Skip to content

The River ChurchSermons

The Spirit

The Spirit - Helps Us in our Weakness

Caleb Combs · Sunday, 24 August 2025 · Romans 8:18-27 · 50:16 · 7,321 words

Romans S18 · 8:18-27 Holly

There is no public page for this message yet — the transcript below is the whole of it.

The sermon explores Romans 8:18-27, focusing on how current suffering doesn't compare to the glory that awaits believers. It emphasizes that both creation and Christians groan, longing for redemption and heaven. The message highlights the Holy Spirit's role in helping believers pray when they don't have words. Listeners are challenged to trust that God is working through difficulties and to maintain hope in the promise of future glory.

What this sermon is about

Ranked by keyness against every other sermon in the corpus. Each one is a word this sermon actually said — nothing here was written by a model.

groan 44 long 45 describe 39 creation 28 sing 19 return 17 glory 23 lamenting 5 florida 6 valley 6 taste 7 curse 10

Topics

The Holy Spirit 6 Hope 6 Prayer 5 Freedom 2 Adoption & Sonship 2 Condemnation 2 Faith 2 Sin 1

Scripture referenced 29

Verified against the transcript. A reference the recording does not support is never listed here.

Romans 8 2:43 Romans 8 2:46 Romans 8 2:46 Romans 8:18 2:50 Romans 8:27 2:50 Romans 8 3:01 Romans 8 3:06 Romans 8 3:24 Romans 8:18 5:11 Romans 8:27 5:11 Romans 8:18 5:18 Romans 8:24 6:16 Romans 8:18 8:34 Psalms 23 10:18 Romans 8:28 11:08 2 Corinthians 11 15:58 2 Corinthians 4 16:27 Genesis 3 20:05 Genesis 2 20:28 Genesis 3 20:28 Romans 3 21:24 Romans 3:21 24:25 Romans 3:23 25:50 Revelation 22 26:38 2 Corinthians 5 26:52 Romans 1 28:34 Hebrews 11 29:05 Romans 1:26-27 32:19 Romans 8 40:16

Transcript

Every word, as spoken, with the second it was said. Each word links to its own entry in the index.

Pre-service announcement — 8 lines, 0:42. Excluded from every count and search on this site, kept here so nothing is hidden.

Hi everyone, my name is Stephen, and thanks for checking out this message today.

We are so glad that you are here and want to connect with you and your family.

The easiest way to do this is to text RIVERCONNECT to 97000.

There we can help answer any questions you may have or even pray with you.

You can visit our website, theriverchurch.cc, to learn more about us and what we are as a church.

Finally, if you want to support the work we are doing here at the River Church financially,

please feel free to text 84321 with the amount that you would like to give.

Thank you for joining us, and we hope you are blessed by today's message.

Good morning. Good to gather with you.

I messed with many of you this morning. You are all sitting in different seats.

It's kind of funny.

We took out, obviously, the back three rows, and I've only got a couple of complaints.

I took your seat. I'm sorry.

Your name is underneath it carved, but it's a lot of fun.

I'm always messing with you, and so it's good.

Good to gather with you. If I don't know you, my name is Caleb.

I am the pastor here, and it's just great to sing together, to greet one another,

to care for one another, open God's word together.

Today, we will hang out and eat together.

I know they've got burgers and dogs, and many of you brought things.

If you weren't planning on that or you're new or a guest, hang out today.

We're going to set up some more tables.

I don't feel like there's not enough, and so we're going to set some up after the gathering.

I figured it would be a lot nicer in here in the air conditioning than next door,

but then it's like 60s today, so the way it works.

I think last year it was like 174 in the gym as we were trying to eat and sweat to death,

but it's okay, and so just love for you to play and hang out.

I'll challenge you. You ready?

Get to know someone. Meet someone new.

If you see someone sitting alone or a family sitting alone and you don't know them, go sit with them.

You're like, really?

I can do that?

You have my authority to do that, and so it's a good thing.

The church is to be the church.

What does that look like?

Well, we're supposed to know one another, encourage one another, pray for one another, be there for one another,

and how can you do that if you don't know someone?

And so I just want to encourage you to take that step.

You're like, really?

That's kind of leery.

You'll be okay, I promise, all right?

If not.

