Romans 8b Don’t Sweat It
- Read Romans 8:12-30
One section of Romans 8 in my Bible is titled, “From Groans to Glory” I believe that is a fitting title for this message.
Look there again please at verse 20.
- Read Romans 8:20-21
These verses say that all of creation is suffering, is struggling. Think about it.
Every bug around here, is looking over it’s shoulder, afraid some lizard, or frog, or chicken is sneaking up on it. Every lizard, frog, and chicken, is looking over it’s shoulder, afraid some snake, or hawk, or cat or dog is sneaking up on it.
Every morning the gazelle in Africa think to themselves, “Today I have to be faster than the fastest lion out here or I’m going to be somebody’s supper.” And every lion wakes up thinking, “Today I’ve got to be faster than the slowest zebra out here or I’m going to go hungry.” And the water buffalo can’t remember the last time it went to get a drink, that he wasn’t afraid there was something under the water waiting to eat him.
Yesterday morning I came down to move a trailer so Marc and the praise team could come in and practice. While hooking up the trailer I stuck my knee in an ant bed. They bit my knee. My foot, my hands.
But think about them. Here lately, every time they build a nest, it rains and their nest gets flooded out. So, they build their nests higher above ground and Dennis comes along and mows the top off of it. The ants look at one another and think, “Not again. Will I ever be able to quit rebuilding this thing?”. All of creation is suffering. Heaven knows we are.
I worked on a couple of roofs this week. On one of them I had to carry several sheets of plywood, some rolls of roofing, and several buckets of roof coating up a ladder. It’s not quite as easy as it used to be.
To tell you the truth, this getting old is for the birds. I’m not enjoying it very much. I can’t quite do what I used to do, nor as quickly, nor for as long. I went to a garage sale a while back. There was an older gentleman who was selling his tools. I bought a number of them. He sat on a chair in the corner of his garage. It looked like he was clearing things out getting ready to move in with his daughter who was running the sale. It’s heart breaking when a man has to sell his tools. Young folks have no idea what I’m talking about.
When I got home yesterday, I had to spend some time snaking the drains on my house. We’ve been having some plumbing issues, I have an uncle coming into town today, and staying with us, and everything needs to be working right. When I got through running the snake and such, I asked Gladys where she wanted me to take off those dirty clothes. She said, “How about on the porch, so I can shake the sand out of them and such before I launder them. I said, “Ok. Go around and unlock the back door and I’ll do it on the back porch. Daniel may drive by to feed the hog. I don’t want him to feel better about his belly and chest because he saw mine. I’m a minister for crying out loud. The last thing I want to do is encourage someone.
Sometimes it’s disheartening when we see these tents we live in getting a bit thread bare and sagging with a tear here and there. As tough as it is watching ourselves breaking down, it’s even worse to have to watch those we love and care about breaking down and being helpless to help. Ya’ll’ve been there. You know what I’m talking about.
Then you look at what is happening in our country, with our elected officials lying about it. The other day I came back from the grocery store, walked in the door with a couple of bags in one hand and told Gladys, “This was $75.”
In China, entire people groups are being forced into labor camps. Christian persecution is increasing in parts of India, China, Pakistan and other countries. Russia is kidnapping children and entire families from Ukraine and forcibly relocating them to Russia to repopulate their dying country. Japan, China and other countries are now incentivizing their people to have children to help support their aging citizenry, and yet their birth rate is below the level necessary to replace their populations. We’re not stealing children or kidnapping families, but let’s be honest; the birthrate in the United States is 16% below what is necessary to replace our aging population. If it were not for immigration, the population of our country would be decreasing as well. Sadly, many of those moving into our country do not share our culture, nor do they embrace many of the Christian principles on which this nation was built, so things are changing here. But we can’t blame all of this on others. Much of this we have done to ourselves. Men playing women’s sports and using women’s restrooms? No 10 Commandments in our schools, but you can discuss gender changes?
