Here’s my notes from my sermon on Romans 8:31-34 “Rejoicing in the Gospel” preached at Cross of Christ Fellowship in Naperville. You can listen to sermon here.
Romans 8:31-34 “Rejoicing in the Gospel”
INTRO: 2016 Chicago Cubs Fan Illustration (expected response to Cubs World Series win)
-How do we expect him to respond? Joy and Excitement.
-This is the natural response to good news.
-What about the good news of the gospel?
MS: A right understanding of the gospel leads to joy and confident hope.-Rom 8:31-34 is a reveling in who God is and what He has done for us
-It is the conclusion of all that is said up to this point
-REHEARSAL of Romans 1:16-8:30
-Romans 8:31-39 flows out of all that has been said: Paul exalting in God.
-Shaped around 4 “Who” questions.
-The answer of these questions shows us that the right response to the gospel is joy and hope.
-This week we look at the 1st 3 “WHO” statements
1. WHO can be against us? (31-32); 2. WHO can bring a charge against God’s elect? (33); 3. WHO will condemn us? (34)
1. WHO Can Be Against Us? (31-32)
Story of my youth about basketball team and our epic loss and humbling.
-If God is for us—the believer—who can be against us?
-FIRST, a Preliminary question: What then shall we say to these things?
Paul is pondering the amazing love and grace of God shown in the gospel.
-How does one rightly respond? àWORSHIP
-A right understanding of the gospel leads us to worship God and marvel at Him.
*QUESTION: Why don’t we respond with joy, love, and worship?
-We don’t know God and have never really believed the gospel
-We have lost sight of the gospel and other things have become louder in our thoughts or more real to us
-We need to hear and consider the gospel again. We need to be in the Scriptures daily.-1st WHO Question STATED: If God is for us, who can be against us?
-“us”=Christians, those who have believed the gospel and become reconciled to God.
-God is “FOR US”MOO: “here it suggests that God “on our side,” that he is working “for” us.””
-If… then WHO? “if God is for us—working for us, for our good—who could be against us?
-LOTS OF people are against us: Devil, demons, those who oppose Christianity, or circumstances
-BUT, ultimately no one can decisively defeat the Christian.
JUSTIN MARYTR: “You can kill us, but you cannot hurt us.”
-Further Support for this statement given in v 32
He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
–Here is further support for the statement that God is for us taken from the gospel.
-God has already showing the greatest possible act of grace and love:
He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all:
-God gave his Son to die for us on the cross!
-Since this is so… how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
-God gave the greatest thing possible: His Son
-We can trust him all that is less than that “all things”
*QUESTION: What are you most struggling to trust God with right now?
NOTE: Does not mean God will give us anything we want.
-God gives us all that we need that we might follow Him and walk in His ways.
-1st QUESTION Answered: If God is for us, who can be against us? NO ONE!
APP: Surely this is a great reason to rejoice in God and have hope.
JOY: God is for ME, working all thing for my good, not withholding but graciously giving.
-See that again this morning. See your circumstances in light of this!
HOPE: No one can ultimately be against me—death, devil, circumstances.
-See this again, let it bring hope to where you need it most in your heart, where you feel most hopeless
A right understanding of the gospel leads to joy and confident hope
2. WHO can bring a charge against God’s elect? (33)
This second question brings us a specific concern: who can bring a charge—legal accusation—against the Christian.
-QUESTION STATED: 33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect?
-We all sin and fall short of God’s glory (Rom 3:23)
-But in the gospel all of our sins are paid for by Jesus Christ (Rom 3:21-26)
-In the gospel we been clothed in Christ’s righteousness (2 Cor 5:21)
-We also see that believers are “God’s elect”: Rom 8:29-30: GOLDEN CHAIN.
–ANSWER to “WHO can bring a charge against God’s elect”: NO ONE.
-WHY: It is God who justifies.
-We have been acquitted before God, justified by faith Rom 4:23-25.
-God has declared us legally righteous before Him.
APP: Here is another reason for us to experience joy and hope.
JOY: God has justified me; therefore no one who can bring a charge against me now! You stand right before God!
-You will sin again, but no one can bring a charge against
-Not even yourselfà 1 John 3:20
HOPE: God has justified me, no can ever in the future bring a charge against me!
-You don’t need to fear a future charge or accusation.
-Our hope for future is not in self at all.
A right understanding of the gospel leads to joy and confident hope
3. WHO will condemn us? (34)
*CHILDREN: Do you remember the definition of condemnation? You are guilty and deserve to be punished.
This last question is closely related to previous.
QUESTION STATED: 34 Who is to condemn?
-Who will condemn us?
ANSWER: NO ONE!
-Remember Romans 8:1.
REASON: JESUS.
-Jesus did all that was necessary for the believer to not experience condemnation.
-4 things:
1. Christ Jesus is the one who died
-Jesus died for the ungodly: Rom 5:6, 8.
-His death took our punishment and penalty2.–more than that, who was raised–
-Jesus rose from the dead and ‘raised for our justification’ Rom 4:25b
-Our savior is not dead, but is ALIVE today.3. who is at the right hand of God,
-Jesus ascended into heaven
-He is the reigning king4. who indeed is interceding for us.
-Jesus is praying for us.
-Even not he is working for our good.
–ALL THESE together show that no one can condemn the Christian.
Jesus did EVERYTHING necessary to take away the possibility of condemnation for us.
AP: The fact that no one can condemn the Christian is a cause for great JOY and HOPE.
JOY: The Christian stands right before God and NO ONE can condemn him.
-Let this sink in again! It is remarkable. It is a result of God’s love and grace in the gospel.
HOPE: The Christian need not fear any future condemnation, because the final verdict has been delivered already!
-The end of history verdict is pronounced early: RIGHTEOUS
-In a sense nothing is more relevant or important.
A right understanding of the gospel leads to joy and confident hope
CONCLUSION: Is your life marked by joy and hope? If not, why?
1. Have you never experienced this grace? If not, believe today. Come to Christ in faith.
2. Have you lost sight of God’s love and grace? Remember, believe, rejoice and hope again today.
