Praying in Light of the Gospel and for the Glory of Christ Romans 16:25-27

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1 GBC AM, August 24, 2008 :: 1 Praying in Light of the Gospel and for the Glory of Christ Romans 16:25-27 I. Introduction Have you ever given some thought to the word Amen? It is perhaps one of the most common words in our Christian vocabulary. It is usually the last words of our prayer and sometimes the spontaneous response from the preaching of God s Word. It can also be found in the normal conversation of Christians in the spirit of encouragement or affirmation. The word amen is perhaps one of the most universal words in the world, spoken in over half the languages existing today. In the Old Testament, it is used to show oneself firm, dependable, and durable. It means to express security, certitude, having faith, and affirming what is true. It is primarily used to confirm a statement by someone else or to accept a blessing. In the New Testament, it is found some 126 times, the majority of them in the gospels. When spoken by Jesus, we have translated it to truly instead of amen. How often do we hear the words, Truly, truly I say to you... from the lips of Jesus? Whereas the word mentioned once is to affirm and confess in agreement to a statement made by another, to state it twice in a row is like bringing an exclamation point or putting the text in bold-faced print. It is like Jesus is saying, Now be sure you understand this. You better pay close attention because what I am about to tell you is immeasurably important! When we pray to our heavenly Father, we pray in Jesus name our amen because without Him, we would have no access to the Father and no guarantee that He hears us. The amen sums up our petition and presents it to God, asking for His blessing for the sake of His Son, praying that our requests would find affirmation in the purposes of God. For the Apostle Paul, the closing of his letters would end either in a benediction or a doxology. As we have studied elsewhere in the prayers of Paul, we find a man who was devoutly committed to prayer and intensely absorbed in the work of planting and establishing churches. Paul had confidence in planting the churches because he knew the prayers of his life, shaped by the purposes of God, found their Amen in the gospel and the glory of Christ. God loves hearing prayers that are saturated with the gospel, adoring His character, and centered singularly in His Son Jesus Christ. In the final words of Paul to the church in Rome, we find a prayer, a doxology with exactly those elements. I would ask that you turn with me to Romans chapter 16 as we look the last three verses, verses 25 through 27 where Paul concludes what is considered by many to be the greatest letter ever written. Paul writes: 25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26 but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith 27 to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen. Romans 16:25-27 (ESV)

2 GBC AM, August 24, 2008 :: 2 25 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began 26 but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith 27 to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen. Romans 16:25-27 (NKJV) In this prayer, we find the book of Romans summarized beautifully. But if we could boil this letter down to one word, it would be God (used no less than 153 times in this letter!). And if we could boil it down to one reality, it would be the gospel the good news of Jesus Christ. Commenting on this passage, Matthew Henry writes, Paul had his head and heart so full of the gospel that he could scarcely mention it without a digression to set forth the nature and excellence of it. When you look at this prayer, perhaps the first thing you see is the logic to Paul s doxology. Look with me at the flow of Paul s thinking. Paul begins his doxology to God who is able and ends with God who is wise. Like two bookends, Paul is consumed with who God is, in particular with God s power and God s wisdom. In the middle we find what God s power and wisdom produced namely the gospel of Jesus Christ. God s wisdom planned out the program of redemption, and God s power performed or accomplished this redemption through Jesus Christ. But I want you to see a little farther that this gospel came about according to revelation, and this revelation brings to light the mystery that had been kept secret for ages but now disclosed. And why was the gospel disclosed at this time? Why was the mystery revealed? It was revealed according to the command of the eternal God. And who is this eternal God? It is the only wise God who alone should be glorified through Jesus Christ. To put it another way, the gospel is not random or arbitrary; it was conceived by the manifold wisdom of God. The gospel is not new or a novelty; it was commanded by the eternal God before the foundation of the world. The gospel is not theoretical or up for debate; it demands obedience and accepts no other alternative response. And finally the gospel is not weak or ineffective; it is the power of God unto salvation, able to strengthen and establish you in the faith so as to persevere in the grace in which you stand. So God s glory is intrinsically tied to God s wisdom, and God s wisdom leads you to the command of the eternal God which explains the mystery revealed, which is the gospel of Jesus Christ which is able to strengthen and establish you in the faith and cause you to persevere. So put together, God s glory is seen in the manifold wisdom to bring about such a plan and the powerful working of the gospel to bring to fulfillment that which he has revealed in order to bring about obedience from people of all nations. Is this not glorious to think about? Paul concluded his letter with such a prayer a prayer made in light of the gospel and for the glory of Christ. If you will notice with me, Paul actually ends this prayer the same way he began. Recall the Scripture I read just a few moments ago, especially verses 1 through 5 in Romans chapter 1.

