Romans 8:29-39 – Jacob I Have Loved

 

Intro: These 10 verses are some of the most beautiful in all of the Bible -

A) These verses are the concluding remarks that tie together this great Chapter - in which we have seen that

 

B) As Believers in Christ / we have been placed in Him / Justified = NO CONDEMNATION / &   He is in us - through His Spirit

 

C) Now we are those who are seeking to walk in the power & the direction of the spirit - knowing been sent free from the Law - free from power of sin

1)  Which means that we have a freedom not to indulge in carnality but to give ourselves whole heartedly to the Lord - His leading

 

D) We have been adopted into the family of God as adults Sons & by walking in the Spirit we can - enjoy the blessings of our inheritance & position Now !

 

 

E) And in the mist of our trials & sufferings we can live w/ great confidence knowing that God is working - God is preparing us for eternity

1)  God is working all things together for good - His good - which results in our good -

 

F) All things are working together - to fulfill God’s purpose in our lives- which Paul states very clearly in v.29 - conform us into the image of His Son

 

 

Now we stopped on Sunday at v. 29 - but we really should have continued through v.30 but because of time - I stopped

A) SO that we could spend a little more time in developing these verses before moving on to Paul’s concluding remarks

B) V.29,30 introduce us to two very important yet sometimes hard to understand biblical doctrines - God’s foreknowledge & God’s election

 

C) Briefly consider tonight

 

 

1st Let me say that these verses are in no way teaching or suggesting that God Chooses some people to go to Heaven & some to go to Hell .

A) Predestination & election are most clearly seen in light of God’s foreknowledge !

 

B) Reminded that God dwells in a whole different time dimension than we do - been called the time space continuum

1)  Which is a fancy way of saying that God sees everything in the now

  Beginning of time / end of time / present - right now

 

C) Great illustration - Rose parade - blimp - analogy

 

 

So When Paul says in v.29 that whom He foreknew He also predestined & then in v. 30 whom He predestined those he also called - what mean ?

A) The Bible tells us that God desires that none should perish but that all should come to repentance

 

B) We are told in the book of John 16:8 that the Job of the Holy Spirit is to convict the World of sin.

 

C) And we are told that whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved . Those who believe -In Jesus Christ will have eternal life

 

D) So we see there - God pursuing man & man needing to respond ! Man have a free will a choice - to believe or not to believe

1)  But Paul says - Whom He fore Knew He also Predestined  And those whom He predestined He called - How does that all fit together

To be honest know one has the full explanation of how this all works together - but I like that because - Magnifies the greatness of God

A) If you are one who thinks he needs to have God all figured out before you serve Him - you never will

 

B) And your Christian experience will be one of greatly lacking faith

 

C) But I think the problem is simpler than most make it out to be when seen it light of God’s foreknowledge

1)  God sees everything in the now ! Sees the big picture / Whole Picture

   What we only see in part ! ( See through a glass dimly)

 

 

D) What Foreknowledge - tells us is - God Chose us because He knew that we were going to choose Him!

1)  He choose us because in His foreknowledge - He knew those who would respond to the message of the gospel

 

E) The word Predestined simply means - God thought it out in advance - On May 31st & June 1st - 150 people were going to give life to the Lord .

1)  At the Calvary Crusade !

 

 

 

Now some say well that takes away God’s sovereignty ? No it doesn’t it magnifies / It is brilliant - God doesn’t make any mistakes !

A) Look at it this way When the NBA conducts their draft - / because of the enormous salaries that players are seeking these days

 

B) When teams pick someone they want to know that they are going to be able to sign them - so they usually have meetings & discussions w/ players

1)  Prior to the draft - also hold work outs - so in one sense you could say that they foreknew this player

 

C) And in they definitely predestined or thought out in advance who they were going to pick

1)  Draft day comes & they select their guy & Commissioner says the LA Lakers select Joe B. W/ the 1st Pick in the 1997 draft

 

D) Now where the analogy breaks down is that Paul says in the book of Eph. That - we were chosen before the foundation of the world

1)  But from God’s time perspective that was Now  - & when we get to Heaven - that is Now / Jesus comes back that is now

 

E) One day is as a 1000 yrs & 1000 yrs is as a day - to Him

 

F) Analogy also breaks down in that the NBA teams have no guarantee that their choice is going to make it ! Be a star

1)  When living in Or. We were reminded every year on draft day / how the Portland Trail Blazers picked Sam Bowie / Instead of MJ

 

 

But Paul says whom He foreknew He also predestined / those He predestined He called - whom He called Justified - also glorified

A) He sees the end result

 

B) Goes along w/ the idea there in v. 28 & 29 it is all going along toward God’s plan to conform us into the image of His Son!

