All Things for Good.

Steve Gentry

[0:00] In Jesus’ name, Amen. [0:03] All right, go ahead and have a seat. [0:05] Welcome to Village Church. [0:06] If this is your first time here, my name’s Steve. [0:08] I’m one of the pastors here at Village Church. [0:10] And as always, I’m thankful and grateful to see each and every one of you.

[0:15] If you have your Bibles, go ahead and open them up to Romans chapter 8. [0:18] We’re going to be starting in verse 28 this morning. [0:22] And really, for the next few Sundays, we’re going to be focusing in on what are three [0:28] of the most important verses in the book of Romans to understand the entire message [0:37] of Romans and the point that the apostle Paul is attempting to get us to understand [0:43] with our lives, but also live in light of with our lives.

[0:48] And that is verses 28 through verse 30. [0:51] Now, also, for every Sunday in the month of August, we’re doing things a little bit differently. [0:55] And that is after the sermon time, we’re going to be having a live Q&A about the sermon. [1:03] And during the sermon, what we’re going to ask you to do is if anything that I say or [1:07] anything that I preach brings some questions to your mind, maybe I’m not quite clear enough [1:13] about something, or it just brings to mind some question that you have about the text,

[1:18] about God, about the scope of what we’re talking about, please send that question to the number [1:22] that will be on the screen throughout the sermon time this morning. [1:26] And then after the sermon, after we partake of the Lord’s Supper, I’m going to return [1:30] to the stage and do my best to answer as many of the questions that I can in the time that [1:37] is allotted to us, realizing that some of you will start getting the rumblies in your [1:41] tumblies and want to go get something to eat afterwards.

[1:44] I’m not going to keep here too long. [1:46] But in Romans chapter 8, what we really have is right here in the heart of the chapter, [1:54] Paul has been telling us that we live without the fear of condemnation in God because of [2:00] all that Jesus has done. [2:01] And what it looks like to be redeemed, experience the redemption from our sin so that we know [2:09] that Jesus has taken the wrath of God for our sin, and we know that there’s no condemnation,

[2:14] that we are to allow the gospel of Jesus to saturate our minds so that the way that [2:19] we think about life, the way that we think about God, the way that we think about all [2:24] things is commanded by the gospel. [2:27] It changes our thoughts. [2:30] And he tells us that the gospel also then doesn’t just change our thoughts, he changes [2:34] the way that we live.

[2:35] He changes our actions. [2:37] That living in light of there being no condemnation for your sin will necessarily produce a life [2:43] in which you live to worship God. [2:47] And then as you live for God, there will come pain in your life. [2:53] Because we have not yet experienced the second form of redemption that he talks about, and [2:58] that is the redemption of our bodies.

[3:00] We live in a world that is experiencing the curse of sin, and he says the creation itself [3:06] groans with anticipation of the transformation and renewal that God has promised to bring [3:13] about in the end, the picture of that being in Revelation 21 when all things are made [3:19] new by God. [3:20] But then he very interestingly says not just the creation is groaning, but we are groaning [3:25] with the pains of this life.

[3:27] And there will necessarily be suffering at one level or another that comes into your [3:33] life that will produce a groaning that should build an anticipation for the day that God [3:40] delivers on the promise, the redemption of our bodies, which is the resurrection that [3:45] we will experience after death. [3:48] Just as Jesus was resurrected from the dead, so too will we be resurrected from the dead. [3:55] And then in the weakness that is caused by suffering, we’re to wait eagerly.

[4:01] We’re to be patient on the Lord. [4:04] Then he says you’re going to be too weak to be that patient. [4:08] So in your weakness, the Spirit of God that’s given to you to command your mind, that’s [4:14] given to you to direct and command your actions, that Spirit also helps you in your weaknesses [4:20] to the point where there are times where you will experience weakness to a point where [4:23] you won’t even know how to pray.

[4:26] And he says you can trust God that the Holy Spirit himself who resides in your life through [4:31] your faith in Jesus will pray for you. [4:34] So he gives us all these great, wonderful promises. [4:39] And then he gives the promise that commands every single aspect of all of that. [4:45] Because you get to a certain point in the scriptures, you know that text that everybody [4:49] recites from Jeremiah chapter 29, that the Lord loves you and he has a wonderful plan

[4:53] for your life. [4:54] When you’re going through sections of scripture on suffering, it begins to sound like well [4:57] the Lord loves you and he has a terrible plan for your life. [5:00] It’s really going to hurt. [5:02] And that’s why Paul gives us all of these reminders of the promises of God. [5:06] So just quick, I want to read with you Romans 8.28.

[5:10] Here’s what he says in the scriptures. [5:12] He says, and we know that for those who love God, all things, say that with me, all things. [5:20] All things. [5:23] Work together for good. [5:27] For those who are the called according to his purpose.

[5:31] That is what many people would call their favorite verse in all of the scriptures. [5:35] But it’s also what many, if we’re being honest with ourselves, would admit one of the hardest [5:38] promises of trust in scripture. [5:39] Because it’s one of those promises where there are so many times in your life where it doesn’t [5:43] feel like it’s going to work together for good. [5:46] It’s like there’s any way that God could possibly come into this situation or that situation

[5:52] that you’re personally experiencing, that you’re personally suffering through. [5:56] And work that situation for good. [5:59] Because some of those situations will last for years and some of those situations will [6:03] last your entire life. [6:05] You say, I don’t know how he’s going to use this. [6:09] When those moments, I’m often reminded by some of the stories of the Old Testament.

[6:15] I love the narratives that we read throughout the Old Testament, especially the book of [6:18] Genesis, which provides so many narratives that mirror what Jesus accomplishes for us [6:23] in the gospel through the stories. [6:26] At the very end of the book of Genesis, this man who’s one of the main characters in the [6:32] book of Genesis covered over many chapters, he makes this statement in chapter 50 verse [6:37] 20 that all of the things in this life that seem so evil, that God has worked for good.

