Audio - Awaiting Our Promised Glory
Play Audio
MP3 Download (17.3mb)
The Fourth Sunday After Trinity
Awaiting Our Promised Glory
July 1, 2007
TEXT: NKJ Romans 8:18 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.
19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing
of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not
willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation
itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious
liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans
and labors with birth pangs together until now.
The two prominent Apostles of the early Church were Peter and Paul—Peter offered
testimony similar to our text in his second epistle—Peter was discussing the
coming end-times—Peter tells us Christians that Paul’s letters to the Church
warn of men twisting the truth and trying to deceive us—and that Paul wrote with
inspired wisdom in understandable terms
NKJ 2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in
which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt
with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned
up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of
persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and
hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be
dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13
Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth
in which righteousness dwells. 14 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these
things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; 15
and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation -- as also our
beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you,
16 as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are
some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to
their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. 17 You
therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall
from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; 18 but
grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be
the glory both now and forever. Amen.
And how is it that we should conduct our lives on earth as we wait for the Day
of Judgment?—Jesus taught us this lesson
NKJ Matthew 5:43 " You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your
neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless
those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who
spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 "that you may be sons of your Father in
heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on
the just and on the unjust. 46 "For if you love those who love you, what reward
have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 "And if you greet your
brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors
do so? 48 "Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is
perfect.
When we consider the words of our text we are made aware that we are not the
only ones subject to the evil of Satan on this earth—God’s entire creation is
subject to the evil works of the devil—all of creation cries out for Jesus’
return—a time of salvation and joy—an end to suffering
This becomes more clear when we consider Jesus’ teaching on the ruler of this
world—Satan—Jesus is speaking of His return to heaven after His victory over
death in this world—He must depart to send us the power of the Holy Spirit
NKJ John 16:7 "Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I
go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I
depart, I will send Him to you. 8 "And when He has come, He will convict the
world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 "of sin, because they do
not believe in Me; 10 "of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see
Me no more; 11 "of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
The ruler of this world is the devil—Satan
The Helper Jesus sent is the Holy Spirit which dwells within each and every
Christian believer
NKJ 1 Corinthians 3:16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that
the Spirit of God dwells in you?
That is our protection from the torment of the devil until we are called home or
the Day of Judgment comes—we are God’s children—we have the Holy Spirit—and we
are promised salvation by God in His Word
NKJ Mark 16:16 "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does
not believe will be condemned.
NKJ John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become
children of God, to those who believe in His name:
But being one of God’s children does not exempt us from the torment of the
devil—but God controls Satan and limits what he can do to us and the remainder
of God’s creation—we learned this in the first chapter of Job
NKJ Job 1:8 Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job,
that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who
fears God and shuns evil?" 9 So Satan answered the LORD and said, "Does Job fear
God for nothing? 10 "Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household,
and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his
hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 "But now, stretch out
Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!"
12 And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power; only
do not lay a hand on his person." So Satan went out from the presence of the
LORD.
This is Satan’s world—and when our Lord Jesus defeated death on the cross and in
that tomb—Satan’s days became numbered—Christ’s victory will be our victory
With our victory comes our glory—just as our victory was in Christ—so is our
glory in Christ
NKJ 1 John 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been
revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be
like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
This promise is no surprise to us—we pray for the coming of God’s Kingdom each
time we pray the Lord’s prayer
NKJ Matthew 6:9 "In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed
be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in
heaven.
Paul’s statement that the creation looks forward to an end to the evil control
of Satan did surprise me—this is one of those passages that I have read many
times before—but I did not realize the totality of the statement until this
sermon
NKJ Romans 8:20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but
because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also
will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of
the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors
with birth pangs together until now.
When God created the world—everything in the world was created by God to serve
man—but when man fell into sin—all that changed—God’s creation could no longer
serve man as intended—because man was no longer perfect as God intended—so
everything changed
NKJ Genesis 3:17 Then to Adam He said, "Because you have heeded the voice of
your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, 'You
shall not eat of it': "Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat
of it All the days of your life.
So by man’s fall the earth and all creation were allowed to be used to make man
miserable—and by Jesus’ return and judgment of Satan and the evildoers the
creation will return to perfection—and it will again serve man
Therefore man and creation wait for Jesus’ return—much like a woman in labor
waits for delivery of her child—the pain will be short—and the joy will be
forever
Thy Kingdom come, Lord—Thy Kingdom come!
ALL GLORY BE TO GOD!