Sufferings of This Present Time: A Message from Romans 8
Good Morning and Church Announcements Well, good morning again. We've got children's church, so any of the children can make their way for children's church. While they're making their way, as y'all can see, we've got something going on behind us.
We're excited. We've got vacation bible school that's going to kick off tomorrow night. We've already got close to 30 kids and teens registered. We're excited to see who else signs up. But if you've got kids or you've got teens, also we've got adult Bible study, too, every night. So it's going to be a great time. We've got Monday through Thursday is kind of a normal VBS. Friday is a parent night where all the parents stick around for food and so forth, but we've got games and crafts and drama skit and Bible study for the elementary age. For the older youth, they're going to have some games and they're going to have Bible study. We've actually got a pretty good group of teens. And then for adults, every night, like if you're not plugged in to volunteer somewhere and you just want to get fed with the word of God, every night, Monday through Thursday, we're going to have adult Bible study. And the theme for vacation Bible school is an Irish adventure through Psalm 23. So, the adults are going to be digging into Psalm 23 as well as the kids. We're also going to be digging into other passages as well. But come out to that, be a part of it.
We're blessed to be serving alongside of a Iglesia Bautista, the Hispanic church that meets here. They probably had 15 or 20 people come out yesterday to help us decorate all over the church. And it's a blessing. And Monica from the church helped lead decorations. But thanks to everybody that came out yesterday to decorate and everybody else come on out for vacation bible school. Pray for it. I was praying for Crystal as she's the director, but pray for everybody serving.
I was visiting Cheryl in between being here yesterday. Y'all continue to pray for Cheryl. But as I was there, two things. Cheryl in the midst of her suffering was still thinking about the Lord. She gave her tithe to the church. And most of y'all know Cheryl's story and y'all know how much she's suffering, but she's still being faithful to tithe. Ain't that awesome?
Secondly, when I was praying after I prayed for her, she prayed for vacation Bible school and for the Holy Spirit to move. So, I just love that. But I would ask all y'all to pray for this week. I believe with all my heart God's going to work. It might be a little warmer in here than normal in the sanctuary. We're not in here that long, but we got one of the units running here and we got fans and then all the other church AC's working fine. But pray for VBS. I'm excited to see what God's going to do. God is I feel in my heart God is really going to work.
One last thing about VBS volunteers get out here by 5:30. We're going to start with every volunteer that can be here at 5:30. We're going to pray in the sanctuary with the volunteers right at 5:30. And then right after that, probably about 20 till 6 or somewhere in there, we're going to take a volunteer picture. So, I just thought it'd be cool to get all the volunteers here. May is being nice enough to take pictures for us. So, if you're volunteering, get out here by 5:30. We'll pray and then right after that, we'll have a volunteer photo.
Opening Prayer Well, listen, join with me in a word of prayer. God, we love you and I just thank you and I praise you for this day. And I thank you for the time of worship we've already had. And God, I just pray like as you've already been moving in hearts, as we've worshiped you this morning through song, I pray you continue to work as we break open your word and that you mold us and shape us as believers into who you'd have us to be. You speak to our hearts. You guide us. You direct us. And God, if there's one in need of salvation or more than one, I pray today would be the day that they give their life to you. We love you. It's in Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Diving into Romans 8 Well, we're in the book of Romans. We've been there for some time now. And today we're kind of we're talking about we're going to be in Romans 8. So if you got your Bible, you can open up there. And we're really referring to a lot of the verses verses 18 through 30 in Romans 8. But for today, what I wanted to do is I just wanted to read one verse in Romans 8 to springboard us into the message that God's put on my heart. And then we'll speak to some of those other verses throughout the message. But we're going to go to Romans 8 and read there in verse 18.
I do invite anybody that would like and is able to stand with me in honor of the reading of the word of God. Romans chapter 8, beginning there in verse 18, the word of God says, and this is Paul writing this under the inspiration of God. Romans 8:18. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Thank you. You may be seated.
Have You Experienced Suffering? Hey, have you ever had times that you remember where you went through a period of suffering? Have you ever had times in your life where you were going through hardships, trials, difficulties? You were suffering. Maybe it was physical, mental, emotional, spiritual suffering. There's all kinds of suffering. Have you ever had times where you've suffered on this earth? And maybe right now is one of those times. Maybe now is a time where you are going through suffering.
Something I want us to look at here. Paul, he talks about the fact that he says he's talking about the sufferings of this present time. Paul understood suffering. Paul understood who wrote the book of Romans under the inspiration of God. He understood what it meant to suffer.
