Thank you, choir.
That was an inspiring song, and we're grateful for the hard work you put into that.
! We have been in this series in Romans for a number of weeks, and I was thinking through
whether to prepare an exclusive kind of one-off sermon, taking a break from our series,
to talk about America and our 250th anniversary, or whether there was a way to find some of
the themes that we're talking about at this time of year, and in this year specifically,
within the pages of our text in Romans chapter 8.
And I believe, y'all don't let me know until after the service, but I believe I was able
to do that.
All right.
So, I want to, first of all, just kind of share some thoughts with you before we dive
back into Romans chapter 8, where we talked before.
Of all the world's inventions, how many of you know America has been an inventing country?
We have invented many great things.
Of all the world's inventions, the dry erase board has to be the most remarkable.
Remarkable.
Yes.
Thank you.
It just got there.
I was using super glue, and I accidentally glued my finger and my thumb together.
It's okay now.
What do you call a cow with no legs?
Ground beef.
Y'all know.
What do you call a cow with two legs shorter than the others?
Lean beef.
Why do cows wear bells?
Because their horns don't work.
I could keep going, but I think I've milked the cow jokes long enough.
I know, I know.
They're utterly terrible.
All right.
And of course, one of the best dad jokes out there, when is a door, not a door, when it's
a jar.
There you go.
How many of you, your child has said, dad, I'm hungry.
You said, nice to meet you, hungry.
I'm Sam.
What are y'all doing?
You're groaning, either audibly or inside.
You're groaning right now, right?
I'm wondering what on earth all these dad jokes have to do with America's 250th or Romans
chapter eight.
Well, I'm glad you asked that question because groaning is exactly the reaction that I was
hoping to get you to this morning.
Groaning means make it stop, right?
Some of you are begging for it to stop right now.
Well, as we celebrate America's 250th birthday this weekend, our nation, if we're honest, has
been for quite some time doing a lot of real groaning.
No matter your politics, we look at our nation, we look at our country and we feel the division,
we feel the tension, we feel the brokenness.
We love our nation, but we groan for it.
And it just so happens that Paul picks up where we left off last week in Romans chapter eight
by talking about groaning.
So as we think past, we think that of the 250 years that have just passed in our nation's history,
history.
We see videos like that and we hear choir songs and we sing our national anthem.
And I know there are people in the room whose birthplace was not America and we're grateful
for your presence here.
Some of you have become naturalized citizens and I'm sure you share from your own perspective
some of the love that we as natural born American citizens have for our country.
But as we study American history, we think back through the 250 years that have passed.
There's much to be proud of.
If we're honest, there's some that would cause us to hang our head in shame.
And we look at our current moment in American society and it does cause heartbreak.
It does cause groaning.
So turn with me if you're in your Bibles, if you would, to Romans chapter eight.
And let's look at verse 18.
Paul talks about groaning for about 13 verses here.
And I'll try not to make you to groan too much more as we explore the theme of from groaning
to glory, from groaning to glory.
This is also true of American history.
You think of the birth pains that America went through finding its liberty from England, the
United Kingdom, and going through the difficulties of becoming a nation, getting its feet under it.
And then to the glory that came as America became the world's foremost superpower and oftentimes a force for good around this globe.
And we see the glory that America has enjoyed.
But we know the groaning that it took to get it there.
And that mirrors what a lot of us experience as the people of God.
So let's look at Romans chapter eight and verse 18.
If you wouldn't mind joining me in standing if you're able to, we're just going to read the first few verses together.
And then we'll work through the rest of the chapter.
Yet what we suffer now, verse 18, is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.
From groaning to glory.
For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.
Against its will, all creation was subjected to God's curse.
But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God's children in glorious freedom from death and decay.
For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.
And we believers also groan.
Even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory.
For we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering.
We too wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children.
Including the new bodies he has promised us.
God, we thank you for this passage that applies to so many parts of our life and our nation.
