Strengthened by the Gospel (Romans 16:19–27)

God strengthens His church (Rom. 16:25) by keeping them obedient to the gospel (Rom. 16:19), victorious over evil (Rom. 16:20), and anchored in His wisdom and glory (Rom. 16:27).

Introduction

Attention

We are finishing our series in the book of Romans today. We are in the last chapter of the book, Romans 16:17-27, to the end. It's not the last time we'll see Romans. God's Word is like trying to drink the ocean. There's just so much more. And as we get to the end of this chapter, Paul is going to remind us today that God strengthens his church through the good news of Jesus, through the gospel.

God strengthens our lives as we live in the power of the gospel. We need to invest our lives in the gospel.

I personally have been making an investment in a local gym. I've been financially investing in it every month. I haven't actually gone, but I must really believe in this gym, because they keep taking money from me every month. So I decided to start going back again this week and use this gym membership. Now, when I started this gym membership, I had a good rhythm going. I was increasing in the weight I was able to lift. But in not going for a little while, I was still increasing in weight, but not in a good way. So I had to kind of come back to basics at the gym, and start all over again, which is a good thing. We all need to come back to the basics.

Just as I needed to get back into the gym to rebuild my physical strength, God calls us to come back to the basics of the gospel to be spiritually strengthened. It’s not enough for us to have access to the gospel, to the good news of Jesus; we need to be a people who actively engage with the gospel for it to transform us.

And so often, when we're talking about Christianity, we find ourselves going back to the basics of the gospel. Because going back to the basics of the gospel strengthens us. God strengthens us through the gospel. He keeps us through the gospel, and gives us the victory through the gospel.

Question to be Addressed

The true proclamation of the gospel strengthens our church. But how does that happen? How does God strengthen his church through the gospel? We'll take a look at that today.

Context

Romans 16:17-27 brings us to the last words of Paul in his letter to the Romans. These are his final words of exhortation, instruction, and encouragement for the church in Rome. He's just said greetings to some brothers and sisters that he knows there at the church, and then he leaves them with these final words.

He's going to warn them to be vigilant.

He's going to encourage them in their obedience to the gospel.

He's going to remind them of God's power to strengthen them through the gospel.

His final words to the Romans starts in verse 17.

Scripture Reading

Romans 16:17–27 CSB

17 Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles contrary to the teaching that you learned. Avoid them, 18 because such people do not serve our Lord Christ but their own appetites. They deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting with smooth talk and flattering words. 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.

Pray

As we get to these last words of Paul in Roman 16 to the church in Rome, these are more than words of greeting. You can sense that Paul is seizing a final opportunity to give some words of instruction and protection to the church.

He is urging them to protect the teaching of the church, to beware of false teachers that want to creep into their midst. He's encouraging them of their obedience to the gospel. He sends some final words of greetings from his coworkers that are with him. And then he closes his letter with a doxology referring to the strength of the one who is able to keep them.

It is the strength of God through Jesus Christ that is ultimately Paul’s great hope for the church. His faith is grounded in the God who is able to strengthen and protect his church.

Transition

Today we're going to take a look at what Scripture says on how God strengthens his church, keeps us obedient to the gospel, gives us victory over evil, and anchors us in his wisdom and glory. Each of these points are going to be important to show us how God works in our lives and through his church as a whole.

First,

God strengthens his church.

Before we get into the ways about how God strengthens this church, it is important to know the fact that God strengthens his church. The strength that a church has is not through anyone’s intelligence or charisma. The strength of the church is the is the Spirit of God, God himself working through his people.

Take a look at what Paul says in Romans 16:25,

Romans 16:25 CSB

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

“Now to him who is able to strengthen you”: We know from the book of Acts that the church in Rome is not a church that Paul planted. He obviously knows some of the Christians in Rome because he's saying greetings to them in the last chapter of Romans 16. But back in Romans 1:10-11, Paul says that this is a church of people that he has been asking in his prayers to God, that he may somehow be able to go see them. He says in Romans 1:11 “I want very much to see you.”

Paul has not yet visited the church in Rome. This is not a church as a whole that he has encouraged or strengthened with his words or teaching. But those things don't matter, because he is not the one who strengthens the church. God strengthens his church. God is powerful to always keep, protect, and strengthen his church.

We are reminded of the words of the psalmist in Psalm 46:1:

Psalm 46:1 CSB

1 God is our refuge and strength, a helper who is always found in times of trouble.

God's church is not a weak church. We are not. desperate. We are not anxious. We are not fearful. The church is powerful when the people of God are living by the Spirit of God. God strengthens his church.

