More than Conquerors: The Greatest Chapter in the Bible, Part 8

Today on Summit life with Jamie Greer what Satan meant for evil to examine persecution and distress of sorts. God meant for good.

God uses those attacks now to work things in unity wouldn't work without them from the who's your salvation is greater than the opposition. Therefore, the who's your salvation transforms the opposition to the service of his purpose. Like with Jenny suffering. It's hard to imagine how God might be working that out for our good, feels too painful or too out of control that today Pastor JD wraps up Romans chapter 8 and helps us understand when we go through suffering we have the assurance of being called justified and glorified. What makes us more than conquerors. Question three and four. If God accepts me disapproval need not fear any longer, number four, verse 34 Jesus judge was judge to my place. I still feel guilt from anywhere in reverse order.

Scripture tells us on question number four. Jesus tells us that God has committed all judgment to the son. That means that one day get this everybody in the world who ever lived, is to stand in front of Jesus. That means that one day the one who will judge me is the one who is died in my place.

That means the one who sits on the throne, who will judge the whole world is the one who bears in his own body. The proof of my justification. That means I cannot be condemned by him because for him to condemn me would mean he would have to deny the marks of his own body. He can't deny himself. The only one who could bring judgment is the one who bore judgment in my place and pulses. Even now, this judge stands there he stands there, beside the throne of God the father interceding for me based on his finished work. I have told you before, a lot of the apostle John talks about this in that passage in verse John we talked about Jesus's role in advocacy advocating for us before God the father. The first row right before that for someone not if we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and the click of small righteousness. I told you that verse never brought me that much comfort because I just naturally assumed that what they meant what John meant was, he is faithful and merciful as a high priest is avoid differences that make here's the difference that it makes here is also the scene going down right so here's God the father on his throne become legal file called Greer this is chock-full of dumb things that I've done right and I do another dumb one, and I just picture God the father in heaven. BMI that's it that's it for Greer that were EVI. He did this for the 10,000 time we had a second.

We have to zap it at his picture Jesus knew about their mother by now to hold the sister Jenny one more chance good kitty really is you I eat a lot of dumb stuff but you not like you got some potential so just lay off the lightning just one more time and let's just give them another chance and please do for me. Father died in everything you gotta do it for me and I thought for sure this thing going. Now and I just thought at some point God could be like modern families out of tries and then it's all over but that's not dancing merciful.

It is faithful and just which means that when Jesus stands before God.

He's not arguing for God give me mercy's argument for God give me justice to Evans and encouraging. It does because Jesus took all the punishment for my sin in my place, which means that what he says to the father, metaphorically speaking, as he says of the father. You cannot punish him for his sin because I was punished in his place and what is justice for you to treat him like a beloved son. There is not a single thing that is happened in my life since I became a Christian that was done to pay me back for my sin sure God will send things in my life.

Sometimes wake me up and to correct me, but it's never done in punishment. It is always done in love to bring me back. Paul said that's the confidence that I have the confidence that the one only one who can actually judge me is the one who now stands there in the midst justice and says you can't punish if you have to transform it for good, because I took the punishment in his place. So then Paul pulses will that's true if God is accepted you them are you worried about anybody else's approval.

Why would you struggle with feelings of guilt or inferiority or a sense of condemnation by the way, I know that some of you struggle with feelings of inadequacy because things were said to you were done to you in the past when you grow up in a tough home environment and your dad was just really critical of you. Or maybe it was an abusive spouse or some other tragedy and something was said or done and eventually you started to believe the things about yourself that they were saying or doing to you and listen. I'm not telling you that memorizing the phrases of these verses is going to make those feelings of inadequacy does magically go away. People are a lot more complex than that. But what I am telling you is at the core of overcoming that sense of disapproval and condemnation is the realization that you have a heavenly father who approves of you and thought you were worth saving, and who is justified you in a side which means there's nothing you can do to make him love you anymore. It's nothing in your past to make it. Love you any less is now declared a purpose serve you. That is greater than when anybody else says or thinks about you. They might not think you have value. They may not think of that awesome. They may not think that special, but he does and he's got a purpose and a plan he created you and he put the blood of his son to rescue you and then he put his Holy Spirit in you and he's got an unbelievable purpose from you and so you take care about what they say is your focus on what he says not limited to one objection that people say well pastorates and sound so awesome but I know God is forgiven me, but you knew what I done I just can't forgive myself. So I says it to meet you here less immaculate. I would say so you think you're greater than God you think your opinion of you is more significant than God's opinion of you, so that God can forgive you but you can't forgive yourself for limiting what what what's really happening when somebody says that the only way that they say that by is they feel like the only way they could have worth is when they reach some standard of excellence and usually established by the way, by comparing themselves to others. And like I can have worth until I am a mom like this until I am a husband like this until I about accomplish this is all aborted. These mistakes and if they fail to reach that standard. In comparison to others, then they feel like they have no worth. But I ask you is your word established by the good that you've accomplished is your work established by the evil you will avoided friend. If so, we are all doomed, you have worth because of what God says about you have heard before that did that your identity is established by will the most important person I know. I think about you, but it is not religious just psychology your self identity is established by what the most important person to you wherever they are, what they think about you if that person is you is your most important person in your life. If that is somebody else.

