WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.640 Well, good morning, everyone. Can I just add my welcome? I'm JT. If you don't know me, 00:00:03.660 --> 00:00:07.419 I'm one of the elders here, and I have the privilege of taking us through this amazing 00:00:07.419 --> 00:00:14.839 passage this morning. And yeah, thank you for reading, Kate, and for your prayer. And we do 00:00:14.839 --> 00:00:19.600 just ask that God will add a blessing to his word that is read this morning. 00:00:20.879 --> 00:00:26.980 So to get us thinking, we're in Romans 8. I was watching Blue Planet not that long ago. I'm not 00:00:26.980 --> 00:00:31.679 sure if you're into documentaries. I love seeing God's creation and the way that they can film 00:00:31.679 --> 00:00:36.840 things nowadays. And this is one of David Attenborough's ones, all about the sea. And if you know anything 00:00:36.840 --> 00:00:41.460 about me, you'll know that the sea's got a special place in my heart. If you don't know what that's 00:00:41.460 --> 00:00:46.219 about, you can ask me later on. But in this particular episode, you had these two grey 00:00:46.219 --> 00:00:53.560 whales. That's what they are. And you've got the mum and the pup. Now, the pup is relatively small, 00:00:53.560 --> 00:01:00.500 but still absolutely massive. And they are serenely swimming along side by side. The pup is just tucked 00:01:00.500 --> 00:01:05.820 right into the mother. And they're swimming along. But then in the way that these shows do, the music 00:01:05.820 --> 00:01:12.760 changes. And you think, uh-oh, something's coming. What is it? Well, these orcas come flying in and 00:01:12.760 --> 00:01:19.379 they smash right into the pup. And it was quite a horrifying thing to watch. But what they do is that 00:01:19.379 --> 00:01:25.619 they disorientate the pup. They hit it. They separate from the mother. And then this pup, 00:01:25.719 --> 00:01:30.799 what the orcas do is they surround it and they swim with it. And the pup just goes with them, 00:01:30.939 --> 00:01:37.140 thinking that it is now safe. So the pup is separated from the mother. And I'll not tell 00:01:37.140 --> 00:01:43.939 you how it ends, but you could probably guess. But you know, this was what I was thinking about, 00:01:44.079 --> 00:01:48.519 because, and we're starting at the end of our passage, but this is the main point, as Graham has said 00:01:48.519 --> 00:01:53.840 already this morning. The main point this morning that we will see is that nothing, verse 39, 00:01:54.039 --> 00:02:03.519 can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Nothing can separate us from 00:02:03.519 --> 00:02:12.280 Christ Jesus, our Lord. So where are we? I'm aware that you might not have, you might not have been in 00:02:12.280 --> 00:02:16.960 the last few weeks. We've been going through this over four weeks. Graham took us through the first three, 00:02:16.960 --> 00:02:25.860 and this is the finale, so to speak, of our Romans chapter eight. Paul, the apostle Paul, the one who 00:02:25.860 --> 00:02:33.159 is converted dramatically, he is writing to the church in Rome, Rome, that great city that we know 00:02:33.159 --> 00:02:38.879 of from history of the empire. But in this church, they were having problems and he is writing to them 00:02:38.879 --> 00:02:44.400 to try and solve some of these problems. Paul, he wants unity in the church, that they can work 00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:53.599 together for the gospel, for the good of the gospel. And Paul's opening question here, in verse 31, 00:02:53.740 --> 00:02:59.140 the first verse that we read, it says, what then shall we say in response to these things? 