You know, in 2 Corinthians 11, beginning in verse 24, watch the way Paul describes himself. And remember, these sufferings that he's describing were basically for preaching the gospel. He wasn't doing anything wrong. He was telling people about Jesus. 2 Corinthians 11 beginning in verse 24. The word of God says, "From the Jews, five times I received 40 stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked. A night and a day I have been in the deep. In journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren, in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness, often in hunger and thirst, in fastings, often in cold and nakedness."
Paul understood suffering. You know, there we read a little Paul was imprisoned many times throughout his ministry for basically doing what the Lord told him to do, for sharing the gospel. He talks there about how he was beaten 40 stripes minus one. That was the Roman way. You would get lashed 39 times. Now, I've got to imagine if you're whipped 39 times, it leaves some marks and some scars, but he got that five different times. I could just imagine him getting lashed again on top of the lashes he already had. It says he was beaten with rods three times. I mean, if you just run into something hard barely with your leg, it hurts, doesn't it? Well, he was beaten with force with rods three times. He was lost at sea for a day and a half. He was shipwrecked three times. He had all kinds of dangers he encountered on his missionary journeys. Dangers from thieves and robbers, dangers from rivers, dangers from the ocean, dangers from people. He was dragged out by mobs. Oftentimes Paul understood suffering. It said he had many sleepless nights.
And you know what? For all of us. If we live enough life, we're going to understand suffering, aren't we? You know, somebody might don't ever think that when you give your life to Jesus, that means you don't go through hard times. No, we still go through hard times. Amen. Praise God. We've got him through those hard times. But if you live enough life, you'll endure different types of suffering.
We celebrate Nico today and how Nico graduated. You know, Nico's been through a lot. Nico's endured suffering, but man, he encourages me. Nico, you encourage me. He's got the biggest smile even in the midst of all he's going through. And he loves the Lord and relies on the Lord. Nico gives us a great example of the fact that you can still have joy in the midst of suffering. Amen.
Types of Suffering We Face You know, but as it relates to suffering, many of us have had sufferings in our life. You know, who in here has ever had their body hurting? Anybody? I bet a lot. A lot. We've had injuries. Maybe we've had surgeries. Our body is just broken down. You know, this body breaks down. Now, it's amazing the way God designed it, but we have pain in our body. You know, we've endured other kinds of physical suffering. Some in here, maybe you've endured suffering with addictions, suffering with homelessness, suffering with abuse, suffering through relationships that didn't work out and that weren't good, that were unhealthy. There's all kinds of sufferings that we go through and many have gone through anxiety and depression, which to me that's of the devil. You know, we can say it's mental and emotional, but the bottom line, depression is of the enemy. The enemy will try to get our mind and sift us like wheat.
But every one of us, if we live much life at all, we're going to endure some kind of suffering.
Remember the Hope We Have But I love what we're reminded of here in verse 18. When you suffer, remember that you have hope. And if you're suffering today, remember that you have hope. Verse 18 again, it says, "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy." They're not even worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. As believers in Christ, we have a hope for a future in glory in heaven with Jesus. If you're here today and you're suffering at this present time, I read this verse to Cheryl yesterday. Just that reminder that even though we might be suffering in this present time, glory awaits for the believer. We have hope.
It goes on to say in Romans 8 verse 23, even we ourselves groan within ourselves eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. I've heard people as they're getting older and maybe going through a lot and maybe not even older, just going through a lot of struggles with health. I've heard people say, "Have you ever heard people say this or have you ever felt this? I'm ready to go home and be with Jesus." And it talks about the redemption of our body. You know what the Bible promises is we're going to get a glorious body. We're going to get a new heavenly body one day. That does that give you hope?
No matter the suffering, Miss Connie just went through a tremendous amount of suffering and is still relying on the Lord to help her with the injury she had and with the surgery. But Miss Connie, you know, one day based on your faith in Christ, you're going to get a new body. Amen. A heavenly body. We have hope in that.
In verse 24 of Romans 8, it says, "For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope. For why does one still hope for what he sees?" Verse 25 of Romans 8. But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. As believers, we have hope. It's a hope in something our eyes don't see. It's a hope for what is unseen. It's a hope, but we know it's true. Amen. We know this hope of eternity in heaven with Jesus is going to come to pass. We can't see heaven yet. Although sometimes God really sometimes God gives us glimpses of heaven. I've had a moment where I've seen supernatural brilliance everywhere. The only way I know to describe it is the glory of the Lord. Some of y'all might have had moments where you had something supernatural helping. But in general, we don't see what awaits. But we know what the scripture says. Eye has not seen nor ear heard nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those that love him. As believers, we have hope.
