Sermon Tone Analysis

Scriptural Text:

PROVIDENCE

AN old authority assures us that “the Jews fancy, concerning the cloud that conducted Israel through the wilderness, that it did not only show them the way, but also plane it; that it did not only lead them in the way which they must go, but also fit the way for them to go upon it; that it cleared all the mountains and smoothed all the rocks; that it cleared all the bushes and removed all the rubs.”

PROVIDENCE

AN old authority assures us that “the Jews fancy, concerning the cloud that conducted Israel through the wilderness, that it did not only show them the way, but also plane it; that it did not only lead them in the way which they must go, but also fit the way for them to go upon it; that it cleared all the mountains and smoothed all the rocks; that it cleared all the bushes and removed all the rubs.”

What is probably a mere legend as to the type is abundantly true of the providence of God, which it so accurately represents.

Our gracious God not only leads us in the way of mercy, but he prepares our path before us, providing for all our wants even before they occur.

What is probably a mere legend as to the type is abundantly true of the providence of God, which it so accurately represents.

Our gracious God not only leads us in the way of mercy, but he prepares our path before us, providing for all our wants even before they occur.

The glorious message of Romans is that God assures deliverance (freedom) from struggling and suffering—through Christ.

This is the whole point of all that has been written before.

Man desperately struggles against the pressures and forces both within himself and alien to himself.

He struggles against the weight and discouragement of trials; against the pollution and corruption of life; against the relentless accusations and bombardments of conscience and law; against the pain and decay of his body; against the striking fear and hopelessness of an eternal judgment hereafter.

He struggles against the unknown and against pain, hurt, sorrow, loneliness, alienation, aging, death, and hell (cp.

).

And somehow, through his suffering and struggle throughout life, he feels that his suffering and struggling are due to a wrong relationship with God.

Therefore, man views his many problems as really being one supreme problem: how to get right with God.

If he can establish the right relationship with God, he feels sure God will help him through his trials and take care of his future hereafter.

This is the very message of Romans.

Man needs to get right with God, for he is under the condemnation and wrath of God ().

Man needs a right relationship with God; he needs to be justified, that is, declared righteous by God ().

Man needs to be freed from the struggle of sin, for sin corrupts and leads to death ().

Man needs to be freed from the bondage of law (spiritual legalism); for the law enslaves, accuses, condemns, and strikes hopelessness within the heart ().

the glorious message of Romans is that God assures deliverance (freedom) from struggling and suffering—through Christ.

This is the whole point of all that has been written before.

Man desperately struggles against the pressures and forces both within himself and alien to himself.

He struggles against the weight and discouragement of trials; against the pollution and corruption of life; against the relentless accusations and bombardments of conscience and law; against the pain and decay of his body; against the striking fear and hopelessness of an eternal judgment hereafter.

He struggles against the unknown and against pain, hurt, sorrow, loneliness, alienation, aging, death, and hell (cp.

).

And somehow, through his suffering and struggle throughout life, he feels that his suffering and struggling are due to a wrong relationship with God.

Therefore, man views his many problems as really being one supreme problem: how to get right with God.

If he can establish the right relationship with God, he feels sure God will help him through his trials and take care of his future hereafter.

This is the very message of Romans.

Man needs to get right with God, for he is under the condemnation and wrath of God ().

Man needs a right relationship with God; he needs to be justified, that is, declared righteous by God ().

Man needs to be freed from the struggle of sin, for sin corrupts and leads to death ().

Man needs to be freed from the bondage of law (spiritual legalism); for the law enslaves, accuses, condemns, and strikes hopelessness within the heart ().

"O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?"

().

"I thank God [that] Jesus Christ our Lord" shall free me from struggling and suffering (; cp. ).

Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible – Romans.

Those who love God and are called by Him will definitely be freed from the bondages and corruptions of this life and ushered into glory.

God assures this.

Nothing, absolutely nothing, shall prevent God's settled plan and purpose from coming about in the life of the believer.

Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible – Romans.

1. Assurance 1: God works things out for those who love Him (v.28).

The believer's position and behavior are both involved in the call of God.

⇒ Positionally, God chooses the believer by setting him apart through the Holy Spirit and through belief of the truth.

"God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ" ().

⇒ In behavior, God calls the believer to a life of purity and holiness.

"For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness" ().

"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it" ().

"Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all" ().

"Fear thou not; For I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness" ().

Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible – Romans.

Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible – Romans.

2. Assurance 2: God has determined to fulfill His purpose for the believer (v.29).

"Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world" ().

"For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren" ().

"According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will" ().

"According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: in whom [Christ] we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him" ().

Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible – Romans.

Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible – Romans.

3. Assurance 3: God has set the glorification of the believer—once-for-all (v.30).

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" ().

"Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God" ().

"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" ().

"And the Spirit and the bride say, Come.

And let him that heareth say, Come.

And let him that is athirst come.

And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely" ().

"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool" ().

"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price" ().

"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" ().

"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory" ().

"[That ye may know] what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints" ().

Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible – Romans.

Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible – Romans.

4. Assurance 4: God has acted for the believer, not against him (v.31-33).

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" () "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly" ().

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" ().

"Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father" ().

"All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all" ().

"Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink?

or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?...But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (, ).