As Paul concludes his letter to the church in Rome, he is keen to impression them the importance of unity in the fellowship. Paul is writing here to the leaders of the church to give them some final instructions. He wants them to be discerning about those who will influence God's people through their teaching and preaching. He doesn't want them pulled away by various winds of doctrine. His letter as a whole has given them what they need to know to stand strong, in unity, against teaching that will pull people away.

As Paul finishes he makes sure that he displays his heart to the church and to us. Romans is a rich, dense, glorious book, one saturated with the beauty of the triune God and the redemption he has accomplished. At the heart of it is how to know and live the gospel so that we don't fall away, but daily be captivated by his great love for us.

Romans - The heart of the Gospel is a teaching series from Annalong Presbyterian Church. Find out more at www.annalongpc.org/sermons.

Before we begin this evening, I feel there's one thing

2

I need to clear up from last week.

3

Last week, I used the term Anilongians

to describe people from this village.

4

And some of you have been

very exercised indeed.

5

In fact, having gone out of your

way during the week to correct me

6

and declaring with great pride that

you indeed are called a gadgie.

7

Well, let me tell you that when

I moved here, I was informed by a

8

wise man that only those born on the

shore road are truly called Gadgeese.

9

So, to respect your local culture

and tradition, I stand over

10

calling you Anilongians unless

you were born on the shore road.

11

Anilongians.

12

But of course, we all know fine

well, you're all gadgies at heart.

13

Well, now that I've got that off

my chest, we come to what is the

14

end of our studies in Romans.

15

It's drawn to a close as we read these

final verses and I always like to

16

let you know what we've read because

sometimes we think reading the Bible is

17

too much for us, it's too big for us,

but now together publicly we have read

18

verse by verse 15 books of the Bible.

19

I think that's great.

20

I think it's good that we can see how the

Bible fits together and we'll see that as

21

we head towards the end of this evening.

22

And as we think about what we

have learned, we see one message

23

coming through, whether it be in

Nehemiah or Ezra or Ruth or Malachi.

24

or in the New Testament books

that we've looked at that are

25

shorter and more familiar to us.

26

The gospel has been at the heart of it all

and really as we now come to the 15th book

27

that we've read, it is Romans that crowns

the truth of the gospel as we read it.

28

And so as we conclude this letter this

evening, we have some final instructions

29

from Paul, as well as some closing

greetings before he comes to his great

30

doxology, his great expression of faith

of what he believes and he affirms

31

about Jesus Christ and the gospel.

32

In many ways, Paul is singing his heart.

33

So let's have a look at

what that means for us.

34

Well, the first half of chapter

16, as we looked at last week,

35

was about personal greetings

that Paul gave to church members.

36

And what we discovered was that,

in fact, this long list of names

37

was a demonstration of his great

heart for this Christian community.

38

In Rome, the imperial city, remember

all roads did truly lead to Rome.

39

The church was made up of people

from all walks of life, from

40

the wealthiest to the slaves.

41

And all ethnicities, and in detailing

those whom he knows, Paul gave us

42

a picture and a flavor of a church

that was full of the nations.

43

That when the Great Commission commanded

to go into all the world, well it turned

44

out that within a couple of decades

after Jesus ascended into heaven,

45

we see a church in Rome that indeed

was truly gathering the nations in.

46

And as he finishes his letter, he has

one more instruction for the church,

47

and it's to do with their unity.

48

And in verse 17 he says, I appeal to you

brothers to watch out for those who cause

49

divisions and create obstacles contrary

to the doctrine that you have been taught.

50

And the strong charge comes, avoid them.

51

Paul's heart for this church and

his heart for the gospel is that

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the church would remain committed

to the truths of the gospel.

53

Many would come and would try

to deceive the church and to

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divide it for their own purpose.

55

But Paul has said he wants to visit

this church and when he does he wants

56

to find it how he has heard about it.

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Strong in the gospel, a diverse

people who are united in Jesus Christ.

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And this shouldn't surprise us

that Paul wants them to finish

59

strong, as it were, here.

60

After all, this is how he started,

because remember how he encouraged

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them in chapter 1 in verses 16 and 17

by saying, For I am not ashamed of the

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gospel, for it is the power of God for

salvation to everyone who believes, to

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the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

64

For in it the righteousness of God is

revealed from faith for faith as it is

65

written The righteous shall live by faith.

