In hardship look at God's glory

In hardship look at God's glory

 Romans 8:17-39

¹⁷ and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

From Hardship to Glory

¹⁸ For I consider that the hardships 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. ²³ Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits 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? ²⁵ But 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 groanings which cannot be uttered. ²⁷ Now 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. ²⁹ For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. ³⁰ Moreover 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? ³³ Who 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 risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ³⁶ As 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. ³⁸ For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, ³⁹ nor 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.

Hardship is part of our lives that is cannot be avoided. Although you live a life in Jesus like praying daily and volunteering often living life without hardship and pain is hard. Due to original sin from Adam and Eve we are hardship. Gives pain to woman when give birth.

 But I believe this is pain and hardship is not just about when give birth, but throughout growing child.

Many years ago at one military base I was working as army chaplain got a call from hospital. At the hospital there was a mother and an infant on her hands. Infant came out too early mother was expecting for baby to go back to God’s hand. I couldn’t imagine how painful the process it is for the parent. Infant was with mother for long time and shared pain as mother gave birth, but now infant has to go, how painful this would be for mother? Give birth and raise child, leave the house and get married to other family this processes aren’t easy. Of course, raising child has quite of joy, but watching child go through their own hardship is hard. God gave pain to men to work and sweat to eat. However, many women nowadays work. Work can be fun sometimes, but competing in this society is lots of stress as well.

 

We as believer have our pain, because we believe in God. Jesus once said in 1 Peter 2:21, ‘²¹ For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for ^[e]us, leaving ^[f]us an example, that you should follow His steps:’ because of this we are called. Christ received his hardship to become an example to us to follow. When we follow Jesus’ path and take after him we can experience various persecution and hardships. First church’s member had many different hardships just because they believed in Jesus.

Even nowadays, there are places that Christian get persecution. There are places where people cannot call Jesus’ name at their will or spread gospel. How is this land America? Is it safe for Christian? Yes it is safe land and has human rights for us to have freedom in religion. We should be thankful, but even this place can be the place where persecution snuck in for Christian.

When you confess that God’s words are only truth and Jesus is only way for salvation you may experience uncomfortable stares around you. 

 

People may call you that you are self righteous and narrow minded person. People who are living in Satan’s culture how would they look at us Christian? Living in this world as God’s child is not easy. Let’s talk about what kind of attitude we should have when we get persecution due to believe in God.

 

First we need to accept hardships. Christian who wants to join the glory must accept hardships. Without it there is no glory. As God’s child we are inherited to earn heaven’s glory and it is right for us to go through hardships along with Jesus Christ. Romans 8:17 says, ¹⁷ and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.’ Let’s not fear to go through hardships for Jesus. When difficult moment comes into your life accept it as it is and do not think it is strange. You have to accept it and not avoid the hardship that comes in your way. Without scar and pain you cannot raise a child. Process of having conflicts between family and heal the scars is to learn each other and better each other with experience together.

Hardship is not just bad. It is a step to shape us to take us close to glory.

Today’s verse 28 says, 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.’

God give us challenges for us to grow like how parents discipline their child. When we endure and overcome hardships that God gives us there will be a day of glory awaits.

Verse 18 says, ‘¹⁸ For I consider that the hardships of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.’

The hardships we go through can be unimaginable and heavy to us, but this is nothing when we compare to the glory we will get from God after hardships. Verse 25 says, ‘²⁵ But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.’

However, it is hard to go through all the hardships not knowing what it is really like to get that glory, because we do not know how the heaven like is. None can experience while we are in this land.  How can we experience heaven of glory from this land?  

 

God is not someone who we can see nor touch. God’s glory came to this land with Jesus Christ. Jesus’ disciples could experience God’s glory like Peter, John, and Jacob experienced on the top of mountain and witnessed Jesus’ body changed into body of glory. Also saw Moses and Elijah spoke to Jesus and said (Matthew 17:4) ‘⁴ Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, ^[a]let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”’

 

After experiencing glory they did not want to go down the mountain. Shortly their heart was filled with hopes of heaven after experience God’s glory.

In Acts 9 Saul was on his way to prison people of Lord to Damascus. As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. ⁴ Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”

After hearing Lord’s voice and experiencing God’s glory Saul becomes man of Christ.

 2 Corinthians 12:4 says, ⁴ how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.’

Romans 8:35-37 says, ‘³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ³⁶ As 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. ³⁸ For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, ³⁹ nor 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.’

Even Saint Paul experienced many hardships and in danger to lose his life, but he endure and won, because he was looking at God’s glory.

 Not including Peter and Paul there are full of stories of others who experienced God’s glory and overcame their hardships in the bible.

Then, the land we currently living, here in Watertown can we experience God’s glory and look for it? How will we react once we experience it? It may be like how Peter said, ‘this is good place, living here in the tent up here on mountain is better than living down there.’

 

Saint Paul said going to heaven is better than anything, but he is staying for people who believe in God. This means once you experience God’s glory God’s world is far better than anything in comparison. Being able to experience this is because Jesus promised us to send Holy Spirit to us as he ascends. And in Acts 2 it records of Holy Spirit descends in this land. Holy Spirit helps us all the time for us (today’s verse 26), ‘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 ^[g]for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.’

With Holy Spirit’s help we can experience God’s world and glory from this land.

  How many times have you experienced God’s glory after having faith in God?

Let me give testimony about our family and end this sermon.

----Personal testimony won’t be on---  

 Your hardships and pain are part of our lives that cannot be avoided. Especially, for Christian there are bigger challenges ahead of us, but if there is something that we must remember is that we are the people that have glorious heaven’s resurrection. This land and life here is temporary. What we will inherit from God after this life will be incomparable. If you experienced this Glory take it and victor in hopes. If you did not experienced God’s glory do not rest praying and have passion to experience it and ask for help from Holy Spirit. No matter how bad are the hardships and pains you go through in this world it is unable to separate us from God’s love. In hardships look at God’s glory and endure it. With Holy Spirit’s help we can see God’s glory. Choice is yours. God gave us his only son to us to save mankind, so what else can’t he do for us? Seek help to our God, and then he will grab your hand and walk the passage of hardship with you. In that passage you will see God’s glory and win by enduring it.

 

Pastor; Steve Kim 012019