 So, let's see tonight. We're going to be looking at chapter 8 and let me begin reading here in Romans chapter 8 at verse 19 I'll read verses 19 through 21 and then I'm going to give you a brief reminder kind of a Pickup on what we've already looked at to develop the context for the verses we'll be looking looking at tonight So beginning at verse 19 reading to verse 21 Paul writes for the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits 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 because the creation itself also will be Livered from the bondage of corruption Into the glorious liberty of the children of God Now in chapter 8 at verse 1 remember with me as Paul was introducing this particular chapter He had written that there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus Who do not walk after the flesh but after the Spirit? And so he's pointing out that there is no fear within the heart of a believer. There's no fear of Judgment that's because as he's been saying we've already been made alive by the Spirit of God He had spoken concerning the law the law of Moses and he pointed out that the law of Moses brings Condemnation, but he pointed out also that grace brings life He said in Romans 7 verse 6 now we have been delivered from the law Having died to what we were held by so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the Oldness of the letter and So God has given us a new covenant and this covenant as he's been pointing out is one that reveals his grace to us Now the old covenant revealed our weakness and our sinfulness and he had made it clear It's not possible that any person could absolutely Fulfill its righteous demands. You see because of the weakness of our flesh We're unable to please God those who are in the flesh. He said cannot please God in In chapter 8 here in verse 3 he said because of this weakness God did something on our behalf So as believers we no longer walk Habitually we no longer set our affections habitually on things of the flesh Why is that because if we do so we can't please the Lord? Instead we set our minds on things above and we put to death the things of the flesh now This is energized by the Holy Spirit and It's the Spirit who leads us in life. We're his children and by the Spirit we can call him Abba We call him our father now in verse 18 he had pointed out that this new life is not trouble-free and We all know by experience. It's actually filled with difficulties. I Wish I could stand up there and say listen guys. Just get saved They'll never have another problem in your life And you might be that way when you first get saved And you're single But the fact is his life is filled with difficulties, right? I mean it's filled with afflictions in Psalm 34 verse 19 many are the afflictions of the righteous But the Lord delivers him from them all Many are the afflictions of the righteous We're not exempt from life We're not taken from this present moment and Transported to a trouble-free place. We go through many trials and many tribulations many afflictions Paul had gone through many sufferings and Paul could give testimony concerning it in 2nd Corinthians in chapter 11 listen to what he says in verses 24 through 28 When he begins to speak concerning the things that he has suffered for the sake of the gospel He says from the Jews five times. I received 40 stripes minus one Three times. I was beaten with rods Once I was stoned. I was stoned a little more than once but anyway once My old hippie brain just trips back to play. I'm bringing it back Anyway once I was stoned Three times I was shipwrecked a night and a day. I've 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 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 and Besides the other things but comes upon me daily my deep concern for all the churches it Wasn't just the physical afflictions the beatings shipwrecked the times that he'd been Hurt in various ways in the physical way I always have found it interesting since I read it as a pastor How that he said that on top of all of these things and top of all of physical and Various pressures that he went through that were in the physical sense. He said my deep concern For all the churches is something that he also carried as a sense of an affliction of the heart because it was so Concerned for the body of Christ and and so these are the things that are part of the life of a dedicated follower of Jesus Christ He knew that these things were used by the Lord to prepare him to prepare him for future glory And that's because he had something that many of us fail to have right now But perhaps in the future we'll be developing this it's called an eternal framework There's so many of us who are concerned with the right now What's going on in my life at this moment? And we fail to realize that the things that are going on in this moment are only leading to a conclusion that is Glorious in the Lord Jesus Christ. We just we just don't see it right now It's like when a woman is going through labor like Jesus said and she's about to have a baby She goes through all that pain and all that suffering and and her husband may be there with her But he doesn't suffer the way she does and and he's praying obviously as this is taking place That's what spiritual men do and they say thank you God that that's not me But you have to have an eternal framework You have to see things not in the light of the moment But in