Romans 16:17-27

Good evening everyone. I think that is the best Amen I've ever heard in a long time.

I've been to Malawi and they love an Amen as well, but that was superb, Alistair.

If you have your Bibles, Romans 16 is where we are this evening and we're bringing home this Letter to the Romans.

This series that we've been in for since, it feels like about 1993, I don't know about anyone else,

but we've been in here a long time, but it's been fantastic.

And it's an absolute joy for me and it's absolute joy for us as a church to finish this letter, this glorious letter.

So Romans chapter 16 and verse 17.

Romans 16 · chapter mention

And let me pray and let's ask that God would be so gracious and kind to us as we come to his words this evening.

Let's pray.

Oh, our gracious Father, you are so, so good to us.

And Lord, we ask now as we finish this letter that you would encourage us and that you would equip us

and that you would inflame us to take your gospel, the good news about your son, the risen Lord Jesus Christ, to the world.

And this is our prayer that you would help us now because we ask in his name. Amen.

So a few weeks ago, I had the privilege of doing a wedding up in Inverness.

And I've lived in Scotland my whole life, but I'm really ashamed to say that is the first time I've ever been to the Highlands.

First time I've ever been to the Highlands.

But it was a thoroughly lovely experience.

Glorious weather.

The colours of summer are everywhere.

And I've got the view where I'm looking down on the Murray Firth.

I think that's what it's called.

I looked into it, the Murray Firth.

And there is the sun shining on the water.

And it is absolutely glorious.

I mean, I feel like I'm in a Visit Scotland video campaign here.

It's glorious.

And we're staying at this lovely hotel the night before the wedding.

And after the rehearsal, we come back to our hotel room.

And it's quite late.

So we decide we quite want something to eat.

But we can't be bothered going out again.

So we're going to eat in the hotel.

But at that time of night, we go down to the hotel.

And we discover that the only thing you can eat at that time of night is fine dining.

So we thought, well, we're only in Inverness once.

So let's go for it.

Let's go out and let's go fine dining.

So after a while, and I'll get this on the screen for you here because this is good.

After a while, I'm studying this menu for a while.

I'm studying this menu.

And I look and I think, I don't have a clue what half of these things are.

But I'm just going to go for it.

And I ordered slow cooked pork belly, pork fillet, fennel puree, rumbledy thumps, bok choy,

and all topped with just a glistening of apple cider.

Now, you're probably thinking to yourself two things.

Firstly, what is a rumbledy thump?

And I'll be honest, I still don't know what a rumbledy thump is.

The second question, how does he know that off the top of his head?

And the reason I know that off the top of my head is because it was awesome.

It was so good.

I mean, my taste buds were having a party like they've never seen before.

It was absolutely incredible.

And the reason I knew during the meal that I was having a good time

was that because I actually stepped back and I put my fork down

just so I could savor it and take it in.

Now, I'm from a family of boys.

We didn't really do put your fork down.

It was more shovel it in.

It wasn't as much fine dining as time dining.

And if you weren't quick, you didn't eat.

So this is the meal.

And I'm loving this meal.

And I come to the end of this meal.

And at the corner of the plate, I eat up a little bit of pork fillet.

And I think I want to finish there.

It's where I want to finish.

So it goes into my mouth.

Awesome.

Absolutely incredible.

So incredible was it that I turn into this kind of pork fillet, pork belly evangelist.

And I start telling everybody that I meet about how amazing this pork fillet was.

Alex, who's sitting across from me from my wife, I'm telling her about how incredible it was.

The people I met the next day at the wedding, I'm telling them how incredible it was.

My friends and family, I'm telling them how incredible it was.

And here I am tonight.

And I'm telling you how incredible this meal was.

So this week, I'm in Romans chapter 16.

Romans 16 · chapter mention

And I'm asking myself, how should I feel?

How should we feel as a church as we leave this book of Romans?

No, how should I feel?

But also, what should I do?

