Righteous Living: The Unveiling of the Eternal Plan

Bible Passage: Romans 16:25-27

Intro: (5 Minutes)

VS 21-24 Paul, continued greetings

Grace be with them-

Summary: In Romans 16:25-27, Paul concludes his epistle with a profound declaration of praise, emphasizing that the previously hidden plan of salvation is now disclosed.

This revelation not only establishes the believers in faith but also exposes the great wisdom and purpose of God in forming a universal community through Christ, rooted in the prophetic writings and meant for all nations.

Application: Understanding that we are recipients of a grand divine mystery empowers Christians to live in light of the Gospel and share it passionately with the world.

It instills in believers a sense of purpose and identity as part of God’s unfolding narrative of salvation, driving them to actively engage in their communities and mission fields, knowing they carry the message of hope.

Teaching: The sermon will convey that salvation was carefully planned by God and that His eternal decree is a source of encouragement for believers.

It teaches that through acknowledging this mystery, Christians can embrace a sense of unity with all believers while recognizing the responsibility and privilege of sharing this life-transforming message with others.

How this passage could point to Christ: This passage allows us to see how Christ is the crux of God’s mystery—His life, death, and resurrection represent the culmination of God’s redemptive plan, leading to the establishment of faith for both Jews and Gentiles.

In the entirety of Scripture, Christ is central to the unveiling of God's salvation, highlighting that His purpose was always to reconcile the world to Himself.

Big Idea: The revelation of the Gospel invites us into a unified community of faith, nurturing a collective responsibility to share God's transformative grace with all humanity.

Highlight what we are skipping over

VS 21-24 Paul, continued greetings

Grace be with them- good favor and good will

All that Paul was instructing them to live in their faith always is a reliance of the good will and favor of God.

The truths that we find from the reveling of God’s plan

1. Glorious Revelation

Romans 16:25

(10 Minutes)

Strength story-

Why would they need to be established?

The life apart from the Gospel is unsettling

The life apart from faith is unsettling

Have you ever imagined or thought how am I able to live a life of faith.

I think we need to begin with we are not strong on our own-

Matthew 26:41 “41 Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.””

The bible proclaims that humility and weakness before God are crucial to our relationship with Him.

2 Corinthians 12:9–10 “9 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.”

What is to be established:

Securely placed

Luke 22:32 “32 but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.””

How does one become established.

Discipleship

1 Thessalonians 3:2 “2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith,”

Times of difficulty and reliance

1 Peter 5:10 “10 After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.”

All this is possible as

God is able.

strong enough to do

He is the one who is established is able to establish us.

Hebrews 12:2 “2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Author

Perfecter

Faith- Trust God (Zach)

Paul states that there strength will be established by God from those who like him give the good news and teach and preach the Bible.

Jesus- the scarlet thread of redemption

What is the mystery of the Gospel

The mystery of the gospel is fundamentally about the unity of Jew and Gentile as one body of Christ, with the very existence of the church serving as a revelation of this mystery. This mystery is the message of inclusion of all people in Christ, making them coheirs and partners in God’s promise, with the gospel being the means by which they come to Christ.

While the gospel invariably involves the proclamation of Christ’s death and resurrection for sinners, it encompasses more - specifically a cosmic reconciliation demonstrated through the incorporation of Jew and Gentile into Christ’s body. 

The mystery of Christ is inseparable from the mystery of the gospel, which is fundamentally about the church united to Christ. The church is not a mere appendage to the gospel, but an essential aspect of salvation’s mystery.

Practically, this had significant implications for Paul, who needed to make clear that Christians were not just another Jewish sect, but an entirely new entity - the church, the body of Christ, composed of Jewish and Gentile believers. This mystery begins, continues, and ends with Christ, ultimately looking forward to a future glory when God will bring all things together under Christ’s headship.

Summary:

Paul begins his conclusion that it is possible to be settled, by faith as God authors and perfects it.

2. Global Mission

Romans 16:26

(10 Minutes)

This is another way the Roman church would be strengthened

The Gospel becomes visible- the Gospel economy

How do we play apart in the Gospel economy

Paul -specific calling- in the economy of God there are leaders with their calls, it reflects the will of the father

Paul a servant with authority

Romans 1:1–2 “1 Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures,”

Paul was apart and so many others- He had a specific role

Unify the Roman and Jewish brethren

What was known for years is happening and will continue to happen.

A promise- it may have started with dream or thought.

Once it comes to life oh what a joy.

What does it look like for the Gospel to be seen

God’s revelation through the prophets is now visible through Christ

God is not springing this on anyone.

The Commandments were well known by the Jew’s

The knew to love God

the prophets are speaking with boldness and the result unity.

All in obedience- by the authority given to them by God

Titus 1:5 “5 For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you,”

It is great what we are apart of.

Obedience in faith

The gospel is for all to believe

Where they go the Gospel would go to

Being imparted not the other way around.

Summary:

The strength of the believers was becoming apart of the Gospel economy

3. Gracious Praise

Romans 16:27

10 Minutes)

There is only one who we are obedient to, the only wise God

Wise- σοφός (so-phos)- skilled in any handicraft

practical matters- God is skilled in his shaping of us- this is why we live by faith

Practical matters of our lives

from our relationshop with Him

our relationship with others

God planned and presides over the gathering of redeemed people.

Look at creation

Very skilled creator

There are many ways but two we can look to this morning

He does what He desires

Job 42:2 “2 “I know that You can do all things, And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.”

Obedience to what God is doing

The Lord directs our steps

Proverbs 16:9 “9 The mind of man plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.”

Obedience to what steps you are being directed to

Our lives exist to bring him glory

Colossians 1:16–17 “16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”

How do we bring him glory

Christ in us

Galatians 2:20 “20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”

Faith in Him - we were created to have faith

Hebrews 11:6 “6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”

Summary:

God is skillful as He works in our lives and by his grace we honor Him in our own personal death and a life of faith.

Application:

God is able

to strengthen us

How are we actively being apart of the Gospel Economy

God’s skillful hand calls us to obedience