Sermon Title: All Eyes on Heaven
Text: Romans 8:18-25
Date: March 2, 2003 NASB
Context of Scripture:
It is said that teachings are only judged as being effective when the desired behavior is displayed. In his letter to the church in Rome, Paul is laying a foundation that is needed if the church was ever going to act and react in such a manner that the teaching of the word of God to them is a success.
The problem with this section of Scripture is that the lesson is unwelcome to those in Rome as well as being unwelcome to the ears of the world of today and in that I include the church of today as well. We don’t want to hear that our sufferings in the present will mean noting compared to the rewards of the most excellent future that is to come. We don’t want to hear that, we would rather listen to the soothing sympathetic chatter of someone who is more concern with the instantaneous now then the forever then.
As a pastor, I have witnessed the difference in the magnitude of final sufferings and the difference that is manifested between those that have a relationship with Christ and those who are lost. I am not minimizing the horrible and debilitating effects of pain, but there is a certain calm among the children of God as they enter their final earthly moments.
I was asked to visit the father of a couple that were interested in becoming active at a church that we once pastured. He was a tithing and active member of a church in a different town, in a different denominational belief. The problem was that his pastor could not and would not attend to the final needs at the hospital. He missed out on a tremendous blessing. Dean, the couples father was eaten alive with cancer, he had fought long and hard but now the battle was nearing an end. He had reached the portal that led from the here and now to the hereafter. Dean knew Jesus intimately as his Savior, and surrounded by family from all different Christian and Catholic persuasions, he was the only one who was at peace.
Despite the pain, despite the impending separation from the ones he loves on this earth, despite the fact that many of his loved ones were lost without Christ, he had peace. Dean had his eyes on the finish line and was prepared to feel the loving arms of His Savior, embrace Him and take Him home. Oh how much different is the thrashing and the fight for continuation in a soul that is lost without Christ.
This is the message that Paul is bringing to Rome and to us right here and right now. He is instructing now, but the fruits will not be evident until the behavior is displayed in the times of distress and even in impending death.
Let us stand for the reading of God’s Holy Word.
Scripture Reading: Romans 8:18-25 NASB
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. 23 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. 24 For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.
Sermon Introduction:
If we were to ask people to honestly answer the question of why they search for or come to Jesus looking for some type of relationship, there would be a great many people who would respond that they do not wish to spend an eternity in Hell. Now I will admit, there is a certain amount of good cause in that but it is not the reason for Christ’s sacrifice upon the cross.
At the Garden man fell out of fellowship with God and ever since then there has been a process in effect to put right what was once cast asunder. There were glimpses given to some throughout history of what is to come. Moses witnessed it on Sinai. Elisha watched as Elijah was swept up into heaven. Jesus’ inner circle witnessed the transfiguration. Stephen looked into heaven as the stones ended his life. Paul saw the glory of God on the road to Damascus that forever changed the way he lived. In a moment of time, The Glory is Revealed
All things that are no longer as God had originally crafted will be remade in their original splendor. The beauty of creation at its origin will be reprised. Not only is the glory revealed but The Glory will Heal.
Regardless of how bad things get, no matter how grave the health concerns, no matter how impossible our situation seems at times, The Glory Lies Ahead.
Prayer for Spiritual Enlightenment:
I. The Glory is Revealed
We do not like to talk about or consider suffering in the context of something that we need to and ought to endure and we certainly dislike being told that in those sufferings lie the important lessons of life. Paul puts our earthly suffering in the proper perspective when he shows them in the light of the context of God’s overall plan. Reading verses 18 and 19:
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.
Our suffering is not worthy of the glory to come and that longing for what is missing in our lives is that which awaits us when we pass through the portal and leave this life and begin our eternity in the ever so close proximity of God.
It is oftentimes in our periods of sufferings where we are tuned in best to the will and ways of God. Let me share the following illustration of that point:
Name of God
The story is told that after Helen Keller’s teacher, Anne Sullivan, had given her the names of physical objects in sign language, Miss Sullivan attempted to explain God and tapped out the symbols for the name “God.”
Much to Miss Sullivan’s surprise, Helen spelled back, “Thank you for telling me God’s name, Teacher, for he has touched me many times before.” Helen Keller knew something of God’s signature from nature, but it was wordless.
Source unknown
II. The Glory will Heal
Helen Keller was in many ways better able to see God and hear God then those of us with the gift of sight and hearing. No matter how disabled we may become, God can restore and heal. No matter how ill we become, God can restore and heal.
Marred Hands Settled the Issue
The price Jesus paid for our redemption was terrible indeed. When we think of the extreme suffering He endured to purchase our freedom from sin’s penalty, our hearts should overflow with love for Him. Leslie B. Flynn told a story that illustrates this truth.
An orphaned boy was living with his grandmother when their house caught fire. The grandmother, trying to get upstairs to rescue the boy, perished in the flames. The boy’s cries for help were finally answered by a man who climbed an iron drainpipe and came back down with the boy hanging tightly to his neck.
