Honest Confession:

Perhaps the most difficult thing I Perhaps the most difficult thing I have learned and am relearning is have learned and am relearning is that what seems like a trial from that what seems like a trial from hell is, more often than not, God hell is, more often than not, God working in my life to accomplish working in my life to accomplish

His will.His will.

Introduction

This is the kind of sermon that will This is the kind of sermon that will impact everyone to some degree impact everyone to some degree

throughout his entire life.throughout his entire life.

Please stand.

Turn to Romans 8:28.Turn to Romans 8:28.

The Issue is Trust.The Issue is Trust.

Please use a pew Bible if you didn’t bring a Bible with you.

Pg. 835 Pg. 835

ROMANS 8:28

• “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.”

OUTLINE

• Six Simple Points– To them– Love God– His purpose– The called– We know– Defining good

ROMANS 8:28

• “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.”

POINT NUMBER ONE

• The promises from God, like this promise, do not universally apply to all people equally.

Are you part of Are you part of “to them”?“to them”?

ROMANS 8:28

• “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.”

POINT NUMBER TWO

• The promise that “all things work together for good” applies only to those who love God.

Do you love Do you love God?God?

Application

Is there sufficient evidence Is there sufficient evidence in your life that you treasure God in your life that you treasure God

above all else?above all else?

THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE

• Matthew 13:45-46 – “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a

merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: – Who, when he had found one pearl of great

price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.”

EVIDENCE

• Worship is a priority in your life.• Giving• Bible knowledge/growth• Holiness/sanctification• Service

ROMANS 8:28

• “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.”

POINT NUMBER THREE

• God has a purpose for my life.

Turn to

Eph 1:3-12.Eph 1:3-12.

ROMANS 8:28

• “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.”

ROMANS 8:30

• “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.”

POINT NUMBER FOUR

• “The called” is a way of emphasizing God’s role in bringing men, women, and children into a saving relationship with Himself.

God the Holy Spirit is the person of God who calls men, women, and children to obey the gospel—

thus, those who obey are “the called.”

ROMANS 8:28

• “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.”

POINT NUMBER FIVE

• “We know that” is a way of expressing an absolutely true statement with God Himself as the guarantor of the promise.

ROMANS 8:28

• “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.”

POINT NUMBER SIX

• The guarantor of the promise—God—is the One Who determines what “all things work together for good” looks like in my life.

I don’t I don’t get to get to define define goodgood..

“This working of all things for good is done quite naturally to ‘them that love God,’ because such souls, persuaded that He who gave His own Son for them cannot but mean them well in all His procedure, learn thus to take in good part whatever He sends them, however trying to flesh and blood: and to them who are the called, according to ‘His purpose,’ all things do in the same intelligible way ‘work together for good’ . . .”

– Robert Jamieson

Case Studies of Romans 8:28

Joseph in Joseph in Genesis 37-50Genesis 37-50

BACKGROUND

• Abraham–Isaac

•Jacob (Israel)–Joseph (one of twelve sons)

Good looks like

being hated and despised by his being hated and despised by his Jewish brothers.Jewish brothers.

Good looks like

being left in a pit to die.being left in a pit to die.

Good looks like

being sold into slavery and taken to being sold into slavery and taken to Egypt.Egypt.

Good looks like

being unjustly thrown in jail with being unjustly thrown in jail with no hope of release.no hope of release.

Turn to

Genesis 50:20.Genesis 50:20.

Joseph is a picture of whom?

Good looks like

leaving the glories of heaven to be leaving the glories of heaven to be born of a poor carpenter in a stable.born of a poor carpenter in a stable.

JOHN 17:5

• “And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.”

Question

Why don’t we comprehend the Why don’t we comprehend the significance of this?significance of this?

Good looks like

an emergency trip to Egypt to an emergency trip to Egypt to savesave baby Jesus’ life.baby Jesus’ life.

Matthew 2Matthew 2

Good looks like

40 days of 40 days of fasting and temptationfasting and temptation

Matthew 3Matthew 3

Good looks like

being falsely accused, convicted, being falsely accused, convicted, and sentenced to deathand sentenced to death

Matthew 27Matthew 27

Good looks like

a crown of thorns, a crown of thorns, and a whip to the back.and a whip to the back.

John 19John 19

Good looks like

the Son of God hanging the Son of God hanging on a rugged cross.on a rugged cross.

Matthew 27Matthew 27

Good looks like

““My God, My God why have you My God, My God why have you forsaken me?”forsaken me?”

Matthew 27Matthew 27

Good looks like

““It is Finished.”It is Finished.”John 19John 19

In our own lives, all of us are often guilty of asking,

““How can this be good?”How can this be good?”

Yet, in the life of Christ

we call what He went through—the we call what He went through—the gospel—the good news.gospel—the good news.