This sermon was about how the Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf when we don't have words to express. The word "groans" is used in some translations, while the Passion Translation puts it this way: "emotional sighs too deep for words". There are times when words don't come. It's perfectly fine to not have words. In our silence, there is understanding and communication.
Even sometimes when we are with others, there are no words. There can be understanding and communication in the silence.
Below is the transcript of the sermon, the YouTube link to the service, and the SoundCloud audio link.
After preaching the sermon, I was reminded of a contemporary song as I re-read the words "no matter the challenge, no matter the loss". I will post that song too.
Maybe there is something here that encourages you.
Rev. Deb
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“The Spirit Groans”
Romans 8:26-39 (CEB)
July 26, 2020 (8th Sunday after Pentecost)
St. Elmo UMC (FB Live)
Romans 8: 26-39 (CEB)
26 In the same way, the
Spirit comes to help our weakness. We don’t know what we should pray, but the
Spirit himself pleads our case with unexpressed groans. 27 The
one who searches hearts knows how the Spirit thinks, because he pleads for the
saints, consistent with God’s will. 28 We know that God works
all things together for good for the ones who love God, for those who are
called according to his purpose. 29 We know this because God
knew them in advance, and he decided in advance that they would be conformed to
the image of his Son. That way his Son would be the first of many brothers and
sisters. 30 Those who God decided in advance would be
conformed to his Son, he also called. Those whom he called, he also made
righteous. Those whom he made righteous, he also glorified. 31 So what are we going to say
about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He
didn’t spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. Won’t he also freely give
us all things with him? 33 Who
will bring a charge against God’s elect people? It is God who acquits
them. 34 Who is going to convict them? It is Christ Jesus who
died, even more, who was raised, and who also is at God’s right side. It is
Christ Jesus who also pleads our case for us.
35 Who will separate us
from Christ’s love? Will we be separated by trouble, or distress, or
harassment, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As
it is written,
We are being put to
death all day long for your sake.
We are treated like sheep for slaughter.
We are treated like sheep for slaughter.
37 But in all these things
we win a sweeping victory through the one who loved us. 38 I’m
convinced that nothing can separate us from God’s love in Christ Jesus our
Lord: not death or life, not angels or rulers, not present things or future
things, not powers 39 or height or depth, or any other thing
that is created.
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THIS IS THE WORD OF GOD FOR THE PEOPLE OF
GOD.
THANKS
BE TO GOD.
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The Spirit groans. The title for today’s message comes from the
first verse in today’s passage, verse 26 which states that when we don’t have
words or don’t know how to pray, the Spirit prays on our behalf with wordless
or unexpressed groans.
We do not have to have words when we
pray. We can simply sit with our joy, our
pain, whatever the situation may be.
Words are not wrong, but we don’t have to conjure them up. The Spirit fills in the spaces for us. With groans.
Unexpressed and wordless groans.
In the Passion
Translation, it is stated thus in verse 26 for the word “groans”: ‘emotional sighs too deep for words.’
In the Greek, the word for groans or groanings
is “stenagmos” This word is only found 2x in the Scriptures, with the other
instance being found in Acts 7:34, where the story of God speaking to Moses is
relayed by Stephen to the Sanhedrin. “I have indeed seen the oppression of my
people in Egypt. I have heard their
groaning and have come down to set them free.
Now come, I will send you back to Egypt.” (NIV)
What we recognize from this is that both
people and the Holy Spirit groan with unexpressed words, emotional sighs too
deep for words and that when we do so, God hears us and responds.
As we look into this passage, it can
encourage us as we read these words: NOTHING CAN SEPARATE US FROM GOD’S LOVE IN
CHRIST JESUS (verse 38).
These words come after verse 35 that asks
the question: “Who will separate us from Christ’s love?”
In between the question and the answer are
the following situations in verse 35:
**Trouble, distress, harassment, famine,
nakedness, danger, sword**
In other versions you will read hardship
for trouble and persecution for harassment.
In The
Message, verse 35 reads this way: “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.”
Have you experienced any of the situations
mentioned in any of the versions read for verse 35? If not, what situation would you list?
We are still facing the challenges of a
world-wide pandemic. We are still
working to root out racism. We are
working to create brave spaces where we can talk about these things, along with
mental health and our spiritual growth.
We face challenges of grief, kids going back to school, physical
healing, etc.
What IS your challenge (or challenges)?
Whatever the challenge or situation may be,
it still can NOT keep you from God’s love in Christ Jesus. Let that soak in for a moment.
No matter the challenge, no matter the
loss, we are NOT separated from God’s love.
Does that bring you hope? Peace?
Comfort?
Going back to the first part of the
passage--during our challenging situations, when we don’t have the words to
say, remember that the Spirit intercedes for us and groans, sighs on our
behalf.
That, too, can bring hope, peace, and
comfort as we recognize that we don’t have to have all the answers. That we can rest in the mystery of unknowing
and trust God.
I have a small booklet entitled “Listening
to the Groans: A Spirituality for Ministry and Mission” written by Trevor
Hudson with Stephen Bryant. Trevor
Hudson is a teacher, retreat leader, and pastor from South Africa. In this booklet he challenges us to listen to
the groans of creation, the world, those within ourselves, within our
communities. As we listen with
intention, we can become agents of healing.
“As we listen to these groans we are led
to a deeper faithfulness, both in our personal discipleship and in our life
together as God’s people. When we listen
to the groans, we begin to have a much clearer understanding of how we can
participate in God’s wonderful dream for the mending of our broken world.”
(17-18)
Just as the Spirit hears our wordless
prayers and intercedes for us, Hudson tells us that “it is often when we come
to the end of words that true ministry begins.
This is the moment when we begin to listen to the groans. Sometimes, we will need to listen very
carefully. The groans of those who
suffer deeply can often be disguised.” (23)
We all have the opportunity to listen
deeply to others. Whether we call
someone up, set up a free ZOOM, do a FB video chat, text, send a note or a
card, or meet outdoors for a socially distanced coffee or meal—we can engage in
deep listening to another and offer that space of grace.
Hudson exhorts us in this listening: “It
is crucial that, in our life together, we listen deeply to each other’s stories
of pain and grief. In this way we become
for each other what Christ was for the world: the place and the means where the
pain of our land can be focused and concentrated and held in God’s healing
presence. And in this way we participate
in God’s overarching purpose of bringing healing to the world.” (31)
Who do you need to call, to write? Who can you reach out to? Has the Spirit placed anyone on your heart or
mind?
Maybe you yourself need someone to listen
to you. Will you be vulnerable and
courageous enough to let someone know?
Though we don’t see each other face to
face on a weekly basis, we ARE a faith community. We gather virtually each week to
worship. Some gather in other ways.
How are we helping each other grow as
disciples of Christ?
How are we listening deeply to the needs
of one another?
How are we reminding one another that
God’s love can not be taken away from us?
How are we being the body of Christ?
While we may not have answers to these
questions or to the many challenges we face daily, remember that the Spirit
intercedes for us with deep sighs and groans.
May we attempt to listen deeply to know
how we are to respond as followers of Christ who seek to grow.
Amen.
LINKS:
YouTube Service:
SoundCloud Audio
Flawless by MercyMe:
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