Woodland Hills Church of Christ

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Woodland Hills Church of Christ episodes

August 03, 2025Job 31- 33: Elihu Answers Job and the Friends (Part -1)
Old Testament Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville
Job 31: Job’s Final Answer and Closing Speech (Part -2)
Job 32-33: Elihu Answers Job and the Friends
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53 min
August 03, 2025 Psalms 111, 112 & 113
Bible Classes / Speaker:Brian Roberts
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43 min
August 03, 2025 Too Good To Be True
Topical Sermons / Speaker:David Desloge
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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34 min
August 03, 2025 Ecclesiastes 2:1-11
Bible Classes / Speaker:Berry Kercheville
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46 min
July 27, 2025 Job 26 -30: Job’s Final Answer and Closing Speech
Old Testament Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville
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40 min
July 27, 2025 Ecclesiastes 1:12-18
Bible Classes / Speaker:Berry Kercheville
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46 min
July 27, 2025Romans 8:17-39 God with Us through Suffering to Glory
New Testament Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville
God with Us through Suffering to Glory
Romans 8:17-39
Introduction: In our previous lesson [“Suffering, the Gospel’s Path to Glory”] we looked primarily at how suffering is embedded in the Gospel because the Gospel message is the message of the cross. In this lesson, our emphasis will not primarily be toward suffering, but toward God’s presence with us as he brings us through suffering to the hope of glory.
The principle is summarized in Hebrews 2:16-18
“For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”
Though our text will be the last half of Romans 8, the introduction to Romans 8 is found in Romans 5:1-5.
Consider verse 2: “we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.”
Then verse 3: “Not only that, but we rejoice in sufferings…”
Now compare 8:17: “…and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”
Paul’s message: As Paul began to talk about why we rejoice in our suffering, and how that suffering produces in us “hope that does not put us to shame,” he deviates in chapters 5:6–8:17 to explain how “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (5:5-6).
Finally, the emphasis leading up to 8:18 is that we have now been adopted as “sons,” that is, “children of God,” and since we are children we are “heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.” Then, the qualifying statement is, “provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” Please note the emphasis:
Since we are children, we are heirs! That statement is intended to emphasize the assurance of our hope.
“Provided we suffer” stresses that the suffering brings about our connection to Christ and creates within us a greater longing and hope.
Breaking Down Paul’s Message
Paul develops his message in four major steps divided by three phrases:
Verse 23: “And not only…”
Verse 26: “Likewise the Spirit…”
Verse 28: “And we know…”
Paul had said in 5:3, “…and not only that, we rejoice in sufferings knowing that suffering produces…” The reason we can rejoice is because of what we know that God is doing through these sufferings. When we see that sufferings produce hope and the ultimate glory, then we do not even bother weighing the sufferings against the “glory that is to be revealed to us.”
Sufferings Are Not Worth Comparing with the Glory (18-25)
Shockingly, the creation is entangled in suffering just as are the sons of God. Paul includes the “creation” in the “groaning” of the “bondage of corruption” that was created by sin. We may struggle to see how the creation being “subjected to futility” is tied to an “eagerly longing for the revealing of the sons of God,” but there is a clear connection to our “revealing” as sons of God and the creation being “set free from its bondage to corruption.”
The connection between our “adoption as sons, the “redemption of our bodies” and the freedom of the creation from its corruption, must be tied to Hebrews 2:5, “It is not to angels that God subjected the world to come…” In fact, the Hebrew writer is discussing that exact same topic of how suffering brings God’s people to glory as we follow our “pioneer/trailblazer” to “glory and honor.”
Therefore, (24-25) it is “in this hope that we are saved.” Though we are looking at the unseen, we are confident of what is the come, and that confident hope is what saves us. How so? Because it is such an amazing promise of God with the confidence that God “will not put us to shame” (5:5), it gives us strength to overcome any trial that comes our way. We keep that hope before us so that the present trial does not deter us from the goal.
This is the reason for God’s constant assurance of our hope!
Likewise the Spirit Helps… (26-27)
God’s gift of the Spirit helps us in being patient through our suffering by interceding for us in prayer since the weakness of suffering is “not knowing what to pray for as we ought.”
Trials/suffering causes us to become confused concerning what we truly need making it impossible to know what we should pray for. After all, if the trial is going to work to our benefit (God’s purpose and our goal), it is important to make good requests of God.
The word “likewise” indicates that not only does our “hope” bring us to salvation, the Spirit aiding us in our weakness of prayer, is also a help in bringing us to our eternal goal and not letting suffering defeat us. In other words, the Spirit is there working for us in presenting to God our needs that are groans from our heart even though we are unable to verbalize those needs as we ought. That is certainly quite comforting!
