We Know All Things Work Together For Good

WE KNOW ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD

Romans 8:28-30 - August 8, 2004 – Pentecost 10

ROMANS 8:28-30

28And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God who have been called according to his purpose. 29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

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Dear Fellow-Redeemed and Saints in the Lord:

What is your worry this morning? Each one of us, probably a little bit each day, has a certain thing or maybe even more than one thing that we might be worried with or overly concerned about. It wasn’t that long ago that our society realized that stress in this world is a great cause of many kinds of diseases and sickness, because people simply worry too much. As Christians we are not exempt from worry that goes a little further than being concerned. Worry causes us to wonder sometimes what is going to happen next. Worry happens easily to us because of our society in which we live. We read, watch and hear the news; and there is always something else or something new to worry about. Is the economy going to be good or bad? Is the weather going to be good or bad? Is the war going to be good or bad? How high will oil prices go? Will tomorrow ever come? Because of this entire bad news outlook, the world in which we live truly does affect us.

This morning we look at the words that Paul has written knowing in our hearts it is just as he says: We know all things work together for our good. Yet, we may have to sit down either in the morning or in the middle of the day or even at the end of the day and remind ourselves of that fact--that the Lord has all things under his control. When Jesus spoke to his disciples, he said to them: "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own" (MATTHEW 6:33,34). When you are busy about doing God’s kingdom work, we do not worry about earthly cares. Jesus takes care of our earthly needs. Jesus says in the second verse, therefore do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. How true that is. God takes care of tomorrow, and he takes care of today.

Paul says: "We know that all things work together for good." This is our theme this morning—

WE KNOW THAT ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD -- because

I. This is God’s plan for mankind.

II. This is God’s love for believers.

I. GOD’S PLAN FOR MANKIND

Today, when you have a chance, take out your Bibles and read all of Romans, chapter 8. Then before you come to the end at verse 28, which is our text, you will find the encouragement that Paul gives these believers. Paul tells them first of all that they are God’s children. He reminds these believers that they have access to God, because God has taken away their sin through his Son. Paul reminds them that they can pray to God, because the Holy Spirit will even help them when they do not know what words to express. Paul reminds them that eternity is theirs. These are just a few of the things Paul reminds these believers.

Then he comes to these words: 28And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God. Now today when you go home and read those words in the NIV, you will not find the words quite like that. In my Bible I have crossed them out and use the footnote. The footnote is more accurate. It says God made all things work for our good. God makes all things work for the good as he determines it. We are going to look at the life of the Apostle Paul just briefly again to remind ourselves how he understood these words. You also might want to read the book of Acts again to refresh your memory. In Acts, we found Paul going on many missionary journeys. For the first cities after he was converted, he was kicked out. For the first missionary journeys, every city he was kicked out. At one of the cities he was even dragged out of that city and stoned and left for dead. What does Paul do? Does he run back home to Tarsus that was closer? No, he goes back to all of the cities he was kicked out of to encourage the believers. Paul reminded them: "We must go through much tribulation to enter into the kingdom of God."