Good morning, church.
Would you turn with me to Romans chapter 8?
We are concluding our series in Romans 8 today, looking at verses 35 through 39.
Next week starts the season of Advent.
That's the season of the year when we look back to Christ's first coming
and we look ahead to Christ's second coming.
There's a lot of good things coming up in the life of our church this coming month.
So check out the bulletin.
December 12th is the carol service.
December 17th is our longest night service, a service of lament in this time of the year.
Christmas Eve is actually a Sunday this year.
So we're going to have a candlelight service on Christmas Eve at 5 p.m.
in addition to our morning service.
And this coming Advent, we're going to be preaching through the life of John the Baptist,
the great herald of the coming king, saying, prepare the way.
Prepare your hearts for the one who's about to come.
So that's what's coming up this coming month at Trinity, this Christmas season.
I'm actually pretty excited about it.
I think it's going to be a good December for us as a church.
But this morning, we are finishing off Romans 8.
This fall, we've been studying this great chapter that's sometimes been called the Mount Everest of Scripture,
the highest peak from which we can see all the contours of the land below.
That's page 945 in the Pew Bible.
Let me encourage you to turn there with me.
Romans chapter 8, verses 35 through 39.
Before I read this for us, let's pray as we come to God's word.
Father, thank you for being a God who reveals yourself to us.
As we come to read this passage of Scripture, we pray that by your spirit,
you would be revealing yourself to us afresh through your written word.
Father, show us your glory in Christ this morning.
Help us to see him with the eyes of our hearts enlightened,
that we may know your love that surpasses knowledge,
and that we might be transformed more and more into his likeness.
In the name of Jesus, we pray.
Amen.
Romans 8, starting in verse 35.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
As it is written, for your sake, we are being killed all the day long.
We are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.
No.
In all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers,
nor things present, nor things to come,
nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation
will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Friend, what would it look like for you to live as if you truly had nothing to fear?
I confess I don't often live that way.
I often fear what other people will think of me.
I often fear at times how my kids are going to navigate their futures,
whether they're going to come out okay.
I fear at times sickness.
I fear at times losing loved ones.
There are lots of things in life that can make us afraid, aren't there?
But as Paul draws this chapter to a close,
he points us to the one thing that Christians need never fear.
And because of that one thing, we can face anything with assurance, with confidence.
These five verses are the finale of perhaps one of the most riveting and important chapters in the whole Bible.
These verses are Paul's hold nothing back, no holds barred, lyrical fireworks display of what he's been trying to say for the whole chapter, really.
This is the big finish.
As I was preparing to preach this morning,
Beth asked me, hey, how's your sermon preparation going?
And I said, you know, I feel like preaching this text is a bit like trying to catch a tornado in a paper bag.
How could we possibly try to capture the magnitude of these gale force winds in our short time together this morning?
This momentum that's been building for the whole chapter that's now breaking forth in all of its stunning power.
How do we try to capture what Paul wants us to know here deep in our bones?
What's the earth-shaking assurance that Paul wants us to grasp?
Well, let's hear three times in these five verses.
Verse 35, the love of Christ.
Verse 37, him who loved us.
Verse 39, the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
God's love in Christ is the finale, is the big finish.
That's the unshakable assurance.
You know, up to this point in the chapter, Paul hasn't actually explicitly mentioned God's love.
The love of Christ.
In fact, Paul hasn't explicitly mentioned God's love since chapter 5 of the book of Romans.
But you know, that's really what this whole section of the book has been about.
The beginning of 5, the end of 8.
They're like an intro and a conclusion telling us what everything in between has been all about.
It's all been about the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
So here's the big finish.
There are three things we see about the love of Christ in this text.
And the first thing we see is this.
That in this world, there are many contenders who will threaten to separate us from the love of Christ.
In this life, for you and I, there are many contenders who are going to threaten to separate us from the love of Christ.
Look again at verse 35.
Where do we see this?
In verse 35, Paul asks the last of his great rhetorical questions.
Remember how he started two weeks ago?
If God is for us, who can be against us?
Who shall bring any charge against God's elect?
Who is to condemn?
And here are the last rhetorical questions.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Who shall separate us from this immense love?
And as soon as he asks that question,
outstep the contenders one by one.
Here they come, lining up, threatening to sever us, to cut us off from Christ's love for us.
