Sermon Notes - Romans 8:31-39 - Littleby Baptist Church - February 9, 2025

1.        As we wrap up chapter 8, we come to a set of verses that in many ways are a summary of Paul’s letter to Rome so far.

a.        We have seen how we as believers are to face suffering in the here and now.

b.       How we are reminded that any suffering that we may experience on this side of eternity, no matter how severe…

c.        Does not compare in the slightest to glory that we will receive.

d.       It can be hard for us to wrap our minds around that.

e.        Especially as we walk through the pain in this life.

f.          What we will see and receive on the other side will be so great that this will seem like nothing.

2.        When we think about last week’s verses and the letter as a whole, we have a couple of themes.

a.        God is with us, is one of them.

b.       We see that throughout the letter.

c.        From God stepping in and providing us an atoning sacrifice through Jesus to the Holy Spirit helping us to pray in our weakness.

d.       Both of which also feeds into another theme of God being at work in in us.

e.        Paul regularly tells us how God is freeing us from our servitude to sin.

f.          And recently he has remined us that the things we live through in our lives move us to our eternal destination.

g.        All of this is part of God being at work in us.  

3.        Themes weaved throughout the letter and in chapter 8.

4.        Romans 8:31

a.        Paul knows that many people, religious leaders, and even governments will stand against those who follow Christ.

b.       He is asking about who can really stand against God.

c.        Looking back at the end of verse 30, who can stand against the God who calls us, justifies us, and glorifies us?

d.       If God is for us, who in all of creation can prevent God from fulfilling His promise to us?

e.        No one and nothing can.

f.          If we go back to the first part of the verse…

g.        What are we to say?

h.        How are we to respond?

i.          How are we to respond to being justified and glorified? How are we to respond to no one being able to stand against God?

j.          We are to Praise our God!

k.        To thank our Father!

l.          We need to thank our God for all that He does.

m.     For the salvation He has offered.

n.        For the work He continues to do.

o.        For the protection He has given.

p.       For the Hope that He has provided.

5.        Romans 8:32

a.        God’s love for us is so great that He handed over His one and only son to be a sacrifice for us.

b.       If our heavenly Father freely did this for us.

c.        Should we doubt that He will carryout the other things He has told us?

d.       Should we doubt that Jesus is going to return?

e.        Should we doubt that we will spend forever with our God?

f.          Should we doubt anything that this Good Book tells us?

g.        If it is from God we need to trust it.

h.        He has more than proven His love for us and His commitment to provide for us.

6.        Romans 8:33

a.        Who?

b.       Satan is who.

c.        He is our accuser.

d.       He has his list of things against us.

e.        Now, as much as we may not want to admit it, he does not have to lie.

f.          When he accuses us, all he has to do is tell the truth.

g.        We are sinners.

h.        We have done more than enough to be judged.

i.          Thankfully, if we have repented of our sins and given our life to Jesus.

j.          Romans 5:1

k.        We have been justified by Christ.

l.          We have been cleansed.

m.     Those accusations thrown our way may be true, but Jesus has washed them away.

n.        Thank you, Jesus!

7.        Romans 8:34

a.        Paul asks and answers the question.

b.       Who condemns?

c.        It would be Jesus.

d.       Since He is the judge.

e.        Yet, He is also the one who died and was raised.

f.          He is the one sitting at the right hand of God interceding for us.

g.        Jesus is the judge.

h.        I would hate to stand before Him without being bathed in His blood.

i.          With Jesus, we will not be condemned.

j.          Without Him it will not be pretty.

8.        Romans 8:35

a.        Who?

b.       We have already talked a little about Satan.

c.        Can he separate us from the love of Jesus?

d.       If Jesus is your Savior, absolutely not.

e.        As we will see in the final verses of the chapter, which we will cover in a moment, nothing can separate us from the love of our Lord and Savior Jesus.

f.          Praise God.

g.        There are several items listed here.

h.        Affliction, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, and sword.

i.          Paul is talking from his own personal experience.

j.          2 Corinthians 11:23-28

k.        The short list in Romans 8:35 that Paul gave us.

l.          He had firsthand experience.

m.     His experience is that they did not separate him from the Love of Christ.