It's a hope that one day we're going to get a new body. Amen. It's a hope like it says in Revelation 21:4, "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." One day, God's going to have a new heaven and a new earth come down. And we're going to reside forever on the new heaven and the new earth with the Lord.
It's a hope like we read about in 1 Corinthians 15. There in verse 42, it says, "So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption. It is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor. It is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness. It is raised in power. It is sown a natural body. It is raised a spiritual body." God is going to raise us up one day. Those of us that have given our life to Jesus. And we're going to be raised in a new the natural body comes first. The body we're in now comes first. The spiritual body is forever. You know, to go and reside in heaven, these bodies can't reside in heaven. So, God's going to give us a heavenly body.
It goes on to say in 1 Corinthians, and if you've never read 1 Corinthians 15, read this chapter, the whole chapter, it will bless you. 1 Corinthians 15 beginning in verse 49 it says, "And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly man." Verse 50 of 1 Corinthians 15. Now this I say, brethren, flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.
You know, we need to be ready like the Lord could rapture his church today because he could. He's coming as a thief in the night. We shall not all sleep. There's going to be a generation of believers that are alive that haven't died. I don't know when it'll be. It's I'd kind of like it to be my generation. I don't have to die. But there's going to be a generation that does not fall asleep. There's going to be a generation of people here. And those that are believers are going to get caught up with the Lord in the air. And we read about that passage in 1 Thessalonians 4 where the dead in Christ will rise up and those of us who remain will be caught up together with him. Those of us who remain are believers in Christ, but it goes on to say, we shall all be changed. There's going to be a moment where we're changed. Our soul goes to be with the Lord once we pass away. Amen. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. But there's going to be a moment in the twinkling of an eye where all believers get a new body, a glorious body. Does that give you hope?
No matter the suffering you're going through, and it goes on to say, "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, for the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." For this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality.
In the Midst of Suffering, You Have Help So one thing I think if you're in the midst of suffering today remember as a believer in Christ you have hope. I would also tell you something we see in Romans 8 is to remember if you're in the midst of suffering you have help. We have help on this earth in the midst of suffering. Watch what it says in Romans 8:26. Likewise, the spirit also helps us in our weakness.
Have you ever had times where you've suffered? Maybe you didn't know how you would go on and the Holy Spirit helped you. Have you ever had times when you maybe were in darkness, everything seemed impossible and God helped you? Anybody ever had times the spirit will help us in our weakness? One name for the Holy Spirit in the Bible is the helper. Aren't y'all glad that God has not left us alone?
If we are a child of God, if we're born again, if we've called on Jesus, if we said, "I know I'm a sinner. I'm flawed. And I know I need forgiveness and we've asked Jesus to forgive us and we have placed our full faith and trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior. Have you done that today? When we've made that decision, the Holy Spirit resides inside of us. We still have flesh, but the Holy Spirit is inside of us and we have help. Yes, we're going to suffer, but praise God, we've got help.
I remember one time after my second knee surgery, my knee felt like it was about to explode. It was my second time. I couldn't put weight on it for eight weeks. I was in a machine eight hours a day where I had to move my leg. I was miserable. I was basically laying on my back most all the day. And I wasn't used to that. And I'm not as strong as some of the women are a lot stronger than men. Amen. They really are. I think us guys aren't as strong. But I remember just it was day after day hopping around on my leg, leg about to explode, pain all the time, laying on my bed eight hours a day, moving my leg, and I was just on the porch just I'd get up, I'd get my coffee, I'd do my PT, I'd do my two hours on the CPM, I'd go out the porch, I'd just sit on that rocking chair. I was like, "Lord, help me. I don't know if I can make it." And you know what God did? He got me through.
Have you ever had those times where you're just struggling and God gets you through? There's a scripture says, "Cast your burden on the Lord and he shall sustain you." Sometimes, have you ever had those times you don't feel like you can go on because you're suffering. God will hold you up.
