Parting Exhortations

Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly. By smooth words and flattering speech, they deceive the hearts of the simple.

For your obedience has become known to all; therefore, I am glad on your behalf. But I want you to be wise in what is good and simple concerning evil. The God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

Father, we pray that as we look into these words here in Romans, the last words of this book, you would give us insight and understanding. Help us to grasp fully what it is that you would want to impart to us today. That we would be able to make application.

Lord, we know that your word is living and powerful, and it is sharper than any two-edged sword. You use your word to transform us, but you also use your word to guide and inform us on how we are to live. So we pray, God, that we would be able to glean from this passage today some of those important truths for how we are to represent you in a lost world.

God, work by your word and by your Spirit in our hearts and in our minds now, that we would be those who are being transformed more and more to your image. Help us to reflect you and your grace, your love, and your peace in this world. For we ask this in Jesus' name, and all God's people agreed, saying, Amen.

You can be seated. Amen. Not just things that we are to believe, but also the way we are to live.

The first eight chapters of the book deal with what we are to believe. Then, chapters 11, 12, and so forth—13, 14, and 15—deal with how we are to live. It would seem that as we came to chapter 15 a couple of weeks ago, that would be the logical ending. In Romans chapter 15, verse 33, Paul says, "Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen." You would expect that with that "Amen," the book is done.

However, Paul had another several verses—16 verses of greetings—to those who were in the church at Rome, even though he had never visited the church. There is a whole bunch of names listed of people he knew very well: people who were raised up through his ministry, people who came to faith through his preaching and were discipled by him, and people he sent to the city of Rome to establish a church. They were the ultimate leaders of that church, those who came through his ministry.

At the end of verse 16, as we saw last week, Paul says, "Greet one another with a holy kiss. The churches of Christ greet you." You might anticipate that this would be the ending, but you would be wrong. Paul is a good cross-connection pastor; he has four endings. As we come to verse 17, we see another grouping of exhortations—four verses of exhortations that Paul gives.

Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which you have learned, and avoid them. Paul picks up with another series of exhortations, things that were on his heart and apparently fresh in his mind as he considered the church at Rome and the things happening there in that city.

By the time we come to verse 17 of Romans chapter 16, nearly 10,000 words have been written. I don't know too many people who have written 10,000-word letters. This is the longest of Paul's letters, which is why it is the first of the epistles, the first of the letters in the New Testament. All the letters of the New Testament are arranged based on their length, from longest to shortest. They are not in chronological order. Romans is the first one because it is the longest, followed by 1 Corinthians, then 2 Corinthians, and so on.

We have been studying through the epistles chronologically here at the church as we have been going through the book of Acts. We have already seen how Paul has traveled throughout the known world of that day.

About 14 years after Paul came to faith and became a follower of Jesus, he and a man by the name of Barnabas left their home church in the city of Antioch, located in the country of Syria. They traveled to the island of Cyprus and then went north into modern-day Turkey, in a region that at that time was called Galatia. During their journey, they saw churches planted in cities like Lystra, Iconium, and Derbe. After establishing these churches, Paul and Barnabas returned to their home church in Antioch. They then made a visit to the city of Jerusalem, as recorded in Acts chapter 15.

While Paul was in Jerusalem, a group of individuals who followed his ministry began to infiltrate the newly planted churches in Galatia. They sought to sway the believers away from the simplicity that is in Christ. When Paul writes in Romans chapter 16, verse 17, to note those who cause divisions and offenses, he does so because he was familiar with this classification of person. He knew these individuals very well, as they were the type who followed his ministry with the intent to disrupt, divide, and destroy it.

We know that the enemy, our adversary the devil, is constantly seeking to destroy the work of God. He often does this by creating division within the church. God used the Apostle Paul to plant churches in Lystra, Iconium, and Derbe, and immediately after he left, disruptors came in to try to divide those congregations. Consequently, Paul wrote his letter to the church in Galatia, which we have in our Bibles as Galatians. He wrote this letter to encourage the believers to return to the simplicity that is in Christ, in response to those who caused division.