We look across to Israel and see the atrocities taking place there. I tell you, I’ve reached the point where I’m not just looking for signs of Christ’s return, I’m listening for the trumpet.
All of creation, all the world and all the church family is groaning; but in the midst of this I am not discouraged, I am not down-hearted, I am not depressed, and I am not defeated; for in this passage Paul gives us several words of encouragement.
First, I am encouraged by those praying for me.
I. I AM ENCOURAGED BY THOSE PRAYING FOR US
Did you know that one of the greatest things you can do is to pray for another person? In Ezekiel 22 God laments,
> Ezekiel 22:30 I searched for a man among them who would repair the wall and stand in the gap before me on behalf of the land so that I might not destroy it, but I found no one.
God was looking for someone to stand in the gap, for someone to pray for the nation and He couldn’t find anyone willing to do so.
Often God wants to bless, He wants to work, but God usually works through the prayers of His people, so He looks for people who are interceding, who are praying.
In almost every one of Paul’s letters he tells the people he is writing, “I am praying for you. You pray for me.”
> Ephesians 6:18-20 Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel. For this I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough to speak about it as I should.
Paul says, “Pray for me.” I have a pastor friend who texts me several times a week telling me he prayed for me. I have another friend and former pastor of mine who I know prays for me and some other pastors every week.
Since Claudia isn’t here I can say something nice about her, but don’t tell her I did so. That girl has no problem talking about the Lord and her faith to anyone. She has a tough job, working as a dean in one of our high schools. For the past couple of weeks the Lord has really placed her on my mind and led me to pray for her.
It’s great to know people are praying for you. I had praying parents. I have some praying friends and I have a praying wife.
> James 5:16b-18 The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect. Elijah was a human being as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the land. Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land produced its fruit.
The prayers of people are powerful. God can work through them to move heaven and earth, You pray for folks.
I am grateful for those on earth praying for me, but the Bible tells me I have folks in heaven praying for me as well.
And I’m not talking about saints. What a bunch of sad nonsense. No where does the Bible teach such a thing. But, I do have folks interceding for me in heaven. I’m talking about real folks interceding for me; for us. Look there again please at verse 34.
- Read Romans 8:34
1. Jesus prays for us
Did you see that? Jesus prays for us. Turn to someone near you and tell them, “Jesus prays for you.”
Robert Murray McCheyne, a minister from the Church of Scotland in the 1800s once said, “If I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million of enemies. Yet the distance makes no difference; He is praying for me.”
–Robert Murray McCheyne and Andrew A. Bonar, Memoir and Remains of the Rev. Robert Murray McCheyne (Edinburgh; London: Oliphant Anderson & Ferrier, 1894), 158.
Jesus is praying for you. I don’t know exactly what He’s praying right now, but I do know what He prayed for you at one time.
- Read John 17:20-23
Did you see that? Jesus said He wasn’t just praying for the disciples, but that He was also praying for those who would become believers through their testimonies. In other words, even back then Jesus was praying for us.
He prayed we would be united. There would be unity among us believers. He prayed there would be unity between us believers and Jesus and God the Father. That we would be in them and they in us! Can you imagine?
Jesus said He gave us glory.
Oh my friend, Don’t let the world get you down. Jesus sees you and He is praying for you.
What can’t you accomplish when Jesus is praying for you? What can’t you overcome if Jesus is praying for you? What sin can’t you have victory over, what discouragement can’t be defeated if Jesus is praying for you?
His Eye is on the Sparrow
Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,?Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heav’n and home,?When Jesus is my portion? My constant Friend is He:?His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;?His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
Refrain:?I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free,?For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
Oh, I am encouraged because I know Jesus prays for me, but He’s not alone. Look there again please at Romans 8:26.
- Read Romans 8:26-27.
2. The Holy Spirit prays for us
Not only does Jesus pray for me, but the Holy Spirit does as well. He intercedes for us.
Verse 26. He helps us in our weakness. We don’t know what to pray for.
