Sermons -
ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who
are the called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
There’s a part in every one of us to question God when things seem to go wrong ...
whether it’s another tragic news story we hear or things in our life are going terribly bad
.... someone we love dearly is battling a serious illness ... a friend or family member
suffers a tragic death ... in times like these it may seem impossible to have faith in this
scripture that “all things work together for good.” In fact, there have been so many
times where I’ve had people say to me, “I can’t believe in a God that would let that
happen .... I can’t believe in a God that would let my mother suffer like that ... I can’t
believe in a God that would cause that storm to kill so many innocent people”. The
examples of the “I can’t believe in God ...” ... are never ending. It seems that every
terrible thing, to many, is all God’s fault ... after all, He is God right? And if He is God ...
he could have stopped it.
So this morning I’d like to take just a few minutes to share some thoughts and truths
that will hopefully help us all to understand this verse in the light of God’s Word.
Since it seems that God always receives the blame for bad things that happen, and
rarely receives the credit for “good” things happening, I’d like to begin by taking a closer
look at this part of that scripture, “all things work together for good”.
What is good?
What might be good for me, might not be good for you. Let me give you an example ...
if we’re competing for the same job or maybe playing against each other in a
championship game ... or even just competing for a great spot on the beach ... and I
win! I get that job ... or I win the championship game or grab that perfect spot on the
beach ... what’s good for me ... is bad for you! I’m over here happy and thanking God
... and you might be over there, on the other side of the fence blaming Him for
everything that’s gone wrong ... right?
So, to start with ... that verse does not say “all things work together for My good” ... or
“Your good” ... but simply “for good”. And we back to the question, “What is good?”
If we look to God’s word it says in the gospel of Matthew, Chapter 19, verse 17, ...
“There is none good but one ... that is, God.” So, if God is good ... then those words
are actually saying, “all things work together for God” ... When we look at “all things” ...
whether wonderful or tragic, they all work together for God ... that all these things are in
His hands ... it puts a whole new perspective on the word “good”. “Good” in His sight ...
“good” according to His purpose. God is good.
The next line that we can look at in this verse is... “And we know”. As I read that line I
have to ask myself ... “Do I know? Really ... do I know this?” Then I think about all the
times that I question God ... when everything seems to be falling apart ... and I don’t
see myself “knowing” that “all things work together for good”
In the Book of Proverbs, Chapter 2, verse 6, it says “For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of
His mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.” Knowledge ... knowing the truth ...
comes from God. So if we know ... if we truly “KNOW” ... that knowledge comes from
God. His knowledge ... His wisdom ... in that all things work together for good ... and
according to His purpose.”
And the final piece of this verse speaks to all of us ... “to them who love God, to them
who are the called according to His purpose”. The first half of that sentence states a
fact that many people would agree with ... “to them who love God” ... Yes, there’s a lot
of people who would say that they love God. But what does the Word say about our
love for God ... “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul,
and with all thy mind” (Matthew 22:37). Basically, we are called to love God with every
part of ourselves ... our body (our heart), our spirit (our soul) and our mind. When God
created us in His image ... it’s not our eyes, our hair or the color of our skin, that is in
God’s image, but rather its these three characteristics that no other living thing in
creation was given.
This puts all of us in a special place within God’s creation ... we
were all made in His image and If we choose to believe, we are His heirs ... “And I will
be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty”.
(2 Cor 6:18). Yet some of us struggle with those last two tiny words ... “the called” ...
and we say to ourselves, am I one of “the called” ... maybe I’m not! Now our enemy,
the devil, loves to create havoc with these thoughts: “Really ... you? One of “The
Called” ... hahaha ... you can’t be serious? I’ve seen you at your worst and you’re
definitely NOT one of The Called!” That’s what the devil wants ... to plant that seed of
doubt in you ... then you toss out the winning ticket that was given to you by Jesus
Christ.
But let’s take a look at what God’s Word ... the truth ... says about you ... “For
God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in
him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). This was not an “members
only” invitation ... but it is God’s desire that all should be saved ... that all would come
... and become heirs in His kingdom. So the question is not if you are one of “the
called” ... but rather, what are you going to do with that call ... with that invitation ... that
God has graciously held out to you this morning? I would like to end the message this
morning with this, Jesus Christ went willing to the cross for all of us here today ... and
without hesitation, laid down His own life that we might all receive this gift of life
everlasting.