9.        Now here is a question for us to think about.

10.   How does this list work with Romans 8:28.

11.   Romans 8:28

a.        That is one for us to think and pray about.

12.   Romans 8:35

a.        Is God using these things for the good of those who love Him?

b.       As hard as it might be for us to understand at times.

c.        As hard as it might be to admit it.

d.       The answer is yes.

e.        Those ‘things’ as hard as they are, are each part of the journey that leads to our being with Christ forever.

f.          God is always looking to our time in Glory.

g.        The affliction, distress, danger, and even the sword… if they lead to our honoring God.

h.        If they help others to see Jesus for who He is.

i.          It they help us draw closer to Jesus.

j.          Then it is part of all things working together for us as we love God.

k.        Doesn’t mean they are fun.

l.          Might not mean they were what God originally planned for us.

m.     But He will use them.

13.   Romans 8:36

a.        Paul is quoting Psalm 44:22

b.       He is reminding the Roman church that facing hardships was nothing new for those who followed God.

c.        John 16:33

d.       Jesus taught about His followers enduring suffering.

e.        It was something that was to be expected.

f.          The Roman church had experienced persecution.

g.        The Jewish people had been expelled from Rome and had just recently been allowed to return.

h.        These words would have been a reminder and should have been a comfort to them.

14.   Verse 37 is an answer to the question in verse 35.

15.   Can those things separate us from God?

16.   Romans 8:37

a.        None of these things can stop Jesus’ work in us.

b.       All of these things are part of our journey to Glory.

c.        As we endure these things we are moving along in our Sanctification process.

d.       We are growing as a follower of Christ.

e.        We are becoming the person that our Lord wants us to be.

f.          We are being molded and shaped.

g.        The Holy Spirit is removing the sin in our lives and equipping us to do the work that we are meant to do.

h.        Those things do not stop us.

i.          Instead, they prepare us to charge the hill.

j.          To fight the battle.

k.        To be who God created us to be.

17.   Romans 8:38-39

a.        Paul a man who has endured a lot.

b.       Has seen a lot.

c.        He knows the OT Scriptures better than most.

d.       He had firsthand experience with Jesus on the road to Damascus.

e.        It is pretty clear on what he believes.

f.          Re-read verses.

g.        Paul is confident…

h.        That whether we are on this side of eternity or the other side…

i.          Facing Angels or rulers, aka demons…

j.          The present, the future, powers… meaning governments or spiritual powers…

k.        Extreme distances of height or depth…

l.          Paul is convinced beyond any measure that anyone can dream up…

m.     Beyond anything that can exist…

n.        That nothing can separate us from the Love of God found in our Lord Jesus Christ.

o.        A Love that is so complete that led to Him dying on a cross for us.

18.   God’s Love for us is Absolute.

a.        There is no way for us to measure it.

b.       The Holy Spirit used Paul to try to describe it and did an amazing job, but I suspect the words here still fail to describe it.

19.   Psalm 136:26

a.        Give thanks for God’s faithful love.

20.   If you are a Christ follower, I hope you know how much your God loves you.

a.        No matter what you are going through in this life, know that God will use it to help you get where you are going.

b.       As God is working in you, step out in faith and serve God and serve others.

c.        I would love to talk to you if there is something you are feeling led to do.

21.   If you do not know Jesus and would like to know more about our amazing God and His awesome love.

a.        Please do not delay.

b.       Jesus is the only way.

c.        We are all sinners.

d.       We are all lost.

e.        But we do not have to stay that way.

f.          God loves us so much that He sent His only son Jesus to die for us.

g.        To pay for our sins.

h.        If you repent of your sins.

i.          And give your life to Jesus.

j.          You will be forgiven.

k.        You will be given a new life.

l.          You will become a child of God.

m.     If that is you, I would love to pray with you.