What should we do as we leave the book of Romans?

I mean, I think if we close it shut tonight and think, oh, that was nice.

On it goes the shelf again.

I think we've kind of missed it.

How should we feel and what should we do as we leave this book of Romans?

It occurred to me this week, it's probably a bit like that meal, isn't it?

In fact, I would say that the whole book of Romans has felt a bit like that meal.

I mean, there's been times where I've wanted to put down my fork and think, I just want to savor that.

I just want to take that in.

I mean, we got to Romans chapter 8, which I think is my favorite chapter in the Bible.

Romans 8 · chapter mention

I just want to take it in.

But the question now as we come to the end and as we take our final bite,

our final mouthful, as it were, of this letter,

and as the original readers of this letter, as they take their final mouthful,

what are they supposed to feel and what are they supposed to do?

And what I want us to see this evening is that as they finish this letter,

Paul wants the last taste on their lips to be one of praise.

Praise.

The book of Romans, the letter to the Romans, I should say rather, is meant to inspire doxology.

It's meant to inspire, that's a big word meaning just praise of God.

That's what it's meant to inspire.

It's meant to inspire praise of God and it's meant to inspire mission.

To take this glorious news of Jesus Christ, this gospel, to the whole world.

Because it tastes so good.

In other words, God is awesome.

And as my mind, as it tries to comprehend how good he is, how gracious he is,

as my heart is gripped by grace,

oh, I want to worship him with everything that I have.

And I want to tell everybody that I meet about his goodness.

Now here's what I want us to see just really quickly this evening as we finish this letter,

as we finish our Romans meal,

the taste that these readers are left with,

and the taste I think we want to be left with,

this praise taste, this taste of praise, it's got three flavors to it.

And as they take their final mouthful,

as those three flavors, as they hit the palate,

they're meant to inspire praise.

And Paul wants them to know and go.

So what Paul is saying is,

let the praise of God,

let the praise of God propel you to go and proclaim the greatness of God.

Now, are you ready for this?

Let's forget about the PowerPoint for a minute, okay?

It's a cracker, but we can wait for it.

I can do it without it.

Here's the first flavor.

Now, if you've got it there,

look at verses 17 to 20.

Verses 17 to 20,

the first flavor of this praise taste is the church.

And Paul is saying to them in these verses

that the church is the miracle worth fighting for.

Now, what is the miracle?

Well, scan your eye over the first part of chapter 16,

which John so beautifully and helpfully took us through last week.

Now, what do we see?

We see Paul give us a long list of names.

These are the people who are in this Roman church.

And Paul is effectively saying,

would you say hello to them for me?

That's what he's saying.

Would you greet them?

Now, is that just a bunch of names?

That's what we were considering last week.

Well, no.

It is so much more to it than that.

Just look at these names.

Here are Jewish people.

Here are the names of Greek people.

Here are the names of rich people.

Here are the names of poor people.

Here are the names of free people.

Here are the names of slaves.

Here are female names.

Here are male names.

Here is a different church.

But here is one church.

That is the beauty of what God has done through Jesus Christ.

Where the world would look at this group of people and say,

where the world would look at this people and say,

different and irreconcilable,

Paul wants them to know and Paul wants them to see

that because of the gospel,

because they have Jesus as their Lord,

whoever they are,

whatever they do,

wherever they are from,

their common life in Jesus Christ

makes them one.

One.

And look,

if you've got it there,

chapter 15 and verse 5,

just flick back one page.

Or if you've got a really small Bible,

maybe it's half a page.

Paul writes this,

chapter 15 and verse 5.

May the God of endurance and encouragement

grant you to live in such harmony with one another,

in accord with Christ Jesus,

that together you may with one voice,

what are they going to do with that one voice?

Please glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now you see why we were singing that last song,

weren't you?

That's why we were singing that last song.