If it's a group of people listen. You're always going to struggle with feelings of inferiority or insecurity because eventually you're going to feel like you don't measure up or your noggin be afraid you're not going to measure up. You need to reestablish God as the most important person in your life you need to say I am who you say that I am, who they say I am not who I say I have time who you say that I am that I can't help but think you're one of my favorite stories about how detail cannot illustrate this resort when I was in in college one of the many jobs that I got for semesters is one my favorite was as a soccer coach of a middle school soccer team physically boys at least. And it was it was an awesome day and I were about the same maturity level so we really connected and on about my roles almost companies got up and so I you to their boys to men transition so I was like I resent this ritual before the game where they would all take off the shirt states that on the ground to make my wife honor their faces in her chest and the put your search on what I see. Not a brave hard work.

We went undefeated the entire season, and you've never seen a cockier group of fifth and sixth grade boys based on everything just right legs can walk in the field. It stared before and out so we will remain in the league. You could play for the county championship.

You will not give staging budget.

We went all the way to the County semi finals undefeated plate night.

First time we played at night under lights deal big field. The guys were, they were coming. They were nervous they were confident they started on that field and we got till we got killed. I just was games where the other team was in control of all the entire time and mix one player on their team. The detail that is one player on the team and she was fantastic and a little for the citrate boys did not have a category for this because first girl to play the girl and communal future me a hammer or whatever, but she was amazing to let Michael Jordan of the soccer ball is clearly played all safety to drilling through these guys like they were invisible in in in so we can know something on the second half will allusion to the one I'm not sure how she missed like 30 shots but she just kept getting shot after shot on goal. Maybe she would do it on purpose. On but she just phenoms like housing if we have any hope of time is game up.

We gotta take care of this girl and so I pulled out the best fullback we have, and I like David. David, I am sick and tired of that girl get all the shots on goal me to coach. I hate that girl is like what's over there David. Okay… We can't have any more shots on goal. So I was like David, you got one responsibility for the rest of his game yes or coach that grows your responsibility anytime. The girl steps foot in the penalty box with a bow.

I need you on her and I need you to put her on her rear end your understanding. Oh yes, or coach, I said David you get. As I got your assignment because I connect you burst into flames. That's not your responsibility. She's responsible yes or coach is okay because a David Safi from is a David do it legally or illegally, who work in his house like Zachariah Meeker but was not in size so so so as I do illegally. How yes or coach course contents night play starts again. No argumentative figures by who she comes on the left side of right side of the field. She goes to her left Back like he's invisible. She what she does well fullback but he's in the fetal position drivers mom. She comes back and kisses her sweeper from the goalie and she she does a pump fake a pump fake and I don't mean pump fake is to pump fake both of them jump to the side. I like like after the ball and determine what it going on like that government had to sit in the game right here at Kimberly's got what I told David less not enough risk of patient comes this blurt is me is like a tractor beam and me she's like now she's just you can tap in the goal beautiful form.

He hits her from behind like full spread Eagle attack airborne just means you and you see a comment Jesus you then we will plot a dozen mushroom while in the and all and it was always moments where it everything was like it's really quiet like you know MN and was like like I like like everybody got angry at once, at the same time from different reasons, their team was angry because they thought that we try to take another star player the referees angry because he's, you know, referee fifth-graders is like a red card in the fifth grade as a possible like our parents are angry because they think psycho coach of the skin to take this girl out and like I generally just handle them up to get him up to buy it so so even old versions are angry.

