WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.080 We hope that you enjoy this teaching from Christ Church. 00:00:05.719 --> 00:00:11.580 This material is copyrighted and no unauthorized duplication, redistribution, or any other 00:00:11.580 --> 00:00:15.280 use of any part is permitted without prior consent from Christ Church. 00:00:15.640 --> 00:00:22.620 Please consider donating to this work in the San Francisco Bay Area online at ChristChurchEastBay.org. 00:00:22.620 --> 00:00:33.460 Today's reading is a letter from Paul to the Romans, chapter 8, verses 28 through 39, 00:00:33.579 --> 00:00:34.560 as printed in your liturgy. 00:00:35.480 --> 00:00:40.540 And we know that God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according 00:00:40.540 --> 00:00:41.280 to his purpose. 00:00:42.100 --> 00:00:47.219 For those God foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that 00:00:47.219 --> 00:00:49.620 he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 00:00:49.619 --> 00:00:52.679 And those he predestined, he also called. 00:00:53.219 --> 00:00:54.879 Those he called, he also justified. 00:00:55.679 --> 00:00:57.839 Those he justified, he also glorified. 00:00:59.899 --> 00:01:02.219 What then shall we say in response to these things? 00:01:02.780 --> 00:01:05.400 If God is for us, who can be against us? 00:01:06.099 --> 00:01:11.479 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also, along 00:01:11.479 --> 00:01:13.599 with him, graciously give us all things? 00:01:14.479 --> 00:01:17.340 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? 00:01:17.340 --> 00:01:19.359 It is God who justifies. 00:01:20.200 --> 00:01:21.820 Who then is the one who condemns? 00:01:22.380 --> 00:01:22.960 No one. 00:01:23.579 --> 00:01:28.080 Christ Jesus who died, more than that who was raised to life, is at the right hand of 00:01:28.080 --> 00:01:30.380 God and is also interceding for us. 00:01:31.180 --> 00:01:33.359 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? 00:01:34.100 --> 00:01:40.320 Shall trouble, or hardship, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 00:01:41.080 --> 00:01:44.240 As it is written, for your sake we face death all day long. 00:01:44.239 --> 00:01:46.500 We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. 00:01:47.560 --> 00:01:47.920 No. 00:01:47.920 --> 00:01:52.599 In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 00:01:53.379 --> 00:01:59.420 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present 00:01:59.420 --> 00:02:05.340 nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation 00:02:05.340 --> 00:02:10.180 will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus, our Lord. 00:02:10.180 --> 00:02:11.960 Lord, this is the word of the Lord. 00:02:12.580 --> 00:02:13.300 Thanks be to God. 00:02:13.300 --> 00:02:15.060 Good morning, Christ Church. 00:02:15.380 --> 00:02:20.820 This is our final sermon in the Epistle to the Romans. 00:02:20.939 --> 00:02:24.780 And it's not final like forever, but it is the final for now. 00:02:25.260 --> 00:02:28.439 And hopefully we'll come back to it again at some other point. 00:02:28.500 --> 00:02:33.960 But when we started this sermon series at Easter, I likened it to climbing Mount Everest. 00:02:35.060 --> 00:02:36.280 And some of you remember that. 00:02:36.280 --> 00:02:43.240 We said we were living down here at sea level and sitting on our couches as it were and thinking 00:02:43.240 --> 00:02:47.539 to ourselves, man, how hard can it be to really climb up to the top of Mount Everest? 00:02:48.319 --> 00:02:52.819 And I was a little worried, you know, like I'm not sure about myself and I'm not sure about 00:02:52.819 --> 00:02:53.060 you. 00:02:53.139 --> 00:02:55.120 Do we have the lungs, right? 00:02:55.219 --> 00:02:59.939 The lung capacity to handle the rare air up at this altitude. 00:02:59.939 --> 00:03:06.960 And do our legs have the strength to climb up to the heights of revelation and ascend up 00:03:06.960 --> 00:03:12.020 all the way up to the truths and the wisdom and the insight that are there in this letter. 00:03:12.099 --> 00:03:14.460 But I want to say this morning, congratulations. 00:03:15.079 --> 00:03:17.579 You made it to base camp. 00:03:17.699 --> 00:03:21.500 You made it to camp one, camp two, camp three, and camp four. 00:03:22.219 --> 00:03:26.659 And today we're going to make our final ascent up to the summit. 00:03:27.439 --> 00:03:29.000 You guys ready to ascend? 00:03:29.939 --> 00:03:35.159 I don't know about the journey for you, but if nothing else, this letter has served to 00:03:35.159 --> 00:03:38.280 encourage and to strengthen the faith of your pastor. 