There's a TV show on CNBC. There's a talking head that appears every evening, about eight or nine o'clock and And he comes on his name is Chris Matthews and I love the name of his show He comes on and he'll review the headlines, you know, Ellen Gonzales case before the US appeals court United States House takes up China trades status green span on the Fed raise Interest rates to try to curb dangerous inflationary pressures and when he gets all done kind of, you know Describing the show he said and I'm Chris Matthews and let's play hardball. Let me tell you something Everybody in this room knows that sometime or another life stares you down and says let's play hardball When the doctor says those headaches you've been having We've discovered the source. It's a brain tumor
When the power company you've worked for for 20 plus years most of your adult life sells out to an out-of-state concern Maybe you won't have a job anymore once the merger is complete Then you feel like life's playing Hardball indeed when your daughter is babysitting She's distracted by a phone call from her boyfriend and the toddler assigned to her care wanders out of the house Past the guard on the gate at the pool Falls in and drowns Then you're staring hardball in the face life plays hardball when your wife Tells you that she's bored with the marriage she's found someone else And in the blink of an eye you discover that you're in court fighting for the custody of your own children when Physician who holds your newborn baby says I don't know how to tell you this But your child has a genetic anomaly That's just a doctor's way of saying Your baby's not going to look like anybody else's and it's never going to be completely well In those moments you are in the vortex of of a whirlwind Here's my question Will you be blown away by it and the question is not will you experience those moments in life but when When and how many and how intense for they are the lot of us all in this world The old hymn writer penn these words Though the angry surges roll on my tempest driven soul I am peaceful For I know Wildly though the winds may blow I have an anchor Safe and sure that can ever more endure and it holds My anchor holds blow your wildest denogale on my bark so small and frail By his grace I shall not fail for my anchor holds My anchor Holds do you have an anchor? You have something that's tethering you In the midst of the hardball storms of this world Romans chapter 8 says that if you are in Christ if you are a child of the living god Then you want to walk through this world with a towering confidence because you are his child It's not called self confidence. It's confidence in your father And Romans chapter 8 offers us the the twin towers the the the double anchors that ought to see us through Life in this world to take your sermon outline anchor number one is what it's the sovereignty of god our god is sovereign Our god is the king. He is the lord. He is the potentate He is the creator He has made everything he controls everything. He runs everything Understand this you will be Like chaff in the wind if you don't understand this if you don't have this is the anchor of your soul the sovereignty of your god And first of all realize that he sovereign in everything the bible says Romans 8 28 That god causes some things right That god causes most things that god causes the important things That god causes the good things Or does it say god causes All things and not only does it say that a better question is do you really believe that not to you parent it because you know it because it's one of the most Familiar verses in all the bible but do you believe that do you believe that god causes all things all things all things That means evil and good that means everything that transpires in this world God is sovereign over them all he causes all things the confession says god from all eternity did by the most wise and holy Council of his own will freely and unchangeably ordained What so ever comes to pass the undergirding and directing force behind all events of life is the sovereign hand of god There is not one maverick molecule in the universe nothing acts at random. There are no accidents There is no chance. No happenstance. No luck Proverbs says you can cost toss the die, but it's every decision is from the Lord god even works in the flip of a coin Which means what We are not in the grip of faith We we are not in and but that was good fortune Well, aren't you glad that things just turned out that way that's not the way life has lived We understand that nothing happens apart from the decree of god Which means that we are completely in the hands of an almighty all-powerful god who just happens to be our Dad Our father God's sovereignty is over everything wife may play hardball, but it never operates outside the purposed sovereign control Of the one who loves us understand this We mean that that speck of of dust That floated by and the sunlight coursing through your window first thing this morning is under the sovereign control of god And it does not move apart from his bidding that aphid that made its way across the rose petals in the flower garden in your front yard This day does not move except god wills itself He is sovereign. He is sovereign over everything now This troubles people because they say I've had a lot of hardship. I've had a lot of difficulty. I mean I've had crimes committed Against me How might I understand that god controls all and yet he's allowed these The things to trouble me a few years ago wrestling with that question A man named rabbi Kushner. I believe wrote a book Which was purchased by millions in fact I I saw Christians give the way this book to other people at this book entitled Why God allows her or What was the title why bad things