the light of eternity and second Corinthians 4 he had said in verses 17 and 18 our light Affliction which he says is but for a moment is working for us a far more exceeding and Eternal weight of glory Well, we do not look at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are Temporary, but the things which are not seen he says are eternal So he knew that the sufferings would be minimal compared to the glory that he would have So he said I consider that the sufferings of this present time aren't worthy and so that shows he had thought this through it's something that he's considered and as he has Thought it through he's realized that the glory that is awaiting is worth it in Matthew 16 Jesus said it like this in verses 24 through 27. He said if anyone desires to come after me Let him deny himself take up his cross and follow me for whoever desires to save his life Will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul Or what will a man give in exchange? for his soul and A lot of us had been willing to sell our souls pretty cheaply for some drugs or some quick sex or some entertainment or We were willing to sell it that cheaply But Jesus asked the question in light of the fact that you have been created to to continue on into eternity Either in life with Christ or an eternal death in judgment What do you think your your soul is worth? And and what are you willing to exchange for it? And so Paul had that eternal framework. He said no He said there's glory awaiting me even though I'm going through a light affliction at the moment And so he's continuing on in verse 19 by saying for the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God Now this is to reveal the sustaining power of the gospel in the midst of trials Paul is intending to remind us of our future deliverance and the inheritance that we have Now notice he's gonna you'll see this in a moment But Paul is saying that the creation that man and the spirit all grown in verse 19 He said the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God He's speaking about that the the expectation of creation. It's actually groaning in verse 23 He says not only that we also have the first verse of the spirit Even we ourselves grown within ourselves and so we speaking concerning that in verse 26 The spirit also helps in our weakness. You don't know what we should pray for as we ought But the spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings So he's speaking about this this creation eagerly awaiting our revealing Now when he speaks of grown using the word grown that that speaks of anguish Anguish that reveals a state that is painful unsatisfying and sorrowful Painful and satisfying and sorrowful. It's a cry. It's a cry for deliverance because because sin is Sin has infected everything Creation is pictured as being in earnest expectation when he speaks of that he's speaking of an urgency earnest expectation Mike the commentators I use pointed this out I'll I'll repeat their insight to you when it speaks concerning earnest expectation They said this is an urgency. It literally speaks of standing on your tiptoes leaning forward with expectation So nature itself is presented as waiting for the revealing of the sons of God now When it speaks of creation, this doesn't include the fallen angels. Obviously, they're part of creation God completing his plan for redemption is not pleasing to to Satan or or demons There is no eager longing on Satan's part to see God do this He's speaking of what is called non-rational creation. He's speaking of the animals and plant life rivers streams clouds and rocks and So non-rational creation is pictured as desiring to be released Release from what release from the curse Release from the curse the curse that came upon the planet when Adam and Eve fell Now remember when Adam and Eve took of the forbidden fruit God pronounced curses in Genesis 3 16 to the woman He said I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception in pain You shall bring forth children your desire shall be for your husband. He shall rule over you in pain You shall bring forth children So whenever a woman suffers labor pains, it's a reminder of the curse And yet Paul when he was speaking to Timothy said that that reminder of the curse is also reminder that Jesus himself took that curse from us Jesus took that curse and Women no longer need to be reminded of that in that particular way But in the in the original time when that happened he said in pain you shall bring forth children And God had produced a curse had pronounced a curse in the same chapter verses 17 through 19 To Adam he said because you've heeded the voice of your wife And I've eaten from the tree of which I commanded you saying you shall not eat of it cursed is the ground for your sake In toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life Both thorns and thistles they shall bring forth for you and you shall eat the herb of the field in the sweat Of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground for out of it You were taken for dust you are and to dust you shall return Cursed is the ground for your sake You we all know this and I won't develop this beyond the obvious We all know this you plant something and in your garden or whatever and and it seems that the weeds grow faster than The vegetables or the flowers that you planted and it's a reminder that the ground has been cursed And so this this creation