David stands up dust off his leg reach down helps her make sure she's okay I government little gentlemen.

Then he turned to hundred and 80° at 50 yards across pilgrims and like I got one word about my lawsuit or that you work by I got the lawsuit also taught is pull David out he can run over to see me in a little 11-year-old substandard looking about 5 feet from am doing this for the parents. Not for him now and I'm I am like it was you, so you frame your brain needs you can point up as if they will understand what you think him what would possibly be significant.

This little indignant look on his 11-year-old face is a coach you told me to take her out illegally illegally. The last thing that he thought I told him of identity back in with a nasty right now. He knew the rules enough. He knew he knew when he did that and a mic in a yellow card. He knew that you begin the building. He knew he might get grounded by his parents out of the game, but his little warped. 11.

Romines, none of that matters. Only one thing mattered to David and that was the expression on the face that he turned around and looked at after the deed was done right and he's like a coach is happy with me than even matter what interest these people are saying about me. That is how you follow Jesus as will Paul say in Romans eight you stay in there, there comes a point at which you say the one on the throne's opinion is so important to me that it really doesn't matter what everybody else says matter what you say matter what I say is what he says also need you to turn your attention.

Look at the one that's on the throne because he approves you he accepts you he is delighted in you.

He's not just for you.

He's got a plan for you.

He's got a purpose for you and it's all good all the time. Look at everybody else was leaving to question number five.

The last one last question boils their verse number 35 who can separate us from the love of Christ.

All of this was just an affliction, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness or danger or sword figures.

Question number five. If we can't be separated from all of Christ is there really anything else in the universe left the fear that you know this but this Paulist out all kinds of dangerous things. Persecution and famine and distress. Here's what's most interesting to me easy question that he started or the word he used, who did any of those look like who's due like what's to me there if you don't say who and give inanimate objects. There is a typo. The boldest did he forget.

Say what you say what Vinnie is actually is, and who I don't think so. I think who is very very intentional for a couple reasons that I come up with a lease and one when you're in the midst of these things. It feels like it's personal.

It feels like somebody is coming against you, and more importantly I think what Paul is doing is he setting up a contrast to try to show you that the who that is for you is a lot stronger than any other loser against you, the one your team is a lot more mighty than any of the who's that are on their team is trying to show you that your dad is stronger and he's in your dad is not just going to defeat those things for you to make you look at verse 37 in your Bible make you more than a conqueror, a great friend you be more than a conqueror. While conqueror would be somebody who defeats the enemy what would more than conquering the evil eye little John Piper explains it.

Let look at this. A conqueror defeats his enemy.

One was more than a conqueror subjugates his enemy. A conqueror nullifies the purpose of his enemy. One was more than a conqueror make the enemy serves all purposes conqueror strike down as though one is more than a conqueror makes his foe, his slave. You can recall that it's not just that God delivers you from suffering, it's that God transform suffering into the agents of his purpose if he had just delivered you from suffering, you would be a conqueror. The fact that he now takes the suffering that you're in and transforms you into good and the glory through their sufferings make you not just a conqueror. It makes you more than a conqueror to that person looked at last week. Second grade. In chapter 4 where Paul said these light and momentary affliction. They are working in the and eternal weight of glory that I would not of had not gone to the afflictions.

I'm not just being delivered from the afflictions I'm being delivered through the afflictions and with the afflictions so that I have more glory. After going through the suffering that I would've had without those very things and that makes me not just a conqueror. It makes me more than a conqueror because what our enemy meant for evil. What Satan meant for evil to examine persecution and distress and sort God meant for good and God uses those attacks now to work things in unity wouldn't work without them from the who of your salvation is greater than the who of your opposition. Therefore, the who's your salvation transforms the opposition to the service of his purpose, which although it by the way also explains a strange little quality gives you the next thing this never made sense to me until this week and and and finally met a commentator that show me what it meant minutes, first as it is written because of you.

We report the devil a longer time to safely slaughter house talking to memorize this passage always thought his it's like were soaring rhetoric who can convolute like the Bible says we are sheep to be slaughtered like that's a downer, you must get back to the happy stuff, why does Paul do that. There will Paul watch us, always using an ancient teaching technique, the rabbis at the time called a rim is romance, a rim is is where you would quote the first line of a popular song and everybody Montrose fill in the rest of the song we do the same thing today, right, if on my Google dance with your mind, you suddenly filled in the residence.

