1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:02,640 It's great to be here with all of you this morning. 2 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:06,640 I've enjoyed worshipping with you together so far. 3 00:00:07,280 --> 00:00:10,240 We have a good crowd here. We have several of our number 4 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:12,880 that are missing, but we have a good crowd because you're here. 5 00:00:13,720 --> 00:00:16,960 And I hope that we have things this morning to discuss that 6 00:00:16,960 --> 00:00:21,640 would be very encouraging to you and certainly edifying to you 7 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:25,520 from the Word of God. We're continuing our series that 8 00:00:25,520 --> 00:00:27,920 I started, that I said I was going to do today, and 9 00:00:27,920 --> 00:00:30,280 continuing on with it. And it's the gift of the Holy 10 00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:32,759 Spirit. Part 2. 11 00:00:33,720 --> 00:00:36,720 As I set this up by way of an introduction, we go back to the 12 00:00:36,720 --> 00:00:39,040 day of Pentecost. That's how it all began in my 13 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:42,960 series after my Kingdom series where we talked about the day 14 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:45,920 the Kingdom came and the sermon was preached. 15 00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:48,440 The gospel was preached for the very first time with the 16 00:00:48,440 --> 00:00:50,920 opportunity for somebody to respond to it. 17 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:54,680 And in that sermon Jesus was preached. 18 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:58,960 Then Jesus was preached, and then finally Peter says very 19 00:00:58,960 --> 00:01:03,360 directly, let all the House of Israel know assuredly that God 20 00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:08,520 has made that same Jesus, that you crucified both Lord and 21 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:10,560 Christ. Verse 37. 22 00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:13,720 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said 23 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:17,000 to Peter and the rest of the apostles, men and brethren, what 24 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:19,720 shall we do? They needed an answer to their 25 00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:21,960 souls inquiry. What do we do now? 26 00:01:21,960 --> 00:01:26,280 We've just crucified the Son of God, the Messiah, the 27 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:30,800 long-awaited Messiah that we've always thought was coming, and 28 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:33,320 we crucified Him. They needed an answer. 29 00:01:33,640 --> 00:01:36,840 Then in verse 38, here was the answer. 30 00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:42,560 Repent and let everyone of you be baptized in the name or by 31 00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:46,600 the authority of Jesus Christ. As we've established already, 32 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:50,280 there's two unbelievable blessings that we get when we 33 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:54,920 repent and are baptized by the authority of Jesus Christ. 34 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:58,840 Number one, we get remission of sins. 35 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:02,600 Everything that's ever happened in the past, every sin we've 36 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:07,840 ever committed in the past is washed away and is gone #1 37 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:10,759 pretty good blessing, isn't it? But there's more. 38 00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:18,240 And you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 00:02:18,720 --> 00:02:22,080 These things are two gifts. They're not the same thing that 40 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:24,080 we've already established. I'm not going to go back and 41 00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:27,600 read Teach by the way, but of these blessings that we have, 42 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:31,480 what did we learn with regards to the Holy Spirit and the gift 43 00:02:31,480 --> 00:02:34,440 of the Holy Spirit? Three things and then I'm going 44 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:36,600 to talk and then I'm going to put up three benefits and we're 45 00:02:36,640 --> 00:02:38,560 going to move on. What did we notice? 46 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:44,200 Number one, we know that the Spirit of God dwells in the 47 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:46,080 Christian. That is irrefutable. 48 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:50,080 The Spirit of God dwells in the Christian. 49 00:02:51,040 --> 00:02:55,680 We also know that the Spirit of God is the Holy Spirit, and as 50 00:02:55,680 --> 00:03:00,520 we studied, it's the Holy Spirit that God has given to those who 51 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:08,280 obey Him and #3 our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit 52 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:11,840 who is in us. Then we noticed what the 53 00:03:11,840 --> 00:03:14,160 benefits are, and last time we noticed 3. 54 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:19,360 The Holy Spirit is given to us as a guarantee, or the King 55 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:23,800 James Version says an earnest. And that's just a fancy word for 56 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:27,960 a down payment for what? Our eternal inheritance in 57 00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:32,400 heaven one day, great blessing. We're given the Holy Spirit as a 58 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:36,040 guarantee. An earnest of our inheritance in 59 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:39,600 heaven one day #2 we're given the Holy Spirit. 60 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:43,920 That's true, but the Spirit, another blessing, bears witness 61 00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:49,680 with not to, but with our spirit, that we are the children 62 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:51,840 of God. And I spent a long time dealing 63 00:03:51,840 --> 00:03:58,240 with that last time #3 the Holy Spirit makes us alive 64 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:02,080 spiritually. How do I know if I'm alive 65 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:04,760 physically? I have a human spirit. 66 00:04:06,040 --> 00:04:09,480 When I die one day, the Spirit leaves my body and I no longer 67 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:12,240 am alive. You know that I'm alive 68 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:14,720 physically because I have a human spirit. 69 00:04:14,880 --> 00:04:20,160 You also know that I'm alive spiritually because I have the 70 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:25,960 Holy Spirit. So as we noticed last time, the 71 00:04:25,960 --> 00:04:29,680 Holy Spirit is an invaluable assistant to Christians. 