Well, turn with me and your Bibles to Romans chapter 8. We are going to conclude our sermon series called The Difference that we've been in for a few weeks now. And we'll do so by looking at Romans 8 verses 18 through 30. And I believe that's on page 1201 if you're going to use one of the big blue Bibles that we have underneath the chair in front of you. Here now God's holy and true word from Romans chapter 8 starting in verse 18. 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 first fruits of the spirit grown 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. Likewise the spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought but the spirit himself intercedes for us with groaning stood deep for words and he who searches hearts knows what is in the mind of the spirit because the spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good. For those who are called according to his purpose for those whom he for new he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son in order that he might be the first born among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called and those whom he called he also justified and those whom he justified he also glorified the word of the Lord. You pray with me. Father we give you praise and thanks this morning that we can gather together and look into your word and feel its power and we pray holy spirit that you would fill us and give us ears to hear and eyes to see and compel us to serve. Father we ask that you would use this time to transform us and make us more like your son and equip us to run with the gospel to our neighbors and to the nations for it is in Jesus name that we pray. Amen. Well like I said this is the final sermon in the sermon series that we've called the difference we've been talking about for the last several weeks some of the really important really critical doctrines that you believe as a Christian. And one of the reasons we've been doing so is because quite commonly people outside the church do not understand these things. They often think they do but they they don't really understand what the Bible actually teaches and so we want them to know and we want to be equipped to tell them. But also sometimes people inside the church don't quite understand some of these things as well and so it's important that we revisit these essential critical doctrines from time to time. And that's what we've been doing and so we'll do one more this morning. And you know one way to look at Christianity is to look at Jesus in regards to what he has done and what he is doing and then what he has promised to do in the future. And that's kind of what we've been doing. Like for example a couple weeks ago we talked about justification by faith and we talked about this amazing doctrine that the Bible teaches that we're not accepted by God because of things that we do but rather because of what Jesus has done and we receive that acceptance through faith. And we talked about how amazing that is and that really what that is is justification by faith alone is really the way that we are set free from the penalty of sin. And then last week we talked about another doctrine a little bit about the doctrine of sanctification which is the process by which God makes us more like Christ and the way that we looked at it is from the angle of understanding that we through the work of the Holy Spirit we become more like Christ by being set free from the power of sin. And so we were we become more like him through the process of sanctification freedom from the power of sin and then this morning now we're talking a little bit about the doctrine of glorification and that we have this incredible future ahead of us. So Jesus has set us free from the penalty of sin. He is setting us free from the power of sin and he will set us free from the even the presence of sin and its effects and look at 18 look at verse 18 here as we begin I want to show you this because Paul says for I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Because what he's really saying here is that if you were to take all of the struggles all the suffering that we experience in this life even as Christians we suffer even as Christians if you take all of that suffering and and quantified and then compare it to all of the glory that is to be revealed or the anti-suffering it's not even worth comparing. In the earlier service I said that it's like comparing an eight ounce glass of water with the 264 billion gallons of water in the Atlantic ocean I was then quickly corrected there are trillions of gallons of water in the Atlantic ocean excuse me but you wouldn't even compare the two right. And so what Paul is saying is whatever we experience in this life there's an amount of it right but what's coming is so glorious so amazing it's it's hard to imagine but that's the reality that we're looking at this morning this glorious future for believers see the reality is we celebrate Christ not just because we're not going to hell because of what he's done but because we are going to the new heavens the new earth that he is going to make for us. We will be set free from even the very presence of sin and its effects so that's what we're going to focus on this morning through faith in Christ we're not we not only receive freedom from the penalty of sin and the power of sin but also one day the very presence of sin and its effects if you're if you're going to make an outline here's the three things we want to talk about this morning our world and our glorious future and then we'll talk about our bodies and our glorious future and last our mission and our glorious future. So let's take a look first talking about our world and our glorious future looking at verses 19 through 22 to see that the the world the natural world does not work the way it's supposed to but Jesus is going to make it new look at 19 for the creation weights 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 this one of my favorite lines and all of Paul's writings 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 ultimately what Paul is talking about here is the fact the world doesn't work the way it's supposed to and the reason for that is the fall when Adam and Eve sinned in the garden of Eden that not only brought a curse upon humanity but also upon the earth itself the world the way things work the natural order suffered because of what they did as well as humanity suffers and so Paul says it this way in verse 20 subjected to futility the world the world has been subjected to futility that word futility also means vanity and also the Greek word also means deprivation that the world in its current form is deprived of what it once was and what it will be so in this is pretty shocking when you think about it because there are some places in the world that when you look at them you are just inspired with awe the grand canyon certain mountain ranges the ocean and even those things are deprived of the glory