Let me know, all right?

And so it's good.

We are going to be in Romans chapter 8.

Going to continue in Romans chapter 8, finishing Romans 8 next week.

And so looking at a larger chunk this week, looking at Romans chapter 8, 18 verses 27 this morning.

Romans 8 is, I've talked to many of you over the last couple weeks, and even this morning it was great.

Just go, man, Romans 8 has just jumped out.

I just can't agree more with you.

Just as I...

I'm going to preach it and try to teach and navigate and stretch all of us, because I think that is a lot of what's happening in through this series.

But just a quick review.

Romans 8-1 starts off with a bang.

I mean, there's no condemnation.

What a declarative statement that Paul makes to those that are in Christ Jesus, as we are no longer guilty.

We may battle with this thing called flesh and spirit.

And all of us, as we navigate and try to live for him and have that inner conflict or inner battle in each and every one of us.

But we know that there is no condemnation.

Why?

Because the Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle Paul to write these words.

As we know, the Bible says they are the word of God.

And so it is a promise from God.

A couple weeks ago, we looked at the role of the Holy Spirit.

We tried to teach through that and give some descriptions of what and how the Holy Spirit.

How he leads us, guides us, corrects us in all things.

Also, teaching the words of Jesus.

And echoing and reminding and bringing to the forefront of our minds the words that Jesus taught in his word.

And last week, I loved preaching.

I could have preached a lot longer on the topic of adoption.

As we've been made to be the sons and daughters of God.

We've been called to call him out as Abba Father.

Not in a whole.

But in a real, true, intimate God.

I need you.

You are my Father.

And a real, just beautiful intimate.

Where he invites us into a relationship.

And I was thinking, many of us, or some of you may be struggling with a fatherly figure.

you're in this world or you've had some interactions maybe you didn't have a dad well god invites all

all to that beautiful relationship and it's just really really good and so we're going to be in

verse 18 this morning looking through verse 27 so you have a bible device something to follow along

i always encourage you to do that let's start in verse 18 for i consider that the sufferings

of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us

for the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of god for the creation was

subjected to futility not willingly but because of him who subjected it in hope that the creation

itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory

of the children

of god for we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth

until now and not only creation but we ourselves for we are we have the first fruits of the spirit

grown inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons the redemption of our bodies verse 24

continues for in this hope we are saved now

hope that is seen is not hope for those or for who hopes for what he sees but if we hope for what

we do not see we will we wait for it with patience likewise the spirit helps us in our weakness

for we do not know what we what to pray as we ought but the spirit himself intercedes

for us with groanings too deep for words and he who testifies

he who searches hearts knows what is the minds of the spirits because the spirit intercedes

for the saints according to the will of god let's pray and we'll jump into that this morning god we

love you we praise you we honor you we glorify you thank you for your word thank you for this passage

god god as we seek to understand it as we seek to study it as we seek to live out your word god we

ask for your help as we seek to understand it as we seek to study it as we seek to live out your word

help we ask for your wisdom we asking for your guiding voice in our lives god we just are so

grateful to lift you up god we praise you god i am in constant prayer to say god help me to get

out of the way and your words through your holy spirit speak very very clearly this morning god

we pray for that we need that god we love you we praise you in jesus wonderful name amen this is a

i would say not necessarily a a controversial passage but a a larger passage as i read this

morning but a a a tougher passage not in necessarily understanding but to live out

where the apostle paul begins to if you will bookend some very large statements he's saying

what are these large statements well in verse 18 he says for i consider that the sufferings

of this present time are not the sufferings of the present time but the sufferings of the present

time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us paul is making a

profound statement and i i think it's easy for someone to pull this verse out of context or

or pull this verse out of the general idea of what's happening in this chapter and say okay

paul and god if you will don't care about what the things that are happening in my life you can

read that and go okay well they're just saying get over it that's not what they're saying this

is the apostle paul who is described as literally wearing the marks of god on him wearing the marks

that uh have happened what is that he was beaten he was mocked he was spit on not just jesus he was

stoned you're talking about some crazy experiences for the apostle paul and so what he's not doing

is minimizing the struggles the difficulties that we go through and so i don't want anyone to

hear me preach that verse talk through that or maybe join us online and go okay well you know

what they're that church they don't care

Or they're preaching about a God who doesn't care about what I'm going through.

