Romans 8:18-25
“For I consider that the
sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is
to be revealed to us. For the
creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to
futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it in hope that the
creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the
freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning
together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the
firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as
sons, the redemption of our bodies.
For in this hope we were saved.
Now hope that is seen is not hope.
For who hopes for what he sees?
But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”
Suffering – there are different types:
General – sickness, death, etc…everyone goes through these
As Christians we have a different hope! – Keeping our eyes
on what is to come! – Being glorified with Christ!
People hate us because of Jesus! – We suffer for His name! Christ himself
suffered! If He suffered, how can we not also suffer?! We will suffer with Christ and be
glorified with Him!
We can also suffer because of our sin…
1 Peter 2:19-25, Matthew 5:11, Phil 1:25, 2 Timothy 3:12
7 Myths
- Christians should not suffer in this life (Jesus suffered)
- Suffering means something is wrong (Jesus suffered)
- Suffering means you sinned (Jesus suffered! LOL okay… I can really say this for all of them!)
- Suffering has no redeeming results. It is sometimes through our suffering that God refines us!!
- Suffering means we cannot have joy. Joy and satisfaction through Jesus!! Rejoice that you have this hope in heaven because of Him!
- Spiritual people do not hurt emotionally when they suffer (even Jesus hurt emotionally!) He sweated blood...
- If God real loved us He wouldn’t let us suffer – when we suffer, it’s because God is angry with us. Jesus suffered!
God is to refine us! He is our deliverer!
He is our stronghold! He leads us through our suffering!
4 purposes of suffering:
- Suffering refines our holiness and hope!
- Our intimacy with Christ becomes deeper and sweeter!
- Part of the mission purpose for those after Christ is to suffer!
- Glory purpose! Eternal weight of glory!
Suffering in this world is not worth comparing!!
Hope:
World view – usually filled with doubt…
But, God’s hope is different! Confidence of what is not seen.
Hebrews
11:1 “Now faith is the assurance of things
hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” I know and I have hope and I move out
in confidence! We are to give an answer to our hope! We aren’t wondering…WE KNOW!
Always be ready to make a defence for your hope! Do it with gentleness and respect! Hope in Jesus! All about what God as done in your
life!
Boast in the hope! – Heb 3:6 “but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a
son. And we are his house if
indeed we hold fast to our confidence and our boasting in our hope.”
Boldness in our faith!! Wait with joy and full confidence!
Hope – “I know!”
Hope not in our performance but in the finished work of Jesus!
If we try to hope in our own performance we can
only have a worldview and be filled with doubt…hoping helplessly for things to
work out. But Jesus has already
given us this hope of eternity with Him!
We can hope during our sufferings for glory with Jesus.
Something I thought about is how we
sometimes hope in the wrong things thinking we are hoping in God? For example…you may have a specific
conviction and you may believe that this is what God wants! And sure, it may
be! But don’t hope in that it will go through the way you want! But have your hope and faith based in
the fact that whatever happens is part of what God wants! And He IS fulfilling His promises and
he only does what is good for you…even though you may not always see it! So yeah! Make sure your convictions are
rooted in the fact the you are laying your life down before God and whatever
happens is what God wanted to happen and have joy in whatever the outcome
is! My “famous quote”: “Whatever happens, happens; whatever
doesn’t happen, won’t happen.”
Glory
We look forward to the glory of God!
John 14:1-6
No one gets glory except through Jesus! (v. 6)
Penalty of sin is taken care for us! Being delivered by the power of sin!
Isn’t about us but about God’s glory being revealed! When the struggle and groaning is
over!! (Even creation groans – Romans 8:22)
What is the glory? – Heaven!
Revelation 21:1-4
Temple is the Lord!
The best part is that we will be with God and face to face
with Him! We can worship together
for eternity! What we can imagine
is really nothing compared to what it will really be like! Actually sounds
so great! I remember not too long
ago, I was looking and a sunset and it was actually so beautiful! And I swear,
I really do see God in creation!
So beautiful! Anyways, I
was staring at it and I was like “God, anytime now…anytime! I’m good to go
whenever!” obviously I’m still here! But yeah! I’m really excited to be with
Him! Like I crave it…more some days than others! But yeah! I don’t know how else to say it! I’m not going to kill myself or
anything! Haha but yeah! Just excited/have hope because of the finished work of
Jesus!
Hmm what popped out?
- Through suffering, our intimacy with Christ is deeper and sweeter! – That was one of the points that really stuck out to me! I guess you can sort of stick it with the whole refining process, but it’s so true! Something I’ve seen personally in my life!!
- Even creation groans! – Even creation knows there is sin and crave to be made new!
- Suffering is temporary and worth it! It is good for us (see above in purposes for suffering if you forgot!) and during our suffering we can have hope in Christ! (Colossians 1:27b “which is Christ in you, the hope of glory”)
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