Overflowing With Hope

Title: “Overflowing with Hope”

Text: Romans 8:18-30

Big Idea: “While we wait in hope – the Holy Spirit helps”

Introduction:

I Dreamed a Dream

(Les Miserables)

There was a time when men were kind

When their voices were soft

And their words inviting

There was a time when love was blind

And the world was a song

And the song was exciting

There was a time

Then it all went wrong

I dreamed a dream in times gone by

When hope was high and life worth living

I dreamed, that love would never die

I dreamed that God would be forgiving

Then I was young and unafraid

And dreams were made and used and wasted

There was no ransom to be paid

No song unsung, no wine untasted

But the tigers come at night

With their voices soft as thunder

As they tear your hope apart

As they turn your dream to shame

He slept a summer by my side

He filled my days with endless wonder

He took my childhood in his stride

But he was gone when autumn came

And still I dream he'll come to me

That we will live the years together

But there are dreams that cannot be

And there are storms we cannot weather

I had a dream my life would be

So different from this hell I'm living

So different now from what it seemed

Now life has killed the dream

I dreamed

Context of letter:

• Roman empire…threats…Jewish threats…Paul is under attack

• Church in Rome is being persecuted…what to do? Quit…how long to wait?

• Hardship of Paul…shipwrecked…imprisoned…hungry…wild animals…stoned…emotional toll…Jews/Pharisees

"Lord, is it true that a thousand years for us is just like one minute to you?"

The Lord said, "Yes." The economist said, "Well then, a million dollars to us must be like one penny to you."

The Lord said, "Well, yes." The economist said, "Well, Lord, will you give me one of those pennies?" The Lord said, "All right, I will. Wait here a minute."

Passage:

Romans 8:18 I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; 20 for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; 23 and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. 26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. 27 And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God….28 We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified.

“hope” is mentioned 6 times.

“wait” is mentioned 3 times

I. We All Hope For A Better World: Vv. 19-22

a. Curse on creation

i. Injustice

ii. Drought

iii. War

iv. Aids

v. Poverty…diseases…cancer…

b. “bondage to decay” v. 21

c. Argument against belief in God is “natural disasters”

d. Deuteronomy text…

e. “glorious freedom” …in the future.

f. Groaning…”As in pain of childbirth”

g. Illustration of birth labour…

h. New heaven and new earth

i. All NFLD all the time—except the weather…hospitality and the scenery!

• See Hosea 4:1-4…even the fish disappear.

• What about Katrina? Mississippi flood of 93…at least a wake up call…why doesn’t it hit Chicago or any town? No one is exempt. There but for the grace of God go we. Good people get hit in the cross fire.

• We need a theology of weather.

• Look at verse 19-21: "The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself would be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God."