that is to come the glory that we will see when Jesus returns and makes all things new in verse 21 he says the world is waiting to be a set free from its bondage to corruption and that word corruption it also is it means decay it's a Greek word for and it means decay so when he's getting out there is what scientists might refer to as the second law of thermodynamics that things break down things move towards a state of disorder or entropy and we see that around us in this world that everything seems to break everything seems to wear out to the world we see that plants die our food spoils and we also this is also weather is a result of this too things like tornadoes things like hurricanes floods all these things that are happening where nature itself causes us to suffer it's all part of the brokenness of the world because of the fall this extends to our our things as well this is why if you are been driving for a while you didn't buy one car and say what is that for life right no and your home needs to be painted every once in a while and your thoughts it's need to be fixed and things like that the reason that things break and we deal with that frustration is because the world is not the way it is supposed to be it is in bondage to decay I had a recently had a weed whip that was clearly in bondage to decay and I I've only had this thing I don't even think I've had it a year and I think that because of the view of the world that we're given in scripture that it's right and good to take care of this world this is going to be our home when Christ makes the world new it's this world we will be here and so keeping the world beautiful I think is a very special and important thing and so anyway I like to keep my lawn cut and and look nice and stuff not just to keep keep the HOA off my back and so I had this weed whip slash edger and I was loving it you know just kind of edging along every week is great and then just a few weeks ago I go to start it and I pull the cord and it just rips off in my hand like I'm just holding the cord up here and the things not running I'm like what is this all about you know so I take it into the place where I bought it and I put it at the return and exchange counter and I say what is this all about and they say well you have to go to law and garden and say I say I will go to law and garden and I go to law and garden and I say what is this all about and he says oh yeah those things break all the time did you buy a warranty I almost did bad things right there I said no and invite your warranty and he said that's too bad I could just give you another one but what really bothered me is he said yeah this happens all the time why did you sell it to me right isn't that the question but the reality of that this happens all the time things are always breaking down and that causes frustration and a lot of us are dealing with things that are breaking down which are far more important and far more impactful on our lives than just a weed whip but that is a result of the fall the reason things break the reason that things don't work right is a result of the fall that's the culprit and that's what we need to realize because when we are dealing with these things that are frustrating that make life harder even things much more important than weed whips that frustration needs to go somewhere and it's designed to go to peace through looking at what is ahead and that's what Paul is talking about look at verse 21 again here's what's going to happen the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption or decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God so so Paul is talking about here the fact that the world itself the nature the way things work is the world is waiting to be set free from its bondage to decay so that it can be the glorious phenomenal place it was designed and intended to be before it was ruined by sin and the world is waiting just like we are waiting those of us who know Christ and know what he's going to do we too are waiting to be set free from our bondage to what decays us and that is our sin of course and so there's this amazing connection between the way the world is waiting to be set free so it can be glorious just like we are waiting to be set free so we can be glorious so I come home from the store with that thing and I want to put it through the wall but I thought about this and there was this peace realizing this is a result of the fall but it's not going to always be like this I get to one day live in a world where nothing breaks nothing spoils nothing goes bad and that brings a tremendous amount of peace to our hearts the expectation of a glorious future with Christ in the new world the new heavens and new earth where everything works all the time allows us to have peace in the chaotic present that's a key thing that we get to celebrate and live as followers of Christ but see here's the thing it's not just the world he's not just going to make the world a place that's perfect where everything works right and nothing goes bad but it also has to do with our bodies look at verse 23 let's talk about our bodies in our glorious future to see that our bodies don't work right either do they but Jesus is going to give us new bodies as well and this would be formally what we're when we're talking about the doctrine of glorification this this reality that we're going to get these brand new newly remade bodies look at verse 23 Paul says and not only the creation is waiting not only the creation but we ourselves who have the first fruits of the spirit grown inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons the redemption of our bodies that is amazing this reality that our bodies we're going to get newly remade bodies and you know what he's talking about when he's talking about groaning inwardly that's that feeling when you're in your body is just aching and hurting for whatever reason for whatever you're struggling with it's that that's what that is that that groaning that we feel inside as if our body is saying I want to be free from this but that is what is coming the redemption of our bodies just like the world is going to be set free from its bondage to decay we are going to be set free from our bondage to decay as well we will be getting our brand newly remade bodies because we're part of creation that's why our bodies don't work right it's all once again a result of the fall that's why things don't work right because of the fall that's why we get headaches that's why we get the flu coughs colds asthma arthritis allergies that's why we get diabetes that's why we get celiac disease or chronic pain or have rheumatoid arthritis or Crohn's disease that's why our lungs collapse and it's mother's day the fall is the reason for infertility and miscarriages that's not your fault
