God Promises to Work for Our Good

Introduction

A. Maybe one of the more difficult responsibilities of parenting is letting your child accept consequences of choices. Sometimes this is easier than at other times, but most parents do not want to see their children hurt — physically or emotionally. So we parents try to protect our children as much as possible. We teach and discipline so that they will avoid certain pitfalls that we know have the potential to harm. We teach our kids about boundaries of play — don’t run into the street; look both ways before crossing the street. But on the other hand, it is difficult to allow our children to absorb the consequences of choices.

B. Parents can fall into the pattern of bailing their children out of every situation minimizing consequences all in an effort to avoid pain and hurt. But when that happens, children sometimes do not learn important lessons. And the failure to learn those lessons can result in not growing and maturing into the adult the child needs to be. Children get in trouble at school and the teacher tells the parent that there are some problems and the parents defend the child rather than listen to the teacher. There may be reasons for the child’s misbehavior but in most cases the child needs correction; yet, the parents excuse the child’s behavior and defend the child against the teacher. What does the child learn? Any number of lessons that do not help the child respond appropriately later.

C. One of the first cars I bought as a teenager was a lemon. Mechanical problems abounded. For a teenager paying his own way in such matters, the car was causing me a lot of financial headaches. I asked my dad to go back to the car dealership where I had bought the car and complain about the lack of quality. My dad’s solution was not what I wanted to hear, but it was truthful. I had bought the car. He believed it was more important for me to voice my concern than it was for him. Nothing was resolved from my formal complaint, but I learned that taking responsibility for actions and standing up for yourself in dealing with people mattered. He helped me grow up. And it was uncomfortable. I can remember being more nervous than ever in my life.

D. It may be easier to keep our children from hurting in the immediate; it has the possibility of keeping them from maturing in the long term. We don’t like to see our children hurt, but we do know that learning and maturing come from difficulties. Is it true for adults as well? And if it is true, does God have something to say about such matters? God does not lie. He tells us the truth and when he makes a promise we can be confident and courageous in living this life. We continue our series today with God promises to work for our good.

E. RESPONSIVE READING.

F. The Text

1. Chapter 8 is triumphant in tone. In verses 1—17, Paul proclaims that Jesus has broken the power of sin and death through the cross. We now have the power of the Holy Spirit leading us and encouraging us in keeping God's will. Our focus is on the next section. In verses 18—30, Paul speaks about the hope that we have. Notice in verse 18 the word "glory" and then in verse 30 "glorified." These words bracket the entire section. So in this section, Paul is going to expand on his point. If sin and death no longer have power over us, then the Spirit is at work assuring us of our inheritance and he is working in our prayers to ensure that God's will is carried out.

A. Sin and death may no longer have power over us, but suffering continue. Verse 17, we suffer in this life and then we will share with Christ in the one to come. So verse 18, our sufferings in this life pale when compared to the glory of the future life. In other words, we live in hope. Verse 19 calls this hope eager expectation. We live eagerly expecting and waiting for as Paul says in verse 23, the redemption of our bodies. This is a certainty for believers. Sin and death do not have the final word. Instead, the Spirit of God empowers us to live through the suffering of this life.

B. In verses 26—27, the Spirit assures us of our inheritance and he intercedes to God for us so that God's will is accomplished. In our suffering we pray. But we do not know how to pray. We want God's will to be done. But we don't always know what his will is. This is the weakness of our prayer. We want the will of God to be done but we don't know how to pray specifically for that. So the Spirit takes our prayers and intercedes to God on our behalf so that the will of God is carried out in our lives.

C. But here is the section for us to see God's promise. Verse 28, God promises to take all the things that happen to us and use it for our good. All the suffering; all the disappointment; all the frustration; all the trials; all the evil — God takes all of that and works for our good. But this is the issue? Define good. Paul tells us in verse 29 — to be made into the image of his Son. Like a good father, God wants us to grow up. He wants us to mature. Like a good father, God does not keep us from suffering. He allows us to experience challenges, difficulties, and evil. Why? Because this life is about becoming shaped and molded into the image of Jesus.

D. We want God's will to be done. We live in expectant hope that we will one day be with God. We anticipate the day when things will finally be right. But for those things to happen we experience in this life that which God will use to create Christ's image in us. The suffering makes us hurt; we feel the pain of change; we know the frustration and disappointment of unmet desires, but God takes every one of those things and promises to use them for our good. And the ultimate good in verse 31 is seeing the glory of God. It is a done deal.

Triumph

A. So what do we say in response to this? God is for us so we can confidently stand against the opposition. God gave us his Son so he will not withhold anything that we truly need. God has already pronounced us his so no thought that questions God’s pronouncement will be given a hearing. There is nothing that can keep us from Christ’s love.

B. What about:

1. Hardship — It is temporary

2. Persecution — We forgive like Jesus did

3. Famine — Real life is more than food

4. Nakedness — I can be without but I am never without Jesus

5. Danger — I will not fear, God is with me

6. Sword — I have real life in Christ.

7. Death — Jesus overcame death.

8. Nothing in all of creation can keep us from Christ's love.

C. This section is dripping with confidence. There is nothing that the future brings that can shake our confidence. God has already given us Jesus, he will not withhold anything that we need. Part of the problem is that we view suffering as punishment. It isn’t. God promises to take the suffering and make us into the image of Jesus. God cannot lie to you. His promise is to make you into the image of Jesus. Don’t you want that? Then every suffering is God’s opportunity to shape you. Every disappointment God will use to make you more like Jesus. Invitation.

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