LessonTen--Romans8:18-39
Grace triumphs over suffering
8:18-27 All groan for the time when God will restore all things
Verses18-22Creationgroans
ReadGenesis3:14-19.ThisiswhenGod subjectedthecreationtofrustration. Brainstormallthethingscreationwants todoforGodandman,butcan'tbecause ofthecurseputonitbyGod.
Genesis3:14–19
TheLordGodsaidtotheserpent: Becauseyouhavedonethis,youare cursedmorethanallthelivestock,and morethaneverywildanimal.You shallcrawlonyourbelly,andyou shalleatdustallthedaysofyourlife.
15 Iwillputhostilitybetweenyouand thewoman,andbetweenyourseed andherseed.Hewillcrushyourhead, andyouwillcrushhisheel.
16 Tothewomanhesaid:Iwillgreatly increaseyourpaininchildbearing. Withpainfullaboryouwillgivebirth tochildren.Yourdesirewillbefor yourhusband,buthewillruleover you.
17 ToAdamhesaid:Becauseyou listenedtoyourwife’svoiceandate fromthetreeaboutwhichI commandedyou,“Youshallnoteat fromit,”thesoiliscursedonaccount ofyou.Youwilleatfromitwith painfullaborallthedaysofyourlife.
18 Thornsandthistleswillspringup fromthegroundforyou,butyouwill eatthecropsofthefield. 19 Bythe sweatofyourfaceyouwilleatbread untilyoureturntothesoil,foroutof ityouweretaken.Foryouaredust, andtodustyoushallreturn.
Whatcreationwantstodo: Whycreationcan'tdothis:
Thinkofanexamplefromyourownlife when youwitnessedsomethinginnature thatillustratedthe“futility” and“slavery tocorruption”underwhichthecreation isliving.
Verses23-25Christiansgroan
Eventhoughwehaveaforetasteof heaven(thegiftofGod'sHolySpirit), weyearnforeternallife.Examineeach ofthebeautifuldescriptionsofthehope allChristiansshare:
“thesonsofGodtoberevealed”
“thegloriousfreedomofthechildren ofGod”
“ouradoptionassons,the redemptionofourbody”
InlightofwhatPaulsayshere,evaluate thestatement“Christiansshouldnotbe soheavenly-mindedthattheyareofno earthlygood.”
1997NorthwesternPublishingHouse.Reprintedbypermission.
Paulpointsoutaveryobviousbutoften overlookedtruth:Christianshavehope. Whatdoesthatimplyaboutthenatureof ourlivesnow,beforewereceivewhat wehopefor?
Verses26,27TheSpiritwithinusgroans
WhatistheSpiritaskingGodonour behalf?
“tobeconformedtotheimageofhis Son”
“called”
“justified”
“glorified”
Verses31-34Accordingtotheseverses, whatreasonsdowehaveforbeing certainthatnothingwillseparateusfrom God'slove?
Creationyearnsfortherestorationof allthings.Thisisoneaspectofour hope--andoursuffering.Earthisnot ourhome;heavenis.
8:28-39 The march of God's grace in our lives cannot be stopped.
Verse28Whendifficultiescomeinto ourlives,wesometimessay,Thisisthe lastthingIeverwishedtohappentome. Evaluatethatstatementinthelightofthe previousverses.
Completethefollowingstatements:
IfGodisforus,then...
IfGodgavehisownSonforus,then...
IfGodhaschosenus,then...
IfGodhasjustifiedus,then...
IfJesusisintercedingforus,then...
Verses29,30 Lookateachphrasein theseverses.Cantherebeanydoubtthat allthingswillworkforourgood?
“Godforeknew”
“he...predestined”
Verses35-37Wearetemptedtocometo awrongconclusionwhenpersecutionor otherformsofsufferingcomeintoour lives.Whatisthatconclusion?
©1997NorthwesternPublishingHouse.Reprintedbypermission.
Basedonthelogicofthepsalmverse Paulquotes,whatshouldweconclude aboutoursufferings? (Hint:emphasize thefirstthreewordsofthepsalmverse.)