happen to good people the the flaw that the even the title of the book of courses Is the premise is flawed but Kushner's answer was essentially God is good. He's all good. That's all he is is good But he can't stop this stuff from happening He's he's impudent in the face of it. He's unable to prevent it and and and and and you should know that he's on your side And he wishes you well But but he can't help you you're on your own and so don't blame him anymore and and of course don't don't you find this just Inescapably um comforting To have this kind of of impudent unable helpless god who's good, but he's not what He's not sovereign He's not all powerful and all mighty and completely in control Now that's not our god. That's not the god of the Bible Understand this there's an ancient Legend it said that Moses one day sat at a well and Travelers came there to a swage their thirst the first came and as he was getting water A purse fell out of his girdle of his garments and with all his wealth and at a second traveler came and when he got water He saw the purse the money and he took it to the third traveler came and God water and having stated his thirsty Way down and went to sleep now the first traveler having realized he lost the money returned um And couldn't find it assume that the sleeper had taken it awakened him an argument ensued and he killed the man who was sleeping there Now Moses turns to God and says God this is the problem. This is why people all over the earth reject you I mean if this is your how you're going to govern the world. It's just as unfair. It just doesn't make sense It just doesn't work I mean the the first traveler loses the money By no fault really of his own it was just a mistake The second traveler walks away with the money he doesn't deserve and the third traveler comes to get nothing but a drink and he ends up dead
And God responds to Moses in this legend Moses for once and only once i'm going to give you an explanation I can't stop and do it at every step The first man was a thief's son the purse contained in money stolen by his father from the father of the second man Who finding the purse only found what was do him the third was a murderer whose crime had never been revealed and who received from the first the punishment He deserved in the future Believe that there is a sense and righteousness and what transpires even when you don't Understand it is an amazing the god tolerates our peanut sized brains The god of creation the god of heaven and earth says when life plays hardball it might not make a wit of sense to you But he's got the whole world in his hands Now secondly not only do he sovereign over everything he sovereign over our destiny So says Romans 8 28 29 and 30 all of his governance of all the world is aimed What in it's to produce an eternal people it's to produce a people that will be his forever And so he saves them and so he sanctifies them and so he glorifies them all towards what end that we might be molded after the image of Jesus after the image of Jesus. He's conforming us to the image of his son all his governance of the world is aimed towards producing an eternal people to be eternally his for his honor and his glory That's what it's all about all of God's governing intention and rule over us So the bible says does whom he for new he called those are he predestined those who predestined he called those you called he justified Those he justified he glorified. This is the anchor of our assurance is that before the foundations of the earth the bible said god what He knew you He knew you and he loved you and he cared about you before you were created before anything was created god new you Now when the bible uses the word no it's not referring to acquaintance being acquainted with when the bible says that Adam knew Eve It's not describing a scene in which Adam said hi Eve my name's Adam I'd like to make your acquaintance The bible is saying that Adam physically emotionally in every way was intimate had intimate knowledge of his wife Eve when in Matthew chapter 7 Jesus returns and people rush up to him and say Lord Lord did we not do miracles in your name did we not cast out demons in your name and and Jesus says to them depart for me I never what I never knew you I don't I don't have love you. I don't know you You're not we don't have an intimate relationship with one another Ponder this before the foundations of the earth the bible says god knew you He knew you Those whom he for new he predestined those whom he predestined he called in space time history He sent his son to be your redeemer to be the lover of your soul to offer up a life of righteousness to cover you and your sins And your transgressions and then when you are born some point in your life He sent the spirit to bring you under conviction to cause your mind to hear the gospel to cause your heart to respond to it and to bring you completely and fully to himself And all this has been planned before the world began and everything god is governing and all the world was to cause that to happen And you would walk through this world insecure
