There is a hope. It is specific, it is concrete, it is precious, it is wonderful, that there is coming a day when this old body and you are old by with all

of its arthritis is going to be changed in the twinkling of an eye and it will be strong, healthy, handsome,

magnificent in the age to come.

So what is this future hope of glory for which all Christians eagerly await?

That's the question John Piper answers from Romans 8, 18 to 25 in this episode of Light and Truth.

This sermon was originally preached at Bethlehem Baptist Church on May 25th, 1986.

Verse 23 will be our focus in Romans 8.

We ourselves who have the first fruits of the spirit

grown inwardly as we wait for adoption as sons the redemption of our bodies.

Well, let's begin by putting this verse

into its context here in Romans 8.

So let's back up to the beginning of the paragraph at verse

18 and follow Paul's train of thought as he moves toward this verse. The first thing he says in verse 18 is that you children of

God, whatever you experience in this life, whatever suffering or pain or

frustration or discouragement, it is as nothing when compared

to the glory that is going to be revealed to you and in you someday.

It says, the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing to the glory that is to be revealed to us.

Then from this initial starting point of confidence and encouragement

that the glory on the way is going to outstrip and make up for any suffering we had to go through here.

He goes on to say why he's so confident this glory is coming in verse 19.

For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.

Now notice two things in this verse. First, the sons of God are not yet revealed.

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