Romans 8:28-39 Series - Part 14
John Weaver | SermonAudio
| Lecture Metadata | Details |
|---|---|
| Speaker | John Weaver |
| Source | SermonAudio |
| Media ID | 450791446 |
| Subject | New Testament Studies |
| Course | Romans: Assurance, Providence, and Life in the Spirit: Romans 8:28-39 |
| Genre | Sermon |
| Date | 1999-09-05 |
| Dictation Name | |
| Book | Book 169: Romans 8:28-39 — Chapter 14 |
| Source Timed Segments | 426 |
Synopsis: John Weaver continues his series on Romans 8:28-39, focusing on verse 32. He explains that God's grace is inexhaustible in its mystery (the Father not sparing His Son), in its miracle (delivering Christ up for us as a substitutionary atonement), and in its magnitude (freely giving us all things with Christ). The sermon emphasizes the personal nature of Christ's sacrifice and the assurance believers have because God, having done the greatest work in Christ, will certainly provide all lesser needs.
Formatted Transcript
Introduction and Review
Weaver reviews the context of Romans 8:28-39, noting Paul's a fortiori argument from the greater to the lesser, and recaps the previous sermon on God's invincibility and the mystery of His grace.
Romans chapter 8, let's begin reading with verse 28 and read through verse 32. Romans 8 verse 28,
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose." "For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren." "Moreover, whom He did predestinate, them He also called." "And whom He called, them He also justified." "And whom He justified, them He also glorified." "What shall we say to these things?"
"If God be for us, who can be against us?" "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?" I trust that you will remember back in verse 31, we dealt with God's invincibility. This was indeed a question about God's power. Let me just tell you that in this context, what Paul has done in verses 28 through 30, he has listed the truth in a positive form. And now in verses 31 through 39, he's dealing with the negatives, that is, he's dealing with the objections that come back to the truths that he has taught in verses 28 through 30. Remember also that I told you that this is the a fortiori form of argument, that is, an argument from the greater to the lesser.
And I dealt, of course, with the importance of facts and the exposition of those facts last week in verse 32. And so we began last week in verse 32 and we covered one point, and that is God's grace is inexhaustible in its mystery. Because verse 31 dealt with the fact that God is invincible. Verse 32, the fact that God's grace is inexhaustible. We looked at three points. First of all, God's grace is inexhaustible. In its mystery, I pointed out the person in verse 32, "He," that is God the Father, then the action, "spared not," and then the object was "His own Son," or God the Son.
And then the application was, of course, there's absolutely no hope for any sinner who thinks that somehow God is going to be lenient to him in the day of judgment, because the truth is God spared not His own Son. And if God was ever going to be lenient with sin, it would have been when it was imputed to His own dear Son. Now, I want to cover the latter part of this verse today.
God's Grace is Inexhaustible in its Miracle
Weaver explains that God delivered Christ up, meaning He surrendered Him to suffering, including being made sin and a curse for us, as a substitutionary atonement.
And my second point is God's grace is inexhaustible in its miracle. The Bible says, "He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all." So God's grace is inexhaustible in its mystery, the first part. Now God's grace is inexhaustible in its miracle, the second part, "but delivered Him up for us all."
Now, once again in this statement, we see the action of God the Father. I pointed out last week the importance of seeing that Calvary, that the crucifixion was a work of God. It was not necessarily a work of man or work of the devil. It was indeed a work of God. This was something that God did.
Now, when you read verse 32, "He that spared not His own Son," that is a negative. Here's the positive, "but delivered Him up for us all." So the negative and the positive give us a strong emphasis, then, upon the action of God. This is something that God has done. Far from sparing Him, far from treating Him leniently, the Bible tells us that God delivered Him up.
Now, let's look first of all at the word "delivered." The Bible tells us, "...but delivered Him up for us all." The word "delivered" is paradidōmi. It literally means to surrender, to yield up, to deliver.
Now let me show you the force of this word. I want you to hold Romans 8, but look back in your Bibles to the book of Matthew, chapter 27. Matthew 27. And let's look at several passages where this same word is used. Matthew 27. And look, if you would please, at verse 2. Here's the same Greek word.