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You see the gospel is life

changing and Paul knows it.

67

He wants the church in Rome to remain

strong in its truth and in its power

68

so that their salvation will be assured

and others will come to living faith.

69

through its message.

70

These closing verses are mostly, most

likely written to the leaders of the

71

church who will read this letter.

72

Paul's already completed his more

general greetings to those who are in

73

the church at the end of 16 and verse 16.

74

Now he's wanting to speak to the church

and to its leaders not to become carefree.

75

When you read the first half of chapter

16, you certainly get the impression

76

that this is a church Paul recognizes

as vibrant and growing, and so he warns

77

them not to become complacent in this.

78

The church is constantly

imperiled by forces and figures

79

who will bring about division.

80

And Paul is, Paul's warning is

to avoid them and their how to

81

guide to avoid these people is the

doctrine that they have been taught.

82

And once again, Paul draws them

to the foundation of their faith.

83

He draws them to the gospel

because they are to know it.

84

They're to know its power.

85

They're to trust it

and they're to tell it.

86

So that there will be no doubt in

identifying and no place for those who

87

would come in and divide the church.

88

In verse 18, Paul goes on to say

that these people don't serve the

89

Lord, but they serve themselves.

90

It might be that these people

will be insistent on Jewish food

91

laws, and so point to a legalism

that isn't here in scripture.

92

And Paul's already addressed this.

93

But he wants them to be clear to

avoid, and notice how he describes

94

it, their smooth talk and flattery.

95

People will come in, they will deceive,

and they will pull people away from the

96

gospel simply by the words that they use.

97

It is through this method, smooth

talk and flattery, that they will

98

deceive the heart of the naive.

99

In other words, those young in the

faith will be taken in by talk that

100

seems orthodox, but in fact is heresy.

101

And you know, this still happens today.

102

There are still people, as verse

18 says, who do not serve the Lord

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Jesus, but rather with smooth talk

and flattery deceive the heart.

104

It may not be in our churches as would

have been in the days of Paul, but with

105

the rise of YouTube and other sources

of so called teaching that is to be

106

watched and listened, we can easily be

sucked into things that appear important

107

and even interesting, but will draw us

away from what is central, the gospel.

108

So this comes with a warning.

109

Be careful who you follow.

110

Be careful who you listen to.

111

I am so often surprised that people

will listen to YouTube speakers from

112

a different country who they do not

know, nor does the speaker know the

113

viewer, but the speaker's words are

treated as gospel without question.

114

Be careful, lest you are pulled

away and either enticed by false

115

doctrine or distracted by theological

arguments that break the unity

116

of the fellowship of believers.

117

The local church was given just for that.

118

The local community.

119

So that we can know each other.

120

We can encourage each other.

121

and we can grow together in Jesus Christ.

122

Please discern who it is

that you're listening to.

123

Question them.

124

Don't take for granted what they're

saying is indeed gospel truth.

125

And I have told you before from this

pulpit that I am not excluded from that

126

group because you need to listen carefully

and test what I am saying so that I do not

127

follow down a road of error and heresy.

128

We must know the word of God

and we must know it to be true.

129

That's why verse 6 of the hymn we

have just sung has said, O that we,

130

discerning its most holy learning,

Lord, may love and fear thee.

131

You see, even in the old words

that we sing, tell us to be

132

discerning about what we hear.

133

And that's what Paul's charge is to

these leaders, to discern well who it

134

is they're listening to, who it is is

coming in and influencing, because they

135

could be distracted from the gospel and

indeed make shipwreck of their faith.

136

Be careful.

137

Be very careful.

138

Stick to the gospel and to its truth.

139

So that you will know that indeed

you are on the right path, not

140

only to, but with Jesus Christ.

141

In verse 19, Paul gives us a picture

of his heart for this church.

142

He's given them a warning.

143

He wants them to remain close to Christ

in the gospel, and so he says, For your

144

obedience is known to all, so I rejoice

over you, but I want you to be wise as to

145

what is good and innocent to what is evil.

146

Isn't that lovely?

147

Isn't that a lovely revelation or

revealing to us of Paul's heart?

148

He wants them to be

wise as to what is good.