In Acts chapter 16, Paul and Silas set out to plant more churches. They visited the churches in Galatia, but from there, they ended up in modern-day Europe, specifically Macedonia and Greece, where they planted churches in Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, and Corinth. Again, after Paul left those churches, individuals came in to try to divide, disrupt, and destroy the work. This was particularly evident in the city of Corinth, where significant division arose within the church. Paul wrote his two letters, 1 and 2 Corinthians, to encourage and challenge the church during this tumultuous time.

To walk in the simplicity that is in Christ, Paul understood, and it was very fresh in his mind, the reality that there were people seeking to come in and destroy the work that God was doing in these churches. This is like a preventative cure, if you will. It is preemptive when we come to chapter 16, verse 17. Many Bible teachers believe that this may actually have been penned by the very hand of Paul in the original manuscript.

We may have in our minds a picture of the Apostle Paul sitting in a dark room with a little oil lamp, a pen, and a long manuscript, writing this entire letter. However, that is not the reality of what took place. There was a scribe to whom Paul dictated, and this person would write these things down. His name is actually given in verse 22 of this same chapter. Romans chapter 16, verse 22 says, "Tertius is the scribe."

The picture of the authoring of the book of Romans is more like Paul in a room with a group of people, some of whom are listed in verses 21 and 22: Timothy, Luke, Jason, and Sosipater. He spoke the words of this book while Tertius wrote them down. We know historically when these events took place because it was at the end of the year 57 that Paul came to the city of Corinth, where he wrote this letter to the church at Rome.

Between the years 57 and 58, as he entered the fall and winter of 57 and the early spring of 58, Paul was in the city of Corinth. He likely gathered with Timothy, Luke, Jason, Sosipater, and Tertius over a series of days, speaking while Tertius wrote down the words. When the letter was completed, he gave it to a lady mentioned in chapter 16, verse 1, named Phoebe, who probably carried it to the church at Rome.

After Paul says "Amen" in chapter 15, verse 33, he is reminded to greet those who are serving the Lord in the city of Rome. Once that was done, I imagine—though we may be wrong—it seems that Paul, after listing those names and saying, "The churches of Christ greet you," said to Tertius, "I have one more thing I want to say." This was likely something fresh on his mind, as Paul had been battling for many years against those trying to disrupt and divide the church of God. He then said, "Here, give me that pen."

Give me that quill. Now, I urge you, brethren, I beg you. This is literally what it says: I beg you, brethren. I'm speaking to those who have just listed the leadership of the church there in Rome. In Romans chapter 16, verses 1 through 15, we find all of those names of people: Priscilla and Aquila, Epineatus, Mary, and Urbanus. Paul is saying, "Listen, I urge you, brethren, you who are leading the church, you who are overseers of the flock of God there in Rome, that you would note those, take careful note of those who cause divisions and offenses."

The word "note" there means to set a mark upon them, to identify them, to know who they are. The most difficult part about these kinds of people who cause divisions and offenses—those that we would call seditious, who come in and breed sedition within the body of Christ—is that they don't identify themselves when they come in. They don't show up to church and say, "Hey, I'm here to disrupt. I'm here to divide. I'm here to spread false doctrine." They don't do that.

Not only do they not identify themselves when they come, but many times, they are so self-deceived that they don't even recognize that they are causing disruption and division. A great example of this is the author of this letter, the book of Romans. We know that this letter was authored by the Apostle Paul, but before he was an apostle, before he was going by the name Paul, he was a Pharisee—a Jewish Pharisee by the name of Saul of Tarsus. His entire aim was to destroy the work of God through the church of Jesus. He was going about seeking to tear this thing apart, to divide it and disrupt it.

In Acts chapter 8, verse 1, we read that there was great persecution that came against the early church at the hands of Saul of Tarsus. This guy believed that God was calling him to do this. He was so self-deceived that he thought he was doing the work of God as he went to places seeking to disrupt, divide, and destroy the church—those following Jesus. Until that day in Acts chapter 9, on the road to Damascus, when he saw a great light, was knocked down to the ground, and heard a voice saying, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? Isn't it hard for you to kick against the goads?" He said, "Lord, who are you?" And he said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting."

