the book of Romans, chapter 8, verses 28 through 32. And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good for those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom He predestined, He also called And those whom he called, he also justified. And those whom he justified, he also glorified. 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 gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? This is the word of the Lord. You may be seated. Let's pray, shall we? Father in heaven, now we just ask your blessing on the preaching and teaching of the Word of God. Speak to our hearts through the Spirit of God as the Spirit takes the Word and illuminates it to our hearts and minds. Help us, our Father, to lift up your Son, the Lord Jesus, in whose name we pray. Amen. I wanted to spend the first Sunday of celebrating the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now for believers, the centrality of the gospel should be the main thing, right? You've always heard the story, let the main thing be the main thing, or how is it put another way, the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing. Now if you happen to look in your bulletins, you'll see something that you probably just glance over all the time, But the question is, is why the name New Covenant Church? And here's the answer we throw out. Because the promise of the Gospel was distilled in such potent form in the New Covenant, which Jesus sealed with His own blood, the name New Covenant Church will remind us of and keep us anchored to the functional reality of the Gospel. And so as a church, we want to be gospel-centered. In fact, let me give you two reasons why. Because it's the gospel that infuses everything in this church that what we do. If it's preaching, the gospel has to be there. If it's in our Sunday school hour, the gospel has to be there. If it's in our N4C, which is our children's program, the gospel has to be there. Everything we do has to go around the gospel. The gospel is the main thing. We need to be grounded in, founded on, centered in the gospel so that everything we do conforms to the glorious gospel of Jesus. But there's a second reason. It's important for our lives as individuals. You see, we can live in the gospel every day. And that's exactly what God wants us to do. You know my favorite preacher is Charlie Spurgeon, all right? Charles Haddon Spurgeon. Well, here we just lovingly refer to him as Charlie. Listen to what he said to his congregation. He says, I'm afraid that my people grow weary of me speaking the gospel every Sunday. Hammering on the same nail. But hammer I must because that is what we We need to make sure individually that our lives are grounded in the gospel. Now let me make something perfectly clear. As important as truth is, as important as doctrine is, as important as the truth of the gospel is, our lives as Christians are not first and foremost about doctrine. Our lives as Christians are first and foremost about our lives in Christ, about Christ's life in us. In fact, that's the essence of saving faith, is it not? We're going to be looking at Romans here, but Romans 8, verse 1 opens how? There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. Those who are in Christ Jesus. But ladies and gentlemen, a major way that we enjoy our life in Christ Jesus, a major way that we experience our life in Christ Jesus, a major way that we enter more fully into this life that we have in Christ Jesus, is by renewing our minds by the truth of the gospel. By letting the truth of the gospel get deep down inside. By reminding ourselves of the gospel. And folks, this becomes the means by which we enter in, experience, and enjoy our life in Christ. I'd like to read a little passage from a book that I read here recently by a fellow by the name of Jerry Bridges. But listen to what he says here. He says, The gospel is not only the most important message in all of history, It's the only essential message in all of history. Yet we allow thousands of professing Christians to live their entire lives without clearly understanding it and experiencing the joy of living by it. Christians are not instructed in the gospel. And because they do not fully understand the riches and glory of the gospel, they cannot preach it to themselves. not live by it in their daily lives. In other words, he says, we teach people just enough gospel to get saved, but then we move on to other things. Now, folks, there's a lot of truth in what he just said there. As Christians, we have to be centered on the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. What is the gospel? It's the good news, right? that Jesus loved us so much that he sent his son Jesus to come here to this earth and be the second Adam, to do what Adam didn't do, to live a perfect, entirely clean life with no sin, no blemish, and then go to the cross of Calvary. and die in our place to shed his blood so we could have the forgiveness of sin. And then three days later to show us that he had victory over Satan. He rises victoriously from the grave. Now, folks, we know the message of the gospel and we love the message of the gospel. But you know what? We as Christians need to be into the gospel