Sermon Notes, April
7, 2019 PM
Nothing Can
Separate Us
Steve W. Reeves
Stevewreevessermons.blogspot.com
A. A lady was driving down a country road one day when she came upon a terrible
traffic accident. A car had veered off the road and hit a tree. There were several
people injured. The lady got out of her car to help. She later recalled, “I was so glad I
remembered my first aid class. I put my head down on my knees to keep from
fainting.”
1. Too often this is descriptive of Christians in today’s world. When we should be
administering first aid to those who are spiritually injured we are traumatized by
fear.
2. God has not reconciled us to Himself through the blood of His Son so that we
might live in defeat. He wants us to be “more than conquerors” and realize that
nothing in creation can separate us from His love through Jesus Christ.
B. Listen to Romans 8:31-39.
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He
who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also
with Him freely give us all things? 33 Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God
is the one who justifies; 34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who
died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also
intercedes for us. 35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or
distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Just as it is
written, ‘For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered
as sheep to be slaughtered.’ 37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer
through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor
agels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor
height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the
love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
C. How can we be assured of God’s promise that “nothing will be able to separate us
from the love of Christ?” In Romans 8 Paul systematically sets forth four reasons to
support this statement.
A. Paul wrote, “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ
Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law
of sin and of death.”
1. To be pardoned means to be released from guilt.
2. This is exactly what we have been offered through Christ.
a. This is the theme of Romans (Romans 1:16-17).
b. The gentiles, through their idolatrous and immoral rejection of God were lost
in sin (Romans 1:18-32).
c. The Jews, because of their rebellious refusal to abide by God’s law were lost
in sin (Romans 2).
d. Indeed, as Paul concluded in Romans 3:23, “All have sinned and fallen short
of the glory of God.” Earlier in 3:10 he quoted Psalm 14:1, “there in none
righteous, no not one.”
3. Thankfully, according to Romans 5:6-9, “For while we were still helpless, at the
right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous
man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8 But
God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we
shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.”
B. Several years ago, as the Governor of Mississippi prepared to leave office,
he pardoned several prisoners who had committed serious crimes. Though people
didn’t like it, he had the authority under the law to issue the pardons
1. Jesus said, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth”
(Matthew 28:18). Because of His sinless obedience to the Father (Hebrews
5:10), He has the authority to pardon sin. He fulfilled the law and offered Himself
as the perfect sacrifice for sin.
2. We must accept that pardon. On December 6, 1829 two men, George Wilson
and James Porter, robbed a United States mail carrier in Pennsylvania. Both
men were subsequently captured and tried. On May 1, 1830 both men were
found guilty and were condemned to die by hanging on July 2, 1830. James
Porter was executed on schedule. Wilson had a friend who asked President
Andrew Jackson to grant a pardon which he did. There was only one catch.
Wilson refused the pardon. The case made it all the way to the Supreme Court.
Chief Justice John Marshall wrote the following in the decision: "A pardon is an
act of grace, proceeding from the power entrusted with the execution of the laws,
which exempts the individual, on whom it is bestowed, from the punishment the
law inflicts for a crime he has committed... A pardon is a deed, to the validity of
which delivery is essential; and delivery is not completed without acceptance.”
C. God offers us pardon of our sins through Jesus Christ.
1. The choice is ours whether to accept or reject the pardon.
2. Without that pardon there is condemnation.
II. PROVISION (vs. 14).
A. In verses 14-15 Paul wrote, “For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these
are sons of God. 15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear
again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out,
‘Abba! Father!’”
1. Prior to our conversion we were slaves to sin (Romans 6:17).
2. In Ephesians 2:12 Paul wrote, “that we were “separate from Christ, xcluded
from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without
hope and without God in the world.”
B. Here in Romans 8:14 Paul declares that we are no longer slaves. Instead, we
have been made children of God.
1. How is this possible? Through adoption.
2. Those who have adopted children (and several of you have) demonstrate a
precious spirit of love. You have given your precious child your heart, your home
and your heritage.
3. God has demonstrated that same wonderful spirit with us.
B. As a result we can call God, “Abba.”
1. An Aramaic term denoting an “intimate relationship.”
2. I did not call my father, Mr. Reeves. Nor did I call him Melemoth Wade although
that was his name. To me he was, “Dad” I used that name with fondness
because it spoke of our close relationship.
C. In a rural community there was a boy who had grown up as an orphan.
He had been abandoned by his mother. No one knew who is father was. He was
the subject of cruel jokes and harsh names. One day he went to church and as he
left the preacher spoke to him and said, “I know whose child you are.” The young
man started to cringe. “You are a child of God.” He loves you so much.” For the
first time in his life the boy felt a sense of worth.