God, I pray that you reveal your truth to us.
May it be done by the power of your spirit.
It's in Jesus' name we pray.
Amen.
You may be seated.
Thank you for standing.
In the first 17 verses we worked through last Sunday here in Romans 8.
We talked about, we saw how the Holy Spirit is working inside of us to break the power of our past.
To free us.
To change our identity.
And now, as Paul is picking it up here in verse 18, we see that God's rescue plan to do that in us is much bigger than just saving our individual souls.
He is working to heal, to restore all of his creation.
So, this leads us, as we study from groaning to glory in the pages of Romans 8, this leads us to the first thought I want you to take home with you today.
While we are waiting, God is working.
You could say it this way.
While we are groaning, God is preparing us for glory.
While we are waiting, God is always at work.
For 250 years, the American experiment has been remarkable.
It's been a remarkable experiment in human freedom, in liberty.
But no human empire, no nation, going back to Greece and Rome and Babylon and any empire or nation that has risen above the rest in the history of this world,
has ever been or will ever be the final destination.
It is not the culmination.
It's not the end.
Every country, including our own, experiences the groaning of a broken world.
We did it at the beginning of our nation and we still do it today.
We see the groaning and the brokenness around us.
So, don't judge God's ultimate plan by the temporary chaos you see when you turn on the news or you log on to social media
or you just interact with those around you or even when you look in the mirror.
God is working through all that.
He has a plan that is bigger than any single nation.
So, I want to highlight some doctrines that we find in the pages of Romans 8 as we work through this.
And remarkably, in verses 18 through 30, I want to draw your attention to this idea of glorification.
What is glorification?
It is the new creation but a future glory that will come.
God is working on us to reveal his glory in us.
That is a wild concept to wrap our heads around.
That God wants to use broken humans like you and me to reveal his glory.
Oftentimes, God has used a people group or a nation to reveal his glory.
We've seen him do that even through the United States of America.
Look at verse 18 down through 22.
We see this idea that your present suffering is real.
God is not ignoring or denying or minimizing your present suffering that you're going through.
So, whatever is going on in your life that you're suffering through right now, whether it's external problems or internal problems, whether it's something you can't control or a failing on your part, your suffering is real.
But it's not the end.
A future glory awaits.
So, don't judge God's faithfulness by today's circumstances.
Today's pain is not the final chapter.
Verse 18, what did it say?
What we suffer now is, what did it say?
Nothing compared to the glory that later will come.
That he will reveal later.
Do you see the wording there?
It said, what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.
You know what that implies?
That the glory is real.
The glory is already present.
It hasn't all been revealed yet.
Man, that encourages me.
When I feel that there is no hope.
When I feel that nothing is really going to get better.
You know, we talked about last Sunday.
You move somewhere.
You change jobs.
You try to get a fresh start in some way.
Only to be reminded that it's still you in the new place.
It's still you in the new job.
And it's still you carrying the same you that caused problems in the last place.
Or the last job.
But through all that, God is saying he's working on you through the groaning to bring you to be aware.
To reveal his glory within that situation.
And within your life.
And within the life of our nation.
So your present suffering is real, but it's not the end.
And then look down at verse 23.
We believers also groan.
Even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory.
We know, yes, God's Spirit seals me.
I'm promised to be with God forever in what we call heaven.
He said, but then we long for our bodies to release.
To be released from sin and suffering.
We're longing for that day.
Why isn't it here yet, God?
God, Paul said it this way.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus.
God, don't drag this thing out.
It's getting rough down here.
And then he says, we too wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children.
So it's okay to feel like you're waiting.
It's okay to feel like you're in an in-between time.
And this has eschatological implications.
That's eschatology.
What is eschatology?
The doctrine of the end times.
The things that have not yet happened.
The things that we leave to God in his hands.
And we can read in the book of Revelation.
We can look at Daniel's prophecy.
We can look at many, Isaiah, Jeremiah, many of the Old Testament prophets.