What's interesting to note in Romans 16:25 is that the strength that we have from God has come according to the proclamation of the good news of Jesus Christ. He says in Romans 16:25 “Him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation about Jesus Christ.” When we talked about the the gospel mission at the end of Romans 15, we described the gospel as having supernatural origins. The good news of Jesus is not our message. It is the message of God to humanity, that by faith in Jesus Christ, your sins can be forgiven. You can be saved.

Through the proclamation of the Gospel to a hurting and broken world, the Holy Spirit uses the gospel to draw people to himself and transform their lives. It is the Holy Spirit using the proclamation of the gospel that gives strength to the church. That is why the accuracy of the teaching of the gospel to broken people must be protected at all costs.

If the proclamation of the gospel is the strength of the church, and the gospel in and of itself is not man's message, but God's message, then the gospel must be taught and shared through the church in the way that God intended. There is no room for personal agendas or platforms to take the place of the gospel.

But when the truth of the gospel is understood with clarity and faith, the good news of Jesus is the strength of the Christian to get through anything he faces.

Sitting in a Roman prison, Paul speaks with great contentment in his life, having full awareness of the power of the gospel to get him through anything, including sitting in a Roman jail. He says in Philippians 4:12-13,

Philippians 4:12–13 CSB

12 I know how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. 13 I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.

The proclamation of the gospel working in a believer's heart will remind him or her that the worries and the troubles of this world are not the end. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we have hope and a future. That is a reason for great contentment, because I know that at the end of the day who holds tomorrow. God is our strength. He strengthens his church.

God continues to strengthen his church. I can think of many examples just in our church here at Catalyst. During the summer of 2021, my wife and I both lost our jobs at the same time in the same month. We had enough in our savings to carry us for two months in San Diego. Those two months went by quickly, and as anyone knows in San Diego, the rent is expensive. Close to the end of the two months, the representative of the mission board called me and asked me to have coffee with him. He said, “If you can get out of your lease, we have a place for you to live. You can stay there for about a year, year and a half. All you have to do is pay the utilities. I called the real estate letting them know that we needed out of our lease. After two months, we weren’t going to be able to pay the rent. She called me back saying she spoke to the owner. We wouldn't have to pay any penalties. Just pay the rent and we can go.” God continued to strengthen us the rest of that year as we lived in that home, not knowing what was going to happen once our time was done. It wasn't until March 2022 that I understood why God kept us in San Diego. In March 2022, I was voted in as the new Lead Pastor of Catalyst.

God is faithful. He continues to strengthen his church.

Apply

It's interesting when we look back at what God has done, it's another reminder of God's power to keep us in times that are hard and difficult. God’s strength is perfected in our weakness. It says in 2 Corinthians 12:9,

2 Corinthians 12:9 CSB

9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me.

I can remember during that period of 2021 just the weakness that's felt in not being able to provide. But the lack of my own provision pointed me to God, who is the great Provider.

I don't know where you are. You might be in a place where you feel like you're down to your last little bit. That’s all the more reason to cling on to Christ. When you realize how little you have, it's in those times when you see just how big God is.

God strengthens his church second.

Second, God’s strength does this,

God keeps us obedient to the gospel.

Now, as I was thinking through this point, I wrestled with it for a bit, because I asked myself the question, “Does God really keep us obedient to the gospel?” Now this point comes from Romans 16:19 where it says,

Romans 16:19 CSB

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.

God's strengthening of his church in Rome had caused reports of incredible testimonies of faith in Jesus Christ all the way in the center of the Roman world, in Rome itself. Paul said in Romans 1:8,

Romans 1:8 CSB

8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you because the news of your faith is being reported in all the world.

When a church is obedient to the gospel, when a church is submitted to the power of the Holy Spirit, the news of what's happening in that church can't be hidden. When a church is submitted to Christ, the Holy Spirit power of that church is incredible. It impacts the dark world with the light and power of Jesus Christ.

We don't know who the pastors or leaders of the church in Rome were at this time. When Paul addresses the church in Rome, he just says in Romans 1:7 “To all who are in Rome, loved by God, called as saints.”

The Roman church likely consists of house churches. In Romans 16:5, Prisca and Aquila have a “church that meets in their home.” We know the church didn't have most of the New Testament. They didn't even have the the letter to the Romans yet! Church history says that Peter ended up in Rome toward the end of his life, but Peter is not even mentioned in this letter. You would think he would have been mentioned, if he were there.

Yet, despite all that, somehow God is able to keep this new church in Rome obedient to the gospel. I ask myself the question, “Is it true that God keeps his church obedient to the gospel?” Because if God keeps his church obedient to the gospel, then why do they need to be warned about false teachers?

