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“Paul’s Conclusion” (Romans 16:19-27)

First Baptist Church https://fbcbartow.org

Well, this is it . . . the end of the book of Romans! We started this sermon series on January 9, 2022 and now we are concluding just in time for next week’s Christmas message.

This sermon series has been called “United in the Gospel.”

Indeed, we’ve talked about how Jewish and non-Jewish people are united by the work of Jesus, mature Christians and immature Christians are united by the work of Jesus, those who were far from God have been united with God by the work of Jesus, and so much more!

In today’s passage, Paul is going to conclude the letter. Some may think this conclusion is not super important, but it is. There’s a lot we can take away from this, so let’s look at it in just a second.

Before we do, let’s look at one issue. Look at your Bibles . . . how many of you have verse 24 in there? Ok, how many of you do not?

The reason why some translations have it and others do not is that some of the oldest manuscripts don’t have the verse. In fact, it’s not included in the New Living Translation, Christian Standard Bible, English Standard Version, New International Version, or the New American Standard Version.

However, there is no major issue here. In the New King James Version, verse 24 reads, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”

Well, notice, that’s what Paul also says in verse 20 of the CSB, Paul says, “The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.”

So, this isn’t some weird doctrinal statement that someone stuck in there to change the future of Christianity. Rather, it’s simply what we call a textual variant that doesn’t change the meaning of the passage in any way.

So, as I read, don’t get concerned because I skip over verse 24.

So, let’s look at the passage together. Look at Romans 16:19-27.

19 The report of your obedience has reached everyone. Therefore I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise about what is good, and yet innocent about what is evil. 20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

21 Timothy, my coworker, and Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my fellow countrymen, greet you.

22 I, Tertius, who wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord.

23 Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus greet you.

25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation about Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept silent for long ages 26 but now revealed and made known through the prophetic Scriptures, according to the command of the eternal God to advance the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles—27 to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ—to him be the glory forever! Amen.

Today’s sermon is very simply entitled “Paul’s Conclusion.” So, let’s look at Paul’s conclusion and notice three things that emerge from the gospel of Jesus Christ.

First, we see . . .

‌I. Gospel people.

Paul begins this section by mentioning the Romans themselves.

Remember, he said back in 15:14, “My brothers and sisters, I myself am convinced about you that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another.

Now, he complements them again by saying in verse 19, “The report of your obedience has reached everyone. Therefore I rejoice over you.”

Paul then instructs them to “ . . . be wise about what is good, and yet innocent about what is evil.”

We need to know a lot about living a godly life and very little about living an evil life.

You want to be the person who is known as someone who is really good at memorizing Scripture, rather than really good at memorizing the paths to escape law enforcement. You want to know how to make others feel welcome, rather than how to make counterfeit money. You want to be known as someone who creates unity, rather than someone who creates disunity. You want to be known as someone who can cook up a batch of brownies, rather than someone who can cook up a batch of meth. You want to be known for godliness, not ungodliness.

Paul says we ought to be wise about what is good and innocent about what is evil.

This effort is one of the ways that we can be gospel people.

We ought to be intentional about being more good and more godly, while also being intentional about being less evil and less ungodly.

Church, that ought to be one of your goals: be more and more like Jesus every day!

Speaking of gospel people, Paul also mentions a few more friends here, this time speaking of some who are with him, who send their greetings to the church in Rome.

The letter mentions Timothy, Lucius, Jason, Sosipater, Gaius, Erastus, and Quartus.

Now, we don’t know much about most of these folks. We certainly know a good bit about Timothy. In fact, Paul wrote two letters specifically to Timothy that are part of our Bible. These letters are cleverly named 1 and 2 Timothy.

Nonetheless, we hear of these who are companions of Paul and are themselves committed to the gospel. They are gospel people.

We also see, in verse 22, that this guy, Tertius, mentions himself and claims that he wrote the letter. Well, what’s the deal with that? Did Paul write it or did Tertius write it?

Tertius was what we call an amanuensis, or “a secretary who assisted an employer by taking direct verbal dictation, copying, or writing on their behalf.”

So, these words are from Paul, but Paul had Tertius write them down for him. After all, Paul didn’t want writer’s cramp in his fingers. In verse 22, Tertius just adds a little shoutout of his own to the church in Rome.

Church, may we all seek to be gospel people, like the church in Rome and like the companions of Paul who are in this letter.

Second, we notice . . .

‌II. Gospel proclamation.

