Oceanside United Reformed Church

THEME: God not only pities us from afar but sympathizes with our trials as one of us. And it is this elder brother who now represents us in the heavenly court. A GLORIOUS HIGH PRIEST A SYMPATHETIC HIGH PRIEST A GRACIOUS HIGH PRIEST

THEME: The Christian is one who puts no confidence in the flesh, but worships by the Spirit of God and glories in Christ Jesus. TWO KINDS OF CIRCUMCISION TWO KINDS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS RESURRECTION POWER

THEME: The trumpets warn the world, the church bears witness in the world, and the kingdom of the world will become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ. So, hear the trumpets. 8:2–9:21 THE TRUMPETS WARN THE WORLD 10:1–11:14 THE CHURCH BEARS WITNESS 11:15–19 THE KINGDOM COMES

SUMMARY: where we're at in Romans & where we're going in this passage RELEVANCE: why does this matter to me? THEME: When you don't know what to pray, you're not alone: the Spirit comes alongside you, groans in you, and the Father hears what he finds there. v. 26a THE ASSISTANCE OF HIS GROAN v. 26b When you don't know what to pray, you're not praying alone. THE ADVOCACY OF HIS GROAN "The children of God have two divine intercessors. Christ is their intercessor in the court of heaven… The Holy Spirit is their intercessor in the theatre of their own hearts."—John Murray v. 27 The Spirit takes hold with you, and he groans in you. THE ACCEPTANCE OF HIS GROAN And the Father hears what he finds there.

SUMMARY: where we're at in Romans & where we're going in this passage RELEVANCE: why does this matter to me? THEME: Your groan doesn't mean your story has gone wrong. It means your story is half-told: the Spirit began it, hope holds you in the middle, and your body is the last chapter. v. 23a THE PLOT: YOU HAVE THE FIRSTFRUITS You don't groan because the Spirit is missing. You groan because he's here. vv. 24–25 THE TENSION: YOU WAIT IN HOPE Hope isn't a wish. It's waiting for what God already promised. v. 23b THE RESOLUTION: YOU'LL BE REVEALED AS SONS God isn't saving you out of your body. He's saving your body.

THEME: The Lamb who opens the seals rules our tribulation, is coming to judge, and seals his people to stand before his throne. 6:1–11 THE LAMB RULES OUR TRIBULATION 6:12–17 THE LAMB IS COMING TO JUDGE 7:1–8:1 THE LAMB SEALS AND SHEPHERDS HIS PEOPLE

THEME: Everything is going according to plan, because the plan is in worthy hands. So weep no more, and worship. THE ONE ON THE THRONE IS WORTHY (4:1–11) NO ONE IS WORTHY (5:1–4) THE LAMB IS WORTHY (5:5–14)

SUMMARY: where we're at in Romans & where we're going in this passage RELEVANCE: why does this matter to me? THEME: Your sufferings are labor pains: real, shared by the whole creation, and not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed. v. 18 OUR SUFFERINGS WEIGHED v. 20 CREATION'S SUBJECTION vv. 19, 22 CREATION'S STRAINING vv. 20d–21 CREATION'S SALVATION GOSPEL BRIDGE: If you're not in Christ…yet If you're in Christ

THEME: To a church under pressure, Jesus says three things. He knows us, he calls us, and he makes us conquerors. JESUS KNOWS US JESUS CALLS US TO REPENT JESUS MAKES US CONQUERORS

SUMMARY: where we're at in Romans & where we're going in this passage RELEVANCE: why does this matter to me? THEME: You're not an heir standing next to Christ—you are an heir with him, and that one word carries his Father, his road, and his glory. v. 17a THE IDENTITY OF OUR INHERITANCE v. 17c THE CERTAINTY OF OUR INHERITANCE v. 17b THE METHODOLOGY OF OUR INHERITANCE