Matthew 27, verse 2, the Bible said, "And when they had bound Him," that is, bound Christ, "they led Him away and delivered Him unto Pontius Pilate the governor." So when the Bible says they delivered Him, they surrendered Him, they yielded Him up to Pilate. Look in verse 18 of the same chapter. "For he knew for envy they had delivered Him," or surrendered Him or yielded Him up. Verse 26. "Then released he Barabbas unto them, and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified."
So here the emphasis is on the fact that Christ was surrendered, He was yielded, He was given over to be crucified. One last passage, if you look in Acts chapter 12, Acts chapter 12, and note if you would please, verse 4. Acts 12, verse 4. Acts 12 verse 4. "And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him." This is in reference to Peter.
But notice the Bible says, "delivered him unto the soldiers." So Peter then was surrendered or yielded over to those soldiers. Now, I gave you those scriptures just to show you this is the word that God uses to talk about Christ where Christ was surrendered or yielded up. Now, if you look in your Bibles to Romans 4 and verse 25, you'll find that Paul has already used this word and has already used this truth to explain what God has done to Christ. Romans 4 and verse 25, when the Scripture says concerning Christ, "who was delivered for our offenses and was raised again for our justification."
So Christ then was delivered up. He was surrendered. He was yielded up. Now, you say, "Brother Weaver, I understand the point that God delivered Him up."
But if you ask this question, "To whom did God deliver Christ?" What did He deliver Him up to? Now, the Bible says, "He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all." What did God yield Him or surrender Him up to? Well, let's try to work it out. Look in your Bibles, if you would please, first of all, to the book of Luke chapter 22 and verse 53. Luke chapter 22, verse 53.
In this passage, Luke 22, verse 53, the Bible says this, Christ is speaking, and He's speaking to these wicked men who have come after Him, and He says,
"When I was daily with you in the temple, you stretched forth no hands against Me, but this is your hour and the power of darkness."
Now, there is a sense, and I'm going to explain it to you, that Christ was delivered up to the power of darkness. He was delivered over to the enemy. For the enemy did do to Him whatsoever he pleased. In fact, I want you to hold Luke chapter 23, but look in your Bibles to the book of Colossians chapter 2. Colossians chapter 2, just to show you that Christ was delivered over to the power of darkness. In the book of Colossians chapter 2, note verses 14 and 15.
The Bible says, "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to the cross." Watch. "And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it." So somehow, someway, Christ was delivered over to Satan and his minions to do their worst. And what did Christ do? He triumphed over them.
Now if you look back in your Bibles to the book of Luke chapter 23 and verse 25, let me show you another area in which Christ was delivered up. Luke chapter 23 and verse 25. The Bible talking about Pilate,
"And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison,"
that was Barabbas,
"whom they had desired, but he delivered Jesus to their will."
So Christ now is delivered up. He is surrendered over to the will of wicked men. They spat upon Him. They cursed Him.
They beat Him. They hit Him. They mocked Him. They scourged Him. They crucified Him.
So Christ now has been delivered up not only to the powers of darkness, but to the wicked men. In other words, Christ was delivered up to all of the agony, all the suffering, and all the death that the law of God demands. Now, I want us to go back and let me show you several things. Look in Luke chapter 22, beginning there with verse 41. Luke 22 and verse 41.
"And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down and prayed, saying, 'Father, if Thou be willing, remove this cup from Me, nevertheless not My will, but Thine, be done.'" "And there appeared an angel unto Him from heaven, strengthening Him."
"And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling to the ground." "And when He rose from His prayer and was come to His disciples, He found them sleeping for sorrow and said to them, 'Why sleep?" "Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.'" Now, note if you would, the Bible says in verse 44, "and being in agony." "He prayed more earnestly," watch, "and His sweat was, as it were, great drops of blood falling down to the ground." Now, "being in agony." We get our English word "agony" from the Greek word agōnizomai, which means to be in great agony, to be in great stress, to be in great pain.
Now, have you ever asked yourself this question, why was Christ in agony? Why did Christ suffer what medically is known as hematidrosis, which is a bloody sweat? That is when you are under such pressure. that some of the vessels burst in your body, and blood actually comes out in the form of sweat. Why was Christ in such agony? Why was Christ under such pressure? Well, look in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 27, verse 46.
Matthew 27, verse 46. Watch this carefully. Matthew 27, verse 46.
"And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice saying, 'Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?'" "That is to say, 'My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?'"