III. PROMISE (vss. 18-28).
A. In verse 18 Paul says, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are
not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”
1. Since the day of Adam’s sin humanity has lived in a world that has groaned with
suffering.
2. Paul illuminates this fact in verse 22 – “For we know that the whole creation
groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.”
B. All of us know something about groaning.
1. We know something about striving, struggling and stressing.
2. In 1962 the book Craters of Diamonds by Victor and Mildred Goertzel was
published. The book examined the lives of 400 famous people (scientists,
musicians, artists, actors and educators). The authors were curious about the
common denominators of success exhibited in the lives of these individuals.
They found only one. In 392 of the cases the individuals had overcome
significant obstacles and suffering before realizing success.
C. Paul assured his readers that God does not leave us helpless in times to groaning.
1. Verse 26 says, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.”
2. Jesus used the word “paraclete” meaning “one who comes alongside.” The
Spirit does not pray for us. He comes alongside us when we pray to help us.
3. He helps us with groaning we cannot understand. “Agonizing longings
which never find words” – J.B. Phillips
D. According to verse 28, “And we know that God causes all things to work together
for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His urpose”
1. This statement brings great comfort for God’s people. There are some things
this verse is not saying.
a. It is not saying that everything that happens is good. We know that there is
evil in the world. There is sin. Bad things happen. Tragedy befalls us.
b. Nor is the verse saying that we will understand everything that happens to us
in life.
2. What Paul is saying is that there is a cumulative effect of the things that occur in
our life that produces good.
a. A machine may have parts that move in different directions but the result is a
singular purpose.
b. God sees the big picture. That’s what the word, “providence “means. He has
the ability to take negative things and turn them into positives. A good
example is Genesis 50:20 – “You intended to harm me, but God intended it
for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”
IV PROTECTION (vss. 29-38).
A. In this magnificent passage Paul asked and answered five rhetorical questions that
prove God’s perfect protection for His people.
1. In verse 31 he asks, “If God be for us, who can be against us?”
a. Paul means that God is standing in your place. Think of that!
b. Many people think God is against them. Some people think God is ambivalent
towards them Paul said, “God is for you!”
c. Neale Pryor told of a little boy crossing a busy intersection with his father. In
the middle of the intersection the light changed. Traffic began moving and the
father grabbed his little boy and quickly carried him across. The little boy said,
“I was a-holing on daddy.” The dad smiled and said, “I was a holding on too!”
God is holding on!
2. In verse 32 Paul asked, “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him
over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?”
a. If God was willing to lay down the life of His precious Son can you think of any
good thing God would not do for us? Is there anything right, excellent or
praiseworthy that He would withhold from us?
b. A famous art collector died. An auction was held to dispense his vast works of
art. The first painting was a modest, unassuming painting of the collector’s
son. The bidding was very low and a man purchased it for under one hundred
dollars. The auctioneer then announced. “Under the stipulations of the will,
whoever gets the son gets it all. This concludes the auction.” When you have
the forgiveness of the Son you have every resource and blessing of God.
3. In verse 33 Paul asked, “Who shall lay a charge against God’s elect?”
a. Satan is doing his best to incriminate you. He is looking in every nook and
cranny, under every stone, in every closet to lay a charge at your feet.
b. If you are in Christ your sin has been washed away. All things are new (2
Corinthians 5:8). Satan keeps coming up empty handed because there is
nothing to be found.
4. The fourth question Paul asked is in verse 34. “Who is the one who condemns?
Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right
hand of God, who also intercedes for us.”
a. Has anyone ever condemned you? Has anyone ever told you where to go in
uncomplimentary terms?
b. You can tell them, “I do not have to. Jesus died for my sins and has washed
them away by His blood when I was united with Him in baptism.” No matter
who tries to condemn you they cannot do so.
5. Here’s the last question. In verse 35 Paul asked, “Who will separate us from the
love of Christ?”
a. Can persecution separate us from Christ? “For Your sake we are being put to
death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
b. Consider the options Paul gives in verses 38-39, “For I am convinced that
neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor
things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created
thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ
Jesus our Lord.”
B. Many years ago I knew a preacher who also sold life insurance. On his business
card he had the statement, “Insuring from here to hereafter.” This is exactly what
Jesus does for the Christian.
CONCLUSION:
A. Jack Exum told a marvelous story entitled, “The Day I Was Arrested.” In the story he
talks about a young man arrested for a crime he had committed. When he appeared
before the judge he had no attorney. The judge appointed an attorney who lovingly
urged his client to throw himself upon the mercy of the court. The young man was
shocked to learn that his attorney was the judge’s son and even more astounded
when he offered to pay his fine and claim him as his own. This is the heavenly scene
re-enacted with each of us before our Heavenly Father.
B. Will you come and claim the pardon, power, provision, promise and protection God
offers through Jesus Christ our Lord?