Verse 26, it goes on to elaborate on the Holy Spirit. It says, "For we do not know what we should pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." Verse 27 of Romans 8. Now he who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the spirit is because he makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. God knows our needs. Amen. And in our suffering, God knows what we need. And the Bible there says the Holy Spirit makes intercession for us. In other words, there's times when we're going through so much and we don't know how we'll make it and we don't know how we'll get through, but God helps us through without us even doing a thing.
There was a man that I visited a couple days ago in the hospital. He's been in the hospital seven weeks. He works at a company where I'm a chaplain. He doesn't have anybody in his life to go visit him. His daughter lives up north. He's not married and he's alone. And his life was turned upside down like that. He's not very old. He's in his 50s probably. And he's got a lot of health issues going on. He was in ICU most of the seven weeks. And one time when I went to visit him, I honestly didn't know what to expect because whenever I'd see him at the company, he wouldn't say much. But God's timing is so good. He was like, "No, I was I needed a visitor. I was ready for a visitor." I mean, can you imagine how alone you would feel laying in the hospital with nobody coming to see you and a lot of health issues. And I asked him that day if he was a believer. He said, "I haven't really been in church. I haven't really, you know, been walking with God the way I want to, but yeah, I believe in Jesus. I believe in Jesus." I said, "Could I get you a Bible?" He said, "Yeah." So about two days ago, I brought him a Bible back from our church, a Bible I wrote in there from Longleaf Baptist. And he's so thankful to have God's word because he's sitting there all the time and he can't get out of bed or very little. He can get a little bit out of bed, but that's the thing when we're suffering that I was trying to say to him more than anything we need. You got to rely on the Lord. When you're suffering and you're at rock bottom, when I'm suffering, I'm at rock bottom. There's nothing better to do than to rely on Jesus. And God helps us.
And I bookmarked Philippians 4 for him. I mean, Philippians, the book of Philippians, and I told him there's one verse in there, Philippians 4:6 and 7 that kept me alive when I was in darkness. I didn't know how I'd make it. I said it over and over and over and over again just to survive, you know. But he texts me later. He's like, "I've started reading Philippians. What a blessing it is that we have help. We have help from God in the midst of suffering. And sometimes God just helps us when we don't even know it. And sometimes we get in his word and he gives us strength.
You know, I remember a time when I was in darkness and every moment was agony. And I just didn't the pain hurt so bad. I didn't know I could go on from the pain. The enemy was attacking me. And I remember I felt like my head was going to explode. I didn't know how I'd go on and I just I couldn't read the Bible in those days. And I just set the Bible on my chest. I was exhausted. It's like God just made me fall asleep immediately. Help me survive. God is so good. In the midst of our suffering, we have help. Amen. Have you ever experienced that in your life where you have help?
God Can Use Your Suffering for Good And I tell you something else we see. In the midst of suffering, we have hope for eternity. In the midst of suffering, we have help on this earth. But also remember this. In the midst of suffering, when you suffer, remember God can use it for good. God can use the hardship that you are in for good. Have you ever seen that in your life where God has used something you've been through for good? Amen.
You know something we have to understand. Sometimes we wonder why is this happening to me? Have you ever felt that way or know somebody that why am I going through this? Why did this person go through this? God why? One thing we have to remember is this. Thank goodness that God allows us to make our own choices. Right? We're not God's not forcing you to worship him. He wants you to. He desires your worship. God doesn't force us to live for God. He knows it's best for us if we do. He knows living in sin is not good for us. But God lets us make our own choices, doesn't it? Everybody agree you get to make your own choices. One thing about choices is we live in a fallen world. We live in a sinful world. And sometimes choices of people can hurt other people, right? So sometimes the pain we go through can be a result. It can be a result of somebody else. But we have to remember, aren't you thankful God lets us live life and have the freedom to make choices? And we live in a sinful world. Praise God. We got heaven awaiting where there's not going to be sin.
And something else is sometimes we go through suffering and we just don't understand why. We're not going to understand everything. But I know this. I know God is with us through that suffering. I know we have hope for eternity through that suffering. And I know God can use that suffering for good. I know that because the word of God tells us. It says in Romans 8:28, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose." Have you ever had times where you saw God use your pain for good?
When I got when my dad died, it rocked me. Now, God has given me peace. God is so good. He's given me peace. And those of you that have lost loved ones, I pray God gives you peace. But at that time, I was rocked. But you know what God did three days after my dad died? It caused me to finally after hearing the gospel a lot of times from Crystal, from her mom, from hearing it in church, pastors, I finally gave my life to Jesus. Three days after one of the most painful things happened to me, God used it for good. He used it so I would get saved. He used that hurt. He used that pain. I said, "I need you, Lord." And I gave my life to him.