every day of our lives. It needs to be central to us. There's something here in the gospel that should make us exceedingly joyful. Every day our cup running over with joy. And folks, that's what I want for all of us here today. I don't want us just to believe it, but I want us to be affected by it. Or can I dare say, I want us to be under the influence of the gospel. So today we want to focus on the gospel. So I hope you've already turned in your Bibles to Romans chapter 8. Romans chapter 8 has a peculiar power in applying the gospel to our lives, showing us the implications of the gospel, helping us to live in the truth of the gospel. Now if I wanted to talk about the gospel itself, where would I go? Romans 3 probably, right? But no, we want to go to Romans 8, because in Romans 8, Paul then begins to flesh the gospel out to show us how are we to live by the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. So let's look at the text again, starting in Romans chapter 8. And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined, he also called. And those whom he called, he also justified. And those whom he justified, he also glorified. 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 gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things? Now folks, let's stop right here and ask the question, why is this passage of Scripture here in our Bibles? What is God trying to get done in our lives through this particular passage of Scripture? And here's the answer. God put this passage here to encourage our hearts, to strengthen us, to help us to know and experience joy because of the truth of the gospel. Folks, listen. It's not just giving us content. Paul is showing us, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God, how the truth of the gospel should affect us. How it should change our lives every day. Now the basic truth that Paul is trying to get across to drive home is found in verse 31. Would you look down there with me again? It says, What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Wow. Did you hear that? God is for us. Now notice the logic that is working here. Look down at the text. What shall we say to these things? What are the these things that he's talking about? Well, we only have to go back to verse 28, listen to what he says. And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose, for those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom He predestined, He also called, And those whom he called, he also justified. And those whom he justified, he also glorified. Did you notice he uses the rhetorical question, if God be for us, who can be against him? But ladies and gentlemen, has not Paul already made it clear that God is indefinitely for us by giving us the gospel? by foreknowing us, by predestining us, by calling us, by justifying us, and one day glorifying us. Absolutely, God is for us. And folks, this is the basic truth that Paul is driving home to our hearts. It's the clear conclusion. Paul is saying that God is for us in a very active way. Committed to us. God is actively good for us. Now, what else does this passage say? Well, look with me in verse 28. And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good. And then he says, for those who are called according to His purpose. Those who are called according to His purpose. God has a purpose that is the accomplishing in our life. That's what this text is saying. Now folks, I don't know what that does for you, but it does a lot for me, because I want to know that there's a purpose to my life, that I just don't go through the motions every day, get up, go to work, go to bed, get up, go to work, go to bed, and one day die. I want to know that God has a purpose for my life, and He tells me right here in this text, indeed He does. and that He is going to work to fulfill that purpose in my life because He has called me. Now, what is the purpose He's talking about? Well, here it is. It's to make me, it's to make you, those who He called to be just like His Son. God wants you and me to be just like Jesus. Isn't that great? Look at verse 29, here's where it says, And for those whom ye foreknow, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. To make us just like Jesus. Now folks, something very interesting happens in these verses in Romans chapter 8. Did you happen to notice the language of predestination and election in this passage? Wow! For whom He foreknew. It means that He entered into a relationship with us before the foundation of the world. He predestined what? That we might be like His Son. And then whom He called, He also justified. And whom He justified, He also glorified. Right? Those are great words, aren't they? God entered into a covenant relationship with me before the foundation of the world. And then He called me, and that calling is the effectual call. He opened my eyes to this glorious truth according to 2 Corinthians chapter 4, verses 3, 4, and 5. And then He justified me, and the word means to made right, to made like His Son. in the courtroom. I have been declared innocent because Jesus took his righteousness and imputed it to me. Now, folks, why all this talk about election and predestination and all of