VICTORY

#1 · January 20, 2009, 8:27 am

Quote from Forum Archives on January 20, 2009, 8:27 am
Posted by: bhfbc <bhfbc@...>
VICTORY

January 4, 2009

TEXT: Romans 8:28-39

Well, to the best that I can muster, I offer you the traditional greeting for this season: Happy New Year! I do not know that I can deliver the greeting with traditional enthusiasm because I have never faced a more uncertain time in my life. Now I know that some of you can say that you have faced more uncertain times because there have been more uncertain times. It is just that I cannot bring to mind any period in my lifetime when I have faced such bleak prospects and uncertainties across America and around the world. Truthfully, of course, none of us can ever be sure of what the future holds. If we knew, it wouldnt be a future. Nevertheless, certain trends have not been good for awhile: economically, politically, culturally, and, in some ways, even spiritually. I certainly do not mean to bring any more gloom than is already out there, but I just have not felt very encouraged about everything going on.

This is why no one here this morning should look to me to provide hope. I do not have much of it. This is why I do not look to myself as the source for this sermon, or any sermon I have ever prepared and delivered. The truth is that I am not declaring that I do not have much hope merely because of current events. The reality is that I do not have much hope outside of the mercy and love of Jesus Christ. However, with a faith relationship in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, I have more than hope. I have victory. We all do. We have victory because the victory belongs to Jesus, and it is his to give to whom he chooses. Jesus gives us victory.

Paul writes in this portion of his letter, And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28) This is the beginning of victory, but it must be prepared for. We must prepare for victory even when that victory is already given. How do we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him? We know only to the extent that we are prepared to know. Im not trying to be mysterious or contradictory here. One of the truths about human life is that the more we prepare ourselves, the more we can take advantage of opportunities when they appear.

Throughout my Navy career, both Reserve and Active Duty, we practiced the discipline of preparation a lot. Drills simulating all kinds of situations were held frequently. It didnt matter how many hours without sleep one had been without, when the alarms went off, everyone responded. Most of our preparations revolved around emergencies and casualties. This did not mean that we wanted or invited emergencies. What it did mean was that if an emergency occurred, we were better able to respond to it successfully.

The same is true or should be true with our spiritual life. Paul experienced his share of uncertainties. We know that he endured famines, persecution, beatings, imprisonment, and more. Historians are fairly certain that Paul was eventually put to death because of his faith in Jesus Christ. Yet, this same Paul was able to write encouragingly in Romans 8:18, I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. After having gone through so much, and facing his own uncertainties, how could he write this? He could write this because he was prepared through his relationship with God.

Paul knew and understood the meaning of victory. It wasnt Paul who was victorious; it was Christ who was victorious in Paul. This is true of Pastor Chuck. It is not I who is victorious; it is Christ who is victorious in me. The same is true for you and every believer. It did not matter what uncertainties Paul was facing as he wrote, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35, 37-39)

Lets face it. There are many people and many things that try to separate us from the love of Christ. Its one of the reasons why we are facing so much uncertainty in this New Year. We have all probably heard about the big role that greed has played in these market downturns. Plenty of people are more than willing to pin blame on someone else. Yes, there is plenty of blame to go around. But who talks about the source of this greed? Not our media. Not our politicians. Not our intellectual elites or entertainment elites. Not many at all who have easy access to media outlet sources.

We can talk about the source of this greed. It comes from not being prepared to trust the Lords victory. More than that it comes from outright rejecting the Lords victory. One of the uncertainties we face is how much secular atheists and other enemies of Christianity are going to be allowed to impose their policies on Christians. There are quite a few who make it plainly known that they would like to close churches and prevent the witness to Christ in the public arena. So what replaces the moral compass provided by the Word of God? The type of moral and cultural relativism that leads to greed and many other social ills. God has called us to a much better life than this, but there are all too many who work real hard to reject the love of Christ.

