The Romans 8:28 Comfort

5 June 2022 AM – Romans 8:28 – Rom2022 – Scott Childs
Introduction: I have here a needlepoint picture. As you can see, on the back, it is not a beautiful picture, but on the front, it is. This picture is a good illustration of the truth God shares with us in Romans 8:28. (Read it). When trials or sorrows come our way, we often ask, “Why?” In those times, life seems so messed up and so unfair. However, God sees the beautiful finished product that we cannot yet see.
            God gave us this verse to comfort our hearts during times of trial, hardship, burden and sorrow.
Transition: As we look at this verse, I want to show you four types of comfort it offers us in the time of our distress.
  1. Romans 8:28 offers trustworthy comfort
a.         Notice the words “we know”.
1)         “We know,” declares factual knowledge. This is an absolute knowledge. It is not up for debate. It is certain. We know that all things work together for good…
2)         We find the exact form of this word in John 6:42. “And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?” It expresses an undisputed fact.
3)         We might use this word to say that we know positively that gravity exists or that the moon is round.
b.         Because God said it, we know it is true.
1)         God always tells the truth. (Numbers 23:19) “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?“
2)         (Psalms 37:5) “Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.” (Psalms 119:160) “Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.” (Titus 1:2) “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;” (cf., Heb 6:18).
  • When God tells us that we can “know” that all things work together for good… that offers trustworthy comfort.
  1. Romans 8:28 offers comprehensive comfort
a.         The words “all things” are all-inclusive
1)         “And we know that all things work together for good.” This includes everything that may come your way. Comprehensive car insurance is supposed to cover all things that may happen to your car. However, insurance companies often have a list of exceptions that they will not cover. God’s promise has no exceptions.
2)         The “all things” in your life may be a difficult marriage, a wayward child, a financial loss, sickness, the death of a loved one, stress, an accident, sorrow or persecution. You will never face a trying experience that is not included in God’s list of “all things”. God wants you and me to trust Him and not worry! (Php 4:6).
b.         In the rest of the chapter, Paul notes some of the “all things” that may come our way.
1)         Opposition (Romans 8:31) “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?“
2)         Lack (Romans 8:32) “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” (cf., Ps 23:1).
3)         Satan’s false charges (Romans 8:33) “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.” No one is higher than God is.
4)         Condemnation (Romans 8:34) “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” God died for our sin!
5)         Persecution (Romans 8:35-37) “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” God loves you!
6)         Threatened separations (Romans 8:38-39) “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” God ALWAYS loves you!
  • When trials come your way, the devil will try to defeat you, but you must remember that Romans 8:28 offers trustworthy comfort and comprehensive comfort.
  1. Romans 8:28 offers promising comfort
a.         God promises a good end.
1)         “All things work together for good”.
2)         God loves us so much that He adopted us. (1 John 3:1) “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: ...” As our heavenly Father, He wants only what is best for us.
3)         God takes the positive and negative that come our way and works them together for our good, maturity, and spiritual benefit, that He might be glorified.
b.         Bible examples verify this.
1)         God had a good purpose for allowing Joseph’s 13 years of trails. (Genesis 50:20) “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.“
2)         Judah’s Babylonian captivity was for their good. (Jeremiah 24:5-6) “Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good. For I will set mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again to this land: and I will build them, and not pull them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up.“
3)         James wrote that trials help to perfect us. (James 1:2-4) “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.“
4)         Even God’s chastening is for our good. (Proverbs 3:11-12) “My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.” (Hebrews 12:11) “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.“
  • Our text does not tell us WHEN God will work all things together for good. The good end may not be in this life. Psalm 73 is a great help when this frustrates us.
  • So far we have learned that Romans 8:28 offers trustworthy comfort, comprehensive comfort and promising comfort.
  1. Romans 8:28 offers available comfort
a.         God offers comfort to all of His children
1)         How frustrating it would be if this verse only applied to super Christians! Praise God, that is not the case!
2)         He offers it to them that love God. That describes all true believers. If you have received God’s cleansing, forgiveness and eternal life, you cannot help but love Him for rescuing you from hell.
3)         He offers comfort to them who are the called according to his purpose. This too describes those who have answered God’s call to salvation through faith in Christ.
4)         If you are a child of God, you can claim the comfort offered in Romans 8:28. Read it again with emphasis.
b.         If you are not God’s child, you can be.
1)         You face the trials of life alone without God’s comfort. You have no assurance that any of your burdens will work out for good. That is HARD. It may be overwhelming.
2)         If you will admit that you are a sinner, repent of your sinful way of life, believe that Jesus died in your place to pay for your sin, and simply place your trust in His payment; He will make you His child (John 1:12-13).
Conclusion: If you are not in the midst of a trial, burden, heartache or sorrow, you will be one day. They are part of life in this sin-cursed world. Romans 8:28 offers God’s comfort. Like the back of a needlepoint picture, you may not yet see the end result, but God is working all things together for your good. God is using the hardships you are enduring to perfect you and to glorify Himself. Memorise the verse and quote it often. If you are not yet God’s child, trust Him to save your soul today.
Song: His Way with Thee – 367