If God Is For Us: Romans 8:31-39

The second part of Romans 8 is a song, a victory song from Paul.  This isn’t intended to be looked at for logical reasons.  This is a praise, a victory that Paul has found in Christ.  This is a product of a life of walking with God.  What’s it mean when God is for us?  Does God really care about us?  Paul has learned God cares for us and is with us.  If God is for us, what does this mean for us?  This transforms our lives.

It’s like in the recent movie The Lion King.  Simba learns Mufasa cares about him.  His dad is with him.  That changes everything for him.  What difference does it make to know God is for us?  All things happening are in God’s control.  Paul knows there will be challenges in life.  It doesn’t matter what’s against us if God is for us.

It doesn’t matter who is against us.

                    ³¹What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Paul says some people are against us. 

1 John 4:4 says, “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”

God is greater than anyone who is against us.  God is able to lead us.  God has a purpose for our lives.  What’s it mean that God is on our side?

Kids, it’s like when you’re playing a trivia game and it’s time to choose teams.  You choose your mom.  The other kids start saying that isn’t fair because your mom knows everything!  There’s no way we can win if you have your mom on your team. 

This is what Paul learned throughout difficult circumstances.  There’s nothing to fear.  God will take care of us. 

He will take care of us.

                    ³²He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 

Paul uses deductive reasoning here.  Think about this for a moment: God sent his son Jesus to die for us.  God is able to do anything He wants to do.  God gave His son for us.  God has already given us the greatest gift possible!  When we are struggling we aren’t always rational in our thinking.  Is there anything God would withhold from us as His children? 

Sometimes we have anxiety.  Sometimes our anxiety is about whether or not God cares for us.  

Matthew 6:28, “Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin,”

Nothing is dressed as beautiful as the lilies.  To all those gathered here, God will take care of you.  Let’s grasp Romans 8 and let it sink deep into our hearts.  These truths have been lived out for centuries.  These are time tested truths of God’s faithfulness through all generations. 

Sometimes we get stuck in our fear.  We can’t live the life God has fully intended for us if we think, “Maybe this isn’t true for me.”  If we know God is for us we will continue to grow.  We can pretend all is ok, but we know what’s going on inside of us.  Paul says condemnation keeps us stuck.

We will continue to grow.

            ³³Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. ³⁴Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

This is a courtroom scene.  We know that we’ve done wrong.  We know our sin.  The reason Satan haunts us is that we know we’ve done sinful things.  Jesus is the Judge.  We will stand before Jesus.  

2 Corinthians 5:10 (ESV) For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

If Jesus is the Judge, He is the only one who can bring a charge against you.  Satan can accuse you but Jesus can only bring a charge.  Jesus has forgiven us and is for us.  Who is there left to speak against us?  Who is our accuser?  This is how it will be when we stand before God in spite of this fear in our own minds.  In court, what’s against us will be cleared.  God makes us justified.  

Whatever it is you think will hold you back from your past…  Let’s think about Paul!  Paul killed people!  Paul was against the church and persecuted God’s people.  Paul knows a guilty conscience.  Let go of this and realize who’s on your side.  God is stepping in our our behalf.  God is taking up your case and is standing for you.  The Holy Spirit intercedes for us. 

This is God’s work.  God is interceding for you.  You cannot disrupt God’s plan for your life.  God is doing a work in your heart.  God will do what He planned to do. 

Remember a guy named Joseph who was stuck?  Joseph had a dream from God that said he would be a ruler and that his brother’s would bow down to him.  Joseph finds himself stuck in prison with a baker and a cup bearer.  The baker and the cup bearer are released and two years later they remember Joseph was able to interpret dreams.  Joseph has been stuck a long time.  Two years have passed.  He’s had no contact with anyone. 

I don’t know what your stuck moment is.  This is a story that’s played out in the lives of many people.  That moment arrives when a man intercedes for Joseph’s life.  That’s the moment when things turn around.  God is working for your future.  Jesus has been raised from the dead.  What could possibly keep us from living?  There are still doubts and fears in our minds.  God can handle these.

He can handle our doubts and fears.

                    ³⁵Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

Paul faced all of these.  He had the threat of the sword all his life.  God is still there, even in our lowest points.  God’s love is still there.  Paul became fearless.  Nothing can separate us!  We lose our fear when we understand the depth of the love of God.  God will not let go of us. 

He will not let go of us.

This last part is reflective.  It’s a praise.  Paul is saying, “Look!  I know God will not let me go!”  He lists off ten different fears that separate us.  God is creator of Heaven and earth.  God gives life to everything.  Why be afraid?

³⁸For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

What do you fear today?  Family?  Finances?  Worrying something bad can happen?  Paul covers all these things.  We have a God who is able.  Paul’s faith journey began on the Damascus road.  God grabbed a hold of Paul’s life.  He became a follower of Jesus.  Paul grew in his understanding of the heart of God.  I am sure; I am convinced.  Are you convinced God is stronger and greater?  Can you say that in spite of my own doubts and fears I’m convinced that God will see me through?  Can you say I am sure nothing can separate me?  God wants you to know you’re His and you’re loved.

Sermon Notes are taken, transcribed and posted by Jeni Martin Johnson.