groaning Awaiting the revealing of the sons of God Well verse 20 continues to say for the creation was subjected to futility not willingly But because if he was subjected in hope because the creation itself also would be delivered from the bondage of Corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God So this this deliverance is found this promise is found in in the old as well as the New Testament God had promised to the Old Testament Prophets that this would one day take place if you look at Isaiah 65 verse 17 God had said I will create new heavens and a new earth the former things will not be remembered Nor will they come to mind So creation eagerly longs for the revealing of the sons of God nature in other words desires revealing the uncovering or the unveiling of God's sons one day Believers will be completely seen For what they are at this moment. We are not completely seen. We certainly aren't valued But in the future we shall be seen for what we are we are God's children now notice in verse 20 He said the creation was subjected speaking of by God to futility Now that word futility speaks of that which is rendered unable to succeed Unable to achieve a goal or a purpose when was creation Subjected to futility again at the fall and because of the fall nothing in nature is exactly as it was intended to be When you think about that we need to remember that no group no organization no government agency Will ever stem the tide of the corruption There are some who make good efforts But they're doomed to failure disease and pollution decay and disaster continue and Actually increase over time But creation according to verse 21 creation itself will be delivered from the bondage of corruption Nature itself will be delivered from the curse We know what he means when You plant grass if you don't water the lawn it dies if you plant vegetables Insects and gophers eat them if you plant trees they die And your ground as mentioned a moment ago gets infested with weeds I've shared with you before some of you have heard this please bear Patiently with this but it always comes to mind and I repeat myself. I realize it. I know what it means to kill and plant I Yeah, you know how in World War two they used to put, you know Japanese flags on fighter planes as an indication of the The fighter fighter jets that are fighter planes that they had knocked down. Well in my backyard I just have pictures of plants plants that I've killed I Had one plant in my backyard that I really liked it was a little ivy plant Yeah And and I watered it every week. I really tried to make this thing live. I really did I did my best I'd I would water it weekly I would go out and water and and there's this little plant and it had been left behind by the Previous owners of the home. We were living in and so I thought well, that's a nice gift. Thank you So every week I watered I forgot to water it for about a month and a half I did I meant I'm that way And I went into the back and it was still green, you know, and I thought man, what a great plant What a great plant and I see and I talked to it, you know, I was by myself Nobody noticed and I and I said I said you are you are a great plant I said man, you've gone. I've neglected you for six weeks and look at you You're still green and I reached down and I actually patted it like it was a dog and it was plastic It's the only it It's the it's the only plant that ever survived my my nurturement Anyway, so we know you plant something and it dies. That's the whole point. It's subject to the curse But when man is restored, thank you for laughing. I appreciate that When man is restored to perfect righteousness, the earth will also once again, that's found in God's promise second Peter 313 Nevertheless, we according to his promise look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells He goes on in verse 22 and he says we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs until now All nature is portrayed as desiring redemption Longing to be made new nature itself is presented as laboring with birth pangs It's pictured as experiencing pain Desiring to be delivered from the curse again a woman has painful contractions But with joy she brings forth a child and even so creation will be delivered from the curse and that's the point He's making you speak in of creation, but he goes on in verse 23 And he says not only that but we also who have the first fruits of the spirit Even we ourselves grown within ourselves eagerly waiting for the adoption the redemption of our body We also We grown so this picture is a groaning of believers Why do we grown we grown because we desire? To be with the Lord we desire to be with Jesus In Philippians 3 20 and 21 Paul said it like this He said our citizenship is in heaven From which we also eagerly wait for the Savior the Lord Jesus Christ Who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to his glorious body According to the working by which he's able even to subdue all things to himself So we grown within ourselves Why because we desire to be with the Lord and to be transformed and and to be glorified He speaks in verse 23 of the of us we who have the first fruits He says first fruits of the Spirit when he speaks of the first fruits of the Holy Spirit That's a foretaste of the Spirit that makes us long to be with the Lord Jesus Christ This foretaste that he's speaking of this first fruit is the down payment of