Now, I want to point out that of all the physical agony, out of all the physical and mental and emotional agony that our Lord went through, the greatest of all was His spiritual agony. Because Christ cries, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" Now, why was God withdrawing Himself from Christ in the sense there were no evidences of the intimate relationship and fellowship that He had with the Father? Why had all those things been withdrawn? Let me show you two things. Look in your Bibles to 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 21. 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 21.
In this, the Word of God says, 2 Corinthians 5 verse 21, watch, "For He," that is God the Father, "hath made Him," that is God the Son,
"to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him."
Now, in God's act of imputation, Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, was made sin. That is, our sin was imputed to Him. He was counted as a sinner.
Now, you know, you and I don't really think too much of that. And the reason we don't think too much of that is because we sin all the time. We sin every day. We were born sinners.
But what could you imagine would be in the soul of the holy, sinless Son of God who had never known sin personally, who had never committed a sin, who had never entertained any wicked thing in His mind, thought, or deed? What in the world would it be like for the sinless Son of God, all of a sudden, to have our sin imputed upon Him and His holy soul revolt? from such an act, in the sense that here He was always holy and only always did those things which pleased the Father, and now He's to be made sin? Look in your Bibles to the book of Galatians 3, because that's not all. Look in Galatians 3 verse 13. The Word of God says, "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us."
"For it is written, 'Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.'" So Christ was not just made sin, Christ was made a curse. In other words, all of the judgment, all of the anathema of God, all of the wrath of God, was poured upon Christ. Look in your Bibles. I can quote this verse, but I want you to see it. Look in your Bibles to Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 2. Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 2.
Look what the Bible says. Hebrews 12 verse 2.
"Looking unto Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down on the right hand of God."
Now, the Bible says He endured the cross, despising the shame.
Now, let me go back to this question. Why was our Lord in agony in the garden? Why did He sweat great drops of sweat as blood? Because He knew. He knew. that He was going to be made sin for us. He knew that He would be made a curse for us.
He knew that He would lose the evidence of the Father's blessing and love and acceptance. That's why He cried, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" Go back in your Bibles once again, as we did last week, to Isaiah 53. Look in Isaiah 53. Remember I told you last week I would emphasize another portion, but I want you to look at it. Isaiah 53, note if you would please, verse 5. Look at what the Bible says.
"But He was wounded," note if you would, "for our transgressions." "He was bruised for our iniquities." "The chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes we are healed." Don't just think about the physical sufferings of Christ. Think about the spiritual sufferings of Christ. Note verse 6. "All we like sheep have gone astray."
"We've turned everyone to his own way." "And the Lord has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all." Hear the sinless Son of God bearing sin, because sin is now imputed to Him. Look in verse 7. "He was oppressed." "And He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth." "He was brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He opened not His mouth."
"He was taken from prison and from judgment, and who shall declare His generation?" "For He was cut off out of the land of the living, for the transgression of my people was He stricken." "He made His grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death, because He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth, yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him." "He hath put Him to grief." Note, "when Thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin."
Now, let's go back in our Bibles to Romans chapter 8 and look at verse 32. The scripture says, "He that spared not His own Son." That's the negative. Here's the positive. "But delivered Him up for us all." What did He deliver Him up to? Not just to the power of darkness.
Not just to the will of wicked men. But He delivered Him up to be made sin for us. He delivered Him up to be made a curse for us. He delivered Him up to all of the sufferings physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, any and everything that it would take to satisfy the justice of God and the holiness of God and the law of God. He surrendered or yielded Christ to that.
Now, look at another word. He says in verse 32, "...He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for..." "For"—now, let me just tell you the little word "for." Literally means "on behalf of." It does not just simply mean "for our benefit," certainly it was for our benefit, but it actually means that Christ was delivered up on behalf of. This one little word "for" refers then to substitutionary atonement. Let me put it to you like this. Christ was delivered up in the place of, instead of, His people.
You should have suffered everything that He suffered. You should have gone through everything that He went through. All of the anger and wrath and justice of a righteous God should have fallen upon you. But it did not. It fell upon Christ as our substitute. That's why we believe in a substitutionary atonement. He was there in our place, suffering in our stead.
So the Bible says, "but delivered Him up for."
The Personal Nature of Christ's Sacrifice
Weaver emphasizes that Christ's death was for 'us all'—the elect, the body of Christ—and makes it personal by citing Galatians 2:20, 'He loved me and gave Himself for me.'
