A Problem, Promise and Prayer

UnashamedBrock Graham
Written By Olivia Zurawski

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Romans 16:17-20 | The end of Romans has many features customary of how Paul closes a letter, but there are two unique features. One of these uniquenesses is that he interrupts his greeting section for some final exhortations and encouragements to the church.  Today we look at what was so important to Paul that he interrupts his greetings to make sure he says these final words to the Romans.  In this, he highlights a problem for us to watch out for, a promise for us to believe, and a prayer for us to live by.

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More from this series:

Sermons
God's Glory &amp; Gospel Strong
Unashamed, Brock Graham
God's Glory & Gospel Strong
Unashamed, Brock Graham

Ok, here we are. The final words of Paul's letter to the Romans. The letter closes with a worshipful doxology, declaring that God is worthy of all glory forever. As Paul glorifies God, he reminds us of an important reality that we must cling to as we close this book: the gospel is not only the power to save us, it is the power to strengthen us as well. So as we close our series in the book of Romans, we do so with the strong reminder that God, who strengthens us in the gospel, is worthy of all glory forever.

Unashamed, Brock Graham
A Problem, Promise and Prayer
Unashamed, Brock Graham
A Problem, Promise and Prayer
Unashamed, Brock Graham

The end of Romans has many features customary of how Paul closes a letter, but there are two unique features. One of these uniquenesses is that he interrupts his greeting section for some final exhortations and encouragements to the church.  Today we look at what was so important to Paul that he interrupts his greetings to make sure he says these final words to the Romans.  In this, he highlights a problem for us to watch out for, a promise for us to believe, and a prayer for us to live by.

Unashamed, Brock Graham
Commendation and Congregation
Unashamed, Brock Graham
Commendation and Congregation
Unashamed, Brock Graham

You open to Romans 16, and what do you find dominating the first 16 verses?  

Names. 

27 of them to be exact.  

It's easy to come to sections like this of Paul's letters and speed read through them.  But we need to slow down here. What do all these names and descriptions tell us about a congregation and people known and loved by Paul?  How does this section help us understand that all the gospel doctrine and ethics Paul has laid down in this letter are rooted in a deep love for the people on the other side of the letter?  We have much to see here for how gospel doctrine gets lived out in the context of personal relationships within a congregation. 

Unashamed, Brock Graham
To Gospel Frontiers
Unashamed, Brock Graham
To Gospel Frontiers
Unashamed, Brock Graham

Paul had an ambition to preach the gospel where Christ had not yet been named.  In other words, Paul lived with a passion for the gospel frontiers.  He wanted to go to the places where the gospel had yet to go and announce the good news of Christ there. In this week's passage, we see Paul's eyes fixed on a new gospel frontier of Spain. As we walk through this together we want to pull out four factors for forward movement to gospel frontiers.  Let's let God's word fill us with a greater zeal for the gospel frontiers in our day where the gospel must go forward!

Unashamed, Brock Graham
Witness To The Glory of God
Unashamed, Cory Freeman
Witness To The Glory of God
Unashamed, Cory Freeman

Why witness? How should we witness? This morning we unpack the heart of witness—We witness to the glory of God, so the lost can experience our glorious God.

Unashamed, Cory Freeman
Not A Stumbling Block
Unashamed, Brock Graham
Not A Stumbling Block
Unashamed, Brock Graham

In the church at Rome there were some conscience controversies:

"Should we eat that or not? 

"Should we drink that or not? 

"Should we celebrate that day or not?"

In our congregation today there are unique matters of conscience as well. Last week we looked at Five Gospel Unifiers for us on matters of conscience.  Those Five Gospel Unifiers from last week lay a foundation for us to build on as to how we practically live with one another in these matters. Today we tackle this by looking at Romans 14:13-15:13 and from this passage will make 3 resolutions to love my neighbor in matters of conscience. 

Unashamed, Brock Graham
The Gospel and Matters of Opinion
Unashamed, Brock Graham
The Gospel and Matters of Opinion
Unashamed, Brock Graham

It is evident how much Paul wants to drive home the reality that people who have come to believe the gospel will now live lives marked by gospel-empowered love.  In this passage, Paul summarizes that to love is to fulfill the law.  He also helps us see that walking in love and walking in the light go hand-in-hand.  Let's look together at what a gospel-empowered life of love and light looks like.