[6:44] But to understand the context of that promise, I think we really need a little bit of background. [6:48] So briefly, I want to share with you one of the reasons that I believe Romans 8.28 to [6:55] be true is because of the life of Joseph in the Old Testament. [6:58] He serves as a type of Christ, a Christ figure, a prophecy of Jesus in the Old Testament. [7:04] Joseph was born into a family. [7:06] He had 10 other brothers who he was the youngest of at that point.

[7:12] His father loved him, and the scripture is pretty clear. [7:15] His dad just loved him more. [7:17] He was the favorite. [7:19] And so he got preferential treatment. [7:21] His dad at one point made him a coat, and that coat really signified, and it’s called [7:27] the coat of many colors, and it signified to him and even his brothers that Joseph

[7:34] is number one. [7:36] And so his brothers constantly look at Joseph, and that coat serves as this reminder, oh, [7:43] Joseph is so great. [7:45] So his brothers hatch a plan one day. [7:48] They’re off doing their chores. [7:50] I mean, they beat Joseph.

[7:52] They rip his coat off of him. [7:54] They throw him into a pit. [7:57] They say, well, what do we do with him now? [7:58] And about that time, a band of slave traders were going by. [8:04] They said, I know what we can do. [8:05] Let’s sell him to them, make a profit off of our brother, and he’ll be out of our hair

[8:10] for good, and then we’re going to go back and tell dad that Joseph’s dead. [8:14] Some animals came and attacked while we were doing our chores. [8:18] So they do that. [8:19] Joseph is sold into slavery.

[8:23] After years in slavery, suffering, being ripped out of his home, ripped out of privilege, [8:32] ripped out of what all of us would say, this kind of life that I want, he’s sold into [8:37] slavery, suffers working as a slave. [8:39] Then as a slave, he’s accused of a terrible crime that he didn’t commit by a selfish [8:46] and heinous woman.

[8:49] So he goes from the favorite to a slave, to a prisoner. [8:56] He suffers in prison for a number of years. [8:59] After suffering in slavery for a number of years, some scholars say that he suffered [9:04] in prison for at least a decade. [9:06] Some posit that it’s possible that he suffered for even two decades in prison. [9:11] Seemingly forgotten, and then through an extraordinary series of events, Joseph never loses sight

[9:19] that God is in control of his life. [9:23] He trusts God, even in the face of slavery, even in the face of prison. [9:27] One day, he begins to experience visions. [9:30] He experiences a dream from the Lord about the kingdom of Egypt.

[9:36] He goes to the Pharaoh, a prisoner, and he says, you’re going to have seven good years, [9:41] but then you’re going to have seven tough years, and those seven plenteous years of [9:45] food we need to store up because seven years of famine are coming. [9:49] The Pharaoh believes so much so in what Joseph says, that he puts him second in command of [9:54] all of Egypt. [9:55] And over the years, Joseph makes the kingdom of Egypt plenteous.

[10:00] And then at the end of his life, the whole world is suffering in famine. [10:06] There’s only one place that has food, and it’s Egypt.

[10:10] At an old age, Joseph’s father suffered for years, missing his son. [10:15] He sends his brothers to Egypt for food.

[10:18] Joseph recognizes his brothers. [10:20] His brothers don’t recognize him. [10:22] Through an extraordinary series of events, Joseph has one question.

[10:28] Is your father alive?

[10:30] See, in that text, what I see is the pain that Joseph had carried with him for decades.

[10:39] He just wanted to see his dad. [10:42] He says, yeah, our father’s alive. [10:43] And he says, go get him, bring him back. [10:45] And then Joseph uncovers himself, and he says, by the way, I’m your brother. [10:49] How terrifying must that have been?

[10:54] So terrifying, so that once Joseph reveals himself, says, go get the whole family, and [11:01] I’ll protect you in Egypt.

[11:04] At the end of the book of Genesis, in chapter 50, one of his brothers comes to him and says, [11:08] Joseph, I know that we deserve vengeance for what we did to you. [11:15] What are you going to do to us?

[11:20] And Joseph has the trust in God to have the perspective on pain, real pain. [11:27] He says, I don’t think you understand. [11:31] It’s God’s place to judge you in this. [11:35] Because what you meant as great evil against me, God meant as good.

[11:40] That is faith unparalleled.

[11:45] That is the statement of faith that all of us yearn for, but most of us don’t think that we’re capable of. [11:53] But what Romans 8.28 through 30 tell us is that Joseph is not a figure who welled up this strength in himself [12:01] to believe God in the face of adversarial circumstances. [12:05] Instead, God gave him a gift of faith to trust him. [12:14] So look again in Romans 8.28. [12:18] This is the story of Joseph.

[12:22] This is the story of every character in scripture. [12:26] And quite frankly, this needs to be your story if you trust in the gospel of Jesus Christ. [12:31] He says, we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good. [12:38] For those who are the called according to his purpose. [12:42] For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son. [12:48] In order that, he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

[12:54] And those whom he predestined, he also called. [12:57] Those whom he called, he also justified. [13:00] Those whom he justified, he also glorified. [13:05] Romans 8 really comes to the high point in verse 28. [13:08] And in there, God promises that the gospel of Jesus Christ ensures that every aspect of our lives will work for good. [13:18] And then he follows with a defense as to why you can believe such a promise that seems crazy.

[13:28] Because very often in our lives, we are tempted to look at Romans 8.28 and read it and say, [13:33] okay, everything that happens is going to work together for good. [13:38] The way I want it to work out.

[13:43] And when we read it that way and when we think about it that way, [13:46] what’s going to happen when it doesn’t work out the way that you thought it would?

[13:51] Disappointment. [13:52] Disappointment with life, disappointment with your situation. [13:55] But then ultimately, that viewpoint can lead to great disappointment with God.