These people God has called together,

not just to sip tea and play happy families,

but he's called them together with a purpose,

to be a worshipping community

that's on mission for the living God,

declaring his greatness to the watching world.

And as people see that community in action,

as they see unity and diversity,

what a powerful witness

to the transforming power of the gospel

to the watching world.

Now I used to live for a few years in Bristol,

in the southwest of England.

And the thing about Bristol is it's a very multicultural city.

For me,

I'd spent my whole life in Edinburgh and Glasgow,

and a bit in Aberdeen as well,

whole life in Scotland.

And so when I came to Bristol,

I was amazed about just how many different people

were in Bristol.

In fact,

remember when I moved there,

one of the estate agents who I asked to kind of

suss it out for me,

I lived in this area called Montpellier,

which was on the border of St. Paul's,

and she told me that it was bohemian and earthy.

Now I don't know what that means.

I think it means it's a bit rough and ready.

So this is the area that I lived in.

And at the bottom of my street,

I had this junction,

and I had a Somalian community here.

I had a Jamaican community here.

There was an Indian community over here.

There was an English community around it all.

And then there was a token Scot in the midst as well.

So this was what Bristol was like.

And I heard a story when I was down there

about one of the local churches

in one of these local communities.

And one day, the local MP,

he'd heard about their work,

and he goes to visit one of their Sunday services.

And he walks in,

and what does he see?

He sees different people,

different skin colours,

different accents,

dressed differently.

And what are these different people doing?

Well, they're laughing,

and they're smiling,

and they're singing,

and they're praying,

and they're hugging,

and they're praising,

and they're gathering,

and they're doing it all as one.

And he sees the beauty of unity in diversity.

He sees the church.

And the story goes something like this.

He goes up to one of the leaders of that church,

and he remarks,

he said,

all these years,

I've been spending millions of pounds

trying to get people from that area

to talk to people from that area,

let alone live alongside them.

And I come in here,

and I see that you do it for free.

What does he see?

He saw unity in diversity.

He saw the beauty of the church.

And so as Paul lays out this list,

as he talks about the implications

of what God has done for them

in and through Christ

by creating one new man,

in Christ,

smashing down all the barriers

that kept them apart,

he wants to see

that that is the miracle worth fighting for.

And so in these verses here,

Paul is telling them

to do all that they can

to protect that miracle

for the glory of God.

Now, how are they going to protect

that miracle?

Well, they're going to do it

by protecting and uniting

around the gospel message

that is brought around

the miracle in the first place.

Now, remember what Paul had said,

Paul's saying,

right back at the beginning

of this letter,

chapter 1, verse 16.

The power of God.

Where is the power of God?

It's in the gospel.

The Greek word there,

dinamos,

it literally means

the explosive power of God.

It's to be found

in the gospel message.

So you can understand

that if you take away,

if you start to dilute

that gospel message,

then you're going to rid

the gospel of its power.

Because what does Paul envisage

is going to happen

in these,

to this church?

People are going to come

into their midst

and they're going to try

and twist

and distort

that gospel message.

What does he say

at verse 17?

watch out

for these people.

What will they try

and do?

They will try

and cause divisions.

They will put up obstacles.

They will pitch

to you untruths.

And they will try

and deceive you.

And how are they going

to do it?

They're going to do it

by smooth talk

and flattery.

Now, we don't know

what that deception was.

We don't know exactly

what it was.

But it's not too hard

to imagine, is it?

A scenario where

a church of, you know,

devout Jews come along

and start teaching

this church that,

yeah, Paul, he's a nice guy

but sometimes he's, you know,

gets things messed up

and actually you do need

to obey the Jewish laws

to be a good Christian.

And you can imagine

how something of that

would happen.

But whatever the teaching is,

how are they going

to recognize it

that it's false?

Because it's going to

fly in the face

of everything

that Paul has been

outlining in this letter

so far.

This is the gospel,

says Paul.

This is the gospel

in Romans.