00:03:39.060 --> 00:03:42.359 And this is really the heart of the ministry of the Apostle Paul. 00:03:42.479 --> 00:03:48.939 When we look at his life and the Acts of the Apostles, we get to verse or chapter 14 in Acts 00:03:48.939 --> 00:03:51.879 and it says that he came to Galatia in Turkey. 00:03:52.479 --> 00:03:58.099 And there it says he was strengthening the disciples, encouraging them to remain true to the faith. 00:03:58.099 --> 00:04:00.979 And then we flip over a few chapters. 00:04:00.979 --> 00:04:08.500 Acts 17, he comes to a city called Thessalonica in Greece and it says that Paul reasoned with them out of the scriptures. 00:04:09.620 --> 00:04:14.560 And it goes on in Acts 20 and Paul himself says in Ephesus in Turkey, he says, 00:04:14.560 --> 00:04:21.480 I did not hesitate to proclaim to you the whole will of God, the whole counsel of God. 00:04:22.360 --> 00:04:31.620 And then finally, when Paul arrives as a prisoner in Rome in Acts 28, it says that Paul witnessed to them from morning to night, 00:04:31.959 --> 00:04:37.000 explaining to them about the kingdom of God and from the law of Moses and the prophets, 00:04:37.120 --> 00:04:40.120 he tried to persuade them about Jesus Christ. 00:04:40.120 --> 00:04:46.540 Now, here in this epistle to the Romans, we have a digest of what Paul was saying. 00:04:46.639 --> 00:04:53.780 In all those cities of the Mediterranean basin, what Paul was trying to communicate throughout the Roman Empire, 00:04:53.780 --> 00:04:59.220 when he's going around evangelizing, sharing the good news of God, making disciples, 00:04:59.540 --> 00:05:03.340 strengthening them and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. 00:05:03.339 --> 00:05:11.579 Romans is a summary of all the content of Paul's preaching and his teaching in all those years. 00:05:11.699 --> 00:05:18.359 And so if you want to sit at the feet of one of the most seminal minds of the first century or any century, 00:05:18.919 --> 00:05:20.739 this is the place to do it. 00:05:20.779 --> 00:05:25.079 And I encourage you after we're done today, keep studying, keep meditating, 00:05:25.339 --> 00:05:31.339 keep memorizing different parts of this great letter to the Romans, particularly Romans chapter 8. 00:05:31.339 --> 00:05:31.819 Right? 00:05:32.599 --> 00:05:37.239 This is one of the most comforting passages in the whole range of Scripture. 00:05:37.379 --> 00:05:43.000 As we've seen, Paul is providing us with the full assurance, 00:05:43.859 --> 00:05:50.079 an absolute certainty of our ultimate, final, and complete salvation and deliverance 00:05:50.079 --> 00:05:54.000 from everything that sin and evil has ever done to us. 00:05:54.000 --> 00:06:01.079 So, how does God bring Romans 1 to 8 to its grand climax? 00:06:02.399 --> 00:06:09.699 Well, I think here in this text, Paul is telling us that the gospel gives us unshakable convictions, 00:06:11.079 --> 00:06:14.060 undeniable affirmations, and unthinkable questions. 00:06:15.220 --> 00:06:21.240 The gospel gives us unshakable convictions, undeniable affirmations, and unthinkable questions. 00:06:21.240 --> 00:06:26.639 And I want to start here with how the gospel gives us some unshakable convictions. 00:06:27.600 --> 00:06:34.360 Verse 28 says that we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, 00:06:34.420 --> 00:06:37.480 who've been called according to his purpose. 00:06:38.420 --> 00:06:43.079 This is one of the best known verses in the whole Bible, and it begins with, we know. 00:06:43.780 --> 00:06:47.480 Now, there are many things that Christians do not know. 00:06:47.480 --> 00:06:47.800 Right? 00:06:48.480 --> 00:06:54.520 There are many mysteries and many paradoxes in God's world and in God's Word that we just don't know. 00:06:54.960 --> 00:06:56.819 They're inscrutable to us. 00:06:56.900 --> 00:06:58.280 They're hidden from us. 00:06:58.360 --> 00:07:00.120 They're known only to God. 00:07:00.160 --> 00:07:02.580 And a Christian is somebody who gets very comfortable saying, 00:07:03.000 --> 00:07:03.680 I don't know. 00:07:04.340 --> 00:07:06.420 I don't know because I'm not the creator. 00:07:06.560 --> 00:07:07.920 I'm just a mere little creature. 00:07:08.420 --> 00:07:10.420 But there are some things that I do know. 00:07:10.420 --> 00:07:18.800 And the reason I know these things is not because I'm more rational or more intuitive than anyone else. 00:07:18.879 --> 00:07:25.600 It's just that God in his grace has revealed some knowledge to me through the scriptures and through his spirit. 