[14:02] And oftentimes, the problem that we have with Romans 8.28 is that we take it out of the context that it’s actually in in Scripture [14:11] and read it by itself so that we get the opportunity to define what that good looks like. [14:18] But the fact of the matter is, is that being in the context that it’s in, [14:23] if we take it away from verses 29 and 30 specifically, but then more so the entire chapter as a whole, [14:30] we will miss out on the good that God actually wants us to hold on to. [14:35] We will miss out on the good that God actually wants us to hope for.

[14:39] And then we will live a life missing God’s purpose all the way. [14:44] It is verses 29 and 30 that actually command what the good of Romans 8.28 actually tells us God has in store for our lives. [14:57] So this week, I really just want to cover verse 28, all three parts. [15:02] There are three parts to verse 28. [15:04] The first part I want to cover is really going to be in two words and then what follows those two words. [15:10] But I want to start talking about those two words. We know.

[15:16] So number one this morning, understand that what we do know about God is enough.

[15:21] What we do know about God is enough. [15:25] Friends, what we know should cover all of our don’t knows. [15:31] What we know should cover all of our don’t knows. [15:34] In verse 26, he says the opposite of verse 28. [15:38] In verse 26, the apostle Paul actually says we don’t know. [15:45] And so if we don’t know, what does he mean by we do know?

[15:51] Well, in that section of scripture, he’s talking about the subject of the sufferings that are coming into our lives and the weaknesses of our lives. [15:57] And he’s letting us know there are things that you do not have God’s perspective on. [16:03] And because you don’t have God’s perspective of it, you don’t know how it’s going to turn out.

[16:12] You don’t know specifically how this situation in your life today is going to look like on Wednesday morning or Friday evening or a year from now. [16:22] You don’t know that. [16:24] So in all of the things that you don’t know, you need the power of the Holy Spirit to direct all of your don’t knows. [16:32] But where do those don’t knows lead you? [16:35] Those don’t knows every time will lead you to verses 28, what you do know.

[16:43] And what he’s saying in this text of what you do know is everything that God has unfolded in the wonderful story of scriptures as to how he is commanding all things to work together for his wonderful glory. [16:58] He wants us to see the story of how man fell into sin. [17:03] And then God worked through all of the stories of the Old Testament through the nation of Israel, through the prophets, through the priests, through the kings and through everything that happened throughout all of the Old Testament to lead to Jesus Christ. [17:18] And Jesus lived for you. [17:21] Jesus died for you. [17:22] And then Jesus rose again from the grave.

[17:25] And Paul says, I’ve covered all of that through the first eight chapters of the Book of Romans. [17:30] So understand that you do know about God’s plan and about God’s purpose. [17:38] And in every instance of what you don’t know, the thing that you need to hold on to is that you do know that God has a plan. [17:46] Because he has worked everything out to redeem you through Jesus Christ. [17:52] And in your darkest moments, that is the hope that you cling to because all other hopes will disappoint you.

[18:01] All other hopes are the unknowns.

[18:05] All other hopes may not work out. [18:08] You may not get the job.

[18:11] You may not experience the healing. [18:15] You may not experience reconciliation in that relationship.

[18:20] You may endure through many hard seasons in which you say, I have no hope. [18:27] And God says, yes, you do.

[18:31] You have the hope that there is a God who is in absolute control of every situation. [18:38] And he promises to make it work out for your good.

[18:46] You say, how can I be certain? [18:48] Because Jesus Christ rose from the dead.

[18:53] God says that in light of Jesus Christ’s resurrection, [18:57] He is working the history of the world to a point in which everything will ultimately be for the good of all those who have trusted in Christ.

[19:10] Friends, that’s the kind of hope. [19:12] If we are Christians, all of the perplexities of life will work for good. [19:20] When you consider the sufferings that he talks about, just a few verses previous in Romans chapter 8, verse 18, [19:27] Paul’s point is that the reason that you can suffer with great hope is not limited to earthly relief. [19:35] We seek God for that. [19:38] But our hope is in that God is going to give you more than temporary relief.

[19:44] He will give you eternal relief.

[19:49] Romans 8, 28 is the reason that you can suffer with great joy.

[19:57] So how can you trust that everything in your life will work for good? [20:03] In verse 29, he begins the backup, proving his point in verse 28. [20:10] And he says some very interesting things about God in Romans chapter 8, verse 29. [20:14] He says that it’s going to work for good for those who are called according to His purpose. [20:19] So he puts above your purpose, the purpose of God, and good is defined as God’s purpose. [20:27] So what’s God’s purpose?

[20:28] God’s purpose is in verse 29. [20:30] He says, for those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son.

[20:38] So he uses that word predestined, which we will unpack next week.

[20:44] He says, just lightly, God is in control. [20:50] That’s what that means. [20:52] And how does he use that control? [20:55] To conform you to the image of Christ. [20:58] So what is the good that God is working? [21:01] God is working to use everything that comes into and out of your life

[21:06] for the good of conforming you to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. [21:13] That is the ends of everything that He is working in your life right now, [21:18] and that He will work in your life forever. [21:21] That is the hope that you are to long for, that you are to cling to. [21:27] You say, well how can I trust such a hope? [21:29] If conforming me to the image of Christ is what He’s working, that’s not control over everything.

[21:33] That’s just control over my devotional life. [21:35] That’s just control over the things that I’m giving over to God. [21:38] There’s more control than that. [21:40] In 1 Corinthians chapter 3 verses 21 through 23, the same writer, the Apostle Paul, [21:44] says this about what is given over to you because of the Gospel. [21:49] He says, let no one boast in men.

[21:53] So what he’s saying there is that you don’t put your trust in human terms [21:57] or in human situations or in human understanding. [22:00] That can extend to a lot of things in life. [22:02] He says, don’t limit your trust to right here, right now.

