Nothing Compares To The Promise...

Romans 8: 28 – 39

What are you passionate about? Webster’s dictionary defines the word “passion” as “intense driving, or overmastering feeling or conviction…” So, what is it that drives you intensely, convicts you, or gives you your deepest emotions?

I can answer that question for myself… I have a hierarchy of passions that drive me, inundate my emotions, and provide a baseline for my conscience… Paul writes that he would rather know nothing else other than Jesus Christ, and him crucified. Paul’s mission in life, from the moment he came face to face with Jesus on the Road to Damascus was to share the Good News of the Gospel of Christ Jesus with everyone, and if you do a study of the Acts of the Apostles, and compare the life of Paul with his writings, you will find that his travels blanketed the known world in his endeavor to Preach Christ to the Nations.

Paul was a changed man. Before his conversion… before he heard the voice of Christ asking him “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? Why do you kick against the goads?” He was on a mission to eradicate this new movement, and once and for all put an end to this thing called Christianity. This new movement represented change, and as a Pharisee, he was opposed to any and all change, and felt that God was calling him on a search and destroy mission. He had made a name for himself, and when Christians in any given city got the message that Saul of Tarsus was coming to town, that meant that their lives were in danger. Saul of Tarsus left a wake of death and destruction as he went about his mission, persecuting and killing those who worshipped the one called Christ. That was his passion…

Until the day he came face to face with the one who died for him! Not only did Jesus capture his attention, but his life was changed forever. He was even given a new identity shortly after his conversion. But there were those who still doubted. While Saul was still blind, God spoke to a believer named Ananias… telling him to go to Straight Street, and find Saul of Tarsus “for behold, he is praying…” Ananias knew who Saul was… perhaps he even had some friends who had suffered and perished under the tender ministrations of Saul… and naturally, he was hesitant. We are familiar with the rest of this beautiful account, in which Ananias addresses Saul as “Brother Saul”, prays for him, and God restores Saul’s sight.

From that day forward, Saul’s mission… Saul’s passion was to know nothing except Christ, and HIM crucified.

Isn’t that just the way that Jesus works in our lives. There were times in Paul’s life when things weren’t going well. Paul often faced impossible situations, difficult co-workers, family members who didn’t understand why he was doing what he was doing, even church people would often give him a hard time… Paul was faced with challenges every day of his life with Christ Jesus… he was shipwrecked during a storm at sea… he even had a head-to-head argument with Peter… and through all of these trials and tribulations God gave him the grace to dig deep and say “No… In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life… neither angels nor demons… neither the present nor the future… nor any powers… nor height nor depth… nor anything else in all creation… will be able to separate us from the Love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!”

Did you catch the word “convinced” here? Paul was persuaded that nothing… absolutely nothing that the world could throw at him… nothing that any fight or squabble could produce… not even death itself… could separate him or unseat him from his relationship with God the Father through Christ Jesus… nothing could make him have a bad day… and nothing could possibly compare to the promise that he knew he had in Christ Jesus!

That’s conviction… that’s a deep level of knowing that something is so real and so true that nothing can possibly shake your belief. A very dear friend and mentor of mine, Dr. Hope Clark, talks about this level of conviction… every so often she will say that God put something into her “knower…” Paul had it in his “knower” that nothing could separate him from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus!”

That’s passion… once Paul was convinced and convicted of his relationship with Christ Jesus and his mission… Paul set out to set the world ablaze with the truth that God so loved the world that he sent his only son… that whosoever believes on him shall not perish, but have everlasting life… Paul’s mission was a global mission… to take this good news to both Jew and Gentile… and he knew that he was not going alone… during his journeys God provided encouragers and traveling companions… Silas, Barnabas, Timothy, and others… and more than that, Paul had the same promise that we have today when Jesus gives us our marching orders… “and surely I am with you always… to the very end of the age.”

