and while you're turning there,
when we get in line for lunch, all the old people get to go
first. So the kids will stay with their
families. What's the cutoff? How old am
I? 54. Romans chapter 8, let's read
this 18th verse again. Paul says, for I reckon that
the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared
with the glory which shall be revealed. It hasn't been revealed
yet, but it shall be revealed in us. I've entitled this message, Present
Sufferings and Future Glory. When Paul says, I reckon, he's
taking two things and comparing them to one another, present
sufferings and the glory which shall be revealed in us. And he's drawing a conclusion
from that comparison. Now to look at this passage of
scripture, the first thing that I think about when I read this
is this. Is it talking about me? Am I
in this group called us? Who is the us he's speaking of
when he says, for I reckon that the sufferings of this present
time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be
revealed In us, who is the us? Is he talking about every son
of Adam? Every human being? Every person to ever live? Is
that who he's referring to? No. If he was, we could all just
anxiously await this death and wouldn't have anything to worry
about. We're good to go. But this us does not refer to every
son of Adam. Here's what it refers to, verse
31. What shall we then say to these
things if God be for us? Who can be against us? Now that's the us that he's speaking
of. Look in verse 28 and we'll see
who this us is. Verse 28 of Romans chapter 8.
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. Four, whom he did foreknow, he
also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son, that
he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom
he did predestinate, them he also called. And whom he called,
them he also justified. And whom he justified, them he
also glorified. What shall we then say to these
things if God be for us? Now that's the us he's speaking
of. those that God foreknew, those that God predestinated,
those that God called, those that God justified, those that
God glorified. As a matter of fact, in this
eighth chapter of Romans, we find this word us ten times,
and that tells us who the us is he's speaking of when he says
that Nothing, the sufferings of this present time are not
worthy to even be compared to the glory which shall be revealed
in us. Look in verse 4 of Romans chapter
8. He speaks of the righteousness of the law being fulfilled in
us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit. Look in
verse 26. Likewise, the Spirit also helps
our infirmities, for we know not what we should pray for as
we ought, but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us, those
whom the Spirit makes intercession for. Look in verse 32. He that spared not his own son,
but delivered him up for us all, those for whom Christ died, how
shall he not? What could possibly prevent him
from freely giving us all things? That's the us. Look in verse
34. Who is he that condemneth? It's
Christ that died, yea, rather that's risen again. Who's even
at the right hand of God who also makes intercession for us.
Verse 35. Who shall separate us from the
love of Christ? Look in verse, the latter part
of verse 37. We are more than conquerors through
him that loved us. It's the people God loves. For
I'm persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities
nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height,
nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us
from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Now
that's the us he's speaking of. Every believer, everybody for
whom Christ died, all who believe the gospel. That's the us. Now I want to ask you one question. It's the only question I want
to ask you right now regarding what I just said. Is it what
the Bible says? When I identified who that us
is, and it's clearly not everybody, did I give what the Bible says? Yes, I did. And that's so important. We want to see, is this what
the scripture teaches? That the us is God's elect, those
for whom Christ died, those who believe the gospel. Now, verse
20, or verse 18, once again, Paul says, for I reckon that
the sufferings of this present time, the sufferings of this present
time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be
revealed in us. And this world is a world of
suffering. And no one is exempt from suffering. There's no one who has not suffered.
And if you're a believer, you will suffer. Now, this word sufferings,
the sufferings of this present time, this is the same word that
is used with regard to the sufferings of Christ. Same word. Christ suffered. He learned obedience
by the things that he suffered, the scripture says. Oh, the suffering
of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, let me ask you a question.
It's a very simple question, very important question. Why
did Christ suffer? He suffered. Oh, how he suffered
in Gethsemane's garden. How he suffered when he was nailed
to a cross. How he suffered when he cried
out, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? There's no
question about Christ's suffering. He was a man of sorrows and acquainted
with grief. That's the scriptural description
of him. Why did he suffer? There's only one reason for suffering.