And then the writings of Paul and others.
In 1 Thessalonians, we see eschatology pop up throughout the scriptures.
When they're talking about things that haven't yet come.
Things that haven't yet come to pass.
This is eschatology.
And that's what this is talking about.
How does eschatology apply to our everyday life?
It's the idea of trust.
It's the idea of while I'm waiting, I know God is working.
So it's okay for me to wait right now.
Try telling your kid that.
When he's waiting for dessert.
And you say it's okay to wait.
Or he's waiting for a treat or a reward or a surprise.
Tell me what the surprise is.
No, then it wouldn't be a surprise.
Yeah, but I want to know right now.
I don't want to wait.
And we don't want to wait either.
But God is teaching us that while we're waiting, he's working.
The groaning brings the glory.
It's all part of the process.
Trust the process of our heavenly father.
Faith doesn't mean having everything now.
It means trusting God when you don't have everything.
Trusting that he will provide everything you need.
And someday he'll provide everything you could possibly want.
When your soul is aligned with his.
Problem is our souls are not aligned with his.
Our souls are distracted.
Our mind, our will, our emotions are influenced by this world around us.
By the brokenness that still struggles with the spirit within us.
And so we feel like we don't have everything we want.
And we struggle with waiting.
So your present suffering is real, but it's not the end.
It's okay to feel like you're waiting.
It can be a good thing.
And then in verse 26, Romans 8 and verse 26.
By the way, if you don't have a copy of the word of God, there should be one in front of you in the seat back.
Or you can look on with somebody who does.
The Bible app is on the phone.
That can be a handy thing for you to pull up as well.
But Romans chapter 8 and verse 26.
The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness.
For example, we don't know what God wants us to pray for.
You ever realize that?
Has that ever hit you?
I don't exactly know what I should be praying for right now.
Yes.
But Paul is identifying with that as he writes to the church in Rome.
But he says,
Here's more groaning, right?
More groaning that will result in God's glory.
The Holy Spirit is praying for us.
And the Father who knows our hearts, knows all hearts, he knows what that Holy Spirit is saying.
He knows what those groanings mean.
For the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will.
That's the secret.
When you and I pray for things, sometimes it's in harmony with God's will.
Harmony means it sounds right, you know?
How many of you like to sing harmony?
How many of you are able?
Your ear hears harmony parts.
There's some kind of halfway.
Yeah.
My dad was a pastor growing up.
His secretary was, she was a natural harmony singer.
And she would sit with our family.
I would stand next to her so every time we sang during church, she would sing harmony parts.
And I learned harmony that way just by standing next to her.
So I would always then go and pick out harmony parts myself.
Harmony means you're not singing the melody line that was written,
the main line that you normally sing when you sing a song.
But you're singing a part that is closely related to that.
And it meshes well.
It breathes well.
It works well together.
And so when you and I pray, we're not always praying in harmony with the Holy Spirit.
But when our hearts are aligned with God, even if our requests aren't always aligned with God's will,
the Holy Spirit prays on our behalf.
He says, God, this is what we need.
This is what they need.
This is what they want.
Their heart is toward you.
And even if their request is not toward you, I'm praying for them.
I'm pleading on their behalf in harmony with God's will.
So the Spirit is making intercession for us.
What is intercession?
It is hardcore prayer.
Okay?
What is intercessory prayer?
It means you are ridding yourself of any other distraction.
You are focusing in on going before God and pleading for a cause.
And the Holy Spirit is doing that for you and for me.
For your kids.
For your grandkids.
For your coworker.
For your neighbor that's on your heart.
For the people that make you, keep you up at night.
The people that make you lose sleep.
Even when we don't intercede for them as often as we could, the Holy Spirit makes intercession for us.
That's a comfort for you and for me.
So while we're waiting, the Holy Spirit's making intercession.
While we're waiting, God is working.
And then down in verse 28.
As you're looking at verse 28, I want to share this verse with you.