3 GBC AM, August 24, 2008 :: 3 1:1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, Romans 1:1-5 There are some remarkable parallels to the first five verses and the last three verses in regards to content. For instance, Paul speaks to the gospel of God (1:1; 16:25), the fulfillment of prophetic Scriptures (1:2; 16:26), centered on Jesus Christ (1:3; 16:25), the obedience of faith (1:5; 16:26), and to be declared among all the nations (1:5; 16:26). The similarity between these two passages speak to the heart of this letter to the Romans, themes like the gospel, Jesus Christ, proclamation to the nations, and faith-producing obedience. So when Paul prays in conclusion, he brings it all together in praise and glory to God and prayer on behalf of the Romans that through this gospel conceived in the mind of God before time, revealed in the fullness of time, and preached to all people would establish and strengthen them for the praise and glory of Jesus Christ. Paul s preaching of the gospel, Paul s praise God for the gospel, and Paul s praying that was saturated in the gospel was amazingly consistent and undeniably God-exalting. So when Paul ended with his hearty Amen, it was not an insignificant thing! He was affirming the purpose and eternal counsel of God to devise a redemptive plan perfected executed in history that would include the salvation of people from all nations through the preaching of the gospel that would give God the highest praise and greatest glory! Certainly we would join in with our own hearty Amen! So here we are. Grace Baptist Church, seeking to be a church that plants churches, a church postured in prayer, fervent in spirit, persevering in the work of proclaiming the gospel. What does this say to us today? I want to bring before you some elements of Paul s prayer that should be called to our attention. The point that I want you to see is that praying in light of the gospel and for the glory of Christ will produce God-saturated, gospel-driven, Christ-centered churches that are established and nurtured through the gospel and redound to the glory of Christ. II. Paul s Petition: While Paul is caught up in praise to God for all that He is and all that He has done in Christ, he does not fail to pray on behalf of the church in Rome. What he prays in particular is that they would be strengthened according to the power of God. The instrument of this power is seen in the gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ. While these two phrases are basically the same thing, I want to address them separately.

4 GBC AM, August 24, 2008 :: 4 (A) Established by the Gospel Some translations use the word establish while others use the word strengthen. The idea Paul is getting at is that God establishes believers and strengthens them by the gospel. The term is explains the nurturing new converts and strengthened young churches. When Paul planted churches in Asia, he would revisit them in order to establish them in the faith (Acts 14:21; 15:41; 18:23). The gospel is the power of God unto salvation for all who believe (Rom. 1:16) and it is the power of God to establish and strengthen. You never get over the gospel or move beyond your need for it in your life. The gospel is necessary for the mature Christian for strength as the unbeliever for salvation. John Calvin writes, The gospel not only promises to us present grace, but also brings us an assurance of that grace which is to endure forever. John Gill adds, Nothing has a greater tendency to, and is better calculated for, and with a divine blessing always in the establishment of the saints than the Gospel. It is through a disciplined study of the gospel and regular appreciation and applications of its truths to our lives that you are strengthened by the power of God. For you see, you are saved by the grace of God, and you persevere by the grace of God. You can never establish yourself or be strengthened on your own ability. God is glorified in bringing you to faith because it is His power that saves you, and God is glorified in keeping you in the faith because it is His power that strengthens and sustains you. If there is going to be any stability in the midst of adversity, any courage in the midst of persecution, any pursuit of holiness against the temptations of this world, the means by which it will come about is through the power of the gospel s work in your life. And in the wisdom of God, this means of the gospel is you persevere in the faith and praise and glorify God. In regards to church planting, we must realize that the gospel is not simply level one to the Christian life. It is not first base and then you move on to second, third, and finally home. The gospel is first base, second base, and third base, and you will not make it home unless the gospel is thoroughly worked through you by the power of God to cause you to be strengthened by grace. So when we pray and plan for the purpose of planting churches, we must develop a mentality and mission that seeks to make the gospel central not only for unbelievers to hear in order that they may believe but for believers in order that they may be strengthened in the faith. Secondly, we must be careful to explain the gospel, live out the gospel, and defend the gospel. The gospel is offensive, and if sinners don t resort to outright denial of it, they will cunningly seek to change it. Because the gospel is God s, and because it was determined in the mind of God before the foundation of time, we do not have the right to change it nor should we tolerate any attempt by anyone to pervert, add to, or take away from the gospel of Jesus Christ. To lose the gospel is to lose the very means by which not only sinners are saved but also by which Christians are strengthened. A church that loses the gospel or changes it in any way will soon cease to be a church at all. There is no luxury or leeway to go soft on the gospel, make exceptions, water it down, or add any man-made stipulations. To do so would be absolutely deadly!