what the future holds for us There are times I Wish they were all the time I wish I Wish I could say this happened all the time in my life, and it's just not true And I would I wouldn't hasten to say probably it's not true for anybody really but there are times when When the Holy Spirit seems to be moving in such a personal way such a deep way such a gentle way such a loving way that in my life over the years I Just have this sense of Of the presence of God in a very personal and very loving In a very deep way. It doesn't happen every day doesn't happen all the time, but it has happened And and and it gives you a foretaste. It gives you a sense of What's it going to be like when we're with him all the time? What's it going to be like? No more tears No more pain No more sorrow no more loss No more grieving no more illness none of them only joy unspeakable forever In in first Corinthians 13 verses 8 through 10 Paul said love never fails, but where there are prophecies they'll cease where there are tongues They will be stilled where there's knowledge it will pass away For we know in part we prophesy in part But when completeness comes What is in part? Disappears he went on in verse 12 to say for now we see only a reflection as in a mirror Then we shall see face to face Now I know in part Then I shall know fully even as I am fully known Then there won't be any questions the questions are answered I've had people say you know when I go to heaven I'm gonna walk up to and and speak to To to Paul and I'm gonna ask them questions You know I've heard those things and I've said you know you really need to do that Because that'll that'll be one less person in my way when I want to go speak to Jesus So go ahead man go talk to Paul or Peter or whoever you want go and speak to them because and I can't fathom this and sometimes I I labor to try and and and say it clearly all I know is that that I'm getting to To the point where I'm I'm longing more than ever before To see him face to face and One of these days and it won't be long. I will and so You prepare yourself You know the Old Testament as well as the new portrays the church or believers as like a bride and They prepare themselves for the groom and even so We are in preparation To one day see the one who loved us so much. He died for us. We're in Preparation for that we groan within As the closer you get to the Lord the more anxious you are To be with him and there's this sense of just desire And so you're groaning on the one hand because you're not yet with them But you also groan because of your own situation Because we want to be with him, but we also we also want to be freed from this world We it's been said while while we're in this tent we groan and we're burdened because We do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life So it's it's our desire to be with him I hope we all have that within us because I'm telling you this desire this longing to be with him this groaning within is Is one of the things the Lord uses in our life to draw us closer to him to have a deeper relationship? He says in verse 23 Eagerly waiting for our adoption the redemption of our body You see when we came to faith in Jesus We were we were adopted into the family of God remember in chapter 8 He had said at verse 15 you didn't receive the spirit of bondage again to fear But you receive the spirit of adoption by whom we cry out Abba father During the time of the writing when someone was adopted unlike how it is today Infants weren't necessarily adopted a person who would be adopted was normally an adult Because that that person who was an adult had given Opportunity through his life to be testified as to whether they were a good person or not a good person I don't know how many of you ever saw the movie Ben her. That's a very old classic Many of you may not have seen it some of you have been her if you remember the The story Ben her he was adopted But as an adult Because that was common during that day why because you wanted to adopt someone who had already proven themself and So that's how it was and when someone was brought into adoption Their former life and everything related to it was completely done away with all all obligations all financial Situations were all wiped away at one time and that person adopted was brought into as a full son or daughter was brought into the family in that condition and so we grown within ourselves for the Fulfillment of that so that we can be with the Lord and and we have what is called the spirit of adoption And that's how come we can call them Abba and I mentioned to you before the word Abba is really a tender word that can be Translated daddy. It's a deeper and a more tender word and it speaks of the love relationship with with Jesus that we have with the Father that we have now at the moment our bodies are obviously not yet glorified That is something that happens in the future and first Corinthians Paul said it like this in chapter 15 verses 53 and 54 He said this corruptible must put on in corruption this mortal must put on immortality So when this corruptible has has put on in corruption and this mortal has put on immortality Then shall be brought to pass the saying that has written death is swallowed up In victory so this will happen yet in the future well He goes on in verse 24 and he says we were saved in this hope But hope that is seen is not hope for why does one still hope for what