For the next few weeks our sermons will be following an overarching theme. This theme is titled: Christians and Crosses: this will be the theme of the Sermon series based on the selected readings in the coming weeks.

We turn our attention this week to how the Christian is called to be patient and enduring. This is perhaps a
cross that we don’t even know we carry. Yet it affects many aspects of the Christian life. God’s blessings as
we focus on the patience in the face of hardship that our Savior Jesus endured for us!

The Theme for today’s sermon is “Between the “Already” and the “Not yet”” It is based upon a reading for this, the fifth Sunday after Pentecost from Romans chapter 8 verses 18 through 23.

Present Suffering and Future Glory
18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that[a] the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.

22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.