Faithful to the End: Lessons from Paul’s Farewell
The Letter to the Romans • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Romans 16
1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a deacon in the church in Cenchrea.
2 Welcome her in the Lord as one who is worthy of honor among God’s people. Help her in whatever she needs, for she has been helpful to many, and especially to me.
3 Give my greetings to Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in the ministry of Christ Jesus.
4 In fact, they once risked their lives for me. I am thankful to them, and so are all the Gentile churches.
5 Also give my greetings to the church that meets in their home. Greet my dear friend Epenetus. He was the first person from the province of Asia to become a follower of Christ.
6 Give my greetings to Mary, who has worked so hard for your benefit.
7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews, who were in prison with me. They are highly respected among the apostles and became followers of Christ before I did.
8 Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord.
9 Greet Urbanus, our co-worker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys.
10 Greet Apelles, a good man whom Christ approves. And give my greetings to the believers from the household of Aristobulus.
11 Greet Herodion, my fellow Jew. Greet the Lord’s people from the household of Narcissus.
12 Give my greetings to Tryphena and Tryphosa, the Lord’s workers, and to dear Persis, who has worked so hard for the Lord.
13 Greet Rufus, whom the Lord picked out to be his very own; and also his dear mother, who has been a mother to me.
14 Give my greetings to Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers and sisters who meet with them.
15 Give my greetings to Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and to Olympas and all the believers who meet with them.
16 Greet each other with a sacred kiss. All the churches of Christ send you their greetings.
17 And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them.
18 Such people are not serving Christ our Lord; they are serving their own personal interests. By smooth talk and glowing words they deceive innocent people.
19 But everyone knows that you are obedient to the Lord. This makes me very happy. I want you to be wise in doing right and to stay innocent of any wrong.
20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
21 Timothy, my fellow worker, sends you his greetings, as do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my fellow Jews.
22 I, Tertius, the one writing this letter for Paul, send my greetings, too, as one of the Lord’s followers.
23 Gaius says hello to you. He is my host and also serves as host to the whole church. Erastus, the city treasurer, sends you his greetings, and so does our brother Quartus.
25 Now all glory to God, who is able to make you strong, just as my Good News says. This message about Jesus Christ has revealed his plan for you Gentiles, a plan kept secret from the beginning of time.
26 But now as the prophets foretold and as the eternal God has commanded, this message is made known to all Gentiles everywhere, so that they too might believe and obey him.
27 All glory to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, forever. Amen.
1. Commend the Community (Romans 16:1–16)
1. Commend the Community (Romans 16:1–16)
1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a deacon in the church in Cenchrea.
2 Welcome her in the Lord as one who is worthy of honor among God’s people. Help her in whatever she needs, for she has been helpful to many, and especially to me.
3 Give my greetings to Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in the ministry of Christ Jesus.
4 In fact, they once risked their lives for me. I am thankful to them, and so are all the Gentile churches.
5 Also give my greetings to the church that meets in their home. Greet my dear friend Epenetus. He was the first person from the province of Asia to become a follower of Christ.
6 Give my greetings to Mary, who has worked so hard for your benefit.
7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews, who were in prison with me. They are highly respected among the apostles and became followers of Christ before I did.
8 Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord.
9 Greet Urbanus, our co-worker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys.
10 Greet Apelles, a good man whom Christ approves. And give my greetings to the believers from the household of Aristobulus.
11 Greet Herodion, my fellow Jew. Greet the Lord’s people from the household of Narcissus.
12 Give my greetings to Tryphena and Tryphosa, the Lord’s workers, and to dear Persis, who has worked so hard for the Lord.
13 Greet Rufus, whom the Lord picked out to be his very own; and also his dear mother, who has been a mother to me.
14 Give my greetings to Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers and sisters who meet with them.
15 Give my greetings to Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and to Olympas and all the believers who meet with them.
