glory.

00:26:06.680 --> 00:26:09.640
 And you see the family of God around you.

00:26:10.500 --> 00:26:12.319
 Exactly how they should be.

00:26:14.079 --> 00:26:18.960
 And now you know, fully revealed, we are the sons of God.

00:26:20.299 --> 00:26:22.559
 You can't even compare.

00:26:22.559 --> 00:26:27.440
 But what is so hard is that we don't see it now.

00:26:28.519 --> 00:26:29.799
 It is our hope.

00:26:30.240 --> 00:26:31.240
 But look at verse 24.

00:26:31.440 --> 00:26:33.440
 Hope that is seen is not hope.

00:26:34.579 --> 00:26:37.659
 We're waiting for something that we can't see yet.

00:26:37.759 --> 00:26:41.179
 We're waiting for our Savior coming over the horizon.

00:26:41.259 --> 00:26:42.539
 But we don't see him yet.

00:26:43.339 --> 00:26:44.440
 It's hope.

00:26:45.000 --> 00:26:47.819
 But it is a sure and certain hope.

00:26:47.819 --> 00:26:53.359
 Just like we don't see the full reality of what the Spirit is doing in our life.

00:26:53.500 --> 00:26:55.720
 It's deeper and bigger than we can see.

00:26:56.000 --> 00:26:57.579
 But the Spirit is there.

00:26:58.679 --> 00:27:00.740
 Well, glory is there.

00:27:00.899 --> 00:27:01.619
 It's coming.

00:27:03.279 --> 00:27:05.319
 And if that is our hope, what do we need to do?

00:27:05.379 --> 00:27:06.099
 Verse 25.

00:27:06.099 --> 00:27:12.819
 If we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

00:27:12.819 --> 00:27:18.799
 Brothers and sisters, we need to wait with patience.

00:27:19.960 --> 00:27:23.460
 In the pain, it feels like the race will never end.

00:27:23.559 --> 00:27:24.480
 But don't give up.

00:27:24.839 --> 00:27:26.399
 The Lord has not forgotten you.

00:27:27.419 --> 00:27:29.139
 There is a finish line.

00:27:29.460 --> 00:27:34.299
 It's only a short few years until you have an eternity of glory.

00:27:34.299 --> 00:27:37.980
 A glory that is so, so worth it.

00:27:38.299 --> 00:27:41.399
 And all we have to do is wait.

00:27:43.039 --> 00:27:46.039
 You don't need to try hard for it.

00:27:46.559 --> 00:27:47.700
 You don't need to earn it.

00:27:47.799 --> 00:27:51.119
 You just need to wait patiently.

00:27:52.720 --> 00:27:53.779
 Trusting in the Lord.

00:27:54.019 --> 00:27:56.419
 Trusting him with your pain and suffering.

00:27:56.659 --> 00:27:59.419
 Trusting him with all the frustrations of this life.

00:28:00.619 --> 00:28:03.759
 Trust that he will come and he will redeem us.

00:28:03.759 --> 00:28:11.160
 And trust that his spirit that is inside of you now is powerful enough to free even creation itself.

00:28:12.500 --> 00:28:15.140
 Wait for him by trusting him.

00:28:16.779 --> 00:28:23.640
 And if you aren't a Christian here today, whatever frustration or suffering that you are going through right now,

00:28:24.000 --> 00:28:29.359
 we all know that this life and our bodies, they aren't the way it should be.

00:28:29.359 --> 00:28:33.679
 And we know our pain, it needs an answer.

00:28:34.139 --> 00:28:36.759
 And you might be looking for hope right now.

00:28:37.899 --> 00:28:40.919
 Wishing, just wishing that there was a way out of this.

00:28:40.920 --> 00:28:42.980
 Well, there is.

00:28:44.140 --> 00:28:46.940
 But you don't need to wish for it anymore.

00:28:47.759 --> 00:28:49.160
 You just need to wait.

00:28:51.039 --> 00:28:57.720
 Come and put your trust in the Lord Jesus, the one who has conquered the grave and is leading his people to glory.

00:28:58.300 --> 00:29:01.080
 Trust in him and you don't need to wish for something better.

00:29:01.079 --> 00:29:07.039
 You are guaranteed to have something incomparably glorious.

00:29:08.399 --> 00:29:11.000
 It is yours to have.

00:29:11.679 --> 00:29:14.500
 You just need to come and join the wait.

00:29:14.500 --> 00:29:23.640
 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

00:29:24.960 --> 00:29:29.559
 A short few years now, but an eternity to come.

00:29:30.900 --> 00:29:34.759
 Pain now, but blissful joy in the future.

00:29:36.140 --> 00:29:38.880
 The Lord is coming back for his family.

00:29:38.880 --> 00:29:42.280
 We just need to wait with patience.

00:29:43.440 --> 00:29:47.180
 And the glory to come, it is so, so worth it.

00:29:47.920 --> 00:29:48.660
 Let's pray.

00:29:48.660 --> 00:29:48.660