Moments of Hope
Romans 8:31-37
August 31, 2014
Morning Service
“Man can live about forty days without food, about three days without water, about eight minutes without air...but only for one second without hope.”
¯ Hal Lindsey
Everyone is in need of hope. The world would fall apart without it. People would become filled with despair without it. Humanity would be miserable without it. There is no way to fully measure the impact of hope. Hope is our greatest asset in the midst of difficult times. Without hope in Christ we would be lost.
What Does Hope Do?
Hope shines brightest when the hour is darkest.
Hope motivates when discouragement comes.
Hope energizes when the body is tired.
Hope sweetens while bitterness bites.
Hope sings when all melodies are gone.
Hope believes when evidence is eliminated.
Hope listens for answers when no one is talking.
Hope climbs over obstacles when no one is helping.
Hope endures hardship when no one is caring.
Hope smiles confidently when no one is laughing.
Hope reaches for answers when no one is asking.
Hope presses toward victory when no one is encouraging.
Hope dares to give when no one is sharing.
Hope brings the victory when no one is winning.
John Maxwell
Paul asks a series of questions to further build his case about the work of God. He speaks in verses 28-30 about how God works in the midst of our lives. God works in all things to bring His good into our lives. Not everything we go through is good but God works to use everything to make us more like Jesus. God uses the good, the bad and the ugly moments of life to help us reach the goal of being more like Jesus. He seeks to change our character by infusing His divine character into our lives.
31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died--more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8:31-37
Beginning in verse 31, Paul starts asking a series of questions to further prove his point about the work of God in our lives.
What shall we say in response to this?
Paul immediate builds off the previous verses and addresses the proactive nature of the work of God. What can we say about how God has provided for us? Paul speaks of God’s taking a proactive stance with working in us.
1. Conviction
2. Conversion
3. Consecration
God has given us everything that we need for salvation. He has proactively worked to ensure that the offer of salvation is intact for all people. The choice is ours to accept it but the offer is for any and all who would accept.
Paul sues these next questions as a way to stir the heart of the reader. Much like speakers will ask rhetorical questions with the same answer to stir the audience. The answer to each of these questions is the same: no one.
If God is for us who can be against us? No One
Who will bring a charge against those whom God has chosen? No One
Who is he that condemns us? No One
Who will separate us from the love of Christ? No One
If God is for us who can be against us?
Paul uses this question to reveal the condition of God’s promises. The phrase here in English doesn’t drive home the reality as much as the original language. The wording might be better: Because God is for us who can be against us? Think about that for a moment.
Because God is for us nothing can stop us in life. Because God is proactive in the lives of believers and has set us apart to be like Jesus, we can be assured that He will bring the work to completion. God always finishes what He starts.
There will always be opposition in life. Paul is not saying that we will never face opposition but rather is saying that everything that opposes us will not defeat us. We face opposition from hardships and tragedy. We face opposition from persecution and naysayers. We face opposition from our sinful nature. We face opposition from death itself but in all the end, can any of these things defeat us?
Paul was writing to give assurance that if God gave His own Son to save the world, He would also provide for our every need. God gave His best to provide salvation for us. How will He not also give us everything else we need?
Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen?
Paul addresses a legal issue here. To bring a charge against means to call into court and face an accusation. The issue here is to be given a summons. The reality is that any charge that is brought against us must go before our Father in heaven. He is the ultimate judge and we will stand before Him.
If we have a relationship with Christ, we will be judged not on our merit but on the merit of Jesus. Jesus lived a sinless life and died in our place. The truth is that there is no better position to be in than to be in the place of Christ. We face every accusation though the power of the resurrection. There is nothing to fear.
Who is he that condemns?
Paul gives us incredible hope here. There are four key promises that Paul reveals through these words.
1. The promise of substitution
Jesus died on the cross on our behalf to pay the debt of sin.
2. The promise of resurrection
Jesus died but God raised Him from the dead. Jesus has new life and through Him we can have new life as well.
3. The promise of authority
Jesus has been given the highest place in the universe and is on the side of those who follow Him
4. The promise of intercession
Many times we instantly think of prayer here but Paul is not talking about prayer. Paul is using another legal understanding of an advocate or defense attorney. Jesus aggressively defends those who follow Him before the Father.
The One who is over and above all things is the One who works on our behalf. The One who died and rose again works on our behalf. The One who has the right to judge us works on our behalf. Our hope rests completely and absolutely in the person of Jesus.
Who will separate us from the love of Christ?
Paul presents a host of possibilities that he needed to confront in his personal life. In fact, Paul presents seven different realities that threaten our relationship with Christ. When we go through suffering and trials, we sometimes wonder if God is still watching out for us. We sometimes wonder why we are going through our trials. The truth is that there is no easy answer and there is no simple solution.
Hardship and suffering is part of life. Paul reminds us that God never leaves us in times of suffering but instead draws closer to us. After surgery, I was told a variety of things to expect – fatigue, some swelling and pain. Pain was part of the healing process. Sometimes God uses our brokenness and pain to bring glory to Himself. Paul is telling us that pain is part of the process of life and we should expect it. We should also not lose hope because God is with us and walks with us through the pain.
So what do we learn?
1. God works in our lives even in our struggles
2. God has given everything we need in Jesus
3. Jesus gives us a hope that holds us in the midst of trials