In that moment, Saul of Tarsus had a wonderful conversion where he realized that he was actually the one who was fighting against God, not fighting for Him. He thought he was fighting for God, and three days later, scales fell from his eyes. He did not realize that he was divisive, disruptive, and seditious.

Those who come into the body of Christ and disrupt and divide often do not identify themselves when they arrive. They do not recognize or know that they are the ones who are disruptive or destructive. Therefore, in noting those who cause divisions and offenses, leaders within the church—sometimes referred to as shepherds or under-shepherds—need to be watchful.

At the same time, we are called to receive those who are weak in the faith. As Romans chapter 14, verse 1 states, we should be open and receptive to those who are younger or weaker in their faith and understanding. We are to be gentle to the flock of God, as Peter speaks of, shepherding the flock in a gentle fashion. While we receive those who are weak and are gentle with them, we also need to be watchful. We must have our eyes open to walk circumspectly.

When it becomes clear that an individual within the church is there to cause disruption and division, Paul instructs us to note those people. The question then arises: how do we identify who the dangerously destructive ones are that come into the church? If we are to receive those who are weak in the faith, those who may not fully understand the things of God or the Scriptures, and whose lives in practice mirror their lack of understanding, how are we to note those who are disruptive and cause divisions and offenses?

I believe Jesus provides a good answer to that question in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 7. In Matthew chapter 7, verse 15, Jesus says, "Beware of false prophets." The first thing we note in Jesus' warning is that there are indeed false prophets. Sometimes people are deceived and led away because they do not recognize that there are individuals coming in and speaking false things. Therefore, we need to recognize that there will be false prophets among us.

People who come in and speak a false doctrine sometimes appear to be close to reality, close to the truth. Jesus warns us to beware of false prophets. He says that these false prophets come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly, they are ravenous wolves.

The second thing we see about these false prophets is that they come in looking like everyone else. They present themselves in a way that might lead you to believe they are also Christians. They speak Christian-sounding things; they may talk about Jesus, the resurrection, eternity in heaven, the Holy Spirit, and God the Father. However, they may not believe the same as you do. Although their words may seem very close to the truth, they may actually be ravenous wolves.

So, how do we identify these false prophets who look like everyone else within the body of Christ? Jesus tells us in Matthew 7, verse 16. You may want to write it down in your notes: "You will know them by their fruits." You will recognize them by what is produced from their lives. You can identify them as you carefully observe how they live. Beware of false prophets; they do come into the church as wolves in sheep's clothing. You will know them by their fruits.

How will we identify their fruits? What will we see? Paul, in 2 Thessalonians 3, provides us with more information. In 2 Thessalonians 3, verse 14, it says, "If anyone does not obey the word of this epistle, note that person." This is the same instruction Paul gives in Romans chapter 16: "Mark them out." Those who do not obey what the Scriptures say should be noted and marked. Paul advises us not to keep company with them.

If someone claims to be a brother or sister in Christ, calling themselves a Christian, but they do not obey what the Scriptures say, Paul instructs us to note them, mark them out, and avoid their company. Why? Because, as the Proverbs say, bad company corrupts good morals and good character. Bad company corrupts good character.

Do not keep company with them that they may be ashamed. The whole point of that shaming in 2 Thessalonians chapter 3, verse 14, is that they would repent. The desire is for that false teacher to turn from their false ways, their pernicious ways. Paul says in verse 15 of 2 Thessalonians chapter 3, "Yet do not count them as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother." Admonish them, challenge them, encourage them, and instruct them to walk in accordance with what the Scriptures say.