Paul lists seven examples in verse 35.
Seven of them as if to say, you know, there could be a whole lot more.
To start with, there are all the things that happen to Christians just for naming the name of Jesus.
Tribulation, distress, persecution.
Friends, you know, for most of the church's history, and much of the world today,
Christians are persecuted for their allegiance to Jesus,
just for identifying with Jesus.
There are actually missionaries that we support as a church that we can't tell you publicly what country they minister in
because it will put their ministry in jeopardy.
At best, they'll be severely fined, sent home, and the whole work will be shut down.
But more than that, in other parts of the world, it's much worse, even to the point of outright physical violence and martyrdom.
But those aren't the only contenders who threaten to separate us from Christ's love.
Paul goes on to list some of the tragedies of living in a fallen world.
Famine, nakedness, to be left without food, to be left without clothes, famine and nakedness.
These things speak of the deprivations, of the losses that we experience,
the hardships, the trials, the job loss, the struggling to make ends meet,
the spouse who walks out, the friend who cuts you off.
And if that weren't enough, they keep coming.
Last, there are the things that threaten our very lives.
Danger.
Or the things that even take our lives.
Paul says, the sword.
And by sword, Paul probably means the executioner's sword.
Which we know that he himself would face later in life.
And succumb.
Here they come.
The things that threaten our lives, that take our lives.
Cancer.
Car accidents.
Execution.
All threatening our lives.
All threatening to separate us from Christ's love.
So what do we know about the love of Christ then?
We know that the love of Christ for the Christian doesn't guarantee him or her immunity
from evil and suffering and persecution in this life.
There are countless candidates ready to stand up and to threaten to separate us from the love of Christ.
So friends,
know this,
that these things will come.
Hardship and loss will come.
Persecution and distress will come,
whether severe or subtle.
Danger and death will come.
Both to you and to your loved ones.
Sometimes at an old age,
after a long life.
Sometimes suddenly,
tragically.
In verse 36,
Paul quotes Psalm 44, 22,
which was a prayer to God
when the people of Israel were being persecuted
and afflicted.
Paul says,
this is the Christian's experience.
We will feel like this many times.
Like you're a sheep to be slaughtered.
Undergoing death every day.
So what will you make of this?
As one by one,
these contenders come around,
how will you view them?
The temptation
will be to see them as signs,
as evidence,
as proof
that you have in fact been separated from Christ's love.
The temptation will be to say,
Christ must not love me
if this is happening.
But is that true?
Brings us to the second thing
that we see about the love of Christ here.
Yes, on the one hand,
the love of Christ guarantees no one
immunity from suffering.
But on the other hand,
the love of Christ entails
no possibility of separation.
In verse 38,
Paul says,
I am sure.
There's a resounding confidence
that comes flowing out of this passage
for each one of us in Christ.
Confidence
that nothing in our human experience,
Paul says,
whether death or life
or anything in between,
that nothing in the spiritual realm,
whether angels or heavenly rulers,
that nothing in the course of time,
whether present or future,
that nothing that is opposed to God's plans,
whatever power it may be,
that nothing in the vast reaches of space,
whether height or depth,
that nothing in all creation
can separate us
from the love of God
in Christ Jesus,
our Lord.
Friends,
whether you can see it or not,
or feel it or not,
or understand it or not,
there's not a single thing
in all of creation,
nothing at all,
that can separate you.
But how can Paul be so sure?
How can you and I be so sure
that nothing will separate us
from the love of Christ?
Well, maybe this is a good point
in our sermon series
to take a step back
and listen again
to what Paul has been showing us
in Romans 8.
Go back with me
to verses 1 through 3.
If you are in Christ Jesus,
if you've placed your trust in Him,
then God has done for you
what the law could not do.
God sent His own Son
from the glories of heaven
to take on the likeness
of sinful flesh
to die as a sacrifice
for your sin
in order to condemn
sin in the flesh,
Paul says.
That is to judge it
and to fully exhaust
its penalty
so that there's nothing left
for you to bear.
So that united to Christ
through faith,
you might be counted
not as sinful,
not as guilty,
but as righteous,
as loved.
That's how much God loves you.
But not just that.
Having justified you in Christ,
pronounced you righteous,
God has now sent His Spirit
to dwell in you.
This is verses 4 through 13.
And that means
that you have a whole new mindset.