00:03:00.280 --> 00:03:04.439 And you quite rightly might ask, what things? So let's have a look at what we've been thinking about 00:03:04.439 --> 00:03:12.040 so far. Well, in chapter eight, verse one, we saw that we can have life in Jesus's name. 00:03:12.039 --> 00:03:18.620 It says it up there, no condemnation. Verse one says, therefore, there is no condemnation 00:03:18.620 --> 00:03:24.159 for those who are in Christ Jesus. We can have life in his name. 00:03:26.139 --> 00:03:33.199 Week two, we thought about the fact that because of this, we can be family. We can be made a part of 00:03:33.199 --> 00:03:40.280 God's family, the church, the global church. We can be heirs with Christ. And this allows us in verse 15 00:03:40.280 --> 00:03:49.180 to cry, Abba, Father, that personal relationship that we can have with God. And last week, we saw 00:03:49.180 --> 00:03:55.039 that because of these things, we have the hope of future glory. We can look ahead to a time coming 00:03:55.039 --> 00:04:01.800 where suffering will be no more. Verse 18, for I consider that the sufferings of this present time 00:04:01.800 --> 00:04:07.960 are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 00:04:09.760 --> 00:04:13.240 So we've seen that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. 00:04:13.800 --> 00:04:17.560 We have become part of God's family if we trust in the Lord Jesus. 00:04:18.300 --> 00:04:22.379 And we have been given that hope for the future on which we can look to. 00:04:22.379 --> 00:04:29.360 So with that hope of the future laid out, Paul goes on here to tell his readers, that church in Rome, 00:04:30.120 --> 00:04:35.939 to withstand the world, to stand what's going on around about them, because we are safe in Christ. 00:04:37.459 --> 00:04:41.100 There is no separation from the love of God. 00:04:43.120 --> 00:04:45.319 So verse 1, no condemnation. 00:04:46.219 --> 00:04:49.439 And verse 39, today we will see no separation. 00:04:49.439 --> 00:04:55.259 We're going to look at what that looks like, what Paul writes to these readers in Rome at the time, 00:04:55.360 --> 00:05:00.600 but what we can apply to our lives in Edinburgh on this tree Sunday morning. 00:05:01.899 --> 00:05:05.060 But as we do so, let's really sense the triumph of these things. 00:05:05.519 --> 00:05:09.339 This is Paul's triumphant words as he finishes this little section. 00:05:10.439 --> 00:05:12.180 Try to take on the encouragement. 00:05:13.040 --> 00:05:16.100 Try to leave here encouraged about who our Savior is. 00:05:19.439 --> 00:05:21.319 We're going to look at it in three sections. 00:05:22.879 --> 00:05:24.800 I don't think this is playing ball too much. 00:05:25.339 --> 00:05:25.779 There we go. 00:05:26.600 --> 00:05:30.879 We're going to look at it in verse 31 to 32, that God is for us. 00:05:31.920 --> 00:05:35.240 We're going to see in the next two verses that God is in us. 00:05:35.800 --> 00:05:39.159 And finally, we will see that God is with us. 00:05:39.160 --> 00:05:43.400 So let's start with God is for us. 00:05:44.320 --> 00:05:46.080 I don't know if you've ever seen Question Time. 00:05:46.920 --> 00:05:52.400 It's a game show where the people on the panel try to avoid answering the question at all times. 00:05:53.840 --> 00:05:54.420 No, not really. 00:05:54.480 --> 00:05:57.200 If you've not seen it, it tends to be politicians and the public. 00:05:57.340 --> 00:05:58.160 They ask questions. 00:05:58.760 --> 00:06:02.540 And then the person tends to just say whatever they were planning on saying anyway. 00:06:03.640 --> 00:06:06.800 It's a not particularly helpful show, I don't find. 00:06:06.800 --> 00:06:12.319 But here we have Paul and we have a lot of questions here in our passage. 00:06:12.900 --> 00:06:17.560 But Paul, very helpfully, he answers those questions, which is very useful. 00:06:19.560 --> 00:06:24.340 So we see, verse 31, that God is for us. 00:06:27.319 --> 00:06:30.259 Who can be against us? 00:06:31.220 --> 00:06:33.080 Contrary to what the world would think. 00:06:33.960 --> 00:06:35.699 You know, some people would say, what do you think of God? 00:06:35.699 --> 00:06:37.019 Oh, well, God's a rulemaker. 00:06:37.759 --> 00:06:39.180 God wants to oppress us. 00:06:39.500 --> 00:06:40.339 God is no fun. 00:06:42.139 --> 00:06:43.759 But that is not what we see here. 00:06:46.279 --> 00:06:48.099 God is actually for us. 00:06:48.219 --> 00:06:50.240 God wants us to do well. 00:06:50.339 --> 00:06:53.719 He wants us to be good. 00:06:53.819 --> 00:06:55.599 He wants us to thrive. 