And then the next word is "us." "He delivered Him up for us." Now, let me ask you a question. Since He delivered Him up for us, did God deliver up Christ, all of His suffering, for sweet, innocent, obedient, godly people? Well, of course not. What does the Bible say? "When we were yet sinners, when we were enemies of God, Christ died for us."
What's another scripture say? That Christ died for the ungodly. What does the scripture say in Ephesians 2? "And you hath He quickened who were dead in trespasses and in sins." And then he talks about how you walked according to the course of this world. According to the prince of the power of the air. In other words, you had your sin, you had your rebellion, you had your wickedness, and Christ delivered up, or God the Father delivered up Christ, the sinless Son of God, for sinners, for His enemies, for those who were walking in rebellion toward Him.
So God spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us. And the next word is "all." "He delivered Him up for us all." Now I've got to ask you the question, who is the "all"? I didn't hear you. The body of Christ. It certainly would not be for every individual that ever lived because a multitude had already died and gone to hell before Christ had ever come.
Look at the context. Look at the context. Who is the "us all" in verse 32? Well, let's go back to verse 31. "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us..." There's the same "us."
"If God be for us, who can be against us?" Well, who is the "us" in verse 31? The same "us" in verse 32. Well, go back to verse 30. "Moreover, whom He did predestinate, them He also called; whom He called, them He also justified; whom He justified, them He also glorified."
So according to verse 30, the "us all" is those who've been predestinated, called, justified, and glorified. According to verse 29, the "us all" is those who have been predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son. And if you'll go back to verse 28, "We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose." So the "us all" in verse 32 would be those who are the called according to His purpose, those who love God.
So He was delivered up then for us all. Now listen folks, let me tell you something. Let me show you the miracle. And Henry was right when he said that God delivered up Christ for us all, the body of Christ. What's the scripture say? "Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it." What did He say in Acts chapter 20?
He told those elders, "Take heed of yourselves and to the flock of God, which Christ hath purchased with His own blood." Well, let me show you a miracle. I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Galatians chapter 2. You see, it is one thing for you and I to say that Christ died for the church. It is one thing for you and I to say that Christ died for His people. It's one thing for you and I to say that Christ died for the body. It's one thing for you and I to say that Christ died for the elect, whoever they are.
But here's the miracle. When you can say with the Apostle Paul, in Galatians 2, in verse 20,
"I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. And the life that I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God,"
watch it,
"who loved me and gave Himself for me."
You see that?
"He gave Himself for me." "He gave Himself for me."
Has it ever dawned upon you that everything that God the Father did to Christ and everything that Christ went through was for you? You. You. "He loved me and gave Himself for me." That kind of narrows it down. and makes everything that Christ went through extremely personal. "He died for me."
I want you to look back in your Bibles to Romans chapter 8. Let me try to piece this argument together. Our third point today is this.
God's Grace is Inexhaustible in its Magnitude
Weaver argues that since God gave His Son, He will freely give us all things with Christ, meaning all blessings come through Christ by grace, not by our merit.
God's grace is inexhaustible in its magnitude. I've had three points. God's grace is inexhaustible in its mystery. God's grace is inexhaustible in its miracle. And God's grace is inexhaustible in its magnitude. Look at it, he says in the latter part, "How shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?"
Now let me deal with the phrase "with Him." Have you ever stopped to think? that everything that God has ever done for us has been in and through His dear Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Let me go a little bit further. All that God the Father shall ever do for us will be in and through His dear Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. In Ephesians 1 verse 3, "Blessed be the God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Him." All of our spiritual blessings are in Him.
Now, I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of Galatians chapter 3. While this passage does not have exactly the same force that I want to emphasize, it does have the same idea. Look in Galatians 3, verse 1. Look at Paul's argument. "O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?"
Now watch. "This only would I learn of you, received ye the Spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith?" "Are ye so foolish, having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" Now look what Paul's argument is. The Galatians were trying to go with the Judaizers, and they were trying to add works to grace and works to faith. And Paul said, "Are ye so foolish, having started out in the Spirit?" "Are ye now made perfect by the flesh?"
Well, of course not. The same argument is this. Are you so foolish, having received everything from God the Father through Jesus Christ, can you now do it on your own? Well, of course not. The only thing that you and I ever get from God is through Christ. God the Father gave Christ. And it is from God the Father and from Christ that His Spirit flows to us.