Jesus is able to save those who come to God through him completely and forever since he always lives to make intercession for them.
Isn't it amazing that God makes intercession for us?
We're going to see that again.
That the Holy Spirit is not the only one doing the interceding.
In just a minute, a little bit later in Romans 8, we're going to see how Jesus the Son is also making intercession for us.
But it is such a comfort and a reminder to the believer that God is praying to himself for us.
What an incredible thought.
And then down in verse 28, if you're there.
We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
How many of you have heard that verse before?
Romans 8, 28.
We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God.
Yeah.
That's a verse that we love to claim.
Sometimes when things are going wrong, it's like, yep, but all things are going to work together for good.
That's true.
But we don't always see the good when it comes.
Because the good is aligned with God's purpose and we don't always see that in the moment.
Well, how did this turn out to be good?
What good came from this?
We can't see it in that moment.
This is a waiting time.
But we can trust that while we're groaning, glory is the future.
Glory is promised.
God is working.
And this has to do with God's sovereignty.
God's sovereignty.
Hang on.
I got ahead of myself.
There we go.
Down through verse 30.
This is talking about how God is in control of all of it.
He chose us.
He knew his people in advance.
And he chose us.
And he called us.
And he says to all that he called.
He will work all things in our lives together for our good and for his glory.
And what does it say in verse 30?
Having chose them, he called them to come to him.
And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself.
That's how we can wake up in the morning and say, I have right standing with God because God told me I did.
I'm not out of favor with God because I messed up last night.
I'm not favor.
I'm not out of favor with God because I got drunk.
I'm not out of favor with God because I looked at pornography.
I'm not out of favor with God because I was angry and yelled at my kids.
I'm not out of favor with God because of fill in the blank.
I have favor with God because he gave that to me.
I may have
from time to time go off and make a choice
that will lead to bad consequences
it will be hurtful to myself, to others
and I'll have to endure that
until I align
my will back with God's will
but all the way
through, while I'm
waiting, while I'm groaning
in this world of brokenness
I have right standing with
God, I have his favor
because I'm his child
and since he gave that
to us in verse 30
having given them right standing
he gave them his
what's that last word in verse 30
what is it?
his glory
he gave them his glory
let's put us in there
he gave us his glory
that is what is promised
we sing the battle hymn of the republic
not too long ago
glory, glory, hallelujah
praise be to God
because he gave us as his children
not because we're Americans
not because we're white or black
or Hispanic or Asian
or we're rich or poor
or anything else
not because of any social standing
on this earth
but because
he gave us his grace
to repent of our sins
to turn to him
and say God
I place my faith in you
and you alone
so glory is promised
and then number two
and we only have two points
so this is the last point
ready?
God's love
never
fails
while we're waiting
God is working
and we can be sure
that his work
is always
motivated
and acted out
through the lens
of his love
it always reflects
his love for us
and his love
never
fails
1 Corinthians chapter 13
is called
the love chapter
and one of the ends
of that
it uses a word
that's charity
it's a placeholder
for love
it means the same thing
and so
it says charity
never fails
love
never
fails
have you noticed
that real
love
never
fails
there is selfish
love
there is attraction
there is sexual
love
there is
self-serving
love
there is all kinds
of love
out there
but real
love
that comes
from the inventor
of love
the author
of love
which is God
that love
never fails
it took Jesus
to the cross
but then what
happened
did he stay
dead
was that the
end of his
story
come on church
I'm asking you
if Jesus
stayed dead
there you go
y'all know
the answer
to this one
this isn't hard
no he came
back to life
it's why we
celebrate Easter
around here
in a big way
because Jesus
is alive
love
could not
fail
love
will not
fail
you
so look
down in
verse 31
what shall
we say
about such
wonderful
things as
these
if God
is for
us
who can
ever
be
against
us
God's
love
will
never
fail
you
why
because
he's
for
you
God
is
for
you
and
you
don't
have
to
live
in
fear
since
he didn't
spare
even
his own
son
but he
gave him
up
for
us
all
he
is
for
us
and he
gave
his
son
for
us
and
then
look
this is
talking
about
the
atonement
the
atonement
that
Jesus
made
the
atoning
sacrifice
where
he
recognized
that
we
were
slaves
to
sin
we
owed
a
debt
of
sin
to
darkness
to
death
to
hell
and
Jesus
came
and paid
!