In last Sundays sermon, I shared that I learned that the glory of the Lord that the shepherds witnessed in Luke 2:9 was the first return of the glory of the Lord to Israel in about 600 years. The Old Testament indicates that the glory of the Lord left the temple, then Jerusalem, and then Israel during the time of Ezekiel. That did not mean that God was entirely absent; He still raised up prophets, and He still demonstrated His power. But it does mean that the spiritual and material blessings that the Hebrews had enjoyed for so many years were withdrawn. They had to face some extremely bitter times.

When I learned that about the glory of the Lord, I immediately wondered if that is what is happening in America and, perhaps, throughout the world. Is God again removing His glory from us as He is more and more openly rejected? My initial inclination was to answer my question with a yes, which, of course, adds to my anxiety about the uncertainty of the future. My answer was yes until I was led once again to Romans 8. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? This is in the New Testament, brothers and sisters. And in the New Testament, God does not remove his glory. He makes His glory permanent in every present and future that remains in this world. He makes His glory permanent in the sending of the Spirit. Paul testifies in Romans 8:26, In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. God makes His glory permanent in the victory of Christ.

This does not mean that we do not have tough times ahead. I do not know what lies ahead. I do not know how todays events will shake out and shape up. There is already plenty of misery to go around and to endure, so we had better be working at being more prepared than ever before. We had better be spiritually prepared. We had better be prepared to let Jesus be victorious in our lives.

It is because of Christs victory that we can share anything hopeful in this New Year or any New Year. It is because of Christs victory that we can share in His communion. It is because of Christ that we can have a victory. Do you have a victory in Jesus? If you do not if you have never believed that Jesus died for your sins then you can have that assured victory today by believing in and confessing Christ as your Savior.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. (Romans 8:35, 37)

Rev. Charles A. Layne

First Baptist Church

PO Box 515

179 W. Broadway

Bunker Hill, IN 46914

765-689-7987

bhfbc@bhfirstbaptist.com

www.bhfirstbaptist.com
-- To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: abesermons-unsubscribe@welovegod.org   

Posted by: bhfbc <bhfbc@...>

VICTORY

January 4, 2009

TEXT: Romans 8:28-39

Well, to the best that I can muster, I offer you the traditional greeting for this season: Happy New Year! I do not know that I can deliver the greeting with traditional enthusiasm because I have never faced a more uncertain time in my life. Now I know that some of you can say that you have faced more uncertain times because there have been more uncertain times. It is just that I cannot bring to mind any period in my lifetime when I have faced such bleak prospects and uncertainties across America and around the world. Truthfully, of course, none of us can ever be sure of what the future holds. If we knew, it wouldnt be a future. Nevertheless, certain trends have not been good for awhile: economically, politically, culturally, and, in some ways, even spiritually. I certainly do not mean to bring any more gloom than is already out there, but I just have not felt very encouraged about everything going on.

This is why no one here this morning should look to me to provide hope. I do not have much of it. This is why I do not look to myself as the source for this sermon, or any sermon I have ever prepared and delivered. The truth is that I am not declaring that I do not have much hope merely because of current events. The reality is that I do not have much hope outside of the mercy and love of Jesus Christ. However, with a faith relationship in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, I have more than hope. I have victory. We all do. We have victory because the victory belongs to Jesus, and it is his to give to whom he chooses. Jesus gives us victory.

Paul writes in this portion of his letter, And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28) This is the beginning of victory, but it must be prepared for. We must prepare for victory even when that victory is already given. How do we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him? We know only to the extent that we are prepared to know. Im not trying to be mysterious or contradictory here. One of the truths about human life is that the more we prepare ourselves, the more we can take advantage of opportunities when they appear.

Throughout my Navy career, both Reserve and Active Duty, we practiced the discipline of preparation a lot. Drills simulating all kinds of situations were held frequently. It didnt matter how many hours without sleep one had been without, when the alarms went off, everyone responded. Most of our preparations revolved around emergencies and casualties. This did not mean that we wanted or invited emergencies. What it did mean was that if an emergency occurred, we were better able to respond to it successfully.