This principle is not only found in 2 Thessalonians chapter 3 but also in Philippians chapter 3. In Philippians 3, verse 17, Paul speaks to the church, saying, "Brethren, join in following my example." He uses the same exact word found in 2 Thessalonians 3 and in Romans chapter 16, where he instructs to note them, to mark them out. However, this time he is not saying to mark those who are false; instead, he says to note those who walk as you have us for an example. Paul encourages us to look at those in the body of Christ who are walking in obedience to the Scriptures, to mark them out, and to follow their pattern.

We are to note those who are walking against the Scriptures, living in disobedience, and we should not keep company with them. Conversely, we should identify and note those within the body of Christ who not only speak the things of the Word of God but also live by them. Paul urges us to follow their example.

He continues in Philippians 3, verse 18, stating, "For many walk, of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ." We must note those who walk in obedience to the Scriptures because we know there are those who do not. How do we identify them? Philippians 3, verse 19 says, "Whose end is destruction." One of the reasons you do not want to keep company with them is that their end is destruction. If you know that an individual's end is destruction, you do not want to spend too much time with them.

If you had the foresight to know that the Titanic would sink in 1912, it would have been rather foolish to buy a ticket and get on board. Their end is destruction because their God is their belly; they are self-focused, and their glory is in their shame. They set their mind on earthly things. Therefore, Paul says to note them and mark them. The Greek word used here is "skopeo," from which we get our English word "scope." The idea is to observe.

To look and to mark those people who do not walk in a fashion that is in obedience to the Scriptures is essential. We should not keep company with them. Instead, we must admonish them, challenge them, and call them back to walking in righteousness and obedience to the Scriptures. Additionally, we should identify those who do walk in obedience to the Scriptures and follow their example.

Set a mark upon those who cause divisions, as Paul said. Those who bring sedition and dissension are to be noted. The word "division" is used in Romans chapter 16, verse 17. That very same word is connected to the works of the flesh in Galatians chapter 5. When Paul states in verse 19 that the works of the flesh are evident, one of those works is divisions. This same word is also used in 1 Corinthians chapter 3, where it is connected to carnality. Therefore, those who cause divisions are fleshly; they are carnal.

Not only should we note those who cause divisions, but we should also identify those who cause offenses. The word "offenses" could also be translated as "stumbling block" or as someone who sets a snare or a trap. We must identify and mark those people who set a snare and a trap—traps that ensnare people or lead them away from the simplicity that is in Christ.

Consider those who came to Galatia after Paul left and said, "We know that you believe in Jesus, but there is something more you need to know. You can't only put your faith in Jesus. You also need to observe the Sabbath, the feast days, and the dietary restrictions from the books of the law. You need to observe circumcision, and then you'll really be right before God." They might say, "We know you believe that Jesus stuff, but you also need to be baptized in this church or in this way. You also need to go through this confirmation," whatever it may be. Anything added to the Scriptures, anything added to the Gospel, might ensnare people and lead them away.

Of course, the Gospel itself is an offense. It is a stumbling block to those who are perishing, but that is because it trips them up on their way to hell. It is a good thing to trip someone up if they are headed toward destruction. However, if someone is walking in obedience to the Scriptures and another person lays a snare or a trap that leads them into something that binds them, then Paul instructs us to note those who are like that. We should mark them out and avoid them.

Avoid those who cause divisions and offenses, those who walk contrary to the doctrine that you have learned. Paul says in Romans chapter 16, verse 17, to note those individuals and avoid them.

Romans chapter 14, verse 1, instructs us to receive people. We are to be open and receptive to those who are weak in the faith, who may not have all the information or understanding. We should receive them into the body. However, there are certain people that we are to reject and avoid. Some may say that this doesn't sound very loving, but there are indeed people we must reject and avoid.

Who should be rejected? Who should be avoided? Let me provide a short list of individuals that we find in the Scriptures who should be avoided. Matthew chapter 18, verse 17, tells us to avoid and reject the unrepentant sinner. This is a person who is walking in open sin and rebellion against God. In Matthew chapter 18, Jesus instructs us to go and tell that person one-on-one that they need to repent. If they do not hear you, then go with another individual and call them to repentance. If they still do not listen, bring the elders of the church. If they still do not hear you at that point, then you are to reject them and avoid the unrepentant sinner.