00:07:25.780 --> 00:07:27.060 Paul says we know. 00:07:28.100 --> 00:07:29.139 And what do we know? 00:07:29.980 --> 00:07:34.400 He says we know, first of all, that God works and that God is working. 00:07:34.399 --> 00:07:40.279 Some of us might be prone to complain and say, gosh, why doesn't God do something? 00:07:40.359 --> 00:07:42.599 But friends, God is doing something. 00:07:43.719 --> 00:07:47.120 God is doing something, but he's just not let you in on it. 00:07:48.079 --> 00:07:50.539 Because all of us are on a need-to-know basis. 00:07:51.459 --> 00:07:58.239 But God is ceaselessly and energetically at work on behalf of his people, on behalf of his church. 00:07:58.240 --> 00:08:05.980 And Paul goes on and he says, God, we know that God works and he works for the good because God is good. 00:08:07.120 --> 00:08:12.860 God in his person is good and all of his works are an expression of his goodness. 00:08:13.939 --> 00:08:18.139 And we know, Paul says, that God is working and he works for the good. 00:08:18.240 --> 00:08:22.220 And he's working for the good of those who love him. 00:08:22.900 --> 00:08:23.879 Those who love him. 00:08:24.460 --> 00:08:27.579 He does not say that God works for the good of everyone. 00:08:27.579 --> 00:08:29.459 God works for the good of all people. 00:08:30.419 --> 00:08:34.439 Paul here introduces a distinction and a limit. 00:08:34.559 --> 00:08:38.600 He says, it's only for the people that have been specified. 00:08:38.779 --> 00:08:42.079 And why is this limitation so important to acknowledge? 00:08:42.720 --> 00:08:48.240 Because the Bible teaches that there's only one real division in the human race. 00:08:49.319 --> 00:08:52.840 And you can trace that division from the very beginning. 00:08:52.840 --> 00:08:58.600 Genesis 3.15, the mother promise that talks about the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman. 00:08:58.700 --> 00:09:07.120 You can trace that all the way to Romans 5 where Paul talks about the division between those who are in Adam and those who are in Jesus Christ. 00:09:07.120 --> 00:09:13.820 He says, we are on one side or the other of that dividing line. 00:09:13.899 --> 00:09:20.460 And all the other distinctions that we can make among ourselves are finally irrelevant in light of that division. 00:09:20.460 --> 00:09:35.780 Because the scriptures tell us and they reveal to us that God is actually, all things actually do not work together for the good of those who will not surrender to the love of God in Jesus Christ. 00:09:35.779 --> 00:09:41.399 That's kind of the hard truth of the gospel, right, that we've seen in Romans 1.18. 00:09:41.539 --> 00:09:51.179 It says, the wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people who are suppressing the truth about God in their wickedness. 00:09:52.419 --> 00:09:55.699 People might appear prosperous and happy to us. 00:09:56.419 --> 00:09:58.399 The sun might be shining upon them. 00:09:58.459 --> 00:10:05.019 But the terrible truth is that we're all under the just judgment of God, right? 00:10:05.019 --> 00:10:08.860 Republican or Democrat, Jew, Gentile, male, female, rich, poor. 00:10:09.799 --> 00:10:10.639 It doesn't matter. 00:10:11.419 --> 00:10:18.100 And that's why Christians have always been so, so eager to share the good news, right? 00:10:18.179 --> 00:10:27.639 We say to people, if you would just turn away from yourself and you would turn to Jesus Christ and you would respond to his love by loving him back, 00:10:27.639 --> 00:10:34.980 you could have this great comfort and this great consolation with us that you're no longer in Adam. 00:10:35.019 --> 00:10:38.639 And therefore, under the reign of condemnation and sin and death. 00:10:38.699 --> 00:10:46.240 But now you're in Jesus Christ and therefore you're under the reign of justification and righteousness in life. 00:10:47.039 --> 00:10:56.679 That is the glorious difference between those who've been apprehended by the love of God and love God back and those who have not. 00:10:57.480 --> 00:11:02.039 We can know with a certainty that God is working for our good. 00:11:02.039 --> 00:11:04.519 And Paul adds on to that. 00:11:04.579 --> 00:11:09.519 He says, we know that God is working for the Christian's good according to what? 00:11:09.659 --> 00:11:11.099 According to God's purpose. 00:11:12.279 --> 00:11:15.860 Life is not this random mess that it appears to be. 00:11:16.500 --> 00:11:23.419 But God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have an eternal purpose, an eternal plan of salvation. 00:11:23.419 --> 00:11:33.120 This is so important because if you look out at history or you read the news or you look at your own life, you might think that God is just experimenting. 