72 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:35,360 But please understand, He works with our inner man within the 73 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:40,200 bounds of God's Word to help us make heaven our home one day. 74 00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:47,920 And as the last thing I said in our lesson last time, please get 75 00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:51,760 this. The Holy Spirit has a work, we 76 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:53,960 get it. The Holy Spirit has benefits for 77 00:04:53,960 --> 00:04:56,080 us, We get it all. That's 100% true. 78 00:04:57,400 --> 00:05:03,440 But the Holy Spirit will never do for us anything that violates 79 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:07,560 the Word of God. For example, somebody might say, 80 00:05:07,560 --> 00:05:10,560 I know the Bible tells me to do this, this, this, this, this. 81 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:13,080 And I used to always believe that, but I kind of think the 82 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:15,680 Holy Spirit is guiding me to do something else. 83 00:05:15,680 --> 00:05:19,400 Now, that's kind of a popular thing that people say, OK, you 84 00:05:19,400 --> 00:05:22,320 may be guided, you may be moved, you may be this, you may be 85 00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:23,920 that. I'm not poking fun, but I'm just 86 00:05:23,920 --> 00:05:25,880 going to tell you right now, that's not the Holy Spirit. 87 00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:32,280 The Holy Spirit does not do for us or guide us away from 88 00:05:32,360 --> 00:05:35,320 anything that the Word of God has already established. 89 00:05:35,320 --> 00:05:38,520 And by the way, if it did, then the Holy Spirit would contradict 90 00:05:38,520 --> 00:05:41,800 himself because the Holy Spirit is the revelation through the 91 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:42,880 Word of God. We get that. 92 00:05:42,880 --> 00:05:47,360 OK, now we come to the 4th benefit and this is our sermon 93 00:05:47,360 --> 00:05:51,400 today and it's such a big subject. 94 00:05:52,360 --> 00:05:54,800 We got one point. Here it is. 95 00:05:55,920 --> 00:06:01,200 The Holy Spirit helps US in our weaknesses. 96 00:06:02,960 --> 00:06:05,000 I don't know about you, but I got some weaknesses. 97 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:11,280 I don't know about you, but there are times when I pray and 98 00:06:11,280 --> 00:06:15,400 I need a little help. Notice please. 99 00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:18,160 Here's the two verses under consideration. 100 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:27,680 Likewise, the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses, for we do not 101 00:06:27,680 --> 00:06:32,400 know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself 102 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:37,080 makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be 103 00:06:37,080 --> 00:06:40,320 uttered. Now He who searches the hearts 104 00:06:40,320 --> 00:06:43,480 knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes 105 00:06:43,480 --> 00:06:46,360 intercession for the Saints according to the will of God. 106 00:06:46,360 --> 00:06:52,680 I'm going to ask you very kindly to do me a favor, and then I'm 107 00:06:52,680 --> 00:06:54,920 going to do something for you in return, or I'm going to try to 108 00:06:54,920 --> 00:07:00,040 do it. Whatever your preconceived idea 109 00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:03,280 of these passages has always been, I'm going to ask you to do 110 00:07:03,280 --> 00:07:07,600 this. Set it to the side and draw no 111 00:07:07,600 --> 00:07:12,000 conclusions till the end. Now, it very well may be that by 112 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:14,400 the time we get through my conclusion that we're going to 113 00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:16,720 make today's exactly the conclusion you've always felt 114 00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:18,120 and always believe. Great. 115 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:22,120 It also may be that the conclusion that we draw today in 116 00:07:22,120 --> 00:07:26,120 these passages by way of context and application may be something 117 00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:30,000 entirely different than what you believe these passages to mean. 118 00:07:30,080 --> 00:07:34,200 So all I'm going to ask is very kindly, whatever preconceived 119 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:37,520 idea or thought you've always had, set it aside. 120 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:40,840 I'm going to tell you something. I've been a Christian for Wow, 121 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:49,440 going on 50 years and I still learn, and I learned a ton on 122 00:07:49,440 --> 00:07:52,560 this subject. So maybe we can all learn a 123 00:07:52,560 --> 00:07:55,280 little bit. Stay with me and maybe it'll 124 00:07:55,280 --> 00:07:56,960 just reaffirm also what you've always thought. 125 00:07:57,000 --> 00:08:00,040 But anyway, just please just set aside any preconceived ideas as 126 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:02,200 we go through it. First of all, this phrase right 127 00:08:02,200 --> 00:08:06,200 here. Likewise, the Spirit also helps 128 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:10,120 in our weaknesses. Please get this. 129 00:08:10,440 --> 00:08:17,840 This is blessing #2 of five blessings that Paul describes in 130 00:08:17,840 --> 00:08:23,200 Romans chapter 8. There's five unbelievable 131 00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:29,320 blessings that God has given the child of God to help sustain 132 00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:33,559 them as you journey through this life in view one day of our 133 00:08:33,559 --> 00:08:39,240 ultimate demise or death. This is blessing #2 which one? 134 00:08:39,440 --> 00:08:44,080 This right here, the Spirit also helps our infirmities. 135 00:08:44,320 --> 00:08:48,040 Now, because we are jumping into blessing #2, it would be a 136 00:08:48,040 --> 00:08:51,240 pretty good idea to jump in to go back and notice what blessing 137 00:08:51,240 --> 00:08:53,640 #1 is. What is the first blessing of 138 00:08:53,640 --> 00:08:56,640 Romans 8? We go back to Romans chapter 8. 139 00:08:56,960 --> 00:09:00,320 Context, just a couple of verses before that, beginning in verse 140 00:09:00,320 --> 00:09:06,560 24 and also in verse 25. Notice for we were saved in this 141 00:09:06,560 --> 00:09:09,560 hope. But hope that we've seen is not 142 00:09:09,560 --> 00:09:12,640 hope. So why does 1 still hope for 143 00:09:12,640 --> 00:09:16,760 what he sees? But if we hope for what we do 144 00:09:16,760 --> 00:09:21,280 not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. 145 00:09:21,280 --> 00:09:29,200 OK, notice this phrase. We were saved in this hope. 146 00:09:31,960 --> 00:09:35,880 Hope's a big thing. Hope is a big deal. 147 00:09:35,960 --> 00:09:38,800 My question is this though. What does hope really mean? 148 00:09:40,560 --> 00:09:45,080 What's hope really mean? Sometimes we think that hope is 149 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:49,480 just prolonging the inevitable or putting off disaster or 150 00:09:49,480 --> 00:09:51,880 putting off something negative. And because you got a time 151 00:09:51,880 --> 00:09:54,400 period before something bad happens, that's hope. 152 00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:58,800 That's not hope. I've said this in sermons and 153 00:09:58,800 --> 00:10:00,720 days gone by. Some of you have heard it. 154 00:10:00,720 --> 00:10:06,040 I've said faith and hope are similar in that they both trust 155 00:10:06,040 --> 00:10:10,240 God, but they're different in that faith trusts God in the 156 00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:14,040 present and hope trusts God for the future. 157 00:10:15,080 --> 00:10:19,240 OK, makes sense. So what does hope actually mean? 158 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:23,200 Hope is actually looking forward. 