Not only the unrepentant sinner, but 1 Corinthians chapter 5 also instructs us to avoid and reject those who call themselves brothers or sisters in Christ but are sexually immoral. Additionally, 2 Thessalonians chapter 3 tells us to avoid and reject those who are disorderly and walk contrary to doctrine, as stated in verses 6 and 14.

1 Timothy chapter 6, verses 3 through 5, tells us to reject those who teach false doctrine. This includes not only those who walk contrary to sound doctrine but also those who teach others to do the same. Furthermore, 2 Timothy chapter 3, verse 5, instructs us to reject those who have a vain external religion only. They may have what the Scriptures call the appearance of godliness. They may look on the outside like the Pharisees of Jesus' day, appearing to be followers of God.

And yet, inwardly, they are full of dead men's bones, as Jesus would say. They are full of corruption and wickedness.

Number 6, Titus chapter 3, says we are to reject those who are divisive. We are to reject unrepentant sinners, the sexually immoral, those who walk contrary to doctrine, those who teach false doctrine, and those who have only an appearance of godliness but deny the real power of it. We are to reject those who are divisive. Why? Well, look at Romans chapter 16, verse 18. This is why: Romans 16, verse 18 states that those who are such do not serve the Lord Jesus Christ.

Those who are living that way, even though they say they are followers of Jesus and may use the same lingo as a Christian, are walking in rebellion to God's word. If they are unrepentant in sin, sexually immoral, walking contrary to doctrine, teaching false doctrine, or being divisive, or if they just have an external show of religion yet are not fully walking in it, we are to reject them because they do not serve the Lord Jesus Christ.

Well, who then do they serve? They do not serve the Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly. They are self-serving, self-seeking, and self-willed. Paul says that not only do they serve themselves, but by smooth words and flattering speech, they deceive the hearts of the simple. They deceive those who may not have a firm grasp on what is true and what is right.

There are those who may not fully comprehend or understand the fullness of the Scriptures yet are still learning and are immature in their faith and handling of the things of God. Paul warns us about these false teachers who deceive the hearts and minds of the simple because what they say may seem so close to the real thing.

I remember a number of years ago, you may remember as well, that we used to have a coffee shop that we ran here in the middle of town called His Place. From time to time, I would work down there, and at the time, our manager was a guy by the name of Jason Moody. I remember one night we were closing everything up, and he was counting all the money from the day. As he was going through the money...

He stopped and said that he went back through the bills again. There was one that felt funny. He would count really fast, but he went through them again and pulled one out, saying, "This one's not right; this one's counterfeit." I asked him how he knew. He replied that he did this every single day. You could put two $20 bills side by side, and while one looked real and the other looked fake, by touch, it was clear that one didn't feel right. He took it to the bank, and of course, they confirmed it was counterfeit and turned it into the treasury.

The way he knew it was counterfeit was because he was so well-versed in what the genuine felt like. He knew exactly what the real one was, so when he came across a fake, he could easily identify it. If you were to go out and try to find all the fakes and study them, there are so many that you would never be able to identify them all. It is much better to get to know the real, to understand the genuine, so that when a fake comes along, you can confidently say, "No, that one's not right."

Jesus said in Matthew chapter 7 that there are false prophets. There are people who come professing a gospel that might sound very similar to what we know from the Scriptures, yet it is off. There are people in our day who come and knock on your door and mine. They speak with very Christian words; they talk about Jesus, the end of the world, Satan, the Holy Spirit, and all sorts of things. Yet, their beliefs are outside of doctrine and orthodoxy.

Sometimes, people spend an awful lot of time studying their beliefs, looking into other cults and world religions. There are many aberrant teachings out there. I encourage you to spend more time studying what the Scriptures say, to immerse yourself in God's Word. That way, when those with smooth words and flattering speech come, you won't be deceived because you know the genuine; you know the real.