Well, you missed last week, right?

God is saying, call me Abba Father.

What does that look like?

I want to be a part of everything in your life.

Good stuff, bad stuff.

In the valley of the shadow of death, as Psalm 23 said, he is with me.

That is so important because I realize there are many sitting in this room,

joining us online, listening in at another time,

they're going, man, I pray that God understands the difficulties of my life

because, man, they are constantly heavy to carry.

And so God is not minimizing those difficulties.

He's maximizing glory.

He's saying, what does that mean?

Well, he's saying, yes, the things that you go through in this life are heavy.

The things that you go through are super difficult.

Difficult, confusing.

Well, he echoes it, as I said, bookends it.

As Romans 8, 28, he says, what?

For all things, and we know that those who love God, all things work together for good.

For those who are called according to his purpose, God's purpose.

Yeah, those difficulties, God is working in his plan and his purpose.

And it's so important that we grasp and understand that.

But Paul says, I love this.

This is really important.

I consider that the sufferings.

This is not a quick conclusion.

It's not a wondering or kind of an irrational conclusion

where he's just speaking out of tongue in cheek.

No, no, no.

This is something, if you look at the original language that he uses,

he's writing as thought out very carefully.

He's weighed the evidence and has come to this conclusion.

He's not going, okay, haphazardly just saying, oh, yeah,

I think God is...

I think God is going to use the sufferings of this present time.

No, he's saying, I've considered, I've balanced, I've weighed,

I've looked at all these difficulties.

And I want you to know, yeah, the ups and the downs of life.

I heard this, sunny days wouldn't be special if it wasn't for rain.

Joy wouldn't feel so good if it wasn't for pain.

Understanding the greatness of the glory.

Like we've experienced the depths of sin,

yet we can long for a place where they would find ultimate peace

and the glory of seeing our father face to face

where there's no more hurt, no more pain.

That's a place called heaven, a real place for real people,

not just some fantasy land that we can think about

and sing about on a Sunday morning.

But when the rubber meets the road on a Monday, Tuesday,

you feel in the day of the week that I feel like we need that promise, right?

We can hold fast to it and say, you know what?

As difficult as the storm I'm going through,

I have considered it is pales in comparison

to what glory will feel like in my life.

And so we can cling to that.

So understanding, yeah, those difficulties make us long for something more.

They make us long for heaven.

I was thinking about this, this idea of, of,

of almost understanding something better.

And, and when I was just out of college,

my wife and I moved to Florida.

And so we lived in Florida for a year and I loved Florida.

It was just, we lived just South of Daytona beach

and the sunshine was fantastic.

But guess what those people in Florida do?

They take the sunshine for granted.

They do.

Come on, let's be honest, right?

They take the sunshine for granted.

And so for us, Michiganders are tough Michiganders, right?

We, we get through,

uh, February and we're like, man, I long for July, right?

And then some of you crazies are like, oh my goodness,

I long for that snow to come down.

And I'm like, please stay away from me.

I don't need that negativity in my life, right?

Is what is it like the, the, those dark days of January and February, right?

I feel like we don't have any sunshine.

And, and you're like, man, I just long for that, right?

Because what the, the, the depths of despair,

when it's zero degrees and you just want to be in Florida and those Florida

people, they disgust me, but no, I'm just kidding.

All right.

But think about that for us as Michiganders, we, we long for that. That's what's described here

in that depth, in that brokenness, you're longing for something, right? Because you know,

there is something better or there is hope that you can cling to. And that's what Paul is

describing here. I've considered. Yeah. And he describes it in, in Philippians four, he's learned

to live with a lot. He's learned to live with a little, he's had a lot of food. He's had no food.

How does he get through it? I know I can do it. Why? Because Christ gives me the strength to do

it. And that's what he describes in this passage in Romans. I considered that. Yeah. The difficulties

that I've gone through Galatians, as I described, I bear on my body, the marks of Jesus.

If you want to have some, I don't know, fun would be a terrible description of this,

but if you want to see those descriptions, second Corinthians chapter 11,

23 through 38, describe these interactions from the apostle Paul, shipwrecked, arrested,

falsely accused, beaten, stoned, people abandoned him. And that's just a small synopsis of it.