it's the reality we live in a broken world that we long to see fixed and we have broken bodies that we long to see made new it's why we have heart attacks it's why we get cancer it's why we get AIDS it's why we die our bodies are susceptible to harm because of the fall we have needs desperate needs that need to be filled because of the fall and when they're not met our bodies break down we need food we need shelter we need medical treatment we need clothing and the reality is we see all around the world the effects of the fall on human bodies we see people dying it's estimated that 26,000 children die every day in this world because their bodies are not getting what they need they have diseases or they have malnutrition and locally there's 500 people 500 people or more that we understand to be living in the woods that are currently homeless they don't have that basic need of shelter right here and we want to be serving anyone who's in need and we also don't want to forget we can't ignore the fact that we are suffering to our bodies are not getting what they need we are experiencing this I know you are I know many of our people in our congregation wrestle every day with pain wrestle every day with the effects of the fall and the brokenness of our bodies let me ask you this if you were to make a list of all the things in your life that ache hurt or things you just don't like about your body and how long would that list be if you're over three you need pages plural right I mean there is so much that we wrestle with some of us chronically every day but the reality is that does not have to crush us that does not have to destroy us we can find incredible hope in what Paul is saying here that we are waiting for the redemption of our bodies our bodies being released from what they are currently in bondage to the decay that doesn't mean not a dualistic once we're separated from our body everything's okay no we will be in our bodies they will just be made new and they will be made perfect this look at 24 and 25 thinking of this Paul says 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 in other words Paul is saying when we believe that one day we will be given this brand new body that works perfectly it creates patience that work could also be translated as endurance it's what empowers us to endure there's a real ability for us through faith and Christ to endure the hardships of broken and decaying body because of that hope that expectation that one day will have that new body and feel unbelievable in fact there's a love the way this is referred to in other places in first Peter one and in first Corinthians 15 Peter and then Paul they used this word referring to what we have coming as imperishable or incorruptible Paul in first Corinthians 15 42 specifically referring to our bodies that we will get when we in the resurrection when we rise from the dead we will get these incorruptible imperishable bodies now here's what's so awesome about that remember when we are few minutes ago talking about the world is in corruption to or the world is in bondage to corruption or in bondage to decay that's the Greek word for a okay now the word imperishable that Paul uses in first Corinthians 15 is off for a it's the negation and so what he's saying is what we're going to receive our bodies that are anti decay bodies that cannot break down bodies that cannot do not get sick bodies that function perfectly all the time and for so it's so hard to imagine for all of us it's impossible to completely imagine it for some of us who are in pain a lot it's really hard to imagine it but the reality is the more we dwell on that and realize this is a big part of what Jesus has done for us so that he can do this for us to give us these things it gives us peace it helps us to endure there's a you might know about this woman her name is Johnny Erickson Tata I've mentioned her before I think she's pretty awesome and she has been paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair for about 47 years when she was a teenager she dove into a shallow lake and broke her neck and she's been in chronic pain and in a wheelchair ever since she runs a ministry called Johnny in France which serves people who have disabilities all over the world it's pretty amazing but one of the things that she talks about is how she endures how does she live every day in this chronic pain how does she carry on and she says a big piece of how she does is thinking about dreaming about this new body that she's going to have one day listen to this in a book in 2010 she wrote this where unadorned fact is this many people in my condition simply don't live as long as I have lived so my thoughts haven't been so much on picking up the old life on my feet I left behind in 1967 but as much as stepping into the new life and body that await me so she has this incredible ability to endure this physical struggle that she has because she knows it's temporary she knows that one day she's going to receive this new body this new body and we too this is such a source for us of peace and of endurance and patience is this reality because when we realize that when we believe that when we believe that we're going to receive these newly remade bodies which will be phenomenally stunning always functioning never malfunctioning always working perfectly amazing dazzlingly glorious bodies when we believe that's what we're going to get there's an excitement about it there's a patience as we wait for that it's kind of like when you know you walk your dog and the closer you get to the park the you know they start pushing more in the leash and they just want to get there and then you know you know when you click off that leash they are gone they're going to be dancing around that's what's coming that's like we're getting there we're getting closer and then one day when Jesus returns click what's holding us back is gone and we will just run in these amazing phenomenal bodies I mean amazing bodies I think CS Lewis is right in his sermon the weight of glory he says that if we were to see a glorified human being right now we would be very strongly tempted to fall down and worship that person and if you have your faith in Jesus you you get that we get that so the difference that this makes in our lives is that we know every day no matter what we're struggling through we know that one day we will receive these perfectly amazing bodies that we will live in forever in a perfect world with our perfect savior and that gives us a supernatural ability to endure the hard struggles that we have because of our broken bodies that joy helps us to endure that joy we know we're going to have helps us to endure and you know the author of Hebrews says it was for the joy that was set before him that Jesus endured the cross now think about how special and valuable your new body is that Jesus wanted so much for you and I to have the joy of these bodies that he was willing to go to the cross to provide them for us. That's how amazing these bodies are and how special it is that we get to have these and that's what gives us the ability