Mrs. Billy Graham once said, “If the Lord had answered all of her prayers, she would have married the wrong man. Several times.” Wee don’t always know what to pray for.
Shortly after we started River of Life Church, my sister-in-law at the time said, “Why don’t ya’ll buy your mom’s property and build a church there?” I said, “I don’t want that property. It has no visibility. No one can see it. No one knows where it is. I want something street side so people can find it more easily. Maybe something up on Doyle Road.
2 years later we buy this place. It still doesn’t have visibility. We’ve been meeting on this property for 18 years and the closest fire department just discovered there was a church meeting here 6 months ago. Are you kidding me? Hello. There’s a big sign at the end of the driveway saying River of Life Church, and it’s been there for 15 years. You’ve passed it 100 times.
I wasn’t praying for this place. I was praying and looking elsewhere. But the Holy Spirit said, “Father, Gene is praying thus and such but He doesn’t know what he’s doing and he doesn’t know your plans. He’s thinking baseball fields. You’re planning chicken pens. He’s thinking basketball courts. You’re planning camp with a concourse. He’s thinking parking lot lights. You’re planning Christmas lights. Lord, He doesn’t know what he’s doing but he is praying, so let Me intercede for him.
The Holy Spirit intercedes for us according to the Father’s will. That’s the praying I want going on. I want someone to pray that I will know and do the Father’s will, and that’s the way the Holy Spirit prays.
We stand beside the bed of someone who is sick and in pain. Do we praying for healing, or do we pray that the Lord will let them go home? We don’t know which is better for that particular person at that particular time. But, the Holy Sprit does. Father, this is what they are praying, but this is Your will.
When my last truck died, we had to get another one. You know what it’s like. I wasn’t looking for another vehicle. I wasn’t looking but that one died and it was time. So, Gladys, Drew and I went truck shopping, praying the whole time. I wanted a 2500 but didn’t figure there was any way we could afford it. Everything we looked at was more than we planned to spend.
We finally settled on a 1500 with 80,000 miles on it. We told the folks we were going to go home and pray about it and we would be back the next morning. We prayed the Lord would give us that truck. When we went back the next morning, they had sold it out from under us. We left ticked, went up the road and found a 2,500 with half the miles for the same price.
The Holy Spirit says, “Lord, Gene and Gladys are praying about this truck, but You have something better in mind. Let Your will be done.”
Oh, there have been times when I didn’t know what to pray, or what to say. You ever been there? Just sitting there wanting to be in the Lord’s presence, and the Holy Spirit groans His prayers to the Father as we sit in grief.
I am encouraged because of His prayer. Jesus and the Holy Spirit are praying for us. Second, I am encouraged because of His promises.
Look there again please at verse 28.
- Read Romans 8:28
II. I AM ENCOURAGED BECAUSE OF HIS PROMISES
1. All things work together for good
All things work together for good. Now, this is not a general promise. It means nothing coming from the mouth of a lost person, because it’s untrue and doesn’t apply to them. This promise only applies to those who love God and are called according to His purpose. In other words, this promise only applies to Christians.
Oh, the lost may mouth it. The politician may say it. The writer may quote it, but it is a promise that only applies to believers.
And notice, it doesn’t say all things are good. It says, “All things work together for good”.
A preacher tells the story of an old country man he called on to pray in church. The old man began praying, “Lord, I don’t much like flour. And I don’t much like lard. And I don’t much like baking powder.” At this point the preacher is wondering what in the world the old man is thinking. Then the man continues, “But Lord, when you put them all together, I sure like the biscuits that come from them.” So Lord, I don’t like everything you bring into my life. And I don’t enjoy everything you let happen in my life. But I trust that when you put them all together, You’re making something good for me.”
All things work together for good for those who love God.
Years ago, an 11 year old girl was just starting puberty and starting to grow. Her great aunt was a seamstress and was helping her try on a dress, when she noticed there was something strange happening to the young girl’s back. It had a curve that didn’t use to be there.