debt
had
left
a
crimson
stain
but
he
washed
it
white
as
snow
it's
what
Jesus
did
in
the
atonement
when
he
atoned
or
paid
the
sacrifice
the
sacrificial
debt
for
our
sins
2nd
Corinthians
521
Paul
wrote
this
and
it
has
powerful
implications
for
you
and
me
God
made
Jesus
who
had
no
sin
to
be
sin
for
us
can
we
say
that
God
made
Jesus
who
had
no
sin
to
be
for
us
so
that
in
Jesus
we
might
become
or
embody
God's
righteousness
there's
no way
that
you
and
I
could
be
God's
righteousness
but
through
Jesus
alone
you
and
I
are
sinners
we're
always
going
to
be
attracted
or
drawn
toward
what
is
wrong
toward
what
is
unrighteous
but
since
Jesus
became
our
sacrifice
for
us
he
gave
us
right
standing
with
God
now
he
can
change
what
we're
drawn
to
he
can
change
what
we
find
ourselves
getting
involved
in
this
world
like
huh
me
what
I
volunteered
to work
in the
nursery
at church
I'm not
that kind
of person
I volunteered
to sing
in the
choir
where did
that come
from
because
God
can
change
you
we talked
about that
last Sunday
God
changing
your
nature
that is
part of
becoming
God's
righteousness
he
changes
you
to
become
what
you
could
be
not
what
you
have
been
and
then
in
Psalm
56
in
verse
9
the
psalmist
knew
this
David
knew
this
when he
wrote
this
so many
years
ago
he
said
this
I
know
I
don't
know
everything
there
are
things
I
doubt
there
are
things
I
fear
but
he
said
this
I
know
that
God
is
what
this
I
know
that
God
is
what
!
does
it
really
matter
who
is
against
you
I
feel
like
this
world
is
against
me
I
feel
like
culture
is
against
me
does
it
really
matter
because
God
is
for
you
that's
what
matters
so
your
failures
don't
get
the
final
word
because
God
is
for
you
verse
33
who
dares
accuse
us
whom
God
has
chosen
for
his
own
no
one
because
God
himself
has
given
us
right
standing
with
him
so
who
can
condemn
us
no
one
because
Christ
Jesus
died
for
us
and
was
raised
to
life
for
us
and
is
sitting
in
the
place
of
honor
at
God's
right
hand
pleading
for
us
so
Jesus
is also
interceding
for
us
he's
also
pleading
for
us
he's
also
praying
for
us
we ask
each
other
to
pray
for
each
other
when
we
have
a
need
or
a
burden
right
we'll
say
would
you
pray
for
this
and
we hope
that
person
does
pray
for
it
but
you
know
what
we
can
be
confident
in
Jesus
is
praying
for
us
the
Holy
Spirit
is
praying
for
us
and
he
is
for
us
so
while
we're
waiting
while
we're
groaning
in the
middle
of
the
!
