STRAIGHT FROM ROMANS 8 - Our Glorious Future
May 29, 2022
Romans 8:18-25
Introduction:
I watched a movie the other day called “All the Money in the World.” So, spoiler alert. It was the story of J. Paul Getty, the richest man in the world…One of his grandsons, Paul, is kidnapped and held for a 17 million dollar ransom. Getty refuses to pay…He says, “I have 14 grandchildren and if I pay, they’ll all become targets.” After a period of time he agrees to pay 1 million…the amount that’s tax deductible. They cut off his grandson’s ear and send it to his mother…who has no resources on her own. Finally the ransom is paid…Paul escapes his captors and makes it home. The closing scenes show J. Paul Getty dying alone in a home filled with priceless treasures…but with no one around him but a paid nurse. After his death, Gail (Paul’s mother), becomes the executor of the estate overseeing all the trusts being set up for the Getty heirs.
The basic theme is…All the Money in the World doesn’t buy you family or happiness.
Most of us normal folks don’t use words like heir or heiress…Our parents might leave us a watch…or other property that has to be sold or divided between siblings…but when we think of heirs and heiresses we think of Prince William or Prince Harry…Can you imagine being the “Heir” Harry? (LOL)
But in Roman 8 the Apostle Paul is telling us as God’s children, we have an amazing inheritance that all the money in the world can’t buy.
We ended last week’s message talking about being adopted into God’s family through His Holy Spirit…A Spirit which testifies to our new relationship with God by crying “Abba” Father. He testifies…He bears witness with our internal soul (the real us on the inside). “We are God’s children.” And if God is now truly our new father, we are heirs…co-heirs with His only Son.
But our text today is introduced with more sobering words…“If indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory.” (Romans 8:17)
When you share something with someone you take a part of whatever it is…You share the last bowl of cereal…the last soda…you share the 20 dollar meal at Apple bee's.
But how do we share in Jesus’ suffering…so we can also share in His glory? What part do we share?
Paul begins our study today in verse 18: “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”
Born again Spirit-filled followers of Christ are heirs and heiresses, along with Jesus, of a future glory.
But he also talks about suffering and we might ask:
I. WHY DOES SUFFERING HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH OUR INHERITANCE?
Well, let me answer that in two parts.
First of all…like the Apostle Paul…we suffer because of the simple fact we live in a temporary body…a tent…Paul called it a fragile “Jar of Clay” in 2 Cor. 4:17. One that is “dead because of sin.”
[This body ages…as it ages parts wear out…pain increases…wrinkles take hold. I used to visit a lady in the nursing home named Pauline Divine…and I’d ask Pauline…“How you doing?” And she’d respond…“Everything I have hurts…and what doesn’t hurt doesn’t work anymore!” That’s a great description of the aging process.]
[Katherine Hepburn, the great actress said, “I’ve discovered that my body is like a car…something goes wrong, wears out and I take it to the mechanic and he replaces the part…until one day I take it in and he says, “We don’t make parts for that model anymore!”]
When Jesus, “the word of God became flesh and made His dwelling among us” (John 1:14), the creator of the universe entered a body, through the miraculous virgin birth and subjected himself to a body that ages…grows older…wears out…dies. Paul describes that amazing choice in his letter to the Philippians…
PHILIPPIANS 2:6-8
Isaiah the prophet wrote these words 800 years before Jesus came to fulfill it.
“He grew up before him like a tender shoot and like a root of a dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him…He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.” (Is. 53:2-3)
Most pictures of Jesus make Him look like a beautiful, attractive beard wearing Mediterranean masculine man. Scripture says he chose an ugly exterior so that wouldn’t be what drew you to Him…“Nothing in his appearance caused us to desire Him.” Even before the scars and the swelling caused by the beating and crucifixion…He chose a body that demanded inner beauty to be the magnet…not outward handsomeness.
Every person shares in the suffering that Jesus chose…living in a body that’s dying…scars easily, needs fixing and eventually…dies.
Some find hope in delaying that process…putting off the inevitable…but for the born again, Spirit-filled follower of Jesus…inside, something beautiful testifies…No, this isn’t all there is…there is a forever body…there is an inheritance for you…“IN YOU.”
But there is a second suffering that takes place for the born again, Spirit-filled and led follower of Christ.
Suffering for Christ! Paul tells the Corinthians and us we have a treasure housed inside an easily broken earthen jar…Listen:
2 CORINTHIANS 4:7-12
He’s hard pressed (pressured from every angle). He’s confused, perplexed at times. He’s persecuted. He’s beaten down…His body constantly reminds him…its temporary…but he doesn’t despair. He will not quit, because it’s all for an opportunity to make others become followers of the Savior He follows. He says in 2 Cor. 6 “We showed you we are servants of God in every way…in great endurance, in troubles, hardships, and distresses, in beatings, imprisonments and riots, in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger, in purity, understanding, patience and kindness in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in trustful speech and IN THE POWER OF GOD.” (v 3-7)
Paul and his companions suffered because of Christ...they went through all the above…because they were born again, Spirit-filled followers of Jesus whose purpose was to share Jesus.
This is very different than suffering because we live in the same body Jesus occupied...its suffering because we’ve put this body in harm’s way for the gospel. You don’t have a choice with the first…you have a choice in the attitude you reveal through it, but you will face trouble in this world because your sinful body wears out.
But putting yourself in harm’s way for the gospel is different…stepping into the ring is different…you know you’re gonna get hit…it’s not if, it’s when.
[Please let me share with you in a very transparent way right now…Most of the warfare, the struggle and even persecution, if you will, for me…comes from within the “ring” we call “Christianity and the Church…Sometime I face cold shoulders and absolute misunderstanding from “natural” people…those outside of Christ…but I face the greatest struggle with “carnal Christians”…within the Kingdom. The Spiritual battles with these individuals has me fighting for essential “Spiritual” principles of leadership and witness against an attitude of worldliness within the church. It might be the largest area of pressure, anxiety, burden and abuse for spiritually led leaders and preachers in America today.]
