Sermon Tone Analysis

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In our text this morning we are going to be encouraged by God by reminding us of those things “We know”.

In this case we are to “know” that God works all things together for the good of believers whom He has called according to His purpose.

We’re actually turned to the way the purpose of God is worked out in believers.

They may be discouraged with all the groaning of the last passage.

But we need to bear in mind that through it all God is working out a great purpose.

No matter what the circumstances that purpose will not be overthrown, and it culminates in final glory.

From vv 28-39 Paul is going to give us many reasons to rejoice while we wait for the present order (which consists of many weaknesses, groanings, and sufferings).

So while we’re waiting for this present order to be done away with,

which happens at the return of Christ,

we can rejoice in v28 that All things are actually working together for our good.

The CHARACTER of the Control.

(v28) “work together for good”

The CONDITIONS for the Control.

(v28) “of those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.”

In the final analysis, we shall see that nothing has worked for the good of the wicked.

Without exception, everything is working together for the benefit of God’s people.

This is true even of our sins, though we must not conclude that we can therefore sin wilfully, as chapters 6 and 7 have made plain.

All who love God are included in this promise this morning.

They love Him because He called them, and He called them because He purposed to do so.

His purposes are working out in every circumstance and event, so that everything serves the welfare of His children.

This is an immense consolation to believers as they endure suffering in this world while waiting to go to heaven.

So the main doctrine set before you in v28 is:

That all things that happen to God’s children in this life are directed by God’s sovereignty, to your eternal happiness.

One of the greatest comforts in adversity is to realize that the the various experiences of life

Butler, J. G. (2009).

Analytical Bible Expositor: Romans (pp.

90–91).

Clinton, IA: LBC Publications.

are not by chance

but are controlled by the hand of a loving Father for our good, our benefit and blessing.

Let’s look first to

The COMPREHENSION of the Control.

(v28) “We know that all things” We are supposed to know that God is working in all of our circumstances (good or bad; mountain top or the valley).

This “all things” ties back v26-27.

Who’s working here in v28?

If God is the subject of that action: “work” here,

with whom or what does He work together?

Well, Christ is making intercession in heaven and He

works with the Spirit here on earth

who makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God!

So in bringing in the context of v26 we understand that God and the Spirit are working together!

What comfort!

That the “all things” that God works together with the Spirit to promote the good of believers includes their suffering (8:18) and weakness (8:26),

Not just our sufferings and weaknesses either but include all the circumstances of our lives.

In 8:35–39 the apostle insists that nothing that believers encounter will be able to separate them from the love of God.

(read it)

Kruse, C. G. (2012).

Paul’s Letter to the Romans.

(D. A. Carson, Ed.) (p.

354).

Cambridge, U.K.; Nottingham, England; Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Apollos.

The CHARACTER of the Control.

(v28) “work together for good”

“all things work together for the good” reproaches, beatings, plundering of your goods, imprisonment, banishment, death, all those kinds of things.

All the sufferings of the Christian are like spreading manure onto a grass field, which seems to stain it for a while and doesn’t smell great, but afterwards it springs up with a fresh greenness.

Please turn to .

Paul and Silas are going to jail!

Beatings with rods are very painful to the body but provides an occasion to experience greater joy in the soul.

Like Paul and Silas.

22 "The crowd joined in the attack against them, and the chief magistrates stripped off their clothes and ordered them to be beaten with rods.

23 "After they had severely flogged them, they threw them in jail, ordering the jailer to guard them carefully.

24 "Receiving such an order, he put them into the inner prison and secured their feet in the stocks.

25 "About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.” 26 "Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the jail were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s chains came loose.”

Wow! “I’m in the midnight hour,” you say.

“It’s so dark.

I’m trapped, locked in, with no way out.

I don’t know what to do.”

O beloved church of Jesus, quit griping and start singing.

Then, like Paul and Silas, you will see things happen to you, around you, and through you.

Think of the death of our blessed Lord Jesus for a moment.

He accepted and received and allowed Himself to be inflicted by others, something dreadful and humiliating.

But in order that He might be believed to me the Life, and so that death may have all of his teeth kicked in and be reduced to utterly nothing to fear.

Something surprising and startline happened.

So the death that they thought to inflict as a disgrace has actually now become a monument of victory against death itself!

God worked that out for our good!

“good” here is to be understood in the sense “final good” or “true good”.

Courson, J. (2003).

Jon Courson’s Application Commentary (p.

741).

Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.

“good” here is to be understood in the sense “final good” or “true good”.

All things are sovereignly and divinely ordered and directed so that they work together for the saved, who are those who love God.

The angels sent out as ministering spirits to serve those who are going to inherit salvation.

Satan and his hosts are all are used by God for our good.

The nations and their rulers.

Rain and thunder, streams, mountains, and clouds and even the stars in their courses.

It’s all totally controlled by God!

This is the Character of the Control.

The CONDITIONS for the Control.

(v28) “of those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.”

Only in the case of those who love God is it true that all things work together for good.

In the original—the words “We know that all things work together for the good” stand at the very beginning of the sentence.

The meaning is this: they, and they alone, have a right to be comforted by this fact.

Christian Standard Bible.

(2017).

().

Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

stand at the very beginning of the sentence.

The meaning is this: they, and they alone, have a right to be comforted by this fact.

I want to open up some lines of thought from our text this morning.

So those who are groaning, suffering, and those who are weak have a very comforting truth of God revealed in those conditions that cause pain.

What’s revealed is God is in the situation with you.

God is up to something, and God is up to something good.

Since God IS the God of the gospel of grace AS WELL AS

the King over all creation, then it follows that He has kingdom purposes in suffering, and these purposes are good.