Text: Romans 8:26-32

"...These are precious and magnificent ________________."  II Peter 1:4

These promises don’t matter (or matter much less) if we don’t __________ (v. 22, 23, & 26).

• Good groaning vs. bad groaning…

• “I must keep alive in myself the desire for my true country, which I shall not find till after death; I must never let it get snowed under or turned aside; I must make it the main object of life to press on to that country and to help others to do the same.”  C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

FOUR PRECIOUS PROMISES:

1. The Spirit ________ for us when we don’t know how (v. 26-27).

2. God works _____ _______ together for our good (v. 28).

• Our best?

• "God does not slack his promises because of our sins, or hasten them because of our righteousness and merits. He pays no attention to either."  Martin Luther

• What is our good, really?

4. God will ___________ us to the image of his Son (v. 29).

• Bonus Promise: We are already _____________ (v. 30).

“The Christian up to his eyes in trouble can take comfort from the knowledge that in God’s kindly plan it all has a positive purpose, to further his sanctification… The clue to understanding all his dealings with them is to remember that throughout their lives he is training them for what awaits them, and chiseling them into the image of Christ… Only the person who has grasped this can make sense of Romans 8:28, ‘All things work together for good to them that love God’ (KJV); equally, only he can maintain his assurance of sonship against satanic assault as things go wrong.”  J.I. Packer, Knowing God

4. God will give you all things with ____ _____ (v. 32).


APPLICATION QUESTIONS:

1. For what are you groaning?

2. Are you praying primarily for conformity to Christ’s image?

3. When you are tempted to question God’s goodness, where do you look for confirmation?

Key: promises, groan, prays, all things, conform, glorified, His Son