Paul was confident about the church in Rome. In Romans chapter 16, verse 19, he expresses his confidence, saying, "For your obedience has become known to all." The Romans were well known, as we saw back in Romans chapter 1, for their faith. Paul says...

Your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. Not only were they known for their faith, but now he says your obedience has become known to all. Their faith and their obedience were a testimony unto them, and what a great testimony to have! How awesome to be a part of a church where your faith and your obedience are known to all.

When we read about their faith in Romans chapter 1, being well known, we can't just think that this is a mere mental recognition of the things of God, as if they casually say, "Yeah, we believe that Jesus lived; we believe that Jesus died." It wasn't just a casual recognition or mental assent. Their faith had become faithfulness, as we see that their obedience was known to all. That is the reality: our faith in Christ needs to become faithfulness to Christ. In the church at Rome, they were faithful to Jesus Christ.

Your obedience has become known to all; therefore, Paul says, "I am glad on your behalf. Your obedience is known, and I am filled with joy." The Apostle John, in 3 John verse 4, says, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth." The church at Rome was not only believing the things of doctrine, but they were walking in the doctrine. Paul says, "My heart is filled with joy." Just like the Apostle John, I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth.

However, Paul had a desire for this church. Even though he knew that they were faith-filled and faithful, his desire for the church is expressed here in verse 19. Look at Romans chapter 16, verse 19. After he says, "For your obedience has become known to all; therefore, I am glad on your behalf," he expresses his desire: "I want you to be wise in what is good and simple concerning evil."

Be wise in what is good, but simple concerning evil. Jesus said, "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; therefore, be wise as serpents and harmless as doves." That word "harmless" is the same word as "simple" here in Romans chapter 16, verse 19. Be wise as serpents, but as simple as doves, as harmless as doves. This is Paul's exhortation.

I want you to be wise in what is good and simple concerning evil. The very simple meaning of this verse is that we are to know and do those things that are good, and those things that are evil should not even be named among us.

In context with what has been said previously about those who cause divisions and offenses, about those who are false teachers and come in to lead people astray, I think it brings us back to that same illustration about Jason Moody counting the money at his place a number of years ago. We need to be wise about what is genuine. We need to know what the Scriptures say. We don't need to spend all of our time getting to know all the evil ways of this world. We don't need to spend all of our time learning about all the terrible things that are happening so that we can identify those who are false.

I encourage you to be wise in what is good. Know the Scriptures and be simple regarding all those other cultic practices of the world. When those come across your table, you'll know. You'll be able to say, "No, that doesn't fit," even if you don't exactly know the verse reference to support why you know it. You know the Scriptures say, "No, what you're telling me is out of order."

All Scripture is good; it is given for our exhortation and for our building up, so that we would know how we are to walk, as Paul says in 2 Timothy chapters 3 and 4. Be wise in what is good and simple in what is evil.

Now, look at this great promise in Romans chapter 16, verse 20: "And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly." The God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly.

I don't know if you notice, but there is kind of an odd paradox here: the God of peace will crush. That doesn't seem to go together very well. The God of peace will crush. I just don't know how that quite fits.

Here’s how it fits: If there is anything standing against the peace of God, if there is anything standing against the righteousness of God, sometimes the only way to remove that obstacle is to crush it. So, the God of peace will forcibly remove that obstacle—Satan.

But the interesting thing is the method or the instrument by which we're told that God is going to crush the adversary. The God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. Speaking to the church, this is a strange concept: that the God of peace will crush Satan using you and I as His instruments. The church, His body, is to do so.

There is a prophecy about this in the Old Testament. The very first book of the Bible, the very first prophecy, speaks about Satan, the serpent, being crushed under the foot of someone. You remember that prophecy in Genesis chapter 3, verse 15. There, God is speaking to the serpent that has just deceived Adam and Eve and led them into sin. God says this to the serpent: "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He, the seed of the woman, shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel." The implication is that it will be under his feet.