Protect yourselves,

protect your church

by protecting

the gospel message

and watch out

for one another

as you do that.

And so,

with danger

always on the horizon

for this church,

what does Paul

want them to do?

Notice three little phrases.

Firstly,

at verse 19,

what does he say?

He talks about

your obedience.

He's called them

at chapter,

beginning of chapter 12

to live a life

of worship to God.

to make their lives

both individually

and corporately

all about being

a living sacrifice

and how are they

going to do that?

Well,

they're going to be

radical in how

they obey.

And he commends

them for that.

Do you see that

in verse 19?

He rejoices

that he knows

that he's heard

that these guys

have a reputation

for being obedient.

Saying,

no,

I'm not going to

go my own way.

I'm not going to

just go with the world

on this one.

I'm going to go

with God.

I'm going to

be radically

different here.

I'm going to

go with God's

word and what

he's said.

I'm going to

honour him

with my life.

And I'm not

going to bow

like everyone

else to what

the world

says.

It's not an

incredible thing

if you just

pause there for a

minute to be

known for as

a church.

Radical

obedience.

And the thing

about everyday

obedience is that

it's not glamorous,

is it?

We're not going

to get a call

from Peter Jackson

the next day

after you've

been obedient

to something

and saying,

hey, listen,

could we make

a motion picture,

a bio doc about

your life and how

you've been

obedient?

We're not going

to get that

call.

Because that

doesn't sell to

Hollywood, does it?

It's not going

to get us book

deals.

It's not going

to get us

attention.

But here is the

encouragement from

these verses.

That everyday

obedience to God

and everyday

following of his

words gets us

God's affirmation.

And maybe that's a

word for some of us

here this morning

who are just

struggling thinking,

am I making a

difference?

Am I doing

anything in this

world?

Well, here's the

thing, that Paul

loves their

obedience and God

loves our

obedience.

You know, I must

say I've heard a

couple of instances

even this week of

people in this

church making

costly decisions,

making sacrificial

decisions, making

gospel decisions

because they want to

be obedient to the

word of God.

And can I just say

I find it massively

encouraging?

And I really do, I

find myself rejoicing

with Paul on this

one.

When he sees

obedience in the

church, you know,

I wonder how you're

doing with everyday

obedience this

evening.

You know, are there

some decisions right

now in your life that

you need to make for

the glory of God in

your life?

It's a big challenge

to us, isn't it?

Paul rejoices in the

obedience of these

Christians to the

word of God.

They are making

everyday gospel

decisions for the

glory of God.

And you see, to

spur them on even

more, here's the

second phrase Paul

uses at verse 19.

What does he say?

He wants them to be

wise in what is

good.

And quickly

followed by the

third phrase he

wants them to be,

at verse 19, he

wants them to be

innocent about what

is evil.

So he wants them

to be discerning.

That's what he wants

them to be.

Now what are the

encouragements for

them as they seek to

do that?

We'll look at verse 20.

Who is on their

side?

The God of peace.

What encouragement

for this church living

in a world of chaos

and division.

They would seek to

work its way into the

church and infiltrate

it.

Who is on their

side?

The God of peace.

And not just that,

look where else

what he says, and

the grace of Jesus

Christ.

Grace and peace.

What is he telling

them to do?

What is the big

point here?

The big point is that

God will provide

everything that you

need.

Keep looking to him.

Keep running for him

because his will be

the victory.

There's the miracle,

says Paul.

The gospel message of

Jesus Christ, the

power of God that

has created this new

people.

Fight for that.

Fight for the

miracle of the church.

Fight for it by

fighting for the very

gospel message that

has brought you

together.

So there's the first

flavor of this last

bite of Romans.

Flavor of the church.

The second flavor is

at verses 21 to 24.

And it's mission.

Paul is saying to them

that here is the

mission worth working

for.

And here Paul gives

us even more names.

Loves a name, does

her brother Paul.

Remember Paul, he's

penning this.