You have a whole new principle
of life within you, Christian,
that is overcoming
the old pattern
of our old fallen nature.
As verse 13 puts it,
we can put sin to death
by the Spirit
and truly live.
God has given you His Spirit.
That's how much He loves you.
But the indwelling Spirit
means more than just a new power
for holiness and godliness.
Paul goes on to say
that it means
that you're now
God's adopted child.
Verse 14,
all who are led
by the Spirit of God
are sons of God,
children of God.
You can call God
your Father,
Paul says.
You can know the glory
of an intimate relationship
with Him.
And as daughters and sons,
Paul says,
you are heirs,
in verse 17.
You will inherit
with Christ
the coming new creation.
That is how much
God loves you.
Then in verses 18 through 30,
Paul says that
as we wait
for that day of resurrection,
as we wait
for the coming glory,
for the new creation,
the Spirit comes
and prays
and intercedes within us.
And God works
all things around us
for our good.
In fact,
Paul says that God
from eternity past
has known you.
That from the stretches
of eternity past,
God has known you
and set a purpose
for you
to be like Christ.
And flowing out
of that eternal purpose
of God
like an unbroken chain,
God has called you
in time
and God has justified you
and God will most certainly
one day glorify you.
That's how much
God loves you.
But ultimately,
this is how much
God loves you.
Verse 32,
He did not spare
His own son
but gave Him up
for you.
In Romans 5,
Paul says this
about God's love.
He says,
while we were still weak,
you and I,
at the right time,
Christ died
for the ungodly.
For one will scarcely die
for a righteous person,
though perhaps
for a good person,
one would dare
even to die.
But God shows
His love
for us
in that while
we were still sinners,
Christ died for us.
Friends,
there it is.
The unshakable
proof
and demonstration
of God's love
for you.
because God loves you,
He sent His own Son
to die for your sins.
And He purchased
for you
through Jesus' life
and death
and resurrection
everything
that you could possibly need
for eternal life
with Him
now
and for forever.
So that all
you and I
need now to do
is admit
that we can't make
ourselves right with God.
That we're sinners
and hopeless in His sight.
And we need to turn to God
and receive Christ.
Take hold of Christ
through faith
so that all that's His
might become ours.
That His righteousness
and His status
and His life
and His salvation
become ours
through faith
and faith alone.
And friends,
if that is true,
think with me now.
Let's use our,
let's use some logic
this morning.
If that is true,
if God has given
His only Son
for you,
then no matter
what comes,
whether persecution
or famine
or sword,
no matter what it is
in all creation,
if God has given
His only Son
for you,
then those things
cannot mean,
they cannot mean
that God doesn't love you.
Christ went to the cross
for you,
friends.
He took your sin
and your death.
He was forsaken for you.
Paul says in Galatians,
Christ loved me
and gave Himself for me.
And that's true
of every Christian.
And if Christ endured
the cross for you,
no matter what you face
in this life,
it can't be
because He doesn't love you.
You might not know
the exact reason why
you're going through
this particular suffering
or pain
or persecution,
but it can't be
because you've been
separated from the love
of Christ.
His was a love,
friends,
think about it,
that went through
distress and persecution
for you.
His was a love
that went hungry
and naked for you
on the cross.
His was a love
that was pierced for you
and upon whom
the sword
of the powers
and principalities
of this world fell.
He did that for you,
so what could separate
you from His love?
Friends,
stand before the cross
and see
that no matter
what comes,
there's no possibility
of God's love
being removed from you.
But there's one last thing
to add,
if that weren't enough.
And this is the third thing
that we see
that this text shows us
about Christ's love.
We've seen that,
although there's no immunity
from suffering
in Christ's love for us,
there's no possibility
of separation
from Christ's love for us,
but third,
there's no doubt
of victory
because of Christ's love
for us.
Look again at verse 37.
No.
In all these things,
and what are these things?
Being slaughtered
like sheep.
In all these things,
we are more
than conquerors
through Him
who loved us.
whatever the opposition,
danger,
or difficulties
that tempt us
to give up,
nothing will stop us
from sharing
His victory.
You see, friends,
nothing can break
that chain
of verse 30.
Those whom He predestined,
He also called.
Those whom He called,
He also justified.
Those whom He justified,
He also glorified.
Amazing that Paul uses
a past tense verb
to describe a future reality.
