SERMON OUTLINE

The Glory of God as Motive in Trials and Suffering

Romans 8.9-39

Heirs with Christ   Romans 8.9, 12-17

-The Spirit of God dwells in the Christian and assures of sonship and heirs of God

-Suffering as a Christian is to be expected and is used by God to fulfill certain purposes. Job 5.7

Future Glory   Romans 8.18

-Future glory motivates obedience and love in suffering

-2 Corinthians 4.16-18. A weight of glory.

Present Suffering and Future Glory Described

-Romans 8.19-25. Groaning but not complaining. The freedom of the glory of the children of God

All Circumstances Work Toward Future Glory

-Romans 8.26-30. Conformity to Christ and future glory. Prayers of the Holy Spirit and Christ.

Kept by the Love of God   Romans 8.31-39

-Nothing can separate us from the Love of God in Christ

Conclusion

-God is allowing all of our present suffering so that we might be conformed to the character of Christ and be equipped to share in our inheritance in Christ. The promise of future glory motivates a response of faith, obedience, and love to our present sufferings.

SERMON NOTES

The Glory of God

The Glory of God as a Motive in Trials and Suffering   Romans 8.12-30

-We have been thinking about the Glory of God in our monthly gatherings around the Lord’s Table. In June we considered the believer’s present and future glory. This morning I want us to consider the future glory of God as a motive to perseverance and obedience in trials and suffering. To begin our study this morning turn to Romans 8.9.

-In the book of Romans, Paul has been outlining the Gospel that he preaches. He begins with the fact that God’s wrath is revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. Paul shows that all people in the world, both those who have God’s Law and those who do not, “have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”, and that “there is no one righteous, not even one”, and that none can be justified in the sight of God by their own good works. What that means is that all people in the world are under the wrath of God and in need of a Savior. Paul then outlines how a sinner can be justified before God and become righteous in the sight of God through faith in Jesus Christ whom God provided as a substitutionary sacrifice for sin and for righteousness. Paul shows that in our union with Christ we are dead to sin and dead to the power of the flesh. In chapter 7 Paul outlines the weakness of the Law of God to bring spiritual life and victory over the flesh. And then in chapter 8 Paul tells us that God has given the Christian the indwelling Holy Spirit for life and victory over the flesh. So we read in verse 9 ….

-Christians are those who have the Holy Spirit living in them and who are no longer in the flesh which means they are no longer under the power of sin and no longer servants to sin.

-Now turn to verses 12-17. [Read]

-Now that Christians have the Spirit of God we are to be led by the Spirit of God and the Spirit of God assures us that we are children of God. As children of God we are also heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ. Then it says “provided we suffer with him in order that we may be glorified with him”.

-Suffering is to be expected in the Christian life. God accomplishes more of His purpose for the Christian through suffering than He does through times of ease. Let me give you a quick teaching on suffering before we continue with our study on the glory of God as a motive in trials and suffering.

-In Canada we do not have much experience with suffering because we are Christians. We may be called names like “fundamentalist Christian”, which is equal to being called a terrorist but that is about the extent of our suffering.

-Most of our suffering is the result of wrong decisions, our own sin, following cultural trends, or because of the sins of others. We suffer because we say yes to temptations and because we do not take good care of our relationship with God through prayer, reading the Word of God, and following the leading of the Holy Spirit to say no to the flesh. We can also suffer because of mental or physical illness but even these are sometimes the result of poor body and mental maintenance.

-There is also suffering for Christ which is the result of doing good and exposing evil and sin. We may suffer when choosing to live a holy life in this dark and sinful world. We may also suffer without seeing any cause behind our suffering such as Job who suffered with no apparent reason for his suffering. So there are all kinds of suffering in this world. As Job said, “Man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward”. (Job 5.7)

To what purpose do we suffer?

1) Some suffering is meant to lead us to change our ways in order to remove the source of our suffering and to give us a fuller and happier life as a Christian through better decisions. Galatians 6.8

2) Suffering is allowed by God in our lives to increase our hope in God. Romans 5.1-5

3) Suffering is allowed by God so that we can comfort others who are suffering. 2 Corinthians 1.3-7

4) Suffering is allowed by God to bring others to Christ. Acts 16.25-34

5) Obedience in our suffering brings Glory to God. John 17.4

6) Suffering is allowed by God to build in us the character of Jesus. Romans 5.1-5; 8.28-29

7) Suffering is allowed by God to equip us to share in God’s glory. Romans 8.17-18

-In this world we will suffer. We are not to look for suffering but we are not to reject suffering when God allows suffering to touch our lives for in that suffering God is teaching us, and changing us, and equipping us for future work, both in this world and in the world to come.

-That brings us to Romans 8.18. [Read]

-Paul looks at his present sufferings from the perspective of his future glory with God. From this perspective Paul says that his present sufferings cannot compare to the reward that awaits him. Paul’s future glory motivates him to persevere and to obey God in his present sufferings.

-In 2 Corinthians 4.16-18 Paul says the same thing with even greater emphasis, “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light, momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal”.

-In verses 19-25, Paul describes to us the present suffering and the expectation of the future glory of the children of God. [Read]

-Like the world that groans to obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God, so believers groan for their final glory, the redemption of our bodies. This is our hope for which we patiently wait. We groan, it does not say we complain, but we groan in hope with our future glory in mind. And with that future glory in mind we persevere, we believe, we become more like Christ as we learn to love and obey God in trials and suffering.

-Then we come to verses 26-30. I was so excited this week in my study because for the first time I realized how verses 28-29, the well-known “all things work together for good” verses are tied to this theme of suffering while motivated by our future glory. This whole chapter is to be taken together as one glorious celebration of life in the Spirit and of our future hope of glory even through our present suffering. I am praying that this morning you will catch a vision of your future glory that will motivate you in your present sufferings and trials.

–Romans 8.26-30 [Read].

-God allows suffering circumstances which are meant for our good. They are meant to conform us to the image of Jesus Christ. We are motivated by future glory and helped by the prayers of the Spirit and the intercession of Jesus Christ to respond in that suffering with perseverance and obedience and love so that we can be changed and equipped for ministry and for the eternal leadership that God has for us as co-heirs with Christ. God says we will be glorified and the process is ongoing through suffering.

-Paul ends this chapter by assuring the sons of God that the love of God will keep them through all circumstances so that they will be glorified. Romans 8.31-39 [Read]

-God is allowing all of our present suffering so that we might be conformed to the character of Christ and be equipped to share in our inheritance in Christ. The promise of future glory motivates a response of faith, obedience, and love to our present sufferings.

-Let me close by giving some responses to suffering.

1) Praise, Give thanks, Worship God. Get your focus on God and not on your suffering.

2) Remember the character of God. Read Psalm 118, or Psalm 136 out loud and every day if needed.

3) Discipline yourself to read God’s Word attentively.

4) Ask God to show you what He wants to teach you in the suffering.

5) Make corrections as needed. Repent and obey as required.

6) Pray for others in need and serve them.

7) Persevere through the hour and you will get through the day. Ask God for strength to press on.

Communion: Hebrews 12.1-3; Isaiah 53.10-11; John 17.4-5, 22-24.