Title: The Close of Romans
So we have finally arrived at the last sermon in the book of Romans. We began this journey in May of 2005, about 3 ½ years ago. As I prepped this final lesson, I went back to look at my opening notes from the first sermon I preached on Romans, I thought you may find it interesting to review.
Author: The Apostle Paul (1:1, biographical details of Ch. 1, 15, 16)
Paul’s authorship has only rarely been disputed, and never disputed convincingly.
Date and Occasion: Paul wrote Romans shortly before his visit to the Church in Jerusalem when he was bringing the gift from the Gentile congregations. (Rom. 15:25, Acts 24:17)
Most scholars date Romans around A.D. 56, or early 57.
Paul was writing to established Christians in Rome, their faith was known throughout the greater Christian community, and Paul had been longing to see them for quite some time. (1:13).
The Roman Church was a mixture of Jews and Gentiles, but was most likely predominantly Gentile.
Characteristic and Themes: Romans is Paul’s fullest, grandest, and most comprehensive writing. Great Historical Christians such as Augustine, Luther, and Wesley, all became Christians after reading Romans.
In this book Paul brings together all the Bible’s greatest themes: sin, law, judgement, destiny, faith, works, grace, justification, election, the plan of salvation, the work of Christ and the Holy Spirit, hope, and the nature and life of the Church.
Now here’s the part of that introduction I find noteworthy:
For this reason, I want to be perfectly clear about a few things before we begin this journey:
1. This book will challenge your faith more directly than anything else this church has studied in the past.
2. This will be the most difficult book we’ve studied.
3. There are Sundays when you will be mad at what I expose from this text.
4. We will go slowly.
The question I have for you is simple: Did these four things get fulfilled. I know that number four is a lock, but look at the other three, would you agree with my predictions? My hope as your pastor, is that as I set goals for us, that I’d be realistic in preparing you for what we are about to tackle. My feeling is: Theologically, we’ve grown immensely in the last three and half years, I hope you all feel the same.
On to our final text:
(read 21-27)
I. The Supplementary Salutations
1. Timothy: Paul’s disciple, and right hand man, mentioned in 10 of the 13 books Paul wrote.
2. Lucius: unknown, some believe this was another name for Luke
3. Jason: Possibly Paul’s host in Thessolonica (Acts 17:5-9)
4. Sosipater: Most likely part of the delegation that was bringing the Gentile offering to Jerusalem with Paul.
5. Tertius: The secretary, and actual physical writer of Romans. Paul acknowledges his “writer” in I Corinthians, Galatians, Colossians, and 2 Thessolonians. Whether he physically wrote the other letters, or just didn’t acknowledge the writer is unknown, but there are two things I want us to know about “writers”
1. This was a very common practice at the time.
2. Having a writer IN NO WAY diminishes or compromises the authenticity of Paul’s (and the Spirit’s) authorship.
Only recently, and desperately, has this been used as an argument against the full authenticity of Paul’s authorship. Frankly, it is an uneducated and silly argument.
Arguing that Paul’s authorship of Romans is in some way not 100% authentic because he dictated the letter to Tertius is the equivalent today of saying that I didn’t really write this sermon, Windows XP did.
My computer has no power to write anything but that which I dictate. The same it true of Tertius in his role as a secretary. Think of him as a very, very, very old computer.
6. Gaius: This was who Paul was living with when he wrote Romans, and also Paul calls him the “host of the church.”
This most likely means that the gathering (the Ecclesia) of believers in Corinth. Some have used this fact to suggest that the most “Biblical” way to hold a church is to have home churches, because that’s what they did in the first few centuries.
While this is true, the major reason they gathered in home was what? (Take answers) Persecution.
After Constantine 325 AD, many church buildings began being built in cities. So while I don’t have a huge problem with the home church movement (essentially, I don’t care where you gather, I’m much more concerned that you gather) I don’t see this passage as sufficient evidence that home churches are the definitive biblical model.
7. Erastus: the city treasurer. This is interesting because treasurer was a pretty high office in a Roman empire city. This shows that even in the first 25 years of Christianity, God was drawing into his net people from all walks of life, even high ranking public officials. My point, honestly: pray for the radical conversion of the winner of Tuesday’s election. God’s done it before, he may do it again.
8. Quartas: We know nothing. Today Quartas is a company in Holland that makes office supplies like calendars and desk pads, (I googled it) but I don’t think there is Biblical connection.
II. The Final Benediction
(Read v. 25-27)
Paul touches on several themes as his draws his grandest letter to a close. And that is fitting, considering the length, depth, and importance of the letter itself.
1. Glory to God is the point of all things “To Him who is able to establish you…”
2. Paul has authority directly from God “According to my Gospel and the Preaching of Jesus Christ.”
3. God’s plan is no longer a mystery, but is now being revealed to the world. “According to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began but now made manifest”
4. This plan is being sent to the ends of the Earth THROUGH THE SCRIPTURES. “By the prophetic scriptures made known to all nations.” This is just another of the many reasons I am so adamant (and you should be too) about a right understanding of Scripture being central to your faith.
5. This is all happening EXACTLY as God planned. “According to the commandment of the everlasting God”
6. It is happening this way so that we are obedient to what we believe. “For obedience to the faith.”
7. Glory to God is the point of all things. (Again). “To God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.” It is no mistake that Paul bookmarks his closing at both the beginning and end with the same idea: Glory to God is the point.
Q: How do you know if you are a Christian? (Take Answers)
A: If the point of your life is to bring Glory to God.