00:06:57.039 --> 00:06:58.620 Who can be against us? 00:06:58.659 --> 00:07:01.060 Well, the answer to that isn't written, but it is no one. 00:07:01.599 --> 00:07:03.480 No one can be against us. 00:07:03.480 --> 00:07:08.700 And, you know, we might think, well, people are against us. 00:07:08.819 --> 00:07:10.520 People are not nice to us. 00:07:10.819 --> 00:07:13.740 People are, in fact, sometimes downright horrible to us. 00:07:13.800 --> 00:07:14.640 How can this be? 00:07:15.520 --> 00:07:18.240 Well, it is talking about in our position before him. 00:07:18.780 --> 00:07:22.520 In our position before God, no one can stand against. 00:07:22.759 --> 00:07:26.160 If God is for us, then no one can be against us. 00:07:26.160 --> 00:07:29.000 How can we know that God is for us? 00:07:29.140 --> 00:07:30.200 It's an easy thing to say. 00:07:31.280 --> 00:07:33.600 Well, verse 32, it answers this, doesn't it? 00:07:34.520 --> 00:07:39.440 He who did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all. 00:07:39.439 --> 00:07:48.639 Jesus, God the Son, was given by God the Father for us. 00:07:49.660 --> 00:07:54.779 We'll look at this a bit more in the next section, if that is something that is unfamiliar to you. 00:07:55.579 --> 00:07:59.680 But salvation, which is a gift, is available to everyone. 00:07:59.680 --> 00:08:03.459 But it requires action, and that action is faith. 00:08:05.040 --> 00:08:10.079 We will sing afterwards a hymn, and it's got great words. 00:08:10.139 --> 00:08:10.620 It says this, 00:08:10.699 --> 00:08:13.319 What gift of grace is Jesus, my Redeemer? 00:08:14.360 --> 00:08:16.740 There is no more for heaven now to give. 00:08:17.639 --> 00:08:23.899 He is my joy, my righteousness and freedom, my steadfast love, my deep and boundless peace. 00:08:23.899 --> 00:08:29.359 The Lord Jesus is the greatest gift that has ever been given. 00:08:32.539 --> 00:08:35.439 So if we've been given that gift, verse 32, it says, 00:08:35.600 --> 00:08:40.620 How will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 00:08:42.679 --> 00:08:46.299 If the best gift's already been given, why would you withhold anything else? 00:08:47.220 --> 00:08:50.199 You know, a silly example, but it might be that someone gave you a car, 00:08:50.899 --> 00:08:53.179 and they said, Oh, but you can't have the air fresheners. 00:08:53.179 --> 00:08:55.139 You can't have the car mats. 00:08:56.079 --> 00:08:57.299 You know, it would make no sense. 00:08:57.739 --> 00:08:59.199 The best gift's already been given. 00:08:59.579 --> 00:09:01.000 There's nothing left to withhold. 00:09:02.879 --> 00:09:07.699 You know, last week we looked at the fact that all things, verse 28, 00:09:07.779 --> 00:09:09.599 all things work together for good. 00:09:10.879 --> 00:09:13.899 And Graham talked about the fact that all things work together for good, 00:09:13.979 --> 00:09:15.939 but this is not so that we can be comfortable, 00:09:16.359 --> 00:09:18.939 so that we can live life and an easy life, 00:09:19.000 --> 00:09:21.219 and that we have no issues, no problems. 00:09:21.220 --> 00:09:25.620 All things work together for good in terms of our character, 00:09:26.120 --> 00:09:29.460 in terms of who we are and our relationship with God. 00:09:30.200 --> 00:09:31.519 And it is the same here. 00:09:34.019 --> 00:09:36.120 We are not promised the things of the world. 00:09:37.500 --> 00:09:39.040 We are not promised comfort. 00:09:41.000 --> 00:09:42.220 You know, I don't have to tell you, 00:09:42.279 --> 00:09:43.660 I don't know the weeks you've been having. 00:09:44.139 --> 00:09:46.040 I don't know your life particularly. 00:09:46.039 --> 00:09:47.919 You know, life is tough. 00:09:49.360 --> 00:09:50.679 Life can be heartbreaking. 00:09:51.959 --> 00:09:53.599 Life can just be rubbish sometimes. 00:09:56.299 --> 00:09:58.939 And we're not trying to hide the fact of these things. 00:09:59.079 --> 00:09:59.939 These things are true. 00:09:59.940 --> 00:10:06.340 But God gives us all things for our good. 00:10:07.360 --> 00:10:09.380 God gives us the things that we need, 00:10:09.480 --> 00:10:11.560 not necessarily the things that we want. 00:10:13.480 --> 00:10:16.940 Once again, a thing to illustrate this is that I've got two daughters. 00:10:17.160 --> 00:10:18.600 The oldest one is Sana. 00:10:18.700 --> 00:10:19.220 She's four. 00:10:19.360 --> 00:10:22.420 You know, she would just live a life of ice cream and pasta. 00:10:24.040 --> 00:10:25.480 Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 00:10:26.320 --> 00:10:27.620 Pasta and ice cream, please. 