Alright, so Paul quotes Psalm 44. That's what that is, which is a psalm written in a time of despair, when Israel was suffering also because of her sin and her enemies all around her, crushing her everywhere she turned, it was despair psalm to those of his hands and he says got a seven and your breathing good out of this-it was my fault. Romans chapter 8 is Paul's answer is God's answer to Psalm 44. Is Paul saying yeah yeah I know you're in Psalm 44. Right now some of you that Psalm 44 is not your fault it's the injustices caused by others, and some of you is your phone you're in a better euro making impulses.

Either way it when you get a Savior who died in a Savior, who is going to bring good out of that Psalm 44 and he has transform your Psalm 44 into a Romans eight.

Today he just soars interrogative reversal 38 and 39 where he says I'm persuading sitting in the death or life or angels rulers present things present, powers are either death or any other created thing will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Some of your living Psalm 44 today and your pastor if you only knew what I was going through.

If you know how much of it was my own fault you when you say that God could use this for good but cannot tell you something. If you are living in that dark, desperate, hopeless place of Psalm 44. You are precisely the person that Paul is talking about in Romans chapter 8 because your Psalm 44 is swallowed up in Romans eight do you select a sheep to be slaughtered. Paul calls you more than a conqueror. Do you feel like darkness is your only friend.

Paul says that not even death itself can harm you.

This is God's purpose is unchangeable. His power is unchallengeable and his love is now unconditional. So what do you have to be afraid of. You can look into the face of God right now and say I am you say I am and who of my salvation is greater than move my opposition, and that makes me more than a conqueror. See all those things that that's right you all those things that oppress you persecution, famine, sword and even demonic powers positives can affect your situation right now. I have good news for you.

You're not your situation you're not defined by your situation, your identities unit from your situation, your identity is greater than your situation in a matter what your situation you're defined by who you are in Christ and you are who he says you are you are a treasure child.

If you are who he says you are what is there for you to be afraid of who can sell the Lord Almighty right he's roaring with power and fighting our battles every knee one day is gonna bow before him with the things in heaven and things are who could stop the Lord. So who is there who could continue or discourage you or disrespect you or marginalize you what unexpected news can devastate you what unexpected diagnosis could send you spiraling into despair.

You have no need to fear any part of the future, no matter how much famine or nakedness, or persecution resort. It contains and so at the end of your theology lesson in Romans eight verse 30 you need to explode in praise like Paul does in the midst of that promise and sing with that kind of confidence and just our Savior, who could stop the Lord Almighty and realized by the latest sometimes God gives you those things so that you can take some of the excellencies of God, that you could not have and have tasted into a calm and peaceful pastor and even maybe when a more importantly but also important sometimes got that you could do these things because other people need to see it in your way.

They'll ever be able to see it is when they see that you got a joy to hope in those extraordinary promises that you didn't have that they couldn't have until they saw you walk with courage and confidence to the midst of famine, or nakedness, persecution is your situation. Your life is defined by you are in Christ you are who he says you are. You're listening to Summit life at pastor and author JB Greer visit us@jdgreer.com you'll find helpful resources and you can send us a note to let us know how we can be praying for you. Today's message is a part of our year-long series going through the book of Romans that before we wrap up today.

I wanted to remind you that you can still get the second part of the Romans Bible study. We've been talking about for the past few weeks we've created a set of three Bible studies to go along with this teaching in Romans and you can get volume 2 today you missed volume line earlier this year, you can still request that when you contact us today. Each study that comes with our thanks when you donate to support this ministry so that more people came to hide into the gospel with us on a daily basis. Give right now and request romance volume 2 when you call 866-335-5221 more time that 866-335-5220 or you can request the study when you donate online at Janie Greer not lying on our website and sign up for newsletter. That's place to get ministry update meetings of our new resources and pastor Katie's latest plot deliverance during certain subscribed to Summit life favorite and I think this teaching. Great way to share the message of those who care about all three stay connected Summit life changing clear.com I'm only minutes and get moved to Romans chapter 9, to be certain to anything in writing as we continue the series right here on life. Janie Greer by Katie Greer