Finding Hope and Purpose in Our Suffering
Summary
### Summary
Good morning, Menlo Church. Today, we continue our summer series, "Beyond the Basics," by diving into Romans 8. We are living in turbulent times, and it's easy to let fear drive our conversations and actions. However, we must remember that God is in control, even when the world feels chaotic. Just like children on a long road trip asking, "Are we there yet?" we often find ourselves impatient and questioning God's timing. But God sees the whole plan, and He is working in our waiting.
Romans 8 teaches us that our present sufferings are not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed. This chapter reminds us that we are in a state of "already and not yet"—we have a future hope that is certain, but we are not there yet. Our sufferings and challenges are part of the journey, and they shape us for a deeper relationship with God. Paul, who endured immense suffering, assures us that these trials are insignificant compared to the future glory awaiting us.
We also discussed the concept of "finding belonging in longing." In our curated, airbrushed lives, we often hide our true struggles. But Paul encourages us to be vulnerable and honest about our pain, as this leads to deeper connections and a more authentic community. Our longing for a better world is a sign of our deeper need for God and His ultimate restoration.
We contrasted this biblical teaching with the prosperity gospel, which falsely claims that God wants us to be healthy, wealthy, and happy all the time. This teaching is far from the truth of Scripture, which tells us that suffering is a part of our faith journey. True hope is found in God's eternal promise, not in temporary, worldly gains.
Finally, we are reminded that our hope in Jesus requires patience and trust. We are ambassadors of a kingdom that is here and not yet. Even in our pain and suffering, we can find purpose and hope, knowing that God is working in our waiting.
### Key Takeaways
1. God is in Control: In times of turbulence and fear, it's crucial to remember that God is in control. Our circumstances may feel overwhelming, but they are not a surprise to God. He has a bigger plan, and we can trust Him to guide us through our challenges. [27:54]
2. Suffering Shapes Us: Our present sufferings are not worth comparing to the future glory that awaits us. Paul endured immense suffering but considered it insignificant compared to the eternal reward. This perspective helps us understand that our trials are shaping us for a deeper relationship with God. [35:51]
3. Belonging in Longing: We often hide our true struggles, presenting airbrushed versions of our lives. However, being vulnerable and honest about our pain leads to deeper connections and a more authentic community. Our longing for a better world is a sign of our deeper need for God. [33:22]
4. Rejecting the Prosperity Gospel: The prosperity gospel falsely claims that God wants us to be healthy, wealthy, and happy all the time. True biblical teaching tells us that suffering is a part of our faith journey. Our hope should be rooted in God's eternal promise, not in temporary, worldly gains. [43:05]
5. Hope Requires Patience: Our hope in Jesus requires patience and trust. We are ambassadors of a kingdom that is here and not yet. Even in our pain and suffering, we can find purpose and hope, knowing that God is working in our waiting. This eternal perspective helps us endure present challenges. [50:04]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[26:51] - Turbulent Times and Fear
[29:00] - Road Trip Analogy
[30:46] - God's Plan in Our Waiting
[33:22] - Finding Belonging in Longing
[35:51] - Suffering and Future Glory
[38:47] - Creation's Futility and Hope
[41:43] - Prosperity Gospel vs. Biblical Teaching
[44:24] - Trusting God in Painful Waiting
[47:11] - Groaning and Future Adoption
[50:04] - Durable Hope in Jesus
[53:01] - Living in Anticipation of Christ's Return
[54:26] - God's Love for Lost Causes
[55:53] - Personal Story of Hope
[57:06] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
- Romans 8:18-25 (ESV): "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience."