[22:08] He says, don’t put your trust in Apollo, don’t put your trust in Paul, [22:13] don’t put your trust in Cephas, who is the Apostle Peter. [22:16] He says, don’t put your trust in those things because who do those things belong to? [22:20] They belong to God. [22:21] But note what else He says God has given you hope for in your life because of the control of God. [22:26] He says, the world, life, death, the present, the future, all are yours.

[22:39] That doesn’t really put a limit on it. [22:44] It’s an overarching thing. [22:45] He’s like, okay, so these guys belong to you because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. [22:50] Oh, so does the world, so does the future, so does the past, [22:55] so does things present, things to come. [22:57] Every single thing that has ever existed for all time and will ever exist for all time belong to you because of the Gospel.

[23:04] But He gives one that’s the hardest one to cling to God in light of. [23:09] Death.

[23:12] He said, I don’t want death, so don’t give it to me. [23:16] Give me the rest, you keep death.

[23:21] And God says, then I can’t conform you to the image of my Son Jesus Christ.

[23:29] Said, a week before last, I said, everyone wants resurrection, but no one wants to die.

[23:36] You cannot be resurrected without death. [23:38] You also cannot be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ without death. [23:44] And He finishes it and He says, all things are yours and you are Christ’s and Christ is God’s. [23:53] So what do we do here? [23:55] He is forward engineering, but we can also reverse engineer this. [24:01] All things work together for good because God predestines.

[24:05] So God is in absolute control. [24:08] He proves that through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. [24:14] And then He extends that and He says, if you trust in Jesus, everything that belongs to Jesus, everything that He has command over, [24:26] everything that has come into His life and has worked for glory will also be for your glory.

[24:35] That involves death because Jesus died.

[24:41] When He says earlier in the book of Romans, He says, you are joint heirs with Christ. [24:45] What He’s saying is that the same path that Jesus walked, you will walk. [24:50] Do you trust God with that path?

[24:55] Because you will die. [24:57] But in death, we experience the hope of resurrection because of Christ. [25:04] He’s earlier in Romans in chapter five, verses three through five. [25:07] Paul wrote this. He says, not only that, not only do we experience joy and just hope of the gospel, [25:13] but we rejoice in our suffering because of the gospel, knowing that suffering produces endurance. [25:18] Endurance produces character. Character produces hope.

[25:21] Hope does not put us to shame because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, [25:26] who’s been given to us. Rejoice in suffering is only possible if God has control.

[25:36] And you can only rejoice if there’s hope on the other side of suffering. [25:41] Only if God has a purpose and complete control, though. [25:45] How can you trust that the love of God is working if He isn’t wielding the power that can’t falter? [25:53] How can you do that? [25:54] You see, friends, for God to make a promise such as all things work together for good, [26:00] God then must be the one in control of working them in that direction.

[26:06] If He does not have the power, if He does not have the sovereignty, [26:11] if He does not have the control of working things to His designated ends, [26:16] then that promise cannot be trusted.

[26:26] We must trust what God defines as good and what God defines as His power. [26:33] Because number two this morning, that demands what our faith will look like. [26:38] Faith means that Jesus is your ultimate good. [26:42] Faith means that Jesus is your ultimate good. [26:45] One issue that comes into this text is the definition of good. [26:49] It’s God’s good that will be worked, and I don’t know about you,

[26:52] but there are times in my life where God’s good really seems to come into conflict with my good. [26:57] It seems to happen.

[27:01] It should be very clear, though, by this point in the book of Romans, [27:05] and specifically in Romans chapter 8, that it is God’s good that’s going to be worked. [27:10] That’s only a problem if the good that you want and envision is different than the good that God is working.

[27:18] And that will happen. [27:19] So what do you do if what you want to be good comes into conflict with what God wants to be your good? [27:30] That good being the things that will conform you to the image of Jesus Christ. [27:35] What needs to happen?

[27:38] That is the first qualification of all things working together for good, because it gives us two. [27:45] The first qualification is that if you want all things to work together for good, [27:49] you must love God. [27:51] So what does it mean then to love God? [27:54] Well, verse 28 is counterintuitive to what he said earlier in the chapter about a different group of people. [28:03] Because you may question, why does he use the term love instead of the term faith, or the term trust?

[28:08] And I’ll explain to you, by love, he infers both faith and trust, but he wants you to go past what you think it may be. [28:16] The love for God in verse 828 is the opposite of the hostility towards God found in Romans chapter 8 verse 7. [28:24] Because in Romans chapter 8 verse 7 he says that the mind controlled by the flesh is hostile to God. [28:31] It can’t submit to God’s law. [28:34] It doesn’t want it. [28:36] See, if your mind is hostile to God, you will look at the good that God wants and you will say, I don’t want that good.

[28:43] I want a different type of good. [28:45] And Paul says, that’s hostility towards God. [28:48] And that means you don’t trust him. [28:49] That means you don’t love him. [28:51] That means you don’t have faith in God.

[28:55] So how do you ensure that you love God? [29:00] Well, loving God comes through seeing Jesus, who he is, what he has done, what he promises to do, [29:09] and then what he commands in light of those things, and treasuring him so much above everything, [29:17] that you can begin to see your life transformed to seek after the things that Jesus wants in your life, [29:23] more than anything else in the world.

[29:26] That’s what loving God is. [29:29] And it’s going to change everything about your life if you do. [29:33] It’s going to change everything that you want. [29:35] It’s going to change everything that you’re after. [29:37] To love God is to value his good more than you value your good, even though it may be more difficult. [29:48] Even though it may be a harder path.

[29:50] Even though it may cost you things. [29:53] Even though it will necessarily bring sacrifices into your life. [29:59] I believe that it is better than any other path. [30:04] If God is the one who brings it, then it is valuable because he is in control of it and promises to work it for good. [30:14] This is why it is foolish to say, oh, something other than God brought this thing into my life.