The truth of the matter is Paul wore those marks. He says, I long for a place. He's writes in second

Corinthians chapter four for this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight,

a place of glory beyond all comparison. And Paul says, there's simply no comparison or pleasure or

even pain with the glory to be revealed to us in heaven. I know you sit here today or join us

online or wherever you find yourself and you hear those words and it's hard to comprehend. I'll be

honest with everyone. And as I preach that it's something like, I just wish I could visualize it

a little better. I wish I could understand it aggressively. I wish I could understand it in a

grasp it. And some of that's my own control. Some of that's my own need for it to grasp it,

to understand it. But what Paul is saying is, trust me, it's beyond anything you can imagine.

This place called heaven is incredible. It's for those who have been made children of God.

Paul then describes three, I would say groups. I don't know if I can describe groups,

but you'll see what we get there in a couple of minutes. Groaning and longing for,

this place, a groaning and longing for heaven, not in a complaining manner. I initially read that

and go, well, they're just complaining about the difficulties, the brokenness of this world.

And there's a lot to complain about, but that's not what's described in here because

in all things, we're told to give thanksgiving, like give thanks. Like that's all things that's

good and bad. So it's not described in that manner. So what is being described here?

This groaning is,

a longing for, one description is you're desiring to see it. And all there is,

I read one commentator that said, it's like a child at a parade, getting on their tippy toes,

trying to see something in front of someone else. I'm just trying to see, I'm just trying to find it.

I'm just trying to, because I know it's coming. And that's what that groaning looks for, anticipating.

And so,

Romans eight, verses 19 through 22, Paul describes creation groans. Let's look at that.

For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For

the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it

in hope. What's described here is creation. This is not human beings here. This is,

this is creation. This is trees. This is rocks. This is, this is the sun, moon, stars. This is

the earth. This is what, this is what is being described here in creation. And so

creation has been forced into futility and made meaningless because of sin.

I think about that and go, wow, how did that happen?

Well, in Genesis 3, we see the curse being given.

What is that curse?

Well, God placed Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden,

perfectly made it, told Adam,

you are to be the head of all these animals,

all of the earth.

You got one rule, don't eat of this tree.

Everything else, enjoy.

And we know, looking at Genesis 2 and Genesis 3,

we see the fall of man as sin.

They were tempted by the serpent.

Satan, the great deceiver, is described as questioning.

Did God really say that?

I think that's what a great reminder for us.

We think, wow, you know, Satan's just gonna come out

and say, hey, this is totally opposed to God.

No, no, no, he's trying to weasel his way and deceive us.

And so that should always throw up a red flag in our lives.

What, did God really say that?

I'll say this, for us as believers,

if that is in our lives,

the best way to do it is dive into his word.

Did God really say that?

Well, I can look in his word.

And so Adam and Eve sin and are cast out of the garden.

And all of humanity is cursed.

As we see, the Bible describes through one man's sin,

death entered into the world.

Romans 3 says,

And to Adam he said,

Because you have listened to the voice of your wife

and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you,

you shall not eat of it.

Cursed is the ground because of you.

An interesting statement there.

Like all of creation is cursed.

Not just simply Adam,

not just simply Eve because they ate of the tree,

because all of creation is cursed.

Pain, you shall eat of it all the days of your life.

Thorns and thistles, thanks for that,

it shall bring forth for you.

You shall eat of the plants of the field.

By the sweat of your face, you shall eat bread

till you return to the ground.

For out of it you were taken, for you are dust.

And to dust, you shall return.

not only humanity experiences death,

creation now has been cursed

or given this same curse

where the ground has been cursed.

What an interesting thought process.

I don't know if you've ever thought through that.

I have gone, okay,

are mosquitoes created there?

Is this the time, right?

Are weeds created right there?

Like, man, the grass was perfect

and then all of a sudden,

these stupid weeds that come up there,

you got to spray for or pull

and you try to have them come up, right?

And you try to have them come up, right?

And you try to have them come up, right?

And you try to have them come up, right?

And you try to have them come up, right?

And you try to have them come up, right?

And you try to have them come up, right?

And you try to have a nice garden

and they come out and choke things out.

Is that here?

Those are questions I'm thinking of.