The same is true or should be true with our spiritual life. Paul experienced his share of uncertainties. We know that he endured famines, persecution, beatings, imprisonment, and more. Historians are fairly certain that Paul was eventually put to death because of his faith in Jesus Christ. Yet, this same Paul was able to write encouragingly in Romans 8:18, I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. After having gone through so much, and facing his own uncertainties, how could he write this? He could write this because he was prepared through his relationship with God.

Paul knew and understood the meaning of victory. It wasnt Paul who was victorious; it was Christ who was victorious in Paul. This is true of Pastor Chuck. It is not I who is victorious; it is Christ who is victorious in me. The same is true for you and every believer. It did not matter what uncertainties Paul was facing as he wrote, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35, 37-39)

Lets face it. There are many people and many things that try to separate us from the love of Christ. Its one of the reasons why we are facing so much uncertainty in this New Year. We have all probably heard about the big role that greed has played in these market downturns. Plenty of people are more than willing to pin blame on someone else. Yes, there is plenty of blame to go around. But who talks about the source of this greed? Not our media. Not our politicians. Not our intellectual elites or entertainment elites. Not many at all who have easy access to media outlet sources.

We can talk about the source of this greed. It comes from not being prepared to trust the Lords victory. More than that it comes from outright rejecting the Lords victory. One of the uncertainties we face is how much secular atheists and other enemies of Christianity are going to be allowed to impose their policies on Christians. There are quite a few who make it plainly known that they would like to close churches and prevent the witness to Christ in the public arena. So what replaces the moral compass provided by the Word of God? The type of moral and cultural relativism that leads to greed and many other social ills. God has called us to a much better life than this, but there are all too many who work real hard to reject the love of Christ.

In last Sundays sermon, I shared that I learned that the glory of the Lord that the shepherds witnessed in Luke 2:9 was the first return of the glory of the Lord to Israel in about 600 years. The Old Testament indicates that the glory of the Lord left the temple, then Jerusalem, and then Israel during the time of Ezekiel. That did not mean that God was entirely absent; He still raised up prophets, and He still demonstrated His power. But it does mean that the spiritual and material blessings that the Hebrews had enjoyed for so many years were withdrawn. They had to face some extremely bitter times.

When I learned that about the glory of the Lord, I immediately wondered if that is what is happening in America and, perhaps, throughout the world. Is God again removing His glory from us as He is more and more openly rejected? My initial inclination was to answer my question with a yes, which, of course, adds to my anxiety about the uncertainty of the future. My answer was yes until I was led once again to Romans 8. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? This is in the New Testament, brothers and sisters. And in the New Testament, God does not remove his glory. He makes His glory permanent in every present and future that remains in this world. He makes His glory permanent in the sending of the Spirit. Paul testifies in Romans 8:26, In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. God makes His glory permanent in the victory of Christ.

This does not mean that we do not have tough times ahead. I do not know what lies ahead. I do not know how todays events will shake out and shape up. There is already plenty of misery to go around and to endure, so we had better be working at being more prepared than ever before. We had better be spiritually prepared. We had better be prepared to let Jesus be victorious in our lives.

It is because of Christs victory that we can share anything hopeful in this New Year or any New Year. It is because of Christs victory that we can share in His communion. It is because of Christ that we can have a victory. Do you have a victory in Jesus? If you do not if you have never believed that Jesus died for your sins then you can have that assured victory today by believing in and confessing Christ as your Savior.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. (Romans 8:35, 37)

Rev. Charles A. Layne

First Baptist Church

PO Box 515

179 W. Broadway

Bunker Hill, IN 46914

765-689-7987

bhfbc@bhfirstbaptist.com

http://www.bhfirstbaptist.com

-- To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: abesermons-unsubscribe@welovegod.org