Of course, we always look to the fulfillment of this being Jesus in His death, burial, and resurrection on the cross. When Jesus said, "It is finished," Satan was crushed. Jesus delivered a death blow to Satan. However, here we are, 2,000 years from that time, and when we look around the world, it seems as though Satan still has some sort of power and jurisdiction, doesn't it?

Here, Paul, inspired of God by the Holy Spirit, says the God of peace is going to crush Satan. Apparently, the fulfillment of Genesis chapter 3, verse 15, is not complete yet. But God, by the power of Jesus Christ through His church, through His body, has given a prophecy that one day—He says shortly—and this was written 20 centuries ago, so we are a lot closer to this than we were 2,000 years ago. Shortly, God, through His church, is going to bring a massive death blow to Satan. That's good news! I don't know about you, but I'm excited about that. The picture that comes to my mind when I think about God crushing Satan under the feet of the church is the idea...

How many of you have seen that picture of someone smashing grapes, stepping on them, and getting splattered? It's a beautiful image. That's what God is going to do to Satan one day: destroy him. God will crush him, and He has chosen to use His church somehow, in some way. We don't have all the words to this and don't understand completely. Satan used humanity to strike at God, and ultimately, God is going to use His church, filled with humanity, to bring the death blow to Satan.

Remember the words that Jesus spoke in Matthew chapter 16. After Peter said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God," Jesus responded, "Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And you are Peter; you are Petros, a little pebble. But upon this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against my church." You see, God's church—us—is going to be involved in the crushing of the enemy. We still wait with hope-filled anticipation for the fulfillment of this prophecy, but it is a prophecy that will one day be fulfilled.

So Paul says to the church in Rome, "And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all." What's that last word? Amen. You would think it would be over, but you would be wrong. Like I said, Paul is a good cross-connection pastor, going over time. After he gives a second amen, the first given in verse 33 of chapter 15, he continues in chapter 16 at the end of verse 20.

He goes on in verse 21 and expresses a greeting from those who are with him in the city of Corinth at the time he wrote this letter to the church in Rome. He says, "Timothy, my fellow worker, and Luke, and Jason, and Sosapater, my countryman, greet you." The picture is clear: Paul is in the city of Corinth authoring this letter, and as he is, he has these guys with him—Timothy, Luke, Jason, and Sosapater.

Then in verse 22, this is a great verse: "I, Tertius, who wrote this epistle, greet you in the Lord." Apparently, Tertius didn't think he was going to get his name in here, and he wanted to remind everyone, "Hey, Paul, I'm here too!" So, I, Tertius.

Who wrote this? I am here too. He just wrote himself into Scripture for eternity. It's great! I like this guy. I can't wait to meet him: Timothy, Luke, Jason, Sosapater, and Tertius.

Now, verse 23: Gaius, my host. Apparently, Paul was staying in the home of a man by the name of Gaius there in the city of Corinth. He appears to be someone of power, someone of influence, someone of wealth. Gaius, my host and the host of the whole church, greets you. Then, Erastus, the treasurer of the city—yes, a politician in the city of Corinth—he greets you, and Quartus, a brother. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Third ending, but he's not done yet. 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, but now made manifest and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations. Paul, the king of the run-on sentence, according to the commandments of the everlasting God for obedience to the faith. To God alone wise be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.

The fourth amen. Paul says, now to Him who is able to establish you after nearly ten thousand words of exhortation, of instruction, and practical counsel. After nearly ten thousand words of revelation—things that people have spent many years teaching through and studying through—this is our fifty-third week in the book of Romans. Really, we could spend more time; we're not going to. We could spend more time in the book of Romans. You know, one of the great preachers of the 20th century, Martin Lloyd-Jones, wrote fourteen volumes on the book of Romans, and he didn't actually even finish the book of Romans because he died before he was done—fourteen volumes.

On the book of Romans, this great treasure trove of Scripture has been studied and continues to be studied even after two thousand years since it was authored. In any other book, if you spent that much time on it, people would say, "Haven't you exhausted what is there yet?" But the Word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. This is not just true for the book of Romans, but for the Scriptures as a whole. No human being will ever be able to completely unearth all the treasure that is found in the Scriptures.