[30:21] Well, if it’s something other than God, then that’s what has control over your life. [30:25] And it can’t be used for good. [30:27] It can only be trusted to be used for good if God is the source of it. [30:33] And it can be used for the good of your friends in your life, for your good, and for his glory.

[30:40] The reason that the word trust is not used here is because it’s a different type of trust. [30:44] You can trust your accountant. [30:47] You can trust that he’s carrying the ones and the twos in the right places. [30:51] And that he’s going to put the right amount of money into your tax return. [30:54] And that everything is going to be quite alright. [30:56] But it’s another thing, unless you’re married to your accountant, to love your accountant.

[31:02] So you can trust your accountant with one area of your life without being totally invested into your accountant. [31:13] So the term trust doesn’t convey specifically what God wants to communicate in your life that is required between you and him. [31:24] So he uses a term that is intimate. [31:28] He uses a term that is invested. [31:31] He uses a term that denotes that you are in a relationship in which you are fully invested into God. [31:39] And God then is fully invested into your life because you trust him with every part.

[31:47] You trust him with every moment. [31:49] You trust him with every choice, every situation, every relationship. [31:54] Everything in your life is God’s. [31:57] Everything that God has is yours. [32:00] Therefore, you love God. [32:04] You love him for who he is.

[32:06] You love him for what he is doing. [32:09] And you love him for where he is going. [32:12] You just can’t get enough of God into your life. [32:19] See, 1 Corinthians chapter 8, verse 3 puts it this way. [32:22] Apostle Paul writing again, he says, if anyone loves God, he is known by God. [32:30] You see, that term known by God is different than God knowing about you.

[32:35] See, in the original language of the scripture, the term to know someone could be a couple of different words. [32:41] There is a word to know about someone. [32:43] Yeah, I know that person exists. I have never met them before, but I know who they are. [32:48] The term used here in the Greek is actually the same term that when the Old Testament says that Adam knew Eve, [32:58] it says that God knows us. It’s a marital knowledge. [33:02] It’s an intimate knowledge.

[33:05] It means that God is not some far-off disconnected being. [33:08] Rather, he is intimately and intricately involved in every part of your life. [33:15] You love him, he loves you with a powerful love of involvement and relationship. [33:24] And that’s what he is talking about in Romans chapter 8. [33:29] But I want to caution you before we go on to point number 3. [33:34] That is, whenever you are reading the scriptures, you can understand one of two things,

[33:38] specifically when verses are as specific as this. [33:42] He says, for those who love God, those who are called by God according to his purpose, [33:47] everything will work together for good. [33:50] There is a warning on the other side of this text. [33:54] And that is that for those who don’t love God, all things will work together for bad.

[34:02] Nothing will ultimately work together for your good.

[34:06] Friends, that means that if you don’t love God, [34:13] if you don’t have that affection for him, if you don’t desire what he desires for your life, [34:19] then you don’t trust him in the relational sense. [34:23] You don’t treasure Jesus with your affections. [34:27] Then no matter how good you think you have it in this world,

[34:33] everything that is coming into your life will ultimately work together for your bad [34:39] and will ultimately be your undoing. [34:41] You might say, I’ve got some great things happening in my life,

[34:47] but I don’t love God. [34:49] So I can do it without God. I don’t need him. [34:51] I’m not suffering. I’ve never suffered a day in my life.

[34:55] You will.

[34:58] Because without God, that means that everything that’s coming into your life [35:01] and everything that’s going out of your life will ultimately be your eternal undoing [35:06] because you disobeyed God, because you’ve not trusted him, [35:10] because you’ve not loved him, because you’ve not given it over into him. [35:13] But the question is, if that’s true of you, is there hope? [35:18] What do you do?

[35:22] That’s point number three, and that’s where he finishes verse 28. [35:26] So number three this morning, the purpose of our salvation is God’s glory. [35:32] The purpose of our salvation is God’s glory. [35:36] I want to talk to you now about the term called.

[35:41] And the second term, purpose. [35:44] What does the term in Romans 8.28 mean? [35:46] At the very end, he makes this great promise, and he says, [35:49] for those who are called, there’s the second qualification.

[35:53] What does it mean to be called by God? [35:57] Called is the call that creates faith.

[36:02] You know, there’s two types of calling in scripture. [36:05] The first type of calling is a general call. [36:08] And the second type of calling is the effectual call. [36:12] This morning, I’m giving the general call. [36:17] I’m calling you to repent of all that keeps you from bringing glory to God. [36:22] And turn from that and give your lives to Jesus.

[36:27] That’s the general call. [36:28] That’s not what he’s talking about here. [36:31] He’s talking about a second type of calling, because he specifically says called of God.

[36:37] Not called of me. [36:39] Not called of you. [36:41] Called of God. [36:43] So what does that type of calling mean? [36:45] And I think in 1 Corinthians, again, Paul gives us some very good definitions [36:50] of the terms he’s using in the book of Romans.

[36:52] In chapter 1, verse 22 through 24, Paul says this. [36:56] He says, Jews demand signs. [36:58] Greeks seek wisdom. [37:00] But we preach Christ crucified. [37:03] General call.

[37:06] A stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles. [37:10] But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, [37:15] Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God. [37:19] So he calls two distinct groups to salvation. [37:24] Number one distinct groups is the Jews and the Greeks. [37:26] But then he separates Jews and Greeks into the same category again.

[37:30] He says, Jews and Greeks. [37:32] And he says, within those two groups, there’s more groups. [37:35] There are those who receive the call to salvation. [37:38] I’m preaching Christ crucified. [37:39] And they turn from it. [37:40] And they say, that’s foolishness.

[37:42] I want no part of it. [37:43] And they reject it. [37:45] But then he says, but those who are called, it’s great wisdom.

[37:54] It’s the miracle of life. [37:56] It is salvation, the wisdom and power of God.

