“In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” In the name of the
Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
This morning’s Romans reading is so packed with significant messages that it’s hard to know where
to begin. Paul begins by saying that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us as if with deep sighs according
to God’s will. He says these words: “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not
know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And
God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for
the saints according to the will of God.”
I had a personal experience with this a couple weeks ago. At the Healing Conference in Jacksonville
I went forward for prayer, confidently expecting an experience of joy and rest. The Spirit had
different ideas. Instead, as hands were laid on me, I suddenly was engulfed with grief for my dad,
who went to be with the Lord about 5 ½ years ago. It was as if the hand of the Spirit reached right
down into my heart and helped to pull out some deep roots of unfinished grief work. It was only after
some pretty intense emotions that a sense of deep rest in God’s Spirit came. You see, even though
I had an idea what I thought would be good for me, the Spirit knew exactly what I needed, and
interceded. It was a very powerful experience that helps me attest to the truth of Paul’s words.
Paul next says that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called
according to his purpose. We’ve made some brief references in recent weeks to this promise, and
this simple verse could be a whole sermon in itself. But this morning I’d like to focus on the benefit
of Christ’s work that surpasses everything else. This is the enduring and unconquerable love of
Christ. The love which Jesus says exceeds all others—a love which would impel him to lay down his
very life so that you and I can be saved from sin and spiritual death. The love that Jesus says
opens the door for all who believe in Him, so we will not perish, but have everlasting life. And
instead of being some fluffy, pie-in-the-sky promise, Paul places the ultimate adoption benefit of
Christ’s love squarely in the context of the human suffering that we can expect in this life.
Let’s look at what he says. “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress,
or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” Let’s stop here for a minute and
consider the writer of these words. Paul opens with what basically amounts to an in-your-face,
defiant challenge to any who might assert that anything this life has to throw at us can derail Christ’s
love and favor in our lives. As we look at Paul’s life, I hope you’ll agree with me that he knows of
what he writes.
Consider his own words to the Corinthians. He writes: “Five times I received from the Jews the forty
lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was
shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have
been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger
from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from
false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger
and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.” This could almost be a
blues song except for the punch line. Paul goes on to admit, “Yeah, I feel weak!” But for him the
punchline is that when we feel weak, then God can be strong within us. And through it all, Jesus is
there, supporting, loving and encouraging us.
We have our own sufferings, and these are just as real to us as Paul’s were to him. But what he’s
saying is that, whatever they are, nothing will separate us from the love of Christ. Not hardship, not
distress, not persecution, not hunger, not poverty, not danger, not intimidation. And please note
carefully what’s implied here. What’s implied is that we’re not necessarily protected in this life from
this type of suffering, even if we trust and follow the Lord. If someone tells you that following Jesus
will make you constantly happy, comfortable and carefree, I’d go get a second opinion, because they’
re a little out of touch with reality. Jesus himself made this very clear elsewhere when he said to us,
“In this world you will have trouble,” and implored us to take up our crosses and follow Him. No, Paul’
s saying that just like him, not if, but when some or all of these things happen to us, in the grand
scheme of things, they’re all utterly impotent in the face of the power of the love of our Lord Jesus
Christ. If anything, they only act to increase His love and dedication to us. And they certainly do
nothing to remove or diminish the benefits of our adoption as children of God.
Paul then writes in verse 36, “As it is written, ‘For your sake we’re being killed all day long; we are
accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.’” This is a quote from Psalm 44, and points to the fact that
suffering in God’s service wasn’t a new thing, even in Paul’s time. This was so widely felt and
expressed that this psalm likely was sung as part of the Temple liturgy in David’s time. To sanitize
the bumper sticker a bit, Paul’s saying that, in this Christian life, “stuff happens!” [That’s one slogan
I hope we don’t ever find in our liturgy! That would be taking cultural relevance a bit too far. But if it
were in our liturgy, Paul’s response of the people might be the words of another bumper I’ve seen:
“Grace Happens.”]
And you see, that’s the whole point here. Paul isn’t content simply to say that nothing can separate
us from the love of Christ. He says that this grace and this love have a predictable, certain, and
exhilarating effect on our abilities to withstand suffering. He writes, “No, in all these things we are
more than conquerors through him who loved us.”
That little phrase “more than conquerors” is actually only one word in the Greek. It probably is best
rendered as something like “super-conquerors.” So Paul says, “In all these things we’re super-
conquerors through him who loved us.” Christ’s love is so unfailing and triumphant over all adversity
that we’re Batman, Superman, and Wonderwoman all rolled into one. Do you believe that you’re a
super-conqueror? Paul says that’s what we really are. Again, not because of anything we did, or
any natural attributes we possess, but because of the love of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and
the eternal security and indwelling power his death on the Cross has won for us, along with “all other
benefits of His passion.”
