Thank you, Mark, for leading us again. I was just marveling at the richness of some of those hymns, how deep the Father's love for us. What a tremendous hymn and the words there. And joy to the world, I think it's been applied, obviously, to that holiday coming up. But it's actually a second coming song, is what that song is about. So interesting to understand that as well.

Well, we're going to be looking at Romans 8 this morning. Our last communion service, we looked at the amazing truth in chapter 8, verses 12 to 17, that we are sons of God. And if we are sons, we are heirs and co-heirs with Christ. Paul's working here towards a glorious truth, a sure, confident hope that we as believers in Jesus Christ have eternal life. We've been justified, and we also will be glorified. This is a surety. Glorification is the end of our salvation. And that promise, that surety, is the subject of our text this morning, the glorious revealing of the sons of God.

But as we've been seeing in our recent studies, things are not now as God intends. This world in which we live, the suffering, the disease, the injustice, the violence, even the curse upon creation is not the world that God initially created, nor is it like the inhabited earth to come, as we see in Hebrews 2. There's a promise in our text today, a hope that saves us. This is an interesting verse. It saves us from fear and doubt and anxiety. That gives us assurance and confidence. But there's also a promise for the restoration of all things, including the whole of God's creation to the perfect, sinless creation that God intends.

Verse 20 of our text says, for the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it in hope. The creation did not make a willful choice to sin. Have you thought about that in the context of verse 20? It did not make a willful choice to sin and bring corruption upon itself. Adam sinned in the garden and brought death into the world, but this verse tells us that he, speaking of God, subjected the creation to futility. It was God who placed the curse on the world because of Adam's sin, but notice he did this in hope. Hope of restoration, hope of recreation, of regeneration, and to something so much greater than what was lost in Adam.

This is the promise for those who believe in Jesus as well. We lost so much in Adam, so much suffering, sickness, death, sin came upon man, even corrupting him on the inside, placing him in bondage to sin and death and a cursed creation. But the promise through faith in Christ is restoration, is reconciliation, is regeneration, is recreation. And that which we lost in Adam pales in comparison to that which we gain in Christ. Ultimately, this comes to fullness in the glorious revealing of the sons of God, in our glorification together with him, in the recreation of the heavens and the earth in which righteousness will dwell. And that is the message of our text this morning.

The sufferings of this present time, this life on this cursed earth are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. And if we can get hold of this truth, if we can have a focus on the promise of glorification and all that it means, if this hope consumes us, then this hope will save us now from fear and doubt and worry and despair. Verse 24 says, we were saved in this hope. But the hope that is seen is not hope, for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. 

So how do we eagerly wait for it with perseverance? Faith, focus, trust in the promise, the hope of eternal life, and glorification, the glorious revealing, which is sure to come. Let's look at our text together, Romans 8 at verse 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. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility not willingly, but because of him who subjected it in hope. Because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. And 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. 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? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

Takes perseverance to get through this life and this world, doesn't it? I've given you four points on your outline. First, good news. Second, groaning. Third, glory. And fourth, grace. 

Well, as we begin, I'd like to take you all the way back to Romans 5.1, and particularly what Paul says in Romans 5.1, therefore having been justified by faith. And then he goes on with a tremendous list of having peace with God and standing in grace and so forth. But notice those words, therefore having been justified by faith. The next three chapters, we see truths, amazing, profound truths that we've been studying about those who have been justified by faith. The truth of security in Christ in Romans 5.1 to 11. The truth of our death to sin, to the law, to the flesh in chapter 6 to 8. All of these profound and wonderful truths, life-changing promises that we've been studying. 

And here now in Romans 8, we begin to see the promise of glorification, the truth of final salvation, the hope and promise of eternal life revealed when Jesus comes. But what I want you to notice from Romans 5.1 is that all of these truths, all of these promises, all of these realities are only for some. They're not for all men. They are specifically for those who have been justified by faith. They're available to all men if they would believe Jesus. But if you have not been justified by faith, then everything that comes after Romans 5.1 is not for you. 

