Incomparable sufferings and glory




Romans 8:18~25 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us (18)
 



♬ Hymn for scheduled worship: Korean/English Hymnal #539 Go, Carry the Burden to Jesus (#483 in previous version)





 We can tell what people are really like when they go through hardships. Great individuals are different when faced with hardships. Some people are so shaken by hardships that aren’t really so bad. On the contrary, some people stay strong even when hardships rage against them. We can see a person’s faith, level, character and where they are coming from when they suffer. We can also see what the future has in store for a person when we see how they handle themselves during hardships. That is why God often allowed great hardships to those who were to receive great blessings. The Early Church, Stephen, Martin Luther, Rev. Ju, Ki-chul and Rev. Sohn, Yang-won all belong in this category of people. How is it that these people were able to bear such tremendous hardships?






1. There is another power of those who are saved
 Because those who don’t have the Gospel received a spirit that makes them slaves to fear (Romans 8:15), they cannot stand the fear in their lives. However, those who are saved become even bolder because the Spirit of God is with them. Those who are saved pray in the face of difficulties. Those who are not saved can’t help but run away. When faced with a serious problem, those who are saved hold to the problem and begin to pray with all their might, but those who are not saved are left helpless.





2. Those who are saved have true hope
 Those who knew the spiritual mystery that lies inside the Gospel had something different that the average man could not see. They possessed glory that was incomparable with their present sufferings. They did not have a spirit of slavery but the glory of the children of God, and they possessed an invisible but true hope. They saw what was invisible. The faith that we have and the works of the Holy Spirit are not false; they are the true reality of things. That is why when we are faced with difficulties, we can grab hold of true hope and enjoy answers without wavering.





3. Those who are saved have a different time schedule
 They knew that answers would come for certain. That is why they did not waver but were able to withstand hardships. If we have hope, we can be patient. Those who have seen God’s glory do not waver in the face of hardships. Those who receive salvation do not fear the forces of darkness, because they know the timetable of answers that will come to them. That is why we must prepare our vessels like the 7 Remnants of the Bible, who received important answers. The Early Church did not have much but prepared to be used in a great way by God.
 




● Forum Topic - What matters is not what we know, but what we possess. God gave us everything. What are do we have?





Immanuel Church Sunday Worship 2nd Service / 2009.7.19.