00:10:28.419 --> 00:10:31.159 But you know, I, as the father, and Corey as the mother, 00:10:31.240 --> 00:10:33.419 we've got to say to her, you know, you need other things in life. 00:10:33.480 --> 00:10:34.440 You need some vegetables. 00:10:34.639 --> 00:10:35.919 You need things that are good for you. 00:10:36.679 --> 00:10:38.399 But she just wants what she wants. 00:10:39.980 --> 00:10:42.379 But sometimes she needs to have what she needs. 00:10:47.620 --> 00:10:48.820 God is for us. 00:10:49.360 --> 00:10:54.259 And he wants things that are for our good. 00:10:54.259 --> 00:10:58.639 Secondly, we see that God is in us. 00:10:59.639 --> 00:11:00.659 So there's questions. 00:11:00.799 --> 00:11:01.379 They continue. 00:11:01.519 --> 00:11:05.159 But we move from the game show of question time into the courtroom. 00:11:05.480 --> 00:11:08.240 We get in the legal jargon now. 00:11:08.899 --> 00:11:10.279 We're in this courtroom drama. 00:11:11.399 --> 00:11:12.879 No charge is admissible. 00:11:13.500 --> 00:11:15.559 And the judge has thrown out the case. 00:11:15.860 --> 00:11:17.480 The accused is free to go. 00:11:18.539 --> 00:11:20.620 That's what we have in this little section here. 00:11:20.620 --> 00:11:26.840 And you know, when the judge, he throws out a charge, 00:11:26.919 --> 00:11:28.539 it cannot just be brought back up again. 00:11:29.299 --> 00:11:33.000 You can't just go again and again and again until you get the verdict that you want. 00:11:33.399 --> 00:11:35.659 If a judge has cleared someday, then they are clear. 00:11:36.899 --> 00:11:37.860 End of story. 00:11:39.860 --> 00:11:41.340 Verse 33, Paul asks, 00:11:41.340 --> 00:11:48.440 Once again, we get that answer. 00:11:48.879 --> 00:11:51.360 It is God who justifies. 00:11:52.399 --> 00:11:56.759 There's no condemnation because God has justified. 00:11:58.519 --> 00:11:59.040 Justification. 00:11:59.180 --> 00:12:01.440 One of those big words we sometimes hear in the Bible. 00:12:02.080 --> 00:12:03.540 And it's good to know what these things mean. 00:12:04.539 --> 00:12:09.379 A simple way of doing it is just as if we have done nothing wrong. 00:12:11.360 --> 00:12:15.579 But what it is, is it's God declaring us righteous by faith. 00:12:16.599 --> 00:12:18.039 We have a new status. 00:12:18.459 --> 00:12:19.639 We are right with God. 00:12:19.759 --> 00:12:20.779 We have been forgiven. 00:12:21.579 --> 00:12:23.219 We have that new family. 00:12:23.419 --> 00:12:25.339 We have been welcomed into the church. 00:12:26.319 --> 00:12:27.059 God's people. 00:12:28.459 --> 00:12:30.019 And we also have a new future. 00:12:30.179 --> 00:12:33.179 Our transformed life now, but also in that life to come. 00:12:34.219 --> 00:12:36.819 So if justified, Paul's next question, 00:12:37.099 --> 00:12:38.980 Who then is the one who condemns? 00:12:40.219 --> 00:12:42.240 No one is the answer. 00:12:42.839 --> 00:12:43.399 No one. 00:12:43.919 --> 00:12:47.259 If God is not condemning, then no one can. 00:12:47.559 --> 00:12:51.659 If God is not passing sentence, punishing, then no one can. 00:12:53.740 --> 00:12:54.919 How can this be? 00:12:55.779 --> 00:12:56.980 We're not standing here. 00:12:57.019 --> 00:13:00.240 I'm not standing here trying to admit that I've got nothing to get punished for. 00:13:00.539 --> 00:13:02.279 That I am totally sinless. 00:13:02.279 --> 00:13:04.100 I've never done anything wrong in our life. 00:13:04.839 --> 00:13:06.159 You know, we mess up, don't we? 00:13:07.740 --> 00:13:09.600 We lose patience at our children. 00:13:09.980 --> 00:13:11.720 We don't love our wives as we should. 00:13:12.579 --> 00:13:16.579 We are horrible to those whom we love, never mind those that we don't. 00:13:17.839 --> 00:13:18.779 And God is holy. 00:13:18.919 --> 00:13:19.699 God is just. 00:13:19.700 --> 00:13:20.840 We read that in the Bible. 00:13:20.980 --> 00:13:22.560 So how can God let this go? 00:13:23.420 --> 00:13:25.120 How can we get off scot-free? 00:13:27.379 --> 00:13:32.879 Thankfully, again, we see in the next sentence, and we almost want to add a because there. 