Or as we'll see in a

minute that he's

probably dictating this

letter from Corinth.

He's over here and he's

sending it over to the

church in Rome.

So in the first half of

chapter 16 we learn some

names of the people who

are in this church in

Rome.

That is the guys who are

going to open this letter

and read it for

themselves.

Well in this section

here we get some names

of men who are at this

side of the letter.

That is Paul's fellow

laborers in the gospel.

The people who are with

Paul.

The people who are at the

Corinth end of the

letter.

That's what we get.

And you see that he

lists eight such men.

Eight men he lists here.

Quickly look with me.

Who does he mention?

Timothy.

Paul's loved and fellow

worker in gospel ministry.

Timothy sends his

greetings to this church.

Lucius, Jason and

Sospiter.

I also said that a lot

better than me but I've

been working on that.

That's what I think.

These guys most likely

relatives of Paul's who

he's led to the Lord.

They're sending their

greetings as well.

Tertius probably a slave

who was writing down this

letter word for word as

Paul's dictating it.

What an amazing privilege by

the way for Tertius.

He's sending his greetings.

Gaius, probably a

prosperous businessman who

lives in Corinth who's

leading one of the house

churches or certainly

opening his home for one

of the house churches and

being a host to the

apostle Paul.

He sends his greetings.

And Erastus, the city

treasurer who's trusted in

Christ, this man of honor,

this man of position, he

sends his greetings as well.

Paul wants them to know

about these eight men.

Now the real gold here is

not in so much as what

these men do, although that

is important.

The real gold here is

noticing why Paul bothers

to mention them.

Why does he mention them?

Now every time Paul mentions

names in his letters, he's

doing it with a purpose.

Because letter writing in

this culture, very timely,

time consuming I should say,

and really expensive.

So you do not waste your

words.

So Paul is deliberately

mentioning these men here.

Why is he doing that?

Why does Paul want these

guys in Rome to know about

these guys who are laboring

with him in Corinth over

here?

Why does he do it?

Answer for their

encouragement and for their

inspiration.

Here are eight men, says

Paul.

Different men, different

gifts, different resources,

different circumstances.

And what have they done?

They have all bought in to

the mission.

They've all bought in to the

mission.

And what's the mission?

The mission is to take the

gospel, the story of God's

salvation, the story of how

God has made a way for sinful

men and women to be reconciled

to him and live and enjoy him

forever through Jesus Christ.

Take that gospel to the ends of

the earth.

Take it to your whole world.

Take it to your circles.

That's the mission.

That's the mission.

And here are eight men who have

bought into that mission and who

are working hard along with Paul

and using whatever they have,

whatever they have for that

mission.

Just think about a few of them

really quickly.

Tertius sacrificing his time to

help Paul write this letter.

Now, is Paul having difficulty

writing at this point?

Is Tertius helping him translate

this letter into Latin so that it

can be understood by people at the

other side, perhaps?

But whatever it is, do you see how

Tertius is giving up his time,

listening to Paul, writing it all

down and using his skills to write

this letter?

Why is he doing that?

Because he buys into the mission.

Gaius, this wealthy man who we read

about at the beginning of 1 Corinthians,

he's baptized by Paul.

What is he doing with his resources?

Is he living the high life?

Has he got a speedboat and a house

in the south of Spain?

No, he's not.

What is he doing?

He's hosting a church.

And he's using what God has given

him for the furtherance of God's

kingdom.

And why does he do it?

He does it because Gaius has bought

into the mission.

And Erastus, this man of high position,

is he seeking to climb the career

ladder?

No, he's not.

He's seeking to live for the glory of

God and telling others about him in

the place where he works.

And why does Erastus do it?

He does it because he's bought into

the mission.

Here are eight men who have bought

into the mission.

Here are eight men who are working

hard for the mission.

Here are eight men who are spending

themselves for the mission to take the

gospel across the globe.

And why are they doing that?

