Romans 16:25-27
Notes
Transcript
Final Words
Final Words
Sermon Series: Romans
Sermon Title: Final Words
Main Passage: Romans 16:25-27 (ESV)
Paul talks about:
1. The Power of God
- Strengthen = establish
2. The Gospel of Christ
3. The Saving of the Nations
- God desires to be KNOWN by all people
4. The Praise of God’s Wisdom
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COMMUNION AT THE END - PARENTS GO GET YOUR KIDS FROM FELLOWSHIP HALL DURING THE INVITATION SONG
INTRO:
We’ve come to the end. We began this study through the book of Romans on August 1st of last year. It’s been a long journey but hopefully a rewarding one.
And so this morning we will tackle the final 3 verses of this incredible letter.
Have you ever had a friend who tells the same story every time you see them? Like they don’t even remember that they’ve already told you 10 times about the biggest bass they ever caught? Or that unbelievable 3 iron they hit over a ravine to a tucked pin from 220 yards out?
or that friend that no matter what’s going on in the world, they talk about the same subject. You know if you sit down for a meal with her, she’s going to bring up the election, or how this one clothing line will change your life....
Any of you have friends like that?
well… as I read Paul’s letters in the New Testament, I feel like Paul is that kind of guy. I mean, no matter what is going on in the lives of the churches or individuals he’s writing to, he just won’t quit talking about the Gospel. He is obsessed!
and here, at the end of Romans, he’s got 3 verses to finish this thing… and he does it again!
Paul has basically bookended his greatest letter with a reference to the gospel:
do you remember chapter 1? we read it 14 months ago!
1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
that’s how Paul started this letter...
and today, we turn to chapter 16 vs. 25-27 to see how he will end it...
read with me...
25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26 but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— 27 to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.
PRAY
BODY:
As I see it, Paul talks about 4 things here in these final 3 verses. The first thing Paul talks about is…
1. - The Power of God
“now to him who is able to strengthen you...”
In Chapter 1, Paul wrote that the gospel is God’s power to save and here we see that it is also God’s power to strengthen… to grow up… that word also means to establish.
It’s the same word we find in the book of Acts when Luke talks about Paul and his friends returning to different churches to establish them.... to strengthen them in the gospel.
you see, once God’s power has saved us, rescued us from our sin… then God’s power begins to strengthen us, establish in us a strong faith that will take us on our journey of sanctification.... that cleaning us up or making us holy.... helping us to look more and more like the image of God’s Son… Jesus Christ
God’s power is the strength to have your life changed. Notice… I did not say that it’s the strength to change your own life… but have it changed for you.
This isn’t deciding to lose weight, get out of debt or learning to play the guitar. Those are things you decide to do and can do in your own power. The kind of changed life I’m talking about is only made possible by the power of God.
and it IS possible… in fact Paul says it WILL happen… if in fact you have first been SAVED by the Power of God.
The power of God saves us and then the power of God establishes us. Paul says we become a completely different person. Metamorphosis… like the changing of a caterpillar into a butterfly… we take off our old self and put on a brand new self.
look around you, I know for a fact that this room is filled with people who can give testimony that God’s power has made them into a new person. they are not the same as they were before they met Jesus. but it wasn’t their effort, or their doing that changed them… it’s the power of God strengthening them as they walk with Him.
If we know God… if we have been saved by him and the power of his Gospel, then we ought to be praying daily for God to continue to use His power in our lives....
- God, strengthen me today
God, establish me today
God, build my faith today
by YOUR power
God in my weakness today, show your strength!
If you’re wondering why there isn’t much change in your life, it might be because you’re counting on yourself to be the one who makes the change...
Paul tells us here, God is the one who is able to strengthen us. Put yourself in a position to be changed by the one who has the power to do so....
and church family, can i recommend a posture???? it’s on your knees… with the Bible laid open before you…and with a prayerful heart asking God to do the heavy lifting
the Power of God is able....
Secondly, Paul talks about:
2. - The Gospel of Christ
25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages
There is no gospel
there is no salvation for sinners
there is no righteousness before God
save that which comes from Jesus Christ!
although first century romans as well as us today, seem to always try to achieve salvation through self-righteousness, works-righteousness, Paul has nothing to do with that!