00:13:32.879 --> 00:13:41.220 Because Christ Jesus who died, more than that, who was raised to life, is at the right hand of God. 00:13:43.059 --> 00:13:46.139 Christ died, paying that penalty for sin. 00:13:46.139 --> 00:13:54.080 He showed victory over death by not just dying, everyone dies, but being raised again to life. 00:13:54.860 --> 00:13:56.600 Victory over death and sin. 00:13:58.159 --> 00:14:03.000 And he was glorified to God's right hand in that marvelous position. 00:14:03.000 --> 00:14:07.519 That's the only way that we can be found not guilty. 00:14:09.480 --> 00:14:12.039 You know, it's as if we're in the courtroom. 00:14:12.679 --> 00:14:14.200 We've heard all the evidence. 00:14:14.679 --> 00:14:15.740 Our head is hanging. 00:14:15.899 --> 00:14:16.679 We know we're guilty. 00:14:17.440 --> 00:14:20.220 But someone walks in and goes, I'll take it. 00:14:22.259 --> 00:14:23.179 Put me away. 00:14:24.000 --> 00:14:26.399 I'll take that prison sentence or whatever it may be. 00:14:27.759 --> 00:14:29.980 That's essentially what Jesus has done. 00:14:29.980 --> 00:14:33.259 Marvel at these things. 00:14:34.800 --> 00:14:39.940 And when we accept these things, that means that God is in us and we are in him. 00:14:43.580 --> 00:14:44.720 God is in us. 00:14:45.480 --> 00:14:46.500 We have been justified. 00:14:48.399 --> 00:14:52.600 Don't worry, I'm not going to miss out that bit at the end of verse 34 where it says, 00:14:52.740 --> 00:14:55.800 and is also interceding for us. 00:14:55.799 --> 00:15:00.379 Christ intercedes for us on our behalf before God. 00:15:00.479 --> 00:15:02.199 He gives us access to God. 00:15:04.219 --> 00:15:08.419 He does so on the basis of his shed blood, the fact that he died for us. 00:15:10.339 --> 00:15:12.379 Interceding, it means that he makes forgiveness. 00:15:12.620 --> 00:15:15.959 He makes access to God possible, a reality. 00:15:16.919 --> 00:15:20.479 You know, when sin came in, there was a separation between man and God, 00:15:20.559 --> 00:15:23.259 and sin just caused this divide in the middle. 00:15:23.259 --> 00:15:27.120 But Jesus, he came and he bridges that gap. 00:15:27.939 --> 00:15:31.919 He allows access to God and God to us. 00:15:35.340 --> 00:15:37.399 And how can Jesus intercede for us? 00:15:37.460 --> 00:15:38.980 Well, he lived a life on this earth. 00:15:39.759 --> 00:15:41.019 He walked as we walked. 00:15:41.120 --> 00:15:42.299 He talked as we talked. 00:15:43.019 --> 00:15:45.100 And yet, importantly, he didn't sin like we did. 00:15:45.500 --> 00:15:46.700 He faced temptation. 00:15:46.939 --> 00:15:48.080 His friends died. 00:15:49.100 --> 00:15:50.860 His family were afflicted. 00:15:50.860 --> 00:15:54.360 He suffered pain and shame and sorrow. 00:15:55.820 --> 00:15:57.899 But Jesus can intercede for us. 00:15:58.779 --> 00:16:00.720 Hebrews 4, bear with me, it says this, 00:16:00.720 --> 00:16:04.700 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, 00:16:05.580 --> 00:16:10.399 Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 00:16:11.279 --> 00:16:15.220 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, 00:16:16.220 --> 00:16:21.800 but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are, yet he did not sin. 00:16:21.799 --> 00:16:26.179 Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, 00:16:26.659 --> 00:16:31.919 so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. 00:16:33.979 --> 00:16:40.859 Verse 26, last week, the Spirit intercedes in us and helps us and groans for us. 00:16:40.860 --> 00:16:47.560 Verse 34, this week, Christ on high intercedes to the Father on our behalf. 00:16:48.620 --> 00:16:52.360 God is in us and we are in him if we trust in Christ. 00:16:53.600 --> 00:16:54.759 Therefore, we are forgiven. 00:16:55.159 --> 00:16:56.680 No charge can be brought. 00:16:58.000 --> 00:17:00.340 What a privileged position we find ourselves in. 00:17:00.340 --> 00:17:07.400 So God is for us and God is in us and finally God is with us. 00:17:08.059 --> 00:17:11.880 There's been a bit of debate this week about this phrase in our household. 00:17:12.380 --> 00:17:15.039 I'm sure I've heard it somewhere, but it's, 00:17:15.240 --> 00:17:17.579 Are you thriving or just surviving? 00:17:18.319 --> 00:17:20.380 You may have heard of that or maybe in different forms, 00:17:20.559 --> 00:17:24.220 but I've gone with, Are you thriving or just surviving? 