For God's Glory

It'll be a couple of weeks and in a couple of weeks it'll be 486 years since William Tyndale was strangled to death and his body was burned at the stake for translating the Bible into the English language.

So it is no small matter for you to have the Bible open this morning and to engage what he gave his life for.

And he gave his life for it because he saw, was someone who experienced the gospel, transformation his life as the hope of all of humanity and we need to see what he saw.

And so his life was changed, transformed.

In fact, it's reported that the very last words he spoke were a prayer.

Lord, open the eyes of the King of England that he might see glory of Christ in the gospel and his life be transformed.

And so in the introduction to the book of Romans, in the edition of the English Bible that he translated two years before his death, which he was killed at the age of 42, he wrote this.

This epistle, this epistle, this epistle is the principle and the most excellent part of the New Testament.

Most pure gospel and a light and a way in unto the whole of scripture.

I think it is important that every Christian not only know it by rote, know it by heart, know it by heart, but also to exercise himself there in it continually.

In other words, put it to practice continually.

No person can read it too often or study it too well.

For the more it is studied, the easier it is.

And the more it is searched, the more precious things are found in it.

So great a treasure of spiritual things lie hid therein.

That's what we've been looking at since the first of May this year, the book of Romans.

Romans is the most closely reasoned and compelling book of the New Testament.

The massive theology of the first 11 chapters logically proceeds from the statement of the gospel in the very opening verses of chapter 1 to the need of the gospel that you see in chapters 1 to 3.

Human sin.

Next, it describes the provision of a right standing with God that comes by faith in Christ in chapters 3 and 4.

Then our position in Christ is beautifully described in chapter 5 as God making a new humanity in Christ.

And the secret of our spiritual victory of our overcoming in the end is mapped out in chapters 6, 7 and 8.

Chapters 9 to 11 is a vindication of God's work through all of history to find its culmination in Christ for his glory.

And as Paul concludes his massive theological argument, his foundational theology gives way to worship, which is where all theology ends.

With worship of God.

Chapter 36.

Everything is about him.

To him be glory forever.

Amen.

Amen.

Then follows on the conclusion of that, a compelling call to live out the theology in practical Christian living in chapters 12 to 15.

Paul exhorts, he commands, and he encourages us to practice our theology by using our gifts to serve one another in love.

We are to subject ourselves to the authority over us.

Living by the law of love in the church, offering all of life to God.

That's the magnificent structure of this greatest theological essays ever written.

There is nothing like the book of Romans.

What we have in front of us is a transforming worldview where I see my life in clarity and where it fits for all time and eternity.

As I began this series on the 1st of May, I said that there is no doubt about the power of the book of Romans to radically change lives.

And the reason Romans has proved to be so life-changing and history-shaping is because of the gospel.

It's because of the gospel.

The gospel changes lives.

It can change your life.

It's because of the gospel.

It can change your life.

heart has he brought transformation and change in your life over these past few months?

I'm not asking you, first and foremost, when you become a Christian. If you have, that is

remarkable and massive change in your life. I'm asking you, for those who are Christian,

what has changed for you?

If nothing's changed, I grieve that that would be the case.

Hear these words. Recently, an ex-pastor of St. Paul's visited this church,

had face-to-face contact with a number of you. He said two things to me afterwards.

It's wonderful to see the transformation of that person over the last five to six years,

how they've grown. He also said, these people, nothing's changed. They're still the same.

Still the same. And so now we come to the last chapter of the fitting final words of this whole

letter. Three points in your St. Paul's app. Partners for God's glory, glory stealers, and glory to God

alone. So if you've got the St. Paul's app, open it up along with your Bibles. Not just because

Tyndall gave his life for it, but because it is the Word of God, and that it is through God's Word

that he brings transformation to our life. So first of all, partners for God's glory.

Now, as Paul winds up his letter, he sends greetings to 26 individuals, 24 of whom he names.

