WWUTT 1398 Glory Forevermore Through Jesus Christ (Romans 16:21-27)

The Apostle Paul finishes his letter to the Romans the same way he began the letter, triumphantly declaring that Jesus Christ reigns, and we will also reign with Him when we understand the text.

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Here's your teacher, Pastor Gabe. Thank you, Becky. Today is the end of our study in the book of Romans.

If you want to open up to chapter 16, I'll begin by reading in verse 17 and we'll go to the end of the chapter.

The Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Rome, I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught.

Avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.

For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil.

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our

Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you, so do

Lucius and Jason and Saucipater, my kinsmen. I, Tertius, who wrote this letter, greet you in the

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

Quartus greet you. 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, 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. To the only wise

God be glory forevermore, through Jesus Christ. Amen.

I want to start on verse 20, because I kind of rushed that yesterday, so we're going to come back to that again here.

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Remember these words in Psalm 110.

It's one of the most quoted verses in the New Testament. If memory serves, it is the most quoted

Old Testament verse in the New Testament, if I remember this right. So Psalm 110 verse 1, the

Lord says to my Lord, sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.

And we know by what is said in Hebrews chapter 1, this is in reference to Christ. It says in verse 2, the

Lord sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies.

Our Lord Christ is ruling now as he is referred to being seated at the right hand of God.

What is Jesus doing there? Being seated at the right hand of the throne of God. He reigns.

He is reigning right now. And as it says in Psalm 110 too, he reigns in the midst of his enemies.

The Lord says to my Lord, sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.

He is sitting at the right hand of God. God is making his enemies his footstool and he is ruling in the midst of his enemies.

When we read here this promise to the church, the God of peace will soon crush

Satan under your feet. Satan is allowed to do what he is doing right now.

Christ is reigning in the midst of the evil and the turmoil that we see going on in the world.

It does not mean that evil is winning. Christ reigns.

He has already won. He has claimed victory over death itself when he died on the cross for our sins and rose again from the grave.

This is the Savior whom we serve, a Savior who reigns victoriously, who reigns in the midst of his enemies and his enemies cannot touch him.

We who are the church, we're like an outpost of heaven. We're in enemy territory and as God is expanding his kingdom, he is doing this work through the church.

We are advancing against the enemy. Remember what Jesus said about the church in Matthew 16.

I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.

The gates of hell are not advancing. The church is advancing and the gates of hell will not be able to stop the advancement of the church.

So the Holy Spirit in us and God expanding his kingdom through the church puts us in enemy territory.

It's like we're walking through the valley of the shadow of death. But what do we read in Psalm 23?

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me.

Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Consider Psalm 23 verse 5.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil.

My cup overflows. We are the anointed of the king and he sets for us a table in the midst of our enemies.

While Christ reigns and is bringing his enemies into subjection under him.

Therefore, we have this statement, this assurance to the church that exists there in the capital city of the world at this time.

In Rome, the capital city of the Roman Empire, where you have the height of depravity that was going on in Rome.

You would have witnessed it there in the heart of the capital city. Seeing things that the Caesars did and some of the ruling officials and just the pagan worship and all the idolatry that was going on in that place in that time.

The persecution of the church, Christians being put to death because they would proclaim Christ as Lord and not

Caesar as Lord. And yet Paul gives them this assurance. The God of peace will soon crush

Satan under your feet. Christ who reigns, his enemies are being made his footstool.

He rules with a mighty scepter in the midst of his enemies. This is the

God whom we serve, not a God who's just kind of waiting around for something to happen. And then he's going to step in and bring all of these things into subjection in an immediate moment.

That's not the picture that we get from scripture. Christ is reigning now and his enemies are being brought into subjection under him.

We likewise will reign with Christ. Thus, we have the statement, the God of peace will soon crush

Satan under your feet. I want to finish up Psalm 23, verse 6.

Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the

Lord forever. That's what I wanted to mention about Romans 16 20 yesterday, but I ran out of time.

I could go over time. I know that. But I want to keep these devotional lessons as close to the same amount of time as the previous lesson as I possibly can.

So anyway, let's continue on. Let's finish up our exposition of Romans chapter 16.

Let's look at verses 21 through 23 first, and then we'll look at that doxology last. So in verse 21,

Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you. So do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen. So Timothy, of course, is the

Timothy that Paul is writing to in first and second Timothy. He is

Paul's protege, and he mentions here Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen.

So, of course, we're talking about guys who are fellow Jews. Sosipater is probably the same person as Sopater from Berea, who's mentioned in Acts 20, verse 4.

And Jason is mentioned in Acts 17 as having served Paul in Thessalonica.