00:17:25.340 --> 00:17:26.799 You know, answer that honestly. 00:17:26.799 --> 00:17:31.460 We've already thought about life and it can be rubbish at times. 00:17:32.599 --> 00:17:35.980 But you know, God, he wants us and he allows us to thrive. 00:17:38.559 --> 00:17:39.899 God is with us. 00:17:42.539 --> 00:17:46.440 There's no condemnation and now we're getting on to no separation. 00:17:47.940 --> 00:17:50.000 Verse 35, we have our question, 00:17:51.039 --> 00:17:56.000 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ that we've talked about already? 00:17:56.799 --> 00:18:07.980 Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 00:18:09.759 --> 00:18:11.000 What a list. 00:18:12.440 --> 00:18:20.879 Distress, pain, suffering, hunger, shame, peril, death itself. 00:18:20.880 --> 00:18:25.840 You know, I'm sure these things are familiar in one way or another. 00:18:26.540 --> 00:18:28.660 I'm sure these things hurt when we think about them. 00:18:29.280 --> 00:18:30.320 I'm sure we can relate. 00:18:31.980 --> 00:18:32.740 It says, 00:18:32.840 --> 00:18:35.600 For your sake we face death all day long. 00:18:35.720 --> 00:18:38.220 We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. 00:18:38.940 --> 00:18:41.720 This is a quote from Psalm 44 verse 22, 00:18:41.980 --> 00:18:44.420 and it's the people of Israel and they're crying out to God, 00:18:44.860 --> 00:18:45.060 saying, 00:18:45.059 --> 00:18:46.819 This is how the nations view us. 00:18:48.500 --> 00:18:52.359 They view us as being afflicted, as being a sorry affair. 00:18:52.740 --> 00:18:53.960 Look at that, poor people. 00:18:54.759 --> 00:18:55.919 Everything is going wrong. 00:18:57.480 --> 00:19:01.200 We experience the things of verse 35 daily, don't we? 00:19:03.000 --> 00:19:05.299 And it might be this point, and quite rightly you could be saying, 00:19:05.379 --> 00:19:06.039 Hold on, JT. 00:19:06.139 --> 00:19:08.119 You said this was an encouraging passage. 00:19:09.079 --> 00:19:10.539 You said leave encouraged. 00:19:10.539 --> 00:19:12.480 Well, thankfully, this isn't the end. 00:19:12.720 --> 00:19:13.619 It carries on. 00:19:15.579 --> 00:19:16.440 Verse 37, 00:19:17.000 --> 00:19:18.500 No, Paul says, no. 00:19:19.659 --> 00:19:21.039 In all these things. 00:19:21.539 --> 00:19:23.379 Paul isn't saying that these things don't happen, 00:19:23.839 --> 00:19:25.480 but he's saying in all these things, 00:19:25.599 --> 00:19:28.599 we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 00:19:30.940 --> 00:19:33.619 Don't know how I can talk about it in any better way 00:19:33.619 --> 00:19:36.379 than the kids' song did earlier that was brilliant, wasn't it? 00:19:37.180 --> 00:19:39.359 And Sana, she's been singing that all week. 00:19:39.359 --> 00:19:43.240 So I've had no excuse not to be aware of that verse this week. 00:19:44.879 --> 00:19:47.659 And you know that word conqueror, Graham, he told me this one, 00:19:47.759 --> 00:19:51.379 that Nike, the brand, is actually named after the goddess of victory. 00:19:51.859 --> 00:19:53.359 And it's the same root word. 00:19:53.959 --> 00:19:56.099 That Nike, I'll not pronounce the Greek, 00:19:56.719 --> 00:19:58.899 but it is goddess of victory. 00:19:59.199 --> 00:20:00.959 And it is that sense that we have here. 00:20:01.319 --> 00:20:02.579 Conquerors, victorious. 00:20:06.000 --> 00:20:07.619 We defeat these things. 00:20:07.619 --> 00:20:10.299 Yes, they happen, but we defeat them in Christ. 00:20:11.799 --> 00:20:12.799 And not only that, 00:20:13.159 --> 00:20:15.279 but we bring glory to God in our trials. 00:20:16.259 --> 00:20:18.859 We actually become better because of them. 00:20:19.939 --> 00:20:23.099 We are brought closer to God in these things. 00:20:24.599 --> 00:20:25.779 Earlier on in Romans, 00:20:25.939 --> 00:20:27.439 Paul writes to the people, he says, 00:20:27.440 --> 00:20:30.759 not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings 00:20:30.759 --> 00:20:34.559 because we know that suffering produces perseverance. 00:20:36.299 --> 00:20:39.700 Perseverance, character, and character, hope. 00:20:40.880 --> 00:20:42.559 And hope does not put us to shame 00:20:42.559 --> 00:20:45.720 because God's love has been poured out into our hearts 00:20:45.720 --> 00:20:49.480 through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. 