Romans 3:20–22 (ESV)
20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe...
salvation is a GIFT… not something we deserve. not something we earn. not something we can purchase.... it has been purchased FOR us by the blood of Jesus
the only gospel with any kind of power is the gospel of Jesus Christ
Paul goes on to say....
romans 16:25 — according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages
Paul doesn’t unpack the mystery here in romans 16, but he does elsewhere:
Mystery:
that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ,
the mystery is Christ! He is the fulfilment of the Law! He is the way back to being right with God
To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
the mystery is that God has made His dwelling place in us! his Law is now written on our hearts because our heart is now Christ’s throne!
This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
the mystery is that Gentiles, not Jews only, have been adopted into God’s family because of Christ’s presence in their lives!
For many generations, through God’s Word, through God’s prophets, through God’s promises, the people saw in part.... but now… Paul says, the mystery has been revealed and we can see in full....
it’s all about Jesus!
Next, Paul moves on to talk about the purpose of the gospel of Jesus which is...
3. - The Saving of the Nations
Romans 16:26 (ESV)
26 but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith—
God desires to be known…
more than 80 times in the Old Testament, God did something or was going to do something....
“so that they will KNOW that I am the LORD.”
God knows you. obviously! he created you. he knows every thought you’ve ever had… the bible says he knows the number of hairs on your head
but he earnestly desires for you to know him as well
[relationship where only one spouse knows the other]
God has always been at work and is still working for the purpose of making Himself known to his created people
and Paul says,(vs. 26) it’s even becoming more clear who God is.... this mystery is no longer a mystery. this gospel is being made known to ALL nations! and why is this happening? because Christians are so good at their job? it’s happening at the COMMAND OF THE ETERNAL GOD!
God wants every single person to know Him… do you want every person to Him?
you see… I’m not sure that Christians and God are always on the same page with this. Reading our social media posts or listening to how we talk about others who are not like us in some way, it sounds to me like our desire is not the same as God’s!
listen to scripture and tell me what God’s desire is…
3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
If God’s desire is that no human would perish,
if God so loved the world that he sent his only son,
and if the gospel is being spread to all nations at the command of God,
what justification would any Christian ever have to hate another human being?
You can see God’s heart for all nations from cover to cover.
The saving of all nations has always been God’s plan
Paul and countless men and women since Paul have given their lives to be a part of this plan
Church family, let’s get excited about the saving of the nations!
Finally, Paul talks about:
4.- The Praise of God’s Wisdom
27 to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.
Paul has already stopped to praise God’s wisdom at the end of chapter 11… do you remember?
33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counselor?”
35 “Or who has given a gift to him
that he might be repaid?”
36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
Where do we see God’s wisdom?
We see God’s wisdom in:
Christ himself
3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
the cross of Christ
23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
his decision to save the world… not by its own wisdom… but through the foolishness of the gospel
21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.
his bringing together this multiracial, multicultural church
10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
his plan to unite all people in Christ
7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
Wow! Romans 16:27
27 to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.
God’s people will indeed praise him and give him glory forevermore!
and Paul, it seems, just can’t wait to get started. and so he finishes his letter by giving praise to God
i wonder, if those who enjoy praising God in heaven most will be those who loved praising God most before they get there
we read in Revelation 7 that… they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”
CLOSING:
what a great way to finish this incredible letter!
You know, have you noticed, that Paul actually summarizes the entire bible in these 3 verses????
The bible begins in Genesis with God, in his incredible power, creating the entire world and all of humanity...
Then, from that point on, it’s about God’s mysterious plan, revealed finally in the person and work of Jesus, to save as much of humanity as possible.
and finally, the Bible ends with all of God’s saved people, worshipping him and giving him glory for eternity.
the most relevant question for you today is… will you be a part of that saved people group in eternity?
INVITATION: (pass out communion, parents go get kids from fellowship hall, time of invitation to say “yes” to the Gospel)
COMMUNION:
the communion meal or the Lord’s Supper is not only a reminder to us… hopefully often… of what Christ did for us in our place on the cross..... but also a hopeful pointer to the feast we will experience in his presence when we finally see him in eternity where we will give him praise and glory forevermore!
1 Corinthians 11:23–24 ESV
23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
1 Corinthians 11:25–26 ESV
25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
PRAY