Do you see how Romans 8 Would almost laugh at you? You would walk through this world insecure that the sovereign Governance of god over all the world was directed toward you And toward your well-being and toward your ultimate what glorification And here's one of the boldest statements in all the new testament because Paul says not only god predestined you and call you and justify you he has glorified you glorification is what takes place in the future when we're made completely like christ we have new resurrection bodies We're without sin and we're with god forever and the bible speaks of it in what sense past tense Paul says it's already happened It's as good as god. It's a done deal. It can't be reversed. It's irrevocable our glorification Awesome the promises of god the utter assurance because if you think in any way your salvation hung in the balance on your decision You had to decide for christ you had to get it and that was the primary deciding factor that somehow you had to qualify To become a christian to experience god's love to enter his family Then you'll never have a towering confidence as you walk through this world You will never be anchored in the storm because you will always wonder you know what if I doubt What if I turn my back on christ? What if I do this? What if I do that? What if I don't meet the conditions or qualifications? Then I won't have the love of god Friends i want to tell you something two thousand years ago Jesus christ met the conditions and qualifications for you before you were even born
god promised God promised before he even made the world He loved you and i don't care whether you've got the Best boyfriend and the best girlfriend or the best parents or the best husband or best wife Their love for you is just the shadow of what we're talking about
A towering confidence and anchor in any storm the sovereign love of god The story is told the two young men who grew up together went to college together went into the army together when uncle sam said i need you They went into the army together. They they went to germany together. They fought together. They were inseparable However, they they engaged in a particular firefight In which there was close in fighting there was a lot of artillery a lot of smoke a lot of confusion in the battle field a lot of mixing of the lines And finally when they had to retreat away from the engagement the one young man worked and Saw that his comrade was not amongst those who had retreated and he He asked his co if he could Go and make a quick Quick search of the battlefield to try to find his friend and the man said no it is hopeless our lines There have been overrun. It would only be suicide, but he went anyway
And the soldiers were amazed when they saw him staggering back through the mist and the smoke carrying the lymph lifeless body of his lifelong friend His co his commanding officer was liven Defined a direct order And it went good did it did he was dead And he came up and he reverently laid down the body of his friend And he said you might think this was worthless and you might think I got there too late, but I want to tell you something I got there just in time He said because when I took him into my arms he was still alive He opened his eyes looked in my face Recognized me and said I knew You would come. I knew you would come
Look back in history 2000 years See your savior on the cross And you too could say I know you'd come because before the world even began your name was written on his hand The one who is faithful and true Is sovereign god or gaining all the events of this vast world To make you His and you're going to be blown over in the storm I don't think so The first anchor for god's children is his sovereign love the second anchor Is his goodness god causes all things to work together for What For good for good. It's the goodness of god. It's God's goodness prevails even over evil. Let me say a couple things quickly This promise of the goodness of god. Is it for all mankind? What does it say god causes all things to work together for good for those who Love him for those who are the call the courting to his purpose for those who have responded to his awesome Love by loving him in return This is the promise of god for his children that he has actively engaged for their good Does this mean that only good will befall god's children? No, in fact it very clearly means exactly the opposite that god's children are going to suffer And here's a big mistake you want to be an insensitive counselor Then misunderstand this passage and run around like many Christians have when somebody's a victim of a violent crime or when somebody's been in a horrible car accident And you be the Christian who shows up on the scene and says isn't this good? Isn't this good and the answer is that rape isn't good Insist isn't good war isn't good Suffering isn't good cancer isn't good. They're hideous and they're evil each one and they're manifestations of our rebellion against the creator Of our world and they're evil and they're awful and they're dreadful don't ever call them anything else But what god promises is this That this evil that he allows he is at work to cause it For the good to work for the good for his children for his beloved all to the end to make us ultimately look like Jesus The be servants like Jesus to have the humility of Jesus To lay to lay down our lives for others like Jesus to have the joy of Jesus to have the peace and compassion of Jesus He's working that out and I'm just scanning the room and I don't see Jesus here He's got his work cut out for him then me I mean we're talking about a sculptor that's that's working with some blocks of granite that That there's lots of work to be done And so there's hammering and chiseling and And cutting and ultimately polishing and molding that god's going to do to make us look like Jesus and a lot of it's not going to be much fun Because god uses the chisel of hardship that he brings into our life And he brings the bear to make us more like Christ good god's goodness prevails even over evil one of my children has A distinct some distinct parts of her character that If you knew her now you might observe those distinct parts of her character But you would have no clue where they came from But her mother and I know They came The character was forged For 10 years of her life spent puking her guts out in hospital emergency rooms With an uncontrollable vomiting that would go on for hours and then days at a time for which doctors could never diagnose it here You wouldn't know any of that You would just see some elements of her character that were compassionate and serving and some other good things there But you wouldn't know that behind it all There was some heavy duty chiseling that took place under the good hand of her father god