00:11:34.659 --> 00:11:36.979 And in his experiments, he's failing. 00:11:38.360 --> 00:11:39.599 He's iterating. 00:11:39.740 --> 00:11:40.620 He's modifying. 00:11:40.819 --> 00:11:42.120 He's readjusting. 00:11:42.219 --> 00:11:45.740 But friends, God does not operate with a plan B. 00:11:47.099 --> 00:11:49.919 He doesn't have a plan C, D, E, F, or G. 00:11:49.919 --> 00:12:01.899 God has an eternal purpose of salvation that he decided and that he has decreed the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit together before the foundation of the world. 00:12:01.979 --> 00:12:06.500 And when God decides that he's going to do something, God performs it. 00:12:06.500 --> 00:12:18.899 Now, we were with a pastor yesterday who was teaching us and he would kind of expect when he'd say something, the people would kind of say something back, you know. 00:12:19.580 --> 00:12:29.279 So I want to give you permission to just blink, you know, nod, let me know that this message is being received. 00:12:30.679 --> 00:12:32.980 God is not like us, right? 00:12:32.980 --> 00:12:38.259 We start things, we propose schemes and we start schemes and then what do we do? 00:12:38.320 --> 00:12:44.259 We give up or we keep going but somebody comes along and we're stopped by another person. 00:12:44.500 --> 00:12:45.800 But God is God. 00:12:46.779 --> 00:12:53.500 And when God wills something, when God resolves to do anything in his purpose and his plan, it's virtually done. 00:12:53.500 --> 00:13:03.419 And if God's purpose could be prevented or could be frustrated, it would mean that there is something or someone in this universe that's stronger than God. 00:13:05.159 --> 00:13:06.700 But that's inconceivable. 00:13:07.480 --> 00:13:17.179 It's inconceivable that the purpose of God would not be carried out, that God would somehow fail, that the dark powers arrayed against God would be triumphant over him. 00:13:17.179 --> 00:13:29.259 And that is why you as a Christian can be sure that God is overruling and overriding everything for his purpose, which is your ultimate good and your salvation. 00:13:30.339 --> 00:13:30.679 Amen. 00:13:30.879 --> 00:13:31.359 There we go. 00:13:32.620 --> 00:13:35.799 And then Paul adds one other little layer here. 00:13:35.899 --> 00:13:41.039 He says, we know that God works for the Christian's good in accordance with his saving purpose in what? 00:13:41.279 --> 00:13:42.419 All things. 00:13:43.099 --> 00:13:43.959 In everything. 00:13:43.960 --> 00:13:50.519 God is not just taking the good, but he's taking especially the bad. 00:13:51.460 --> 00:13:56.519 All the things that discourage and dishearten and dispirit you. 00:13:57.340 --> 00:14:00.060 All your trials and troubles and tribulations. 00:14:00.300 --> 00:14:05.120 All your illnesses and accidents and disappointments and sins and failures. 00:14:05.280 --> 00:14:13.240 And by his grace, he's overruling it all in such a way that will turn out for your eternal good and your eternal benefit. 00:14:13.960 --> 00:14:20.820 This does not say that God is working only the good things in our lives and he's working those things just for our comfort right now. 00:14:21.740 --> 00:14:28.600 This says that God is taking especially those horrific things, those suffering things in your life, 00:14:28.639 --> 00:14:35.440 and he's working even those things for your ultimate and highest and eternal good, which is your completed salvation. 00:14:35.440 --> 00:14:41.200 And we don't always understand how God is working for our good. 00:14:42.460 --> 00:14:44.040 But we believe that he is. 00:14:44.840 --> 00:14:46.860 We know, Paul says. 00:14:47.080 --> 00:14:47.660 We know. 00:14:48.840 --> 00:14:51.740 So the gospel gives us some unshakable convictions. 00:14:52.740 --> 00:14:56.440 But more than that, it gives us some undeniable affirmations. 00:14:56.440 --> 00:15:07.000 And the apostle Paul is now going to turn after verse 28 and give us a complete summary of God's purpose of salvation from beginning to end. 00:15:07.040 --> 00:15:13.280 And he gives us these five links in this unbreakable chain of salvation that he has forged for us. 00:15:13.320 --> 00:15:17.180 And I want you to listen out for these five things, starting in verse 29. 00:15:17.179 --> 00:15:36.719 Five words. 00:15:36.720 --> 00:15:39.680 The central word is that God called. 00:15:40.060 --> 00:15:44.700 And the two before that are that God foreknew and he predestined those he calls. 00:15:44.920 --> 00:15:48.480 And the two after that are that God justified and he glorified those he calls. 00:15:49.240 --> 00:15:52.120 This is the glorious eternal purpose of God. 00:15:52.200 --> 00:15:54.879 It consists of these five steps, these five links. 