Jesus Christ sent Paul out to declare his word… to minister to the body… Paul did not need to wonder or worry where his supply came from… he did not ask “how are we going to pay for this?” He never asked “Where is my next meal going to come from?” He knew that he knew that he knew that Jesus was his source of supply… He declares to us today “I know my God will supply all your needs according to HIS richest in glory by Christ Jesus!”

Earlier this week, as I was preparing for this message, I had to wrestle with the question I asked you at the beginning of this morning’s message. I had to ask myself “Ken, what are you passionate about?”

Certain names and ideas came to my mind, and I wrote them down… I am passionate about my wife and my daughter… my family (my mother and father, as well as my mother-in-law and father-in-law, brother-and-sister-in-law, cousins, aunts, uncles)… the call to ministry… my relationship with Jesus Christ…

Over and above any of these people I have named is one burning passion… one passion that drives me and convicts me more than any other… To know Christ Jesus, and to make him known… He is my King… All hail King Jesus… We have no King but Jesus…

Dr. S.M. Lockridge , onetime pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in San Diego describes the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords in these words:
The Bible says my King is a seven-way king....He's the King of the Jews; that's a racial king....He's the King of Israel; that's a national King....He's the King of Righteousness....He's the King of the Ages.....He's the King of Heaven....He's the King of Glory....He's the King of kings, and He's the Lord of lords. That's my King.

David said, "The Heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows His handiwork. My King is a sovereign King. No means of measure can define His limitless love. No far seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of His shoreless supply. No barrier can hinder Him from pouring out His blessings. He's enduringly strong....He's entirely sincere....He's eternally steadfast....He's immortally graceful....He's imperially powerful....He's impartially merciful....... Do you know Him?

He's the greatest phenomenon that ever crossed the horizon of this world. He's God's Son....He's a sinner's Savior....He's the centerpiece of civilization....He stands in the solitude of Himself....He's august....He's unique....He's unparalleled....He's unprecedented....He's the loftiest idea in literature....He's the highest personality in philosophy....He's the supreme problem in higher criticism....He's the fundamental doctrine of true theology....He's the cardinal necessity for spiritual religion....He's the miracle of the age.... He's the superlative of everything good that you choose to call Him....He's the only one qualified to be an all sufficient Saviour...... I wonder if you know Him today?

He supplies strength for the weak....He's available for the tempted and the tried....He sympathizes and He saves....He strengthens and sustains....He guards and He guides....He heals the sick....He cleanses lepers....He forgives sinners....He discharges debtors....He delivers captives....He defends the feeble....He blesses the young....He serves the unfortunate....He regards the aged....He rewards the diligent....and He beautifies the meek....... I wonder if you know Him?

My King....is the King....He's the key to knowledge....He's the wellspring to wisdom....He's the doorway of deliverance....He's the pathway of peace....He's the roadway of righteousness ....He's the highway of holiness....He's the gateway of glory....... Do you know Him?

Well....His office is manifold....His promise is sure....His light is matchless....His goodness is limitless....His mercy is everlasting....His love never changes....His word is enough....His grace is sufficient....His reign is righteous....and His yoke is easy, and his burden is light. I wish I could describe Him to you, but He's indescribable....He's incomprehensible....He's invincible....He's irresistible.

Well, you can't get Him out of your mind....You can't get Him off of your hand....You can't out live Him, and you can't live without Him....The Pharisees couldn't stand Him, but they found out they couldn't stop Him....Pilate couldn't find any fault in Him....The witnesses couldn't get their testimonies to agree....Herod couldn't kill Him....Death couldn't handle Him, and the grave couldn't hold Him. That's my King.

Father..."Yours is the Kingdom....and the Power....and the Glory....Forever"....and ever, and ever, and ever, and ever. How long is that? And ever...and ever...and when you get through with all the forevers, then.... AMEN!....AMEN!

Nothing compares to the promise that we have in Jesus.

I Bid You Peace,
Pastor Ken+