Text:
Romans 8:28:
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Theme:
It Ain’t All Good
Introduction:
- In Romans, Paul is writing to a group of people who are the heart of the Gentile nation. These are a people who do not and cannot relate to the strict traditions and rhetoric existing in the Jewish community. They couldn’t understand “Old folk talk”. They needed things to be broken down to plain and simple terms that relate to their real existence. Paul did just that. He wrote Romans closer to the “How To” methodology than any of his letters.
- The church in Rome was begun by Christians after Pentecost and had in its population a large number of Romans or Gentiles.
- Paul’s purpose is to explain the great “truths” of the gospel to the Jewish-Gentile church in Rome
- It is unique in that it is a systematic exposition of the gospel of universal application – Salvation is free to all.
- The eight chapter of Romans is within the main section of the letter that explains the doctrines of Justification, Salvation, and Grace.
- We are justified by faith
- Romans 3:28, “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”
- Salvation is free gift of God to those who accept it
- Romans 10:9, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
- God’s Grace is the power that saves us
- Romans 11:6, “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.”
- We are justified by faith
- This 8th chapter specifically highlights the believer’s freedom from condemnation.
- The first verse begins with “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit”
- The last verses then concludes by saying that “For I am persuaded, that [nothing] shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
- Verse 28 is the well-known bridge between these two thoughts that comforts the believer!
- “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
Body:
- This verse reminds me of the phrase so often used by the young and even some of the old, “It’s all good!”
- This phrase is a statement of assurance that, even though it may not seem “all good”, it is “all good”.
- Even though I am short the money that I owe you, you tell me “It’s all good!”
- Even though my lights just got turned off, I tell myself “It’s all good!”
- Even though I am depressed and just don’t feel like going on, I console myself that “It’s all good!”
- Even though my friend can’t see their way and don’t believe that they are worth anything, I tell them that “It’s all good!”
- Something is wrong with this à It is a lie to myself and others!!!!!!
- It is a lie even in the worldly context. It ain’t all good:
- You need to pay your bills
- You need to provide for your family
- You need to avoid allowing depression to drive your to drink, drugs or even DEATH
- You need to be able to tell your friend something that can give them hope!
- It is then a lie also in the spiritual context. It ain’t all good:
- There is none good à Mark 10:18 says, “And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.”
- We don’t do good à Psalms 14:1 says, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.”
- Some things aren’t good à 1Thessalonians 5:15 says, “See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.”
- It is a lie even in the worldly context. It ain’t all good:
- This phrase is a statement of assurance that, even though it may not seem “all good”, it is “all good”.
- At this point our text gives us clarity. What is good:
- “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
- “And we know”
- We must KNOW!
- Psalms 100:3 says, “Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.”
- “that all things”
- Not some things
- No person is beyond reproach and, as Psalms 24:1 says, “The earth is the LORD’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.”
- “work together for good”
- Work = It takes work! As it says in James 2:20, “But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?”
- Together = God can and does take the good, bad and ugly of our lives and “work it together” for good.
- Justification, Salvation, and Grace
- Isaiah 64:6, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”
- Matthew 6:10, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”
- 2Corinthians 5:12, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
- There are requirements for “all things work together for the good” à It ain’t ALL good!
- Justification, Salvation, and Grace
- “to them that love God”
- How do we love Him? à Mark 12:30 says, “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.”
- What shows that we love Him? à As Jesus says in John 14:15, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”
- Why should we love Him? à God says in Proverbs 8:17, “I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.”
- “to them who are the called according to His purpose”
- God called Adam à Genesis 3:9, “And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?”
- God called Abraham à Genesis 22:11, “And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.”
- God called Moses à Exodus 3:4, “And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.”
- God called Paul à Acts 9:4, “And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?”
- We can all be “THE CALLED” if we accept it:
- As the hymn says:
- “And we know”
- “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
Softly and Tenderly Jesus is calling
Calling for you and for me
The clarity of the call is made in Romans 10:9 when it says:
“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
If it is not about being saved, DID GOD CALL YOU to what you are doing?
- If it was not God, who/what was it?
- SELF – PRIDE – SELFISHNESS – GREED – FRIENDS – LOVED ONES – ENEMIES – FEAR
- Some were sent, and some just went anyway! ==> IT AIN’T ALL GOOD!
Conclusion:
- So the text shows us that IT AIN’T ALL GOOD!!
- The text shows that WE bring what is not GOOD
- Romans 3:23 reminds us, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”
- Isaiah 64:6 makes clear that “…we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”
- But the text also shows that God provides the GOOD that we need.
- Goodness
- As the text says, “And we know that all things work together for good”
- God is the GOOD!!
- As Psalms 34:8 says, “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.”
- Good Gift
- As the text says, “And we know that all things work together for good”
- God gave us the only purely GOOD GIFT in His son, Jesus!!
- As James 1:17 says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”
- Good News
- As the text says, “And we know that all things work together for good”
- This is GOOD NEWS for any one who believeth
- As Proverbs 25:25 says, “As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.”
- So we must thank God!!!!!
- As Paul says in 2Corinthians 9:15, “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.”
- GOD IS GOOD!!!!
- He gave me life
- He touched me
- He saved me
- He has kept me
- He has provided for me
- Goodness
- The text shows that WE bring what is not GOOD
-
Even though IT AIN’T ALL GOOD
, God is GOOD!!!!!
#171