that, right? You ever wonder about that? Listen. When we interpret scripture, We must interpret it in the same way that Scripture interprets itself. You say, well, what are you saying by that, Pastor? Here's what I'm trying to say. Every time we see election in the Bible, what is it there for? It's there to encourage us in our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. It's not there to create confusion. It's not even fodder for theological discussion. God's purpose is to encourage our faith, to encourage us, to make us like His Son, perfect, a new creation. And He says, whom He called, He will justify. Whom He justified, He will one day glorify. He says, one day you're going to be in my presence and you're going to be perfect. It's going to be glorious. It's going to be amazing. In fact, ladies and gentlemen, so committed is God to this that Paul tells us that it's already been done. Now I want you to see something in verse 30. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. past tense. As far as God's concerned, it's already done. He's just basically waiting for history to catch up with what happened. Isn't that amazing? Now I want you just for a minute to stop and take that in. This is God's purpose for all of us here today that no man is And because it's his purpose, he's going to complete it. It's gonna happen, right? Does God lie? He's right now, presently at work, in all circumstances of my life, to bring me to that place where I'll be just like Jesus, and I'll be glorified, and I'll be able to spend eternity with Him. Now, we all know Romans 8, 28. Most of you here can quote that, I bet. And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good. Everything that happens in our life is for our good and ultimately for God's glory. And listen to me. As God works in our lives and He brings us to this place of glorification, He is like gardener who is not in a hurry. He works the soil up. He discs the soil. He drags the soil. He sets up mounds. He plants us. And then what? He dresses us. The weeds are taken away. If we get out of, he trims us a little. He's not in a hurry, is he? Isn't that amazing? He's got a lifetime to work in our lives. He is like a great craftsman, isn't he? Who takes a piece of wood, cuts off what's not needed, And then carefully and intricately he carves us to just exactly what he wants. And listen to what he says in verse 32. He will not spare anything to get us to that point. He says, He who did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all, How will He not also with Him graciously give us what? All things. Folks, listen. God is absolutely committed to your future, right now, in the present. God is for you. And listen, that truth needs to go deep this morning. So it might radically affect the way we think. In fact, think right now, God is for me. Right now, in this situation of my life, God is for me. Now, you're sitting there thinking, Pastor, you have no idea what I'm going through. I probably don't. But I do know this, God knows exactly what you're going through. And what He's doing is for your good, he says, and ultimately for his glory. Now listen, if you're like me, you can come up with all kinds of different thoughts that God thinks about you, right? In fact, let me throw out an experiment for you. The next time you come into the very presence of God before him, I want you to do an analysis of how you think. that God thinks about you. How you think that God thinks about you. And then take the time to describe that and put it in words and put it on paper if you like. And then carefully examine your heart. And as you do, ladies and gentlemen, find any falsehoods and then speak truth to those falsehoods. Do you know why? God is not annoyed with you today, did you know that? He's not annoyed with you. He's not ready to give up on you. You're not a nuisance. God is not embarrassed about you and your life. I always remember this one friend of mine, he used to have a girlfriend. He didn't want anybody to know it. And he'd walk on one side of the street and she'd walk on the other side. Don't let anybody know she's with me. What kind of a relationship is that? Well, folks, listen. God is not annoyed with you. He's not ashamed of you this morning. The truth is right here isn't it Romans 831 God is for you absolutely committed to you folks what he's saying is do not speak mistruth about what makes you right with what you do or what God's done What makes us right with God is what he's done. He who spared not his own son, but delivered him off for us. How will you not also with him freely give us all things? He's absolutely for us. But not because of us, because of him, right? Folks, listen, this ought to just give us great comfort. God is eternally optimistic in His commitment to us. And the Bible says, what He began, He will also finish, right? Philippians 1, 6, He who began a good work in you will continue it until the day of Christ Jesus. But what about that verse that we close our services on a lot in 2 Thessalonians? Chapter 5, verses 23 and 24, Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful. He will surely do it. Who's going to do it? He will surely do it. He's faithful. God