Several weeks later, a public hearing was held to determine who would receive custody of the child. A farmer, a teacher, and the town’s wealthiest citizen all gave the reasons they felt they should be chosen to give the boy a home. But as they talked, the lad’s eyes remained focused on the floor. Then a stranger walked to the front and slowly took his hands from his pockets, revealing severe scars on them. As the crowd gasped, the boy cried out in recognition. This was the man who had saved his life. His hands had been burned when he climbed the hot pipe. With a leap the boy threw his arms around the man’s neck and held on for dear life. The other men silently walked away, leaving the boy and his rescuer alone. Those marred hands had settled the issue.
Many voices are calling for our attention. Among them is the One whose nail-pierced hands remind us that He has rescued us from sin and its deadly consequences. To Him belongs our love and devotion. -D.C.E.
Our Daily Bread, December 26
Reading verses 20 through 22:
20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.
It is interesting that mankind is not the only victim of the effects of sin. The earthquakes, the tornados, the floods, the diseases and pestilence are all the end result of the effects of sin on the remainder of the creation. The world around us is groaning for the time of restoration that is to come.
III. The Glory Lies Ahead
We may see things get better as we walk the face of this earth but the best is yet to come. Reading this mornings final verses:
23 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. 24 For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.
Let me share some words that were written by Charles Spurgeon:
Life is nothing but death’s hallway; and our pilgrimage on earth is but a journey to the grave. The pulse that preserves our being beats our death march, and the blood which circulates our life is floating it forward to the deeps of death. Today we see our friends in health, tomorrow we hear of their death. Only yesterday, we shook hands with the strong man, and today we close his eyes. We rode in a chariot of comfort only an hour ago, and in a few more hours the black hearse must carry us to the home of the living. Oh, how closely allied is death to life! The little lamb that plays in the field must soon feel the knife. The cow that lows in the pasture is fattening itself for the slaughter.
Trees only grow to be cut down. Yes, and greater things than these feel death. Empires rise and flourish; they flourish only to fall into decay, they rise to fall. How often do we take up a history book, and read of the rise and fall of empires. We hear of the coronation and the death of kings. Death is the black servant who rides behind the chariot of life.
See life! and death is close behind it. Death reaches far throughout this world, and has stamped all terrestrial things with an arrow pointing to the grave. Stars die; it is said that large and destructive fires have been seen in outer space, and astronomers have marked the funerals of planets--the decay of those mighty spheres, that we had imagined set forever in sockets of silver, to glisten as the lamps of eternity.
But blessed be God, there is one place where death is not life’s brother--where life reigns alone; "to live" is not the first syllable which is to be followed by the next, "to die." There is a land where the death bells are never tolled, where grave clothes are never put on, where graves are never dug. Blessed land beyond the skies! To reach it, we must die. Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Having the fruits of the Spirit, even being abundantly blessed with all that can be had in the world in which we live, we still have a longing for something else, perhaps something that we cannot immediately put our fingers upon. That something that we long for more than likely is our desire to see heaven. The glory that is to come was evidenced in the glowing countenance of Moses after being in the presence of God. The glory that is to come was evidenced in the radiance that was displayed by the transfigured Jesus. The Glory that is to come was made evident in the testimony of Paul, struck blind by the glory and power of Christ and became so transformed in his own life that he turned from the greatest enemy of Christianity to the greatest evangelistic missionary of the time. The glory that is to come is evidenced in the change that those of us who have been blessed by the grace of God and have been converted from a life of sin to a life of hope and glory on that day of our final redemption.
Conclusion:
As we prepare to close this morning I wish to ask us to reflect on the following questions, has the glory been revealed to you? What part or parcel of your life is in need of repair? There is no aspect, there is no habit, there is no concern that is beyond the touch of God through His glory. Even in the times of our greatest despair, He has promised to be at our side. When we live for Jesus, The Glory is Revealed in our very lives.
Regardless of the illness or the impairment, the glory of God will heal us. We need to realize however that the healing that we have in mind and the healing that is deemed best is ultimately the decision of our Lord. As we search out a healing touch for ourselves and others let us not forget that the most total healing comes in the form of our resurrection bodies and in order for that to occur, we must pass through this life and experience the physical death. Regardless of God’s design, The Glory will Heal.
When things are going bad, when the health deteriorates, the wealth is no more and even the belongings are few, if we live for Christ, The Glory Lies Ahead.
Call to Commitment:
Oh, the question has been asked many times, but it bears repeating over and over at the Spirit’s leading, How are the things of your soul and your relationship with our Lord and Savior?
Do you have that blessed assurance that Jesus is your Lord and Savior? If you are in doubt, why flounder around in this world a moment longer? Is there any reason not to choose Jesus now?
Have we found ourselves distanced from His love? Why not seek a renewal of that relationship with Him? There is nothing written in God’s Word that we are required to grow cold and accustomed to His love. Is there any reason not to recommit to Jesus today?
Have we found ourselves dazed at the beating that we have taken at the hands of the world this week. Do we need to be re-energized, refilled, watered, and fed by His love and His Word? Is there any reason not to feel His loving arms around us this morning?
