Peter Barnes | Romans 8:23-25
SERMON NOTES
CHRISTIANS GROAN
(Romans 8:23-25)
– Christians are already adopted into God’s family (8:14-17), but the resurrection of the body is still to come (8:23).
1. We groan while here on earth.
– 8:23; there are tensions in this life
– see 2 Cor. 5:4; Rom.8:26; 7:24; Ps.38:9
2. We anticipate the resurrection of the body.
– 8:23; it is not the groaning of despair.
– quite the reverse! See Phil.3:20-21
– Bede says this is prefigured by the egg – we are eggs who look to become chickens!
3. We hope with patience.
– 8:24-25; it is not ‘hope so’ but a living hope (1 Pet.1:3)
– hope is faith looking to the future, with patience
– Ps.43:5; 130:5-6; Col.1:5; 2 Tim.4:8
– ‘Having the foretaste, we long for the feast!’ (Stuart Olyott)