In Romans, Chapter 10, verses 9-10, it says, “That if thou shalt confess
with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him
from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto
righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” Amen
(Alter call)
(NEXT PAGE - Topical)
ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who
are the called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
There’s a part in every one of us to question God when things seem to go wrong ...
whether it’s another tragic news story we hear or things in our life are going terribly bad
.... someone we love dearly is battling a serious illness ... a friend or family member
suffers a tragic death ... in times like these it may seem impossible to have faith in this
scripture that “all things work together for good.” In fact, there have been so many
times where I’ve had people say to me, “I can’t believe in a God that would let that
happen .... I can’t believe in a God that would let my mother suffer like that ... I can’t
believe in a God that would cause that storm to kill so many innocent people”. The
examples of the “I can’t believe in God ...” ... are never ending. It seems that every
terrible thing, to many, is all God’s fault ... after all, He is God right? And if He is God ...
he could have stopped it.
So this morning I’d like to take just a few minutes to share some thoughts and truths
that will hopefully help us all to understand this verse in the light of God’s Word.
Since it seems that God always receives the blame for bad things that happen, and
rarely receives the credit for “good” things happening, I’d like to begin by taking a closer
look at this part of that scripture, “all things work together for good”.
What is good?
What might be good for me, might not be good for you. Let me give you an example ...
if we’re competing for the same job or maybe playing against each other in a
championship game ... or even just competing for a great spot on the beach ... and I
win! I get that job ... or I win the championship game or grab that perfect spot on the
beach ... what’s good for me ... is bad for you! I’m over here happy and thanking God
... and you might be over there, on the other side of the fence blaming Him for
everything that’s gone wrong ... right?
So, to start with ... that verse does not say “all things work together for My good” ... or
“Your good” ... but simply “for good”. And we back to the question, “What is good?”
If we look to God’s word it says in the gospel of Matthew, Chapter 19, verse 17, ...
“There is none good but one ... that is, God.” So, if God is good ... then those words
are actually saying, “all things work together for God” ... When we look at “all things” ...
whether wonderful or tragic, they all work together for God ... that all these things are in
His hands ... it puts a whole new perspective on the word “good”. “Good” in His sight ...
“good” according to His purpose. God is good.
The next line that we can look at in this verse is... “And we know”. As I read that line I
have to ask myself ... “Do I know? Really ... do I know this?” Then I think about all the
times that I question God ... when everything seems to be falling apart ... and I don’t
see myself “knowing” that “all things work together for good”
In the Book of Proverbs, Chapter 2, verse 6, it says “For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of
His mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.” Knowledge ... knowing the truth ...
comes from God. So if we know ... if we truly “KNOW” ... that knowledge comes from
God. His knowledge ... His wisdom ... in that all things work together for good ... and
according to His purpose.”
And the final piece of this verse speaks to all of us ... “to them who love God, to them
who are the called according to His purpose”. The first half of that sentence states a
fact that many people would agree with ... “to them who love God” ... Yes, there’s a lot
of people who would say that they love God. But what does the Word say about our
love for God ... “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul,
and with all thy mind” (Matthew 22:37). Basically, we are called to love God with every
part of ourselves ... our body (our heart), our spirit (our soul) and our mind. When God
created us in His image ... it’s not our eyes, our hair or the color of our skin, that is in
God’s image, but rather its these three characteristics that no other living thing in
creation was given.
This puts all of us in a special place within God’s creation ... we
were all made in His image and If we choose to believe, we are His heirs ... “And I will
be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty”.
(2 Cor 6:18). Yet some of us struggle with those last two tiny words ... “the called” ...
and we say to ourselves, am I one of “the called” ... maybe I’m not! Now our enemy,
the devil, loves to create havoc with these thoughts: “Really ... you? One of “The
Called” ... hahaha ... you can’t be serious? I’ve seen you at your worst and you’re
definitely NOT one of The Called!” That’s what the devil wants ... to plant that seed of
doubt in you ... then you toss out the winning ticket that was given to you by Jesus
Christ.
But let’s take a look at what God’s Word ... the truth ... says about you ... “For
God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in
him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). This was not an “members
only” invitation ... but it is God’s desire that all should be saved ... that all would come
... and become heirs in His kingdom. So the question is not if you are one of “the
called” ... but rather, what are you going to do with that call ... with that invitation ... that
God has graciously held out to you this morning? I would like to end the message this
morning with this, Jesus Christ went willing to the cross for all of us here today ... and
without hesitation, laid down His own life that we might all receive this gift of life
everlasting.
In Romans, Chapter 10, verses 9-10, it says, “That if thou shalt confess
with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him
from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto
righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” Amen
(Alter call)
(NEXT PAGE - Topical)