God
is
preparing
glory
his
love
will
never
fail
and
then
down
in
verse
35
we're
almost
done
can
anything
ever
separate
us
from
God's
love
from
Christ's
love
does
it
mean
that
he
no
longer
loves
us
if
we
have
trouble
of
course
not
calamity
or
persecuted
we're
hungry
we're
poor
we're
destitute
we're
in
danger
we're
threatened
!
with
death
does
it
mean
that
God
doesn't
love
us
when
these
things
happen
to
us
of
course
not
as
the
scripture
says
in
the
old
testament
prophets
for
your
sake
for
God's
sake
we're
being
killed
every
day
we're
being
slaughtered
like
sheep
you
think
you're
the
first
Christians
to
suffer
in
the
name
of
God
you
think
you're
the
first
Christians
to
go
through
a
hard
time
of
course
not
no
verse
37
despite
all
these
things
overwhelming
victory
is
fail
you
love
has
never
failed
love
only
brings
overwhelming
victory
and this
also says
that hard
times are
not a
sign
that God
has
abandoned
you
hard
times
are not
a sign
that God
has
is
throwing
the book
at you
and making
you pay
for all
the wrong
you've
done
that is
not who
he is
he closed
the book
he wiped
out your
record of
wrong
he washed
it in
his
blood
and he
gave
you
right
standing
with
him
first
Peter
4
13
rejoice
in the
degree
that you
can
share
in the
sufferings
of
Christ
so that
when his
glory
is revealed
in you
you may
also rejoice
and be
glad
instead of
saying
man I
guess I
just
haven't
been
perfect
so God
is
getting
me
with
all
this
trouble
that is
going
on
in
my
life
John
was
just
coming
back
from
vacation
and he
can tell
you
himself
about
everything
that they
went
through
on their
return
trip
home
with
their
truck
and trailer
and just
the
insanity
now God
showed up
and he
kept it
from being
too bad
that they
couldn't
recover
from it
right
but look
he didn't
come in
saying
man I
guess I
just
wasn't
faithful
enough
in
prayer
so God
was
getting
me
no
I'm
glad
that he
could
share
I'm
glad
that you
can
share
I'm
glad
that I
can
share
in the
sufferings
of
Christ
none
of
us
will
ever
suffer
to
the
degree
that
Jesus
did
when
all
the
weight
of
the
sin
and
the
brokenness
of
this
world
was
placed
on
him
and
he
sacrificed
his
very
life
on
this
earth
on
the
cross
for
you
and
for
me
but
when
we
can
share
a
little
bit
of
the
suffering
then
we
know
that
glory
is
coming
I
know
that
God
is
going
to
show
up
big
in
that
family's
life
he
has
and
he'll
continue
to
I
know
that
he'll
show
up
big
in
yours
and
I've
seen
him
show
up
big
in
mine
and
I
believe
that
the
best
is
yet
to
come
do
you
believe
the
best
from
our
heavenly
father
is
yet
to
come
do
you
believe
there's
glory
waiting
then
you
can
endure
this
groaning
because
the
glory
is
coming
nothing
can
at the
last
two
verses
here
I
am
convinced
that
nothing
can
ever
separate
us
from
God's
love
this
has
to
do
with
God's
covenant
look
we went
through
the
atonement
we talked
about
Christ
interceding
and praying
for us
talked
about
how
Christ
is
enough
through
the
problems
through
the
suffering
that
we
have
to
endure
and
then
we
get
to
God's
covenant
promise
in
verse
38
nothing
can
ever
separate
us
from
God's
love
death
life
angels
demons
our
fears
for
today
our
worries
about
tomorrow
not
even
the
powers
of
hell
can
separate
us
from
God's
love
no
power
in the
sky
above
or in
the
earth
below
nothing
in
all
creation
will
ever
be able
to
separate
us
from
the
love
of
God
that
is
revealed
in
Christ
Jesus
our
Lord
this
is
the
unbreakable
covenant
of
God's
love
your
love
is
flawed
my
love
is
imperfect
I
love
you
but
my
love
might
fail
you
I