You know, something else I think about, after I answered the call to preach, a lot of y'all have heard this, the enemy had a field day with me. Have you ever had the enemy try to sift you like wheat? Anybody ever had the enemy try to get your mind overwhelmed in worry, overwhelmed in fear? Anybody ever battle where the enemy gets you in darkness and in depression? Well, I answered the call and two days later the enemy started working on my mind and it got worse and worse as the days passed and finally after a few months every second was just agony. Every second was miserable. I had no joy ever. Even if I ate chicken wings with ranch, I didn't have joy. And I like chicken wings with ranch. Nothing gave me joy. Nothing. It was like ashes on the inside. That when we're under attack spiritually, it's hard. And I never thought I would get better. When I was in that darkness, I never thought I'd get my mind back. My mind was like I was stuck. I never thought I'd be able to do anything with my life again. This was right after answering the call. Don't tell me the enemy doesn't attack when you try to follow Jesus. The enemy attacks. That if you're not ever under attack, it might be you're not really going after Jesus, right? If you're going after Jesus, you'll have times the enemy attacks. But I remember thinking everything was hopeless cuz it felt hopeless. And I told Crystal, I was like, I don't know how I'll ever get better. She didn't give up on me. She got me help. And ultimately, God used one little anti-depressant to heal me. Okay. God used one little pill and it got me out of being stuck. I praise God that he can help through medicine. Amen. There's times God helps through medicine.
But I also remember thinking in the midst of that pain and suffering, I was like, "How can anything good come out of this, God? What good can ever come out of this?" Well, I want you to know one good thing God did out of it is he healed me when I thought I had no way to be healed. And I really started to I realize now truly on this earth there's nothing impossible with God. Just like the Bible says, right? It's true. If it's in God's plan, God can do anything. There's always hope with God. There's always hope with God on this earth. And there's hope with God for eternity. So I'll say one thing with this. If you're struggling today, remember there's always hope. You are not hopeless. And the other thing I'll say about this is I had always been a person that was like, "Man, if you're struggling, push through it, get tough, right? You just got to go around it or go under it or go through it. Where determination lies, the way can be found." No, that's not true. You can't always do it on your own. There's times when we need help from God. Amen.
And I praise God that God has used that now to help me since 2013 have an understanding of what it was like for me to go through darkness so I'm better able to minister to others who have been through that. Amen. And when you're in the midst of suffering, remember that suffering that you're going through, God can use it for good. Isn't it something the Bible says, "Count it all joy when you encounter various kinds of trials." And another thing that comes out of going through trials is it can cause us to rely on the Lord. Amen. It can cause us to say, "Yeah, I really I really do need help. I really am not I need help from God." Everybody agree with that that you need help from God. It can help us to remember, no, I'm I need you, Lord. I need you and I need you every day. So, there's a lot of good that can come out of your suffering.
Don't Lose Heart – God Moves Us from Suffering to Glory And let me just wrap up by saying a couple things. When you suffer, remember what the scripture promises. God will move you from suffering to glory. If you're a believer, again, it says, "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." If you're born again and if you're saved, if you've given your life to Jesus, no matter the present day sufferings, glory awaits.
You know, for me to live is Christ, to die is gain. You know, and we know that our citizenship, this is not our home. Our citizenship is in heaven. Amen. And it goes on to say in verses 29 and 30 of Romans 8, for whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Verse 30, moreover, whom he predestined, these he also called, whom he called, these he also justified, and whom he justified, these he also glorified. If you've called on Jesus for forgiveness of sins, you're justified. Even though you've done a lot of things that are sinful in your life, God has wiped your sins away. And one day based on your faith in Christ, not based on anything you've done because you and me were not that good. Based on what Jesus did, suffering and dying for our sins and hanging on that cross and dying for our sins and being raised on the third day. Based on what Jesus did, when we have faith in Jesus, total trust in Jesus, we're forgiven and one day he's going to raise us up and we're going to be glorified.
So remember, God will move us from suffering for the believer to glory. And let me just close by saying this. I want to read one more scripture. But if you're suffering today, don't lose heart. Don't lose heart. Rely on the Lord. Keep your eyes on the hope that we have in Jesus. 1 Corinthians 4:16-18, it says, "Therefore, we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. While we do not look at the things which are seen, but the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal."
Let's pray. God, we love you and I just thank you and I praise you for your word.