[38:03] So here’s what I want you to understand this morning. [38:06] That when we preach Christ crucified, we are calling all men. [38:10] But the question this morning is not, have you been called by me? [38:13] Because I don’t want you to understand Romans 8.28 and say, [38:17] well, I sat in a church and I heard him call. [38:21] I heard Pastor Steve call me to salvation.

[38:24] Didn’t do anything with it. [38:26] But I got one of the two qualifications, so I’m probably all right.

[38:32] This isn’t about my call. [38:35] This is about the call of God. [38:38] If you receive the call of God to salvation, then it is power in your life. [38:43] And it is wisdom in your life. [38:45] And you bank your entire life on it.

[38:50] To be called by God to salvation is then to be called to his purpose. [38:56] In verse 30, he uses the same term called again. [39:01] Here’s what he says in verse 30. [39:02] He says, those who are predestined, he also called. [39:05] He called them to be justified, redeemed from their sins. [39:10] He says, God is in power.

[39:13] God is in control. [39:14] He’s working history to conform you to the image of Christ. [39:19] And in order to conform you to the image of Christ, he called into your life.

[39:26] He called into the life of Joseph.

[39:32] And Joseph said, I don’t know why I’m in slavery. [39:34] I don’t know why I’m in prison. [39:36] But God has a purpose for all of it. [39:39] And I love him so much that his power and his wisdom are above my own because he’ll work it to good. [39:46] I don’t know what that good is, but he’ll work it.

[39:53] Friend, are you living and experiencing the call of God in every moment of your life? [40:02] Because the call of God brings about the purposes of God. [40:06] And the only way to live for the purpose of God is to have faith in Jesus that will change your purpose to God’s purpose.

[40:15] So what is this purpose? [40:18] What does God change your life towards?

[40:22] Well, good, let’s do some recap, is to be conformed to the image of Christ. [40:28] If you’re not being conformed to the image of Christ in your life, then you’re not seeking good. [40:33] You can seek a hundred other things. None of them are good. [40:36] You may try to convince yourself, oh, they’re good. [40:39] No, they’re not. Not if they’re not conforming to the image of Christ.

[40:44] So good is conforming you to the image of Christ. [40:47] And then the purpose of God in your life and the God’s purpose for every life then is also to conform you to the image of Christ.

[40:57] And through you to conform others to the image of Christ. [41:03] You, friend, exist to be more and more like Jesus every day that you get older in this world.

[41:17] And to trust God to use everything for that. Why? [41:20] Because the gospel of Jesus is where the ultimate glory of God is seen.

[41:30] You know, salvation is not ultimately about you.

[41:34] Salvation is all about Jesus.

[41:37] Redemption in Jesus brings him glory. [41:40] And as you become like Jesus, he gets more glory. [41:43] And when you are resurrected from the dead, he gets more glory. [41:48] Jesus died, so will you. Why? [41:51] So that you can be conformed to the image of Jesus. [41:55] That is the greatest good that has ever and will ever exist.

[42:01] So you need to have the joy of God in every moment of your life because you believe that in everything he’s conforming you to the image of Christ. [42:12] That is good. [42:14] Faith in Jesus creates in you a mission to be conformed to the image of Christ.

[42:24] And to have your life used to bring others to be conformed to the image of Christ.

[42:33] Because I want to tell you the reason the entire universe exists. [42:37] The purpose of the entire universe is to be conformed to the image of Christ. [42:45] You say, oh, that’s too simple. I’ve been looking for God’s will for years. [42:48] Good news, you found it this morning.

[42:52] Waits over, friend.

[42:55] Everything that God has ever done, everything that God will ever do, leads to one point. [43:04] Really, one person. [43:08] And that’s the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ.

[43:14] That is what it is all about. [43:18] Treasure Jesus to the extent where his purposes are so important that it’s all you pursue. [43:30] Because you believe it’s that good.

[43:34] That’s how on Monday through Friday, what you might call the mundane things of life. [43:42] Work, home, family, whatever it is, you look to those things and you say, how can I steward them for Jesus? [43:53] Because I treasure him more than I treasure those things. [43:55] And in treasuring him, I’m going to make those things better.

[44:01] That’s how things stop being so mundane. [44:04] Because you realize that in everything, God’s going to work as good as I seek Jesus, as I follow Jesus, as I make more of Jesus, as I treasure Jesus. [44:13] I want to raise my children so they can see a dad treasuring Jesus. [44:17] I want to love my wife in a way so she can see a husband treasuring Jesus. [44:21] I want to work my job in such a way that the employers can see that I treasure Jesus.

[44:29] Everything is about treasuring Jesus. [44:32] Because when I treasure Jesus, and I’m blindsided with the real tough stuff of life, I can say I don’t have a roadmap, but I know the destination. [44:48] And it’s an eternity of treasuring Jesus.

[44:53] That’s a good that can never be taken away.

[45:01] And friends, that’s the good that you need.

[45:05] The call is very simple this morning.

[45:09] The call is, trust Jesus. [45:14] And it’s all good.

[45:17] Every week we reflect on communion, the Lord’s Supper.

[45:26] Because communion is all about Jesus.

[45:30] The bread represents His broken body. [45:34] The cup represents His shed blood.

[45:38] He did that so that your sins could be forgiven. [45:43] If you trust Him. [45:47] So that you could bring glory to God in your life. [45:50] So that you could worship Him. [45:51] So that you could know Him. [45:52] So that you could trust Him.

[45:53] So that in a very dark and hopeless world, you could be the light with hope.

[46:02] So you could trust in every day, both the joys of life that are easy, that are pleasant, and the tougher parts of life that really do command faith. [46:14] You can face both realities with one hope. [46:21] Jesus saves. [46:23] And Jesus will save forever.

[46:27] If you believe that.

[46:30] There are four stations up here. [46:32] There are three in the back. [46:34] Jesus says, come, eat, drink. [46:38] Proclaim to one another that you believe and you trust. [46:43] And be filled with His power.