It does not say for those who have been justified by baptism or those who have been justified by sacraments or good works or giving money or any other effort on our part. No, it says for those who have been justified by faith. And the word starts with the word, or the verse starts with the word therefore, which makes it incumbent upon us to go back and see what it is therefore. In chapters 1 to 3 of Romans, Paul has made abundantly clear the sinful state of every man and his deserved condemnation before a holy God. Romans 1.18 to 32, he highlights what the world would call sinners, those living in open sin, such as drunkenness, debauchery, sexual sin. But in chapter 2, it gets very interesting because he also condemns the self-righteous religious man who sits in judgment of the sinner but practices the same things. God judges according to truth, he says. 

In the first part of chapter 3, Paul grabs any stragglers out there with the statement, there is no one righteous. No, not one. He says, not you either. And Paul makes a summarizing, sobering statement for all religion and all self-righteous work-centered philosophies in Romans 3.19 to 20 when he says, now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, in order that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore, by the deeds of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 

If you're a part of a religion where work, sacrifice, sacraments, and your own goodness contribute to your salvation, then please pay attention to what Paul says here. By the deeds of the law, by good works, no flesh, no man will be justified in his sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. God gave the law to show us our sin and our need for a Savior to lead us to faith in Jesus. He did not intend, nor is it possible for a man to keep the law in order to establish his own righteousness. This is a problem for Israel, as it is a problem for every other self-righteous religion today, including those who claim the name of Christ. 

Let's turn to Romans 9, please. Romans 9 at verse 30. Paul makes a tremendously clear statement here. He says, what shall we say, then, that Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith? But Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were by the works of the law, for they stumbled at that stumbling stone. As it is written, behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, and whoever believes on him will not be put to shame. 

Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, this is the important part, being ignorant of God's righteousness and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. 

So how is it that a man can attain righteousness? There's only one way, God's way. Go back to Romans 3 and the contrast, the good news of verse 21. Verse 21, we see these words, but now. But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all who believe. This is good news, my friends. The only way for a man to be righteous is to receive the righteousness of God. No one is righteous. All of us are righteous. No one is righteous. All our sinners, all have fallen short of the glory of God. And this is good news because every man has the opportunity because of the superabounding grace of God to be justified by faith to receive the very righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ. 

This is the good news. And we see it made clear in Romans 3 and in Romans 4. We just read 21 there, through faith in Christ. He says, for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood through faith to demonstrate His righteousness because in His forbearance, God had passed over the sins that were previously committed to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness in order that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. 

Look at Romans 4.1 with me. Amazing words here. What then shall we say that Abraham, our father, is found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace, but as debt. But to him who does not work, but believes on him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness. 

His faith is accounted for righteousness. God's righteousness is imputed to us, making us fit for heaven, and this is justification, a legal declaration of righteousness. Beginning in Romans 5.1, we see Paul begin to highlight the many implications of this great salvation. Therefore, having been justified by faith. So as we come to our text in Romans 8, remember these promises are only for those who have forsaken their own righteousness and religion and have turned in faith to Jesus alone and what he accomplished on the cross. This is the good news that we celebrate this morning in our communion service. 

There is good news of righteousness through faith, but for now, in this world, there's also groaning. Verse 19 of our text, for the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it in hope. Because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 

And 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. Well, there's an ever-present groaning in this cursed world, an eagerness, an anticipation for glory. Paul says the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs until now. There is a groaning, trouble, despair, pain, suffering. This old tent is wearing out. Dying, dying, dying, you will die. We all suffer by way of persecution because of our identification with Christ. 

First Peter 2.20 says that we please God, that God is pleased when we suffer unjustly. He says, for to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow His steps. We were called to suffer for His sake in this time, in this world. 