I might face some judgment and hatred from the outside world because I view homosexuality as a sexual sin…like adultery…and I believe life starts at conception and abortion murders that life…but the greatest struggle and suffering I face is similar to Jesus…from those who are religious, but not spiritual.
God has not called his people to comfort…He’s called us to love men and women who are led by the Spirit…However, our nature desires comfort more than sacrifice. So many times, churches will be led by individuals who will break the rules for certain people, conform activities more to complaints than purpose…and instead of groaning for our spiritual home, we seek a lazy-boy instead of a cross.
You will suffer…Christians and non Christians alike…because we share temporary, mortal, perishable bodies that are dead because of sin!
Spirit-filled followers of Christ choose an attitude that reflects the same as Christ’s even when the jar is breaking…
But suffering for Jesus? Missionaries on foreign soil will face persecution and death because of their beliefs. We here in American face something more insidious…Satan’s influence that comfort, and people’s happiness are more important than reaching lost souls and growing up in Christ. The church does not need more men and women who are religious…it needs Christians who are spiritually led by the Father, suffering because of their inheritance.
II. BECAUSE OF OUR HOPE FOR A FUTURE GLORY
Let me ask a simple question…why did Jesus leave His Church here on earth? To make disciples, to teach those disciples what it means to be like Jesus…That’s the essence of the great commission in Matt. 28:18-19…“I have all authority on Heaven and Earth, therefore followers…go make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit…then teach them what to observe…how to live…the things you learned from me.”
That’s the calling of every born again Spirit-filled follower of Christ…Wherever you are…wherever you go…intentionally make other disciples, and help them know “what and how I want them to live.”
That hasn’t changed…It still should be the mission of every “Church.”
Why isn’t it?...Because we started to forget OUR hope is in a future glory, not a present comfort.
Because churches have said, “Come to our building and have your needs met”…instead of go out into the world and make disciples. When we’re together, we’ll praise our Father and get better prepared…but both of those are catalysts for “going.” All because our glory is in the future…A future event will take place, that “reveals in us” what it means to be God’s son…what our adoption as sons and daughters does…how these dying bodies are redeemed (purchased back) from sin, so they become “forever” bodies.
We groan for that…all creation…everything created by Jesus…aches for that future day. It’s why we were saved…born once again…and see if things make a little more spiritual sense.
ROMANS 8:18-25
Folks, when Adam and Eve sinned, death wasn’t just their punishment…it wasn’t just their bodies that would die because of sin. All creation started to run down…all creation, every part of this earth begin to decay…it had no choice in the matter like Adam and Eve, but it started dying nonetheless…
What started out as perfection…became flawed…it’s like someone who had perfect vision going blind…I’m sure that person would long to see again…even groan for their eyesight to return.
A woman who goes through the pains of childbirth...intense labor...endures it because of the hope of a child…
One day Jesus will return as He’s promised! The Savior, who died in our place on a cross to pay the penalty of our sin…the Victor who rose from the dead conquering its power will return as the almighty King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Do you remember we read Phil 2:6-8 which describes Jesus’ attitude of humility, even to the point of death on the cross…well listen to what follows…
PHILIPPIANS 2:9-11
[Worship will not be a choice on this day…worship means to “ascribe worth” And whether you kneel and confess out of fear or out of reverence…on the day of His return you will kneel and confess His worth…“Jesus…is Lord.”
Peter says, “The day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.” (2 Pet. 3:10) On the heels of that Peter says, “But in keeping with His (Jesus) promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and new earth, the home of righteousness.” (2 Pet. 3:13)
John the Revelator says, “Then I saw a new heaven and new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. “I saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven, from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne (Jesus’ voice) saying now the dwelling of God is with men and He will live with them…They will be His people and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new.” (Rev. 21:1-5)
God’s children are made new…the first fruit of the resurrection now reveals His harvest…Our adoption is complete because our bodies are redeemed…Creation is redeemed. This is our hope. We don’t have it yet…we wait for it…even in the midst of suffering. This day has no comparison!
Conclusion: "Memorial Day is a day to remember...I was going to do this on Father's day, but this seems even more appropriate...I've got a gift for each of you this morning. It's an Indian Head Buffalo nickel. I've already given a few of them out to our leadership and others...but here's the story:
My Dad was born dirt floor poor in 1924 in Asheville NC. When he was 7 they moved to WV because they had a little piece of land and needed to grow food during the great depression...my Dad went to work everyday on a chicken farm...he hated chickens and never ate one from that time on. He earned a nickel a day....an Indian head buffalo nickel a day....35 cents a week he contributed to his family. At 17 he enlisted in the army during WW2...at 18 he stepped on a landmine and blew off his left leg and almost his right...his best friend, Frank Carlyle saved his life...he met and married my Mom while he was in an amputee hospital in Atlanta Ga...My Mom had been sent there because her parents hated the guy she was dating...they weren't crazy about my Dad either. They didn't think a one legged man could care for her...Dad went to UK on the GI bill and became an Electrical Engineer....he spent 40 years at Kentucky Utilities and retired as their VP...when my Dad died in 2004 he had a few things in his pocket...a pocket knife, his pipe and some Prince Albert tobacco, and an Indian head buffalo nickel...like the one I've given to you. Why? He carried it everyday so he could "Always remember where he came from and who he was."
Tomorrow we'll remember all those who have gone before us and sacrificed so much...but I hope you will carry this coin for the next couple of weeks so you remember in Christ, through His HS...where you came from and who you are!!!!"
