Louie Giglio - The Mighty, Miraculous, Overwhelming, Prevailing Love of God
Today we’re coming to the end of «Epicenter» and I saw someone this morning, walking in, they just got to Passion City Church and so they didn’t know anything about what’s going on. And the reason why we’re calling this collection of talks «Epicenter,» to catch them up and anybody like them that’s here today, is that we’ve been excavating a chapter out of the Bible. And, this chapter, a lot of people think, is maybe the pinnacle chapter in the Bible. And today, we’re coming to the end of this collection of talks and we’re coming to the last few verses in that chapter and a lot of people think these few verses are the pinnacle of the pinnacle. And so, this is a critical landing point for us today.
And, I think one of the reasons it’s a critical landing point for us today is because we’re gonna be able to look at the question which the enemy uses in people’s lives to derail their faith. And, I would assume, knowing my journey in life, that the enemy has probably used this question in your life at some point. And, I’ve met many people in my life that have abandoned faith or don’t have faith or have walked away from God because of this question. And the question is obviously a big universal question and it is, if God is loving, why… can you finish the question? Do bad things happen. It’s one of the biggest questions in humanity. We come into this gathering, we come into the house of God, we sing these great songs of praise, we talk about a God who cares about you, a God who gave His Son for you, a God who’s sovereign over all things, a God who is love, the scripture says.
And then, all of this calamity happens and suffering happens and injustice happens and hardship happens and then we are faced with this question and I think the enemy, our adversary, I think he amps up the question. «Oh yeah, so God really loves you? God really cares about you? Well, if God loves you and God is so loving then why is all this bad stuff happening to you? Or why is all this bad stuff happening in the world»? And, Romans 8 is a massive, massive assistance to us in wrestling with this question, that I would dare say, most of us have wrestled with in our lifetime. And we see how our mindset is shifting around this question as we come to the last bit of Romans 8. And, we’re beginning today in verse 31 and we’re reading down to the end of the chapter.
Paul says, «What, then, shall we say in response to this? 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, along with Him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus who died, more than that, who was raised to life, is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written…» And now Paul quotes one of the Psalms, Psalm 44, «For your sake we face death all day long. We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered».
So, he answers, «No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced…» Can we just say those words together? «For I am convinced». So, Paul is ending with an exclamation point. He’s got his highlighter out at the end of this pinnacle chapter and he says, «I have come to a conclusion». And down in my bones I know something, I believe something, I’m convinced of something. «That neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord».
This is the exclamation point of the pinnacle chapter in all of scripture. And I love the way he opens this section, he says, «What then shall we say in response to this»? And we talked about last week if we go over here to the whole chapter that we came a few verses before this, in verse 28 and we said, «And we know…» We know what? «That in all things God works for the good of those who love Him». Not that all things are good, amen, but that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him. «Those who are called…» It goes on to say, «According to His purpose». And so, Paul’s kinda coming down and saying, «We know something, we have finally clued in to something and the something that we know and that we have finally clued into is that in all things God works».
That is an important thing to know in life, especially when the all things that he’s talking about, that we had to go back and ask the question what are the all things? The all things are our present sufferings. So, yes, it’s the good things in life, the highs in life, the enjoyable times of life, but the real context of Romans 8 is the world is broken and the world is groaning. The world is asking, «Is there gonna be a day soon where the new Heaven comes and the new earth comes? Where it’s like Revelation speaks, 'He’s gonna wipe away every tear from our eyes and there’ll be no more suffering and there’ll be no more death.'» That day is coming, but it’s not here yet. And until that day comes there’re gonna be present sufferings on a broken planet. But what he’s saying is, the present sufferings are the all things over here that God works for the good of those who love Him.
So, God isn’t stymied by the fact that we’re in a waiting season before the full glory of Christ is revealed and we’re revealed in that glory with Him. And so, this is the this. So, what shall we say to this? To what? To the fact that we know that in all things God works to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. You can also do the delta flight map with it if you want to 'cause there’s other stuff in here. «The Spirit helps us in our weakness and the Spirit prays for us». How about that? «In the groaning of the earth, for a new earth and a new Heaven, we also groan but we know that there is gonna be the redemption of our bodies. Even our bodies are gonna come into the fullness of the glory of God. We know that our present sufferings are not worth comparing to the glory that’s gonna be revealed in us. We know that we are heirs of God and co-heirs of Christ because we are God’s children».
