“PRESENT HELP – FUTURE GLORY”

Romans 8:18-39

April 29, 2007 Pastor Jack Harpold

There is a measure of suffering for all of God’s creation. ”The sufferings of this present time" is a reality. We don’t like it but even present day Christians don’t escape suffering. Nevertheless we realize we have a glorious future.

All creation was beautiful when it first came from the hands of God. There were no deserts, thorns, thistles, or ferocious animals. When Adam disobeyed God, the entire creation came under the curse. (All suffering is the result of sin). The moment we are born we begin to die. There is death and decay in nature. God said, "Cursed is the ground because of you.” The curse of sin came upon man in Adam's disobedience, but the physical world also came under the curse. Nature is not in its original condition.

Creation as we see it today is restless and dissatisfied. There is much beauty in nature, but there are also many dreadful and devastating forces. There's the flood and fire, typhoon and tornado, blizzard and blight, volcanoes and avalanches, terrible deserts, savage beasts, poisonous snakes, and horrible insects. There is a corruption and depravity in nature - but the Bible says all this is going to be changed.

There is going to be a reconstruction of the whole vast system of nature. That is the purpose of God. Isaiah says "instead of the thorn, there shall come up the fir tree; the hills shall break forth into singing; all the trees of the field shall clap their hands; the wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom as a rose; the wolf shall dwell with the lamb; the lion shall eat straw like an ox.” There's a day coming when cyclones and storms and other natural disturbances will be unknown.

Men have no success at creating a new world. Christ will bring it in through His redemption. "The creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the children of God.” Things will not continue as they are.

Nature is not alone in seeking deliverance from the effects of the curse - Christians also eagerly await "the adoption, the redemption of our bodies.” I'm going to get a new body. I'm looking forward to that. God will deliver our bodies from disease and death. Our bodies become exhausted and tired, but in the world to come, these limitations will be gone. Blind eyes will see. The lame will walk. Paul says the Christian is saved "in hope.” Our hope is not in history; nor advances of science; nor armies of the world. Our hope is in the coming of Jesus, at which time our bodies will be resurrected and transformed. Our redemption will then be completed.

Now Paul gives some reasons why we can be assured that future glory will come.

There is the work of the Holy Spirit. As God’s heirs, verse 23 says we possess the "first-fruits of the Holy Spirit.” The word "first-fruits" implies a complete harvest is yet to come. The fact that here in this life, in the midst of our weakness, the Holy Spirit comes to our aid - is a guarantee that a complete harvest of glory is still to come.

When we are unable to put into words what we want to tell the Lord in prayer, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us. Did you ever want to pray but you did not know what to pray for? Often the prayers with the greatest results have been unspoken prayers.

When the burden is so heavy and your heart is crushed and broken and you realize your helplessness to express your need then you may offer the greatest prayer that the human heart can express. At times like this the Spirit "helps our infirmities.” How wonderful! This activity of the Holy Spirit is a foretaste of the glory yet to come.

The Scriptures say all things in the universe are continually working together for good to those who love God (verse 28). Notice it says "all things.” This includes the pleasant and unpleasant; good days and bad days; trying situations and happy experiences - all things work together for good. Not all things work together to make us healthy or happy or popular. It may not be "good" for us to have health and wealth and popularity, but God's providence sees to it that every event contributes to our good.

Notice that all things work together for good to them that "love God.” This promise is to those who respond to God's call with love and devotion and obedience. It is not for those who love the world, or who love themselves, or riches. It is for those who are living daily in trustful fellowship with God - those who are in love with God.

The Bible teaches that everything happens by divine control. Paul endured hunger and thirst, loneliness, sickness and shipwreck - yet he never complained that his life had been a hard one. He says, instead, to the church at Philippi: "The things which happened unto me, have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the Gospel."

The closing verses of Romans 8 are a great hymn of triumph. Future glory for God's children is sure to come. "For if God spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall He not (with him) also freely give us all things?" (Vs. 32) Verse 31 speaks of those who oppose us; verse 33 speaks of those who accuse us. But verse 34 says - if Christ died for us, and settled our account with God, we are safe. Paul concludes that there are no powers in the entire universe that are able to snap the bond between the believer and the Savior. The only thing that could do it is a stubborn decision of one's own mind to disobey God, and to turn away from serving Him.

Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 4, that at the death of Christian friends, we should not sorrow as those with no hope. We have a hope! Those who die in Jesus are happy.

If we choose to live our lives apart from obedience to Jesus Christ - judgment and Hell and destruction are in store for the future. By way of contrast - for those who are children of God by faith in Jesus Christ, there's a time of matchless glory just around the corner. Why not choose the narrow road that leads to glory?

The lost are lost because they want it that way. There is not a person in this whole world that is forced to be lost. They are lost because they have chosen to be lost.

If you have not yet been reconciled to God's purpose and will, it is time for you to do so, because this is His universe. He made it. His purpose is going to be carried out, and He has the wisdom and the power to carry it out. Whatever God does is right.

When God saves you, He is going to see you through. When the Lord, the Great Shepherd of the Sheep, starts out with one hundred sheep, He's going to come home with one hundred sheep. Jesus told a parable (Luke 15) of a good shepherd who represents the Lord Jesus. One sheep got lost. You would think He might say, "Well, let him go. We've got ninety-nine safe in the fold. That's a good percentage.” Not so! He is not satisfied with ninety-nine. If He justifies one hundred sheep, He's going to glorify one hundred sheep. Make it personal - someday He will be counting them in - "One, two, three, ..ninety-seven, ninety-eight, ninety-nine - where is Jack Harpold? It looks like he didn't make it. We'll let him go because many people didn't think he was going to make it anyway.” Thank God He won't let go. That shepherd is going after him.

Who is going to condemn us? Nobody can condemn us. Why? "It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again." Christ has removed all condemnation, and the believer is secure: Christ died for us - He was delivered for our offenses - Christ was raised from the dead, raised for our justification; He is on the right hand of God. He is up there right now. He is the living Christ. Do you need Him? Why don't you appeal to Him? He makes intercession for us. Did you pray for yourself this morning? You should have. But if you missed praying, He didn't. He prayed for you. How wonderful! This work of Christ is the reason nobody can lay anything to the charge of God's elect.

Salvation is a love story. We love Him because He first loved us. Nothing can separate us from that. We entered this chapter with no condemnation; we conclude it with no separation; and in between all things work together for good. Can you improve on this, friend? This is wonderful!

The only survivor of a shipwreck washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, But none seemed forthcoming.

Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements, and to store his few possessions.

But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had happened; everything was lost. He was stung with grief and anger. "God, how could you do this to me?" he cried.

Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him. With both excitement and amazement, he met them on the beach as they came ashore.

"How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers.

"We saw your smoke signal," they replied.

It is easy to get discouraged when things are going badly. But we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain and suffering. Paul wrote, "I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well-fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want" (Philippians 4:12, NIV).

Paul had confidence that God's good purposes would come out of everything, so he learned to be thankful, not bitter, even when he was suffering.

Who knows? The next time your little (symbolic) hut may be burning to the ground, it just may be a smoke signal that summons the grace of God! He knows every hair on our heads. He knows everything we are doing, and everything everyone else is doing. He guides the steps of His people with total love combined with total wisdom and power.