Now, this is not just a skip over irrelevant list of names. You know, Paul's getting a little bit

personal at the end of it kind of thing. This is a glimpse. What we have here is a glimpse of God's

purpose for all of Romans. This is God's new society that the gospel builds. This is what God has been

doing through the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ for his glory. What you notice in this list of names

is the diversity of the early church, race, rank, and gender. What is confirmed in this list is what we

know already. The church in Rome had Jew and Gentile members. Aquila and Priscilla in verse 3 were Jewish,

as are Adronicus and Junia in verse 7, and Herodian in verse 11. Some of the names on the list were

probably of royal rank or certainly high rank in society. Aristopoulos in verse 10 and Narcissus in

verse 11. Both are said to be heads of household or an estate. It is most likely that Aristopoulos was the

grandson of Herod the Great and of the current Roman emperor in the day, Claudius. Narcissus was a

well-known and a rich and powerful person who exercised a very significant influence over

emperor Claudius. These are people in the royal court. And yet in a different way, the most distinguished

here is Rufus. What a name. It's a name that's really got to come back on, don't you think?

You know, like parents have got to, someone's got to call their son Rufus somewhere. Verse 13.

What makes him distinguished? His father is Simon of Cyrene, the man who carried the cross of Christ

to the place of execution. And yet on the other end of the social rank here are Ampliatus in verse 8,

Urbanus in verse 9, Hermes in 12, and Philogochus and Julia in verse 12. They are common names

for slaves in the first century in the Roman Empire. You had people in the court. You had people who were

slaves in the church in Rome. Then there's the gender diversity of the church. Nine of the 26 persons

here are greeted are women. And Paul particularly marks out four of them in the deepest level of

encouragement in this list. Singles out Mary, Tryphena and Tryphosa, who are twins, and Persis

as having worked hard. The word here implies a strong exertion for the church, for serving Christ.

This, along with the comments about Phoebe in verse 1, shows that women were active and influential

in the ongoing ministry and the mission of the church. Priscilla was one of Paul's fellow workers,

Junia, a well-known missionary, and Phoebe, a deacon, a servant of the church. And so we have here in

this list of names a picture of God's pattern for his new society in Jesus as a richly diverse one.

But the second thing we see in this list is the unity of this richly diverse people.

There is a profound unity that transcends the differences. Four times Paul calls his friends

here as being in Christ. Five times as being in the Lord. Twice he uses the language of a family unit

in referring to them as sisters and brothers. He even calls some of them his beloved.

My beloved. It's often translated as dear friends in the English.

He also mentions two experiences that strengthen Christian unity. Namely, they are fellow workers,

partners, verses 3 and 9, and they are fellow sufferers in verses 4 and 7.

Not just a mere glimpse into the makeup of the church in Rome.

The church is the only community in the world where Jesus Christ has broken down the barriers of division.

salvation. Why? Because we saw in chapter 5 that his whole purpose of salvation was not so that you could

go to heaven because he's building a new society for his glory. That's what he's doing. A new people for his glory.

So let me take you back very quickly into chapter 15 as we looked at last week.

Not because James didn't do it well, but because it serves my purpose here right now.

Chapter 15. As Paul is finishing his handling of how weak and strong should relate to each other in the church,

he tells them the purpose of the church.

The purpose of St. Paul's Chatswood.

And how Christ has set the pattern for how to build the church.

The purpose is in verses 5 and 6.

That's why Christ has saved you.

It's why he builds his church.

It's why he has bought it and builds it.

Not isolated individual worship, but unified voices, whether speaking or singing for the glory of God.

That's the purpose.

Displaying the magnificence, the glory of God is the aim of the church.

Then in verse 7, Paul gives, this is chapter 15 still, gives Christ as the pattern for building his church.

Isaiah 15 · chapter mention

He says,

Therefore, welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you.

Why?

For the glory of God.

That is, Jesus does everything he does, including welcoming you into his family as his much-loved child,

building his church for the glory of God.

You are saved by Christ for the glory of God.

You are welcomed into friendship for the glory of God.

He is humbling.

Sorry, this is humbling because it means that we are never the final reason for anything.

That is culture shaping in an age of excessive individualism,

where everything exists for my reasoning and my purpose.

Romans says,

No!

You exist for something greater.

Something more joy-filling.

Has it not escaped anyone that the more excessive we become in our individualism,

the more anxiety rises in our culture?

It is gloriously good news because we should not want anything else but the glory of God.

God gets the glory and we get the joy.

Then in verses 8, I'm still back in chapter 15.

Verses 8 and 9,

Paul underscores Christ's pattern of building the church by showing that this is the very reason he came for the nations.

We're in mission month.

This is the reason right here.