to endure the struggles now because keeping in mind the sufferings of this life are not worth comparing to the immeasurable glory that will come and so it makes a huge difference it also when you put this together with all that we've been talking about for the last few weeks it also helps us understand our mission. Okay so let's last let's talk about our mission and our glorious future see our mission is to make disciples we talk about that a lot and we also talk about what it means to be a disciple and and want you to see how what we believe about that is really centered on who Jesus is what he's done what he's doing and what he will do but look at verses 29 and 30 look at verses 29 and 30 with me. For those whom he foretold he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son in order that he might be the first born among many brothers and those whom he predestined he also called and those whom he called he also justified and those whom he justified he also glorified so right here we see these three major doctrines that we've been talking about it last few weeks we see the word justified and we know what that means we know that that is how we are forgiven of all of our sin and receive the declaration of righteousness. It's all because what Christ has done so justified to be justified is to be set free from the penalty of sin we also see in these verses sanctification you see it you don't see the word but you see the definition of it in verse 29 to be conformed to the image of his son that's what sanctification is being set free from our sin being enabled to obey God and glorify God with our lives that's that's becoming more like Jesus it's being set free from the power of sin. So we see that in here as well and then we also see the word in verse 30 glorified those who are justified will be glorified it's so sure Paul puts it all in the past tense here it's amazing but so you've got the justification you got sanctification you got glorification right freedom from the penalty of sin freedom from the power of sin freedom from the presence one day. And now I want you to think about our vision for what we believe it means to be a disciple okay you may you know this diagram you see it many times you see it many times in the future but we talk a lot about these four things that we believe it to be a disciple to be a follower of Christ your life is to be about gospel transformation that you are growing spiritually becoming more like Jesus and that results in a desire to an ability to do gospel proclamation that's telling people with our words that Jesus is Lord and
he's our savior and then gospel demonstration that's showing people with our deeds the compassion and the love of God and as we proclaim and demonstrate we we see multiplication the number of people that are following Christ okay but now here's what I want you to see the the connection between these primary doctrines and our vision of what it means to be a disciple. Here's why we want to do gospel proclamation because as we proclaim the gospel the Holy Spirit works in the hearts of those that we're sharing with and if they are being called by God they believe and if they believe they are justified because we're justified by faith so one of the reasons we want to be equipping each other to proclaim the gospels because we want to see people justified by faith. And the reason also that we focus on gospel transformation why we want the worship service our life groups your personal and family devotions to be a transformative place as we want to see sanctification take place. We want to see God do his work of making us more like Jesus setting us free from the power of sin and gospel demonstration to gospel demonstration every time we meet someone's needs it's pointing to glorification. It's pointing them to the day when all of their needs are met entirely where they have absolutely zero needs and everything is amazing. And so we do proclamation because we want to see God justify people we do things regarding gospel transformation because we want to see God sanctify us and we focus on gospel demonstration because we want to give people glimpses of what it will be like when we are set free from even the presence of sin and its effects. And as we do these things we pray for more and more multiplication to take place so when right when is this going to happen when is the new world going to come when is Christ going to return when do we get our new bodies and experience this amazing joy look at verse 19. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God that's what the creation is waiting for that's what we're waiting for. That day when all the sons of God all the children of God have been revealed how do you know who a child of God is they respond in faith when they hear the gospel how they hear the gospel we go proclaim it are we supposed to do that yes this is about the great commission this is about you and me our church partnering with all the evangelical churches in the world to go to all nations and make disciples of all nations. And as we do this as we work towards the completion of the great commission we get closer and closer to the day when all the sons of God have been revealed because all the people who needed to hear the gospel and would believe the gospel have been reached. And then when all the sons of God have been revealed when the great commission is completed Christ returns establishes the kingdom of God in full forever. On earth and we get our new world we get our new bodies and we spend eternity in the presence of Christ and that is beyond our wildest imagination sometimes I wonder you know what we even notice these new bodies because we will be staring in the face of Christ in his presence for all eternity. So amazing so beyond our ability to understand and comprehend how phenomenal that will be we're going to sing a song in a minute where we will sing these words when we arrive at eternity shore where death is just a memory and tears are no more we'll enter in as the wedding bells ring your bride will come together and we'll sing your beautiful comprehending his glory. I cannot wait let's pray our father we do thank you and we ask that you would pound these truths into our hearts that we would be able to have peace in this chaotic world that we would have patience even as our bodies continue to break down I do pray specifically this morning Lord for all of those with us that are really in pain a lot and I just pray that they will just cherish this truth. Of what you're going to do for us and we pray that we would be empowered to bless one another and meet each other's needs as Jesus met these physical needs to give people a down payment and a picture what his kingdom is like and we pray for your kingdom to come and your will to be done here on earth as it isn't heaven and use us to that and Lord send us out use us to proclaim and to demonstrate. For your glory we pray in Jesus name amen.