Title: The Mystery
Text: Romans 16: 25-27
Date: September 19, 2010
Place: SGBC, New Jersey
Romans 16: 25: Now to him
Who is Paul writing of?
Romans 16: 27: God only wise,--through Jesus Christ.
Proposal: God only wise is of power to establish you.
I. SINNERS NEED TO BE ESTABLISHED
The corrupt seed we were conceived in from Adam left us like Reuben--unstable as water
- We need to have our hearts established (1 Thess 3: 13)
- We need his word to be stablished unto us (Ps 119: 38)--established on better promises.
- "Stablish you in every good word and work." (2 thess 2: 17.)
- "Stablished and kept from the evil" (2 Thess 3: 3.)
II. THE GOSPEL MESSAGE IS: God only wise is of power to establish you.
Romans 16: 25: Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel,
The subject matter of Paul's gospel was that God only wise is of Power to establish sinners.
2 Corinthians 4:7: But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
2 Corinthians 1: And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified….4 And my speech and my preaching [was] not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.” (1Co 2:1-5 AV)
Romans 16: 25: Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel,
This is my gospel to you now. The gospel is not a message that glorifies my ability to get you to do anything--or this churches ability to establish sinners--our gospel glorifies the person of God in Jesus Christ. The Spirit quickens; the flesh profits nothing. The gospel is concering the works the triune God in Christ who alone is of power to establish you:
· God fufilled law,
· Christ made sin,
· Bore wrath of God,
· Satisfied God's justice,
· Decalred God just and the justifier of all who believe.
· Has ascended
· The Prophet, Priest and King
My gospel is: God is of power to establish you. I am not directing you to mind earthy things, to put confidence in your flesh, or to glory in others--but I am telling to seek those things which are above--set your mind on the Lord who is seated in the heavens.
Philippians 3: 15: Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. 16: Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. 17: Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. 18: (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) 20: For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. 4: 1: Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.
Galatians 6: 14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. 15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. 16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace [be] on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.
III. GOD WORKS HIS POWER TO ESTABLISH THROUGH PREACHING OF JESUS CHRIST
Romans 16: 25: Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ
The means the God of all power has chosen to call out and to establish his people is through the act of preaching of this gospel of Christ.
1 Corinthians 1:18: For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God….22 For the Jews require a sign, [outward] and the Greeks seek after wisdom: [Gnostics glory in superior knowledge] 23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; 24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
IV. GOD ESTABLISHES THROUGH THIS GOSPEL BY IN POWER BY DIVINE REVELATION
Romans 16: 25: Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began 26: But now is made manifest
The mystery of how can God be just and justify the ungodly?
Romans 1: 16: For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17: For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
God ordained this before the world began
1 Corinthians 2:7: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:…9: But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him
Ephesians 1:9: Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
The mystery of his saints put in Christ, of Christ coming into our midst, of Christ entering into the heart, of Christ in you and you in Christ.
Colossians 1:26: Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: 27 To whom God would make known what [is] the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: 28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: 29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.
V. BY THE POWER OF GOD'S COMMAND EVERY CHOSEN, REDEEMED CHILD OF GOD SCATTERED IN THE FOUR CORNERS OF THE WORLD SHALL BE ESTABLISHED THROUGH THIS GOSPEL.
Romans 16: 25: Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, 26: But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
It was by God's power of command that his prophets bore witness of Christ and by his power of command that now his messengers make this mystery known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
1. The Spirit of Christ gave the prophets their gospel
2. The Spirit of Christ told them to testify before about Christ
1 Peter 1: 11: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 12: Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. 13: Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
Acts 3:22 For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. 23 And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. 24 Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. 25: Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.
3. It was by the power of his revelation, his establishing, his command that God--Christ our Prophet, Priest and King--sent his disciples into all the world to preach this gospel--"all power is given to me in heaven and earth--therefore go preach what I tell you to preach and I will be with you always." Paul said,
Acts 26:22: Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: 23 That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.
For the obedience of faith
1. The obedience of faith is: believe and Christ's obedience is your obedience.
John 6: 28: Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29: Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
2. The obedience of faith is: preach this gospel and trust God to establish in power through it
2 Corinthians 10: 3: For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5: Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 6: And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
3. When you are brought to this obedience of faith: trusting Christ's obedience to be your own; the obedience of preaching this gospel and trusting God to establish it--what does "have in readiness to revenge all disobedience"-mean?
Titus 1: 9: Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. 10: For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: 11: Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake. 12: One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. 13: This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;
Everything in this book--cover to cover--is testifying of Jesus Christ. Read it looking for Christ. Let's read the text again: 25-26. What do we say to this?
Romans 16: 27: To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.