What is that reason? Sin. That's the only reason for
suffering. If there were no sin, there would
be no suffering. And the sins of God's people
became the sins of the Lord Jesus Christ. He became guilty of those
sins. The only reason He suffered is
because that is precisely what He deserved. And I say that with
fear and trembling. But I say it knowing it's the
truth. It's precisely what He deserved. You see, I deserve
to be forsaken by God. My sin became his sin. And when God forsook him, it's
because that is precisely and exactly what he deserved. He was no victim. He was guilty
of the crimes for which he suffered. When the sins of God's people
became his sins, he suffered, who his own self bear our sins
in his own body on the tree." Now, you cannot separate suffering
from sin when he talks about the sufferings of the present
time. If there were no sin, there would
be no suffering. Somebody asked the question, how could a good
God, how could a loving God allow and permit suffering? I can answer
that question. Sin. That's the answer to that
question. Sin. As by one man, sin entered
the world, and death by sin, so that death passed upon all
men, and that all have sinned. Now when Adam sinned, you and
I sinned. That's what the scripture teaches. And because of sin, This is a
world of suffering. I think of the so many varied
and different forms of suffering. What about the suffering of natural
disasters? What about when a tornado hits
and kills many people? What about when a tsunami hits
because of an earthquake? We're living in a fallen creation.
An earthquake takes place, and a tsunami, and maybe 200,000
people's lives are wiped out. It's happened. Hurricanes, those things bring
death. They bring disease with them.
The infrastructure of a place is taken away. What about the suffering that
takes place in wars? one country going against another
country and killing thousands and thousands of people, people
losing their parents, people losing their spouses, and all
the horrible things that come as a result of war. Suffering. What about disease? What about
sickness? Oh, the suffering, the pain that
results from sickness. If you've been sick, you know
you can be in such pain that you wish for death. You wish
you would die. You feel like you can't stand
it anymore. What suffering is involved in
all the varied sicknesses that there are? People can actually
want their life to end. What about the suffering brought
upon by death? Separation. Loneliness. What about the suffering
there is in mental sickness? Depression. anxiety and the myriad
mental disorders and chemical imbalances that people suffer
through with these mental sicknesses and mental illnesses, which is
just as real as physical sickness. What suffering is involved in
despair? What about the suffering that's
brought on through poverty? This vicious cycle that never
seems to end, going round and round, and people can't get out
of the cycle. The suffering that takes place
through substance abuse and addiction. How many people suffer through
drunkenness and drug addiction? And how many families suffer
through somebody else's addiction and abuse and so on? What a horrible thing when that
takes place, when the family members suffer as a result. Look
at the suffering that's being brought upon by prejudice. Look
at the suffering that's been brought on by greed and covetousness,
somebody wanting what you have. Think of the suffering brought
on by abuse, mental abuse that people subject other people to,
physical abuse, sexual abuse. How many families have experienced
something horrible like that and are continuing to pay for
it? Suffering. How much suffering has taken
place in homes being broken up and children no longer having
their parents. How much suffering has taken place in the name of
religion? We could go on and on about the
abuse that human religion has put people through. Suffering. Scripture says man
that is born of woman is born to trouble as the sparks fly
up Suffering. The sufferings of this present
time. Now, you may be in a real bright,
cheery mood today. That's good. I'm glad you are.
But trouble's coming. You can write it down. You were
born to it. The sufferings of this present
time. You see, the only reason for
suffering is sin. Now, if you see someone suffering,
please don't think, what do you reckon they did that God's getting
them for? Don't think anything like that. That's so ugly. But
know this, when you do suffer, if you didn't have sin, you wouldn't
be suffering. Just write that down. The reason
for suffering is sin. I think of the anguish we brought in our own
lives and the lives of others by our personal sin. The reason for suffering is sin.
But, but, I love this word but, but
a believer's suffering is different from an unbeliever's suffering.
