More Than Conquerors

God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?

Let’s read Romans 8:28

Romans 8:28-39

Romans 8:28 ESV

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

I’ll read a couple other translations:

Romans 8:28 NKJV

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Probably the more relevant translation is this:

Romans 8:28 NASB95

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

Because it’s not a matter of things just happening to work themselves out. This isn’t putting good vibes in to the universe, and the universe responding in kind, or that mambo jambo. This is specifically for those who love God - love is displayed through obedience - and are called...

Here, Paul is using the “effectual call”; this is to those who’ve not only heard the call but have responded. He’s presented Himself through the saving works of His Son, Jesus, and we’ve accepted that gift.

Purpose refers to God’s “saving purpose.” It’s the purpose which we see in the sending of Jesus, in his life, death, resurrection, and ascension, and in the preaching of the gospel whereby people are brought out of darkness into God’s marvelous light.

So what’s analagous to this verse in today’s understanding?

Cake illustration

Let’s glance through Genesis for our case study:

Joseph story

All things working together for the good” isn’t just about how our individual lives will turn out. God allowing those bitter elements in our lives to mix with the sweeter ones, both serve as an opportunity to glorify Him, and to change the world for the better.

This Joseph narrative wasn’t just about Joseph being elevated to a position of power and esteem, so he could merely be satiated and rest in the comforts of life. If he wasn’t elevated, then his family dies due to the famine.

Why is that important?

We spoke about God being glorified: Joseph’s family ultimately get’s brought to Egypt at the behest of Joseph and backing of the Pharaoh; while in Egypt, their numbers increase exponentially, forcing the the new Pharaoh (who didn’t know Joseph) to despise them and want to stymie their growth. This brings us to the Moses story. And one miracle after another, we continue to see God show up and show out in story after story throughout the OT. News of God’s great name, mighty hand, and outstretched arms had no choice but to spread throughout the world!

But, it’s even bigger than that! In the middle of this tale of Joseph, in the background, there was another “all things working together for the good” occurring. We learn that one of the family members saved by being moved to Egypt and having a brother in power, was Joseph’s brother, Judah.

Judah had a child named Perez. Perez had Hezron; Hezron, Ram; Ram, Amminadab; Amminadab, Nashon; Nashon to Salmon; Salmon, Boaz (by Rahab); Boaz to Obed (by Ruth) to Jesse, and to a Child named David.

David, a young shepherd boy, who’s heart chased after God, slayed a giant, became a conquering king, wrote a number of Psalms, and gave birth to the wisest man in the world at that time, Solomon. Solomon, author of Ecclesiastes and Proverbs, builder of the first Temple of Jerusalem begat his son, who begat, who begat, who begat…

This goes on and on, all the way until we reach Jacob, the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom Yeshua was born.

Who is that?

Down the road, He’d be known as:

Christ

Lord

Master

Logos

Son of Man

Son of David

Lamb of God

New, Second, Last Adam

Light of the World

King of the Jews

Rabbit

CHosen One

I am

Bread of Life

High Priest

Comforter

Redeemer

Faithful and True

Alpha and Omega

Morning Star

Savior

Joseph’s all thing working together for the good was bigger than him being second in command. His betrayal from his brothers, led to God coming down from heaven and taking on the form of flesh.

Joseph’s wrongful imprisonment led to the Lamb of God sacrificing Himself so that we could all be made free.

And if you think those promises still don’t hold true today… I’m a living witness that it does. Because in the flour of many lives, June 26, 2015, things ultimately and continue to work for the greater good.

Romans 15:5–6 ESV

May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

All things working together for the good, isn’t just about out individual lives either. God allowing those bitter elements in our lives to mix with the sweet ones, both serve as an opportunity to glorify Him, and to change the world - for His glory.See, this wasn’t just about Joseph being elevated to a position so that he could personally be satisfied and rest in the comforts of life. If he isn’t elevated, then his families dies due to the famine. Why is that important?More glory to God: family’s now in Egypt; their numbers increase exponentially, forcing the new Pharaoh (who didn’t know Joseph) to want to stymie their numbers, brings us the story of Moses, and story after story in the OT is filled with God showing up in miraculous ways that His name had no choice but to spread throughout all the nations!But in the middle of all that, there was another “all things working together for good” occurring in the background. We learn that Joseph’s brother, Judah, ultimately gave birth to Perez.Then Perez to Hezron; Hezron to Ram; Ram to Amminadab; Amminadab to Nahshon to Salmon to Boaz (by Rahab) to Obed (by Ruth), to Jesse, to a child named David.David, a young shepherd boy, who’s heart chased after the Lord; who slayed giants, and conquered as a king, and wrote numerous Psalms, gave birth to the wisest man Solomon, author of Ecclesiastes and Proverbs, who begat, who begat, who begat… all the way until we reach Jacob, the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born.Now if you’re unsure of the Jesus I’m referring to, here’s some of His other aka’s:ChristLordMasterLogosSon of GodSon of ManSon of DavidLamb of GodNew, Second, and/or Last AdamLight of the WorldKing of the JewsRabbiChosen OneI amBread of LifeHigh PriestComforterRedeemerFaithful and TrueAlpha and OmegaMorning StarThis Jesus, God incarnate, walked the earth, taught us how to live, and how to regain fellowship with the creator of the world. He died for nothing He did, but for everything we had and will do. It’s in His death and resurrection that everyone of us that call on His name and believe that He’s everyone of those names, can have everlasting life!It’s the reason why nearly two thousand years later I can be a witness to the fact that that promise is still intact. Because there was a young man born in Nashville, TN in 1979, who’s life and untimely death on the morning of his ten year anniversary, the first day in the house he purchased for his family, two days after working out with his brother, two hours after speaking with that same brother and telling him he loves him for the last time in 2015 touched the lives of thousands and continues to have ripple effects today. Through the bitterness of Damion Cook’s passing, lives were committed to Christ, two preachers emerged, his wife, and the man before you today. This is how I know, that I know, that I know, that all things DO work together for the good.Maybe you’re in flour of your life, dealing with the choking effect of increasing expenses and the layoff of your position at work trying to figure out, “why me?”Perhaps you’re experiencing the bitterness of life due to the consequences of your own bad choices. That’s your baking soda. You may have just felt the artery-clogging result of the butter in your life because you lost someone near and dear to you.I get it. These things sting, and often time we don’t know why us, and for how long. I’m so glad that I serve a God who is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind.Through Paul

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