For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness,

to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs,

in order that the Gentiles, the nations, might glorify God for his mercy.

Christ came to prove that God is faithful to his promises and to be glorified to the nations,

amongst the nations.

That is why evangelism, it's why missions, it's why church planning, it's why treasuring together and St. Paul's exists.

St. Paul exists.

Not for our name, but for God's glory.

The vision of the church, the Roman gives us here in this list of names,

is a family drawn from every nation, tribe, people and language

who are singing God's praise from mouths and hearts unified in him, in the gospel.

And it is to be the vision of this church,

laboring and suffering together to bring glory to God for our joy.

What a picture we have.

And that's why Paul makes this sharp transition.

It feels like a very sharp transition into verse 17,

from greeting this church with warmth to a warning, this church of glory stealers.

In verse 17, he warns the church family about divisions and obstacles.

He's warning those who would actively cause division.

Described in verse 18 as not serving our Lord, but their own appetites.

How are these glory stealers recognised?

They are divisive.

They teach what is contrary to the gospel.

They are self-serving.

And they persuade people through their flattery.

They have no love for Jesus in the end.

They love themselves.

They have a rampant, expressive individualism.

It's about them.

They have no desire to be his willing servants and disciples.

They are utterly self-centred.

And their desire is to rob you of gospel hope and joy.

Now, one of the subtle ways that this has been happening across the Western church for decades

is that the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ

is less about divine rescue mission for God's glory

and more about Jesus coming as on a self-help mission to help you realise your true self.

It's turning the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ around

to the point where you are not in desperate need of rescue

that you are dead in your transgressions and sins

into a he saw potential in you.

And so the gospel becomes about you.

Turns Jesus into a love guru

who is there to affirm my opinions,

to affirm my decisions in life

and it results in a discipleship that is radically individualistic

where the church exists for my needs,

to provide programs for me

and my needs.

It's about Jesus being my saviour.

His job is to provide for me

eternal life in heaven

but has no knowledge of his lordship over my life right now.

Where I submit to him,

Jesus becomes the extra fuel in my tank

to get to the destination that I've chosen for my life.

It knows little of sacrifice,

of service,

it only knows a life of comfort and security

all in the name of Christ.

The late J.I. Packer called it

laid-back religion.

He did not know of the term excessive individualism

when he wrote that book.

And yet excessive individualism

is the culture that we are all marinating in right now.

Everything exists for my glory.

And it robs God of his glory

and it robs you of gospel joy and hope.

So how are these glory stealers stopped?

We're back into chapter 16,

verse 19.

I want you to be wise about what is good

and innocent about what is evil.

The way to stop glory stealers is in fact

to grow in wisdom and obedience to God.

That is, glory stealers are stopped

the more and more we see

and we are conformed to God's glory.

And what that means is

that against every bit of teaching you hear,

against every moral issue you face,

every choice that you are confronted with every day,

there are at least three questions to throw against it.

Does it agree with scripture?

Does it glorify the Lord Jesus?

Does it promote goodness for others?

Three questions.

In other words,

is it about me giving my life for the glory of God?

Does this decision that I'm making now

make much of me

or make much of Christ?

And the assurance is for the Christian

who continues to pursue that life

that the ultimate glory stealer,

Satan himself, verse 20,

will be crushed.

Satan was defeated by the death

and the resurrection of Jesus,

but he is yet to concede his defeat.

This is the great encouragement here

for the church of Jesus Christ.

Satan, who is the great liar,

the great liar,

and one of his chief weapons is divisive,

half-truth gospel

that puts you at the center of everything.

And when you're at the center of everything,

it means you must push other people away.

Everyone else is a threat to you being at the center

because everyone else wants your throne.

And it divides the church again and again

and again and again and again and again.

And the great news of verse 20

is that Satan has been,

he is being,

and he will be defeated.

And we, the church,

are called to resist him.

And the promise here in these verses

is that we, the church of Jesus Christ,

are not passive in this.

We play a part in the victory,

Christ's victory over Satan.

How does that happen?

Mission month.

Well, more specifically, mission.

Satan suffers a blow

every single time

someone puts their faith in Jesus Christ

and receives his righteousness

and escapes eternal damnation.

That's punching Satan,

poof, in the belly.

Every time that happens.

We take part in this victory

every single time

we obey our heavenly father joyfully.