159 00:10:23,360 --> 00:10:30,480 Now for hope to be a blessing, it must involve 3 things. 1A 160 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:33,760 future orientation of something that's going to be better, a 161 00:10:33,760 --> 00:10:37,120 desire that's deep and burning within us as we long for and 162 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:39,600 look for and a benefit that we're going to get. 163 00:10:39,720 --> 00:10:42,680 It's got to involve all three for hope to be a blessing. 164 00:10:42,680 --> 00:10:46,600 And remember, the number one blessing of Romans chapter 8 is 165 00:10:46,840 --> 00:10:50,480 God has given us because of the facts and the evidence and the 166 00:10:50,480 --> 00:10:54,000 promises that he has. He's given us hope. 167 00:10:56,040 --> 00:11:03,800 So to express hope is to wait expectantly for what is good. 168 00:11:04,360 --> 00:11:08,760 In other words, in context, this means the following notice 169 00:11:08,760 --> 00:11:12,400 please. Life with all of its challenges 170 00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:16,480 can never rob the believer of his salvation as long. 171 00:11:17,400 --> 00:11:19,120 Oops, I didn't mean to have a extra S. 172 00:11:19,240 --> 00:11:24,080 As long as he chooses to abide faithful in Christ, tragedy 173 00:11:24,080 --> 00:11:27,800 after tragedy cannot steal the Christians future home in heaven 174 00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:31,040 from him. None of the external forces on 175 00:11:31,040 --> 00:11:34,880 earth like heart breaks, sorrows, disappointments, 176 00:11:35,040 --> 00:11:39,000 problems and difficulties that a believer will suffer will be 177 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:43,400 able to remove him from the peace, safety and security of 178 00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:48,760 the arms of Jesus as long as he chooses to remain faithful to 179 00:11:48,760 --> 00:11:53,840 the Lord. Now, I'm going to say something 180 00:11:53,840 --> 00:11:58,240 that probably might be a little repetitive, and I'm sorry, but 181 00:11:58,240 --> 00:12:01,440 I'm not really sorry. Context. 182 00:12:01,480 --> 00:12:07,280 Today we have to understand context in order to understand 183 00:12:07,280 --> 00:12:09,720 the application of verses 26 and 27. 184 00:12:10,680 --> 00:12:16,680 All right, So as one scholar put it, after you're baptized for 185 00:12:16,680 --> 00:12:21,360 the remission of your sins, he said, yes, we've been saved by 186 00:12:21,360 --> 00:12:23,960 the blood of Christ. We have remission of sins, but 187 00:12:23,960 --> 00:12:26,760 not completely so. In other words, we haven't 188 00:12:26,760 --> 00:12:29,040 received our eternal home yet in heaven. 189 00:12:29,240 --> 00:12:33,400 So do not expect perfection and paradise yet. 190 00:12:33,560 --> 00:12:37,280 It will come, but in the meantime, do not be discouraged 191 00:12:37,480 --> 00:12:43,640 and do not give up. That's what hope is, by the way. 192 00:12:43,640 --> 00:12:46,680 No wonder hope is one of the five blessings Paul promises the 193 00:12:46,680 --> 00:12:50,880 believers as we endure the processes of life that come our 194 00:12:50,880 --> 00:12:54,840 way and the blessings that we've been given from God to sustain 195 00:12:54,840 --> 00:12:58,120 us through debilitating difficulties. 196 00:12:58,640 --> 00:13:01,400 I'm going to tell you something. There are people in this room 197 00:13:01,560 --> 00:13:04,480 that have had debilitating difficulties. 198 00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:14,560 Our brother just had one. I don't mean to exclude anyone. 199 00:13:14,560 --> 00:13:17,280 You had open heart surgery. You had cancer. 200 00:13:17,640 --> 00:13:20,720 So did you. So did I, So did you. 201 00:13:21,880 --> 00:13:24,760 We've had issues, right? We've had debilitating things 202 00:13:24,760 --> 00:13:28,880 that have happened in life. The context of so far, what 203 00:13:28,880 --> 00:13:30,680 we're talking about is we have hope. 204 00:13:30,680 --> 00:13:35,360 So of you, we have hope that our salvation is not going to be 205 00:13:35,360 --> 00:13:40,080 taken away regardless of the outward circumstances that come 206 00:13:40,080 --> 00:13:44,760 our way, provided we never give up and we never choose to leave 207 00:13:44,760 --> 00:13:48,000 the Lord. That's the context. 208 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:53,240 So with that being said, the same context rules us right into 209 00:13:53,240 --> 00:13:58,640 verse 26. Likewise, the Spirit also helps 210 00:13:58,720 --> 00:14:02,880 in our weaknesses. By the way, the word likewise, 211 00:14:05,360 --> 00:14:08,600 I'm not an English major. I'm not an English minor. 212 00:14:10,040 --> 00:14:12,720 Yeah, I know that. But I I know what likewise 213 00:14:12,720 --> 00:14:14,240 means. It's a marker of similarity, 214 00:14:14,240 --> 00:14:17,040 right? I just made a statement and then 215 00:14:17,040 --> 00:14:18,040 I'm gonna make another statement. 216 00:14:18,040 --> 00:14:20,760 I said, well, likewise a marker of similarity. 217 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:24,320 OK. And the marker of similarity is 218 00:14:24,320 --> 00:14:28,440 this hope was the blessing, the first blessing and benefit, the 219 00:14:28,440 --> 00:14:32,840 second blessing is the Spirit helping our weaknesses. 220 00:14:34,440 --> 00:14:41,640 OK, as we sometimes suffer and have futility, even leading to 221 00:14:41,640 --> 00:14:45,520 our death again, let's get to the context. 222 00:14:45,520 --> 00:14:48,960 In order to understand, we go all the way back to verse 18. 223 00:14:49,120 --> 00:14:51,680 By the way, verse 18 was my mother's favorite scripture my 224 00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:54,920 whole life as a kid. That's the first one we're going 225 00:14:54,920 --> 00:14:58,800 to begin with. For I consider that the 226 00:14:58,800 --> 00:15:04,040 sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared 227 00:15:04,040 --> 00:15:07,920 with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 228 00:15:08,600 --> 00:15:12,480 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for 229 00:15:12,480 --> 00:15:13,920 the revealing of the sons of God. 230 00:15:14,920 --> 00:15:18,800 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but 231 00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:24,760 because of Him who subjected it in hope, Because the creation 232 00:15:24,760 --> 00:15:28,240 itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption 233 00:15:28,480 --> 00:15:31,480 into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 234 00:15:32,080 --> 00:15:35,760 For we know that the whole creation groans and laborers 235 00:15:35,760 --> 00:15:38,240 with both pangs together until now. 236 00:15:38,960 --> 00:15:42,320 Not only that, but we also who have the first fruits of the 237 00:15:42,320 --> 00:15:47,120 Spirit, even we ourselves grown within ourselves, eagerly 238 00:15:47,120 --> 00:15:52,040 awaiting for the adoption of the redemption of our body. 239 00:15:52,040 --> 00:15:55,320 We're going to get back to these in a little bit, OK, at toward 240 00:15:55,320 --> 00:15:59,600 the latter part. But my point is the passages 241 00:15:59,680 --> 00:16:05,000 here in these verses lead us to the passages describing hope in 242 00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:09,960 verses 25, four, and 25, which now lead us to the blessings 243 00:16:09,960 --> 00:16:15,680 that are found in verse 26 about the Spirit helping our 244 00:16:16,080 --> 00:16:19,880 weaknesses. OK, who's the Spirit? 245 00:16:24,440 --> 00:16:25,560 Now? Don't do this. 246 00:16:26,360 --> 00:16:30,120 Please don't say, well, it's the Holy Spirit because it's capital 247 00:16:30,160 --> 00:16:32,080 S. That's a terrible argument. 