- August 19, 2020
To all the saints of Grace Baptist Church in Dallas, Oregon
Greetings to you in the strong and secure name of our Lord Jesus Christ!
Thank you Church, for your prayers and your precious gift of meals this past week. Having dinners lifted off Pam’s shoulders, and mine, is a real treat. I mentioned that I count myself a very fortunate pastor and this is another reason why I feel this way. Pam is now going through her second week of radiation and she seems to be taking it in stride. Yes, she is getting pretty tender where she is being treated, and she has been told that as things progress that she should expect to become tired and weary. Currently she goes to work in the morning (she works for Wayne Burrow Insurance in Salem from 9-1:00pm) and then on to the Hospital for radiation treatment, and then home to recuperate. Pam is scheduled for treatments through September 4th. Following this we are planning a little get away to Montana leaving after church Sunday the 13th. We should be gone for just over a week. Many of you remember Dennis and Pam Fischer who used to worship with us a number of years ago. We will be staying with them and will take in some Montana sights along the way.
Last time I spoke to you about who we are according to God. He sees us as a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. And we are all of that. But that can be overwhelming too. Just how are we to operate in this world with all its pressures and trials that seek to derail us as God’s people declaring His praises? Do we get some help in this, or are we on our own? Fortunately, we get some help for all of this. We have powerful help and strong assurances as well! Let me take you to the book of Romans today for some insight from its eighth chapter:
“26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.” Romans 8:26-30 (NIV2011)
When we look at verse 26 we see that the Spirit helps us in our weakness. And yes, we are weak people, and are surrounded by weak people. We only think that we are strong. Peter thought that he was strong when he told Jesus that he would never deny Him and that he would even die with him. Yet when he came to the test, the enemy sifted him like wheat. When we rely on our strengths—that is when we are weak. But as 1 Corinthians 12:10 says, when we are weak… then we are strong. This means that we are to be weak in the right kind of way. It’s the way of depending on the Spirit. When we depend on Him, He helps us in our weakness. Had Peter prayed that night in the garden instead of sleeping, perhaps he would not have denied Jesus three times. There may have been a much different story? Even so, Jesus uses us. He is not afraid of our weakness. He simply wants us to come to Him knowing that the Spirit will help us in our weakness. It’s your choice.
It says that we do not know what we ought to pray for. That’s surely true! Why? Because we don’t see clearly the future or the warfare that is being waged against us. I suppose if we really had a glimpse into the heavenly realms, we would pray more boldly, fervently and consistently for ourselves and our loved ones. But we can’t see, and so we don’t know what is coming our way so we must pray by faith. Sometimes our faith is great, and other times not so much. But it is good to know that we have Someone praying for us when we don’t know what to pray for. The Holy Spirit prays for us in ways that we really need prayer, and the ways that the Father will answer prayer. Isn’t that good to know? And it is not some light-hearted prayer, spoken off the cuff either. Paul says that the Sprit’s prayer is with wordless groans. The idea here is that it is deep and heartfelt prayer. The Spirit is really concerned for your wellbeing. I think the reason He is, is because the Father loves you so much and wants what is best for you. So His Spirit intercedes for us. That is a great assurance and help to us.
But verse 27 says that He does more that interceding: the Spirit searches our hearts. In other words, the Spirit knows what we are all about, even when we don’t have a clue. Our hearts are often cloudy and we don’t really know what is going on in there. Much like Peter was sure that He would never deny Jesus—the Spirit knew much better. The Spirit knows the real truth about you and me. No amount of pretending or denial will fool Him into thinking otherwise. He knows the truth about us and He knows the truth about the Father. The Spirit understands the Father’s will for us, and what Father is wanting to accomplish in us—so He intercedes accordingly. That is powerful, my friend. If you are wondering how you are going to make it through your current trial? The answer is the Spirit of God is interceding for you with wordless groans, and He will get you through! There is no wasted, foolish, or useless prayer here. The Spirit makes sure of that.
And now we come to verse 28, which has been a huge comfort to the people of God down through the centuries. Millions upon millions have been helped by this assurance. Now we have been in the context of prayer—seeing how the Spirit of God assists us in our daily walk through interceding for us. As a result, we are now told that God will work everything for the good for each believer. Nothing catches God by surprise. He knows it all, has seen it all, and through His Spirit has made provision for us all. Those things that we think are insurmountable, unattainable, unsustainable, and impossible—are the very things that God uses to accomplish His will in our lives. This is like an iron clad deal! We have the Spirit and the Father working together to accomplish in us that which we cannot even ask or imagine. We can’t lose with this equation. If you are wondering how you are going to get through this insurmountable problem? The Bible says: “God has you covered.” You can’t lose with this equation. Now this isn’t magic, rather it is the power of God. It isn’t mean for everyone, but only those who truly LOVE GOD. In other words it is for redeemed believers. That is someone who has been truly called according to God’s purpose. This is not a “fix” for anybody and everybody thinking that they are a believer because of their perceived good deeds should outweigh their bad deeds. No, this promise and provision is for only those who have been adopted into God’s family.