00:20:49.480 --> 00:20:56.759 You know, finally, Paul drives these things home 00:20:56.759 --> 00:21:00.059 in his last couple of verses here. 00:21:00.880 --> 00:21:05.180 He drives home his point that we have security in Christ. 00:21:06.360 --> 00:21:09.319 Nothing at all can separate us from the love of God. 00:21:09.319 --> 00:21:14.679 Verse 38, 00:21:14.779 --> 00:21:17.779 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, 00:21:17.980 --> 00:21:19.659 neither angels nor demons, 00:21:20.439 --> 00:21:22.259 neither the present nor the future, 00:21:22.759 --> 00:21:23.899 nor any powers, 00:21:24.480 --> 00:21:25.859 neither height nor depth, 00:21:25.960 --> 00:21:28.139 nor anything else in all creation, 00:21:28.500 --> 00:21:31.480 will be able to separate us from the love of God 00:21:31.480 --> 00:21:34.579 that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 00:21:34.579 --> 00:21:37.019 Again, what a list. 00:21:37.779 --> 00:21:38.879 The terror of death, 00:21:39.039 --> 00:21:40.240 temptation of life, 00:21:40.460 --> 00:21:41.759 supernatural powers, 00:21:42.659 --> 00:21:43.579 life's woes, 00:21:44.359 --> 00:21:45.359 fear of the future, 00:21:45.559 --> 00:21:46.480 human authority, 00:21:47.379 --> 00:21:48.079 everything, 00:21:48.740 --> 00:21:49.319 anything. 00:21:50.199 --> 00:21:51.000 Paul lists them. 00:21:51.099 --> 00:21:52.240 He searched it out. 00:21:54.019 --> 00:21:55.000 How did the song go? 00:21:55.399 --> 00:21:56.819 Nothing, nothing, 00:21:57.599 --> 00:21:59.699 nothing can separate us 00:21:59.699 --> 00:22:01.519 from the love of God. 00:22:02.299 --> 00:22:03.519 You've heard a wee bit about 00:22:03.519 --> 00:22:04.779 the persecuted church. 00:22:05.019 --> 00:22:06.519 We heard about Kate's experience 00:22:06.519 --> 00:22:07.599 in Poland 00:22:07.599 --> 00:22:09.960 and we have that day coming up 00:22:09.960 --> 00:22:11.579 that we can come and listen to these things. 00:22:11.660 --> 00:22:11.900 But you know, 00:22:11.940 --> 00:22:13.019 the persecuted church 00:22:13.019 --> 00:22:14.259 is people out there 00:22:14.259 --> 00:22:16.099 who are living their lives for Jesus, 00:22:16.639 --> 00:22:17.819 but on a daily basis 00:22:17.819 --> 00:22:19.839 they face suffering for doing so. 00:22:20.480 --> 00:22:22.599 Their families disown them because of it. 00:22:23.559 --> 00:22:24.379 The authorities, 00:22:24.660 --> 00:22:26.319 those who are meant to look after us, 00:22:26.400 --> 00:22:28.440 put people in jail for believing in Jesus. 00:22:29.440 --> 00:22:31.900 That is the realities of the persecuted church. 00:22:31.900 --> 00:22:33.620 But you know, 00:22:33.680 --> 00:22:34.660 despite these things, 00:22:34.759 --> 00:22:36.019 these churches are thriving. 00:22:36.759 --> 00:22:38.060 They're not just surviving, 00:22:38.180 --> 00:22:38.900 they are thriving. 00:22:41.700 --> 00:22:42.100 How? 00:22:42.460 --> 00:22:43.940 Well, nothing can separate us 00:22:43.940 --> 00:22:44.740 from the love of God 00:22:44.740 --> 00:22:46.280 that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 00:22:48.180 --> 00:22:48.660 You know, 00:22:48.700 --> 00:22:50.000 we look for security in life, 00:22:50.080 --> 00:22:50.380 don't we? 00:22:50.900 --> 00:22:51.480 In a sense, 00:22:51.540 --> 00:22:53.180 that's maybe what life is all about 00:22:53.180 --> 00:22:54.220 in a worldly terms. 00:22:54.900 --> 00:22:56.640 We want security in relationships. 00:22:57.120 --> 00:22:58.480 We want a husband or a wife. 00:22:58.600 --> 00:22:59.680 We want family members. 00:22:59.680 --> 00:23:01.519 We want friends that will stick by us, 00:23:01.600 --> 00:23:02.240 that will be with us 00:23:02.240 --> 00:23:03.140 through thick and thin. 00:23:04.120 --> 00:23:06.519 We want long-term lets on our flats 00:23:06.519 --> 00:23:07.700 so we don't have to think about 00:23:07.700 --> 00:23:08.600 where we're going next. 00:23:08.680 --> 00:23:09.640 We want mortgages 00:23:09.640 --> 00:23:11.600 that will be five-year fixed terms 00:23:11.600 --> 00:23:12.779 so we don't have to think about it. 00:23:13.779 --> 00:23:15.240 We want job security, 00:23:15.580 --> 00:23:15.960 don't we? 00:23:16.220 --> 00:23:17.620 We want a guaranteed paycheck 00:23:17.620 --> 00:23:18.759 at the end of the month. 