00:15:55.680 --> 00:15:59.940 The first pair is that God foreknew and he predestined. 00:16:00.040 --> 00:16:03.120 And that refers to what God has decided about us. 00:16:03.120 --> 00:16:11.360 And the second pair is that God justified and he glorified, which refers to what God has done to us. 00:16:12.759 --> 00:16:16.480 And the connective link between these pairs is that God has called us. 00:16:16.740 --> 00:16:17.679 What does all this mean? 00:16:17.820 --> 00:16:21.039 What is the impact and what are the consequences for our lives? 00:16:22.039 --> 00:16:24.720 Well, let's start with God foreknew. 00:16:25.000 --> 00:16:26.019 Those God foreknew. 00:16:26.659 --> 00:16:31.620 This is not God's general knowledge of all that will ever happen, which of course he has. 00:16:31.620 --> 00:16:42.879 But this is God's specific initiative and action and movement toward the people that he has foreordained and foreloved in his eternal purpose to save. 00:16:44.320 --> 00:16:48.399 He set his heart upon us in eternity past. 00:16:48.500 --> 00:16:54.320 He put his affections on us before the foundation of the world to bring salvation to us, Paul says. 00:16:54.379 --> 00:16:55.320 He foreknew us. 00:16:55.320 --> 00:17:11.740 And it says those he foreknew, he also predestined, which is a word that means to designate before, to elect, to choose, to mark a certain number of people out and to map out for them a particular destiny of salvation. 00:17:11.740 --> 00:17:19.380 The reason we thank God for our conversion, right? 00:17:19.440 --> 00:17:29.339 The reason we pray to God and cry out to him to bring others to himself is because we believe that salvation doesn't belong to us. 00:17:30.500 --> 00:17:30.640 Right? 00:17:30.720 --> 00:17:32.779 Salvation belongs to the Lord. 00:17:33.579 --> 00:17:35.279 It's his to give. 00:17:35.279 --> 00:17:39.279 And so Paul says those he foreknew and those he predestined. 00:17:40.099 --> 00:17:43.259 And then he says those God predestined, he also called. 00:17:44.319 --> 00:17:55.839 God historically applies his eternal foreknowledge and predestination by calling us outwardly through the message of the gospel, which is why it's so important to preach the gospel. 00:17:55.839 --> 00:18:04.000 And God also calls us inwardly by giving us his grace to respond with the obedience of faith to that message of the gospel. 00:18:04.839 --> 00:18:06.419 That's what calling is all about. 00:18:06.539 --> 00:18:12.619 And the scriptures say this is important because all of us are biologically alive. 00:18:13.419 --> 00:18:13.519 Right? 00:18:13.519 --> 00:18:15.359 All of us are biologically existing. 00:18:16.299 --> 00:18:18.899 But the scriptures tell us that we're spiritually dead. 00:18:19.879 --> 00:18:21.879 We're non-responsive to God. 00:18:21.880 --> 00:18:29.260 It tells us that we would never want to know God or believe God or love God if we were left to ourselves. 00:18:29.460 --> 00:18:37.300 And so the only explanation for why any of us have faith in God or love God is because he called us. 00:18:38.440 --> 00:18:42.260 He stepped in and he apprehended us and grabbed hold of us. 00:18:43.240 --> 00:18:47.220 And when God calls us, he comes and he convicts us of our sin. 00:18:47.220 --> 00:18:53.940 He calls us to see our utter need for him, our helplessness and hopelessness apart from him. 00:18:54.000 --> 00:18:57.380 He calls us to see that we're under condemnation. 00:18:58.460 --> 00:19:04.180 That the righteousness that we've produced for ourselves is just filthy rags in the eyes of God. 00:19:04.259 --> 00:19:06.240 And we can offer nothing. 00:19:06.440 --> 00:19:10.680 We can add nothing to our own salvation. 00:19:10.680 --> 00:19:18.019 And when he calls us, he calls us to not only see those things, he calls us to see the wonderful person of his son, Jesus. 00:19:18.259 --> 00:19:21.660 The eternal and divine son of God. 00:19:22.380 --> 00:19:29.240 He calls us to see the meaning of his work on the cross as our substitute, our stand-in to atone for our sins. 00:19:29.320 --> 00:19:33.460 He calls us to see God's mighty power in raising him from the dead. 00:19:33.500 --> 00:19:36.700 And that's what a Christian is, is somebody who's been called. 00:19:36.700 --> 00:19:42.759 And you stand amazed that you're even here this morning. 00:19:43.360 --> 00:19:45.319 How in the world did I end up here? 00:19:45.360 --> 00:19:47.000 I don't know, but I've just been called. 00:19:48.680 --> 00:19:51.480 Those he called, he says, he also justified. 00:19:52.160 --> 00:19:54.920 And this is a great theme of this whole letter that we've explored. 