[46:47] When you’re ready, come.

[46:55] Once again, thank you guys so much for being here. [46:58] Right now what I’m going to do is I’m going to call the ushers forward to take up our weekly offering. [47:03] And this is an act of worship for those who call Village Church home. [47:08] If this is your first time here, don’t feel obligated to take part in this. [47:12] This is, like I said, an act of worship. [47:15] But secondly, for those of you who gave online this week, I do want to say thank you so much.

[47:20] And we value so much your gifts to Village Church as a whole. [47:25] I want to get right into our Q&A time. [47:28] We got a lot of questions this morning. [47:30] I assumed that we would. [47:33] The first question I want to deal with this morning is that if God works all things for good, [47:38] then why do I need to do anything for Him?

[47:41] It’s one of those questions that we begin to deal with when we ponder the power, sovereignty, control of God. [47:48] It’s like, well, you know, why do I need to do anything if God’s in ultimate control? [47:52] And really, the foundation of that question is really more of a question about God’s design for life. [47:58] And that the reason that we do things for Him is first, because He told us to, and we trust Him, and we want to obey Him. [48:08] But secondly, it’s an understanding that because the Scriptures have a command, and God spoke those commands into our lives, [48:16] then He, through our trust in Him, expects us to do them because we trust that He’s going to use our actions to bring about that good.

[48:26] God has not just defined the ends. [48:31] He’s also defined the means that get to the ends. [48:35] This is kind of like the question of what’s the point of prayer if God is sovereign. [48:40] Well, the point of prayer is that God, in His amazing wisdom, has defined His will as coming about through our involvement. [48:52] And He has actually defined that my prayers will bring about His will. [48:58] I believe that. I believe God will heal people, and He knows He’s going to heal people,

[49:04] but He’s going to heal people through my prayer, and I was the means by which He healed people. [49:09] I believe that God is going to save people, so when I pray for someone to come to faith in Jesus Christ, [49:15] I believe that God knew He was going to save them, and the how was through my prayer and my witness. [49:22] Dr. John Piper writes that prayer is the hammer that drives the nail of God’s will. [49:31] That’s how God has defined it. That’s how God has designed it. [49:37] And so it’s a beautiful partnership that God actually privileges us to take part in His eternal plan.

[49:44] And I’m very thankful for it. [49:46] What if I trust that God will work all the good, but I struggle to obey Him? [49:53] What’s the number one? If you love God, and you’re called according to His purpose, [49:59] you’re still experiencing the curse of sin in your life until the redemption of your bodies. [50:04] So if there is literally a struggle there, that struggle is a good thing. [50:11] So that struggle is a sign of salvation, because you’re not just willfully going 100 miles per hour into sin.

[50:20] You’re like fighting, and you’re saying no, and when you do fall into temptation, and you don’t obey God, [50:26] there’s conviction that brings about the confession to God of your sin, in which He forgives you of your sin. [50:33] The more bigger problem that I see in our culture is those who trust God that all things will work together for good, [50:39] but they have no desire to obey Him. That is false assurance. [50:44] Friend, you’re not saved. You’re not redeemed. [50:49] If you don’t love God, if there’s no affection in you for God, and you don’t want to live for His purpose,

[50:56] there’s no desire there, then all things won’t work together for good for you. [51:00] You can’t have one part of it and not the other two parts. They go together like a symphony. [51:06] So if there’s no struggle, and you’re just disobedient because you want to be because it’s really what you want, [51:13] then friend, please, I beg of you to repent of your sins and trust Jesus as your Savior, [51:19] and He will transform your life so that you can love Him.

[51:24] I want to get to some more. What would you say to someone who’s persevering but is getting tired of the struggle and difficulties? [51:33] I think it’s probably a little obvious, but I would say keep struggling. Keep fighting. Keep going.

[51:43] When you don’t feel like you can walk, crawl. When you don’t feel like you can crawl, ask somebody to pick you up. [51:52] You see, one of the biggest sins that I see people, and I don’t think we realize it’s a sin, [51:58] is that we suffer silently and alone so that people will think that we’re strong.

[52:06] Number one, the Gospel is a sign that you are perpetually weak and you’re in need of God.

[52:14] Marriage should teach us that God did not design us to walk the path of life alone.

[52:21] God designed us to, number one, be a church, and a church is filled with people, [52:27] if you remember the illustration from childhood with your fingers, and those people exist to help you. [52:34] That’s why community groups are so important. That’s why family is so important. [52:38] That’s why friendship inside of the church is so important. That’s why our personal discipleship groups are so important. [52:43] We need to know one another. We need to be known by one another so that when we struggle, [52:47] when we’re feeling like we can’t fight anymore, when we feel like we’re down to our last breath,

[52:54] a friend can help us. I’m reminded real quickly of a story in the book of Exodus. [52:59] I believe it’s Exodus. If it’s not, sorry. [53:02] Where there’s a battle between the Israelites, and I think it’s the Amalekites. [53:07] If it’s not, sorry. I don’t have any notes for this part.

[53:13] Moses is to stand on the mountaintop, and he’s to keep his arms upstretched. [53:17] God uses that worshipful position to bring the Israelites victory, but his arms get tired because he’s a human being. [53:25] It’s like, what in the world? God tells him to do something. See, God doesn’t give him the strength to do it. [53:32] Moses’ arms start to falter, and they go down. Israelites start to lose. [53:35] We’re like, see, we can’t follow God. What happens next?

[53:42] Two people come up beside him. He sits down, they hold his arms up, and the Israelites win.

[53:50] I’m not huge into allegory, but friends, there’s an object lesson there.

[53:55] That you weren’t meant to do it alone. You need people in your life.

[54:03] How do we know what things are from God, and what things are from Satan or other things? [54:09] I think the story of Job is really helpful here. [54:14] In the story of Job, Satan goes to God, and he says, consider your servant Job.