They took the young girl to the doctor and sure enough, the doctor said she had curvature of the spine. The little girl’s mother was concerned about her daughter, as every parent would be, wondering what the future held for her child. It was then the young girl reminded her mother of a verse that her mother had taught her. She said, “Mama, Romans 8:28 says, ‘All things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.”
Let me ask you something. Do you have the faith of that young girl, trusting God in the midst of your trials. And second, have you taught your children and demonstrated such faith before them that in the midst of their trials they would be able to faithfully quote such a verse?”
Oh, the years following were difficult. In those days getting fitted for a brace involved a hospital stay, so the girl stayed in the hospital and was fitted for a brace. For the first year, she could only take the brace off long enough each day to take a shower, and then she had to put it back on.
The little girl lost a number of friends in those years. Just coming into your teenage years, no one wants to be friends with the child with the brace. No one wants to hang out with the kid who’s different.
But who knows, perhaps the Lord used that brace to scare off a boy, so Gladys would still be single when I needed a helpmeet.
All things work together for good for those who love God. That’s a great promise. But there is another one in this passage as well. Look there with me again please at verse 23.
- Read Romans 8:23
2. We’re gonna get new bodies
Did you see that? Our bodies are gonna be redeemed. We’re gonna get new bodies. And some of you need some new bodies.
No more aches and pains. No more falling. No more failing memories. No more trouble with sugar or blood pressure. No more heart issues. No more back pains. We won’t be worried about finding the perfect bed or the most comfortable pillow. There won’t be any “My Pillow” commercials in heaven because it won’t be a big deal.
My word, at night one minute I’m hot the next minute I’m cold. I think I’m going through menopause. And poor Gladys thinks she’s sleeping next to Darth Vader with me hooked up to a c-pap machine. The other night I woke up and she was standing over me with a light saber.
My friend Joel Bohm. He’s one of the electricians that’s worked on the place. He has one eye that won’t heal correctly so he’s struggling with his depth perception. Both knees are shot, so he looks like he just got off a horse. He’s gonna get a new body.
Great promises of God. All things work together for our good. We’re gonna get new bodies. Look there with me please at verse 18.
- Read Romans 8:18-19
3. God’s glory is going to be revealed in His children
The Bible says in
>1 Corinthians 2:9, “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man the things God has prepared for those who love Him.”
I am looking forward to seeing some great things in heaven. I am looking forward to enjoying some great things in heaven. But you know what creation is waiting for? Verse 19 says, Creation is waiting for God’s Sons to be revealed.”
Oh, there are times I get so discouraged when I fail God. There are times when I get discouraged because I’m not all I could be. I feel like Paul when he’s crying in,
> Romans 7:15 I do not understand what I am doing, because I do not practice what I want to do, but I do what I hate.
But there is coming a day, when Paul tells us in,
> 1 Corinthians 15:51-57 Listen, I am telling you a mystery: We will not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. For this corruptible body must be clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal body must be clothed with immortality. When this corruptible body is clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal body is clothed with immortality, then the saying that is written will take place: Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, death, is your victory? Where, death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
Oh, there are times right now when I feel like such a disappointment to the family. But one day, God will fix us up, and clean us up, and parade us for all the world to see.
I wrote my first love note when I was in 1st grade. I couldn’t even spell the girl’s name. I had to get her to write it on a sheet of paper then I went and wrote my note. You know, it was one of those little “I love you do you love me” type of things. It upset the little girl so much she gave the note to the teacher. It upset my teacher so much she gave the note to my mom. It upset my mom so much she gave the note to my dad. My dad looked at the note, puffed his chest up and said, “That’s my boy!”
Well my friend, I know you may be discouraged. You may be sick and down. But something better is coming. Between here and there God is using the difficulties in your life to make you into the son or daughter He wants you to be. Between here and there Jesus and the Holy Spirit are praying for you every step of the way. And one day your heavenly Father will place his arm around your shoulder and before all creation proudly proclaim, This is My Son. This is My Daughter.