Look at what Paul says in verses 25 and 26:

25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation about Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept silent for long ages 26 but now revealed and made known through the prophetic Scriptures, according to the command of the eternal God to advance the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles.

First of all, this is such a beautiful doxology, or ending to the letter. However, we can also see some attention given to the proclamation of the gospel message in these verses.

Paul says in verse 25, that God can strengthen the Romans through Paul’s gospel and the proclamation about Jesus Christ.

To be clear, when Paul says “my gospel,” he doesn’t mean that he has a different gospel than the true gospel. Rather, he means the gospel that he proclaimed, which is the true gospel.

So, God can strengthen His people in and through the proclamation of the gospel. In other words, when we share the gospel with others, God’s strength is with us in our proclamation, and God is also making us stronger in our faith.

Gospel proclamation should be part of what makes us who we are as individual Christians and as a church. We must proclaim that joy has come to the world! We must go tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is Lord!

Paul also speaks of this mystery that was unknown for so long, but is now revealed through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

You see, God had been saying through His prophets, for thousands of years, that hope was coming to the world. Now, Paul is saying that hope has come, and His name is Jesus!

The message of hope is being proclaimed. The gospel has been proclaimed, so much so, that hope reached the people of Rome and hope reached the people of Central Florida, by the proclamation of the gospel.

As Paul says in verse 26, faith is now among the Gentiles because of gospel proclamation. Faith is also among us because of gospel proclamation.

We also must be people who continue to proclaim the gospel, and proclaim the hope and faith that is found in Jesus Christ.

We must continue gospel proclamation.

Finally, we see in this passage . . .

‌III. Gospel power.

Listen to the obvious description of God’s power in this doxology.

In verses 25 and 26, Paul says, “25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation about Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept silent for long ages 26 but now revealed and made known through the prophetic Scriptures, according to the command of the eternal God to advance the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles—27 to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ—to him be the glory forever! Amen.”

Church, there is power in the gospel of Jesus Christ! God is able to strengthen you according to the gospel!

When you feel helpless, turn to the power of the gospel! When you are fearful, turn to the power of the gospel! When the world beats you down, turn to the power of the gospel! When anxiety haunts you, turn to the power of the gospel! When you finally realize that you are weak on your own, turn to the power of the gospel! When your family is struggling, your marriage is struggling, your church is struggling, turn to the power of the gospel!

There is dynamite power in the gospel of Jesus Christ!

Look also at the power described in verse 20. Paul says, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.”

I don’t know about you, but I hate Satan. I hate his temptations, I hate his lies, I don’t even like to talk about him.

It brings me such great joy and such great hope to hear the Bible say, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.”

Make no mistake, the devil is powerful, but his power is nothing compared to the power of the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. Satan’s power is nothing compared to when the Holy Spirit gets ahold of a person and radically changes their life. The enemy’s power is nothing compared to what God can do through a church when they realize that there is power in the gospel of Jesus Christ!

This very comment of God crushing Satan is not something new. In fact, this was prophesied long ago by God Himself.

When the serpent tempted Eve to sin, and our world was plagued by Adam’s and Eve’s rejection of God’s ways, this is what God said to the serpent:

Genesis 3:15 says, “I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.”

You see, Satan would strike the heel of the seed of the woman. Satan would cause temporary pain to Jesus, the descendant of Adam and Eve. However, make no mistake, Jesus would strike the head of the serpent. Jesus would deal the deathblow to the devil. The power of God will crush Satan under the feet of the church of Jesus Christ.

There is power in the gospel.

In fact, . . .

‌Bottom Line: The book of Romans is all about the gospel.

We’ve been in this series off and on for a little over a year. Now, let us remember that the book of Romans is all about the gospel.

The book of Romans is about the power of the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus; and how that miracle changes our lives.

So, when you think of the book of Romans, think of the gospel.

Challenge yourself this week in the following ways:

‌Weekly Challenge #1 – Identify three truths you learned from the book of Romans.

Can you think of three truths that you learned through this series?

Perhaps flip through Romans again in your Bible. Perhaps scan the sermons on our website.

Remind yourself what you learned and seek to identify at least three truths that God taught you through this book.

‌Weekly Challenge #2 – Commit to be a person who is all about the gospel.

What effect does this gospel have in your life? How are you different because of the work of Jesus?

If you haven’t already, commit to be a new person because of the work of Jesus and commit to be all about the gospel.

(Gospel presentation)

(closing prayer)

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