is for us. He's doing a work in our lives. Things are happening. Changes are being made. And through this whole process, He never changes His opinion of you. He loves you with an everlasting and unchanging love. And so he gives us this truth so we can live by this truth. So we might be full of joy. You know, I've been reading through the Psalms and I come across a couple of Psalms that I just want to share with you. The first one is found in Psalm 17. Listen to what God says here. Once you find that go with me to verses six seven and eight. He says I will call upon you for you are answer me Oh God incline your ear to me. Hear my words wondrously show your steadfast love. Oh savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand. Listen to what he says. Keep me as the apple of your eye. Hide me in the shadow of your wings. Listen to me. This is how God feels about you. You're the apple of His eye. But let's go on to the next chapter. Chapter 18. Look in verse 19. This will be familiar because we heard this verse last Sunday from 2 Samuel 22, 20 same verse. But listen to what God said. He brought me out into a broad place. He rescued me. Because. He delighted. God delights in us. And the Hebrew word means that God leans towards us. He is absolutely committed to us right now and forever. Now, folks, listen. God is overwhelmed with a desire for our good. Let that just sink in for a second. The other day I was watching my grandson, and his little alarm went off, which meant he's low in his blood count, and he needed to take something before he goes into a shock. And so when that alarm goes out, you get up, you check his blood, and the funny thing is, is he doesn't even feel it anymore. He's sleeping, and you just prick him, and nothing even happens. You check his blood, oh yeah, he's low, and you gotta give him a little snack. And I don't know whoever thought of this idea, but they have these little snacks now, in these little bottles, and what it is is it's applesauce. And all you do is knock the top off, and you just squeeze the whole thing into your mouth. And he'll do it in his sleep. Crank that thing off, put it in his mouth, and never even wake up. Toss that off to the side, I'll pick it up, and he's done. Blood sugar's gonna go up, and hopefully the alarm doesn't go off, because I can't keep getting up and down. But I remember just the other night sitting there thinking about him sleeping and how nothing was bothering him. Then I got to thinking, man, I want to see God working in his life. Thinking, God, you're in control of all this. And when we slumber, you are away. And as I see him there and I think to myself, man, I'd love to be able to pour my life into him as he grows. But then you know what I do is I find myself crying out to God. You know why? Because I am so limited. If our children do well, it's by the grace of God, isn't it? But then do you know what I remember? God's not limited, is he? He can do whatever he wants, whatever he wants, however he wants. He answers to nobody. And the Bible tells me that he's for me. He's for me. God is just waiting for history to catch up. One day I'll be glorified. Now please notice with me how this passage begins. Look back at your text. Listen to what he says in Romans 8. And we know all things look together for good. Folks, listen. That's the truth rooted in the gospel. God wants us to know. And if you know that, it will make it possible for you to live in the good of that every day. Now let me just ask you before I get into the application. Can anything be greater encouragement to your faith than that? Joy to your heart. God is at work and His purpose will be fulfilled. And this is the basic truth that Paul is trying to communicate to us here in this passage of Scripture. Now the application. Let me try to bring this to bear on our lives. Here is this book. It's either true or it's not true, right? We say that it's true. We say that we believe it's true. Therefore, we ought to live our life as we should, right? If it's true. A little later in Romans, chapter 15, verse 13, Paul says, May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing So that by the power of the Holy Spirit, you may abound in hope. Do you see the connection? It's believing that we find joy and peace and hope. It's entrusting. God wants us to know this so our lives will be marked with joy. So plant this truth deeply inside. Let it work. Let it not just be Bible knowledge. Let it get deep inside you so you might have joy. Now the application. Real simple. When will I need this truth? Well, let's start with every morning, right? Go into your day established in this truth. Keep preaching it to yourself. God is for you. Listen to what Isaiah says in chapter 50, verse 5b. He says, Every morning, get up and say, God, help me to trust in nothing but the gospel. In fact, would you believe that In my notes and my sermon that was written four or five days before the bulletin was done, I put this, my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name. On Christ the solid rock I stand. No other ground is sinking sand. And then here we sing it this morning. When do we need it? Every morning. But ladies and