Because their hearts have been so utterly

gripped by the greatness and sheer

brilliance of the person and their

savior, Jesus Christ.

And you see how that praise of God has

propelled them to go and work hard for

the gospel and proclaim the gospel,

live for Jesus Christ.

You know, it was William Tyndale, the

man probably most famous for translating

the Bible into English at some point in

his life.

And it was really hard to do so.

And he was burnt at the stake because he

did it.

He said this.

He said,

Evangelion is a Greek word signifying good,

merry, glad, and joyful news.

And it makes a man's heart glad.

And it makes him sing.

And it makes him dance.

And it makes him leap for joy.

Question.

Does the gospel make you,

does the gospel make me sing and dance

and leap for joy?

Has Jesus gripped our souls?

Have we bought and do we cherish and do we

love the gospel of Jesus Christ?

And have we bought into the mission that

Paul lays out here to take the gospel to

the world?

Are you using your time for that mission?

Are you using your resources for that

mission?

Are you using your job and position that

God has given you for that mission?

And I was reacquainted with the story of

the English cricketer C.T.

Studd this week.

That's the guy on the screen.

Just to put you out your misery there.

That's who that guy is.

I'd heard the story before about C.T.

Studd, but I maybe just hadn't

appreciated just how good a cricketer he

was.

He wasn't just a good cricketer.

I mean, we're talking about a seriously

talented and highly acclaimed man who

played for England.

I mean, he's got to be good, I think, to

play for England.

But in any event, he becomes a Christian

and he gives up his cricket career and

he goes on to become a highly devoted

missionary and he's taken the gospel to

places like China and India.

Incidentally, you can have this one for

free.

There's a great biography of him by Norman

Grub.

You can get it for really cheap on

Kindle just now.

That's for free.

But there it is.

But we have to ask ourselves, why would

C.T.

Studd give up his cricket career to go

and share the gospel with those in

far-flung lands?

Well, here is what he said as he thought

about his life and as he thought about

what he should do with his life after he

became a Christian.

Now, this is great.

Listen to this.

He's recorded as saying this.

How could I spend the best hours of my

life in working for myself and for the

honors and pleasures of this world when

thousands of souls are perishing without

having heard about Jesus Christ?

The best hours of his life.

And he would later go on to write the poem that's

cherished by so many.

The poem with these words,

Oh, let my love with fervor burn.

And from the world now let me turn.

Living for thee and thee alone.

Bringing thee pleasure on thy throne.

Only one life.

It will soon be passed.

Only what's done for Christ will last.

That is inspiring stuff, isn't it?

I find that massively challenging as I think

about my life.

You think, I think about Moses in Psalm 90.

What does he say?

He says, Lord, teach us to number our years,

number our days.

What are we doing with our days on this

earth?

Have we bought into this mission?

Here's a man.

Here's men in this letter, but here's a

man C.T. Studd who is bought into this

mission and living his life for the glory

of God and expending himself for the

mission of God to take the gospel around

the world.

But it's an example, isn't it, of what

happens when the gospel of grace grips

us and is the person of Jesus Christ as

he thrills us.

And it produces in us, doesn't it, that

deep sense of wonder and awe and worship

and praise and that deep sense of obligation

and debt and it propels us to mission.

Here are eight men, says Paul.

Different men, different gifts, different

resources, but who are using whatever

they've got, whatever God has given them

for this mission.

Now, of course, this guy Paul, isn't he?

He's already outlined in this letter that

praise has propelled him to travel around

Asia Minor proclaiming the gospel.

What is his desire?

We saw at the beginning of chapter 15.

He wants to go to Spain.

I mean, this is not a guy who, like,

lacks godly ambition, is it?

Or that I would have the mindset of Paul,

that I want to go to everywhere in my

circles and spread the gospel.

Paul says here, as he finishes this book

of letter of Romans, here is the mission

worth working for.

And that's the second flavor of the last

bit of Romans.

Here's the third one.