00:23:19.180 --> 00:23:20.620 We look for security. 00:23:21.960 --> 00:23:23.120 But I don't have to tell you 00:23:23.120 --> 00:23:23.720 that these things 00:23:23.720 --> 00:23:24.880 aren't guaranteed in life. 00:23:26.279 --> 00:23:27.140 Jobs can go, 00:23:27.140 --> 00:23:29.080 family and friends, 00:23:29.280 --> 00:23:30.680 relationships can break down. 00:23:31.800 --> 00:23:33.000 We know these things 00:23:33.000 --> 00:23:33.759 aren't guaranteed. 00:23:34.980 --> 00:23:36.340 But we can have 00:23:36.340 --> 00:23:38.000 and we do have security 00:23:38.000 --> 00:23:39.700 because our hope 00:23:39.700 --> 00:23:41.060 is set in Jesus Christ. 00:23:42.740 --> 00:23:45.380 Our security is in God himself, 00:23:45.600 --> 00:23:46.759 therefore it can't fail. 00:23:48.920 --> 00:23:50.200 We thought right at the start 00:23:50.200 --> 00:23:52.600 about those gray whales 00:23:52.599 --> 00:23:56.159 and the orcas causing separation 00:23:56.159 --> 00:23:57.899 and the difficulties 00:23:57.899 --> 00:23:58.740 that that cause, 00:23:58.839 --> 00:23:59.439 that pup. 00:24:01.599 --> 00:24:02.159 You know, 00:24:02.199 --> 00:24:03.279 there is no separation 00:24:03.279 --> 00:24:04.740 between us and God. 00:24:05.559 --> 00:24:06.859 God is for us. 00:24:07.799 --> 00:24:08.759 God is in us. 00:24:09.039 --> 00:24:10.259 And God is with us. 00:24:11.740 --> 00:24:14.519 God knows what is best for us. 00:24:15.579 --> 00:24:17.359 There is no condemnation. 00:24:18.059 --> 00:24:19.559 There is no separation 00:24:19.559 --> 00:24:22.379 for those who are in Christ Jesus. 00:24:23.759 --> 00:24:25.379 Let's respond to these things 00:24:25.379 --> 00:24:26.819 by leaving here 00:24:26.819 --> 00:24:28.099 and living out these truths. 00:24:28.899 --> 00:24:30.579 Yes, we will face difficult times. 00:24:30.720 --> 00:24:32.259 Yes, we will at points struggle. 00:24:34.139 --> 00:24:35.339 Life can be rubbish. 00:24:36.139 --> 00:24:37.659 Let's live a life of praise 00:24:37.659 --> 00:24:39.399 knowing that there is no separation. 00:24:40.819 --> 00:24:42.220 But God is for us. 00:24:42.279 --> 00:24:42.940 He is in us 00:24:42.940 --> 00:24:43.980 and he is with us. 00:24:45.480 --> 00:24:46.319 I'm going to pray 00:24:46.319 --> 00:24:48.679 as Simon and the band come up 00:24:48.680 --> 00:24:49.519 and then we'll sing 00:24:49.519 --> 00:24:50.700 our final two hymns. 00:24:51.560 --> 00:24:52.360 So let's pray. 00:24:55.900 --> 00:24:56.580 God and Father, 00:24:56.660 --> 00:24:57.120 just thank you 00:24:57.120 --> 00:24:58.340 for the truth of your word. 00:25:00.759 --> 00:25:02.060 Thank you for the lessons 00:25:02.060 --> 00:25:03.279 that we can learn from it, 00:25:03.880 --> 00:25:04.620 that we can apply 00:25:04.620 --> 00:25:05.799 to our lives here 00:25:05.799 --> 00:25:08.259 in Edinburgh in 2024. 00:25:09.039 --> 00:25:10.299 And the truths of these things 00:25:10.299 --> 00:25:11.380 written so long ago 00:25:11.380 --> 00:25:12.680 can apply directly 00:25:12.680 --> 00:25:13.779 and can be as if 00:25:13.779 --> 00:25:15.640 they were just written yesterday. 00:25:17.000 --> 00:25:18.299 We thank you for your word. 00:25:18.299 --> 00:25:18.859 We thank you 00:25:18.859 --> 00:25:20.859 that you are with us. 00:25:21.579 --> 00:25:22.899 No matter what we go through 00:25:22.899 --> 00:25:23.399 in life, 00:25:23.500 --> 00:25:24.720 that we can be encouraged 00:25:24.720 --> 00:25:26.859 that nothing can separate us 00:25:26.859 --> 00:25:27.579 from the love 00:25:27.579 --> 00:25:29.619 of God in Christ Jesus. 00:25:30.379 --> 00:25:31.119 We thank you 00:25:31.119 --> 00:25:31.879 for the security 00:25:31.879 --> 00:25:32.879 that gives us 00:25:32.879 --> 00:25:33.940 and we pray 00:25:33.940 --> 00:25:35.740 that we will heavily rely on you 00:25:35.740 --> 00:25:38.319 no matter what goes on. 00:25:39.419 --> 00:25:41.099 So we trust these things to you. 00:25:41.839 --> 00:25:42.779 In Jesus' name we pray. 00:25:43.440 --> 00:25:43.839 Amen. 00:25:43.839 --> 00:25:43.980 Amen. 00:25:43.980 --> 00:25:44.019 Amen. 00:25:44.019 --> 00:25:44.039 Amen. 00:25:44.039 --> 00:25:44.059 Amen.