There’s the story of a little five-year-old named Ray, who each morning asked his mother to pin a
towel to the back of his little T-shirt. Each day he was transformed into his hero, Superman, and his
days were filled with heroism and adventure. I can relate to Ray, as I did exactly the same thing
when I was five. Anyway, time came to enroll him in kindergarten. During the course of the interview
his teacher asked Ray his name. “Superman,” he replied politely and without hesitation. The
teacher smiled, looked appreciatively at his mother, and asked again, “Your real name, please.”
Again, he answered, “Superman.” Realizing that she perhaps needed to ask with a little more
authority she removed her smile and said a bit more sternly, “I’ll need to have your real name for my
records.” Sensing he’d have to play straight with the teacher, Ray glanced furtively around the
room, leaned closer to her and replied, “Clark Kent.” May we be as clear as Ray on our status as
super-conquerors in Christ.
The next thing Paul does is to make sure that we understand just how pervasive Christ’s love is. He
does this mostly by using pairs of words that describe any potential threat to us. He says, “I’m
convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come,
nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from
the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
The first pair, death and life, has to do with our only two possible states of existence. You’ll notice
that Paul starts with the one which,
to most of us, poses the biggest threat in our own minds. The hidden, silent territory from which only
One has returned. Death. Why is it that some go with abject terror to the end of this life, and others
can take the attitude of St. Francis of Assisi, and with a shrug, simply refer to it as “Brother Death?”
I think St. Paul and St. Francis would agree with all of the other saints on this: it’s because of the
love of Christ. Paul’s saying that nothing in either life or death—nothing in any possible state of
existence for a human being, can separate us from the love of Christ.
The second pair of words, angels and rulers, embraces the spirit world. When Paul talks about
rulers elsewhere in his writings, it most often is a description of some evil authority in the spirit
world. Like a demon or an archdemon. So what Paul’s saying is that neither good angels nor bad
angels can separate us from the love of Christ. Our protection is not only in this terrestrial life in our
physical bodies, but also way beyond what we can now see and hear. So the response to any fallen
angels, any demons who delight in hurling accusations or instilling fears, is, “Nice try, sulfur breath!
I belong to Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God—who do you belong to?” (Doesn’t this super-
conqueror thing feel good?)
The third dyad consists of things present and things to come. God’s love for us in Jesus Christ
transcends any temporal limitations. Paul’s saying that the believer need have no fear that
circumstances or events in the present or in the future pose any threat to our relationship with our
Lord, and His all powerful love for us. Time and circumstance have no power over him.
Then after denying that powers of any type are a threat to us, Paul cites that last pairing, height and
depth. This pairing of spatial dimensions probably has to do with Paul emphasizing that Christ’s
loving embrace encompasses the entire universe. There’s nothing above or below, nothing in this
planet, solar system, galaxy, or the next that can separate us from Christ’ love.
Are you convinced yet? Just in case you’re not, Paul finally throws in the kitchen sink. Leaving no
stone unturned, he says, “nothing else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of
God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” There it is. Paul has covered all the bases, all possible situations,
circumstances and states of being, and triumphantly exclaimed that Jesus’ love trumps them all!
Nothing, absolutely nothing, is capable of separating us from the love of Christ. My brothers and
sisters, the benefits of our adoption as sons of God are not there just to make us feel better,
although it’s OK if they do. They’re not just there to make us love God more, though if they do, that’
s great! The benefits of our adoption are also there to empower us to boldly serve God and our
neighbor.
Are you hesitant to step out and help your fellow human being because you’re anxious or shy?
Nothing can ever separate you from the love of Christ. Just ask us nervous folks who went door to
door asking for food for the needy last week. Are you fearful to give of your financial resources to
God’s work for fear of not having your needs met? Nothing can ever separate you from the love of
Christ. Are you afraid that things you’ve done or said might cause you to miss the cut on judgment
day even though you’ve given yourself to the Lord in faith and baptism? Nothing can ever separate
you from the love of Christ. Are you afraid of looking like a fool by standing up for your faith in the
face of ridicule? Nothing can ever separate you from the love of Christ.
No, in all of these things, by God’s grace, we are more than conquerors—we are super-
conquerors—through him who loved us. May we all claim this promise as our own. Amen.
Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
This morning’s Romans reading is so packed with significant messages that it’s hard to know where
to begin. Paul begins by saying that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us as if with deep sighs according
to God’s will. He says these words: “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not
know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And
God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for
the saints according to the will of God.”
I had a personal experience with this a couple weeks ago. At the Healing Conference in Jacksonville
I went forward for prayer, confidently expecting an experience of joy and rest. The Spirit had
different ideas. Instead, as hands were laid on me, I suddenly was engulfed with grief for my dad,
who went to be with the Lord about 5 ½ years ago. It was as if the hand of the Spirit reached right
down into my heart and helped to pull out some deep roots of unfinished grief work. It was only after
some pretty intense emotions that a sense of deep rest in God’s Spirit came. You see, even though
I had an idea what I thought would be good for me, the Spirit knew exactly what I needed, and
interceded. It was a very powerful experience that helps me attest to the truth of Paul’s words.
Paul next says that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called
according to his purpose. We’ve made some brief references in recent weeks to this promise, and
this simple verse could be a whole sermon in itself. But this morning I’d like to focus on the benefit
of Christ’s work that surpasses everything else. This is the enduring and unconquerable love of
Christ. The love which Jesus says exceeds all others—a love which would impel him to lay down his
very life so that you and I can be saved from sin and spiritual death. The love that Jesus says
opens the door for all who believe in Him, so we will not perish, but have everlasting life. And
instead of being some fluffy, pie-in-the-sky promise, Paul places the ultimate adoption benefit of
Christ’s love squarely in the context of the human suffering that we can expect in this life.
Let’s look at what he says. “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress,
or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” Let’s stop here for a minute and
consider the writer of these words. Paul opens with what basically amounts to an in-your-face,
defiant challenge to any who might assert that anything this life has to throw at us can derail Christ’s
love and favor in our lives. As we look at Paul’s life, I hope you’ll agree with me that he knows of
what he writes.
Consider his own words to the Corinthians. He writes: “Five times I received from the Jews the forty
lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was
shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have
been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger
from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from
false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger
and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.” This could almost be a
blues song except for the punch line. Paul goes on to admit, “Yeah, I feel weak!” But for him the
punchline is that when we feel weak, then God can be strong within us. And through it all, Jesus is
there, supporting, loving and encouraging us.
We have our own sufferings, and these are just as real to us as Paul’s were to him. But what he’s
saying is that, whatever they are, nothing will separate us from the love of Christ. Not hardship, not
distress, not persecution, not hunger, not poverty, not danger, not intimidation. And please note
carefully what’s implied here. What’s implied is that we’re not necessarily protected in this life from
this type of suffering, even if we trust and follow the Lord. If someone tells you that following Jesus
will make you constantly happy, comfortable and carefree, I’d go get a second opinion, because they’
re a little out of touch with reality. Jesus himself made this very clear elsewhere when he said to us,
“In this world you will have trouble,” and implored us to take up our crosses and follow Him. No, Paul’
s saying that just like him, not if, but when some or all of these things happen to us, in the grand
scheme of things, they’re all utterly impotent in the face of the power of the love of our Lord Jesus
Christ. If anything, they only act to increase His love and dedication to us. And they certainly do
nothing to remove or diminish the benefits of our adoption as children of God.
Paul then writes in verse 36, “As it is written, ‘For your sake we’re being killed all day long; we are
accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.’” This is a quote from Psalm 44, and points to the fact that
suffering in God’s service wasn’t a new thing, even in Paul’s time. This was so widely felt and
expressed that this psalm likely was sung as part of the Temple liturgy in David’s time. To sanitize
the bumper sticker a bit, Paul’s saying that, in this Christian life, “stuff happens!” [That’s one slogan
I hope we don’t ever find in our liturgy! That would be taking cultural relevance a bit too far. But if it
were in our liturgy, Paul’s response of the people might be the words of another bumper I’ve seen:
“Grace Happens.”]
And you see, that’s the whole point here. Paul isn’t content simply to say that nothing can separate
us from the love of Christ. He says that this grace and this love have a predictable, certain, and
exhilarating effect on our abilities to withstand suffering. He writes, “No, in all these things we are
more than conquerors through him who loved us.”
That little phrase “more than conquerors” is actually only one word in the Greek. It probably is best
rendered as something like “super-conquerors.” So Paul says, “In all these things we’re super-
conquerors through him who loved us.” Christ’s love is so unfailing and triumphant over all adversity
that we’re Batman, Superman, and Wonderwoman all rolled into one. Do you believe that you’re a
super-conqueror? Paul says that’s what we really are. Again, not because of anything we did, or
any natural attributes we possess, but because of the love of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and
the eternal security and indwelling power his death on the Cross has won for us, along with “all other
benefits of His passion.”