So we have nothing except through Christ. So it is in Christ and through Christ and with Christ that God gives us all things. Now, go back to Romans 8. There's another word. He says, "How shall He not with Him," that is, with Christ, look, "freely give us all things."
Now the word "freely" is the word dōrean. It literally means freely, gratuitously, and then without a cause. You remember I told you in John 15 in verse 25 when Christ said, "They hated Me without a cause." You remember that passage? It's translated "freely" in Romans 3 in verse 24. Well, it's the same word here. "How shall He not with Him also freely," that is, without a cause, "give us all things?"
You know, when we pray, we don't go to God and say, "Now, Father, I want You to know that I've been good today." "I've done the best I could do." "Now, Lord, since I've done the best I could do, I ask You to bless me." How many blessings are you going to get because you've done the best that you can do? None! We don't go to the Lord and say, "Well, Lord, I didn't cuss anybody out today, so Lord, send me an extra blessing." No, no, no.
The only way we can get to God the Father and receive anything is through Jesus Christ. There is nothing in us that merited or drew forth God's grace in the first place, and there's nothing in us that can continue to draw it. The only thing we ever get from Him is free grace. It is without a cause. There's no cause in us. Everything is wrapped up in Christ. That's why the Bible says in the book of Colossians 1 and verse 18 that in all things, He must have the preeminence.
And the Bible says that with Him, He's freely. Freely. That is, without a cause in us. You don't have to work for the blessings of God. God doesn't give them to us based upon what we do or what we don't do. He gives them to us based upon Jesus Christ and what He has already done.
Now, look at the next word. "How shall He not also with Him freely give?" Now, the word "give" is very important. It is the Greek word charizomai. It has its root word charis. It is where we get our English word "grace" from. Even, you remember the charismata, the gifts of the Spirit?
It just simply means gifts of grace. Someone says he has a charismatic personality. All the word means, basically, is grace. A favor, a kindness, a gratuity, a grace.
So he asks, "How shall He not with Him also freely in grace?" "Give us all things." And note the words, "all things." Now, what are the "all things"? Go back to verse 28. "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose." "How shall He not also with Him freely give us all things?"
Do you realize our needs are met through Christ?
Application: Assurance and Provision
Weaver applies the argument to believers' needs, assuring that God will supply all things because He has already done the greatest work in Christ, and encourages trust in God's provision.
Some of the questions that we have on this Y2K problem. Limited money. What to do? May I remind you, Philippians 4:19, "But my God shall supply all your needs through Christ Jesus, our Lord." You know what? I have found this to be true all of my life. If we will be faithful to God and obedient to Him and trust in Him, and lean upon Him, and do with what we've got the best we can for His honor and His glory in faith, inevitably, God's going to make sure that all of our needs are supplied.
Now, He's not going to do it if we go out and squander and throw everything away. But He's certainly going to supply our needs. He's going to make sure that we are survivors. He said, "How can you say that?" Because of what David said, and I believe it's Psalm 37. David said, "I've been young and now I'm old, yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread." See what I'm saying?
"My God shall supply all your needs." I want to show you something. He said, "How shall He not also with Him freely give us all things?" Look in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 3. 1 Corinthians chapter 3. Let's begin reading there with verse 21. 1 Corinthians 3 verse 21.
Watch carefully. 1 Corinthians 3 verse 21.
"Therefore let no man glory in men."
Why?
"For all things are yours." "Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas,"
watch,
"or the world or life, or death, or things present, or things to come, all are yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's."
Now let me ask you a question. How much has God the Father given us with Christ? What's the answer? All things.
So brother, the truth is, everything in this world is already ours in Christ. Now watch. Here's Paul's argument. If God has done so much for us in not sparing His Son, but delivering Him up for us when we were His enemies, when we were sinners, if God did the greatest for us when we were in that condition, shall He not much more do the lesser now that we're His children and that we've been reconciled to Him, how can we doubt the grace of God? How do we ever think that He will fail us now? How do we ever think that He will leave us to ourselves?
How do we ever think that He will not give us grace and mercy? How could we ever think that He would refuse to come to our aid? How could we ever think that He would refuse to supply our needs? How could we ever think God would not work things out for us? You see, if God has done the greatest, He's not going to hesitate to do the lesser. If God saved us while we were His enemies, He is certainly going to continue to bless us since we're His children. However erring we may be, He's still going to do whatever is necessary to discipline us and to bring us back to Himself and to give us what we need.