The Spirit testifies with our spirit and we cry Abba Father. We get to call the God Almighty of the universe, not only Yahweh, Jehovah, Sovereign Lord, but we get to call Him Abba because we are born as His children. We didn’t get a spirit that made us a slave to fear, but we got the spirit of sonship. We are not obligated to the sinful nature, we are no longer controlled by the sinful nature, we have Christ now living inside of us. We have received the righteous requirements of the law being met in us by the finished work of Jesus so that we proclaim there is now, no, condemnation for this who are in Christ Jesus. And so, when he says over here, «What shall we say in response to this»? He’s talking about this. What do we have to say in response to this?
And, he’s talking about this. And we got a flight to Savannah and one to Jacksonville, and one to Dallas, and one to… we got flights going everywhere. This is where the delta map comes in. We fly everywhere out of the this. What shall we say in response to this? What do I say in response to all this? Well, I’ll say a couple things. Number one, this one that we just said, if God is for us, who can be against us. And the answer, obviously, is no one. And then, he gives reasoning. So, it’s not hype. There is ballast in this boat. What’s your reason for saying that if God is for us who can be against us? And I love the fact that we got this verse locked down into context now so it’s not just, «Oh I’m having a bad day but, hey, if God is for me who can be against me». Or they say, «This is my big, grand proclamation and if God is for me then who can be against me».
No, we’re anchored now down in the context. And in context I know this, look at verse 32, «He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also along with His son graciously give us all things». In other words, «I know who He is, I know what His heart is like, I know that He is a gracious giver, I know that His operational base is to graciously give, and I know that He wouldn’t limit any good thing from those who love Him». I trust the heart of my God and I’ve already seen Him. Listen, I’ve already seen Him give His best on a cross for me. If He’s for me, who could be against me? 'Cause I ask it this way, who could be against Christ? Nobody. Where am I? In Christ. And in Christ and Christ in me, what is going to come against me?
Now, the context, again, ultimately, isn’t that there’ll never be anyone against you. I think everyone here would go, «Well, I’ve had a couple people against me». The context here is, nothing can prevail against you, ultimately, because of the position that you are in in Christ. He goes on, secondly, to say… what do we have to say for ourselves? «Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen»? It is God who justifies. And we saw that up in the top in the first few verses. There’s no condemnation, why? Because sin was condemned in sinful flesh. That’s Christ on the cross so that the righteous requirements of the law might be fulfilled in us.
So, our label isn’t «Not Condemned» it’s better than that even though the reality is we’re not condemned in Christ. Hallelujah. But the reality is not condemned but the label is «Justified». «Hello. Nice to meet you, I’m justified. Yes, I was guilty. Yes, I committed sin against God. Yes, I went my own way. Yes, I turned from Him. Yes, I insisted that we do it my way and not His way. But at the end of the day, Jesus intervened and He paid the price for me. And God did the unthinkable and He condemned His Son and He made me justified». So who, I’m asking and we’re asking 'cause we can speak for ourselves now, who is gonna bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? «Well, how can you say that so confidently»? Because it is God who justifies.
The third thing we say is, parallel to that, who is he that condemns? Who’s gonna walk into your life in Christ and say, «You are unfit for use or service. We are gonna put a notice on you and you’re going to be torn down». Who can do that? You’re telling me the enemy’s gonna walk into your life and go, «Man, you really screwed that one up. Too much history for you, bro. Too many mistakes in your story. No chance that God’s gonna use you, no chance you’re gonna have a place in this kingdom story of God. You’re unfit for use or service». Or maybe you’re the one doing the condemning or maybe your friend’s doing the condemning or somebody in your story’s doing the condemning and you’re letting the condemnation come when you need to know that I have a response to all of this that God has already spoken to me and I am in Christ.