gentlemen, there's a second time we need it. And that's when you feel like a failure. Anybody here? Sometimes not just sin, but not following through on what you know you need to be Never get to thinking, you know, how could God love me? That's a falsehood. It has to be killed, doesn't it? I like what old Robert Murray McShane, the greatest Scottish preacher, said, for every look at yourself, take 10 looks at Christ. When we fail, What do we need to be reminded of? We need to preach the gospel and remind ourselves that God is for us. He who spared not His son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? He has given Him a son. But let me suggest another time when we need to understand this. We need to understand this when everything is going well, when life is just cruising along, smooth sailing. What happens when it's like that? The danger is to place our joy in something other than the gospel, isn't it? What makes us right with God is not the wonderful things that God brings into our lives. What makes us right with God is the wonderful things that Jesus did on our behalf and continues to do on our behalf. My joy is in that God is for me. You ever heard that little song Fernando Ortego sings, in the morning when I rise, in the morning when I rise, in the morning when I rise, give me Jesus. Now listen to this refrain. Give me Jesus. Give me Jesus. You can have all this world, but give me Jesus. Isn't that where we need to be? You say, Pastor, how is this done? Well, you find ways to bring this glorious truth into your lives, don't you? The best way you can do it is by getting into God's Word and memorizing it. If God be for us, who can be against us? He who spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how will he not also with him freely give us all things? What a wonderful thing to quote when Satan is whispering in your ears, you got a shelf life, you're not worth anything. Oh, wait a minute, God's for me. How about getting into good books and literature? Studying what God's word says and how it applies to your and then through good music. Isn't it amazing how music sometimes just speaks to your heart where nothing else seems to make any difference? Let me ask you, do you believe that this morning? God is for you. Now do you know, there's one thing I just wanna draw your attention and I gotta bring this thing to a close. When we started off in Romans 8, 28, it says, For we know that all things work together for good to them who love God. This promise is only for Christians. This promise is only for those who have put their faith and trust in Christ's completed work on the cross of Calvary. We love him, the Bible says, because he first loved us and gave himself for us. And salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, through the Scriptures alone, to the glory of God alone. And you look at this passage in Scripture and say, Pastor, how do I know I was foreordained? How do I know I was predestined? How do I know I was called? How do I know I can be justified and glorified? You know how you can know? You respond to Jesus. The Bible says that His sheep hear His voice and they know Him and they follow Him. And do you know what Jesus said? He put His arms out and He called to the people and He says, Come unto Me, all you who are labor and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. What does Jesus want you to do? If you hear His voice, He's telling you, come to Him. Quit trying to do it yourself. Put your faith and trust in His finished work and receive eternal life. The Bible says in John 1, 12, For as many as received Him, to them gave He the power to become the children of God. Do you know Him as Savior? And if you do, listen to me. He's for you. He's committed to your good. And one day, He's going to present you to his father as a bride, pure and clean with no dirt on you whatsoever. And you're going to live with this God for all eternity. He's for you. Let's pray. Father in heaven, thank you for this passage of Scripture. Thank you, Father, for what it teaches us. Father, our desire is that everyone here today might know this Jesus as their Savior. There might be a time in their life where they've repented and put their faith and trust in Christ and Him alone for eternal life. But Father, if there's someone here that has never trusted Christ, and they heard the voice of Jesus this morning, help them right where they are and cry out and say, God, I'm a sinner, I deserve hell, but I believe you sent Jesus to take my place. that He died and was buried and He rose again. And I want eternal life that only He can give. And then Father, I pray for those that know You and love You. Bottom line, life's a struggle. But the promise is, is that God is for us and that everything He brings into our life is ultimately for our good and His glory. And one day we'll spend eternity with Him. Help us, our Father, to this. Let that truth go deep into our souls, into our very beings, and then help us to keep preaching it to ourselves every day as we live until Jesus comes and receives us unto himself. Father, we'll thank you for what you accomplish through your word now, we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.