Did you know that? Everybody's going to suffer. No one is exempt
from this. But a believer's suffering is
quite different from an unbeliever's suffering. And here is why. Look in verse 28 of Romans chapter
8. And we know that all things,
including everything you or I suffer, all things work together for
good. to them that love God, to them
who are thee called according to his purpose." Now here's two
things. Here's one. The believer who
suffers, he's got this going for him. He's been called according
to God's purpose. Doesn't God give everybody a
chance? My friend, salvation is not by chance. Salvation is
by the purpose of God Almighty. those whom He calls according
to His purpose. That's what the Bible says. Not
what I say, it's what the Bible says. And we have this blessed,
glorious truth that all things work together for good to them
that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose.
Everything, all the suffering, all the glory is for my good.
Now somebody says, I want that to be for me. I understand that. If you come to Christ and believe
on Him, it will be for you. Don't think God's purpose keeps
you from salvation. If you're saved, it's because
of God's purpose. Don't think this purpose holds you out. This
purpose will bring you in if you call upon His name. Have
mercy on me. Now, turn with me for a moment
to 2 Corinthians chapter 4. I feel a great need to to make
this very clear, if you're saved, it's only because God purposed
you to be saved. And that doesn't keep anyone
from being saved. Don't think, well, that means
I might want to be saved and he won't save me. No, you come to
Christ, you'll be received. That's the promise of the scripture.
You can't say, well, I wanted to be saved, but God wouldn't
let me. No, you come to Christ, you sue for mercy, and God will
receive. Now, 2 Corinthians chapter 4,
verse 7, Paul says, but we have, we possess,
it's ours. We have this treasure, the treasure
of the gospel, the treasure of the forgiveness of sins, the
treasure of the freeness of his grace. We have this treasure
in earthen vessels. jars of clay, weak, fragile,
easy to be broken. We have this treasure in earthen
vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not
of us. 4, Paul says, We're troubled on
every side. You know, I got a lot of troubles.
Troubles from within. Troubles from without. Troubles
on every side. Paul said that. He said we are
troubled on every side. And every believer can say the
same thing. Oh, the troubles from within. Fair enough. The troubles from without. He
says we're troubled on every side, yet not distressed, not
left without hope. We are perplexed. You know, there's
so many things that I'm perplexed by. It's an enigma. And Paul
said, we see through a glass darkly. I don't have the answer.
I don't know. Why is the Lord letting this
happen? I don't know. I don't know. But He does. And I rest
in that. I'm perplexed. I don't know why
God's doing what He's doing. But He does. And that's what
I rest in. I rest in Him. We are perplexed
but not in despair, not without hope. We hope in him. We're persecuted
for the preaching of the gospel, but not forsaken. God said, I'll
never leave you, forsake you. We're cast down. We're depressed
is what he's saying. We're brought to the end. We're
at the bottom. I've seen the bottom, Paul's
saying. We're cast down. We're down but we're not out.