There’s the story of a little five-year-old named Ray, who each morning asked his mother to pin a
towel to the back of his little T-shirt. Each day he was transformed into his hero, Superman, and his
days were filled with heroism and adventure. I can relate to Ray, as I did exactly the same thing
when I was five. Anyway, time came to enroll him in kindergarten. During the course of the interview
his teacher asked Ray his name. “Superman,” he replied politely and without hesitation. The
teacher smiled, looked appreciatively at his mother, and asked again, “Your real name, please.”
Again, he answered, “Superman.” Realizing that she perhaps needed to ask with a little more
authority she removed her smile and said a bit more sternly, “I’ll need to have your real name for my
records.” Sensing he’d have to play straight with the teacher, Ray glanced furtively around the
room, leaned closer to her and replied, “Clark Kent.” May we be as clear as Ray on our status as
super-conquerors in Christ.
The next thing Paul does is to make sure that we understand just how pervasive Christ’s love is. He
does this mostly by using pairs of words that describe any potential threat to us. He says, “I’m
convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come,
nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from
the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
The first pair, death and life, has to do with our only two possible states of existence. You’ll notice
that Paul starts with the one which,
to most of us, poses the biggest threat in our own minds. The hidden, silent territory from which only
One has returned. Death. Why is it that some go with abject terror to the end of this life, and others
can take the attitude of St. Francis of Assisi, and with a shrug, simply refer to it as “Brother Death?”
I think St. Paul and St. Francis would agree with all of the other saints on this: it’s because of the
love of Christ. Paul’s saying that nothing in either life or death—nothing in any possible state of
existence for a human being, can separate us from the love of Christ.
The second pair of words, angels and rulers, embraces the spirit world. When Paul talks about
rulers elsewhere in his writings, it most often is a description of some evil authority in the spirit
world. Like a demon or an archdemon. So what Paul’s saying is that neither good angels nor bad
angels can separate us from the love of Christ. Our protection is not only in this terrestrial life in our
physical bodies, but also way beyond what we can now see and hear. So the response to any fallen
angels, any demons who delight in hurling accusations or instilling fears, is, “Nice try, sulfur breath!
I belong to Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God—who do you belong to?” (Doesn’t this super-
conqueror thing feel good?)
The third dyad consists of things present and things to come. God’s love for us in Jesus Christ
transcends any temporal limitations. Paul’s saying that the believer need have no fear that
circumstances or events in the present or in the future pose any threat to our relationship with our
Lord, and His all powerful love for us. Time and circumstance have no power over him.
Then after denying that powers of any type are a threat to us, Paul cites that last pairing, height and
depth. This pairing of spatial dimensions probably has to do with Paul emphasizing that Christ’s
loving embrace encompasses the entire universe. There’s nothing above or below, nothing in this
planet, solar system, galaxy, or the next that can separate us from Christ’ love.
Are you convinced yet? Just in case you’re not, Paul finally throws in the kitchen sink. Leaving no
stone unturned, he says, “nothing else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of
God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” There it is. Paul has covered all the bases, all possible situations,
circumstances and states of being, and triumphantly exclaimed that Jesus’ love trumps them all!
Nothing, absolutely nothing, is capable of separating us from the love of Christ. My brothers and
sisters, the benefits of our adoption as sons of God are not there just to make us feel better,
although it’s OK if they do. They’re not just there to make us love God more, though if they do, that’
s great! The benefits of our adoption are also there to empower us to boldly serve God and our
neighbor.
Are you hesitant to step out and help your fellow human being because you’re anxious or shy?
Nothing can ever separate you from the love of Christ. Just ask us nervous folks who went door to
door asking for food for the needy last week. Are you fearful to give of your financial resources to
God’s work for fear of not having your needs met? Nothing can ever separate you from the love of
Christ. Are you afraid that things you’ve done or said might cause you to miss the cut on judgment
day even though you’ve given yourself to the Lord in faith and baptism? Nothing can ever separate
you from the love of Christ. Are you afraid of looking like a fool by standing up for your faith in the
face of ridicule? Nothing can ever separate you from the love of Christ.
No, in all of these things, by God’s grace, we are more than conquerors—we are super-
conquerors—through him who loved us. May we all claim this promise as our own. Amen.
Super-Conquerors
Romans 8:26-39
Romans 8:26-39
July 27, 2008
Fr. Dan Tuton
Fr. Dan Tuton