What a tremendous argument for assurance. What a tremendous argument for perseverance. If God has done the greatest for us in Romans 8, 29 and 30, shall He not do the lesser in verse 32?
"How shall He not also with Him freely, in grace, give us all things?"
Conclusion and Prayer
Weaver concludes with a call to trust in God's grace and a prayer for the congregation to be built up in faith.
What a powerful, tremendous argument. Those who are without Christ have no hope. But those who are in Christ have no cause to fear, no need to tremble, no need to fear. Why? Because "He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not also with Him freely give us all things?" Let's pray. Father, thank You for Your love to us.
Thank You for Your grace and mercy and kindness. We do ask that You would teach us, build us up in the most holy faith, enable us, Lord, to trust in Thee, lean upon Thee. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask. Amen.
Study Guide
Major Themes
Substitutionary Atonement
Summary: Christ was delivered up in our place, bearing our sin and the curse of the law, satisfying God's justice on our behalf.
Evidence: Weaver explains that 'for' means 'on behalf of' and that Christ was made sin and a curse for us, citing 2 Corinthians 5:21 and Galatians 3:13.
The Inexhaustible Grace of God
Summary: God's grace is shown in not sparing His Son, delivering Him up, and freely giving all things; it is unmerited and abundant.
Evidence: Weaver structures the sermon around the inexhaustibility of God's grace in mystery, miracle, and magnitude, emphasizing 'freely' (without cause in us).
Assurance of Salvation and Provision
Summary: Because God has done the greatest work in Christ, believers can be assured He will provide all lesser needs and never forsake them.
Evidence: Weaver uses the a fortiori argument: if God gave His Son when we were enemies, He will certainly give us all things now that we are children.
The Personal Nature of Redemption
Summary: Christ's sacrifice is not just for the church collectively but for each individual believer, as Paul says, 'He loved me and gave Himself for me.'
Evidence: Weaver highlights Galatians 2:20 and stresses the personal application, asking if it has dawned on us that Christ's suffering was for 'me.'
Union with Christ
Summary: All spiritual blessings and everything God gives come through and with Christ; we receive nothing apart from Him.
Evidence: Weaver cites Ephesians 1:3 and argues that God gives 'with Him'—all blessings are in Christ.
Key Arguments
The a fortiori argument from the greater to the lesser
Summary: If God did the greatest thing—giving His Son for us while we were sinners—He will certainly do the lesser things, like providing for our needs now that we are His children.
Evidence: Weaver explicitly states this argument multiple times, e.g., 'If God has done the greatest, He's not going to hesitate to do the lesser.'
Christ's delivery was to suffering for sin, not just to men or Satan
Summary: God delivered Christ up not merely to the power of darkness or wicked men, but to be made sin and a curse, enduring the full penalty of the law.
Evidence: Weaver explains that Christ was delivered to be made sin (2 Cor. 5:21) and a curse (Gal. 3:13), and that this was the cause of His agony.
The 'us all' refers to the elect, not every individual
Summary: The context of Romans 8:28-30 defines 'us all' as those predestinated, called, justified, and glorified—the body of Christ.
Evidence: Weaver traces 'us' back through verses 31, 30, 29, and 28 to show it refers to the called according to His purpose.
God's grace is given freely, without cause in us
Summary: The word 'freely' (dōrean) means without a cause; we receive blessings not based on our merit but solely through Christ.
Evidence: Weaver defines dōrean and argues that we cannot earn blessings; everything is wrapped up in Christ.
Scripture References
Romans 8:28-32
Context: The primary text of the sermon, read at the beginning and expounded throughout.
Matthew 27:2
Context: Used to illustrate the meaning of 'delivered' (paradidōmi) as surrendering or yielding up.
Matthew 27:18
Context: Another example of 'delivered' in the context of Christ being handed over.
Matthew 27:26
Context: Shows Christ delivered to be crucified.
Acts 12:4
Context: Illustrates 'delivered' in the context of Peter being handed over to soldiers.
Romans 4:25
Context: Shows Paul's earlier use of 'delivered' regarding Christ's death for our offenses.
Luke 22:53
Context: Indicates Christ was delivered to the power of darkness.
Colossians 2:14-15
Context: Shows Christ triumphed over principalities and powers through the cross.
