SEEING BEYOND THE PAIN

Romans 8:17-25

    Expository preaching: it’s the same message–passage hasn’t changed! => March visit

    YET, none of us is exactly the same as we were 10 mos. ago!

Rom. 8:28--FAVORITE OF ALL CHRISTIANS: “we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who’ve been called according to his purpose.

BUT DO WE REALLY BELIEVE IT? IS IT REALLY TRUE?     WHAT ABOUT . . . ?

Mother killed by hit-and-run driver leaving behind a husband and newborn twins?

Christian parents whose 4-year-old son is diagnosed with leukemia? How is that good?

Young missionary drowned in a muddy jungle river before witnessing to even one native?

    Martin and Gracia Burnham

All God's children eventually face hard times.

    Sometimes it’s due to illness–their own, or a family member’s.

    Sometimes it’s marital difficulties—pain of a divorce or separation— or problems at work.

Sometimes it’s social problems with friends at school, or other members of the family.

        Someone’s out to get us.

In hard times, question haunts us: "Why?"

    God doesn't always give a specific answer!

Sometimes we wait for days, weeks–even years, . . . No answer!

God has given general answers that apply to all kinds of suffering.

God's plan for our lives includes purposes which are true for all His children.

Paul has been presenting the gospel–“good news” that those who trust His Son have eternal life–and much more!

This gospel produces a change in those who trust Christ.

THE GOSPEL PRODUCES GODLY LIVING–a changed lifestyle 6-8

In hard times church was going through, Paul explains relationship between suffering and godly living

ONE WAY GODLY LIVING SHOWS ITSELF IS THROUGH PATIENT ENDURANCE IN HARD TIMES.

HOW CAN WE BE PATIENT WHEN TIMES ARE HARD?17-18

[ We’re patient because of our future glory 18-25 ]

    PRESENT PAIN LEADS TO FUTURE GLORY

OUR FUTURE GLORY WILL BE MUCH GREATER

            THAN OUR PRESENT SUFFERING

Glory which will be seen in us outweighs temporary difficulty we’re going through now.

“It will be worth it all, when we see Jesus. Life’s trials will seem so small, when we see Him.”

Suffering we’ve gone through will seem insignificant!

[Principle illustrated in creation . . .

ALL CREATION GROANS! 19-22 —it groans; but it waits for a better day!

God’s Word doesn't uphold the concept of the unity of the universe, in the oriental sense, as new-age religions do; it does demonstrate unity in God's purpose for creation.

The whole universe endures the consequences of sin–it has contaminated God’s perfect creation, and introduced pain and death.

            Pollution and the destruction of our environment are results of the fall!

Sin affects everything God made.

The whole universe waits for God to eliminate sin and suffering.

All nature awaits, as we do, the day of our redemption.

            It’s waiting patiently for that future, glorious day.

                 It groans; but it waits patiently.

[Along with creation, God’s children suffer in a special way: We too groan!]

GOD'S CHILDREN GROAN 23-25

We wait eagerly because God has given us His Spirit.

We wait for redemption with confidence, because we have H.S., as evidence God will complete what He started!

Complete work includes salvation of soul, but also redemption of the body, which will end pain and death (8:23).

We can't yet see what God is going to do, but presence of His Spirit allows us to wait confidently for God to fulfill His promise (8:24-25).

God will complete His work, and eliminate pain and death!

            No more pain  No more doctor's bills     No more parts wearing out!

STORY DOESN’T END IN GROANING!

STORY ENDS IN GLORY!

                 => WE WAIT EAGERLY WITH HOPE!

OUR PRESENT SUFFERING CAN'T BE COMPARED WITH OUR FUTURE GLORY

We don’t see it yet; we’re learning to trust God in dark—we have hope!

                   GOD KNOWS WHAT HE'S ABOUT

When God wants to drill a man,

    And thrill a man,             And skill a man,

When God wants to mold a man To play the noblest part,

When He yearns with all His heart To create so great and bold a man That all the world shall be amazed,

Watch His methods, watch His ways--

     How He ruthlessly perfects Whom He royally elects.

How He hammers him and hurts him,

    And with mighty blows converts him Into trial shapes of clay Which only God understands,

While his tortured heart is crying,

And he lifts beseeching hands.

How he bends but never breaks When His good He undertakes.

How He uses whom He chooses,

     And with every purpose, fuses him,

    By every act, induces him To try His splendor out.

God knows what He's about.

Progression:

    All creation groans

God’s children groan—Do YOU know the feeling? Are you groaning this a.m.?

    Some day the groaning will stop!

    Our groaning will be converted into glory.

And the glory that shall be, can’t be compared to the temporary, light weight of suffering we’re going through.

Paul begins “Our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us!”

Other passages affirm same truth:

    2 Cor 4:17-18