Cast down but not destroyed. Look down in verse 16 of this
same chapter, 2 Corinthians chapter 4. For the witch cause we faint
not. We don't lose heart. We don't
give up. But though our outward man perish,
yet the inward man is renewed day by day. for our light affliction. This trouble that's on every
side, our light affliction. Being stoned, being mistreated,
being cast out, being beat, our light affliction. And that's true of every affliction,
if I'm a believer. our light affliction. Disease, cancer, our light affliction. Which is, but for a moment, it's
just temporary. You know, your life, remember,
according to the scriptures, is a vapor that appears for a
little while and it vanishes away. And whatever you're going
through, it's only temporary. It will not continue. You know,
you can take anything for a small amount of time, can't you? You
can take anything. Our light affliction, which is
but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal
weight of glory. While we look not at things which
are seen, but things which are not seen. For the things which
are seen are temporal. Everything you see, It's just
temporary. It's not going to last. It's
going to be gone soon enough. Every relationship you have,
it's a temporal relationship. But the things which are not
seen are eternal. That's why we do not lose heart. Now, three things. regarding
trouble, regarding affliction. Number one, to the believer,
it's temporary. Now, it's not temporary to the
unbeliever. You think you've got trouble now? You're really
going to have trouble when you die. Now, people say things like,
I'm going through hell right now. No, you're not. No, you're
not, no matter what you say. No, you're not. You're not going
through hell. That place of eternal torment is beyond any description. I don't even like to talk about
it. I really don't. I'd like to never have to talk
about hell, but the Lord did. And if I'm without Christ, oh,
my afflictions aren't temporary. They're going to get infinitely
worse and spend an eternity that way. But if I'm in Christ, my
troubles are only temporary. They're short-lived, and here's
what's glorious, they're working for me. They're working for me,
a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. They're working
together for my good. Everything that's taking place
with me, whatever that trouble is, it's for my benefit. It's
sent from a kind, loving, glorious, gracious, heavenly Father who
loves me and gave His Son for me. And He knows exactly what
I need. I think of that statement by
Peter in 1 Peter 1 where he says, Now, if needs be, You're in heaviness
through manifold temptation. But you know, if you're in heaviness
through manifold temptation, there's a need to be. You're
getting exactly what you need by your wise, heavenly Father,
for Christ's sake, who is too wise to err and too kind to be
cruel. Now, if needs be. It's working
together. And here's something that's glorious
to think about. There's a better day coming.
There's a better day coming. Even so, come Lord Jesus. Now go back to our text in Romans
chapter 8. Paul says this is true of every
believer, for I reckon that the sufferings of this present time
And oh, they're so many. They're so varied. They come
from so many directions. From your own heart, from outside
the circumstances, from people. The sufferings of this present
time, from sickness, from insecurity, the sufferings of this present
time are not worthy to be compared with the glory. Now look at that
word. The glory which shall not might
be, which shall be revealed in us. You see, God's predestination
shall be realized. Look back at verse 29 of Romans
chapter 8. This is talking about the glory
which shall be revealed in us for whom he did foreknow. Now, remember that word foreknowledge
is not just talking about God's knowledge of events before they
take place because it didn't doesn't say what he foreknew,
although he does foreknow everything. Did the Lord know you'd be here
this morning? Of course he did. Is there any way you wouldn't
have been here this morning? No way. It was all part of his determinant
counsel and purpose. But it doesn't say what he foreknow. It said whom he did foreknow. Whom he did know beforehand. He said to Jeremiah, before I
formed thee in the belly, I knew thee. Now this thing of knowing,
Adam knew his wife Eve. It speaks of an intimate relationship. It speaks of love. It speaks
of acceptance. I know my wife. She knows me. We love one another. Whom he
foreknew, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image
of His Son. Now that's the glory that shall
be revealed. God has predestinated that I
am going to be just like the Lord Jesus Christ. Totally conformed
to His image. Made just like Him. Somebody once said, predestination
is this, God took another look at His only begotten and well-beloved
Son and said, I'm going to have a bunch more just like Him. That's a glorious definition.