Unashamed, Brock Graham
Walking in Love and Light
Unashamed, Brock Graham
Walking in Love and Light
Unashamed, Brock Graham

It is evident how much Paul wants to drive home the reality that people who have come to believe the gospel will now live lives marked by gospel-empowered love.  In this passage, Paul summarizes that to love is to fulfill the law.  He also helps us see that walking in love and walking in the light go hand-in-hand.  Let's look together at what a gospel-empowered life of love and light looks like.

Unashamed, Brock Graham
Submitting to Governing Authorities
Unashamed, Brock Graham
Submitting to Governing Authorities
Unashamed, Brock Graham

"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities..."

Crickets.

Really? But Paul, do you have any idea what our governing authorities are doing?  Certainly this doesn't apply to us in the political climate we are in, right?  Well, let's take a look at what this passage says. It is very clear. The Word here has important truth for us to understand in the political climate we live in and this election season we find ourselves in the throes of.  There is no better passage for us to understand what it looks like for us to live as gospel citizens as it relates to how we live subject to our governing authorities.  Buckle up...here we go. 

Unashamed, Brock Graham
Genuine Love for Enemies
Unashamed, Brock Graham
Genuine Love for Enemies
Unashamed, Brock Graham

Paul comes to what we call a "rapid fire" section of his letter.  A series of commands and instructions that come quickly and pointedly in Romans 12:9-21.  Though it is rapid fire, they aren't entirely disconnected.  Verse 9 serves as a proper header for these verses around the theme of genuine love. Last week we looked at what genuine love for one another in the body of Christ looks like. This week we tackle what genuine love for our enemies looks like.

Unashamed, Brock Graham
Genuine Love for One Another
Unashamed, Brock Graham
Genuine Love for One Another
Unashamed, Brock Graham

Paul comes to what we call a "rapid fire" section of his letter. A series of commands and instructions that come quickly and pointedly in Romans 12:9-21. Though it is rapid fire, they aren't entirely disconnected. Verse 9 serves as a proper header for these verses around the theme of genuine love. This week we look at what genuine love for one another in the body of Christ looks like. Next week we will tackle what genuine love for our enemies looks like.

Unashamed, Brock Graham
Humble &amp; Gifted
Unashamed, Mitch Green
Humble & Gifted
Unashamed, Mitch Green

Lord, keep me low. Lord, build your church. Lord, use me.

Unashamed, Mitch Green
A Living, Holy, Acceptable Sacrifice (Part 2)
Unashamed, Brock Graham
A Living, Holy, Acceptable Sacrifice (Part 2)
Unashamed, Brock Graham

As Paul moves to his instructions for what a life shaped by the gospel looks like, he begins with an appeal.  His appeal is that his readers would live as sacrifices to God.  What kind of sacrifices are we to be?  How does this define for us what true worship is?  What would prevent us from becoming these sacrifices?  What is the catalyst that leads us to this kind of gospel-shaped sacrifice?  All this is answered in two really important verses of this book.

Unashamed, Brock Graham
A Living, Holy, Acceptable Sacrifice
Unashamed, Brock Graham
A Living, Holy, Acceptable Sacrifice
Unashamed, Brock Graham

As Paul moves to his instructions for what a life shaped by the gospel looks like, he begins with an appeal.  His appeal is that his readers would live as sacrifices to God.  What kind of sacrifices are we to be?  How does this define for us what true worship is?  What would prevent us from becoming these sacrifices?  What is the catalyst that leads us to this kind of gospel-shaped sacrifice?  All this is answered in two really important verses of this book.

Unashamed, Brock Graham
All Israel Will Be Saved
Unashamed, Mark Wiley
All Israel Will Be Saved
Unashamed, Mark Wiley

In Romans 11:25-36, Paul reveals the fuller picture of God’s plan of salvation by explaining the “mystery” that in the end, “all Israel will be saved.” He goes on to focus on the centrality of God’s mercy in the salvation of all the elect, both Jew and Gentile. Finally, in concluding this section of his letter to the Romans, Paul writes a doxology in which we are reminded that this entire plan of salvation is designed specifically for God’s glory. Our salvation isn’t the ultimate goal; God’s glory is. 

Unashamed, Mark Wiley
A Grafting God
Unashamed, Brock Graham
A Grafting God
Unashamed, Brock Graham

God's ways are not our ways. We see this throughout this section of Romans.  God is doing a great work for maximum redemption of both Jew and Gentile, and he is carrying that out in a way he knows is best. Paul says a remnant of Israel has been chosen by grace, the rest have been hardened, but we see in this week's passage how God is using even that hardening for greater salvation for Jew and Gentile alike.