It says in Romans 16:17-18,

Romans 16:17–18 CSB

17 Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles contrary to the teaching that you learned. Avoid them, 18 because such people do not serve our Lord Christ but their own appetites. They deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting with smooth talk and flattering words.

In other words, here is a warning to the church to guard and protect the truth of the proclamation of the gospel among them. There are some who want to creep up in the church with their own agendas and create divisions and obstacles. False teachers want control, they want to feed their own egos, and point people to themselves and their own glory, rather than God and his glory.

He tells the church in Romans 16:19 that they should “be wise about what is good, and yet innocent about what is evil.” These words are a lot like what the Lord tells his disciples in Matthew 10:16,

Matthew 10:16 CSB

16 “Look, I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves.

In other words, church, you're going out into a world that wants to eat you alive. Be shrewd as serpents (wise about what is good), and innocent as doves (innocent about what is evil). And so with all these warnings, does God keep his church obedient to the gospel?

The answer is, these warnings are part of the very way that God keeps his church obedient to the gospel! God has given his church a message, and he has said through his word, “Be careful.” Protect the treasure of the good news of Jesus Christ amongst you. Live out the gospel and walk as people set apart and holy for him.

Be wise to learn about the truth of Jesus Christ for yourself. The enemy loves to create divisions and sow lies amongst people. God’s warning is a protection, so that the eyes of his people would be vigilant to guard the treasure of what's been handed to them, the good news of Jesus Christ.

Our culture in America is in a rapid moral decline, and there is constant cultural pressure for the church to surrender some part of the gospel. And if God did not strengthen his church to be obedient to the gospel, the church would lose. It's a lot easier to surrender to the pressure to say, “Choose whatever path to God makes sense to you. At the end of the day, we'll all get to heaven.” A lie from the pit of hell. It’s easier to surrender to the pressure to say that God doesn’t care about your sin. Live whatever way you want! Believe anything you want.

But the truth of the gospel is sweeter than any cultural pressure. It is good news for a reason, because the message of God is greater than anything the world has to offer. And the truth of the gospel, spoken with clarity and boldness, is something the world may not want, but it is something it desperately needs.

Apply

Church, that is why it's important that we guard the proclamation of the gospel in our church. There is always going to be cultural pressure against the gospel. You are always going to face cultural pressure against your faith, because the enemy in this world is not a fan of the good news of Jesus.

Be wise about the voices you listen to. Stand firm on the foundation of Jesus and his word. Hebrews 5:14 says mature Christians should have “senses... trained to distinguish between good and evil.” We can be “shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves” when we align our thoughts with God’s thoughts.

Stand firm on the gospel, and God will strengthen you. God strengthens his church by keeping us obedient to the gospel.

Transition

Third, God’s strength to keep us obedient to the gospel leads us to victory over evil.

God gives us victory over evil.

If you're in Christ this morning, the enemy has no power over you. You have victory over evil because of Jesus Christ. Take a look at what it says in Romans 16:20,

Romans 16:20 CSB

20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

This is meme online that's really a blasphemous image. If you spend anytime on social media, you may have seen it. It's an image of this classical image of Jesus. And he's got this real muscle bound arm, and he's in an arm wrestling match with Satan, who's on the other side with this muscular bound arm. And their in this epic arm wrestling match. The image is supposed to convey that Jesus is somehow equal with the devil, and they're in this arm wrestling match, and you don’t know who will win.

The enemy in this world, the devil, wants you to believe that he is as strong as Jesus and the future outcome is uncertain. That you have to sort of cross your fingers, hoping that Lord will win.

Satan is strong, but he is not God. He is a liar. He is a defeated enemy and his future judgment is certain. In John 8:44, Jesus describes the devil as “a murderer from the beginning,” “a liar and the father of lies.” 1 Peter 5:8 describes Satan as our adversary who is “like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.” Revelation 12:9 describes Satan as “the one who deceives the whole world.” He is a deceiver.

The Christian should know that spiritual warfare is a real thing. Ephesians 6:11 says,

Ephesians 6:11 CSB

11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil.

Satan has schemes against you. He wants Christians not reading their Bibles. He wants Christians not praying, either by themselves or with the church. He wants Christians not seeking the Lord, not coming to church on Sunday, not in fellowship with the saints.

If I were Satan, I would try to keep Christians isolated, distracted, listening to messages from the world, and being as far away from each other as I could.

While Satan will try to tempt, and attack, and make you feel defeated, he is a liar and nothing more than a defeated foe. Christians have to be reminded that they have Holy Spirit power. That’s why John says in 1 John 4:4 that “the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” The power of God in you is greater than anything you’ll face.