There is a question on whether “Spirit” should be capitalized. I would argue that when Paul says, “the Spirit himself intercedes,” he is talking about the Holy Spirit. The same phrase is used in verse 16, which is obviously referring to the Holy Spirit. However, in verse 27, the “mind of the Spirit” is more likely our “spirit,” not the Holy Spirit. God who searches the hearts knows what our mind is, which is the way the Spirit is able to intercede for us.
“All Things Work Together…” (28-30)
Our suffering should not demoralize us since God is working all these things together for our good, ultimately for our glorification (30).
Verse 28 is often misrepresented to mean that all things in our life is good or works out for the good. Instead, God is taking all things that come our way, both good and bad, and using them for our good and for his glory.
“You rejoice in this, though now for a short time you have had to be distressed by various trials so that the genuineness of your faith—more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:6–7)
To confirm this, notice that verses 29-30 begins with the explanatory word “for.” God foreknew us and predestined us to be conformed to the image of his Son. Suffering is part of what brings us to that goal with the result of being justified and being glorified.
Now let’s stop for a moment and assimilate what we have seen so far.
First, salvation does not simply include “us,” but is a cosmic salvation of all creation. Just as we will become a new creation, so in conjunction with our transformation, the creation is going through the pains of childbirth, producing a new heavens and earth.
Second, the hope of glory should be a motivation that creates in us a zealous and passionate service to God. We are “eagerly waiting” and “groaning inwardly” for that great day. In other words, our passion for glory should be so great that it dwarfs and present day pursuits. This lack of passion for the eternal in comparison with the passion for this life, is a major problem among Christians!
The Conclusion (31-39)
Finally (31-39), Paul offers a conclusion that summarizes the assurance of God’s promises that he will bring us to the glory of God (which is where he started in 5:2).
Thus, Paul then summarizes the wonder of what God has done that should cause our excited pursuit of future glory without doubt, hesitation, or reservation. God wants us to see that our present-day idols are empty promises not worth pursuing, and our suffering is worth enduring!
Therefore, notice Paul’s “quick hits”:
31: If God is for us, who can be against us?
32: If he did not spare his own Son, how will he not graciously give us all things?
33-34: Who can bring any charge [of condemnation] against us? God has justified us. Jesus has died, raised, and is presently interceding for us. What more could we ask!
35-39: Who or what power could separate us from the love of Christ? [Note comparison between verse 35 and 39]. The idea is, what makes us “more than conquerors?” It is this amazing love of God who didn’t even spare his own Son and is always with us and never leaves us so that we can endure through suffering to our ultimate glory!
Conclusion: Do you see how much God is for us? Have you grown up thinking that God is just waiting to find fault in you and condemn you? When we have seen all that he has done, our conclusion should be that Hell is hardly a motivation that has any comparison to the glory God desires for us.
Berry Kercheville
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43 min
July 24, 2025 Psalms 42 & 43
Bible Classes / Speaker:Eli Todd
The post Psalms 42 & 43 appeared first on Woodland Hills Church of Christ.
41 min
July 20, 2025 Will You Sweep Away the Righteous?
Topical Sermons / Speaker:David Desloge
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The post Will You Sweep Away the Righteous? appeared first on Woodland Hills Church of Christ.
39 min
July 20, 2025Rejoice in Suffering – The Gospel’s Path to Glory
Topical Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville
Rejoice in Suffering: The Gospel’s Path to Glory
Introduction: How do we view suffering? It is an obvious negative. In fact, it is not just negative, it is obnoxious to us. It is wrong; it is not fair; it shouldn’t be this way! It doesn’t matter whether we are a Christian or not, any kind of suffering, whether by stress or pain or disruption of a peaceful life, is to be avoided or remedied at all costs. Suffering brings about fear. Is this it? Is my life over? Will I ever have my health back or will this trial end so I can pursue happiness and comfort again? Suffering is a tragedy to the human mind.
But, that is not the way God looks at it, and it is time we learned to adopt God’s way of seeing suffering and not our own.
The Overwhelming NT Emphasis on Suffering
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 The foundation of the gospel is death and resurrection. There is no resurrection without death. It is reflected in our baptism and becomes our life.
Consider first what Paul means by “suffering.” In Romans 5:3, the older versions translate “tribulations” (“distress of mind, distressing circumstances, trial, affliction”). This can come from the natural events of life as in the story of Job, it can come through persecution, or it can come through denying ourselves and living sacrificially for Christ.