### Observation Questions
1. What does Paul say about the sufferings of the present time in Romans 8:18?
2. How does Paul describe the state of creation in Romans 8:19-22?
3. According to Romans 8:23, what are believers waiting for, and how does Paul describe this waiting?
4. What is the significance of hope in Romans 8:24-25, and how does it relate to what we do not see?
### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the concept of "already and not yet" help us understand our current sufferings in light of future glory? [31:39]
2. In what ways does Paul suggest that our sufferings shape us for a deeper relationship with God? [35:51]
3. How does being vulnerable and honest about our struggles lead to deeper connections and a more authentic community? [33:22]
4. Why is it important to reject the prosperity gospel, and how does true biblical teaching about suffering provide a more solid foundation for our faith? [43:05]
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt impatient with God's timing. How can you remind yourself that God sees the whole plan and is working in your waiting? [30:46]
2. Think about a current struggle or suffering you are facing. How can you view this challenge as something that shapes you for a deeper relationship with God? [35:51]
3. In what ways can you be more vulnerable and honest about your struggles with your small group or community? How might this lead to deeper connections? [33:22]
4. Have you ever been influenced by the prosperity gospel? How can you refocus your hope on God's eternal promise rather than temporary, worldly gains? [43:05]
5. What is one area of your life where you need to practice more patience and trust in God's plan? How can you actively work on this in the coming week? [50:04]
6. How can you be an ambassador of God's kingdom in your daily life, even in the midst of pain and suffering? What specific actions can you take to bring hope to others? [40:07]
7. Identify a person in your life who might be struggling with the concept of hope. How can you share the message of Romans 8 with them to encourage and uplift their spirit? [54:26]
Devotional
Day 1: Trusting God's Sovereignty in Turbulent Times
In times of turbulence and fear, it's crucial to remember that God is in control. Our circumstances may feel overwhelming, but they are not a surprise to God. He has a bigger plan, and we can trust Him to guide us through our challenges. Just as children on a long road trip ask, "Are we there yet?" we often find ourselves impatient and questioning God's timing. However, God sees the whole plan and is working in our waiting. This perspective helps us to remain calm and trustful, knowing that our present sufferings are not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed. [27:54]
Isaiah 46:10 (ESV): "Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.’"
Reflection: Think of a current situation in your life that feels chaotic or out of control. How can you remind yourself today that God is sovereign and has a bigger plan for you?
Day 2: Suffering as a Pathway to Deeper Relationship with God
Our present sufferings are not worth comparing to the future glory that awaits us. Paul endured immense suffering but considered it insignificant compared to the eternal reward. This perspective helps us understand that our trials are shaping us for a deeper relationship with God. Our sufferings and challenges are part of the journey, and they shape us for a deeper relationship with God. This eternal perspective helps us endure present challenges, knowing that God is working in our waiting. [35:51]
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (ESV): "For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."
Reflection: Reflect on a recent trial or suffering you have experienced. How has this experience shaped your relationship with God? What eternal perspective can you gain from it?
Day 3: Authentic Community Through Vulnerability
We often hide our true struggles, presenting airbrushed versions of our lives. However, being vulnerable and honest about our pain leads to deeper connections and a more authentic community. Our longing for a better world is a sign of our deeper need for God. Paul encourages us to be vulnerable and honest about our pain, as this leads to deeper connections and a more authentic community. This vulnerability allows us to find belonging in our longing and to build a community that supports and uplifts each other. [33:22]
James 5:16 (ESV): "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."
Reflection: Think of a struggle or pain you have been hiding. How can you share this with a trusted friend or community member to build a deeper, more authentic connection?
Day 4: Rejecting the Prosperity Gospel
The prosperity gospel falsely claims that God wants us to be healthy, wealthy, and happy all the time. True biblical teaching tells us that suffering is a part of our faith journey. Our hope should be rooted in God's eternal promise, not in temporary, worldly gains. This teaching is far from the truth of Scripture, which tells us that suffering is a part of our faith journey. True hope is found in God's eternal promise, not in temporary, worldly gains. [43:05]
1 Peter 4:12-13 (ESV): "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed."
Reflection: Reflect on your understanding of God's blessings. How can you shift your focus from seeking temporary, worldly gains to finding true hope in God's eternal promise?
