Thu Oct 23

Listen up, little ones

Especially for the littles in your household.

Listen for the word called.

Reading

Romans 8:28-30—Even If It Turns Out Badly, It Will Turn Out Good

Keys for kids

Also for the littles. Young households might choose, after Keys for Kids, to go directly to praise and prayer.

God makes everything work for good for his children.
Even if it turns out badly, it will turn out good.
This is true for everyone who loves God.

Questions

(some read these before notes, then ask them after)

For whom do all things work together for good?
How do we know if we love God?
What is God’s goal in His saving work in us?

Notes

(See Saturday for authors)

All things work together for good. Full stop. For everyone. Always. I mean, that’s what the Bible says, right? No, sorry, that’s not exactly what the Bible says. But what the Bible says is actually better—for some people—and it is a sweet call to others to turn in love to God.

Romans 8:28 is often quoted. You will see it on sympathy cards, on social media memes, and the like. But often the first phrase is all that is quoted: “We know that all things work together for good.” But the verse has two parallel qualifiers to the “all things.”

First, this promise is for the good of everyone who loves God. Do you love God? Some evidences the Bible gives are that: you obey His commands, love God’s people, and trust His son for the righteousness that you need, but can’t produce. If you love God, then this promise is for you.

The second qualifier is that this promise is for everyone who is called according to God’s purpose. This qualifier is parallel to the first one because we only love God because He calls us to love Him. We love because He first loved us. He does in us His saving work of foreknowing us, predestining us, calling us, justifying us, and glorifying us.

So, no matter what happens, if you love God it will work for good. Eventually and ultimately for good. Even if it kills you, that is ultimately good because to die and be with Christ is better by far.

Swedish Method questions

See the Sunday notes for meaning of the symbols.

Praise

Psalm 46c, 134b

Prayer

Ask God to work everything for your good—as He promised.
Pray for the preparation for preaching God’s word this Sunday.
Pray for a member of our church, for your family, and for a non-Christian friend/family member.