248 00:16:32,080 --> 00:16:32,840 I've heard that in my whole life. 249 00:16:32,840 --> 00:16:37,200 That is a terrible argument. There's a terrible proof that 250 00:16:37,200 --> 00:16:39,400 it's the Holy Spirit because it's capitalized. 251 00:16:41,720 --> 00:16:43,800 Stay tuned. I do believe it is, but hang on. 252 00:16:45,400 --> 00:16:47,840 There's three positions and we need to talk about them. 253 00:16:47,880 --> 00:16:51,800 And so we're not confused amongst scholars, there's 254 00:16:51,800 --> 00:16:56,640 actually three positions that people hold with regards to who 255 00:16:56,640 --> 00:17:02,120 the Spirit is. Position #1 is that the Spirit 256 00:17:02,120 --> 00:17:07,720 in verse 26 is Jesus Christ. And it's based upon two 257 00:17:07,720 --> 00:17:09,480 different arguments. OK. 258 00:17:10,400 --> 00:17:14,119 The first arguments found in Romans chapter 8 and verse 34. 259 00:17:14,920 --> 00:17:18,599 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died and 260 00:17:18,599 --> 00:17:23,160 furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God 261 00:17:23,440 --> 00:17:29,240 who makes intercession for us. So the first thing that people 262 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:35,280 say is Jesus is our intercessor in this passage and therefore he 263 00:17:35,280 --> 00:17:41,520 has a work and his work as our intercessor is to intercede for 264 00:17:41,520 --> 00:17:46,240 us and also condemn those that are unbelieving and unfaithful 265 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:49,200 one day when people put those things together. 266 00:17:49,680 --> 00:17:54,280 OK. The second passage that is used 267 00:17:54,280 --> 00:17:59,440 to say that Jesus is the spirit of verse 26 is found in first 268 00:17:59,440 --> 00:18:03,880 Timothy chapter 2 and verse 5. For there is one God and one 269 00:18:03,880 --> 00:18:08,640 mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. 270 00:18:08,640 --> 00:18:13,000 OK, here's the problem with that interpretation from these 271 00:18:13,000 --> 00:18:18,520 passages. Verse 34 when it says Christ 272 00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:24,600 makes intercession for us. The context of verse 34 has 273 00:18:24,600 --> 00:18:29,160 absolutely nothing to do with the context of verse 26. 274 00:18:29,160 --> 00:18:32,120 That's number one. In fact, I'll just share this. 275 00:18:32,920 --> 00:18:38,640 Number 34 is the fifth of the five blessings that we get as 276 00:18:38,640 --> 00:18:43,200 the child of God. Verse 26 is the second of the 277 00:18:43,200 --> 00:18:44,680 five. Two different things. 278 00:18:44,680 --> 00:18:47,840 And by the way, we'll get to verse 34 in a lesson down the 279 00:18:47,840 --> 00:18:49,760 road. I'm going to get to that because 280 00:18:49,760 --> 00:18:52,560 I do think I'm going to preach on the all the five blessings. 281 00:18:52,560 --> 00:18:56,240 Might as well. All right, that's number one. 282 00:18:56,800 --> 00:19:03,560 Number two, in verse 26 of Romans chapter 8, Jesus Christ 283 00:19:03,560 --> 00:19:12,480 is not mentioned at all. OK verse 34 introduces the 5th 284 00:19:12,480 --> 00:19:16,600 blessing and also the worth of 1. 285 00:19:16,600 --> 00:19:25,280 Mediator between God and man is not referring to prayer at all. 286 00:19:28,840 --> 00:19:38,320 It's not instead this phrase there's one mediator between God 287 00:19:38,320 --> 00:19:41,560 and men. It's talking about His 288 00:19:41,560 --> 00:19:45,640 redemptive work that He did for us on the cross to shed His 289 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:47,440 blood for the remission of our sins. 290 00:19:48,360 --> 00:19:55,480 How many did that one one. So the interpretation though, is 291 00:19:55,880 --> 00:19:59,400 and incorrectly with good minds and good intentions. 292 00:19:59,720 --> 00:20:03,640 If there's one mediator between God and man, and there's one 293 00:20:03,640 --> 00:20:07,120 intercessor Roman, and there's an intercessor Romans 834. 294 00:20:07,280 --> 00:20:11,000 Therefore if there's only one, then the intercessor of verse 26 295 00:20:11,080 --> 00:20:13,680 must be Jesus Christ. That's how they draw that 296 00:20:13,680 --> 00:20:16,600 conclusion, OK. I agree there's only one 297 00:20:16,600 --> 00:20:18,120 mediator, but let's talk about that. 298 00:20:19,040 --> 00:20:21,160 This is talking about his redemptive work on the cross. 299 00:20:21,160 --> 00:20:26,120 2nd Corinthians 521 For he made him who knew no sin, that's 300 00:20:26,240 --> 00:20:31,440 Jesus, to be sin for us, that he might become the righteousness 301 00:20:31,440 --> 00:20:34,600 of God in him. First Timothy chapter 2 and 302 00:20:34,600 --> 00:20:37,800 verse 6. He gave himself a ransom for all 303 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:43,560 to be testified in due time. OK, so what's the difference? 304 00:20:43,560 --> 00:20:46,040 Maybe you're thinking, oh wait a minute, what's the difference 305 00:20:46,040 --> 00:20:49,760 between a mediator and an intercessor? 306 00:20:51,200 --> 00:20:52,760 This is the easiest way I can put it. 307 00:20:54,720 --> 00:20:59,320 A mediator negotiates on behalf of both parties who are at 308 00:20:59,320 --> 00:21:04,520 variance with one another. When man's sin, guess what? 309 00:21:04,520 --> 00:21:09,040 Man's at variance with God. Man is at odds with God. 310 00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:11,880 Man has separated his relationship with God. 311 00:21:11,880 --> 00:21:15,680 Why? Because sin separates, God, in 312 00:21:15,680 --> 00:21:19,840 His infinite wisdom sent us a mediator to pull the two 313 00:21:19,840 --> 00:21:22,200 together. And now, through Jesus Christ, 314 00:21:22,360 --> 00:21:25,720 his precious blood he shed on the cross, we contact the blood 315 00:21:25,720 --> 00:21:27,880 of Jesus at baptism. Guess what? 316 00:21:27,880 --> 00:21:32,360 We are now reconciled in our relationship to God by 1 317 00:21:32,360 --> 00:21:34,320 Mediator, and that's Jesus Christ. 318 00:21:35,080 --> 00:21:37,680 All right, what about an intercessor? 319 00:21:38,800 --> 00:21:45,520 An intercessor pleads on behalf of only one side in a 320 00:21:45,520 --> 00:21:53,200 difference. So having multiple intercessors 321 00:21:53,200 --> 00:21:59,080 does not interfere or do away with the work of 1 mediator. 322 00:21:59,640 --> 00:22:03,240 OK. In fact, by the way, Paul 323 00:22:03,240 --> 00:22:07,800 encouraged all Christians to be intercessors for kings and all 324 00:22:07,800 --> 00:22:11,320 of those that are in authority. First Timothy, chapter 2. 325 00:22:12,440 --> 00:22:16,280 OK, did you know that every time you pray for someone, you are 326 00:22:16,280 --> 00:22:21,080 being an intercessor for them? If I pray for my brother, we 327 00:22:21,080 --> 00:22:24,880 prayed for Brother Ricky. We were intercessors on his 328 00:22:24,880 --> 00:22:28,160 behalf. So we have many, many 329 00:22:28,160 --> 00:22:33,000 intercessors in our life. Only one mediator. 330 00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:39,360 That's Jesus Christ. OK, All right, Finally, proof 331 00:22:39,640 --> 00:22:42,320 that this can't be Jesus in verse 26. 332 00:22:43,640 --> 00:22:51,520 Jesus is never ever in Scriptures referred to as the 333 00:22:52,320 --> 00:22:58,840 Spirit, not once. So the Spirit in verse 26 can't 334 00:22:58,840 --> 00:23:03,120 be Jesus. All right, position #2 the 335 00:23:03,120 --> 00:23:09,600 Spirit that makes intercession for us is the human spirit. 336 00:23:10,640 --> 00:23:12,280 And I have to share something with you. 337 00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:19,240 This is a position that I held for many, many years. 338 00:23:21,840 --> 00:23:23,120 Now. I will tell you this. 339 00:23:23,120 --> 00:23:24,920 Please get this. And I'm going to sum it up 340 00:23:24,920 --> 00:23:30,920 afterwards when we get down to the end, when you pray, there's 341 00:23:30,920 --> 00:23:35,240 three involved, obviously, according to Romans 8. 