Elements City Church
God Is For You - week 4 (God Waits With You: Romans 8:18-25)
Our identity has an enormous impact on our life. A positive identity can be a source of optimism and strength, while a negative identity can be an equally powerful force holding us back. The good news of this series is that our truest identity is gifted to us, not built by us. It is an identity found—and never lost—in Christ. Romans 8 is regarded by some as the greatest chapter in the Bible. Its 39 verses contain the practical truths and amazing assurance that are foundational to the Christian life. These messages will deepen our understanding of what it means to be a follower of Christ and how God truly sees us and wants to relate with us. We'll explore what it means to walk in our new life in Christ, free from condemnation and separation because of what Jesus accomplished for us. ...You're invited to live with an unshakable hope that GOD IS FOR YOU.
Locations & Times
Elements City Church
1825 N Alvernon Way, Tucson, AZ 85712, USA
Sunday 5:00 PM
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https://connect-card.com/yr4Y0g8VLBSqzKXeubjbMartin Luther (500 years ago) called Romans chapter 8 the greatest chapter in the entire Bible...
The apostle Paul is resounding some foundational truths from the beginning to the very end of this incredible chapter…
Romans 8 - begins with no condemnation
Romans 8 - ends with no separation
Review:
Romans 8:1
"There is now NO CONDEMNATION for those that are in Christ Jesus…"
In life we will face consequences but, thanks to Jesus, we do not have to live under condemnation.
Your past can humble you, but God doesn't want your past to haunt you…
We've been empowered by the Spirit of God.
The empowered life > the exhausted life
God has ADOPTED you and brought you into His family. That changes everything!
The apostle Paul is resounding some foundational truths from the beginning to the very end of this incredible chapter…
Romans 8 - begins with no condemnation
Romans 8 - ends with no separation
Review:
Romans 8:1
"There is now NO CONDEMNATION for those that are in Christ Jesus…"
In life we will face consequences but, thanks to Jesus, we do not have to live under condemnation.
Your past can humble you, but God doesn't want your past to haunt you…
We've been empowered by the Spirit of God.
The empowered life > the exhausted life
God has ADOPTED you and brought you into His family. That changes everything!
TO DO:
I want to encourage you in the 3 weeks we have left in this series - to take some time each week to read through this amazing chapter — listen to the truths that are yours in Christ Jesus — underline what the Spirit stirs your heart with - ask him to anchor your soul to a phrase, a word, a verse as you read through it and ponder/reflect on it.
I want to encourage you in the 3 weeks we have left in this series - to take some time each week to read through this amazing chapter — listen to the truths that are yours in Christ Jesus — underline what the Spirit stirs your heart with - ask him to anchor your soul to a phrase, a word, a verse as you read through it and ponder/reflect on it.
WAITING is the hardest work of HOPE…and the Hoping that we do…
Waiting on the Lord — IS AN ACT OF OBEDIENCE.
Why does God make us wait? *If he can do anything and if he’s all-loving, why doesn’t he bring us relief and answers and assistance and instant-fixes NOW?
What God does in us while we wait is as important as what it is we’re waiting for.
Waiting is part of the process of becoming what God wants us to be.
Waiting on the Lord — IS AN ACT OF OBEDIENCE.
Why does God make us wait? *If he can do anything and if he’s all-loving, why doesn’t he bring us relief and answers and assistance and instant-fixes NOW?
What God does in us while we wait is as important as what it is we’re waiting for.
Waiting is part of the process of becoming what God wants us to be.
“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not grow weary. They shall walk and not faint” —Isaiah 40:30-31
When you look back at Romans 8:18-25
3 key words
*hope is used 6 x’s
*wait – is used 3 x’s (18, 23, 25)
-wait expectantly (in Greek it’s to survey the horizon — eagerly looking/waiting)
*groan – is used 3 x’s
God is in the life transformation business. And transformation of anything, always involves a "mess" before the finished look. (ex: home improvement projects)
The Christian journey of faith is about aligning our lives in a way that God can work on us (he saved us, now he’s at work within us *(see Phil. 1:6)
When you look back at Romans 8:18-25
3 key words
*hope is used 6 x’s
*wait – is used 3 x’s (18, 23, 25)
-wait expectantly (in Greek it’s to survey the horizon — eagerly looking/waiting)
*groan – is used 3 x’s
God is in the life transformation business. And transformation of anything, always involves a "mess" before the finished look. (ex: home improvement projects)
The Christian journey of faith is about aligning our lives in a way that God can work on us (he saved us, now he’s at work within us *(see Phil. 1:6)
Romans 8:23-25 NLT
And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it. But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)
Christians and Creation share 2 things — they groan together and they anticipate together.
And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it. But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)
Christians and Creation share 2 things — they groan together and they anticipate together.
Quote:
“Faith in anything less would certainly collapse, but a strong and settled trust in who He is would not be altered by anything that might happen.”
~Elisabeth Elliot (book: A Path Through Suffering… Discovering the Relationship Between God's Mercy and Our Pain)
TRUTH: God does some of His best transforming work IN us, through adversity and challenges going on AROUND us…
“Faith in anything less would certainly collapse, but a strong and settled trust in who He is would not be altered by anything that might happen.”
~Elisabeth Elliot (book: A Path Through Suffering… Discovering the Relationship Between God's Mercy and Our Pain)
TRUTH: God does some of His best transforming work IN us, through adversity and challenges going on AROUND us…
Quote:
Suffering creates the possibility of growth in holiness, but only to those who are open to the training - not by arguing with the Lord about what they did or did not do to deserve this, but by praying, "Lord, show me what You have for me in this."
~Elisabeth Elliot (book: A Path Through Suffering)
Suffering creates the possibility of growth in holiness, but only to those who are open to the training - not by arguing with the Lord about what they did or did not do to deserve this, but by praying, "Lord, show me what You have for me in this."
~Elisabeth Elliot (book: A Path Through Suffering)
Paul is stating what we know to be true: things are not as they should be. He's declaring – all things are groaning for what is to come! God will set it right someday. In the meantime, he will forge your faith within you while He waits with us. And as we wait on the Lord. “The Best is Yet to Come" this is the fundamental and foundational HOPE for every follower of Jesus.
God is FOR YOU:
He is the one who waits with you in the waiting…
Things are not as they should be, but one day, he will set all things right!
God is FOR YOU:
He is the one who waits with you in the waiting…
Things are not as they should be, but one day, he will set all things right!
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http://elementscitychurch.org/giveThanks for worshipping with us tonight! We invite you back next week as we continue our series going through Romans 8, showing us the truth that GOD IS FOR YOU.
**Check the app for upcoming events. Sign up for our Church Potluck fundraiser on Sunday May 28th for Students summer camp.
**Check the app for upcoming events. Sign up for our Church Potluck fundraiser on Sunday May 28th for Students summer camp.