 

 

C) So w/ that in mind & having said all that Paul concludes this great Chapter by stating 3 powerful truths which are all linked to the cross

 

 

1st God will w/ hold nothing in taking care of us ! v.31& 32

A) 31  What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?32  He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

B) Paul says first of all Since God is for us who can be against us ? Great truth & Revelation- Do you know God is for you ?

1)  Lit Since God is for Rob Salvato who can be against him -

 

C) Well you can say there could be a lot of people against him / or against you - but point is if God is on my side who cares

1)  That is all I need to know - God is for me !

 

CC) David Psa.23  The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want - no other need

1)  The Lord is my light & my salvation of whom shall I be afraid

    One w/ God is a majority !

 

D) When Abe Lincoln was the Pres. During the crisis of the Civil War a timid young solider came to him & said

1)  I am so worried about the Lord being on our side

 

E) Lincoln who was a believer responded - I am not worried about the Lord being on our side - I just want to make sure I am on His side

         

 

How do we know God is on our  side - simple v. 32 makes it plain 32  He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

 

A) Paul says God gave you His very best - His only Son - If He gave you His best then is going to leave you hanging now .

1)  Gave you His best when you were His enemy - Don’t think He is going to take care of you now that you are His Child

 

B) Lets say that the local BMW dealer calls & says you have been selected as the winner in the 1997 BMW drawing - New & Latest model

1)  Drive to your house parks in drive way - TV crews - Newspaper -

 

C) Is he going to not give you the keys ?

D) Listen He gave us the very best - He is going to take care of the rest - He will w/ hold nothing in taking care of us .

 

A wealthy Roman had a son who broke his heart and a slave who commanded his deepest admiration. He decided on his deathbed to disinherit his son and leave everything to his slave, Marcellus. He drew up the papers and called in his son to tell him what he had done. 'I have deeded everything to the slave Marcellus," he said. "However, you may choose one item from my estate for yourself." "I'll take Marcellus was the son's reply, When we take Christ we get all.

 

When He took Marcellus He got everything - &  When we take Christ we get all that God has for us !

 

2 Pet. 1:3

His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him

 

So Because of the cross we are reassured that God will withhold nothing in taking care of us !

 

2nd  God will allow nothing to Condemn us v. 33,34   Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.34  Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

 

A) Who is He who condemns ? Satan is called the accuser of the Brethren

 

B) Picture of what he does in Zech. 3- Joshua the High Priest is standing before the Lord - Satan accusing him.

1)  Joshua was in filthy garments - which means he was probably guilty of those things that Satan was bring up

 

C) What could Satan bring up about you today ? What bad thought - what unkind word ? What unrighteous deed

D) He could accuse each one of us ! Just like he accused Joshua - Yet the Lord rebuked Satan - took off the filthy garments robed in righteousness

1)  That is what He has done w/ us !

 

 

In 1 JN. 2:1 We are told that Jesus is our advocate - or our defense attorney before the Father -

A) Which is what Paul is referring to here in v. 34 when he says that Jesus makes intercession for us

 

B) Satan comes accusing & Jesus is there - defending / I paid the price for that sin - it is covered by my blood - forgiven & forgotten

 

C) Satan is the accuser of the brethren - which is a good thing for us to remember in times when we want to come down on Bros. & sisters

1)  Begin to accuse & to point out faults - who are we patterning ourselves after !

 

SO because we are in Christ - because of what He did on the cross for us there is no condemnation! No one can successfully accuse us before God

 

 

3rd - God will allow nothing to Separate us v. 35-39

A) 1st Paul mentions the perils of this life - Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36  As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."

 

B) Take the worst that this life can offer & do to us & it can not separate us from the Love of God !

1)  The perils & pressures of this life cannot do it - nor can the forces of the unseen world V.38-39

 

38  For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,

39  nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

Principalities & powers refers to demonic forces -

A) Paul says not death / not demons / no created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord !

 

B) Note what Paul says in v. 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

 

C) Paul says we are more than conquerors - through positive thinking or having a positive mental attitude - No

 

D) We are more than conquerors through being involved in the right program? No !

 

 

We are more than Conquerors through Him - who loved us !

A) How do we know He loves us ? The cross !

 

 

When Chrisos/tom was brought before the Roman Emperor, the Emperor threatened him with banishment if he remained a Christian.

Chris/sos/stom replied, Nay You cannot banish me for this world is my father's house." "But I will slay thee," said the Emperor.

 Nay You can not," said the noble champion of the faith, "for my life is hid with Christ in God."    "l will take away thy treasures ' "

 You can  not for my treasure is in heaven and my heart is there." "But I will drive you  away from man and you shall  have no friend left." "Nay ,you can  not, for I have a friend in heaven from whom you cannot separate me &  there is nothing that you can not  do to hurt me.