In the Gospel of John, Jesus promised that the world would hate those who follow Him, those who are identified with Him. If they hated me, they will hate you. In Acts, Luke records Jesus' words. He says, but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. And the word witnesses is martus, where we get our word martyr. Being a follower of Jesus Christ, a witness for Jesus Christ historically and around the world today has become synonymous with persecution. We groan because of sin, because of injustice, because of pain and suffering and loss, and we groan specifically because we long to be glorified, to go and to be with Jesus forever. We groan. 

But for the believer in Jesus Christ, the one who has been justified by faith, in the midst of this continual groaning, there is an eagerness, an anticipation of the time when there will be the redemption of this body and we will be raised incorruptible. Paul calls this the glorious revealing of the sons of God. John writes in 1 John 3, 2, we read this morning, 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. Isn't that amazing to think about? We'll be like Him for we shall see Him as He is and everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself just as He is pure. 

Philippians 3.20 says, our citizenship is in heaven from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself. He's going to subdue all things to Himself. Every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. 

Turn over to 1 Corinthians 15 with me, please. 1 Corinthians 15.50. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery, Paul's going to reveal something to us here. We shall not all sleep, meaning we shall not all die, but we shall all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet, for the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed. 

For this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory? The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law, but thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore my beloved brethren, be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. 

There is a promise of glorification. Go back to Romans 8 and let's look at verse 28. So many scriptures come to mind as I was studying this, I listed several here, but there are many more. Romans 8, 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. 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. Moreover, whom He predestined, these He also called, whom He called, these He also justified. 

Look at this, and whom He justified, these He also glorified. Those whom He justified, these He also glorified. This is one of the great truths of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Having been justified by faith, we shall be glorified. No one is lost. Salvation is not salvation without glorification. It is the future aspect of our salvation. We are justified by faith, we are saved, right? We are sanctified by grace through faith, we are being saved. We are glorified by God's grace and power, we will be saved. Glorification is as sure as justification for those who have believed Jesus. 

There's no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. In John 6, 37, Jesus said, All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me, I should lose nothing but raise it up on the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life, and I will raise Him up at the last day. I will raise Him up at the last day. That's for everyone who believes Jesus. 

Our salvation, our glorification is secure because our salvation is dependent not on ourselves, not on what we do, but on what Jesus has done. He died on the cross, taking the full wrath of God for the sins of the world. I want to point something out to you in that Romans 3 passage that came to my mind when I was studying. In Romans 3, 25, speaking of Jesus, it says, Whom God set forth as a propitiation, that word propitiation just means a full, satisfactory payment. Whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness. 

So at the cross, God was demonstrating His righteousness, and it says, in order that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. These verses tell us that God set forth Jesus as a propitiation, a full satisfactory payment for the sins of the world, and He did this to demonstrate His righteousness. Now why did God need to demonstrate His righteousness at the cross? Because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins that were previously committed. Up to the time of the cross, men had sinned and had not been struck dead on the spot. God had passed over those sins, as it were, not exacting punishment on each and every sin. But at the cross, Jesus bore the sins of the world. John says He died not for our sins only, but for the sins of the whole world. 

Now think on this with me. If God was to demonstrate His righteousness by punishing every sin on Christ, in other words, not passing over any, because that's the point of the text, He had passed over sins, thus an accusation could be made that He was not just, was not totally righteous, not having punished those sins. So at the cross, He set forth Christ as a full payment for all sins. If this is not the case, if as our Calvinist friends say, He only died for the elect and their sins, then let me ask you this, how was God's righteousness displayed and made manifest? Because He would still be passing over sins. The text clearly states that Jesus paid the penalty for all sins, and this is important for me and for you, my brothers and sisters, because He paid for every sin you will ever commit. Every one. It is finished. It is complete. 