149

He wants them to be wise

unto the ways of the Lord.

150

He wants them to know

how to live well for him.

151

But he wants them to be so

innocent towards evil so that

152

they will be shocked by it.

153

And they'll not even know it's there

until they're confronted by it.

154

And it will shock them so much they

don't want anything to do with it.

155

This is his heart.

156

He doesn't want them to be simpletons.

157

He wants them to be grounded.

158

But he wants them to be wise.

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But yet at the same time innocent.

160

So that they will not fall

into the ways of evil.

161

of the evil one.

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And this is his commendation of their

testimony because believers across

163

the known world have heard of their

worship and their witness and it

164

is a strong witness for the gospel.

165

But again, Paul doesn't want them to

be comfortable in their reputation.

166

He wants them to remain sharp so

that they can continue to serve the

167

church well and identify the error

in teaching that may come Amen.

168

And he finishes this section by assuring

them of the work of God, and he says

169

in verse 20, The God of peace will

soon crush Satan under your feet.

170

The grace of our Lord

Jesus Christ be with you.

171

Can't you hear the cheer that

goes up whenever the people

172

hear this being read to them?

173

The cheer of the Roman leaders and

as they communicated to the church.

174

A day is coming when the enemy of

the church will be crushed underfoot.

175

I maybe shouldn't confess it,

but when living in Africa, ants

176

were the scourge of our home.

177

And you know what was the

greatest satisfaction?

178

Standing on them.

179

And at some times you'd

even hear a little crunch.

180

And it felt so good.

181

But it did absolutely no good

whatsoever, because what happened?

182

They came back.

183

But when Satan is crushed

underfoot, he will not return.

184

And this is the hallelujah that the church

of Rome cried at Paul's time and we should

185

cry today because this means that the

defeat of Satan will be complete and is

186

the work of God who brings his peace to

them as they continue to live for him.

187

This is great assurance and joy

for this church in Rome as it faces

188

persecution, but for us today, because

we too cry, How long, O Lord, will we

189

see the evil one advance and advance?

190

Well, the answer is a day is coming

when Satan will be crushed underfoot,

191

never to have his influence on us again.

192

And so as the people of God,

we should cry, Hallelujah!

193

for God's goodness towards us.

194

This is Paul's heart for them to

give them such joy and such assurance

195

and he goes on then to bless them.

196

One of his many blessings to this people

as he says, the grace of the Lord Jesus

197

Christ be upon them one last time.

198

But like many preachers at the end

of a sermon, this apparent conclusion

199

is followed by one more run of

greetings and a final commendation

200

of God, the father and the son.

201

As we go into these final greetings,

it's now Timothy who's mentioned

202

here sending his greetings.

203

He is evidently part of the group

accompanying the Jerusalem collection.

204

And so Paul also refers to three other

fellow Jews and their mention here

205

at the end of the letter serves to

enhance what Paul has earlier taught

206

in chapter 9 and verse 6 that God's

Word to his people has not failed,

207

nor has God rejected his people.

208

As he said in chapter 11 verse 1, I

ask then, has God rejected his people?

209

By no means, for I myself am an

Israelite, a descendant of Abraham,

210

a member of the tribe of Benjamin.

211

And this is important for Paul to affirm,

that there are indeed these Israelites.

212

Jewish converts with him so that

the gentile believers don't become

213

conceited and they're engrafting

into the covenant promises of God.

214

This is what Paul warned them against.

215

Don't become like the Jews thinking

that you're the special people and

216

the exclusivity of the gospel to

you because your hearts too will

217

be hardened just like the Jews.

218

And so here Paul demonstrates that

the church should be open to whoever

219

will come through in saving faith by

including these converts from Judaism.

220

And verse 22 gives us an insight

into the mechanics of this letter

221

as we are introduced to Tertitus.

222

He says, I, Tertitus, who wrote

this letter, greet you in the Lord.

223

Turns out Paul hasn't written this

letter, and as would have been

224

common practice, he has depended on a

scribe to quite literally, physically

225

write down what he has dictated.

226

And here, Tertitus feels a certain

liberty to, to really give a greeting

227

to the church, his own greetings.

228

And this demonstrates another of

Paul's earlier teachings about the

229

equality that there is in Christ.

