Have you ever had an old article of clothing, an old
favorite, an old standby, that you just can’t part with, even though it’s not
in the same shape it used to be? You
know that one day you’ll have to replace it and get a new one. Sometimes it’s the wife that makes you. I have an old coat like that, and I don’t get
to use it much in Texas anymore. But
it’s seen better days. And eventually,
that garment becomes so worn out, so threadbare, that it’s just time to throw
it out. Not even worth donating
anymore. It’s of no use to anyone.
Isaiah says, “The earth will wear out like a garment.” We
can sense that this creation is not what it used to be. Things don’t seem to be getting really
better, but only worse. And it can’t go
on like this forever.
Christians know this world is fallen because of sin. And the solution to sin isn’t “try harder” or
“do something to fix it”. We could no
more fix this fallen creation than we could raise the dead. Like our own sinful nature, the only hope of
creation itself is Jesus Christ, who makes all things new.
Paul teaches us more in Romans 8 this morning, using another
picture – not of a worn out garment, but of a woman in labor. And he uses it not just to show us the
groaning, but also the hope that is in store for creation – and for us – as we
look toward the end of all suffering and the revealing of the sons of God.
18 For I consider that
the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that
is to be revealed to us.
St. Paul knows a thing or two about suffering. He tells the Corinthian church he has: been in
prison… been flogged…severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24
Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times
I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was
shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been
constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from
bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in
the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false
believers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I
have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold
and naked. (2 Cor. 11:23-27)
We all suffer. You could write your own laundry list of sorrows. Some of us might even approach the level of suffering St. Paul experienced. But take it from Paul, and the Holy Spirit who inspired him, the sufferings of this world are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
On the last day, at the resurrection, when the glorious
kingdom is ushered in… none of these earthly sufferings will matter. The
Christian has a future hope. And not
just a spiritual one, either, as we shall see.
The glory that is to be revealed isn’t abstract and ephemeral, it is as
real as it gets.
It is a glory that words fail to fully declare. We know,
now, only in part. But one day we will
see fully. It is a glory that will wash
away every laundry list of suffering and sorrows. And make no mistake it will be a bodily
resurrection to a fullness of life, body and soul, glorified and living with
God forever. A glory derived from the
One to whom is all glory now and forever, amen.
19 For the creation
waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.
This creation, this fallen world, itself, Paul says, waits
with eager longing. The whole of
creation that was affected by Adam’s sin, now waits and looks forward to the
corrective – the new heaven and new earth that God will reveal on the last day,
when the “sons of God” are also revealed.
All things that are now hidden will be made known then. All these promises that remain shrouded in
the uncertainty of the future. All the
hearts that we can’t see if they truly believe or not – all will be
revealed. And all will be made right at
the last. Even this creation.
20 For the creation
was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it,
in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to
corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For
we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of
childbirth until now.
This whole creation has been affected by man’s sin. Natural disasters, calamities and
accidents. Disease and epidemic. The frailties of old age. The violence we see in the animal
kingdom. Chaos and destruction. All of it – the futility of this world – the
bondage to corruption – began with the sin of Adam.
Paul uses this great picture of the corrupted creation –
painting it as a woman in labor. Groaning in the pains of childbirth. Just as Eve and all her daughters now suffer
labor pains because of sin, so the creation as a whole is like a woman
suffering her contractions, times of pain and tears, off and on again, but with
increasing intensity and frequency. This
world is groaning, lurching toward an end.
But there is a goal in site. Just
as the woman who gives birth rejoices when the baby finally arrives – so too
will this creation be made glad when all things are finally renewed at the last
day.
23 And not only the
creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan
inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
But creation, this world, is not all that is groaning. We groan, too. We have our own troubles and trials, and not
just spiritually. Sure we sin daily and
much. We struggle with faith and doubt.
Like the creation, we also groan physically. We suffer from aging and disease. We have accidents and falls. We bear the effects of sin in our very
bodies. This is not to say that you got
cancer because you ate the wrong foods, or your kidneys failed because you
didn’t exercise enough. Surely we could
all take better care of ourselves, but even the healthiest among us is subject
to disease and death, sometimes quite suddenly.
It’s not a one-to-one correlation with our sin, but rather, an overall
groaning under the entire corruption of this world, this flesh, this
everything.
And so we groan, sometimes outwardly, but always inwardly,
looking for something better. And as
Christians we have that hope, that future.
We know our adoption as sons of God has already begun, and God will
bring it to completion at the last.
And we know that God doesn’t just redeem our souls, but also
our bodies. I was recently at a funeral
for a Christian, which I did not officiate.
And as the minister spoke kind words about the deceased and sought to
comfort the family, there was a glaring omission. Yes, there was some talk of Jesus, and I was
thankful for that – as far as it went.
But there was almost no mention of the resurrection. The hope of the Christian is that God will,
at the last, redeem not just our souls, but our bodies too – our whole person –
from sin and death.
24 For in this hope we
were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?
25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we await for it with patience.
Yes, it takes the patience of faith to see this unseen
hope. And so we wait. We wait in groaning and weakness, clinging
for dear life to the promises of God. We
wait, and in this hope we are saved. But
there’s help along the way. He
concludes:
26 Likewise the Spirit
helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the
Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he
who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit
intercedes for the saints according to the will of God
The creation groans.
We groan with it. But did you
catch that the Spirit himself also groans?
He groans in a way that is too deep for words. He groans in his prayer for us, interceding
for us as a perfect middle-man to the Father.
And his prayers are perfect, unlike our weak prayers. We don’t know what to pray for, or how to
pray as we ought. Like this creation we
are corrupt, and so even are our prayers.
But the Spirit has the very mind of God, and knows perfectly the will of
God. And the Spirit helps us, prays for
us, according to the will of God.
And what is the will of God?
Jesus tells us, and shows us. Not
that the cup would pass from him, but that he drink it. Not that Jesus would avoid the groaning and
suffering, but face it head on. For it
is the will of God that Christ would suffer and die for the sins of the world,
that whoever believes in him will not perish with this corrupt world, but have
the hope that comes by his blood, and everlasting life. His groaning and dying is your hope and your
life. He makes all things new, and that
includes you. His glory – the scorning
of the shame of the cross – is now your glory.
And his resurrection is your resurrection.
God grant us and strengthen us with this hope, through all
our groaning. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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