Maybe you don't.

And I'm sorry to bring you in my head.

I told you a couple weeks ago,

you don't want to be there, all right?

But just thinking about what has entered here,

everything with the thorn,

it's thorns and thistles,

the things when you're pulling weeds

that if you don't have thick enough gloves on,

that stab you, right?

That's all here.

That ground was cursed.

So what Paul is describing here,

where creation,

the very ground that we walk on,

longs with the return of Christ.

Think about that.

And I can't quite truly grasp it

because we're not hearing the ground speak,

but we know the ground could speak

as Jesus said as he's entering

and they told his disciples to stop talking.

He says, hey, they'll stop.

When they stop worshiping,

the very rocks will cry out for me.

And so we know all of creation,

including the rocks,

cry out in worship of Jesus Christ.

We know the very heavens declare

the glory of God, the psalmist writes.

And so all of creation declares

the glory of Jesus Christ

and now yet is longing, groaning for his return.

Not only humanity has become a sufferer,

but creation has become a sufferer longing for that.

Verse 21 says to be set free from the bondage

to corruption and obtain the freedom.

And so we know the very heavens declare the glory of God.

We know the very heavens declare the glory of God.

We know the very heavens declare the glory of God.

We know the very heavens declare the glory of God.

We know the very heavens declare the glory of Jesus Christ.

There it is, of the glory.

What's that glory?

That's the return of Jesus Christ.

That's eternity.

That's heaven.

I read this this week.

Creation will one day be delivered.

And the difference between then and now

is the difference between agony and ecstasy.

And I was thinking, wow, I was driving home.

I don't know, it was two nights ago, I think, Friday night.

Or if you're driving and see the sunset,

and you're like, wow, what an incredible,

beautiful thing God has created.

Can you imagine what the sunsets will be?

I guess there won't be a sunset,

so I shouldn't probably say that.

Can you imagine what creation will look like?

How about, let's get that right.

No darkness in heaven, it's lit up by the sun.

But can you imagine what creation will look like

when it is not broken with the corruption of sin?

And I just imagine what a beautiful, beautiful place.

Bible describes the lion will lay with the lamb,

where there'll be no hurt, there'll be no,

just a crazy, beautiful description of what God has called.

And that is what creation groans for.

So creation groans, and then he continues in verse 23.

And not only the creation, but we ourselves,

who have the first fruits of the spirit,

grown inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons,

the redemption of our bodies.

For in this hope, we were saved.

Now hope that is seen is not hope,

for who hopes for what he sees.

But if we hope for what we do not see,

we will wait for it with patience.

That groaning and patience, to me, they don't balance.

I want you to know that, right?

Like, man, I'm groaning, but I'm gonna wait patiently.

God, I know you have said you're gonna come,

but he's describing believers here.

He's describing the church.

He's describing us longing for this.

He's echoing the words of John in Revelation chapter 22,

where he's described, come Lord Jesus, come.

I'm ready for you.

Groaning and longing for the return of Christ.

Second Corinthians chapter five, two says,

for in this tent, we groan.

Or you can, he's basically describing in this life,

we groan, not in complaints, but we long for the return.

And then he says, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling,

to be glorified, not for our own,

not for our own glory, but to be removed from the hurt,

the pain, the struggles, death, sin of this world,

and be given a glorified body in heaven.

That's what we long for.

Human anticipation, longing for that.

I think of a groom standing at the end of the aisle

and the doors being shut,

and he's longing to see his bride for the first time

in her wedding dress, and those doors open.

That's that longing to see.

That's, that's,

that's what's described here.

And what's great about Ephesians five,

it describes the very wedding of the church

and Jesus being the bride and the groom.

That's what that anticipation looks like.

And so looking, longing, seeking,

God, I seek to see your face.

I read this, this is the groaning is not complaining

and a woe is me attitude,

but a deep wordless longing for something greater.

Ecclesiastes describes that.

Eternity is written on every human being's heart.

We described that in Romans where the law of God

is written on every man's heart in Romans chapter one.

And so what is that longing for something greater

than this earth longing for something greater

than the, I will use this word.

It's not the best word, the fulfillment of this earth

or the lack thereof and seeking ultimate completion,

fulfillment and something way beyond in this world.

He's described that.