230

He is the Apostle, but there's freedom

in the people of God to speak into this

231

letter so that they too can greet brothers

and sisters whom they've never met.

232

And verse 23 gives us three

names of Paul's supporters.

233

Gaius is the host of Paul.

234

That wonderful ministry of

hospitality, of showing Paul what

235

he needed at that time in Corinth.

236

And it would appear that the congregation

meets in this home in Corinth, and so it

237

is natural for Paul to send the greetings

of the whole church family there.

238

Erastus is a man of high social standing.

239

Along with Quartus, he adds

his greetings to those of Paul.

240

Now, nothing is known of Quartus, but the

name Erastus appears in Acts chapter 19

241

and verse 22, as well as in 2 Timothy 4

and verse 20, and it's possible that these

242

three passages all refer to the same man.

243

Amen.

244

Amen.

245

And an inscription was excavated

246

the name Erastus, identifying

him as holding high civic office.

247

And we believe that indeed this may be the

very man that Paul is speaking of here.

248

See God proves his word, not just

in faith, but in the archeology

249

that we discover in these

lands that the Bible speaks of.

250

So that we can be left logically

with no shadow of doubt.

251

That, indeed, these people are not made

up, but existed, and so God works His will

252

and His salvation in every generation.

253

Chapter 16 identifies to us not

just a church in Rome, but a whole

254

support network of those with

Paul in his missionary journey.

255

We know that he is on his way to

Jerusalem before wanting to go to

256

Rome, but what a picture of the

church he presents in this chapter.

257

These final portions of this letter, they

exude human warmth and a, and a, very

258

much a, a comfort in God and a confidence

in God through his son, Jesus Christ.

259

And although Paul foresees the peril

that may lurk in Jerusalem and that

260

opponents of his message threaten

the Roman congregations, he takes

261

obvious delight in people he knows

at Rome, proclaiming the God of peace

262

will soon crush Satan onto your feet.

263

Amen.

264

And so on display here is what Paul

terms in chapter 15 and verse 29 as

265

the fullness of the blessing of Christ.

266

This blessing, Christ's personal presence

and guidance and protection, is elsewhere,

267

um, spoken of, including in this passage,

as the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

268

See, the church is more

than bricks and mortar.

269

It is more than a gathering on

Sundays with weekly activities.

270

Peace.

271

The church is the fullness of the

blessing of Christ as we continue

272

to worship and serve today.

273

And this is why the gospel matters, and

this is why the gospel is still relevant.

274

We treasure the gospel and the

message of salvation it brings,

275

so that we can be united as God's

people and proclaim its truth.

276

You cannot deny that throughout

this letter the power of the gospel

277

is there to change and transform.

278

It is the only truth that can set our feet

on solid ground so that we are assured

279

of the salvation of our loving God.

280

But it is also what we as

God's people unite around.

281

It is the gospel that holds us together

and spurs us on in good works and

282

service as we were thinking this morning.

283

So let me ask you, how

important is the gospel to you?

284

It needs to be the most important

thing in your life so that you may

285

live it and you may proclaim it.

286

So I ask you again, how

important is the gospel to you?

287

The gospel we will have

received in different ways.

288

It will have come to us as we've

grown up knowing scripture and from

289

Genesis through to Revelation, we see

God's salvation plan on every page.

290

It might be a particular moment where our

eyes were opened as we heard the gospel

291

proclaimed that assured us and made us

pay attention to this wonderful truth.

292

But to simply leave it at a fixed

point in history means we're not

293

living the gospel and in fact it

means we're not loving the gospel.

294

Because the gospel is more

about the miracle of a moment,

295

as important as that moment is.

296

We are to live the gospel every day.

297

It should shape what

we do and how we do it.

298

It should frame our conversations so that

we have the right to speak the gospel into

299

lives in our homes and in our communities.

300

The gospel must be what centers us, what

keeps us on the path of righteousness.

301

that will lead us to our

eternal habitation in heaven.

302

How important is the gospel to you?

303

The gospel needs to be the most

important thing so that we will

304

have hope in both life and in death.

305

And as Paul finishes this, we once

again hear the truth of this message

306

and in many ways as the letter opened

with Paul displaying his heart for the

307

gospel, we now see it at the very end.