And if you’re gonna try to condemn me you got a big job because here’s how I’m confident of that, that no one can condemn, it is because… here’s our answer, we looked at this the first week, «Christ Jesus who died, more than that, who was raised to life, is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us». That doesn’t mean that Christ is at the right hand of God going, «Oh dear Lord, please help her find her purse. Please help him find his keys. You know they want that Airbnb, that one with the big veranda, please let 'em get that one». No, He’s interested in all that I’m sure, but Christ is at the right hand of God testifying on your behalf. He’s your star witness. 'Cause, the evidence is in, the wages of sin is death. All of us, like sheep, have gone astray.
The rebuttal of, «Well, it wasn’t as bad as that person or I was in a really bad time of life when that happened, or, I didn’t wanna do it but I kept doing it. I don’t know why I do it but you ever done anything you didn’t wanna do, judge? Oh, you’re Holy God judging me, no, yeah, you’ve never done that». So, the evidence is in… The consequence is eternal… The condemnation is, it’s real until Jesus takes the stand and intercedes for you and says, «This one right here, this is one of ours. And I just remind us all here in the court room today that I put my life in her place, and she’s ours». And as we’ve spoken there’s therefore now no condemnation to those that are in Christ.
And some of you just need to be able to speak up for yourself and say, «Unseal the indictment. Take the folder out. Yes, that’s my case but it has stamped on it, paid in full». Who can condemn? No one, because Christ, the same one who died, but more than that was raised from the dead. He’s at the right hand of God and He’s reminding the Father, «I was in their place». And then, lastly, this last question and then the big declaration. «Who shall separate us from the love of Christ»?
Notice the operative word here is the love of Christ. It’s the love of Christ. If God is so loving then, why do bad things happen? A lot of people buy into that deception. We’re hurting, frustrated, and at our last gasp, but now we’re asking, we’re kinda declaring in our question, «Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship, persecution or famine or nakedness, danger, sword»? And then, he comes down and gives the answer, «No», not these things. «All these things».
You see all the all these things connecting? And we know that in all things God works, but what are the all things? The all things are trouble. We know that in trouble God still works. In hardship God still works, in persecution God still works, in famine God is at work, in nakedness and danger and sword God is still God and He’s still sovereign and He still has a plan that He chose us for, a purpose that He’s called us to, and He’s still working. So no, we know these things can’t separate us from the love of God. And so, now we make this last big giant declaration. This is what we have to say for ourselves. That, «We’re more than conquerors through Him who loved us». This, «More than conquerors,» means that we will prevail. We will prevail. Through all of this, we will prevail. We may be in all of it, but we will prevail.
And then, there’s this massive declaration, this is, actually the fifth thing over here. «For I am convinced… that neither death nor life…» Which is powerful to me because sometimes it is the death and for all of us it’s gonna be death. A lot of death. But for somebody today it’s not death you’re worried about, it’s life that’s got you under pressure. And he’s saying, «Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us», from what?
See, this is the context of this it’s so beautiful. Separate you from what? Separate us from what? The love of God. Interestingly it didn’t say under all this pressure and all these things separate you from the power of God or the will of God or the work of God. No, it said, «Separate us from the love of God». Because, the things that keeps us in all these things is knowing that we are forever enveloped and secure by the choosing, prevailing, foreknowing will of God into the living arms of God. And we can and will never be separated from the love of God for us in Christ. Neither death can’t do it. My last breath does not separate me from the embrace of Almighty God, and nothing I’m gonna face tomorrow will. No height, no depth, nothing in all of creation can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
What is Paul trying to say to us? He is saying when God chose you in His love to be His forever He made you a promise, «There’s not a thing coming in this life that can change the place where I have you right now in my love». And, I’m telling you that changes everything. We’re in this valley, but I know God’s love is real. I’m not gonna trip today over the ploy of the enemy because I know, and I’m convinced, that the miracle adoption and my position in Christ can’t be changed by any circumstance. And so, I have something to say. Praise God I have a response. If God is loving, why do bad things happen?
As we excavate and Romans 8 changes to bad things are happening. Oh, bad things are happening. A young college student goes out for a run and her family is crushed for the rest of their days on planet earth. Bad things are happening. But… And this is the gospel. This is why we’re in here singing worship songs while bad things are happening. It’s because no thing in all of creation can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. And that’s what we need the most, is to know that we are woven into the unshakeable love of God.