Lucius, we don't know who that is. Now, the name Lucius is the same as the name Luke, but Paul would not be referring here to Luke, the author of the

Gospel of Luke or the book of Acts. We just don't know who

Lucius is. Going on, verse 22, I, Tertius, who wrote this letter, greet you in the

Lord. So Paul dictated the letter, and Tertius was the one who wrote it down. So he gets a little space in here to say, hey, guys, this is my handwriting.

I greet you in the Lord. Verse 23, Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you.

Now, there are a few guys mentioned in the New Testament. Gaius says, what would be the plural of Gaius?

Gaii? Anyway, perhaps the most recognized Gaius might be in 3rd

John because he wrote that letter to a Gaius. But we don't know exactly who that Gaius was.

This Gaius was most likely the Gaius mentioned in 1 Corinthians 1, 14.

He says there to the church in Corinth, I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that none of you may say that you were baptized in my name.

So Gaius was a native to Corinth. The church was likely in his home. And remember, we've talked about how

Paul was likely writing this letter from Corinth. So this continues to support that historical information.

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

Cortis greet you. Here's the interesting thing about Erastus. We see that name come up three times in the

New Testament. The last time is in Paul's last letter. At the close of 2

Timothy 4, he says, Erastus remained at Corinth. So we know that is a

Corinthian resident. But according to antiquity, there is an inscription, a

Latin inscription, that includes the name Erastus in the pavement that's near the

Corinthian theater. And the inscription reads, Erastus in return for his work as a treasurer.

There's a different word there that is used but describes what we would believe to be a city treasurer.

And it says, Erastus in return for his work laid this pavement at his own expense.

There's a possibility that that Erastus etched in the limestone pavement there near the

Corinthian theater is the same Erastus that Paul talks about here and in 2

Timothy. Is that not fascinating? So Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother

Cortis greet you. And we don't know who Cortis is, but these greetings here, verses 21 through 23, this is different than the greetings that we read last week in verses 1 through 16.

Those were people whom the church was to greet. The church that Paul was writing to, they were to greet those individuals, considering themselves as fellow workers with these other missionaries in the work of the

Lord that was being done throughout the church in the Roman Empire. These greetings in verses 21 through 23, these are people who are with Paul at the time that he is writing this letter, and they send their greetings to the church that is there in Rome.

Timothy, Lucius, Jason, and Saucypater, Tertius, Gaius, Erastus, and Cortis.

And that brings us to the conclusion of that greeting section. Now we have this doxology that closes out the letter.

A doxology is a short hymn of praise. The way we most often use this word is in reference to the doxology, right?

Or what is more traditionally called the Old 100th, the doxology that begins,

Praise God to whom all blessings flow. We call that a doxology. It's a short hymn of praise.

This is more like a benediction that you would have at the end of a church service, where after the pastor has preached and you've done your final closing hymn and maybe a closing prayer, then you have that benediction, where the pastor will say,

May the Lord bless you and keep you, something like that. That's more what this is like here at the finish of Paul's letter to the church in Rome.

For we have Romans 16 .25, Now to him who is able to strengthen you, according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ.

You could call this both a doxology and a benediction, because it's to the

Christians that are there in Rome. So it's an address to them that God would bless and keep them. But it is also a hymn of great praise to the

Lord for what he has done. To him who is able to strengthen you, according to my gospel, what it is that I have preached will strengthen you.

These words that Paul has given to these Christians in Rome will build them up in their faith.

We've spent a year now going through Romans together on a podcast like this.

Don't you feel strengthened if you've been with me through every lesson here? Hasn't your knowledge increased, your appreciation of God, your worship of him?

Hasn't it been enhanced by what you have come to know about God through the teaching of his word?

Does this not also happen for you in church? When you sit under good, faithful gospel preaching, that you are being sanctified together in the word of Christ.

Consider again the words that Jesus prayed unto the Father on our behalf, in his high priestly prayer.

In John 17, verse 17, he says, Father, sanctify them in your truth.

Your word is truth. When we hear the word of God preached and we are subjected to it, our hearts and our minds are filled with it, we are grown in holiness and righteousness, doing what it says, thinking more like Jesus, being like him in our thoughts and in our actions, in our prayers, in our love for one another, in our worship, our submitting unto the will of God, just as Jesus submitted to the will of his father.

So we also submit to the will of the father. Jesus said it is those who do the will of my father in heaven who will receive the kingdom of God.

So as we hear the word of Christ, we learn more about God and we put these things into action in our lives.

As we live out even a doctrine like justification by faith in Christ alone, it changes a person.

When we come to the knowledge of this, it changes the way we live. When we see what

God has done, when we worship him for who he says he is, when we understand that salvation is his work and not ours, that changes the way we live.

It changes the way that we honor God. And so as we have listened to these things over the course of this teaching, it has strengthened us according to the gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ.

Paul says, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations.

