WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS (Outline)
February 10, 2008 –
LENT 1 -
Romans 8:31-39
INTRO: Winners – everybody loves them. Champions are given even greater honor and glory. No one can stand up to a conqueror. The conqueror is given the right to kill, destroy, and pillage. To the victor go the spoils. Yet, whether a winner, champion, or a conqueror most will fade into obscurity with the passing of time. In today’s text the believer is more than all that. The believer is not just a winner. The believer is not just a champion or conqueror. God assures each of us as believers we are more than conquerors. By faith through grace the victories of Christ our Savior are our victories. "The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ"(1 CORINTHIANS 15:56,57). There is a sting to death found in the power of the law. Beyond the sting is our ultimate victory over death as God’s gift to every believer.
WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS.
I. Nothing can stand against the believer.
II. Nothing can separate from God’s love.
I. NOTHING CAN STAND AGAINST THE BELIEVER (Please read the text before beginning).
A. Notice all the questions. These questions have obvious answers. V. 31a asks what is our response?
1. The response is verses before our text, verses 28-30. All things work together for good…
a. Believers are called, known, and saved by God. b. How shall the believer respond?
2. With confidence comes the next question, verse 31b. No one can stand against God.
B. Verse 32 gives proof of this question. God did not spare his Son, Jesus. God graciously provided.
1. A loving heavenly Father graciously gives salvation and will also grant everything else.
2. Notice the confidence and boldness in these questions and the obvious answers.
C. Who can stand against the believers when God is standing right there with them? No one can.
1. Bring on the charges, God justifies, verse 33. The Roman government opposed Christians.
2. Try to condemn, Christ Jesus saves, verse 34. These believers were more than conquerors.
D. Today’s reality is that sin still tries to condemn us. The law actually accuses us of falling short of the glory of God. Christ’s innocent life, perfect suffering, death, and victorious resurrection have taken the power of sin away. We are more than conquerors. Christ still pleads our case. "Therefore he (Christ) is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them"(HEBREWS 7:25). We picture Jesus at the right hand of the Father. The Father looks and sees sins and sinners. He is ready to condemn. Jesus intercedes, “My blood covers their sins!” The robe of Christ’s righteousness completely covers all our unrighteousness. Jesus’ Father, our Father forgives.
E. At times life can be overwhelming. At times our sins can seem to weigh us down beyond what we feel we can bear. Satan accuses and our sinful flesh fails. Then we need to remember we are more than conquerors. Our loving Lord encourages us to face our enemies and challenge them. "He who vindicates me is near. Who then will bring charges against me? Let us face each other! Who is my accuser? Let him confront me! It is the Sovereign LORD who helps me. Who is he that will condemn me? They will all wear out like a garment; the moths will eat them up"(ISAIAH 50:8,9). Nothing can stand against us.
F. With the power of God on our side nothing can stand against us. Think of Joseph in the Old Testament who did not give in to the temptation of adultery. His response: How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” In today’s Gospel (MT 4:1-11) Satan is so bold as to tempt Jesus, the very Son of God, who is even God Himself. How bold and how daring! Jesus’ defense was always the same. Jesus correctly quoted the very Scriptures against the devil that Satan misquoted. By faith every believer has the same power to rebuke Satan, the father of lies. "’God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you"(JAMES 4:6b, 7). We are to stand firm in the faith knowing God is on our side. “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you”,
NOTHING can stand against the believer.
WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS.
II. NOTHING CAN SEPARATE FROM GOD’S LOVE
A. God justifies. He takes away any charges brought. Christ redeems. Nothing can condemn.
1. Verse 35 asks more questions. Will anything-earthly separate from the divine – God?
2. The obvious answer is NO! Believers join in the journey of Jesus, verse 36.
B. Christ suffered and died as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world – this is love.
1. In case the believers did not know the answer Paul provides it in verse 37.
2. Believers are not just winners or champions. These believers “are more than conquerors”.
3. Paul writes this knowing Emperor Nero will soon try to destroy this congregation.
C. Vss. 38, 39 presents another long list of earthly things that will not / cannot separate from God’s love.
1. Every situation is covered: “present nor the future”, “nor anything else in all creation”.
2. Of this Paul is convinced, as well as every believer. Nothing can separate from God’s love.
D. You and I and every believer stand in awe because of the free gift of God’s grace. God’s undeserved love calls each of us out of darkness into his marvelous light. We do not deserve this gift. We cannot earn God’s gift of eternal life. Our works, prayers, and money simply are never enough to pay for one single sin. Instead the Lord Jesus takes the responsibility of our eternal salvation upon his own shoulders. Look at John, chapter 10, the Good Shepherd chapter. "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand"(JOHN 10:27,28). We are held safe in the hand of the love of Christ. Satan cannot snatch us out of our Savior’s strong grip. The world cannot separate us from God’s. Mind you – Satan and the world still try. The grasp of God’s love constantly tightens around us to hold us firmly and safely.
E. Nothing will snatch us out of God’s loving hand. We do want to remember that a person may jump out of God’s hand, so to speak. Our sinful flesh is God’s enemy. This is the very sinful nature that you and I and all mankind have inherited. Even in a well-meaning way the sinful desires of man are not always what God desires. Jesus told his disciples he would go to Jerusalem. Once there, the authorities would torture him and put Jesus to death. The disciples did not want this to happen to Jesus. Nor would we. "But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. ‘Get behind me, Satan!’ he said. ‘You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.’"(MARK 8:33). We may have to remind our own sinful nature: “get behind me”, when we do not have in mind the things of God.
F. On our own we cannot resist sin. On our own Satan would separate us from God’s love. But the Lord God Almighty does not leave us on our own. We have been bought with a price. We are valuable in the eyes and plan of God. Listen to the strength that is ours by faith. "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me"(GALATIANS 3:20). Christ is alive and well in each of us!! No wonder we know, believe, confess, and are also convinced that nothing can separate us from God’s love.
CONC.: How much the world worships such figures as winners, champions, and conquerors. How soon the world forgets those who once seemed so important. God’s word has clearly revealed that believers are more than conquerors. Our victory lasts forever. Our names may be forgotten in the pages of history. Our names are never forgotten in the pages of God’s book of life. We are more than conquerors by faith through God’s grace. "For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God"(1 JOHN 5:4,5). God’s gospel: believers: WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS. Nothing can stand against us -- nothing can separate us from God’s love. Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer
SERVICES: SAT – 1:00pm @ NCF Min., +
SUN – 12:00pm @ NCF Medium / 9:30am @ Church
Sunday radio broadcast @ 9:05am on KQNK 106.7FM or 1530AM + www.kqnk.com
LENT 1 readings:
GENESIS 2:7-9,15-17; 3:1-7;
ROMANS 5:12-19;
MATT. 4:1-11
(PSALM 130)