308

His heart opened wide as he, as

he sings a doxology and don't

309

worry, I'm not going to sing it.

310

to you.

311

But he declares, now to him,

Paul gives the glory to God as he

312

says, now to him, who is able to

strengthen you according to my gospel.

313

Again, the grounding of what we are to

know and the preaching of Jesus Christ.

314

According to the revelation of the mystery

that was kept secret for long ages, but

315

has now been disclosed and through the

prophetic writings has been made known

316

to all nations according to the command

of the eternal God to bring about the

317

obedience of faith to the only wise God

be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ.

318

Amen.

319

What a doxology.

320

What a proclamation.

321

What words to have on our hearts as

we indeed perhaps could learn these so

322

that they become a confession of our

faith as we exude the wonders of the

323

gospel and what Jesus Christ has done.

324

Paul tells us of the privileged

position we have, that there was

325

a mystery kept for long ages, but

that mystery is now bare open before

326

us, that we would know the gospel.

327

There is nothing hidden because the

love of Jesus Christ is fully displayed.

328

Romans is a rich, dense, glorious

book, one saturated with the

329

beauty of the triune God and the

redemption that he accomplished.

330

So it comes as no surprise that

Paul closes with a burst of praise.

331

It's good for us to believe that

he to obey and to be thankful for.

332

And at best, our faith and obedience

glorify the God who has glory forever.

333

And so we offer his praise

through Jesus by faith.

334

This is how we respond to Romans

because it has presented to us

335

the very heart of the Gospel.

336

So what's our application?

337

What do we do with this?

338

Well, we return it all to the Lord

in praise in Jesus Christ, as we know

339

the gospel burned deep in our hearts.

340

And while Romans can and should be read

in its own terms, it doesn't stand in

341

isolation from either its Old Testament

precursors, from which it draws a

342

large amount, nor its writings of

Paul, the counterparts that come later.

343

God is one.

344

His saving message across numerous times

and settings is self consistent and

345

Romans, in a way, draws it all together.

346

The most central aspects

of this whole book.

347

The wisdom of God to which it bears

witness is at once gratifying because

348

it answers so many questions, but

at the same time it's frustrating

349

because it leaves so many unanswered.

350

But it will always be uplifting

and properly regarded.

351

The wisdom that we have looked at in

this letter to the Romans refers us

352

consistently and profoundly to the mercy

of God because of his great love for us.

353

It shows us his goodness.

354

And it shows us His splendor all

now, but that is demonstrated

355

in His everlasting glory.

356

We need to set our hearts on the

Romans gospel so that our course may

357

be set for that radiant destination

that the gospel will bring us to.

358

How important is the gospel to you?

359

I hope it makes your heart sing.

360

I hope a doxology such as this in

your own words will overflow so that

361

we will prove to this world that not

only is the gospel still relevant

362

but it is the power of Jesus Christ.

363

that we indeed might be saved.

364

So may we each declare this evening.

365

I am not ashamed of the gospel for it is

the power of God for salvation to everyone

366

who believes to the Jew first and also

to the Greek for in it the righteousness

367

of God is revealed from faith for faith.

368

As it is written, the

righteous shall live by faith.

369

Well, may we be those righteous people,

not in our own doing, but only in God's,

370

that we may live by faith for him.

371

Let us pray.

372

Our Father God, we have crowned

this series by reading this

373

doxology and what is the heart

of Paul's letter to the Romans.

374

Of no shame of the gospel because

it transforms us and it changes us.

375

So we may we never be ashamed of it.

376

May we live it daily and in the

harder moments of life, may we

377

know its strength to preserve us.

378

We thank you for the generations that

have gone before us declaring its truths.

379

We pray that we, the current

generation, will uphold that

380

same truth and may we continually

pray for the generations to come.

381

That they too will know the wonders

of this gospel, that they will

382

live it in an ever changing world.

383

Father, keep us close to you, that we will

not be shifted by any whisper of doctrine,

384

by smooth words and flattery, but may we

be grounded in the truth of Jesus Christ.

385

Help us to put away those things that

would take us away from you, that we may

386

live well and live for you in these days.

387

What a joy the gospel is.

388

May we know it deep within, and Father by

your grace and mercy, may we live it well.

389

In Jesus name.

390

Amen.