Day 5: Patience and Trust in God's Timing
Our hope in Jesus requires patience and trust. We are ambassadors of a kingdom that is here and not yet. Even in our pain and suffering, we can find purpose and hope, knowing that God is working in our waiting. This eternal perspective helps us endure present challenges. We are reminded that our hope in Jesus requires patience and trust. We are ambassadors of a kingdom that is here and not yet. [50:04]
Romans 12:12 (ESV): "Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer."
Reflection: Identify an area of your life where you are struggling to be patient. How can you practice trusting God's timing and finding hope in His eternal promise today?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "Even if you aren't a follower of Jesus, God loves you. He made you. And this road trip throughout human history is not without hope, even for you. See, what I hope we walk out with is a greater confidence that God is working in our waiting. That whatever you wish would change. Whatever you wish to accelerate. Whatever you wish you could stop. Whatever you wish you could change. God is using even that circumstance." [30:46] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "The good news of the gospel is that Jesus came for the lost causes. The author of Romans, Paul, we've been reading, he describes God's strategy by saying that he uses the foolish things of this world to confound the wise. Lost causes are God's specialty. If you think that you have this future experience with God or this hope with God, you've already been excluded. You can't possibly be considered a candidate for that. You are a perfect candidate for the grace of God." [54:26] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "See, God loved you so much that he gave his only son to live the life that you can. To die the death that we all deserved and to come back from the grave so that we could turn from our way of life, follow him and experience this relationship with him now and forever. The one that you were designed for as an ambassador of the kingdom now and a citizen of that kingdom forever." [54:26] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Maybe today is just a down payment. It's a deposit so that later on when the pain is too great and the thing you are placing your hope in seems insignificant or not enough to hold the hope that God has placed in you. Maybe God will remind you of Romans 8, that the suffering of this world, it's not worth comparing to the future glory of God's reign and rule of new heavens and new earth and the access to it. The citizenship of it is found only in Jesus." [55:53] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "See, I think there's a problem for a lot of us, which is the way we think about following Jesus is we think, I will follow Jesus until suffering. That the ceiling of my pursuit of Jesus is until following Jesus is going to cost me something. And this is a really intimidating list. This is an intimidating list because when he says not worth comparing, I'm not sure that, like, as I think about it, he's pointing to this foreshadowing reality of a new heaven and a new earth of all creation being put back to a better than humanity founded." [37:19] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "We can see that Paul is not just trying to help us think about heaven as a place that we get to escape earth. But rather, that we are representatives of a kingdom that is here and not yet. A kingdom that God is bringing to earth. He talks about creation being set free from the corruption and bondage that it is in right now. Can you think of any area where this is not self-evident? One area where we aren't seeing the entropy of sin-decaying systems and structures around the world." [40:07] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "We want to be the best citizens that we can be wherever God has placed us. If you are a follower of Jesus, to your citizenship in the kingdom of heaven. Most of us are not naming it and claiming it, but we embrace a more subtle version of this distortion where we feel the pressure to pretend that we aren't suffering or that the pain that we're going through doesn't really hurt. It's not a big deal. When in reality, there are deeper relationships available if we just be honest. If we said what was really going on, what our hang-ups really were." [43:05] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "If you really believed that God is working in our waiting, if you really believed that, then the question that maybe I'd ask you to consider is what is the most painful thing that you're waiting for? What's the thing in your life that if you thought about, you know what, I can believe this about this area of my life and this area of my life and this area of my life, but you know what, Phil, that treatment that hasn't come through, that job opportunity that I thought would be solved by now and isn't, that relationship that I hoped for but isn't here, that marriage that I wanted to see put back together, that relationship that I wanted to see put back together, but it isn't." [44:24] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "We may groan, we may agonize with the delay, but it's because we are eagerly waiting for the adoption that Scott talked about last week. See, the moment that you decide to follow Jesus, you are in the family of God. But here, Paul talked last week about adoption as this thing that's promised. Here he talks about future promise. It can feel strange, but he's using a piece of grammar called metonymy. And he tells us what it means in the verses that follow it right afterwards. That this idea of adoption is ultimately fulfilled when God brings about a new heaven and a new earth." [48:37] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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