Describing we have hope and faith and trust for it.

Hebrews chapter 11 describes this very much, right?

Faith is the substance of things not seen.

We hope for it.

We long for it.

Not a 50, 50, maybe hope, but a guarantee.

Guarantee of the very return of Christ.

See, there's lots of people that love to debate

about the return of Christ.

Like, is it before the tribulation?

Is it middle?

Is it end?

What is this going to happen?

Is he going to put his feet on the ground?

Is he going to meet him in the sky?

I love to have those conversations,

but the truth of the matter is

they end up being worthless when you forget.

Let's just tie together at the very idea

that we can long because we know with a guarantee

that Jesus is coming back again.

Like, hey, we can have all those conversations,

but let's not, let's not, let's throw, let's not.

not throw out the baby with the bathwater like you know that's what we that's what we got to

guarantee is he's coming back and we know it we cling to that we grasp for that we groan for that

we long for that peace to have been given a taste of that glory what's that look like well the first

fruits we have the very presence of god in our life just a just a little taste okay i'd like a

little more of that very presence of god lives inside of us and this that indescribable peace

we knew when we first experienced the forgiveness of our sins the power of god that calms our heart

despite circumstances the joy that floods our soul these are mere tastes of what is yet come

we're anticipating longing for that groaning for that ray stedman wrote our life consists of groans

we groan because of the ravages that sin makes in our lives and then the lives of those we love

also

we groan because we see possibilities that are not being captured and employed and then we groan

because we see gifted people who are wasting their lives we would love to see something else

happening it is recorded that as he drew near the tomb of lazarus jesus groaned in his spirit

because he was so burdened by the ravages that sin had made in in a believing family he groaned

even though he knew he

would soon raise lazarus from the dead so we groan in our spirits we groan in our disappointment

our bereavement in our sorrow we groan physically in our pain and our limitation life consists of

great groanings longing to be taken from this broken place and be placed at a perfect place

called heaven where we can see the face of god and that's what he has promised we groan for that

we have verses 26 and 27 we see that creation groans and then we see the church or christians

or his children groan and then we see the spirit groans likewise the spirit helps us in our

weakness we do not know what to pray for as we ought but the spirit himself intercedes for us

with groanings too deep for words and he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the

spirit because the spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of god what's described here

is the spirit helps us in those deep dark moments of despair the depths of what are described

in the beginning of the section that we described here as paul writes the valley place where you

feel like words can't fully grasp or comprehend how you feel and then we're told to come to the

valley place where you feel like words can't fully grasp or comprehend how you feel and then we're told to come

bring our prayers cast them on him and pray boldly to god and and and you don't feel like you even

have a word to say what's described here is the holy spirit doing it for you the word to help is

the same word used it's only used one other time in the new testament it's described when martha

confronts jesus says jesus can you force mary to come help me prepare the meal prep the only other

time and basically what she's saying i need help can you give me assistance and that's what's

described here we are given assistance helper the protector of the holy spirit which i preached on

two weeks ago where we describe and understand who the holy spirit is as the very presence of

god lives inside of us as our lives have been sealed with it and as we navigate the depths

bear the brokenness sin destruction of this world we know that without a shadow of a doubt

as a child of god i don't go through it alone and when i don't feel like i can take another step

i have the very assistance of god that that he is to guide me protect me encourage me and lead me to

paths of righteousness

That's what's described here, the very assistance of God.

The Holy Spirit groans, expressing those thoughts,

those things we can't even articulate.

I was reading a few, I'd say a few months ago,

and having conversations about the current state of the church.

I love the church.

If you know anything about me, not just the River Church,

the church as a whole, as Christians,

I love hanging out with pastors.

I love to hear about the work, not just in Michigan,

the United States, around the world.

It's a great thing.

I want to cheer on other gospel preaching churches.

When a church in our community is growing,

they're seeing people saved and baptized.

Guess what?

I want you to hear this very clearly from me.

We are to cheer that on.

Okay, that's not competition.

That's not like, oh my gosh, they're going to take,

like my brother always says this,

church is fighting over people.

It's like ants fighting over which part of the element

they're going to take.

They're going to eat first.

There's a lot of work to do, church, all right?

I want you to know that.