believe
looking
across
here
most
of
you
love
me
some
of
you
I'm
not
sure
I'm
kidding
but
your
love
might
fail
me
at
some
point
but
nothing
can
ever
separate
you
from
God's
love
and
nothing
can
ever
separate
me
from
God's
love
that
is
the
covenant
that
we
can
rest
in
we
can
go
to
sleep
at
night
knowing
God
made
a
covenant
with
me
because
of
his
son
Jesus
Christ
and
if
my
faith
is
in
him
then
I'm
safe
if
my
faith
is
in
myself
I'm
not
safe
if
my
faith
is
in
the
church
I'm
not
safe
if
my
faith
is
in
my
past
or
my
present
or
my
future
my
kids
if
my
faith
covenant
and
I
am
safe
there's
glory
coming
so
we've
gone
through
Romans
chapter
8
verses
1
through
39
between
last
week
and
this
week
and
we
saw
well
I can't
skip over
this verse
alright
real quick
if we
are
unfaithful
he
remains
faithful
for
he
cannot
deny
who
he
is
this
is
a
point
that
directly
applies
to
what
we
were
just
talking
about
so
before
we
recap
the
chapter
and
we
close
I
want
to
draw
your
attention
to
this
how
many
of
you
believe
that
you've
always
been
faithful
to
God
through
your
whole
life
and
you've
never
been
unfaithful
to
him
I
was
really
hoping
nobody
would
raise
their
hand
so
good
job
good
job
so
I'm
not
going
to
make
you
raise
your
hand
to
highlight
your
unfaithfulness
to
God
but
you
all
recognize
even
when
you
were
unfaithful
to
him
I
got
both
hands
up
yeah
if
we
are
unfaithful
look
that's
in
the
Bible
Paul
was
writing
to
Timothy
and
he
said
I
have
learned
this
even
when
I
am
unfaithful
to
God
he
remains
faithful
because
he
cannot
die
who
he
is
deny
who
he
is
why
because
we're
in
that
covenant
we
are
in
him
we
are
in
Christ
so
we
can
separate
us
from
God's
love
this
is
why
this
is
one
of
the
most
important
chapters
that
Paul
ever
wrote
in
any
of
his
letters
to
the
early
churches
because
this
tells
us
our
standing
in
God
it
gives
us
our
identity
we
are
God's
family
it
gives
us
our
purpose
an
explanation
for
this
life
nothing
God
is
working
nothing
is
meaningless
nothing
is a
waste
of
time
God
is
working
even
in
the
meantime
while
we're
waiting
and
then
finally
it
gives
you
an
answer
for
all
the
fears
that
pop
into
your
head
all
the
thoughts
that
threaten
to
undermine
your
emotional
well-being
your
mental
health
God
gives
you
an
answer
for
that
nothing
can
separate
you
from
his
love
you
are
loved
you
are
important
for
250
years
people
have
called
America
a work
in
progress
and
we
have
been
we've
been
a
nation
striving
for a
more
perfect
union
but we
haven't
achieved
perfection
yet
we
are
moving
in a
common
direction
as
people
as
a
nation
toward
liberty
toward
good
and
equality
for
all
the
exact
same
thing
is
true
of
your
spiritual
life
you
are
a
work
in
progress
you
are
moving
in
a
direction
toward
Jesus
God
doesn't
demand
that
your
life
be
flawless
or
perfect
he
just
wants
your
eyes
fixed
on
him
looking
unto
Jesus
the
author
of
Hebrews
wrote
so
on
this
historic
weekend
of
America's
250th
birthday
we
can
thank
God
for
the
blessings
he
shown
us
for
the
blessings
he
bestowed
upon
our
nation
we
can
celebrate
Christian
patriotism
but not
Christian
nationalism
there's a
difference
there
Charles
de Gaulle
one of the
greatest
French
heroes
that ever
lived
put it
this way
patriotism
is when
love of
your own
people
comes
first
it's
not a
thing
wrong
with
that
nationalism
is when
hate
for people
other than
your own
comes
first
there's a
difference
there
patriotism
is affection
and love
and devotion
for the
nation
of your
birth
it's
praying
for it
it's
working
to make
it
the
best
possible