Unashamed, Brock Graham
A Remnant of Grace
Unashamed, Brock Graham
A Remnant of Grace
Unashamed, Brock Graham

Romans 10 ends a bit heavy with these words Paul quotes describing Israel's heart, "All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people." This leads him to begin chapter 11 with a really important question: Has God rejected his people? The answer to that is an emphatic no. God is redeeming a remnant of grace from within Israel while he is hardening the rest. But even God's hardening has redemptive purposes of which we will uncover as we make our way through Romans 11. This Sunday we sit in the glorious realities of grace and, Lord willing, will leave with deeper gratitude for the grace of God.

Unashamed, Brock Graham
No Excuses
Unashamed, Jeremy Hendon
No Excuses
Unashamed, Jeremy Hendon

Romans 10:14-21 | Romans 10:14-21 helps us learn our next step in rightly responding to the good news. This passage is pivotal in shaping our understanding of what must take place in order for lost sinners to be saved by God. It is also a crucial text for supplying believers with passion and urgency to share the gospel. Through this passage, we see how God graciously breaks down the excuses we tend to make to neglect our next steps of obedience. He does this to lead us into the delight of obedience so that He may be glorified. God, be magnified through our obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Unashamed, Jeremy Hendon
God's Righteousness or Self-Righteousness?
Unashamed, Brock Graham
God's Righteousness or Self-Righteousness?
Unashamed, Brock Graham

The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.

Unashamed, Brock Graham
God's Promise Keeping Providence (Part 2)
Unashamed, Brock Graham
God's Promise Keeping Providence (Part 2)
Unashamed, Brock Graham

The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.

Unashamed, Brock Graham
God's Promise Keeping Providence
Unashamed, Brock Graham
God's Promise Keeping Providence
Unashamed, Brock Graham

The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.

Unashamed, Brock Graham
More Than Conquerors
Unashamed, Cory Freeman
More Than Conquerors
Unashamed, Cory Freeman

Romans 8:31-39 | In Christ, we are more than conquerors. But how? As we find in Romans 8:31-39, we are more than conquerors because of God, and four specific things he has done for us.

Unashamed, Cory Freeman
God's Help in Our Present Groaning
Unashamed, Brock Graham
God's Help in Our Present Groaning
Unashamed, Brock Graham

There is no denying that this world is filled with heartaches that give us a heavenly homesickness. Last week we saw that in the groaning of our heartaches, the Lord lifts our eyes to the splendor of future glory. This week we see that not only does the Lord lift our eyes to future glory in our present groanings, but he is also so kind and good to give us very tangible help in our present sufferings. What are these helps and assurances that the Lord gives his people in the present groaning of life? Let's look at these together in Romans 8:26-30.

Unashamed, Brock Graham
Suffering and Future Glory
Unashamed, Jeremy Hendon
Suffering and Future Glory
Unashamed, Jeremy Hendon

How do believers press on in the midst of suffering? Romans 8:18-25 provides us with great insight on this question. This text fills us as hope as we long together for God to make all things right in glory. As believers, we can allow our suffering to fuel our hope in the future glory that is to be revealed. God, we want to behold more of your glory. Show us your glory, Lord.

Unashamed, Jeremy Hendon
The Holy Spirit, Life, and Adoption
Unashamed, Brock Graham
The Holy Spirit, Life, and Adoption
Unashamed, Brock Graham
Unashamed, Brock Graham
A Mind Set On The Spirit
Unashamed, Brock Graham
A Mind Set On The Spirit
Unashamed, Brock Graham
Unashamed, Brock Graham
No Condemnation In Christ
Unashamed, Brock Graham
No Condemnation In Christ
Unashamed, Brock Graham
Unashamed, Brock Graham
The War Within
Unashamed, Mark Wiley
The War Within
Unashamed, Mark Wiley
Unashamed, Mark Wiley
Good Law, Bad Sin, Great Savior
Unashamed, Brock Graham
Good Law, Bad Sin, Great Savior
Unashamed, Brock Graham
Unashamed, Brock Graham
Dead to Law &amp; Wedded to Christ
Unashamed, Brock Graham
Dead to Law & Wedded to Christ
Unashamed, Brock Graham
Unashamed, Brock Graham
Olivia Zurawski https://www.makerscc.com
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Commendation and Congregation