5 GBC AM, August 24, 2008 :: 5 (B) Strengthened by Preaching Jesus Christ The second phrase is the preaching of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was the sum and substance of Paul s preaching. This is because Jesus is the center of the gospel. When a church is driven by the gospel, Jesus Christ will be the theme of its preaching. Jesus will not be a topic that surfaces on Christmas and Easter by the blazing center of every proclamation. Paul determined to know nothing among the Corinthians except Jesus and Him crucified (1 Cor. 2:2). He later told them what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord (2 Cor. 4:5). To the Colossians he repeats the same resounding declaration: Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ (Col. 1:28). Paul proclaims Christ because it is through Christ-centered preaching that believers are strengthened by the power of God. Paul s goal is to present everyone mature or complete in Christ, that is, that they may be completely conformed in the image of Christ. To make this possible, he says, I proclaim Him according to God s power at work in him. In the early church, after the apostles had been beaten and warning not to preach in Jesus name, Luke writes, 42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. Acts 5:42 Is it any wonder that the early church was established and strengthened and growing leaps and bounds? Every day, whether it was in the temple or from house to house, they did not cease to teach and preach Jesus! God s power surely was evident to perform wonders and save many through the means of such radical, relentless, risking-all preaching and teaching of Jesus Christ. There is a lesson for us today. We are learning to pray like Paul, to plant like Paul, not because Paul was perfect, but because Paul got it right. The early church got it right. They knew that if churches were to succeed and be strong, the churches must be gospel-driven from beginning to end, and they must also be continually, without apology or reservation, Christ-centered in their preaching and teaching. We are living in a day where over 4,000 churches close their doors every year. In the Southern Baptist Convention alone, over 25% of the churches, more than 1 in 4, will not see one person come to faith in Jesus Christ. Could it be that the day in which we live, the powerful expository, Christ-centered preaching is conspicuously absent? Could it be that churches have honored Jesus with lip service while their hearts are far from Him? Could it be that churches have not honored Jesus as head of the church but resorted to doing church their own way, conducting their business like a corporation? We want to see churches planted. Healthy, vibrant, growing churches that multiply into more healthy, vibrant, growing churches. Some will tell you that the way to do this is to follow this paradigm, read and implement the principles in this book, or develop a strategy that will engage and bring in this kind of people. Now hear me on this. I am not saying these things are not