nation
and
people
that
it
could
be
nationalism
is when
you
sense
superiority
to all
other
nations
and you
naturally
have
resistance
or think
less of
or even
hatred
toward
those
who
are
not
of
your
nation
may
God
give us
Christian
patriots
not
Christian
nationalists
that's
the
difference
for the
child
of God
we are
not
only
citizens
of the
United
States
of America
we are
citizens
of the
kingdom
of heaven
of the
kingdom
of God
itself
so you
and I
can anchor
our souls
in something
bigger
something
eternal
something
everlasting
something
permanent
governments
will change
cultures
change
countries
change
but here
in Romans
8
Paul gives
us two
truths
that we
can anchor
our lives
on
and this
is what
I'll leave
you with
number
one
God
is
for
you
and
number
two
God
will
never
let
you
go
the
Christian
life
is not
built
on the
promise
of an
easy
road
or a
perfect
superior
nation
the
Christian
life
is
built
on
those
two
truths
God's
unshakable
promise
his
covenant
with
you
the
faithful
love
revealed
in
Jesus
Christ
can
we
say
that
together
and
we'll
pray
number
one
ready
God
is
for
you
number
two
he
God
we
thank
you
for
those
truths
we
thank
you
how
you
have
shown
them
to
your
people
even
in
the
United
States
of
America
God
your
people
were
always
the
children
of
Israel
and
then
after
your
death
and
resurrection
you
opened
that up
to
the
Gentiles
and
you
said
all
of
you
are
welcome
to
be
my
people
you
didn't
replace
Israel
with
America
you
didn't
replace
Israel
even
with
the
church
you
expanded
your
people
to
be
peoples
of
every
nation
and
someday
every
knee
will
bow
from
people
all
across
this
world
and
every
tongue
will
say
or
confess
that
Jesus
Christ
is
Lord
so we
thank
you
for
the
promise
that
you
are
for
your
people
and
you
are
for
our
nation
as
we
follow
you
we
thank
you
that
the
promise
that
you
will
never
let
us
go
applies
to
us
and
it
applies
to
our
nation
as
we
follow
you
I
pray
for
our
nation
I
pray
for
Texas
I
pray
for
Henrietta
I
pray
for
our
church
pray
for
my
family
we
remember
that
God
is
for
us
God
will
never
let
us
go
while
the
music
plays
before
we
close
with
a
final
song
I
want
to ask
you
this
question
whether
you're
a
guest
this
morning
or
you're
a
regular
attender
or
a
long
time
member
I
want
to
ask
you
the
same
question
how
many
of
you
know
that
you
are
in
Christ
that
you
placed
your
faith
in
him
and
him
alone
for
the
forgiveness
of
your
sins
to
become
his
child
would
you
testify
to
that
say
yes
I
know
that
I
am
in
Christ
would
you
testify
to
that
say
yes
that's
me
thank
you
put
your
hands
down
how
many
of
you
would
say
I
couldn't
raise
my
hand
a
moment
ago
but
I
would
like
to
talk
to
someone
about
finding
out
how
to
be
in
Christ
how
to
be
part
of
that
family
would
you
slip
your
hand
up
now
and
I'll
pray
for
you
as
well
say
I
want
to
know
more
about
becoming
a
child
of
God
is
working
and
his
love
will
never
fail
me
would
you
slip
your
hand
up
now
whatever
you're
going
through
I'll
pray
for
you
thank
you
thank
you
thank
you
thank
you
there's
hands
all over
the
room
God
knows
exactly
what's
going
on
in
your
heart
in
your
life
what
the
burden
is
whether
it's
you
whether
it's
someone
else
and
you're
burden
for
them
or
whatever
is
going
on
God
we
can
certainly
set
that
up
for
you
brother
Greg
is
going
to
come
and
lead
us
in
a
final
song
kind
of
share
a
song
with
us
before
we
go
but
we
thank
you
for
celebrating
not only
our
risen
Savior
and
in
this
worship
service
but
also
America's
250th
birthday
on this
very
special
weekend
it