Satan is in the world, and he deceives the world, but Christians can resist him. James 4:7 says,

James 4:7 CSB

7 Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Christians get in trouble when they are too friendly with the world. We get in trouble when we start appeasing the world, when we try to live a life that is palatable to the world. We get in trouble when pleasing the world is more important to us than living a life that is pleasing to a holy and righteous God. Submit your ways to the Lord, and the enemy will flee.

Here’s an important point: When we put on the armor of God against the schemes of the devil, when we resist the devil, we don’t fight our spiritual warfare as people trying to get the victory. We fight from a position of victory! Take a look at 1 Corinthians 15:57,

1 Corinthians 15:57 CSB

57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!

Christians, the church of God, fights from a position of victory. We have the victory in Jesus Christ! God strengthens you to keep you obedient to the gospel because you have the victory in Jesus Christ. You are not defeated. You are not alone. God is with you, and you have the victory.

Transition

As God strengthens us, keeps us obedient to the gospel, gives us victory over evil, all of this is anchored in his wisdom and glory.

God anchors us in his wisdom and glory.

The strength that we have in Jesus Christ is a strength that is anchored in God's wisdom and glory. As we're reading through Romans 16:25 saying, “Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation about Jesus Christ…,” all of this is anchored in the last verse of the book of Romans, Romans 16:27,

Romans 16:27 CSB

27 to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ—to him be the glory forever! Amen.

Central to the strength of the gospel in the church is the wisdom and the glory of God.

We've learned much about the wisdom of God in Paul's letter to the Romans. In Romans 11:33 we've learned that God's wisdom and knowledge is unsearchable and beyond human understanding. In Romans 1:16, God's wisdom is shown in his power to bring salvation to Jews and Gentiles, to everyone who believes. In Romans 9-11, God’s wisdom is shown by bringing Gentiles to Christ. In Romans 3:23-26, God’s wisdom is shown in that, despite that we are all sinners, God is able to bring us to righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ.

The strength of the church, the proclamation of the gospel, is anchored in God's wisdom and glory. Regarding God’s glory, Paul says in Romans 5:1 that “we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” and then he says in Romans 5:2,

Romans 5:2 CSB

2 We have also obtained access through him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we boast in the hope of the glory of God.

Similarly, he says in Romans 8:18,

Romans 8:18 CSB

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us.

Through the strength of the gospel, we end the letter of Romans looking forward to the glory that will be revealed to us.

The glory of God is ultimately revealed to us and the world through Jesus Christ. Jesus is the wisdom of God, the perfection of God, the power of God, and the glory of God. We are anchored in the wisdom and glory of God because we are anchored in Jesus.

At our Prayer Refresh meeting, we sang the hymn, “How Great Thou Art.” And I love the last stanza of that hymn. It says,

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation, And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart. Then I shall bow, in humble adoration, And then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!"

Apply

Christian, there is a great future ahead of you because we serve a great, wise, and glorious God. Your faith and your hope is anchored in the glorious wisdom and glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. There is a confidence that you can have in your life because of Jesus.

Conclusion

And as you think about how God strengthens his church by keeping us obedient to the gospel, victorious over evil, and anchored in his wisdom and glory, we all have areas in our life where we need to rely on God’s strength more. What is that for you today? What are those areas in your life where God is calling you to rely on his strength and not your own?

Maybe there’s a battle in your life where you’re feeling defeated. What are the battles that you’re facing right now? Where do you need to be reminded that through Jesus Christ, you have the victory?

Are you anchoring your life in the wisdom and glory of God through Jesus Christ? This week, what would it look like for you to live fully anchored in God’s strength, obedience, victory, and wisdom? I encourage you not to leave here today without considering one thing you need to do this week to live in the strength of the gospel.

Maybe for you that’s trusting in Jesus today. I pray that you will trust him without delay. To him be the glory forever and ever. Let’s pray.

Prayer

Pray for the congregation to be strengthened, obedient, victorious, and anchored in God’s wisdom.

Communion

We will have communion, remembering Jesus and his sacrifice for us. Meditate on the Lord and where your heart is with him.

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 CSB

23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “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.

Last Song

Doxology

Numbers 6:24–26 CSB

24 “May the Lord bless you and protect you; 25 may the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 may the Lord look with favor on you and give you peace.” ’

Jude 24–25 CSB

24 Now to him who is able to protect you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of his glory, without blemish and with great joy, 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority before all time, now and forever. Amen.

You are dismissed. Have a great week in the Lord!