The Bethany Bullet Sermon Message - Week of July 26, 2020

Link to Worship Video for 7/26/20 – HERE

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Link for printing Sunday’s Bulletin for 7/26/20 – HERE

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Link to Bible Discovery Resources for 7/26/20 – HERE

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Romans 8:28-39

“In all things we are more than conqueror through Him who loved us and gave Himself up for us.”   At first glance, through present experience, one might question the validity of Paul’s assertion.  There are moments, hours, days in which I’m feeling more like one who has been conquered, than one who is a conqueror.  A global pandemic, national panic; surges in violence, surges in positivity rates; falling hopes, falling bank accounts; rises in depression and debt, anxiety and addiction; there is plenty that might leave one feeling weaker by the week.  Yet, Paul asserts that we are more than conquerors in … not something, not many things, not most things … but ALL things!

The Greek word Paul uses here for conqueror is “nike”.  We’re familiar with the word when capitalized and accompanied by its famous swooshing symbol.  Most of us, even if we’ve never bought a pair, can declare the slogan – “Just do it!”  The Lord through the apostle to the Gentiles has already proclaim in the letter to the Romans that we are “just” (that is right with Him and in His sight) because Jesus has “done it!”    He loved us so much that He became one of us, lived a perfect life for all of us, suffered and innocent sacrificial death on account of us and in place of each of us!  He loves us so much that He rose again for us and ascended into heaven where He yet in love intercedes for us!  That is love… and Paul reminds us in these words that NOTHING can separate us from that love, nor the one who loves so, the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Even if things look bad; heck even if things are bad nothing can separate us from God’s love.  Think about it, there is nothing intrinsically good about persecution or pandemics; famine nor fiscal pain, danger nor depression, sword of the state or street on which bullets and molotov cocktails fly.  Yet in spite of it all, we are promised that God’s love cannot be torn away from us, nor we from His love.  The Lord through these words that become more precious to us each time we hear them today assures us that which He did when our Covid captivity began:  He’s Got This, He’s Got Us, in Christ We’ve Got Him, and with that being the case, His victory is ours and that makes us conquerors! 

-- Pastor Kevin Kritzer