lectionary.com

Pentecost Season · Pentecost Sunday: Vigil · Year C

Romans 8:22-27

Future Glory

June 4, 2028

Morning in the Riesengebirge, Caspar David Friedrich
Morning in the Riesengebirge, Caspar David Friedrich, 1811Alte Nationalgalerie, Berlin
A bare summit with a cross on it, and ranges of hills dissolving into mist behind. A woman has climbed ahead and is reaching back to help a man up the last rock.Romans 8 says the whole creation groans and we with it, waiting for something we cannot yet see, and Friedrich painted waiting better than anyone.Caspar David FriedrichThe German Romantic who painted figures with their backs to us looking at something, and made that the subject.Alte Nationalgalerie, BerlinOn Museum Island, holding nineteenth-century art, and the single best place to see Caspar David Friedrich.Alte Nationalgalerie, Berlin
Roman Lectionary
GospelJohn 7:37-39Jn 7:37-39
Second ReadingRom. 8:22-27Rom 8:22-27
First ReadingGen. 11:1-9Gn 11:1-9 orExod. 19:3-8a, 16-20bEx 19:3-8a, 16-20bAlt. 1st ReadingEzek. 37:1-14Ez 37:1-14 orJoel 3:1-5Jl 3:1-5
Responsorial PsalmPs. 104:1-2a, 24+35c, 27-28, 29b-30 (cf. 30)Ps 104:1-2a, 24+35c, 27-28, 29b-30 (cf. 30)

Overview & Insights

“The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” (Romans 8:18)

1. Suffering/glory (8:18) 2. Three groanings (8:19–27) a. Creation groans (hope for the revelation of the children of God) (8:19–22) b. Believers groan (firstfruits of the Spirit / by hope we were saved) (8:23–25) c. The Spirit groans (the Spirit helps us in our weaknesses) (8:26–27) 3. Suffering/glory (8:28–30)1 Each of these points—suffering/glory, the groaning of creation, the groaning of Christians, and the groaning of the Spirit—includes blessings of the age to come and the new covenant that have already dawned for Christians but are not yet complete.

From Sermons.com: Join Today to access the most scholarly & well written preaching resources anywhere.

Take it further: Romans 8:22-27

Commentary

Romans 8 CommentaryRom 8 Commentary Enduring Word · David Guzik

Walks through the chapter's movement from no condemnation to the Spirit's groaning intercession.

Romans 8 ResourcesRom 8 Resources Precept Austin

Verse-by-verse links covering the Spirit's role in this section of Romans 8.

Romans 8:22 CommentariesRom 8:22 Commentaries BibleHub

Classic commentaries together on creation's groaning and the Spirit's intercession.

Romans 8 (Barnes' Notes)Rom 8 (Barnes' Notes) StudyLight

Barnes on Paul's argument that present suffering is not worth comparing to future glory.

Commentary on Romans 8:22-27Commentary on Rom 8:22-27 Working Preacher

A Lutheran preaching voice on the Spirit as Advocate who groans with and for us.

Romans 8:22 InterlinearRom 8:22 Interlinear BibleHub

Greek text word by word for the Spirit's wordless intercession.

The Church Fathers

Catena on Romans 8Catena on Rom 8 Catena

Patristic comments assembled verse by verse on the Spirit's intercession.

Questions preachers ask

What is creation waiting for?

The whole creation groans in labor pains, and we with it, awaiting the redemption of our bodies; present suffering is nothing beside the glory soon to be revealed.

Prep at sermons.com

Ready to write?

  • Full sermons on John 7:37-39
  • Illustrations cleared for use in worship
  • Commentary, quotes, and Bible dictionary
Open it at sermons.com →

Trusted by pastors since 1995.

Free every Tuesday

Illustrations & Sermon Prep in your inbox

The coming Sunday’s readings, a cleared-for-use illustration, and a sermon-prep head start. One email, free.