And so I was reading this idea of the church,

and it's become like, as we gather,

we begin to talk about, oh my goodness,

God is doing great things, which I love to do.

But there's an Old Testament process.

It's called lamenting.

It's called lamenting.

You're like, what is lamenting?

Well, it's the idea of just coming to a place

of passion expression of grief and sorrow.

And so the psalmist lamented,

there's a whole book of the Old Testament

called Lamentations.

And so in our spiritual journeys with God,

as we grow to seek to understand Him more,

and we seek to be more glorified,

and we seek to be more sanctified in our lives,

there is a process of lamenting.

And the church in 2025 has lost that idea.

I'm not saying each of us individually,

but I can say even in my own life,

I've come to the place of, you know,

I'll figure out the words to say.

Sometimes in lamenting, it's just being silent,

in grief and sorrow, and allowing the Holy Spirit

to guide us in prayer to God.

And I don't believe personally that is in tongues.

I believe that's in silence.

I believe that's in silence in a place of saying,

God, I don't even know what to say,

but I know the Holy Spirit knows my heart

and will guide my words, my thoughts, my intentions,

to you, God, in a place of worship,

in grief and sorrow.

I am in lament of what my certain circumstances are.

And so when we cannot articulate,

the Holy Spirit groans for us.

What is He groaning for?

Again, the same thing.

The return of Christ, the removal of pain,

the removal of death, the removal of sin,

ultimate to the complete adoption.

What He's not saying is,

you're not on layaway as an adopted child of God, okay?

All right?

This is not okay.

You're a half child of God,

and then when God comes back, you'll be made a full.

No, the description here is,

we are longing, groaning for the return of Christ

to be made complete and be glorified.

As we've talked a bunch through this Roman series,

we've been made justified by the blood of Jesus Christ

as we've received, as we understand

that we are sinners, broken, lost.

We have no future, and God views us just

as if we've never sinned.

As we confess with our mouth and believe in our heart

that Jesus Christ came, died on the cross, rose again.

That's how you become justified.

And that sanctification process begins

to be more holy, look like Christ.

And the Holy Spirit guides us in that.

And then to be glorified.

That doesn't happen on this earth.

At the very return of Christ.

And so we groan for that.

We long for that.

All of creation groans for the return of Christ.

And I think, does that work out in my life?

In my life, practically.

Well, for many of us, it's focusing on the eternal.

Not the perishable things of this life.

Some of us need a daily, some others an hourly reminder of,

okay, this is not that important.

I need that a lot in football season, I know, all right?

But this is not that important.

What are the truly things that matter?

And for us, it's coming to that understanding

that groaning is a daily discipline.

So God, I long for your return.

I long to see you face to face.

I long for that.

Even when I don't have the words of depths of despair,

I know what Romans 8 says,

that all things work together for my good

according to your will and purpose.

I know that, but I don't have the right words to say,

God, you lead, you guide, you speak.

I'm gonna sit in silence of that.

So when we find ourselves in that place,

we long for it.

I love the beginning of this section.

It's so good.

I consider, do we take the time to consider?

Look at what God is doing.

Man, it's so easy.

Daily things get lost, but you have to focus on him.

I'm gonna close in a different way.

I know some of you are surprised by this,

but I'm gonna try something different today, okay?

So don't feel like saying.

I was reminded of a chorus a couple of weeks ago.

And so if you've been around the office,

I'll walk around and be singing.

You're like, can you sing?

No, I can't really sing, okay?

All right, I'd be driving down the road.

I'll be the guy singing while I'm driving.

Don't worry about it, all right?

And so I was reminded of this chorus.

It was from when I was a kid.

And so, but I think it encapsulates our process

of what we should be as a church groaning

or longing for the return of Christ.

And so I'm gonna read it to you

or partially sing it to you, okay?

All right, and then I'm gonna have you stand

and we're gonna sing it a couple of times together, okay?

It's gonna be acapella, no band, no piano,

just you and I, okay?

All right, everybody okay?

It's a mindset thing.

Some of you are freaked out right now, all right?

You're like, what?

Don't worry, I got a microphone.

You don't.

Camera's on you, or camera's on me, not you.

And so I'm gonna try it.

It goes, thank you, oh my father

for giving us your son.

And leaving your spirit

till your work on earth is done.