It would be a daunting task if that was what we had to do. If someone were to come to Christ, we might say, "What you need to do is really understand everything that's in these sixty-six books. Once you understand this, once you master this, once you have a PhD in the Scriptures, then you'll be ready." However, every single one of us would be disqualified for that. But that's not the requirement; that's not what God calls us to do.

Instead, we read here that now to Him, God, who is able to establish us. We are not established based on the amount of Scripture that we know or don't know; we are established by the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the one who authored this. He has given us His indwelling Holy Spirit, the same one who inspired the Scriptures, to direct us through the Scriptures and guide us in our lives with Him.

Now unto Him who is able to establish us! I don't know about you, but I'm thankful that God is able to establish us so that we may be rooted and grounded in Him and in love. He is able to establish us. How does He do it? He is able to establish you according to the gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ.

There have been many critics against the church for the last twenty centuries, and there will be more critics. Many today ask, "Why does the church gather together in this fashion, in this format, and preach the Word and listen to the Word? Why does the preaching of the Word continue?" We are told that modern psychology says monologue preaching is dead and that we need a dialogue. Those things are good and helpful, and we look for opportunities to have that.

But why is it that God is still using the foolishness of preaching? Because He is able to establish us according to the gospel and by the preaching of Jesus Christ. The preaching of Jesus Christ is important for us being established, but how does it happen? It happens according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret.

Since the world began, we have been preaching what was a mystery before Jesus came. Jesus has brought to light what that mystery was; He has opened the package, if you will. A biblical mystery is like a Christmas package that's wrapped up. It's intended to be known and opened, and so He has shown us what the mystery is. As Timothy is told by Paul, Jesus brings to light life and immortality by the gospel. Jesus unearths and shows the mystery to us: Christ in you, the hope of glory.

God establishes us by the preaching of the gospel, by the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of this mystery, now made manifest by the prophetic scriptures made known to all nations. Would you circle in your Bible "all nations"? You see, this mystery is not just for one small group of people, the descendants of Abraham; this is for all nations, and it's revealed in the scriptures.

Why do we preach the gospel? Why do we preach Jesus Christ? Because the mystery is revealed in the scriptures, made known to all nations according to the commandments of the everlasting God. God has given a decree; He has given a command that the gospel would go into all the world. He commissioned and commanded His church, His disciples, to go and preach the gospel to all peoples. He establishes us by the preaching of the gospel, by the preaching of Jesus Christ, and we preach the gospel according to the commandment of the everlasting God so that people will obey the faith, bringing them into a place where they are walking in obedience to the faith.

Paul ends with this: "To God alone who is wise be glory." Why has God chosen to do it this way, in this fashion? Well, He alone is wise; He has a perfect plan. To Him be the glory forever through Jesus Christ. Amen.

No better way to end than that. Would you stand with me and close in prayer? Father, to You be the glory. May it be in my life that You are glorified. Lord, help me to live and walk in a fashion that brings praise to Your name.

That people who are around me see my life rejoice in You because of what You've done, Lord. May that be the reality for each of us standing here in this place today. God, it's my desire that You would get the glory from my life in every possible way.

We thank You, God, that You are able to establish us, to have us be fixed, rooted, and grounded in You. Your Word abiding in us, and us abiding in Your Word. God, work out in us Your glory today as we prepare to go from this place.

I pray, God, that You would stir our hearts so that we would not be able to remain silent in our neighborhood, on our school campus, or wherever we go—our corporate office, wherever it is that we find ourselves throughout the week. God, don't allow us to remain silent about who You are and how great You are.

Lord, help us to live in such a way that loudly proclaims Your glory and Your grace, not just by our words but by our actions. As the church in Rome 2,000 years ago was filled with faith and faithful even in the midst of a wicked and dark city, God, in our day, help us to be filled with faith and faithful to You in all that we do.

In Jesus' name, Amen. Thank You.