God's goodness is prevailing and last of all I want you to see it it really is incomparable Nothing can separate us from the love of god nothing And you need to know that because the storms are wicked out there
The sovereign god aims to do us good and nothing will stay him from it I think of this tornadoes that rage the Midwest recently in a heartbreaking story of a mother you know packing out parents in that region particularly are trained to They don't have storm sellers they go to bathrooms or some interior room and huddle their family and lay on top of them and But one young mother who found her home just splintered had her infant child 10 months 12 months 14 months very little baby And the storm rage so fiercely That as hard as she tried the child was ripped from her grasp and perished I mean feel feel the pain of a mother who had her child but couldn't hang on
You know the Bible says I mean here's the mother who was good but she wasn't omnipotent She wasn't all powerful she wasn't able Consider the security of a parent who is not only good, but they are able To never lose their grip on that on the ones that they love here's our father nothing will separate us from his love nothing And Paul wants to take a pure golden logic and use it like a A sledgehammer to drive unbelief from our souls look at the questions he asked starting in verse 31 If God is for us who's against us He did not spare his own son but delivered him up for us all how will you not with him freely give us all things? Who's gonna bring a charge against God's elect who's gonna condemn us? Waddle separators from the love of Christ question after question after question after question until For anybody the case would have to be decided is God for you Then who's against you the answer of course could be there's much against us the power of how it's not Against us our own sin and our own rebellion against us, but God's for you But God's for you So whatever's against you is nullified If God freely gave his own son You would walk through this world Concern that your needs would not be met if somebody gives you a Rolls Royce. They're gonna withhold the floor mats
Think he would say are you insecure think? Are you anxious think God for us If God is for you who can be against you. I want to tell you it is the life blood of the ministry that verse I Want to tell you that there is night after night that I have driven home in my car Clinging I felt like to nothing but those words If God be for me Then all as well It doesn't matter whatever else has happened that day God's for me. Is it true? Are you convinced? Nothing will separate you from your father The other night we had a graduation here And you think what would you tell graduates from high school? What's a what's a message to give the graduates? Live long and prosper
Now that's not my admonition to my son or to any graduate The admonition is not live long The admonition is be faithful on this memorial day. It's good to remember How many went to the battlefield and did just that? I think of the young man who Was a chaplain on the USS Dorchester When he went to war his father wrote him and said son every day. I'm praying that you'll come home
And the boy wrote back and said dad stop Because that's not my ultimate desire and my ultimate goal dad how about praying that I'd be faithful Pray that when duty calls and I'm afraid pray that I'll have courage and I'll do the right thing And I will do my duty and so when a German youboat torpedoed his ship He took off his life jacket so so the survivors gave it to one of the others And went down with the ship for the net for the honor and glory of his Lord Jesus Christ and for his country He was faithful That's my admonition to my son If you live to be 22 years old and that's all the life that God gives you then I quit yourself as a man I quit yourself as a warrior for Jesus Christ If your life is short then your life is short. It's short for all of us On this earth and as the admonition was given the other night seek you first the kingdom of God because it's what ultimately matters What gives a person a courage to walk through this world? acquitting themselves like a man when the storms of life come and whether they sweep you away to heaven You stand there and you are unmoved. What gives you the courage?
When my son came up the aisle there the night I You have flashbacks as a parent. I'm just discovering that
And the image that flashed into my mind was a little boy diving off of a bunk bed into a father's arms And even a more vivid image came back go and you've all experienced this of Of a of a son standing at the edge of a pool and you're saying jump jump And at first they won't jump. They're not as stupid as they look
This is water. This can hurt me. I don't know how to swim And you're saying jump jump trust me trust me And you have to get so close. It's about a one-inch leap the first time And it doesn't usually take but a time or two And if you turn your back they're they're from 20 feet away They're coming hell's bells toward the pool and just fleeing themselves off the side And this is a little two-year-old three-year-old flying themselves into the water
And that's the way you and I out of live in this world With a towering confidence That whatever the storm might be we can throw ourselves into it Because our father catches us Every time and he will
Jackie phrase he says so and he will Paul's convinced How about you