Our Hope I. Prayer II. Base Text: Romans 8:24-30 III. Context and Interpretation A. “This hope” (Romans 8:24) 1. What is “this hope”? 2. Romans 8:19-23: redemption of bodies, groaning of creation for renewal 3. Romans 8:18: glory to appear greater than difficulties suffered 4. Romans 8:14-17: adoption as sons of God, heirs of God 5. Romans 8:1-13: contrast of living according to flesh, living according to Spirit; need to live according to Spirit B. The Nature of Hope (Romans 8:24-25) 1. Saved in “this hope": promises of God fulfilled in Gospel, expectations of promises of Jesus’ return, resurrection, and eternal life (Romans 1:16, Acts 17:30-31, 1 Corinthians 15) 2. Hope as unseen; if perceived, no longer hope! 3. We wait with patience to have our hope realized C. Intercession of the Spirit (Romans 8:26-27) 1. We live in weakness 2. Spirit assists us, interceding for us before God, inexpressible groanings 3. Spirit intercedes for saints, God knows the thoughts of the Spirit D. All Things For Good (Romans 8:28) 1. An encouraging statement! 2. For all who love God, things work out for good 3. May not always be evident how, but they do! 4. Consider Joseph (Genesis 37-50) 5. Suffered many things, yet it worked out for good (Genesis 50:20) E. Predestination, Foreknowledge, Conformity (Romans 8:29-30) 1. Another difficult couple of verses 2. Consider also Ephesians 1:3-6 3. Predestination as based in God’s foreknowledge 4. God not violating free will; an encouraging passage for believers 5. Ephesians 3:11: God’s eternal plan 6. God calls through Gospel, likely knows who will obey it to the end, who will not 7. Believers as experiencing conformity to the image of the Son (cf. 1 Corinthians 11:1, Galatians 2:20, 1 John 2:6) 8. Jesus thus Firstborn of many brothers 9. Those predestined called, those called justified, those justified glorified 10. Not some mysterious heavenly working, but according to God’s revelation 11. Called: Matthew 22:9, 14, 2 Peter 1:3; that God calls believers does not deny that God also would call unbelievers! 12. Justified: Romans 5:9; 6:7, Galatians 3:8, James 2:24-25 13. Glorified: John 17:1, Acts 3:13: cf. Philippians 2:5-11 14. Past tense not saying that all things have already happened; past tense indicates that we can have great confidence that it will take place, as if it has already happened! IV. Application A. Living in Hope 1. From Romans 8:24-25, we see that we are currently living by hope 2. cf. 1 Corinthians 13:10 3. Hope that we will be saved as we are currently saved (1 Peter 1:3-9) 4. Hope that we will obtain the redemption of our bodies 5. Our faith, life, confidence: all in hope! 6. Hope not worthless; instead, most valuable! 7. Hope as leading to patience: since we have not yet obtained it, but look for it, we gain patience and endurance so that we can obtain it (1 Corinthians 9:24-27, James 1:2-4) 8. The things God has promised us are awesome; let us hope for them in patience! B. Intercession of the Spirit 1. Realization of our weaknesses: we do not know all things for which we should pray 2. Spirit as interceding for us: the Spirit is on our side! 3. Extremely encouraging to consider C. All Things Leading to Good 1. A statement we have to take on faith! 2. Many times circumstances do not look like they will be positive in the least 3. Yet for those who love God, all things work out for good (Romans 8:28) 4. Consider Joseph, Esther, others 5. “Good” may not always be something pleasant; perhaps the “good” is growth in character (James 1:2-4) 6. Do we have enough faith in God to accept that even if circumstances seem dire, all things will eventually work out for the good? D. Comfort From Predestination and Foreknowledge 1. Romans 8:29-30 often passed over or explained away because of its difficulties 2. Yet, when we understand what Paul is trying to do, we can gain great encouragement 3. Not a denial of free will, acceptance of Augustinian Calvinism 4. Recognition that God’s hand is still there throughout our lives (Ephesians 3:11)! 5. God has provided the means by which we can be saved 6. God presides over our calling, justification, and glorification 7. God knows us in advance, and based on His knowledge of what will be done, He makes sure that the way is paved for our salvation! 8. This does not deny our need to hear the Word, believe it, and obey it! 9. It also does not mean that God has already predetermined who will be saved and condemned based only in His sovereign choice! 10. It does mean, however, that we’re not going to lose out in some cosmic accident, or somehow be passed over 11. This is to encourage: God’s care for us from before the foundation of the world! E. We are not accidents; we are saved in hope; may we submit to God in Christ and obtain life in Him! F. Invitation Scripture, Meditation, and Application 1: For in hope were we saved: but hope that is seen is not hope: for who hopeth for that which he seeth? (Romans 8:24) Paul has spoken of the Christian's hope: in Christ through the Spirit God has secured salvation, redemption, and adoption for those who would believe in Him, and will raise them in the resurrection on the final day. Such salvation has present ramifications: Paul said Christians were saved (past tense) in hope. Yet salvation has a strong future aspect: if it were fully realized, it would no longer be in hope, but in sight. If we are in Christ, we are saved now, and yet yearn for the fullness of salvation on the final day. May we obtain life in Christ today and forevermore! 2: And in like manner the Spirit also helpeth our infirmity: for we know not how to pray as we ought; but the Spirit himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered (Romans 8:26). Life in the "now" but "not yet" of salvation in Christ is not easy. We humans are weak and fallible; we are more limited than we would like to imagine. God knows our weakness; His Spirit intercedes for us. He makes intercession for us before the Father for the things we do not know, understand, or perceive. God is not against us; God is doing all He can to save us. May we find strength in our hope and trust in God, and find salvation in Him! 3: And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, even to them that are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28). In the midst of trial it is easy to despair of hope. Paul wanted the Roman Christians to understand that all would work together for good for those who love God. Paul's statement only works in its totality. Not everything is good which a Christian might endure, but it all works together for good if it leads to salvation. No good end comes for those who do not love God. May we endure all things so as to obtain salvation in Christ! 4: And whom [God] foreordained, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified (Romans 8:30). Many Christians feel apprehensive regarding Paul's grand declarations regarding God's sovereignty; such is unfortunate. We should recognize the great encouragement Paul seeks to give. We are not accidents, and what we endure is not mere happenstance. God is working to save us. He has foreknown, called, and justified us in Christ so that we might be glorified in Him. We are not forgotten; we are deeply loved. May we heed the call of God in Christ through His Spirit, not give into the despair and temptation of the call of the Evil One, and endure in faith to obtain eternal life!