6 GBC AM, August 24, 2008 :: 6 useful. They may be. But you can have all these things, but if you do not preach Jesus Christ and preach Him continually, then you will not have a well-established New Testament church were the power of God is saving and sanctifying people. And most importantly, you will not see the glory of God in your midst! So there you have it the means by which believers are strengthened are the gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ. Churches are to be planted for the expansion of the kingdom but ultimately for the glory of God. And God is glorified in church planting when, by His power, the gospel of Jesus Christ changes lives and conforms us to the image of His Son Jesus. This is thrust of Paul s petition. But I want you to notice that he goes on to tell us more of this gospel. It is a gospel that has been revealed and made manifest so that people from all nations would come to the obedience of faith. III. Praying in Light of the Gospel When Paul had the gospel in mind, he was taken back to God s purpose in history. Paul says that the mystery of the gospel had been kept secret since the world began. Paul had an understanding that it was according to the wisdom of God that the gospel was hidden until Christ was revealed so that through the knowledge of Him, people might be saved and glory given to God. Were it possible that people could know God apart from Christ, then glory would be given to whatever it was that brought about that possibility. But as it stands, from all eternity, God was pleased to keep secret, that is to conceal from the beginning, the gospel of Christ until His coming to earth, His death, and His resurrection. (A) The Mystery Hidden What Paul means by using the word mystery is not what we think of today. He is not talking about a mystery novel but rather something that had been kept hidden in former times but now made known. Although the Old Testament Scriptures spoke of Christ, they did not have an understanding of Christ. The Gospel was not entirely known but obscurely revealed, manifested in shadows and types and sacrifices. Compared to the New Testament, it was likened to silent concealment and darkness. It was not until the work of Christ was accomplished on earth that Jesus Himself became the interpreter of all that had transpired from the beginning of time so that, when the writings of old were explained, the truths burned with them like the two men on the road to Emmaus. Paul confirms elsewhere the nature of this mystery that was hidden. Turn with me to Colossians 1, and look at verses 24 through 29. Paul is writing about the riches of the glory of this mystery which he explains is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Beginning with Colossians 1:24, Paul writes:

7 GBC AM, August 24, 2008 :: 7 24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me. Colossians 1:24-29 Do you see the relationship between the mystery of the gospel and preaching of Jesus Christ? In verses we have the mystery explained and in verses we have Jesus Christ proclaimed. Turn again to Ephesians chapter 3 and let s look at the first five verses as Paul again, brings out this mystery hidden but now revealed. Paul writes: 1 For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles 2 assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, 3 how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. 4 When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. Ephesians 3:1-5 So three times Paul addresses the mystery hidden in ages past, not known in previous generations, concealed since the beginning of time. This was not arbitrary, for God is sovereign and altogether wise over the events of history. Indeed, it is His-story, and His story finds its climax in His Son Jesus Christ, wherein the mystery is revealed. (B) The Mystery Revealed So what is this mystery? Well, certainly, it is at least the fullness of God s revelation where the promises of God are fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus Christ all of which is prophesied and predicted in the Old Testament. Peter picks up on this when he wrote his first epistle. In 1 Peter 1, verses 10 through 12, Peter writes: 10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. 1 Peter 1:10-12 The prophets where serving the things that have now been announced through the gospel. They were hidden but now they have been announced, and in this, they were serving us.

8 GBC AM, August 24, 2008 :: 8 But the apostle Paul really lays out the nature of this mystery, fundamentally which is that the gospel would go the Gentiles and would be fellow heirs of the promises of God through Christ. When this mystery is revealed, it would show that the plan God has in mind for the gospel is to not simply bring one nation but people from all nations to worship Jesus Christ. It was a move from nationalism to universalism. But even more, the gospel would bring in Gentiles who were uncircumcised in the flesh. Rather than the sign of an outward circumcision which marked the people of God in the Old Testament, God would circumcise their hearts with an inner circumcision. This is the promise of the new covenant whereby God would take the heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh and cause them to walk in His ways (Jer. 31). How God makes this happen, Paul explains in Romans chapter 11, beginning with verse 25. When Paul concludes with explaining how God made all this happen, see what follows. Beginning with verse 25, Paul writes: 25 Lest you be wise in your own sight, I want you to understand this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob ; 27 and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins. 28 As regards the gospel, they are enemies of God for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. 32 For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all. 33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! 34 For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? 35 Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid? 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. Romans 11:25-36 It is through the hardening of Israel and their disobedience that Gentiles would be engrafted into the salvation plan of God. Everyone consigned to disobedience and no one entitled or deserving anything from God except judgment, God has sovereignly dispensed mercy to Jew and Gentile alike who together are one under the banner of Jesus Christ. Paul, understanding the implications of such wisdom from God, breaks out in worship, extolling God for it is from Him and through Him and to Him are all things! And again in the passage before us, Paul brings this mystery back into his mind and is enraptured by the God of all mercy and grace, who through the gospel has purchased a people for Himself and established His church which cannot and will not fail.