And we'll find it in verses 25 to 27.

And it's of God's glory.

Paul says here is the message worth living for.

So do you see how Paul finishes his letter

by lifting their gaze to the greatness of God,

the God who has made this whole salvation

venture possible.

And he tells them again that salvation,

this plan that God has had since the beginning

of time to bring sinful men and women to himself,

that they can be saved through Jesus Christ,

that they can be made one with God,

this is the God who has made this all possible.

It's not us who have made this possible.

It is God who has made this possible.

And notice in passing how Paul describes God here.

Verse 25.

As the one who is able to establish them.

As if to remind them that the God who saved them

is the God who is able to hold them and keep them.

And the God who is able to see them home.

Is this mission terrifying?

It is absolutely terrifying.

What is the comfort in this mission?

That the power is from God and it is God who's holding us.

This is all of him.

He is the one who commanded this whole salvation thing.

Do you notice that in verse 26?

He is the eternal God.

He is the only wise God.

Salvation from beginning to end is the plan of the eternal God.

His plan since the beginning of time to win a people for himself.

A plan centering on Jesus Christ, heaven's reigning king.

The eternal son of God.

God sent from heaven's courts to rescue sinful men and women from their sin.

He would give his life on the cross to win that people.

A people from all around the world and win them to himself

in order that they might sing his praises.

And with one voice live for and glorify the God who has saved them.

That's the message.

That's the message.

What does Paul do with this message?

Verse 25.

He proclaims it.

He proclaims it.

And you can't help this.

Maybe this was just me.

But you can't help but read these verses.

I read them this week and I could hear Paul's voice in the back of my head.

And what was he saying?

He was saying, join me.

Join me.

Give your life for this mission.

There is nothing that compares with giving your life for this mission.

Join me.

Join me in making much of Jesus Christ.

Join me in making Jesus Christ known to the lost world.

To a lost world that desperately needs to hear about him.

For you see, the greatest man that ever lived.

He calls us to join him in the greatest mission that the world will ever know.

Here is Jesus Christ.

That's what Romans says, isn't it?

As we come to finish.

It's a call to know and it's a call to go.

To go and proclaim.

To take this incredible message to the far-flung corners of the earth.

Yes.

But to take it to our streets.

And to take it to our offices.

And to take it to our sports teams.

And to take it to our families.

And to take it to our friends.

And to take it to anywhere else that you find yourself.

To make Jesus known.

To make him great.

And to bring.

God would use us to bring men and women to faith in him.

So the question as we leave the letter to the Romans is.

Will we go?

Will we go?

Will we be God's people who are captivated by praise and who go and proclaim?

So there it is.

The last bite of Romans 16.

The miracle worth fighting for.

The mission worth working for.

The message worth living for.

And let me close just by reading the chorus of the song that we're about to stand and sing.

Which I think so beautifully ends the book of Romans.

You can almost say it's a theme song for the whole book of Romans.

And it's this.

All glory be to Christ our King.

All glory be to Christ.

His rule and reign we will ever sing.

All glory be to Christ.

And how does Paul end this letter?

Alistair led us in it earlier.

Let's end there.

We'll say it together.

How does Paul end this letter?

Amen.

Let me pray.

Oh our gracious Father.

We thank you.

Thank you for your word.

Thank you for the letter of Romans.

Thank you that we have it in our own language.

Thank you that it tells us about your greatness.

And the extent that you have gone to to make us yours.

And as we close our time together in it tonight.

I ask gracious Father that its message would continue to be fuel for mission.

Oh would the person of Jesus Christ.

His work.

His death.

His resurrection.

May that continue to thrill our hearts.

And may that praise of him propel us to go and proclaim.

Oh would you help us to live for you and your glory this week we ask by your spirit.

To be those who proclaim your glorious message to this lost and broken world.

Oh our gracious Father we thank you for our time this evening.

And we pray these things in the glorious name of Jesus.

Amen.