Waiting for the Redemption of Our Bodies

Scripture Texts: Romans 8:18-28

I am aware we have been over this passage in previous sermons, but I have a particular reason for wanting to return to this passage one more time.

 

I have been burdened by the number of significant prayer concerns we have had as a church family.  We have had several cancer related concerns we have been praying for.

Then there are more long-term health issues on our hearts.

As if our souls aren’t burdened and groaning enough, we have the groaning of creation in hurricanes, fires, floods, oppressive heat.

Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton have exposed us all to terrible tragedies and heartaches, families torn apart, children or parents swept away, trees falling on homes or cars taking lives so suddenly.

And that is just what we know about.  All of us have our secret groanings, our secret heartaches, pains, sufferings, trials and traumas.  There are those here who struggle daily to hold it together, who suffer from physical pain, or battle depression, anxiety, fear.

There are those who deal with disabilities and handicaps.  How many painful deaths have we experienced?  Children, young adults, parents.

None of us are alone in our groaning.  All creation groans, all mankind groans, all Christians groan, all marriages groan, all parents groan, all children groan, all of us groan.

I am a pastor who is groaning in prayer among a people who are groaning in prayer.

I want to offer as much hope and encouragement as I can this morning to our flock, for those we know and love and for those watching from a far.

We live in a world where suffering is viewed as negative, something to be avoided.  And the Christian Church is no better.  Suffering doesn’t fit with our goals of happiness, peace and feeling good.  Some Christian leaders even teach suffering is a sign you are out of God’s will or lack faith or have unconfessed sin.

It is no surprise America invented the health and wealth Gospel, name it and claim, believe it and receive it.

We need a well-developed theology of suffering.  And by we, I mean everyone of us, not just those over 70.  Darren, Nate and Brent should be a wakeup call to all of us.  The mere existence of Children’s Hospital should get all our attention.

We need a well developed theology of suffering and our text gives up one.

But please understand, no amount of good theology can take away the pain of suffering.  Suffering isn’t suffering if it isn’t painful, if it doesn’t hurt.  We weep and we weep with those who weep.  Paul wrote Romans 8 with a deep, personal understanding of the pain of physical suffering.

Good theology won’t take away the pain but it will enable us to endure well, to suffer well, with hope, without denying God or losing faith.

Let’s take this text and draw out of it the wisdom of God for our help and strength in the face of cancer and sickness and sin and death.