Romans 8: More Than Conquerors
Romans 8 • Sermon • Submitted
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· 8,052 viewsThrough Christ we can overcome all things and all enemies. We are more than conqueors, we are overcomers!
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Introduction
Introduction
Good evening and welcome back!
Tonight we are going to finish up our study in .
And I hope that you have found it helpful in some way.
Tonight however, we are going to be looking at the final passage, which starts in verse 28.
In just a few moments though i will be reading verses 37-39, which sums up the entirety of the whole chapter.
Like I mentioned this morning, throughout this passage Paul is trying to get the people to realize the power and the hope that they have in Jesus Christ.
Like today, the people in Rome were under a tremendous amount of pressure from their society.
There were so many different things pulling them in so many different directions that they were really having a hard time determining which way to turn.
While the Roman empire was still very strong at this time, there were several cracks beginning to form in the empire and the government was in a mess.
And Rome being the capital of the empire the problems that existed throughout the empire were only amplified there.
It is a lot like what is going on in our nation today.
Our government is in chaos and things in Washington DC are honestly an amplified version of what is going on all over the United States.
And there was not only political chaos going on but religious, social, economic, you name it, it was going on.
There were so many similarities between the Roman Empire and the United States that it is actually frightening when you think about it.
However, all of this chaos created a sense of hopelessness among the people.
And the one thing that will destroy a nation, a people, a soul is hopelessness.
So Paul comes along and is sensing what is going on and determines he is going to do what he can to offer these people the hope that they are desperately looking for.
And that hope we know is in Jesus Christ and only Jesus Christ.
But even though Paul is offering this hope to the people, they are resistant to it.
And the reason they are resistant is because nothing else they have ever tried has ever worked for them.
Nothing had ever brought them lasting peace, lasting joy, lasting hope.
So, Paul is trying his best to convince them that Jesus Christ is different and if they would just give Jesus a chance then things would be different for them.
And in this last part of the passage, Paul is addressing their questions and their concerns.
But most importantly, he is reiterating the hope that is found in Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone.
So, if you have found in your Bible, I’d invite you stand as we read about our role as More than Conquerors, starting in verse 37, Paul writes . . .
Scripture Focus
Scripture Focus
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 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.
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. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
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,
Romans 8:37-38
All Things, Yes All Things
All Things, Yes All Things
Now, what I read sets the tone for this last part of , and as good as the message of us being More Than Conquerors is there is much more to this passage than just that.
Going back to verse 28, Paul starts out a bit differently.
He writes . . .
28 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. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
Romans 8:
So, lets break this down a bit.
Verse 28 . . .
28 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.
And this is sometimes hard to grasp or accept.
We know and like the fact that all good things work for good, but not so much the bad things.
But we have to take them both together.
Just like we talked about this morning, regarding the good and bad things in life happening to all of us, regardless of who we are.
We all have to endure hardships.
However, knowing this God does something about it.
God turns even those bad things around to something useful for us, so that Paul is able to say that all things for for the good of those who love God.
Good or bad, if we open ourselves up to God and up to God’s instruction, all things in our lives will work to our benefit.
We, however have to be open to the Holy Spirit and allowing the Holy Spirit to teach us.
But what we have a tendency to do if we are not careful is to grow angry and bitter about what we are going though.
Failing to see God at work in it.
Which is exactly the trap Satan wants to set.
And exactly what God wants us to avoid, and exactly why reminds us that . . .
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1-
You see, it is when we take our eyes off of Jesus that we get into trouble.
Satan tries to trick us and distract us from Jesus, getting into our head and lying to us.
And we get all wrapped up in the trouble and forget all about what God is trying to teach us in the midst of the trouble.
We have to keep our focus and we have to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.
That is the only way we are going to make it.
So, the point is, God uses everything in our lives to try and teach us and to try and draw us closer to him.
And the reason for this being . . .
29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
And people get so hung up on these two little verses trying to say that God is going to choose some to save and some not to save.
That is not what this is saying.
These verses are saying that God has already predetermined the way to a deeper walk with Him and that way is Jesus Christ.
God had predetermined THE WAY before the beginning of time as we know it.
God already knew what we would do and knew that he had to have a way for all of us to be conformed to the likeness of his Son.
We are all predestined to have a relationship with God, the problem is some of us choose not to accept the destiny that God has established.
We decide we want to go our own way and reject what God has offered us.
It is like a millionaire writing in his will to give his only child his fortune when he dies so the child can live comfortably the rest of his life.
The millionaire had predestined a certain life for his child.
However, when the child gets the money, he wastes it all the first year and is penniless the rest of his life.
That was not what was predestined but that’s what the child chose.
Our salvation is the same way.
God has given us all the sacrifice of Jesus Christ as a gift, but some of us take it and then throw it away and others never take it at all.
Either way, we are choosing to abandon the eternity that God has predetermined would be best for us all.
The point though that Paul is trying to make is that God has made a way for us all.
God has laid the plans and worked it all out.
And we should be praising God for it and living the life of victory that God has designed.
Which is exactly why Paul writes . . .
31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
Romans 8:31-
And there is so much truth in Paul’s words here.
And there is so much truth in Paul’s words here.
Honesty if we think about it, if God is for us, who can stand against us?
Who can defeat us?
Who can overpower us?
Who can trap us?
Who is more powerful than God?
And we know the answer....NOBODY!
Absolutely nobody and absolutely nothing!
Not only that but also . . .
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
Romans 8:35-
Do we believe it though?
Do we stand in the promises of God’s word?
Do we walk in the victory that is promised through Jesus Christ?
Because this is where the rubber meets the road.
Because we can stand up here and talk all day long, but unless we mean it and unless we live it it doesn’t amount to a hill of beans.
So that’s the question, do you believe it tonight or just say it?
Which brings us to the last part of this . . . Verse 37....
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
Now, it’s one thing to win a battle and conquer the enemy from time to time.
It is a whole other ballgame to be more than a conqueror.
When we are more than conquerors we are overcomers.
We overcome the enemy and every obstacle that the enemy throws our way.
But we don’t overcome by ourselves.
It is not under our own power that we become overcomers.
No, it is only through him that loved us.
It is only through Jesus Christ that we become overcomers.
Which brings us to the last thing Paul writes in this chapter . . .
38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 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.
Do you believe that tonight?
Do you believe that there is no power in the universe that can separate you from God’s love?
Notice that Paul did not write that there is no power that can separate you from God.
He writes that there is no power that can separate you from the love of God.
And the reason behind that is God’s love for us is not dependent on our actions.
God’s love for us is unconditional, unwavering, and unchangeable.
God loves us, period.
Nothing in this universe can change that.
However, there is one thing in this universe that can actually separate us from God, regardless of how much God loves us.
And that one thing is sin.
When we allow sin to reign supreme in our lives, it creates a separation between us and God.
When our sin nature causes us to reject and turn from God, we are separated from God.
God still loves us, but because of our freewill, we choose to remain apart from God.
And if you are here tonight and you are separated from God, it is not because God does not love you.
Nothing you can do can change God’s love for you, but everything you do impacts your relationship with God.
Altar Call
Altar Call
So, tonight if there is something that is separating you from God, you can come and deal with it.
If there is a burden that you have been carrying around, you can come and take care of it.
Any need whatsoever, you can deal with it tonight, if you are willing.
Music will be playing and I will give you just a few minutes to respond to anything God is calling you to do.
Anything God has laid on your heart, I would encourage you to come and take care of it now.
The place is here, the time is now.
Don’t wait until it is too late.
Will you come?