Now we understand the Old Testament by what the New Testament says, but likewise we understand the

New Testament by what the Old Testament says. I think it's, I'm going to say this very, very carefully, but I just think it's a little bit foolish whenever a person says we can understand what the scripture means without having to know the

New Testament. Like you can understand the Old Testament without having to know the New Testament. Folks, the writers of the

Old Testament did not fully understand the Old Testament until Christ came.

And as it says in Luke 24, even before he ascended into heaven, he opened the minds of his disciples to understand what had been taught to them.

Just consider that in the book of Daniel, there are things that are revealed there to Daniel that he does not understand.

And the angel who explains these things to him, the angel Gabriel, says it's not for you to understand.

Roll it up, seal it, somebody else a little later on is going to understand it, but you're not meant to understand it now.

There were things that were revealed to the prophets that they did not fully understand. And it's only since Christ has come that these things have been revealed to us more fully.

We have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, as Peter says in 2

Peter 1. So these things were mystery. The revelation is

Christ, kept secret for long ages, now been disclosed. And through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, showing that Christ is the fulfillment of all these things that were mysterious to us in the past, and now we know them through Jesus.

According to the command of the eternal God to bring about the obedience of faith.

And remember, that's why Paul labors the way that he does, is to bring about the obedience of faith.

Going back to Romans chapter 15, he says, I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given to me by God, to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the

Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the

Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit in Christ Jesus.

Then I have reason to be proud of my work for God, because of what Christ has commissioned him to do.

And the word that he has spoken has strengthened the saints. The elect have come to faith by this work.

And my friends, that's the same commission that is given to the church. Even now, we continue to share the gospel with the world and with the nation, so that those whom

God has elected for salvation, will come to faith by the hearing of the gospel, the conviction of the

Holy Spirit, turning from sin, putting faith in him. And by faith in Christ alone, we are saved, not by works.

This is not our own doing. It is the gift of God, so that no one may boast. Paul's only boast here is in Christ.

And in him he rejoices, because God had mercy on him, and called him to this work, though previously he was an insolent opponent and a blasphemer.

Paul describes himself this way. He was an enemy of God, and yet God showed mercy to him, and called him to this grace, in which he now stands, that he might be a servant for the gospel of God.

We're all called to be servants for the gospel, that we might show a person that they have sinned against a holy

God, using that which has been revealed to us in the scriptures. As Paul says here, through the prophetic writings, has been made known to all nations.

So even using the Old Testament in a right way, we are able to show a person that they've sinned against God.

As Paul said previously in Romans chapter 3, it is through the teaching of the law, that we come to a knowledge of our sin.

And so through these prophetic writings, our sin is revealed to us, the righteousness of God might be made known, that we may know the gospel of our

Lord Christ, who died for our sins, and rose again from the grave, ascending into heaven, is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

We come back to that again, which we started with, where he reigns on high, so that whoever believes in him, our sins are forgiven, atoned for by the precious blood of Jesus Christ.

And we have been given entrance as fellow heirs of his eternal kingdom.

Praise the Lord. But this faith that we have is not just simply a belief.

It's not just simply a state of mind. Like I said, it changes a person. It's going to change the way that they live.

And so if you know this about God, if you know that you have sinned against him, but by his mercy, he grants you righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ, then you are going to want to live in a righteous way.

If you believe in Jesus, it's going to bring about obedience, the obedience of faith, that we may walk in obedience to him.

As it says in John 3, 36, whoever has the son has life, but whoever does not obey the son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

It's more than just a state of mind or having a particular set of beliefs or an opinion about something.

You believe that Jesus is God, and knowing that changes you, because God has changed you, and there's going to be evidence of change in your life.

The faith that you now have is obedience unto

God, unto what he has said. If you truly believe Jesus is king, you will do what the king has proclaimed until he returns, until he ushers in his peaceful kingdom forever, and all of his enemies are under his feet.

In fact, again, we have this promise, the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet, and all of his servants with him, everybody who went the way of Satan instead of the way of Christ.

Knowing this about our king, we desire to serve him with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength, that we may show ourselves to be citizens of his eternal kingdom until he returns, and then we will also reign with him in glory.

Is that not good news, my friends? That is the gospel. The book of Romans is the gospel.

This doctrine that we are justified by faith in Jesus Christ, not by our works, but by his work, that's good news.

That is the gospel message. Do not be ashamed of it. For again, we come back to the beginning of the book of Romans, Romans 1 .16,

where Paul said, for I am not ashamed of the gospel. It is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.

And we finish with this verse, Romans 16 .27, to the only wise

God, be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ.

Amen. You've been listening to When We Understand the Text with Pastor Gabe Hughes. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, Gabe will be going through a

New Testament study. Then on Thursday, we look at an Old Testament book. On Friday, we take questions from the listeners and viewers.