Luke 23:25
Context: Shows Christ delivered to the will of wicked men.
Luke 22:41-44
Context: Describes Christ's agony in the garden, sweating as it were great drops of blood.
Matthew 27:46
Context: Christ's cry of forsakenness, highlighting His spiritual agony.
2 Corinthians 5:21
Context: Christ was made sin for us, though He knew no sin.
Galatians 3:13
Context: Christ was made a curse for us to redeem us from the curse of the law.
Hebrews 12:2
Context: Christ endured the cross, despising the shame.
Isaiah 53:5-10
Context: Prophecy of Christ's suffering for our transgressions and iniquities, and His soul made an offering for sin.
Galatians 2:20
Context: Paul's personal confession that Christ loved him and gave Himself for him.
Ephesians 1:3
Context: All spiritual blessings are in Christ.
Galatians 3:1-3
Context: Paul's argument that having begun in the Spirit, believers are not made perfect by the flesh.
Philippians 4:19
Context: God shall supply all your needs through Christ Jesus.
1 Corinthians 3:21-23
Context: All things are yours, whether the world, life, death, things present or to come; all are yours in Christ.
Historical References
Y2K problem
Context: Weaver mentions the Y2K problem as a contemporary concern about limited money and what to do, using it to illustrate reliance on God's provision.
Important Quotes
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?
Significance: This is the central verse of the sermon, encapsulating the argument of God's grace in giving Christ and the assurance of all other blessings.
If God has done the greatest, He's not going to hesitate to do the lesser.
Significance: Summarizes the a fortiori argument that undergirds the believer's assurance of God's continued provision.
He loved me and gave Himself for me.
Significance: Highlights the personal application of Christ's sacrifice, making the atonement individually meaningful.
My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?
Significance: Illustrates the depth of Christ's spiritual agony when He was made sin and a curse, bearing the wrath of God.
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us.
Significance: Shows the extent of Christ's substitutionary work in bearing the curse of the law.
How shall He not also with Him freely give us all things?
Significance: The rhetorical question that drives home the magnitude of God's grace and the certainty of His provision.
Discussion Questions
What does it mean that God 'delivered up' Christ, and to what was He delivered?
Context: Weaver explains that Christ was delivered to the power of darkness, to wicked men, and ultimately to be made sin and a curse.
How does the a fortiori argument in Romans 8:32 provide assurance for believers?
Context: Weaver argues that if God gave His Son, He will certainly give all lesser things.
Who are the 'us all' for whom Christ was delivered, according to the context of Romans 8?
Context: Weaver traces the 'us' through the golden chain of redemption in verses 28-30.
In what sense is God's grace 'inexhaustible in its miracle'?
Context: Weaver focuses on the miracle of substitutionary atonement—Christ in our place.
How can we personally apply the truth that Christ 'loved me and gave Himself for me'?
Context: Weaver emphasizes the personal nature of the atonement from Galatians 2:20.
What does it mean that God gives 'freely' (dōrean), and how does this affect our prayer life?
Context: Weaver explains that 'freely' means without cause in us, so we rely solely on Christ.
How does the truth that 'all things are yours' in Christ (1 Corinthians 3:21-23) change our perspective on needs and fears?
Context: Weaver cites this passage to show the comprehensive nature of our inheritance in Christ.
Applications
Trust in God's Provision
Summary: Believers should trust that God will supply all their needs because He has already given the greatest gift—His Son.
Evidence: Weaver applies the a fortiori argument to practical needs like the Y2K problem, urging faith in God's provision.
Personalize the Atonement
Summary: Believers should embrace the personal nature of Christ's sacrifice, saying with Paul, 'He loved me and gave Himself for me.'
Evidence: Weaver stresses the shift from corporate to individual application, making the gospel deeply personal.
Reject Self-Reliance in Prayer
Summary: Believers should not approach God based on their own merit but solely through Christ, recognizing that all blessings are by grace.
Evidence: Weaver warns against praying based on our goodness and emphasizes that everything is 'freely' given.
Rest in Assurance
Summary: Believers have no cause to fear because God's grace is inexhaustible and His commitment to them is secured in Christ.
Evidence: Weaver concludes that those in Christ have no need to tremble, based on the argument of Romans 8:32.
deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-04T14:59:17Z
deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-05T18:07:47Z