9 GBC AM, August 24, 2008 :: 9 The centrality of Christ in the purpose of the gospel, if not clear enough in our passage, is etched in eternity. In Ephesians 1, verses 7 through 10, Paul lays out the mystery of God s will which is to unite all things in Christ. Paul writes: 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. Ephesians 1:7-10 Why was the mystery kept hidden? It was not the fullness of time. Why is it now revealed? Because it is the Father s will and purpose to unite all things in Him so all glory would go to Him! (C) The Church as Steward of the Mystery of the Gospel (Ephesians 3) Where does this mystery fit in with us today? How does this affect our praying and our planting of churches? Paul tells us that this mystery has been entrusted to the church so that the manifold wisdom of God might be made known, and this, according to the eternal purpose of God. The church is the carrier of this mystery. Paul tells the Corinthians in 1 Cor. 4:1 that they should be considered as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Servants and stewards. Paul prays twice that he would proclaim the mystery of the gospel with all boldness and clarity (Col. 4:3-4; Eph. 6:18-20). This mystery speaks to the gospel that transcends race, class, social status, and national boundaries. The people of God are a multi-cultural, multi-lingual people with one heart, one goal, one passion, one center the gospel of the glory of Christ. What this means for us today is that we should make no preference over anyone because the gospel is to be proclaimed to all people. If we are going to plant churches that are gospel-driven, then we must be good stewards of the mystery of this gospel that goes to all people everywhere calling them to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. Notice that the revelation of this mystery is not up for discussion. The gospel is proclaimed to all nations for the obedience of faith. We proclaim Jesus Christ and call sinners to trust in Him with a faith that follows Him as Lord. Embracing the gospel means there will be a passionate pursuit of obedience and faithfulness to Christ. And to Grace, it means that we are to be obedience to the Great Commission as good stewards of the gospel trust both here and abroad because we want our Savior Jesus Christ to be glorified in the advance of His kingdom through the planting of churches. The universal commission is handed to us from God s eternal purposes where the design is the obedience of faith, the scope is all nations, and the end is the glory of Christ.

10 GBC AM, August 24, 2008 :: 10 IV. Praying for the Glory of Christ Paul concludes this prayer glorifying the only wise God through Jesus Christ. From beginning to end, Paul cannot get over the character of God who is all-powerful and all-wise. He is stumped in amazement at the revelation of this mystery which he has received which is Christ in you, the hope of glory and that this gospel would be given to him to be proclaimed to the nations. In Paul s prayer of doxology, we find that the glory of God is seen through Jesus Christ. (A) The glory of God is seen through Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the Mediator of the glory of God. Hebrews calls Him the radiance of the glory of God, the exact imprint of his nature (Heb. 1:3). Paul speaks of Him as the image of the invisible God (Col. 1:15) wherein we see the glory of God in he face of Christ (2 Cor. 4:6). When the Son of God took on flesh, John said that they beheld his glory, glory of the only Son from the Father (John 1:14). The point is that God has appointed His Son to be the Mediator of all glory to God. But notice also that the glory of Christ is seen through the gospel. (B) The glory of Christ is seen through the gospel. [YES AND AMEN!] How is it that the glory of Christ is seen through the gospel? Paul is glorifying God for His power (25) and for His wisdom (27). As I just stated, Christ mediates the glory of God. But going a step further, the glory of Christ is supremely expressed through the gospel. For the power of God and wisdom of God are not merely characteristics of God; they are personified in Jesus Christ in the gospel. Turn with me to 1 Corinthians chapter 1 as I conclude with verses 18 through 24. Paul speaks focuses on the word of the cross that is, he gospel of Jesus Christ. He writes: 18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart. 20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18-24 Brothers and sisters, we preach Christ crucified! Why? Because He is the power of God and the wisdom of God. The word of the cross is foolishness to the world without the revelation of the mystery of the gospel, but God will open the eyes of the blinded to see the gospel of the glory of Christ! Let us be faithful as a God-saturated, gospel-driven, Christ-centered church that will prays continually in light of the gospel and for the glory of Christ!