InlightofwhatGodhasdoneforus, theonlyconclusionwecancometois thatnothingwilltakeawayGod's graceandourhopeofsalvation.
Howdidthefollowingpeopleconquer thesufferingstheyexperienced?
Jesus EarlyChristianswhounderwent persecution
MartinLuther
Verses38,39Whatthingsdoyoufear maytakeawayyourfaithandseparate youfromGod'slove? Whatdothese versessaytothosefears?
Summary
Sufferingisapartofourlifethisside ofheaven.ButGodworksforour goodinallthings.Becauseweare justified,nothingwillseparateus fromhislove.Rather,every happeninginourlifeservesthe advanceofGod'sgrace.
For next time
ReadRomans9--11twoorthreetimes. Asyouread,ask yourself
whatisthegeneralpointPaulis makinginthesechapters?
wheredo Ifitintothispicture?
©1997NorthwesternPublishingHouse.Reprintedbypermission.
Romans8:18–39(EHV)
Suffering Leads Us to Look Ahead to Heaven
18ForIconcludethatoursufferingsatthepresenttimearenotworthcomparingwith theglorythatis goingtoberevealedtous. 19Infact,creationiswaitingwitheager longingforthesonsofGodtoberevealed. 20Forcreationwassubjectedtofutility,notby itsownwill,butbythewilloftheonewhosubjectedit,inthehope 21thatevencreation itselfwillbesetfreefromslaverytocorruption,inordertoshareinthegloriousfreedom ofthechildrenofGod.
22Forweknowthatallofcreationisgroaningwithbirthpainsrightuptothepresent time. 23Andnotonlycreation,butalsoweourselves,whohavethefirstfruitsoftheSpirit, groaninwardlywhile weeagerlyawaitouradoptionassons,theredemptionofourbody. 24Indeed,itwasforthishopeweweresaved.Buthopethatisseenisnothope,because whohopesforwhathealreadysees? 25Butifwehopeforsomethingwedonotsee,we eagerlywaitforitwithpatientendurance.
26InthesamewaytheSpirithelpsusinourweakness.Wedonotknowwhatwe shouldprayfor,buttheSpirithimselfintercedesforuswithgroansthatarenotexpressed inwords. 27AndhewhosearchesourheartsknowswhatthemindoftheSpiritis,because theSpiritintercedesforthesaints,accordingtoGod’swill.
28WeknowthatallthingsworktogetherforthegoodofthosewholoveGod,for thosewhoarecalledaccordingtohispurpose, 29becausethoseGodforeknew,healso predestinedtobeconformedtotheimageofhisSon,sothathewouldbethefirstborn amongmanybrothers. 30Andthosehepredestined,healsocalled.Thosehecalled,he alsojustified.Andthosehejustified,healsoglorified.
Nothing Can SeparateUs From God’s Love
31Whatthenwillwesayaboutthesethings? IfGodisforus,whocanbeagainstus?
32Indeed,hewhodidnotsparehisownSon,butgavehimupforusall—howwillhenot alsograciouslygiveusallthingsalongwithhim?
33WhowillbringanaccusationagainstGod’select? Godistheonewhojustifies!
34Whoistheonewhocondemns? ChristJesus,whodiedand,morethanthat,wasraised tolife,istheonewhoisatGod’srighthandandwhoisalsointercedingforus! 35What willseparateusfromtheloveofChrist? Willtroubleordistressorpersecutionorfamine ornakednessordangerorsword? 36Justasitiswritten:
For yoursakewearebeingputtodeathalldaylong. Weareconsideredassheeptobeslaughtered.
37No,inallthesethingswearemorethanconquerorsthroughhimwholovedus.
38ForIamconvincedthatneitherdeathnorlife,neitherangelsnorrulers,neither thingspresentnorthingstocome,norpowerfulforces, 39neitherheightnordepth,nor anythingelseincreation,willbeabletoseparateusfromtheloveofGodinChristJesus ourLord.
1997NorthwesternPublishingHouse.Reprintedbypermission.