[54:22] And God says, okay.

[54:26] And Satan says, if he had this in his life, he’d curse you, he’d disobey you, he wouldn’t follow you. [54:33] God says, you can go try. [54:37] Some interesting things there. Satan’s going to bring things into your life, but ultimately, who’s in control of what he brings into your life?

[54:45] Satan couldn’t lay one finger on Job without the permission of the sovereign God. [54:51] Do not fall into the temptation to deify or make Satan into a God. He is not.

[55:02] God created him. He is unwittingly a pawn in the glory of God. [55:09] Therefore, even if Satan or a demon is able to bring temptation into your path, [55:16] know that they can’t do that without the control of an almighty God who’s already presented an opportunity to bring himself glory through that. [55:24] That’s why we can flee temptation. That’s why we can resist the devil, and he flees from us. [55:29] Because God is in charge of it all.

[55:34] How could God use sin for his good? Doesn’t he have to be separate from sin? [55:40] I think the better question would be is how terrified should we be if God isn’t in command of sin?

[55:49] This goes to really what I think ultimately all these types of questions really go to, and that is the problem of evil. [55:55] Where does evil come from? [55:58] First and foremost, we must understand that through what Scripture says, we are responsible for our actions. [56:04] Adam and Eve sinned, disobeyed God. God did not disobey himself. [56:10] Satan disobeyed God. God did not disobey himself. [56:14] God says, and because he’s God, we believe this, that they are responsible for their sin.

[56:19] Therefore, Satan is under judgment, and we are under the curse of sin. [56:23] The creation itself is under the curse of sin by him who subjected it to futility. [56:28] God, why did he subject it to futility? To conform us to the image of Christ. [56:35] So that we could experience the redemption of our bodies. [56:37] So that we could see Jesus come, become a human through a miracle, go to the cross, suffer for sins, rise from the dead, [56:46] sit at the right hand of God with all things under his feet, where all at some day will cry out, holy is the Lamb.

[56:54] So the key is an understanding that you are responsible for your sin. [57:02] Adam and Eve responsible. Satan responsible. God, though, has never lost control of his creation. [57:09] You won’t find that in Scripture because it didn’t happen. God’s always been in control. [57:15] God is in control of sin. How do I know he’s in control? Because Jesus rose from the dead.

[57:23] Jesus defeated sin and death because death could not hold him down. Death was the judgment for sin, and God had complete command over it.

[57:34] Is God separate from sin? Yes. He’s holy. He has never sinned. He has never faltered. [57:41] He has never been unholy in his entire existence because he’s God. [57:47] But that doesn’t mean he’s not in control of all things. Actually, if he wasn’t in control of all things, who wouldn’t he be? [57:53] He wouldn’t be God.

[57:58] Does everyone receive the call of God? What happens if you reject that call? [58:02] I think 1 Corinthians 1 is descriptive. I want to be very, very intentional to use that word. [58:09] It’s descriptive that not everyone receives the call of God. [58:15] And I think Romans 8.28 is also descriptive that not everyone receives the call of God. [58:21] Because we know that there are people throughout history who have not believed the gospel of Jesus Christ. [58:27] Therefore, it has not worked out for their good in the end.

[58:30] And so not everyone receives the call of God. [58:34] What happens if you reject that call? Then you are willfully choosing to pay the penalty for your own sins. [58:41] That’s what happens when you reject that call.

[58:47] If God is the one who calls people to salvation, is it still important to tell people about him? [58:53] I would say it’s more important to tell people about him because God calls people. [58:58] Again, God has not just designed the ends. He’s also designed the means which work to the ends. [59:05] When Jesus stands in front of the fields with his disciples and he looks out into the fields and he says, [59:11] Oh man, the fields are ripe for harvest, but the laborers are few. [59:17] How did Jesus know that the fields were ripe?

[59:21] How did he know? Because he knew that there would be those who would come to faith in him. [59:26] Because he knows all of them by name. He has always known all of them by name. [59:31] And so we don’t have to. Here’s the thing of salvation. [59:36] And the call to salvation is that we are tempted to believe the lie that we’re not capable or adequate enough to call people to salvation. [59:45] And that’s the general call. [59:47] The reason that I’m capable to call people to salvation is because I’m not the one that effectually calls them to salvation.

[59:54] I’m not the one that I believe in the way God is. [59:55] And so there are times when I have been telling people about Christ and I’m like, man, that didn’t even make sense to me. [60:02] It’s like I don’t think I would have gotten saved if somebody had shared the gospel with me that way. [60:07] It’s a good night. But yet God grabs my ignorance, takes it into the heart of a sinner and calls them to himself. [60:16] And it’s like, at the end of the day, it takes a lot of burden off my shoulders that it’s not on my back to call them. [60:24] That way I can just freely go into people’s lives and say, man, Jesus wants to save you.

[60:30] And I use strategy. I use all of the wisdom and knowledge that God gives me. [60:34] And I try to gain more knowledge. But I’m so freed by the fact that God is the God who saves. [60:41] Steve is not the one who saves. [60:43] And so I can trust him to use my stupid words to save people. [60:49] And he’s done it. All praise be to his name, not to my ability. [60:56] And that’s a beautiful worship when you can live with that assurance.

[61:04] Friends, I love you. And I’m thankful. [61:06] If I didn’t get to your question, please feel free to email it to me or give me a call this week so we can grab a cup of coffee that you buy. [61:15] But I want to I want to I want to pray with you right quick and and just say, go in peace. [61:20] Our father, we love you. We’re thankful for you. [61:24] Oh, God, how good it is to know that everything that comes into my life will work together for your good. [61:31] Lord, that I may treasure Jesus for this life and for the eternity that is to come.

[61:38] It’s in his holy and precious name, I pray. Amen. [61:41] Thank you, guys.