00:19:55.259 --> 00:19:57.160 Justification by faith only. 00:19:57.160 --> 00:20:02.180 That God in his grace has put our sin on Jesus Christ. 00:20:02.420 --> 00:20:07.120 So that our condemnation and our judgment came down on him at his cross. 00:20:08.060 --> 00:20:09.519 But it doesn't end with that. 00:20:09.580 --> 00:20:13.640 It says that God took the righteousness of Jesus Christ, which is a perfect righteousness. 00:20:14.600 --> 00:20:17.000 And he's placed it on us. 00:20:17.000 --> 00:20:23.759 So that when God looks at us, he looks at us as if we never sinned or had ever even been a sinner. 00:20:23.759 --> 00:20:30.559 Those he justified, Paul says, he also glorified. 00:20:31.480 --> 00:20:33.440 And notice he says it in the past tense. 00:20:33.680 --> 00:20:35.500 He's also glorified. 00:20:35.700 --> 00:20:37.879 Not will glorify, he has glorified. 00:20:38.740 --> 00:20:42.319 This is in the mind of God already done for the people of God. 00:20:42.379 --> 00:20:43.779 It's a completed action. 00:20:43.920 --> 00:20:48.759 Our glorification is just as sure and certain as our justification. 00:20:49.019 --> 00:20:49.940 And what does that mean? 00:20:49.940 --> 00:20:58.740 It means that we are going to be delivered finally and completely from every conceivable effect of evil. 00:20:59.539 --> 00:21:04.700 And as Paul says in verse 29, that we're going to be conformed to the image of God's son. 00:21:05.880 --> 00:21:06.580 Wow. 00:21:08.460 --> 00:21:10.460 Do you understand what that means? 00:21:10.460 --> 00:21:23.019 That means that in our glorified state, Christ, who is supremely glorious, is going to share his glory with us. 00:21:23.579 --> 00:21:32.059 And that his inward form and his inward likeness down in the very depths of his being is going to be ours. 00:21:32.059 --> 00:21:51.799 So that we, it says, will be little brothers and little sisters of the son of God, perfectly conformed to his glorified humanity, reigning with him, seated on a throne with him, kings and queens and lords of creation with him, sharing in his glory forever and ever. 00:21:52.119 --> 00:21:52.460 Amen. 00:21:52.460 --> 00:22:22.440 The five links. 00:22:22.440 --> 00:22:24.880 And it will be ultimately triumphant. 00:22:26.200 --> 00:22:27.960 And this is what the gospel gives us. 00:22:28.039 --> 00:22:30.880 It gives us unshakable convictions. 00:22:31.240 --> 00:22:33.420 And it gives us undeniable affirmations. 00:22:34.539 --> 00:22:37.420 And finally, the gospel gives us some unthinkable questions. 00:22:39.539 --> 00:22:45.240 I love how the apostle just ends and brings us to a climax with just a bunch of questions. 00:22:45.240 --> 00:22:53.420 He says in verse 31, what then shall we say in response to all these things that we just said? 00:22:53.420 --> 00:22:59.019 In light of these convictions, in light of these affirmations, how shall we conclude? 00:22:59.019 --> 00:23:10.840 And Paul begins to raise some questions because he's a pastor and he's anticipating the objections and the difficulties that are going to come up in the hearts and minds of the people of God. 00:23:10.839 --> 00:23:22.819 And the first question he asks, he says, hey, you know, is there any conceivable power that could rise up and prevent our arriving at the ultimate goal of our glorification? 00:23:22.819 --> 00:23:29.339 And so Paul says in verse 31, if God is for us, who can be against us? 00:23:29.339 --> 00:23:32.839 And that if there is not an if of doubt. 00:23:33.639 --> 00:23:35.240 It's an if of certainty. 00:23:36.220 --> 00:23:39.359 We know that God is for us. 00:23:40.099 --> 00:23:44.559 But we also know that there are many, many things arrayed against us. 00:23:45.720 --> 00:23:45.959 Right? 00:23:46.039 --> 00:23:54.059 As Paul says in Ephesians chapter 6, he says, our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but our struggle is actually against the principalities and powers, 00:23:54.059 --> 00:24:00.000 against the rulers of this dark world and against spiritual wickedness in high places. 00:24:01.339 --> 00:24:10.039 Paul says, when those powers come after you, and they will come after us and they are going to continue to come after God's church, 00:24:10.119 --> 00:24:14.379 he says, when those powers come after you, those powers are nothing. 00:24:15.299 --> 00:24:24.039 They're nothing compared to the power of Almighty God, the omnipotent one, the creator and sustainer and controller. 