Sermon Tone Analysis

*It is well with my soul*

*Scripture Text:  Romans 8:18-39*

*/From Suffering to Glory/*

***18**For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy /to be compared/ with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

19For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.

20For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected /it/ in hope; 21because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

22For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.

23 Not only /that,/ but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.

24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?

25but if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for /it/ with perseverance.

*

*26**Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses.

For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groaning which cannot be uttered.

27Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit /is,/ because He makes intercession for the saints according to /the will of/ God.

*

*28**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.

29for whom He foreknew, He also predestined/to be/ conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

30Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

*

*/God’s Everlasting Love/*

*31**What then shall we say to these things?

 If God /is/ for us, who /can be/ against us?

32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

33Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect?

 /It is/ God who justifies.

34  Who /is/ he who condemns?

/It is/ Christ who died, and furthermore is also raised,  who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

/Shall/ tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

36As it is written: *

*     /“For Your sake we are killed all day long; /*

*     /We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

/*

*37** Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

38for I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels norprincipalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

*[1]

 

*Introduction:*

*     Some have heard the story of Horatio Spafford and know it.

Some do not.

It is a life filled with tragedy and a life filled with the joy of knowing the lord.

Horatio Spafford was a prosperous lawyer and a devout Presbyterian church elder.

In 1870 he met his first tragedy with the death of his firstborn son Horatio of scarlet fever.

His second tragedy came the following year in 1871.

His wife and their four young daughters were living well in the area of Chicago Illinois.

In that year Horatio met with financial ruins when the great Chicago fire broke out.

Spafford had large amounts of real estate investments and he lost nearly all he owned.

Through this all the Spafford’s kept their faith in God strong and it never failed.

*

*     In 1873 Horatio decided to go on a family trip to Europe where he was going to see a friend speak, Dwight L. Moody.

Horatio was delayed due to business and sent his young family ahead without him.

It was on this fateful voyage that the ship the S.S. Ville du Havre was hit by a British vessel and sank.

Horatio’s wife, Anna, was the only family member to survive.

He had lost his four daughters.

While sailing to meet his wife he went pass the area that the ship had sunk and penned these now famous words:*

When peace like a river, attendeth my way, \\ When sorrows like the sea billows roll; \\ Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, \\ ‘It is well with my soul.’

/2/     Tho’ Satan should buffet, tho’ trials should come, \\ Let this blest assurance control, \\ That Christ has regarded my helpless estate, \\ And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

/3/     My sin—oh, the bliss of this glorious tho’t!— \\ My sin, not in part, but the whole, \\ Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more, \\ Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

/4/     And, Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight, \\ The clouds be rolled back as a scroll, \\ The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend, \\ ‘Even so,’ it is well with my soul.

/Chorus/     It is well with my soul, \\ It is well, it is well with my soul.[2]

*It is believed that the bible verse that inspired this great hymn was II Kings 4:26 which reads:*

* *

*26**** Please run now to meet her, and say to her, ‘/Is it/ well with you? /Is it/ well with your husband?

/Is it/ well with the child?’ ” *

*And she answered, “/It is/ well.”*[3]*

*

* *

*Spafford’s life does not end with this tragedy.

He would have 2 more daughters and another son.

The son would die in infancy.

He would found an American colony in Jerusalem.

The mission was to serve the poor of the area and spread the gospel of Christ.

Horatio would suffer from mental illness, thinking he was the second messiah, and would die in 1888 of malaria.*

*Through all his afflictions and trials Horatio Spafford leaned on the Lord.

His Faith never wavered.

He looked the grace of God and the coming Glory.*

* *

*Propositional Statement:  *

*The trials and afflictions of this life are nothing compared to the glory to come.*

* *

*I.                  **First Compliment:  Romans 8:18*

*18**For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy /to be compared/ with the glory which shall be revealed in us.*

*With these words Paul opens this section of scripture.

There are many important things to note in this scripture.

First we look at sufferings.

Many of us will suffer in this lifetime.

Christ never said that following Him was going to be easy.

He did say that:  *

* *

* ****“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves.

T**h**erefore be wise as serpents and** harmless** **as** doves.

****17****But beware of men, for **they** will deliver you up to councils and **scourge** you in their synagogues.

****18**** ****You will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.

****19 **but** when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak.

For **it** will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; **20**for it are not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

*[4]* *

*It is seen in this scripture that we are all going to face trials and afflictions in this present time or in other words our lifetime.

But, and this is a big point, they are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

Peter admonishes us that we stay “firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.”

(1 Peter 5:9)  Likewise Paul assured the Corinthian believers that “ if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; and our hope for you is firmly grounded knowing that as your are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort.”

(2 Corinthians 1:6-7)*

*Christ is the chief example of suffering for righteousness sake.

“For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings.”

(Hebrews 2:10)*

*Those who do not know Christ have no hope when they suffer.

When they lose a loved they have lost them forever.

There is no hope of the salvation of the soul.

Whatever the affliction, it does not come upon them for Christ’s sake, or righteousness sake, and therefore cannot produce for them any spiritual blessing or glory.

They have no reconciliation for their pain, no hope for their soul.

There is no purpose for their afflictions.*

*Christians on the other hand have great hope in their Lord.

They have the promise and hope not only that their pains and afflictions will end but will and to their eternal glory.

As followers of Christ our sufferings come from men while our glory comes from God.  *

* *

*II.