Romans 8:31-39

March 8, 2022

Nothing Can Separate Us from God’s Love


31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.


35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.


38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.


Romans 8:31-39 NLT

  • What does this teach us about God?

    • God is FOR us (v31)
    • God gave His son, Jesus, to die for our sins (v32)
    • God is the one who justifies (v33)
    • Jesus died, was raised, and is interceding on our behalf in Heaven (v34)
    • God is the source of our power (v37)
    • God is the ultimate authority, He is not superceded by anything (v38)
    • God's love will always reach us (v39)

  • What does this teach us about people/ourselves?

    • Our sin is why Jesus came down from Heaven (v32)
    • Our sin leads us to doubt God's love (v33)
    • Our sin propels us to condem others (v34)
    • We will experience trials in this life (v35)
    • We can endure because of God's love (v37)
    • There is nothing that can separate us from God's love (v38)

  • By God's grace, how will you obey?

    • Study the truths of Scripture so we can replace lies with truth - God is for us! (v31)
    • Freely and graciously share the Gospel with EVERONE (v32)
    • Believe that the battle is already won through Christ. Inherit the overwhelming victory! (v37)
    • Don't be anxious, don't be afraid (v38)

Prayer: Heavenly Father God, ultimate authority over all creation, thank you for being FOR us. Thank you for never giving up on us. Thank you for letting nothing stand in the way of bringing us back to you. Thank you for sending your son, Jesus, who died and rose again declaring an overwhelming victory over sin and death. Thank you for conquering that which we could not conquer and inviting us into the victory party. We pray that when the trials of life feel overbearing that you would strengthen us by your Spirit and remind us of the great, unstoppable, unshakable love you have for us. We ask that you would empower us to confidently, freely, and graciously share the gift of the Gospel in the same way you freely and graciously gave your son for us. We pray that we would faithfully follow wherever your Spirit leads. Amen.

OVERTIME


Has your favorite team ever won a championship? It's a great feeling, not only for the players who physically took up the gauntlet, but also for the fans who have associated themselves with that team. Typically when a team wins a championship there is a celebration back home where the team gets honored and all the fans are invited.


In a similar way, there's a victory party in Heaven! While there will be plenty of voices celebrating the won who won (Revelation 5:8-14), they also celebrate those who have simply accepted the invitation to attend the party! Take a look at these three parables Jesus told that give us a glimpse of the victory party that occurs in Heaven when one who is lost returns home.

  • The Lost Sheep - Luke 15:4-7

    Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

  • The Lost Coin - Luke 15:8-10

    Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.

  • The Lost Son - Luke 15:11-24

    There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.


    “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.


    “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father.


    “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.


    “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’


    “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

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