00:24:24.059 --> 00:24:30.059 Of all things, the Lord of all who reigns, he is on our side. 00:24:30.500 --> 00:24:36.779 And he's fighting for us against whatever's fighting against us. 00:24:38.519 --> 00:24:40.659 Well, Paul says, well, okay. 00:24:41.440 --> 00:24:51.319 But is there any danger in God's love to us somehow undergoing a lessening, somehow undergoing a waning or a weakening, 00:24:51.319 --> 00:24:54.539 or God's love toward us somehow ceasing altogether? 00:24:55.779 --> 00:25:01.139 And so Paul says in verse 32, he who did not spare his own son but gave him up for us all, 00:25:01.240 --> 00:25:05.720 how will he not also along with him graciously give us all things? 00:25:07.559 --> 00:25:13.119 He says there's none other than the only begotten and only beloved son of God, 00:25:13.119 --> 00:25:17.079 the one who is with God from all eternity, 00:25:17.639 --> 00:25:22.599 the sharer of the divine nature of God with the Holy Spirit, 00:25:22.779 --> 00:25:25.119 the one whom God loved with an infinite intensity. 00:25:26.239 --> 00:25:32.099 That one, that one is the one that the Father did not spare. 00:25:33.179 --> 00:25:36.859 That one is the one that the Father gave up to the cross for us, 00:25:36.919 --> 00:25:39.079 and that is a love beyond measure. 00:25:39.079 --> 00:25:41.519 It's a love beyond degree. 00:25:42.759 --> 00:25:48.679 And so he says if God has already done the greatest thing that love could possibly ever do, 00:25:49.619 --> 00:25:55.559 then how could God conceivably fail and refuse to do anything less for us? 00:25:57.000 --> 00:26:00.099 If he's already given us the costliest of gifts, 00:26:00.279 --> 00:26:05.019 then how could God not lavish upon us all the lesser gifts that are needed 00:26:05.019 --> 00:26:08.439 to bring his people to their ultimate glorification? 00:26:09.079 --> 00:26:12.679 Paul says, okay, well, wait a minute. 00:26:12.939 --> 00:26:14.240 Here's another question. 00:26:15.439 --> 00:26:20.980 Could someone conceivably come in and introduce some kind of new evidence 00:26:20.980 --> 00:26:26.720 and make a case to convict us and to bring us to final condemnation? 00:26:28.000 --> 00:26:29.679 And Paul says in verse 33, 00:26:29.679 --> 00:26:33.559 who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? 00:26:33.699 --> 00:26:35.019 It is God who justifies. 00:26:35.839 --> 00:26:37.039 Who then can condemn? 00:26:37.039 --> 00:26:37.559 No one. 00:26:37.559 --> 00:26:40.819 Christ Jesus who died, more than that, who was raised to life, 00:26:41.420 --> 00:26:45.139 is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 00:26:46.839 --> 00:26:50.759 The judicial declaration has already been made. 00:26:51.799 --> 00:26:55.440 The pronouncement of acquittal has already been given. 00:26:55.440 --> 00:27:01.480 You have already been cleared by God himself of every charge against you. 00:27:02.220 --> 00:27:06.660 And when you are forgetting that or you're wondering whether or not that's true, 00:27:07.279 --> 00:27:09.860 Paul says, look to your mediator, Jesus Christ. 00:27:11.039 --> 00:27:14.299 Because God condemned our sins in Jesus. 00:27:15.299 --> 00:27:18.200 And on the cross, Jesus cried out, it is finished. 00:27:18.200 --> 00:27:22.440 The work of salvation is done and accomplished for you. 00:27:23.140 --> 00:27:29.480 And God came and he raised Jesus up to life to prove the efficacy of his death for you. 00:27:29.580 --> 00:27:33.660 And then he not only raised him up, but he seated him at the highest place, 00:27:33.660 --> 00:27:35.380 on the greatest throne in the universe. 00:27:35.380 --> 00:27:41.420 And there he is ruling at the right hand of God as your heavenly advocate. 00:27:42.760 --> 00:27:52.840 So that even if the devil himself should rise up and should go before God 00:27:52.840 --> 00:27:59.280 and try to accuse me or condemn me or accuse you and condemn you, 00:27:59.480 --> 00:28:01.140 Jesus will rise up. 00:28:01.140 --> 00:28:04.900 Jesus will rise up and he'll say, get out of court. 00:28:05.900 --> 00:28:07.460 You have no case. 00:28:08.080 --> 00:28:09.120 You have no case. 00:28:11.320 --> 00:28:17.040 Well, Paul's trying to make it clear that maybe God won't falter. 00:28:17.140 --> 00:28:18.259 Maybe God won't fail. 00:28:18.340 --> 00:28:19.220 But what if we do? 00:28:20.420 --> 00:28:23.340 What if we falter and what if we fail? 00:28:23.660 --> 00:28:29.020 Because of our weaknesses, as we go through trials and troubles and tribulations, 00:28:29.020 --> 00:28:30.620 what will happen if we fail? 00:28:32.140 --> 00:28:34.259 And so Paul says in verse 35, 00:28:35.460 --> 00:28:37.480 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? 