That's a chorus that I just echoed in my heart

over the last couple of weeks.

I think it's exactly what groaning looks like.

Thanking God for what he's done.

Thanking him for his son, Jesus.

And then thanking him for the spirit to guide us,

protect us, lead us until what?

The work on earth is done.

The glory of God.

The glory of God is revealed.

There it is.

And so I'm gonna ask you to do this.

Would you stand to your feet, okay?

We're gonna sing it together.

We're gonna sing it a couple times together.

I'm gonna turn my mic off.

Sorry, I'll start us, okay?

Can we put the words on the screen?

Is that possible?

They don't know those songs.

I know they have them.

They were supposed to have them.

I don't wanna sing it again by myself.

We'll wait.

It's uncomfortable.

You want me to sing it to you?

There we go.

Some of you may know this song.

We doing okay back there?

Maybe we won't sing it together.

Anybody remember that song?

By the way, a couple of you.

All right, well, good news.

You're gonna be singing with me here in a second.

Like six of you.

Come on.

You got it?

Maybe not.

All right, well, all right.

Well, I'll read you the words

and you can remember them, okay?

Then we'll sing it together.

All right, first lines.

Thank you, O my Father, for giving us your Son

and leaving your Spirit till your work on earth is done.

Okay?

Let's try it together.

All right, here we go.

Thank you, O my Father, for giving us your Son

and leaving your Spirit till your work on earth is done.

Come on, let's try it again.

You got the lines?

You got the lines?

You got any help when we give them again?

I'll give it to you one more time.

Some of you got lost in the third line.

Thank you, O my Father.

There we go.

Thank you.

Good. I'm tired of reading. Let's try it again. Here we go. One, three, one, two, three. Thank

you. All right. One more time. Okay. Here's what I'm going to have you do. All right. Okay. They

got the words up there. They're right. Okay. Good. So I want you to, this is a, may put you in a

weird spot and I don't mean to do this, but I want you to, if you know the words, you can show

your eyes. I want you to say it as a prayer. Okay. We're going to do it twice, just back to back

in a place of real authenticity. This is the church. Okay. There's no performers here. All

right. We're just praising Jesus for what he's done and thanking God for the Holy spirit to guide

us, to lead us, protect us. And as we taught today, pray for us, assist us. And so in your seat,

as you're standing online at home, you want to sing, but love, I just want to challenge you to

do that. Do it as a prayer. We're gonna do a back to back and then I'm going to close and pray and

the band's going to come out. We're singing one more song. Okay. Let's try it. All right. Thank

you. Oh, my God. Come on.

Sing it to them. Your work on earth is done. Come on. One more time. Sing it out. Thank you.

Oh, my father for giving us your son and leaving your spirit till the work on earth is done.

God, we come to you this morning. God, we come to you in prayer. We come to you

together in song. We come to you in sermon. God, just praising you.

Glorifying you, lifting you up. God, as we read in Romans eight, where we groan for your return,

we long for your return. Yeah. The difficulties of this world can feel overwhelming, crushing in

our lives. God, thank you for knowing that and still yet loving us in our brokenness and our

struggles. God, I see the ones that are sitting right in front of you are standing now. I know

there's story after story, after story, after story, struggle,

after struggle, after struggle, after struggle. God, we come to you as broken, flawed sinners. Yet

you've saved us. You've invited us to be sons and daughters of you. You desire a relationship with

us. You walk through us in those valleys of despair, those valleys of brokenness, those

valleys where we don't see the light at the end of the tunnel, God. And even when we don't even

have the words to pray, your Holy Spirit prays for us.

God, this morning, come to you, groaning, longing to see you. We've had tastes. God, I can think of

transformed people in this room, seeing the taste of watching them move from death to life,

seeing their profession in a baptism. I'm just amazed by that. It's just a little taste. As we

sang today, it's just a small taste of heaven, not lifting up a singer, a pastor, a church,

but lifting up you, God. We lift you.

You're worthy. We praise you. We honor you. We glorify you. You're good. God, just as Revelation

22 says, come Lord Jesus, come. We long to see you. We long to see his bride. God, as difficult

as this world may seem, we look to the glory.

of you. Thank you. We love you. We praise you and honor you in Jesus' wonderful name.