Text: Romans 8:18-27
Exegetical Point: The glory of God is revealed in his time and by his plan both universal scale and in the individual.
Focus Statement: God works through creation and us, even when we don’t understand.
Function Statement: That my hearers would trust that the will of God is for their good.
Comments
I used Long’s four pages of the preacher as a general structure. The general direction of the passage and of the sermon takes us from looking at the entire creation to looking at our lives with the Holy Spirit at intercessor. The law sections can be rough, but I did not think they were out of balance with the Gospel. I also felt that there were enough playful moments interspersed with serious parts to keep balance. I also felt that the Gospel sections were multiple (thus partly breaking Long’s structure) and specific. The day after delivery, I still like this sermon. Usually I dread thinking about them because you then know what could be improved.