So who is it that gets adopted? We are told in verse 29 that this is really quite a process. First we see that it is those who God foreknew. This does not mean simply that God foreknows what believers will do, but that God foreknows them. Nor does divine foreknowledge merely mean an awareness of or acquaintance with an individual. Instead it means a meaningful relationship with a person based on God’s choice (cf. Jer. 1:4-5; Amos 3:2) in eternity before Creation. “He chose us in Him before the Creation of the world” (Eph. 1:4).
But there is more. It says that those God foreknew He also predestined them. In other words, God determined a long time ago to do something with you and me. And so He predestined me, or predetermined me for something. It’s like God decided to make me into something. He started a work… and He is determined to carry it on to completion. Much the way I sometimes will take a board in my shop and decide that I am going to make it into something; perhaps a shelf, a picture frame, a table, or a cutting board. I think to myself, “I have a need for such and such—and this piece of wood will work nicely to fulfill my need.” So God has predetermined each of those that He has foreknown to become something that He can ultimately use for His glory.
So what has God predetermined/predestined you and me to become? He is going to shape us into the image of His Son. Now we aren’t talking about external appearances. If that were the case ladies, you would all be facing a sex change and we would all be growing long hair and a beard. So it is not external appearance that is in view—but rather an internal appearance. In His heart, Jesus was the perfect obedient Son who always did what the Father willed. His deeds reflected His Father’s deeds and His words were His Father’s words, so that Jesus never did or said anything without first understanding the Father’s will. No wonder the Father said of Jesus, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased,” Mark 1:11. In the way that Jesus was the extension of the Father and revelation of Him on earth, so we are to become like Him. We are to be His student—and when we are fully taught, we’re to become like our teacher. Conformed to His image. We will one day reflect Jesus, in the way that Jesus reflected the Father to us. That is God’s intent for us and His promise.
Now this verse calls Jesus the “Firstborn?” What does that mean? It means that the resurrected and glorified Lord Jesus Christ will become the Head of a new race of humanity purified from all contact with sin and prepared to live eternally in His presence. Check out 1 Cor. 15:42-49 for more on this. As the “Firstborn” Jesus is in the highest position among all others. This also underscores the fact that if we are to be like Him we will also need to be born again as well. Hence Jesus told Nicodemus, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again,” John 3:3.
Now verse 30 recaps a little of how the process works. There are three steps to this. The first is to be called by God. This is God’s prerogative. He calls whomever He wants. How do you know whether God has called you? You call out to Him, and ask Him. The Bible says that “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved,” Romans 10:13. Whether you do or not is a pretty good indication of whether you are truly called by God. Jesus said that no one comes to him unless the Father draws them—so this drawing and calling is a supernatural work that only those who are truly called will recognize and respond to God.
The next step is justification. This is accomplished by His grace through the redemption that comes through Christ Jesus. Justification isn’t something we can earn or purchase on our own. Rather, it is a gift of God and it accomplishes so much on our behalf. In Romans 5:1 we read that “Since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. This justification speaks of right-relationship. Before, we were estranged from God, but now through Jesus we have peace with Him and have been adopted by Him. That is part of being born again, and now we have a new family. And “Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him!” Romans 5:9.
The last step is glorification. This is when we will be completely like Him. He will one day return for His own and take us to a place that He has prepared for us. In that moment we will be transformed, in a twinkling of an eye. We are in process now to become like Him—hence the trials of life that we are currently enduring. Through all of it we are growing into His image. The final step of our growth will happen when we see Him again. The Apostle John writes, “And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming,” 1 John 2:28. In that day we will fulfill God’s ultimate purpose for us. Won’t that be great?
So now you see, dear friend, God has you covered. No matter what comes our way, no matter what trial you may be facing… God has pledged His Spirit to intercede for you and for Him to work for you what is good according to His great purpose. And He will not break His promise or be found lacking in caring for you.
Consider Jean Sophia Pigott’s words in her hymn: “Jesus, I Am Resting, Resting”
“Jesus, I am resting, resting In the joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness Of Thy loving heart.
Thou hast bid me gaze upon Thee, And Thy beauty fill my soul,
For by Thy transforming power Thou hast made me whole.”
“Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.” 1 Timothy 1:17 (NIV2011)
Pastor Russ Hilsinger
Grace Baptist Church
P.S. I am praying for each of you as well.