342 00:23:36,600 --> 00:23:40,920 There's me, obviously, which is my human spirit. 343 00:23:42,440 --> 00:23:48,640 There is God who is the recipient of the prayer, and 344 00:23:48,640 --> 00:23:51,760 there is, and we might speculate, but we don't know 345 00:23:51,760 --> 00:23:53,840 exactly who it is yet because we haven't proved the point yet. 346 00:23:54,040 --> 00:23:56,200 And then there's the Spirit that makes intercession. 347 00:23:56,200 --> 00:23:58,640 So you have the intercessor 3 things. 348 00:23:59,400 --> 00:24:04,080 Make no mistake about it though, when we pray, when we pray, our 349 00:24:04,080 --> 00:24:11,240 human spirit is involved, OK? Just know that Now, the position 350 00:24:11,240 --> 00:24:14,280 that I held for years is that the spirit that makes 351 00:24:14,280 --> 00:24:17,200 intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered 352 00:24:17,520 --> 00:24:23,080 was the human spirit. But I found an unbelievable 353 00:24:23,080 --> 00:24:29,240 fatal flaw with my position. The fatal flaw is actually found 354 00:24:29,240 --> 00:24:31,560 in the text. And you know, you know, my 355 00:24:31,560 --> 00:24:35,480 father used to say, son, sometimes you got to let the 356 00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:37,600 Word of God be its own best commentary. 357 00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:43,640 Sometimes you just got to turn to the Bible and read it and let 358 00:24:43,640 --> 00:24:47,360 your mind, your intellect, let it make some sense to you. 359 00:24:47,480 --> 00:24:51,680 OK. The fatal flaw that I found 360 00:24:52,080 --> 00:24:57,240 where it cannot be the human spirit is found in the passage 361 00:24:57,240 --> 00:25:03,680 that is before us, which says for we do not know what we 362 00:25:03,680 --> 00:25:08,640 should pray for. We don't. 363 00:25:10,080 --> 00:25:12,160 So I looked into it a little bit further. 364 00:25:12,160 --> 00:25:17,280 The knowing part of man is his mind or his reason. 365 00:25:17,800 --> 00:25:22,720 We get that makes sense and according to Paul, it's 366 00:25:22,720 --> 00:25:26,520 identified as man's spirit. Let me give you some. 367 00:25:26,640 --> 00:25:28,840 Let me give you some Bible, Romans 1 and 9. 368 00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:34,800 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit. 369 00:25:36,240 --> 00:25:40,160 Here's another passage. Romans 725I thank God through 370 00:25:40,160 --> 00:25:45,520 Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind, I myself 371 00:25:45,680 --> 00:25:52,880 serve the law of God. OK, So what am I saying here? 372 00:25:53,600 --> 00:26:00,080 I'm saying the human spirit is equivalent to the mind of a man. 373 00:26:01,200 --> 00:26:07,840 Let that soak in. In other words, the knowing part 374 00:26:07,840 --> 00:26:15,520 of man is his mind or his spirit. 375 00:26:16,040 --> 00:26:23,000 OK now with that in mind, when we go to verse 26, it says that 376 00:26:23,000 --> 00:26:28,160 the knowing part of man, which is his mind does not know what 377 00:26:28,160 --> 00:26:32,040 to pray for. This is what got me on this 378 00:26:32,040 --> 00:26:33,400 folks. This is what this is what 379 00:26:33,480 --> 00:26:38,000 changed me. The mind or the Spirit doesn't 380 00:26:38,000 --> 00:26:45,800 know what to pray for. So if the human spirit does not 381 00:26:45,800 --> 00:26:50,560 know what to pray for, then it can't be the human spirit who 382 00:26:50,560 --> 00:26:55,960 intercedes for the believer. If I don't know, I need an 383 00:26:55,960 --> 00:26:57,680 intercessor. I need somebody to help me, 384 00:26:57,680 --> 00:27:02,520 right? How am I helping me when I don't 385 00:27:02,520 --> 00:27:08,520 know what to pray for? How am I interceding for me when 386 00:27:08,520 --> 00:27:10,920 I don't know what to pray for? Facts. 387 00:27:11,320 --> 00:27:15,320 I don't know what to pray for. Somebody has to intercede for me 388 00:27:16,400 --> 00:27:19,840 in that prayer. There's a lot more. 389 00:27:19,840 --> 00:27:21,880 It's coming. And that brings us to the third 390 00:27:21,880 --> 00:27:27,000 position, which I believe to be correct, and that is the Spirit 391 00:27:27,480 --> 00:27:36,600 is the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is the one who helps us 392 00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:40,920 in our weaknesses and intercedes for us. 393 00:27:41,240 --> 00:27:44,840 And by the way, if you look at the context, it makes so much 394 00:27:44,840 --> 00:27:47,320 sense without doing this, but I'm going to do it anyway. 395 00:27:47,560 --> 00:27:51,600 Just so you know, I've done some research, 14 scholars, and the 396 00:27:51,600 --> 00:27:57,200 pages that I found it say it's the Holy Spirit, 14 notable 397 00:27:57,200 --> 00:28:00,000 scholars that we all have respect for, whatever that 398 00:28:00,000 --> 00:28:04,640 means, say this is the Holy Spirit that's doing the 399 00:28:04,640 --> 00:28:07,240 interceding. OK, so let's go back and look at 400 00:28:07,240 --> 00:28:12,120 the passage, please. Likewise, the Spirit also helps 401 00:28:12,280 --> 00:28:15,240 in our weaknesses. Why? 402 00:28:15,440 --> 00:28:18,880 For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but 403 00:28:18,880 --> 00:28:25,280 the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us. 404 00:28:25,480 --> 00:28:29,400 Remember, this verse introduces the second in a list of 405 00:28:29,400 --> 00:28:32,880 blessings for the Christian to encourage them and sustain them 406 00:28:33,120 --> 00:28:36,880 as they face difficulties in suffering and futility. 407 00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:39,920 And do you know what? Sometimes these things are so 408 00:28:39,920 --> 00:28:48,200 painful and so debilitating. Man, we need some help. 409 00:28:52,280 --> 00:28:54,200 Please don't ever think, no, I'm good, I got this, I'm good, I'm 410 00:28:54,200 --> 00:28:58,240 good. No, no, no, no. 411 00:28:58,400 --> 00:29:01,760 If you're honest with yourself, you need help. 412 00:29:03,480 --> 00:29:05,960 And there's times when the debilitating circumstances are 413 00:29:05,960 --> 00:29:09,360 so great actually needs somebody's help. 414 00:29:11,400 --> 00:29:14,560 And with regards to prayer, we even need a little help there 415 00:29:14,560 --> 00:29:17,000 too. And remember, this is not 416 00:29:17,000 --> 00:29:19,120 limiting God. God can do whatever he wants to. 417 00:29:19,120 --> 00:29:22,240 God is giving us this as a blessing. 418 00:29:24,120 --> 00:29:27,640 Sometimes those things could be physical, mental, emotional and 419 00:29:27,640 --> 00:29:30,200 psychological. It reduces the believer to a 420 00:29:30,200 --> 00:29:33,440 state of weakness. And during these times, the 421 00:29:33,440 --> 00:29:37,800 Christian does not know what to pray for. 422 00:29:39,000 --> 00:29:41,640 Now I'm going to put something on the screen and and please 423 00:29:41,640 --> 00:29:43,800 tune in. Don't misunderstand what I'm 424 00:29:43,800 --> 00:29:46,320 saying, OK? Because I've heard this totally 425 00:29:46,320 --> 00:29:51,960 misinterpreted, it does not mean that the Christian does not know 426 00:29:51,960 --> 00:29:54,280 how to pray. The word of God is clear about 427 00:29:54,280 --> 00:29:57,040 that. Jesus taught his disciples how 428 00:29:57,040 --> 00:30:01,240 to pray before the Kingdom came. My favorite passage of 429 00:30:01,240 --> 00:30:04,880 practicality in all the New Testament in Philippians 4, Paul 430 00:30:04,880 --> 00:30:07,520 gives the antidote for anxiety. How did he do it? 431 00:30:07,640 --> 00:30:11,200 He gave us a structure on how to pray. 432 00:30:11,400 --> 00:30:13,560 We're told specific things to pray for. 433 00:30:13,760 --> 00:30:16,440 Pray for those that are in leadership over us, Pray for 434 00:30:16,440 --> 00:30:18,120 those that are in authority over us. 435 00:30:18,280 --> 00:30:21,120 We pray for those that are lost in the world, that they come to 436 00:30:21,120 --> 00:30:23,160 Jesus. We prayed that this morning. 