16 Greet each other with a sacred kiss. All the churches of Christ send you their greetings.
A- Paul’s heartfelt greetings resonate with a deep sense of community and interconnectedness that defines Christian faithfulness.
1- He recognizes the contributions of various individuals, both men and women, who have been instrumental in the ministry.
2- True faithfulness requires recognizing the diverse roles within the Body of Christ and supporting one another in love and unity.
(Rom 12:4–13)
4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function,
5 so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.
6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you.
7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well.
8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
9 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.
10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.
11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.
12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.
13 When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.
3- It also mirrors Christ’s appreciation for every member of His church, motivating us to value the contributions of others.
a. We are to love and value other believers.
(1 Thess 4:9–10)
9 But we don’t need to write to you about the importance of loving each other, for God himself has taught you to love one another.
10 Indeed, you already show your love for all the believers throughout Macedonia. Even so, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you to love them even more.
2. Caution Against Conflict (Romans 16:17–20)
2. Caution Against Conflict (Romans 16:17–20)
17 And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them.
18 Such people are not serving Christ our Lord; they are serving their own personal interests. By smooth talk and glowing words they deceive innocent people.
19 But everyone knows that you are obedient to the Lord. This makes me very happy. I want you to be wise in doing right and to stay innocent of any wrong.
20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
A- This passage serves as a reminder to be vigilant against division and false teachings within the church.
1- Paul warns the believers to watch out for those causing dissension and urges them to stay true to the doctrine they have learned.
(Titus 3:10–11)
10 If people are causing divisions among you, give a first and second warning. After that, have nothing more to do with them.
11 For people like that have turned away from the truth, and their own sins condemn them.
2- This alertness is part of being faithful, ensuring the purity of the Gospel message.
3- It reflects Christ’s own warnings and His faithfulness in guarding the truth.
4- Encouraging steadfastness and discernment will help preserve the unity and strength of the community.
(2 Pet 3:17–18)
17 You already know these things, dear friends. So be on guard; then you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing.
18 Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen.
3. Cherish Connections (Romans 16:21–24)
3. Cherish Connections (Romans 16:21–24)
21 Timothy, my fellow worker, sends you his greetings, as do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my fellow Jews.
22 I, Tertius, the one writing this letter for Paul, send my greetings, too, as one of the Lord’s followers.
23 Gaius says hello to you. He is my host and also serves as host to the whole church. Erastus, the city treasurer, sends you his greetings, and so does our brother Quartus.
*24 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. * (Not included in some mss., some place it at the end of vs. 27)
A- Paul's companions send their greetings, reinforcing the idea of a broader Christian fellowship beyond just the local church.
1- This shows how faithfulness extends across different communities and contexts.
2- Paul’s network of co-workers symbolizes the church's great tapestry, woven with diverse individuals united in mission.
3- This unity reflects how Christ unites us with believers everywhere, encouraging us to support and partner with other Christians in ministry efforts.
(John 17:20–23)
20 “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message.
21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.
22 “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one.
23 I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.
4. Celebrate Christ's Strength (Romans 16:25–27)
4. Celebrate Christ's Strength (Romans 16:25–27)
25 Now all glory to God, who is able to make you strong, just as my Good News says. This message about Jesus Christ has revealed his plan for you Gentiles, a plan kept secret from the beginning of time.
26 But now as the prophets foretold and as the eternal God has commanded, this message is made known to all Gentiles everywhere, so that they too might believe and obey him.
27 All glory to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, forever. Amen.
A- This closing doxology encapsulates the purpose and power of the Gospel.
1- Paul credits God with the ability to establish believers and praises His wisdom revealed through Christ.
2- This glorification of God ties back to God’s faithfulness;
a. it is God who strengthens us in faith, sustaining our service and commitment.
( 2 Cor 12:9–10)
9 Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.
10 That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
3- Like Christ’s unwavering faithfulness, we find our foundation in the Gospel, and through God's power, we are equipped to remain steadfast, advancing His kingdom.