he sees? So when he speaks of this means we are saved in hope that word hope is a confident expectation We know at this moment We can presently know that because the spirit of God dwelling within us bears witness with us that we are children of God We can know that But we have what is called a hope a confident expectation We know we're saved presently, but we are awaiting future glory And so as we await Jesus we wait in the hope of receiving all that he has for us And because we believe that God keeps his promises we patiently patiently wait It's a funny thing about children is children may forget to clean up the room when daddy says clean it up But at the same time the same children who forget to clean up the room don't forget that dad promised to take him to Disneyland It's interesting children remember promises and The more dear the promise the more they remember and So we remember God's promises. He has promised to deliver us He has promised to be with us. He has promised to glorify us and so we we desire to receive all that he has Awaiting us. We're saved by faith but hope sees what is still future and Desires and longs for it. And so we're presently saved, but we're moving forward He says in verse 25. He says If we hope for what we do not see we eagerly wait for it with perseverance And so we endure all that we go through why? because it's worth it Anything you go through When you when you go through affliction in the name of Christ or suffering because of your faith the rejection because you know Jesus and And and all of us have probably if you witness at all if you share your friends or family co-workers or even neighbors All of us have been mocked for our faith You get kind of used to it to be honest with you There have been things written in newspaper and newspapers about me There have been comments that have made so many times about me you get used to it And a lot of times it's because people People don't like what you stand for they don't like you and guess what? It doesn't matter It really doesn't because at the end all that matters is the the voice of the Lord who has said that he could say well done My good and my faithful servant, so it really doesn't matter if if your friends or your family forsake you because the psalmist said even when they do the Lord will take me up So there's this relationship that you have with the Lord that is more valuable than any any other Relationship that you could have and so what do we do? Well, we eagerly wait for this time We we endure all that we go through because it is worth it and in 1st Peter 1 13 He said therefore with minds that are alert and fully sober set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ has revealed that it's coming And he goes on in verse 26, and he says likewise The Spirit also helps in our weaknesses for we do not know what we should pray for as we ought But the Spirit himself makes the intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered He had spoken of the fact that creation groans and he spoke of how men also grown Notice now he speaks of the groaning of the Spirit Now here we find something that is very encouraging We have longing for Christ and we have confidence in him, but we still need help Sometimes we just don't know What to pray for Our hearts can be overwhelmed How many times have you and I'm sure I'm speaking to a few people at least Been so overwhelmed with life for a concern or a hurt loss Many times if you Just cried out and said God, I don't know what to do. I don't know what to do. I Can tell you that there are periods in my life when I've done that I've done that for this church. I've done that for my family I've done that kind of thing when I've ministered to someone in need of Of counsel and help and I just don't know what to do. I I know this verse very well There have been times and I don't want this to seem melodramatic, but I want to make it practical There there have been times When when I have literally been on my face in a literal way I'm on a carpet Crying just God you've got to help me. I don't know what to do. I Don't even know how to pray. I Don't know what to say. Have you ever been there? Am I talking to myself? I think some of you know what I mean some of you do If you haven't done this yet Here's the good good news for you. You will and then you'll write me. I know what you mean now pastor Because that's part part of being a believer is Encountering the impossible to the point where you say I don't know what to do But only God only you can do it and and I have to cast this concern on you And and so sometimes we just don't know exactly how to pray our hearts are overwhelmed Our hope and even our faith can begin to waver There there are these times we we don't know exactly what to say But but this verse has been very important to me over the years because in those times I I can rest in the Lord Jesus Christ our faith and hope strengthen us But it's God who provides the strength and that comes through the work of the Spirit and he's speaking about this And he speaks concerning the groanings notice again likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses We do not know what we should pray for as we ought But the Spirit himself makes the intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered This is another way of speaking of unarticulated speech Someone said when the Christians prayers are too deep and too intense for words