The Power of the Love of God
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Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
Rev. Dr. David M. Oliver
First United Methodist Church
Massillon, Ohio
July 26, 2026
Text: Romans 8:26-39
Opening Prayer: Almighty God, whose Word is authority and power and whose way is love, grant unto us clear minds, understanding hearts, and willing spirits so that we may wisely appropriate your Word of Truth. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
If you wish to complete the sermon listening guide in your bulletin, please take it out at this time.
This passage of Scripture contains two luminous texts and compellingly affirms the power of God’s love.
If you were here two weeks ago, I talked about luminous texts. Luminous means to emit, radiate, or reflect light. Luminous describes things that are clear, enlightening, or mentally brilliant. They are luminous because they are filled with the good news of the love, light, grace and peace of God for you and me in Christ Jesus. It stands like a lighthouse, directing us into the safe harbor of the truth, the hope, and the wisdom and forgiveness of God.
Romans 8:28 says, “We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” I remind you of the value of Bible memorization. Let’s try it with this passage beginning and ending with the chapter and verse. Please repeat after me. “Romans 8:28…We know that all things work together for good…for those who love God, …who are called according to his purpose. …Romans 8:28.”
What exactly does Paul mean here? Does he mean that for everything that happens there is a divine reason? No. The demonic realm does things in and around us and in our world that are evil and make no sense from a godly perspective. Does it mean that God intends or plans everything that occurs in our lives. Certainly not! Some very bad things happen that are not of God or godly.
Paul means that although God doesn’t plan everything that happens in our lives, God can still work for good even if the thing or event doesn’t appear good at all from our perspective.
In other words, Paul affirms that God can use everything, not that God plans or intends everything that happens to us. When you and I experience difficulties, pain, challenges, or frustrations it is wise for us to invite God into these circumstances and ask the Lord how we might grow through them.
In his book titled, Don’t Waste Your Sorrows: Finding God’s Purposes in the Midst of Pain, Paul Billheimer helps people to gain an eternal perspective on life’s sometimes painful experiences. Knowing that God has planned for Christ-followers to be trained through such circumstances helps us to accept what we usually go to great lengths to avoid. Billheimer shows clearly that it is not the mere presence of pain in our lives that gives benefit, however. It is in a proper response to it that God is able to mature and prepare the church for her glorious future as the reigning bride of Christ. Christians of all ages must learn how the difficulties we encounter in life can work for our good, if they don't “waste” them.
When I meet with Christian leaders, and they are going through difficult times, I begin by having them share their feelings about whatever they are facing. We all need to grieve our pain before we can hope to get perspective on our pain. Having done this, we talk about the faith lessons that might be contained in the experience. We focus on four main questions:
What is this experience teaching me about God?
What is this experience teaching me about myself?
What is this experience teaching me about others?
What is this experience teaching me about the world?
There is often something I can learn about God, myself, others, and the world as I reflect more deeply on my life and circumstances instead of being reactive and just trying to end the unpleasantness.
If you and I go through difficulties, challenges, and pain we don’t want to waste them. We clearly want to learn any lessons God might have for us in those circumstances. In this way, as St. Paul says in Romans 8:28, “We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28).”
I find the following analogy helpful when facing challenges. Think about how diamonds are formed. Diamonds are formed in absolute darkness, under immense pressure, over a long period of time.
Many Christian leaders I know testify to experiences of great darkness and trial as well as immense, unrelenting pressure of seemingly endless duration. These are often diamond-forming experiences in their lives which, when offered to the Lord to use, are a means of grace and transformation which make them, and us, more like Jesus.
The difficulty is that many of us want the diamonds without the difficulties. It doesn’t happen. It’s not God’s way. We are formed and transformed in the crucible of adversity. What makes it possible to navigate these experiences is our faith and the promise of God using every circumstance for our good and our growth.
Without this assurance we would abandon hope. We would give up. We would be overcome by despair.
Next time you are facing another of life’s challenges, I invite you take it to the Lord. Ask God to help you grow through it instead of merely trying to endure it or escape it. Be honest with God about your feelings. First, grieve your loss and invite God into your frustration. Then turn to the four questions I suggested, “What is this experience teaching me about God, myself, others, and the world?”
Let’s turn now to another luminous text found in this passage. We will set the context. Starting in verse 31, Paul writes “…if God is for us, who is against us?” The Amplified Bible adds this, “if God is for us, who can be successfully against us?” This is helpful. It’s not the we won’t face opposition in life, it’s that God is with us and God is for us, no matter what we are facing. God helps us to overcome the adversity and learn something from it.
I invite you to listen to Romans 8:31-39 in the Message translation. It is a more modern translation and I often find it insightful.
Hear the Word of God.
“So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God’s chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture: They kill us in cold blood because they hate you. We’re sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one. None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.
This passage contains the second powerful luminous text I want to share with you this morning. I have made it as simple as possible. It is a condensed version of Romans 8:39, “Nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.” Let’s say it together. Please repeat after me if you will. “Romans 8:39…Nothing shall be able to separate us…from the love of God in Christ Jesus…Romans 8:39.
What an affirmation! What a gift!
St. Paul enumerates all kinds of adversity in Romans 8:35, “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? He is referencing very real experiences that he knows other believers are facing and which he himself is enduring even as he writes this letter. What Paul is talking about is not some pie in the sky religion. Rather, it is ‘down in the ditch with us’ saving faith in Christ Jesus.
Then Paul pivots from his question, “Who will separate us from the love of Christ?” to a powerful statement. He makes a strong, bold, clear affirmation in verse 37, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”
More than conquerors means that while the struggle is very real, sometimes painful and poignant, we do not allow these things to dictate the quality of our life, our faith, or our hope. We are more than conquerors; we are overcomers. With faith in Christ we will prevail no matter our circumstances, no matter what we must withstand. God is with us. God is for us. The love of Christ cannot be taken from us.
Paul says, “I am convinced…(meaning absolutely assured, confidant beyond any doubt, fully persuaded)…that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38)
So we come again to this second luminous text. If you are inclined, I invite you to memorize all of Romans 8:38-39. However, if you want a shortcut, at least remember the summary portion I suggested along with the reference. “Romans 8:39…Nothing shall be able to separate us…from the love of God in Christ Jesus…Romans 8:39.” Thanks be to God!
Let us pray. Mighty God, you are all-seeing and all-knowing. Thank you for choosing us before the foundation of the world to be your children, heirs of your promises. This morning, we commit ourselves again to you. We trust you as our Savior. We worship you as our Lord. We seek to serve others empowered by the Holy Spirit and motivated by the love we have so generously received from you. Thank you! Thank you, Lord! Be glorified in and through this church and through our witness as individuals. We pray in the all-powerful name of Jesus. Amen.
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