How I love God's predestinating grace. He predetermined to have
a people just like Christ. You see, God's predestination
determines the certainty of what Paul is saying. Hold your finger
in Romans 8, keep it there and turn to Ephesians chapter 1 for
just a moment. Verse 4, according as he hath
chosen us in him, before the foundation of the world, that
we should be holy and without blame before him, In love, having
predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to
Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the
praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted
in the Beloved. There are two alternatives to
predestination. One is a weak God. A weak God
whose will can be thwarted, who can desire for something to take
place and it not take place. A weak God, a pygmy God, not
the God of the Bible, but a weak God. A God we can control. A
God who, we're not in His hands, He's in our hands, and we have
the ultimate say. People like a God like that,
don't they? They like a God like that. The other alternative to
absolute predestination is atheism. No God at all. No God at all. And both of those views, a weak
God or atheism, are intellectually and morally indefensible. Those
who do not believe in predestination want a God they can control,
and the atheist is merely one who hopes there is no God. But thank God his predestinating
purpose will be realized, and that's why Paul could say with
such certainty that the sufferings of this present time are not
worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed
in us. And that glory is perfect likeness
to the Lord Jesus Christ. One of these days in eternity,
I'm not going to be a sinner anymore. I'm not going to have any wicked
thoughts. I'm not going to be selfish. I'm not going to be
self-centered. I'm not going to have any evil desires. I'm
not going to commit any unlawful acts. And I won't remember what
it's like to do it. I won't even remember what it's
like to be a sinner. I won't remember what it's like
to feel abandoned or insecure. I won't remember any of those
things that come from those troubles that we experience. I won't remember
any of them. And you know, I'll look at my
Lord Jesus Christ. I'll behold His face, and that's
what heaven is. It's beholding His face. It's
beholding His glory. I'll look at Christ and I'll
see those scars on His hands and in His feet. I'll see the
scarred inside. I'll look at His forehead where
the thorns were printed and He has those scars still. And I'll
know, although I won't remember what it's like to be a sinner,
I'll know the only reason I'm there is because of who He is
and what He did for me. I'll know that. I'll realize
it. I'll realize it much more keenly then than I do now. You
see, He was made sin for us who knew
no sin, that we might be made the very righteousness of God
in Him. Now I want to look in closing
at a few scriptures that talk about the future of the believer.
Would you turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 15? Verse 50. Now this I say, brethren,
that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, neither doth
corruption inherit incorruption. Now the way you and I are right
now, we couldn't enter into heaven
like this. Not with these sinful bodies, those ears that have
been used to listen to vanity. Those eyes that have beheld vanity. Those hands that have been used
for the commission of sin. Those feet that have taken us
into places where we should have never gone. All that corruption. It can't inherit in corruption. Can't do it. If I was taken into
heaven the way I am, it would ruin that place. You see, heaven's
a holy place. Utterly holy. Sin can't enter
into heaven. Now look what Paul says in verse
51. Behold, I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we
shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling
of an eye at the last trumpet, for the trumpet shall sound and
the dead shall be raised incorruptible. and we shall be changed. We don't change ourselves, but
we shall be changed. That is his promise. Look in Colossians chapter 3. When Christ, who is our life,
shall appear. And if you have a King James
Version, you'll notice that the who is is in italics. It could
much better read like this. When Christ, our life, shall
appear. My life is the life of the Lord
Jesus Christ. That's my history. You see, I've
been given a new history. His story is my history. Whatever
he did, that's my history. That's why I enter heaven. Christ
is my life. When Christ our life shall appear,
then shall you also appear with Him in glory. Turn to 1 Thessalonians chapter
4. Paul says in verse 13, But I
would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which
are asleep. I love the way the believer's death is called asleep. You know, I love to sleep, don't
you? I love a good night's sleep. Refreshing. The death of the
believer is called a sleep. Those that sleep in Christ. I
would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them which
are asleep, that you sorrow not, even as others which have no
hope. Well, what a horrible thing it is to have no hope. No hope
of being accepted by God. No hope. For if we believe that Jesus
died and rose again, even so them also would sleep in Jesus.
will God bring with Him. For this we say unto you by the
word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the
coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, and
the voice of the archangel with the trump of God, and the dead
in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain
shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the
Lord in the air. And so shall we ever be with
the Lord. Wherefore, comfort one another
with these words. Would you turn to 1 John chapter
3. Verse 1. Behold, what manner of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the
sons of God. not just servants, sons, his
children, his beloved, those whom he takes care of. He's their father. Therefore,
John says, the world knows us not because it knew him not. I always think it's interesting
when somebody says, I want people to see Christ in me. I understand
that sentiment, I do too. But they didn't see Christ in
Christ. It's not very likely they're gonna see him in you.