When they are more of a desperate and resigned sigh Lifted from the heart than any formal utterance Then we may know that they are prompted by the Spirit himself It is he who is praying to God for us Never lose hope Never lose hope Because even when I could raise my voice. I'm trying not to even When you don't know what to do he does He does I don't know how to say this There have been so many Circumstances and situations where I've said I I Don't see a way out of this I don't know what to do Even I've shared this before even when the covid thing happened a few years ago and and and our Our governor had ordered the closing of all churches and I'm watching the news Is he saying that and my son joseph was In the in the tv room with me in the front room with me When that announcement was made and I looked at my son and I said that's that's not good son. That's not good And my son said dad. He says don't worry. God will take care of us And i'm looking at my son saying shut up I'm gonna make you groan I smiled at him and I said Son, I know my god will take care of us, but that doesn't mean That i'm not going through something right now That doesn't mean that see he didn't know I don't speak of these things. I've said this before I'll say it again At that time The majority of our financial support and you have to understand we have a lot of A lot of property and upkeep and employees at that time 65 of our of our Finances that was providing for the payments and all of that Came through passing a bucket 35 percent came through Through the online giving and I knew immediately 65 percent of the offerings were going to dry up Which left 35 percent which would not cover Before we paid this property off and thank you jesus we did Uh our payment on the property alone was 73 thousand dollars a month just the property Just the property not including water and every you name it think of your house and multiply that and so the offerings supported that And we had 40 or 50 employees at that time it's 65 percent has gone immediately and I turned to my son and I said I knew that I would be leaving ministry, but I didn't know this is the way I would I went to my room I cried I cried to the lord It wasn't for myself I can say that before the lord It was for my people It was for my people on my staff It was for my church. It was that's where the tears came from It wasn't for myself I can say that before god And the next day as I was driving in To the office The spirit of the lord spoke to my heart And he said this before he had said it many years ago when we were looking for property. We did we didn't have a place and And the lord said he said I didn't raise you up to let you fall And I was on my way in And the voice of the lord reminded me once again. I heard that voice. I didn't raise you up to let you fall and I came into the office and Dave musimante who is the bearer of bad news Dave Dave is the one who gives me updates every week on how things are going so I can make proper choices I said so how's it going? But I was already sensing gods in control. I already came in with the hope And he said well he said it's exactly as you thought he said offerings dried up He said but you know what he said someone gave a generous gift and When we included the gift that someone gave with the offering that had come in we actually received more than we would have Had we had regular offerings? And we did not one time over the entire period ever ever Not have enough to take care of this church and even to an abundance Because god when he does when he makes his promises he keeps them and that's something we know That's something we know That's something that we know you see The holy spirit will make those groanings and intercessions. He knows what is needed. He knows the mind of the father And so obviously he prays according to that God searches the heart of his children And he finds these Unutterable groanings That's the spirit who is interceding for us because he knows our need God knows what his spirit has stirred up within us and he answers He doesn't need language He's fully aware of our weakness and he answers And the spirit would never make intercession for something that's out of the will of god And so there are going to be times That you don't even have words my own pastor chuck and i'll close with this Said that there have been times and I understand this and some of you too Also understand it He said there are times when he has just grown to the lord. He's because he says I don't know what to do And he's actually literally grown god. I don't know what to do Well, the holy spirit is the one who makes those groanings on our behalf And he always is praying according to the will of the father And god's will is always fulfilled You may not see it in the way you think it's going to happen But it's going to he is going to take care of that which is his own And never forget that There's not a tear you have ever cried that god hasn't already been aware of There's not a word that you've ever spoken That he hasn't already altogether heard it prior to you even speaking it He knows what you need even before you ask And sometimes you may just be there just going I don't know what to do But he already knows what he's going to do may that be your hope and your understanding today God loves you and he takes care of you. He knows what you need and he provides why because he's our father Never forget that