How much more confident
and assured
could Paul be
in God's purpose
and plan for us?
It's done.
If you are in Christ,
you will be glorified.
Nothing's going to stop it.
Can you stop
the love of God for you?
Take out your paper bag
and try to catch
the tornado,
friends.
It's not going to happen.
No matter what circumstances
may come,
even if it's death itself,
we are more than conquerors.
But how can this be?
Verse 36 says
that we're like sheep
to be slaughtered.
How can we be more
than conquerors
if that is true?
And the answer,
because of Him
who loved us.
Because Christ died
and rose again,
everyone who is united
to Christ by faith,
even if they die,
they will rise again
with Him.
Every contender
that stands up
threatening to shake
our assurance
in Christ's love,
whether it's persecution
or distress
or famine
or nakedness
or danger or sword,
ultimately, friends,
they are defeated foes.
Even if that foe
happens to have
a little bit of life
left in it
to shake its fist
or try to swing,
even if it lands a punch,
ultimately,
our victory has been won.
Christ is risen.
Death has died
and love
and life
have conquered
and you and I
in Christ
will rise with Him.
And even as we saw
in verse 28,
God's even now,
God is even now
working all things
for your good,
for those who love Him
and are called
according to His purpose.
So no matter what
we're facing in the present,
God's plan to glorify us
will be achieved.
Because ultimately,
our confidence
is not
in our love for Him,
which,
if we're honest
with ourselves,
is frail
and fickle
and faltering.
Our confidence
is not
in our love for God,
but in the love
of Christ for us,
which is steadfast,
faithful,
persevering,
and victorious.
So friends,
what are you afraid of?
What are you really afraid of?
Deep down,
what do you fear?
What are you tempted?
When are you tempted?
Where are you tempted?
To disobey Christ
because you're afraid
of losing it
or never getting it.
What if you put that fear
into the list
of verse 35?
Verse 35.
Would you begin
to feel the power,
the assurance
that this passage brings?
Would you then
begin to see
how these verses
can give you
an assurance
that nothing
can take away?
What shall separate us
from the love of Christ?
Come now.
Shall tribulation
or distress
or persecution
or famine
or nakedness
or danger
or sword?
Shall singleness
or joblessness
or childlessness?
Shall cancer
or depression
or miscarriage?
Shall embarrassment
before my peers
or loneliness
or disapproval
from my parents?
No.
In all these things
we're more than conquerors
through him who loved us.
For I'm sure
that neither death
nor life
nor angels
nor rulers
nor things present
nor things to come
nor powers
nor height
nor depth
nor anything else
in all creation
will be able
to separate us
from the eternal
burning
immense
love of God
in Christ Jesus
our Lord.
the love
friends
that created
the worlds
the love
that has lifted
our condemnation
the love
that has filled us
with his spirit
the love
that has made us
heirs of his glory
the love
that has gone
to the cross
willingly
for our sins
nothing
will be able
to separate you
from that love
the love of God
in Christ Jesus
our Lord.
Let's pray.
why don't we take a moment
and just be still
before God
this morning
why don't we take a moment
and reflect
in our hearts
and before God
those things
that we are so afraid of
perhaps this morning
you would identify
as a believer
in Christ
and yet
you would confess
that this love
of Christ for you
doesn't feel
like a very thrilling
or driving reality
perhaps for you
you're not sure
what to make
of the claims
of Jesus
and this talk
of the love of God
that is inseparable
in him
Father I pray
for my friends
in this room
that by your Holy Spirit
we would be able
to see afresh
Father that you
have given up
your son for us
and that because
of his life
and death
and resurrection
for all who trust
in him
nothing
will separate us
from that love
oh Lord
would that
be the thrilling
driving center
of our lives
and would we be able
to face fears
and hardship
and distress
without losing
our joy
and confidence
and assurance
in you
oh God
thank you
that you keep us
and you hold us
all the way
from eternity
to eternity
in Christ Jesus
our Lord
Lord for my
Christian brothers
and sisters
would it become
more and more real
in their lives
Father for those
who are here
and who don't know you
who are still
wondering
and deciding
and figuring out
where they stand
with Christ
oh Lord I pray
that you would help
them to see
the beauty
of the message
of Jesus
of who he is
and that you
would lead them
to real repentance
and real saving
trust in him
we ask all this
in Jesus name
amen
Thank you.