They wouldn't know what to look for. They wouldn't know what
would be understanding. John says the world doesn't recognize
us. They don't know us. They don't understand. Because
it knew him not. Verse two. Beloved, now, right
now, present tense, are we the sons of God? And it doth not
yet appear what we shall be. When I talk about being sinless,
one of these days I'm going to be sinless. Do I have any idea
what that means? No. No. I can't even fantasize
about it. I can't figure it out. It doesn't
appear what we shall be when we're without sin. John writing
under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit said this. It does
not yet appear what we shall be. But we know that when he
shall appear, We shall be like Him. And here's why. We shall
see Him as He is. Not as He was. Not as He was
when He was nailed to the cross in anguish. But we'll see Him
as He is. the brightness of God's glory
and the express image of His person. And you know everyone
who sees that sight, that sight will perfectly conform you to
His image. You'll be like Him when you see
Him as He is. Now Paul talked about the glory. which shall be revealed in us. It hasn't been revealed yet,
but it will. It will. It shall be. It's a
for sure. What exactly is that glory that shall be revealed
in us? Turn to John 17. Verse 20, neither pray I for
these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through
their word. I'm not just praying for the
12. I'm praying for every believer who shall believe on me through
their word. So this is his prayer for all
who believe that they all may be one. As thou, Father, art in me, and
I in thee, that they also may be one in us, that the world
may believe that thou hast sent me, and the glory, now look at
this, the glory which thou gavest me, I have given them. That's the glory that shall be
revealed. The glory which thou hast given
me, I'll give to them. Do you know the glory that the
Lord achieved? As the only begotten Son of God
who accomplished salvation, fully glorifying His Father. He said,
I've glorified thee on the earth. I've finished the work thou gavest
me to do. The glory that He achieved, He's
gonna give to every believer. And one of these days, you're
going to shine like the sun in the kingdom of your Heavenly
Father. That's the glory that is awaiting
every believer. Now I want to close with this
question. Do you believe that any of this
could be realized? That you could be perfectly conformed
to the image of Jesus Christ. That you'll no longer be without
sin. That you'll stand justified before God. That the very glory
of the Lord Jesus Christ will be given to you. Could you believe
that any of this could be realized if salvation were in any way
dependent upon you? Well, I know I wouldn't believe
that for a second. Couldn't even imagine it. But if salvation
really is all of grace, This is sure and certain for
every believer because salvation is of the Lord. It's the gift
of His grace. You see, since it's by grace,
it's really already been realized. Now let me quote this scripture
that I quoted in Romans 8.30, where it says, whom he did justify,
then he also called, whom he called, then he also justified,
and whom he justified, then he also glorified. Now there, that
word is not prophetic. It's not, he will glorify them.
He has glorified them. You see, when Christ was glorified,
I was too. I'm already in heaven seated
in the person of my representative. Ephesians 2, 6 says we're seated
together in the heavenlies in Him. As He sits at the right
hand of the Father on that glorious throne, so does every believer. Glorification is certain because
it's already been. You don't look very glorified
to me. I know, I know. I realize that. But my glory is Jesus Christ.
And in him I am glorified and I will one day experience it
in all of its fullness. It's sure. It's certain because
it's already taken place. Revelation, it's history. It's
history. It's historical. Romans 8 30
is historical. It's not prophetic. It's not
something that will be. It's something that has already
been. That's mysterious, isn't it? Beloved, if you believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ, and right now I'm not asking you if you think you're
a believer, but I'm asking you this. Do you believe He's the
Lord? That means you really believe
He's in control of everything. And you believe He's Jesus. That
means He's the Savior. Do you believe God sent Him to
save? He's God's Christ. God's prophet. He's the very
Word of God. He's God's priest. If He represents
you before the Father, you must be heard. He's God's King. He
rules and He reigns. I don't care who you are. If
you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, you shall be saved. And this future is yours. Let's pray.