And as we saw in Romans 3 and 4 earlier, this righteousness is credited to my account, how? When I believe Jesus. His payment for my sins, His righteousness imputed to me only becomes a reality, only is imputed to my account when I place my faith in Jesus alone and what He accomplished. But my friend, having been justified by faith, my sins have been imputed to Christ. His righteousness has been imputed to me in full, there is nothing to condemn me. 

Go back to Romans 8.31, see what Paul has to say about this. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 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? What's the context? It's not Cadillacs and mansions here, right? All things is all things to bring us to glorification. That's the context in Romans 8.30. Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 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. 

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword? As it is written, for your sake we are killed all day long. We are counted as sheep for the slaughter. Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us, for I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels or principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come 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. 

God has provided a full salvation in Jesus Christ and when I believe Him, I am not only justified, I am regenerated, I die with Jesus, I'm buried with Jesus, I'm raised to newness of life with a new heart and a new spirit and the Holy Spirit of God dwelling permanently in me, sealing me and guaranteeing my inheritance. These are the implications of my salvation, all of them true the moment I believe, waiting to be fulfilled it is coming in the glorious revealing of the sons of God. We see good news, we see groaning, we see glory and finally we see that it's all by grace, God's amazing grace in the person and work of Jesus Christ. 

Verse 23 of our text, Romans 8, not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves grown within ourselves eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 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? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. 

We who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, he says, this is the promise, this is the guarantee of our glorification and how did we receive the Spirit? Galatians 3, Paul says, the Galatians were being foolish, going back to law, he says, this only I want to learn from you, did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish having begun in the Spirit? Are you now being made perfect by the flesh? Have you suffered so many things in vain if indeed it was in vain? Therefore he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does he do it by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith? 

We receive the earnest, the down payment on our final salvation by grace through faith and we will receive the fullness of our salvation at glorification by grace as well. In Ephesians 1.13 it says, in him you also trusted after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and whom also having believed you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. Listen to this, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession to the praise of his glory. The purchased possession is us, our bodies, glorification will be the transforming of our lowly bodies into heavenly, glorious bodies. We will be like him, for we will see him as he is. 

It's almost too much to take in, this salvation we have in Jesus Christ, this thought of eternity in heaven with him, and all of this by the grace of God. How good is our God? How wonderful is it to know Jesus in this world? My brother, my sister, remember the gospel. Remember your first love, remember your justification, think of what God has done in the course of your life here as a believer, in sanctification, in witness, in encouragement. Yes, there's groaning, yes there's suffering, but the suffering of this time is not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 

The time is coming, the promise is as sure as the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Those whom he justified, he also glorified. The key to a joy-filled life of full assurance is a focus on the truths of God's Word, on the promise of his coming, eagerly anticipating the revealing of the sons of God. Not getting too caught up in the sufferings of this age. 

I love what Peter says to people who had been dispersed by persecution, lost their homes, their family members had been killed, they were dispersed out into the Gentile areas, and he said, don't think it's strange that you suffer this fiery trial. That's all he says. And then he talks about their salvation that's ready to be revealed in the last time, that's kept in heaven and reserved for us by the power of God. 

Let's not get too caught up in the sufferings of this age, this life, this time, but let's believe God and know that God is working all things together for our good in conforming us to the likeness of Christ. We can only imagine what it will be like, but we can be absolutely confident that it will come for everyone who has been justified by faith. The sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared. Don't even try to compare them. It's not even worthy of consideration, Paul says. 

The glory that is to come by the grace of God is the anticipation of the whole of creation and the eternal plan of God. This is the assurance we have. Nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. And all of this only because of the cross, because of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, because of the wonderful grace of God. 

Let's close in prayer. 

Father, we're so thankful for your grace, we're so thankful for Jesus, we're so thankful for the cross, and that we've been justified by faith when we believed Him, when we trusted Him. Thank you for the grace gift, the indescribable gift of salvation through faith in Christ, and thank you for the promise of sufficient grace for today and every day, and the promise of glorification that is yet to come. We eagerly wait for it with perseverance by your grace and power, in Jesus' name, amen.