00:28:37.580 --> 00:28:43.580 Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 00:28:45.500 --> 00:28:50.420 We could probably add to that list an innumerable number of things that would come against us. 00:28:50.540 --> 00:28:56.240 And Paul is not asking, can our love to Jesus stand up in all these tests? 00:28:56.240 --> 00:29:01.579 What he's asking is, can Jesus' love to us stand in all these tests? 00:29:03.220 --> 00:29:04.900 That's why he says in verse 37, 00:29:05.019 --> 00:29:09.200 In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 00:29:09.220 --> 00:29:11.120 And I love Paul's language in the Greek. 00:29:11.240 --> 00:29:14.339 He says a Christian is someone who's hyper-victorious. 00:29:15.059 --> 00:29:17.240 A Christian is someone who's a super-conqueror. 00:29:17.240 --> 00:29:19.940 And why is that? 00:29:20.019 --> 00:29:24.019 It's not because of the strength of our love to Jesus. 00:29:24.160 --> 00:29:25.160 It's quite the opposite. 00:29:26.420 --> 00:29:31.539 My salvation does not depend on my frail grasp of him. 00:29:31.539 --> 00:29:42.480 No, my salvation depends on the risen and living Lord and his incredibly strong grasp of me. 00:29:45.779 --> 00:29:51.480 Paul's taken every question that could possibly come up in our heads and in our hearts. 00:29:52.079 --> 00:29:53.619 And he's just demolished them. 00:29:54.720 --> 00:29:54.899 Right? 00:29:55.539 --> 00:29:57.980 They're unthinkable questions. 00:29:57.980 --> 00:30:01.259 And then Paul says at the very end, he says, 00:30:01.660 --> 00:30:02.099 You know what? 00:30:03.259 --> 00:30:04.140 I'm convinced. 00:30:05.700 --> 00:30:06.660 I'm persuaded. 00:30:08.059 --> 00:30:13.140 I've come to a settled conclusion that is beyond any doubt whatsoever. 00:30:13.299 --> 00:30:14.500 And what is Paul convinced of? 00:30:14.599 --> 00:30:18.099 He's not convinced that his circumstances are going to improve. 00:30:18.700 --> 00:30:19.140 Right? 00:30:19.220 --> 00:30:24.299 Because Paul is going to come in just a few years' time to this imperial city in Rome. 00:30:24.299 --> 00:30:27.539 And the emperor Nero is going to be there. 00:30:27.539 --> 00:30:29.039 And he's going to be thrown into jail. 00:30:29.180 --> 00:30:31.740 And eventually the emperor is going to remove Paul's head. 00:30:32.779 --> 00:30:35.859 So he's not convinced that things are going to get better. 00:30:37.159 --> 00:30:38.599 At least in this life. 00:30:39.559 --> 00:30:41.139 But what is he convinced of? 00:30:42.220 --> 00:30:42.940 He says, 00:30:42.940 --> 00:31:08.940 Neither the crisis of death, whether it's by natural causes or by beheading. 00:31:08.940 --> 00:31:18.559 Nor the calamities of life, whether it's imprisonment or persecution for the name of Christ or whatever it may be. 00:31:19.620 --> 00:31:22.960 Neither superhuman agencies of good and evil. 00:31:23.160 --> 00:31:25.380 Nothing in time, the present or the future. 00:31:25.500 --> 00:31:27.080 Nothing in space, height, nor depth. 00:31:27.180 --> 00:31:30.039 Nothing in the world of matter. 00:31:30.180 --> 00:31:32.320 No powers beyond the world of matter. 00:31:32.319 --> 00:31:35.359 Nothing, however hard it might try. 00:31:35.359 --> 00:31:37.639 Can separate me, Paul says. 00:31:37.720 --> 00:31:41.379 And can separate us, the people of God, from the love of God. 00:31:41.799 --> 00:31:44.139 In Christ Jesus, our Lord. 00:31:45.279 --> 00:31:51.099 And friends, that love has been supremely displayed for us on the cross of Jesus Christ. 00:31:52.339 --> 00:31:56.220 That love of God has been poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. 00:31:56.220 --> 00:32:02.960 That love is a love that's called us out to love him for who he is and what he's done. 00:32:03.759 --> 00:32:16.240 And that love is steadfastly committed to bringing us, with all of God's people, safe home to glory in the end. 00:32:18.480 --> 00:32:23.039 And, you know, with the Apostle Paul, I'm persuaded. 00:32:25.039 --> 00:32:25.980 I'm convinced. 00:32:26.220 --> 00:32:30.180 And my question is, are you persuaded? 00:32:31.259 --> 00:32:32.660 Are you convinced? 00:32:35.100 --> 00:32:42.600 Let me no more my comfort draw from my frail grasp of thee. 00:32:43.660 --> 00:32:51.440 In this alone rejoice with awe thy mighty grasp of me. 00:32:52.579 --> 00:32:54.660 In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 00:32:55.480 --> 00:32:55.740 Amen. 00:32:56.220 --> 00:32:56.660 Amen. 00:32:56.660 --> 00:32:57.779 Amen. 00:33:01.660 --> 00:33:02.200 Amen. 00:33:02.220 --> 00:33:02.759 Amen. 00:33:02.759 --> 00:33:04.400 Amen. 00:33:04.420 --> 00:33:04.779 Amen. 00:33:04.799 --> 00:33:05.100 Amen. 00:33:05.100 --> 00:33:05.360 Amen. 00:33:05.360 --> 00:33:05.839 işime'