437 00:30:23,280 --> 00:30:25,440 We pray for the body of Christ, the Kingdom. 438 00:30:25,520 --> 00:30:28,200 We pray for each other. We prayed for you and you and 439 00:30:28,200 --> 00:30:33,200 you and on and on. OK Bible says we have not 440 00:30:33,200 --> 00:30:37,600 because we ask not so a unanswered prayers like an 441 00:30:37,600 --> 00:30:42,040 uncashed check. You got to go to God in prayer 442 00:30:42,040 --> 00:30:46,040 1st and ask God, what does Paul say in Philippians 4? 443 00:30:46,360 --> 00:30:49,920 Don't worry about anything but pray about everything. 444 00:30:49,920 --> 00:30:53,960 So we understand that it's not that we don't know how to pray. 445 00:30:53,960 --> 00:30:59,520 Please get that. The problem is that sometimes 446 00:30:59,520 --> 00:31:04,440 the believer does not know what to pray for or what is most 447 00:31:04,480 --> 00:31:07,040 needful. He does not know whether to pray 448 00:31:07,040 --> 00:31:10,600 for healing or a merciful release into the arms of Jesus. 449 00:31:11,440 --> 00:31:17,880 So sometimes we cannot see what the solution really should be. 450 00:31:18,520 --> 00:31:21,120 Please notice this verse is not saying. 451 00:31:21,120 --> 00:31:26,800 I'm going to back up a little bit. 452 00:31:28,960 --> 00:31:33,600 There's no doubt things that God does, the Holy Spirit does and 453 00:31:33,600 --> 00:31:35,240 Jesus does. That's not revealed in the word 454 00:31:35,240 --> 00:31:37,400 that perhaps is happening with angels is particular. 455 00:31:38,440 --> 00:31:42,120 I'm not limiting God. And you know what I want? 456 00:31:43,720 --> 00:31:48,680 I like the words of Bob Smith. Years ago somebody asked him, 457 00:31:48,680 --> 00:31:51,160 what do you want the Holy Spirit to do? 458 00:31:51,760 --> 00:31:54,160 Never forget this. Yeah, this goes back 25 years, 459 00:31:54,160 --> 00:31:58,640 30 years, 30 years probably. He said all he can. 460 00:32:00,360 --> 00:32:05,280 So OK, great. But all that involved and all 461 00:32:05,280 --> 00:32:08,840 that being said, I'm only going to preach specific things that I 462 00:32:08,840 --> 00:32:10,800 can show you in the word of God and proof. 463 00:32:10,840 --> 00:32:14,680 That's number one. Number two, please get this. 464 00:32:16,280 --> 00:32:22,680 This passage is not saying that the Holy Spirit intervenes or 465 00:32:22,680 --> 00:32:27,360 intercedes in every single prayer we pray. 466 00:32:27,440 --> 00:32:33,320 It is not saying that there's a context that's connected to it. 467 00:32:34,760 --> 00:32:39,160 This passage is referring to those difficult situations of 468 00:32:39,160 --> 00:32:43,480 suffering and futility when we are so weakened that we do not 469 00:32:43,480 --> 00:32:46,360 know what to ask for in such situations. 470 00:32:46,480 --> 00:32:50,960 The Holy Spirit is given to us in that regard as a gift and a 471 00:32:50,960 --> 00:32:54,400 blessing to intercede for us. And we're going to talk about 472 00:32:54,400 --> 00:32:59,040 how also in just a little bit. But that's the context, folks. 473 00:33:00,760 --> 00:33:03,240 I'm not going to go into all of the individual things that I've 474 00:33:03,240 --> 00:33:05,200 had in my life where this happened to me. 475 00:33:05,200 --> 00:33:09,360 But there's been a lot. And there were times in my life 476 00:33:09,560 --> 00:33:13,240 when I was so overwrought. I was so overcome and I was so 477 00:33:13,240 --> 00:33:17,560 overwhelmed. I could not figure out what to 478 00:33:17,560 --> 00:33:21,360 say. You know, very recently, not 479 00:33:21,360 --> 00:33:23,360 going to tell you the circumstances, but very recently 480 00:33:23,360 --> 00:33:28,680 there was an issue in my head, in my mind, and I went to the 481 00:33:28,680 --> 00:33:32,880 Father in prayer and in tears and I said I don't even know 482 00:33:32,880 --> 00:33:38,560 what to say and I need your help. 483 00:33:40,680 --> 00:33:45,160 I said I am hurting and I'm sorry. 484 00:33:45,160 --> 00:33:49,920 I feel this way. Help me. 485 00:33:53,040 --> 00:33:57,000 You know what I needed An intercessor. 486 00:34:01,520 --> 00:34:03,080 And that's not the only time in my life. 487 00:34:06,000 --> 00:34:07,760 Talk about how that all works in a minute. 488 00:34:07,800 --> 00:34:12,960 But those are the facts when we're so weakened. 489 00:34:13,360 --> 00:34:15,600 That's the context. But I want to notice what this 490 00:34:15,600 --> 00:34:22,360 means right here, with groanings which cannot be uttered. 491 00:34:22,600 --> 00:34:27,120 OK, let me show you the two positions that I've heard all my 492 00:34:27,120 --> 00:34:32,520 life. Position number one, it's the 493 00:34:32,520 --> 00:34:34,840 human spirit that makes intercession. 494 00:34:35,840 --> 00:34:41,000 So the human spirit is doing the groanings, and God is hearing 495 00:34:41,000 --> 00:34:42,840 the groanings that cannot be uttered. 496 00:34:43,440 --> 00:34:47,239 And God is taking those prayers and hearing those prayers for 497 00:34:47,239 --> 00:34:49,040 us. Now God is capable of doing 498 00:34:49,040 --> 00:34:50,239 anything. I'm not limiting God. 499 00:34:51,760 --> 00:34:53,960 That's position number one. That's a position I actually 500 00:34:53,960 --> 00:35:00,280 used to hold position #2 it's the Holy Spirit that does the 501 00:35:00,280 --> 00:35:05,960 interceding, and it's the Holy Spirit that does the groanings. 502 00:35:08,360 --> 00:35:18,200 Both statements are half right. So both statements in total, in 503 00:35:18,200 --> 00:35:23,080 totality, are incorrect. Stay with me. 504 00:35:26,360 --> 00:35:31,200 We know that the Holy Spirit is the intercessor in such casings. 505 00:35:31,720 --> 00:35:35,800 In such cases. My question is then, if the Holy 506 00:35:35,800 --> 00:35:41,600 Spirit is doing the interceding, then who is doing the groanings? 507 00:35:41,680 --> 00:35:45,320 Who groans? We do see that. 508 00:35:46,880 --> 00:35:50,240 Doesn't that make sense? You think the Holy Spirit needs 509 00:35:50,240 --> 00:35:52,240 to groan? I groan. 510 00:35:53,000 --> 00:35:56,080 You know what the word grown is, EM, Zur says grown. 511 00:35:56,080 --> 00:36:00,520 Another word for grown is sigh, with sighings that cannot be 512 00:36:00,520 --> 00:36:02,080 uttered. That's my feelings. 513 00:36:03,160 --> 00:36:05,080 Who's doing the groaning? I am. 514 00:36:06,120 --> 00:36:08,240 Who's doing the interceding? The Holy Spirit. 515 00:36:09,200 --> 00:36:12,480 OK, now I'm not going to leave it at that. 516 00:36:12,480 --> 00:36:15,760 We're going to go to context, please, going back to verses 22 517 00:36:15,760 --> 00:36:18,160 and 23. For we know that the whole 518 00:36:18,160 --> 00:36:21,720 creation groans and laborers with birth pangs together until 519 00:36:21,720 --> 00:36:24,600 now. Not only that, but we also have 520 00:36:24,640 --> 00:36:28,040 who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves grown 521 00:36:28,040 --> 00:36:31,440 within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption of the 522 00:36:31,440 --> 00:36:35,640 redemption of our body. Just a few short verses before 523 00:36:35,720 --> 00:36:39,080 the passage under consideration when it talks about groanings 524 00:36:39,080 --> 00:36:40,760 that cannot be uttered in verse 26. 525 00:36:41,040 --> 00:36:43,520 Who's grown in the whole creation? 526 00:36:43,800 --> 00:36:48,240 And we ourselves, how about that we've grown. 527 00:36:50,600 --> 00:36:52,920 I did a little research historically from Jewish history 528 00:36:54,680 --> 00:36:58,280 and I found a very interesting quote from a cultural background 529 00:36:58,280 --> 00:37:00,200 study Bible which said this notice please. 