Romans 8:16-17 “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”
Starting in the above text, the rest of the chapter shows how suffering brings us to glory. Suffering creates an “eager longing” and “hope” to be “set free from the bondage of corruption. Suffering does not conquer us because the Spirit helps us in our prayers, God works suffering for our spiritual good, and God has shown his love for us by giving us Jesus as our intercessor.
Philippians 3:10, “…that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.”
Hebrews 12:5-7 “And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives. It is for discipline that you have to endure.”
“…he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness (Hebrews 12:10).
The Godly Response to Suffering
Romans 5:2-5 “We rejoice in our sufferings.” How do you read that? How have you always read that? Let me guess: “Paul is telling us that we ought to rejoice when we are suffering because it will all be over soon and I will get to be with God. So grin and bear it. Yes it is miserable, but it’s good for you.”
But look more carefully:
Paul does not command us to rejoice in suffering, he said we do rejoice in suffering. Rejoicing in suffering is a natural outcome of verse 2 – rejoicing in hope of the glory of God. Because we have hope of attaining the glory of God, our natural response is to rejoice.
That is not the response of a person in the world. Suffering is not rejoicing because the end of suffering is tragedy. But that is not our end, and suffering for us is not a tragedy, but a window of opportunity. Question: have we treated suffering as a tragedy? Yes, we have! We don’t see suffering the way Paul is describing it. Too often we are holding on to the way of the world in seeing suffering as loss; loss of joy, loss of a bright future, loss of fulfilling the joys and pleasures of this life. But, is that how Jesus and the apostolic writers treated suffering? They never saw it as a loss, they saw it as a gain.
Now consider why sacrifice and suffering is not only a matter of rejoicing, but is also embedded in the Gospel message.
Philippians 2:17-18 “Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.”
Acts 5:40-42 “…and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.”
1 Corinthians 1:17-18 “For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
How many of us have considered why Jesus chose crucifixion over some other form of death? As Paul points out in this text, there is a message of the cross that was considered folly by the Corinthians. This is thematic in the rest of the two letters.
1 Corinthians 4:8-16 confirms this message. Just consider that God actually gave Paul permission to say the words at the end of this paragraph, “I urge you then, be imitators of me.”
2 Corinthians 2:14-16 “But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?” (NIV11)
How This Knowledge Should Change the Way We Live
Note that we have seen a variety of ways that suffering takes place for a Christian. Some of these we relate to and some we do not.
Persecution for Christ is the lot of every Christian who is faithful (2 Timothy 3:12), but not all persecution is “physical abuse” (Hebrews 12:4; Matthew 5:11, “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.”
Suffering can be from natural causes such as loss of health, an accident, a sudden death of those we love.
Suffering can be mental debilitation from stress as a result of life’s circumstances, such as in a job, children acting out, a troubled marriage or death of family.
First lesson: The apostles were not suggesting that when these events take place that we ignore our pain and dance about screaming, “Yay! I’m suffering!” That isn’t real, and isn’t the point.
Hebrews 12:11, “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”
That is the same point Paul made in Romans 5 & 8. We rejoice in suffering because of what suffering does in preparing us for glory. We cannot live in glory while being a natural, carnal person. Transformation into the image of God is necessary to live in glory with God. God’s word, lived out through suffering, is the path.
Therefore, how do we balance experiencing the pain of suffering while still rejoicing in suffering? There are two answers:
We refuse to allow suffering to defeat us. Suffering will not defeat us or deter us from continuing to serve God: “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken…” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9). (Ex of Dad, Mark)
We allow suffering to do its intended work by driving us to a deeper relationship with God. This involves alone time with God. When your car breaks down you have to stop driving your car and fix it. Suffering reminds us of how much we need him! If you waste your trial of suffering by bulldozing through it with lots of activities so you don’t have to face the pain, you will ruin God’s purposes!
Second Lesson: 2 Corinthians 12:1-10. Much could be said from this text, but we will notice two principles:
Suffering keeps us from exalting ourselves. Without suffering, we become convinced that we are able to control our lives and successfully do things our way. Life becomes the glory of ourselves instead of the glory of God.
God said through Isaiah that we are but “dust,” doomed to return to the dust. Notice the last words of verse 10: “For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Paul had learned the superior condition and benefit of living in weakness instead of in his own strength. When he realized he had no control over continually receiving “insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities,” he was able to simply rely on “the power of Christ.”
It is important to know that it is impossible to read this text and understand the message of giving up control and truly living “in weakness so that the power of Christ” may rest upon you. It must be experienced. And when it is experienced, there is no greater joy than to know that God is your strength instead of yourself. Now you are ready to be transformed into the glory of God. There is no transformation is living for self. Give up self and God will transform you.
Berry Kercheville
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43 min