Rom. 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
Either television writers have finally run out of ideas for bad situation comedies or the baby boomers’ nostalgic longing for their 60s youth is simply in control of the airwaves. Whatever. In our retro-chic craziness, there is now a resurgence of some of the corniest 1960s programming.
One of the biggest new/old hits is that silly spy-spoof, "Get Smart." Perhaps no other show except "Laugh-In" coined so many catch phrases that worked their way into 60s conversations.
> "Sorry about that, Chief"
> ".... And loving it"
> "Missed it by that much ... "
> And most famously, "Would you believe ...?"
In the TV show, secret agent Maxwell Smart would inevitably come up against some brick wall of a bad guy from whom he had to escape. Smart would try to intimidate his foe by scaring him off with some hopelessly transparent exaggeration: "Right now, there are 50 armed police officers surrounding this place." When the adversary doubted him, Smart would counter with: "Would you believe 20 police and an angry dog?" With the crook still not impressed, Smart would finally suggest: "How about a troop of Girl Scouts on a cookie-sale drive?"
How many of us are willing to put what we believe on a similar sliding scale? When we were young in years or young in faith, we were able to believe almost anything we were told. Our parents, our teachers and our pastors were unimpeachable sources of truth and integrity. If any one of them said something, it must be true.
But when we grew older in years and more "sophisticated" in thoughts, we learned to stop believing things simply because an authority figure told us it was true. Our own intelligence, skepticism and curiosity forced us to go out and make inquiries for ourselves. While this process results in the gradual development of a healthy, well-informed, personalized faith, for too many others, the entire concept of "believing" can eventually erode completely away.
What is it to which you can stand up and boldly say "I believe"? The Bible is full of the most extravagant promises, the most expansive gifts. Do you read those texts and nod, asserting that "I do believe this"?
■ Would you believe ... the Bible says
> You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you? (Philippians 4:13)
> You can do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that you can ask or think? — Eph 3:20
> To as many as received him, to them he gave power, even to become the sons of God? – Jn 1:12
> That God freely gives us all things - Rom. 8:32
Three Key Phases in Rom 8:32
➔ Spared Not
➔ Delivered Him Up
➔ Give Us
➊ RARE - Spared Not
> Spare: To save and refrain from harming
- The rare and extremely valuable we guard and protect
- Children
Genesis 42:3-4 KJV
3 And Joseph’s ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt. 4 But Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest peradventure mischief befall him.
Jacob & Benjamin
Genesis 42:36 KJV
36 And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me.
Genesis 42:38 KJV
38 And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.
- What is most precious to us we are most reluctant to spare
- Once in awhile upon great occasions we part with them
Grandfather Abraham
Genesis 22:2 KJV
2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
Genesis 22:12KJV
12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
Times When the Father Did Not Spare .
2 Peter 2:4-6 KJV
4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;
- Infinite Love Between the Father and Son
- Marvel at His Relationship with His Son
John 1:18 KJV
18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
Proverbs 8:30 KJV
30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;
Colossians 1:13 KJV
13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
- God gave His own Son to recover the perishing world.
➋ COSTLY - Delivered Him Up
NOTE WHO—
➔ Judas delivered him out of greed
John 19:11KJV
11 Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.
➔ Pilate delivered him to ensure the peace of his
John 19:16KJV
16 Then delivered he (Pilate) him (Christ) therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away.
➔ The High-Priests delivered him out of envy
Matthew 27:2KJV
2 And when they (chief priests) had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.
➔ The People delivered him out of ignorance - Jesus speaking here about himself
Matthew 20:19KJV
19 And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.
➔ Christ delivered up Himself out of obedience to the father
Romans 4:25KJV
25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
➔ The Father delivered Him up for us all, to assure our salvation, peace, and hope.
Romans 8:32KJV
32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
➌ OBTAINABLE - Give Us
1. All good things are the gift of God
James 1:17 KJV
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
2. All Things reacheth to heaven and earth 1 Timothy 4:8 KJV
8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.
3. This “all things” concern the whole man —
> His Physical Needs
Matthew 6:33 KJV
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
1 Corinthians 3:21 KJV
21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
> His Spiritual Needs
Psalm 84:11 KJV
11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
He gives freely,
Revelation 21:7 KJV
7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
Christ Is the Greatest and Most Precious Gift
- If He took upon himself the death of the cross
> Will He not pardon our sin?
> Will He not enable us to do our duty?
> Will He not comfort and support us in our afflictions?
> Will He not supply maintain and protect us?
> Will He not reward us after we have served Him?