530 00:37:02,200 --> 00:37:06,200 Historically, many Jewish people expected a period of intense 531 00:37:06,200 --> 00:37:11,760 suffering just before the end of the age, and some spoke of this 532 00:37:11,760 --> 00:37:17,840 period as birth pangs or even the birth pangs of the Messiah 533 00:37:18,040 --> 00:37:23,160 or even the new Messianic era. Paul here portrays the present 534 00:37:23,160 --> 00:37:27,640 painful period between the Messiah's coming in these terms 535 00:37:27,920 --> 00:37:31,080 suffering to bring forth a new age. 536 00:37:34,240 --> 00:37:41,040 So the point is this, when the believer can only sigh or the 537 00:37:41,040 --> 00:37:45,520 believer can only groan because their suffering is so severe and 538 00:37:45,520 --> 00:37:50,120 the problem is so overwhelmingly complex, the Holy Spirit 539 00:37:50,120 --> 00:37:53,600 intercedes on their behalf. He's able to present our 540 00:37:53,600 --> 00:37:57,960 feelings or our groanings that that we do straight to God. 541 00:37:59,360 --> 00:38:01,640 Here's some scholars. McKnight said this. 542 00:38:02,720 --> 00:38:06,320 The apostle now assures us that these secret groanings and 543 00:38:06,320 --> 00:38:09,800 vehement desires, especially under pressure of affliction, 544 00:38:09,920 --> 00:38:15,800 are not fruitless. For although we utter no words 545 00:38:16,280 --> 00:38:20,840 because we do not know what to pray for, as we are the Spirit 546 00:38:20,840 --> 00:38:24,920 Himself, that's the Holy Spirit complaints for us by these 547 00:38:24,920 --> 00:38:29,320 inarticulate groanings under afflictions patiently borne 548 00:38:29,600 --> 00:38:34,080 through His assistance. McKnight 2 quotes. 549 00:38:35,480 --> 00:38:38,440 First quote with groanings that cannot be uttered is in 550 00:38:38,440 --> 00:38:42,280 reference to the dimly perceived and partially understood 551 00:38:42,280 --> 00:38:46,520 longings of the redeemed soul. That's me, which are impossible 552 00:38:46,520 --> 00:38:49,560 for the Christian to frame into articulated petitions to the 553 00:38:49,560 --> 00:38:52,160 Father. Those longings are heard and 554 00:38:52,160 --> 00:38:56,640 understood by the Spirit of God who transfers such inexpressible 555 00:38:56,640 --> 00:38:59,280 yearnings of the soul to the throne itself. 556 00:38:59,560 --> 00:39:03,520 Finally, Kaufman said this. Therefore, when the Christian's 557 00:39:03,520 --> 00:39:06,720 prayers have reached the boundary of language as a 558 00:39:06,720 --> 00:39:10,560 vehicle for the conveyance of thought, when such prayers 559 00:39:10,560 --> 00:39:14,880 become more of a heavenward sigh than a formal utterance, then 560 00:39:14,880 --> 00:39:19,600 the Christian may know that the inward intercessor is fully able 561 00:39:19,600 --> 00:39:23,840 to convey the soul's true desire to the throne. 562 00:39:24,640 --> 00:39:32,960 One more quote from White Side. So these groanings are 563 00:39:32,960 --> 00:39:38,160 unutterable feelings of need. The Spirit hurt us in these 564 00:39:38,160 --> 00:39:43,240 groanings, for he understands our needs and longings and can 565 00:39:43,240 --> 00:39:46,520 make them known to God. Again. 566 00:39:47,320 --> 00:39:51,960 We do the groaning, the Holy Spirit does the interceding. 567 00:39:54,280 --> 00:40:01,200 Now to the argument. Well, the Holy Spirit is the one 568 00:40:01,200 --> 00:40:05,800 who groans to God on our behalf. I've heard this interpretation. 569 00:40:05,840 --> 00:40:10,160 The groanings are some heavenly angelic type language that only 570 00:40:10,160 --> 00:40:12,040 they understand. So that's the groanings that 571 00:40:12,040 --> 00:40:14,160 cannot be understood by us and what have you. 572 00:40:14,840 --> 00:40:18,760 Again, it doesn't make sense in context, but I'll give you one. 573 00:40:18,760 --> 00:40:20,360 I'll give you what Lard said on this. 574 00:40:20,360 --> 00:40:23,320 Lard said this. The groanings which give 575 00:40:23,320 --> 00:40:27,760 inarticulate expression that these wants are not the spirits 576 00:40:27,920 --> 00:40:31,960 groanings, they are our groanings, but the spirit forms 577 00:40:31,960 --> 00:40:36,280 and directs them as to make them express our true wants to the 578 00:40:36,280 --> 00:40:40,520 Father. OK, did you know that the very 579 00:40:40,520 --> 00:40:42,240 next verse sums up what I just said? 580 00:40:42,800 --> 00:40:44,840 Verse 27, and that's our last verse. 581 00:40:45,680 --> 00:40:48,280 Verse 27 drives the whole point home. 582 00:40:48,280 --> 00:40:53,320 Here it is for he who searches the hearts. 583 00:40:54,000 --> 00:40:56,280 OK, who's He? That's God. 584 00:40:57,960 --> 00:41:00,680 The hearts are the minds of believers. 585 00:41:01,960 --> 00:41:06,160 In context, it refers to believers that are suffering 586 00:41:06,280 --> 00:41:08,360 under some kind of tragedy or pain. 587 00:41:09,400 --> 00:41:13,560 As a result, we don't know what to pray for and therefore we are 588 00:41:13,560 --> 00:41:16,400 reduced to groanings that only the Holy Spirit or the Holy 589 00:41:16,400 --> 00:41:18,720 Spirit makes understandable to the Father. 590 00:41:19,520 --> 00:41:25,200 Why does the Father understand? Because he knows the mind of the 591 00:41:25,200 --> 00:41:28,840 Spirit. They work together. 592 00:41:28,840 --> 00:41:31,160 Do you know when the Bible says there's three that bear record 593 00:41:31,160 --> 00:41:33,720 in heaven? There's God, there's Jesus, 594 00:41:33,800 --> 00:41:37,640 there's the Holy Spirit, and these three are one or they work 595 00:41:37,640 --> 00:41:39,560 together. They're one purpose. 596 00:41:39,680 --> 00:41:41,360 They work together in everything. 597 00:41:41,920 --> 00:41:50,720 God knows the mind of the Holy Spirit In the contending for the 598 00:41:50,720 --> 00:41:54,360 faith commentary it says in summary of this passage or this 599 00:41:54,360 --> 00:41:57,120 phrase. The Father knows with perfect 600 00:41:57,160 --> 00:42:02,000 intimacy what the mind of the Spirit is, and the Holy Spirit 601 00:42:02,000 --> 00:42:05,480 knows perfectly what the unutterable yearnings of the 602 00:42:05,480 --> 00:42:08,840 believer are. Thus, perfect communication is 603 00:42:08,840 --> 00:42:12,480 expressed to the Father on behalf of the Christian by the 604 00:42:12,480 --> 00:42:17,760 agency of the Holy Spirit. Why? 605 00:42:18,720 --> 00:42:24,760 Because He makes intersection for the Saints according to the 606 00:42:24,760 --> 00:42:28,360 will of God. Remember when I said there's 607 00:42:28,360 --> 00:42:32,280 three included here? OK, this is me right here. 608 00:42:33,880 --> 00:42:38,880 I'm Ronan. My petitions are directed to the 609 00:42:38,880 --> 00:42:43,920 Father who searches the hearts. The Father who's capable of 610 00:42:43,920 --> 00:42:48,840 doing anything he wants, gave us the Holy Spirit as an 611 00:42:48,840 --> 00:42:54,400 intercessor to make intercession for the Saints according to the 612 00:42:54,400 --> 00:42:57,120 will of God. So in other words, He over there 613 00:42:57,120 --> 00:43:01,960 is God, the hearts are me and you, and he is the Holy Spirit 614 00:43:02,440 --> 00:43:05,560 that makes intercession according to the will of God. 615 00:43:06,080 --> 00:43:10,800 And finally, one of those functions on behalf of the 616 00:43:10,800 --> 00:43:15,320 believer is to intercede for them with God the Father when 617 00:43:15,320 --> 00:43:19,240 they're struggling with such great difficulties that they can 618 00:43:19,240 --> 00:43:26,480 only groan in their suffering context. 619 00:43:26,480 --> 00:43:29,840 I don't know about you. That is amazing. 620 00:43:31,040 --> 00:43:37,760 That is an amazing benefit, all the wonderful things that we 621 00:43:37,760 --> 00:43:42,560 have as a result of being a child of God. 622 00:43:42,560 --> 00:43:46,000 And by the way, we've only noticed 3. 623 00:43:46,000 --> 00:43:48,440 Now there's two more in Romans 8 alone. 