“You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet”

(Romans 8:18-27)

Series: Romans – United in the Gospel [on screen]

Rev. Matthew C. McCraw, EdD

First Baptist Church, Bartow, Florida

May 22, 2022

Introductory Comments:

What a beautiful journey we have begun in Romans 8. We started off this way last week, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.” [on screen] How incredible is that? No condemnation for the child of God!

However, there’s more beautiful truth found in this chapter. In fact, today’s sermon is entitled, “You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet.” [on screen] In today’s passage, Paul is going to speak about the glories of the life that awaits those of us who are in Jesus. 

Before we go any further, let’s pray together and ask God to speak to us. Join me now in prayer. 

(prayer)

So, let’s look at the passage that we’re studying today. Look at Romans 8:18-27:

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation eagerly waits with anticipation for God’s sons to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility—not willingly, but because of him who subjected it—in the hope 21 that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage to decay into the glorious freedom of God’s children. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains until now. 23 Not only that, but we ourselves who have the Spirit as the firstfruits—we also groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. 24 Now in this hope we were saved, but hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees? 25 Now if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with patience.

26 In the same way the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with unspoken groanings. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Well, church: God has given us many blessings in Christ while we are here on this earth but we ain’t seen nothin’ yet! Or, we have not seen anything, yet.There are realities and promises that are secured for us by the work of Jesus and the delivery of the Holy Spirit that are sure to come our way. These are realities that we can anticipate as we look to days ahead. 

So, let’s look at these realities. First, . . . 

I. We anticipate future glory. [on screen]

Listen again to what Paul says in verse 18:

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us.

Isn’t that verse just so full of wonder and beauty?

First of all, Paul doesn’t skip over the reality that some of us have suffered. Now, some of us have suffered to various degrees but we can agree on this: there is definitely suffering in this world? There is suffering in this life. There is suffering in this present time. 

Paul has already spoken about suffering. In fact, it’s hard to understand the meaning of verse 18 without going back to verse 17, which we studied last week. Verse 17 says, “ . . . if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.”[on screen]

Although there are sufferings in this world at this present time, they are not worth comparing to all the blessings and glory that we are still yet to realize in the days to come. 

When Jesus comes back and takes us home to be with Him forever, there will be glory revealed to us that will likely cause us to reflect back upon the sufferings of this world as if they never happened because the blessings that God gives His children far outweigh the burdens of this world!

Life in Jesus is pretty incredible now, isn’t it, church? However, down the road, there is something that we can only imagine that is incredibly mor