624 00:43:49,400 --> 00:43:53,360 When we repent in conclusion this morning and are baptized, 625 00:43:54,280 --> 00:43:57,000 we receive remission of sins, great blessing. 626 00:43:57,080 --> 00:43:59,000 We receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 627 00:43:59,160 --> 00:44:02,040 The gift is the Holy Spirit that dwells in our hearts. 628 00:44:02,200 --> 00:44:05,680 The benefits are as we noticed in our introduction, He's a 629 00:44:05,680 --> 00:44:09,040 guarantee or an earnest or a down payment of our eternal 630 00:44:09,040 --> 00:44:11,880 inheritance. He bears witness with our Spirit 631 00:44:11,880 --> 00:44:15,880 that we are the children of God. He makes us alive spiritually. 632 00:44:16,040 --> 00:44:20,000 And as we noticed this morning, He communicates our groanings to 633 00:44:20,000 --> 00:44:25,440 God when we're weak and do not know what we ought to pray for. 634 00:44:27,520 --> 00:44:31,880 Sounds to me the gift of the Holy Spirit's an incredible 635 00:44:31,880 --> 00:44:35,760 gift. And he is an invaluable 636 00:44:35,760 --> 00:44:40,000 assistant to Christians. He's working with our inner man 637 00:44:40,000 --> 00:44:44,880 within the bounds of God's Word to help us make heaven one day. 638 00:44:45,400 --> 00:44:49,960 And that is our greatest joy and our greatest goal. 639 00:44:50,080 --> 00:44:54,040 OK, we're going to talk about the third great blessing for 640 00:44:54,040 --> 00:44:56,240 believers. We talked about two today. 641 00:44:56,240 --> 00:45:01,160 If I said three, I meant 21. Hope 2. 642 00:45:01,160 --> 00:45:04,080 The intercessory work of the Holy Spirit when we don't know 643 00:45:04,080 --> 00:45:06,400 what to pray for. But #3 and it's coming next 644 00:45:06,400 --> 00:45:11,960 Sunday, if the Lord wills. All things work together for 645 00:45:11,960 --> 00:45:14,760 good to them that love God and are called according to His 646 00:45:14,920 --> 00:45:16,440 purpose. And I'm telling you right now, 647 00:45:16,680 --> 00:45:19,720 that is one of the most misunderstood and misapplied 648 00:45:19,720 --> 00:45:22,040 passages in all the teachings of Romans 8. 649 00:45:23,440 --> 00:45:27,080 Does it mean everything's going to work out, or is there 650 00:45:27,080 --> 00:45:30,280 something that's deeper, richer, and more meaningful? 651 00:45:30,280 --> 00:45:34,160 I'm going to hang on that one. I want the deeper, richer, and 652 00:45:34,160 --> 00:45:37,440 more meaningful interpretation context of the passage. 653 00:45:37,640 --> 00:45:39,800 That's next time if the Lord will. 654 00:45:40,040 --> 00:45:48,360 OK, Let me just say though, we've been given every single 655 00:45:48,840 --> 00:45:51,680 reason to hang in there and succeed. 656 00:45:51,680 --> 00:45:55,760 And I know life is hard. I get it and it and it actually 657 00:45:55,760 --> 00:45:59,680 frustrates me sometimes when people say, when somebody says 658 00:45:59,680 --> 00:46:04,040 I'm weak or I'm broken and they say, no, we're more than 659 00:46:04,040 --> 00:46:05,440 conquer. Yeah, yeah, we are. 660 00:46:05,440 --> 00:46:09,480 But we're more than conquerors because of God, because of the 661 00:46:09,480 --> 00:46:13,000 strength we get from the Lord, because of the intercessory work 662 00:46:13,000 --> 00:46:15,600 of the Spirit, because of all the spiritual blessings we have 663 00:46:15,600 --> 00:46:20,200 in Christ, not because of us. So you know what I'd rather be 664 00:46:20,200 --> 00:46:23,160 broken and get the benefits than think I'm pretty good all 665 00:46:23,160 --> 00:46:26,920 amount. So remember this and I'm closing 666 00:46:26,920 --> 00:46:30,360 with this. A 91 year old man said this and 667 00:46:30,360 --> 00:46:33,200 I'm and when he said it, I said man, not a preacher comes 668 00:46:34,200 --> 00:46:36,960 yesterday is history. So let it go. 669 00:46:38,760 --> 00:46:42,040 Tomorrow is a mystery, so don't worry about it. 670 00:46:43,000 --> 00:46:47,560 But today, today's a gift. So let's take the blessings 671 00:46:47,560 --> 00:46:52,600 we've been given to sustain us, and let's live and make the most 672 00:46:52,640 --> 00:46:57,440 of it. Next time, let's talk about all 673 00:46:57,440 --> 00:46:58,640 things working together for good. 674 00:46:58,640 --> 00:47:03,040 That will be the third of the five blessings that are found in 675 00:47:03,040 --> 00:47:05,720 Romans 8. In order to have the blessings 676 00:47:05,720 --> 00:47:07,960 we've talked about so far, then you've got to be a Christian. 677 00:47:08,800 --> 00:47:11,400 You got to be a child of God. These are blessings that come as 678 00:47:11,400 --> 00:47:14,920 a result of being His children. So we always extend an 679 00:47:14,920 --> 00:47:17,320 invitation when we teach from the word of God. 680 00:47:18,680 --> 00:47:20,960 You got to hear the word of God. Romans 10/17. 681 00:47:20,960 --> 00:47:22,760 Here are the steps to become a child of God. 682 00:47:22,760 --> 00:47:26,080 So faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. 683 00:47:26,320 --> 00:47:28,640 After you hear the word of God, you got a choice to make. 684 00:47:29,400 --> 00:47:30,680 You got to believe it with all your heart. 685 00:47:30,800 --> 00:47:33,520 Hebrews 11 and 6. Without faith, it's impossible 686 00:47:33,520 --> 00:47:36,840 to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, 687 00:47:37,120 --> 00:47:41,280 and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. 688 00:47:41,520 --> 00:47:43,800 Then what? I got to make some changes in my 689 00:47:43,800 --> 00:47:45,760 life. I got to stop going in the 690 00:47:45,760 --> 00:47:47,880 direction that I've been going. I need to be a Christian. 691 00:47:47,880 --> 00:47:50,720 I need to follow Jesus. I need to repent of my sins. 692 00:47:50,720 --> 00:47:53,480 Acts 17 and 30. Truly these times of ignorance 693 00:47:53,480 --> 00:47:58,000 God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent. 694 00:47:58,280 --> 00:48:01,920 Then I must be willing to confess Jesus Christ as the Son 695 00:48:01,920 --> 00:48:03,960 of God. Acts 837. 696 00:48:04,160 --> 00:48:06,600 Then Philip said, If you believe with all your heart, you may. 697 00:48:06,800 --> 00:48:11,520 And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the 698 00:48:11,520 --> 00:48:14,520 Son of God. These steps are prerequisites to 699 00:48:14,520 --> 00:48:16,960 our salvation. They lead toward the point of 700 00:48:16,960 --> 00:48:20,360 salvation. But we must be baptized for the 701 00:48:20,360 --> 00:48:23,600 remission of sins in order to have salvation. 702 00:48:23,720 --> 00:48:26,920 Mark 1616. Jesus said he who believes and 703 00:48:26,920 --> 00:48:30,400 is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be 704 00:48:30,400 --> 00:48:32,400 condemned. Is it necessary? 705 00:48:32,640 --> 00:48:35,520 Does it really save us first? Peter 321. 706 00:48:35,960 --> 00:48:39,040 The light figure where the even baptism doth also now save us. 707 00:48:39,520 --> 00:48:42,440 Not the putting away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of 708 00:48:42,440 --> 00:48:46,280 a good conscience comes out by the resurrection of Jesus 709 00:48:46,280 --> 00:48:48,240 Christ. If you're here today and you're 710 00:48:48,240 --> 00:48:50,440 not a child of God, we would love to assist you in that. 711 00:48:51,040 --> 00:48:52,880 Maybe you've taken those steps of obedience. 712 00:48:52,880 --> 00:48:54,680 Maybe you just drifted away from the Lord. 713 00:48:54,800 --> 00:48:56,400 You can do that. You can do that today. 714 00:48:56,400 --> 00:48:58,400 You can come back to Jesus today. 715 00:48:58,680 --> 00:49:00,640 Repent of those things. Confess those things. 716 00:49:00,640 --> 00:49:03,320 We'll pray with you and for you. God will forgive and restore. 717 00:49:03,520 --> 00:49:06,520 Be one of either class. Come forward while we stand and 718 00:49:06,520 --> 00:49:06,960 while we sit.