And every time God's people worship together

in faith and unity.

and every time we sacrifice

for God's mission

to advance it in this world.

We play a part in crushing Satan.

The great liar and deceiver.

And so that brings me to the end of Romans.

What's the ending of Romans?

The glory of God

in the face of Jesus Christ.

That is,

what Paul does here at the end

is he takes us back to the beginning.

He takes us back to the gospel.

Back to chapter one.

His aim is for us

to give glory to God

by reminding us once more

of the gospel.

He reminds us firstly

of what the gospel does.

In verse 25,

he says that the gospel

is God's way

of establishing us.

The gospel is the power of God.

The gospel is how God changes people

and changes their futures.

Paul doesn't simply say here,

the gospel is able to save you.

I mean,

that's how it's normally communicated

in the Western church.

The gospel is God's way

of saving you.

It is.

But he says here,

it's God's way

of establishing you.

The gospel is not only

the entry point

of the Christian life.

It is also the way

that we continue in,

we grow in,

and we enjoy

the Christian life

in Jesus.

The gospel saves us.

The gospel transforms us.

In other words,

Paul says here,

the way to beat

the glory stealers,

continue in the gospel.

Continue embracing it.

Continue applying it

to your life.

It is the window

through which you are

to view your life,

which you are

to view society,

which you are

to view the world,

which you are

to view your future.

The gospel window.

And then,

he reminds us

in verse 25

what the gospel is.

The message I proclaim

is about Jesus Christ.

The center of the gospel

is Jesus,

the divine man

who laid aside

his glory,

became like us

in human form,

died on the cross

for our sin,

rose triumphant

over all that is evil

and wicked

so that we

might partake

in his glory

for God's glory.

Jesus Christ,

who now rules

as the king

over all of creation

for all of eternity.

The gospel

is

Jesus.

Jesus.

No one else

can save us.

No one else

can change us.

The gospel

is Jesus Christ,

the rescuer

and the ruler

who was predicted,

as it says,

has been revealed

and is now

proclaimed

to the ends

of the earth.

Proclaimed,

as verse 26 says,

so that all nations

might believe

and obey him

in verse 26.

And for 20 centuries

since Paul wrote

these words,

this gospel

has been proclaimed

and lives

have been changed

from every language,

tribe,

people,

and nation

as they embrace

Jesus

as saviour

and lord

for the glory

of God

and for their joy.

And maybe

that's the step

you need to take today.

And so as we get

to the end

of Romans,

we join with Paul

in verse 27,

to the only wise God

be glory

forever

through Jesus Christ.

Amen.

But I'm not finished yet.

God's glory,

I've used it

multiple times.

It's in fact

the title of this talk.

What is it?

God's glory

is the beginning,

it is the end,

it is the purpose

of all things.

It is the pinnacle,

it is the top

of all of Paul's

theological reasoning.

It's the thing

that binds

all of his theology

together.

It's the thing

and I,

for the sake

of your time,

I really wanted

to go through

every single chapter

of Romans

and show you

glory of God,

glory of God,

it comes up

in every single

chapter and section

of this book.

It's what holds

it all together.

It's the glue.

So what does it mean?

What does it mean,

the glory of God?

Well,

it's almost

impossible

to define.

The reason

I say that,

the word glory

is

almost the same

is the word beauty.

It's more

like beauty

than it is

like basketball.

Right?

Bear with me.

You can define

a basketball

by saying

it's round,

it's inflated,

it's used

to bounce

and you've got

to put it

through this

hoop thing.

it's part

of a game.

But you can't

do the same

with the word beauty.

As the saying

goes,

beauty is in the

eyes of the

beholder.

What might

help

is

to get a

definition

of the glory

of God

is to

contrast it

with the

holiness

of God,

which we can

define to a

degree.

God is

holy

means that

God is

in a

class of

perfection

and greatness

and value

in and of

himself,

by himself.

He is

incomparable.

Nothing

compares with

him.

He defines

all things

but it's not

defined by

anything.

His holiness

is

his

utterly

unique

and

perfect

divine

essence.

It

determines

all that

he is,

all that

he does,

and it's

determined by

nothing and

no one

outside of

himself.

His

being is

not determined

by anything

else.

His

holiness

is what

he is

as God,

which no

one else

is or

ever will

be,

and it

signifies

his

intrinsic

infinite

worth in

and of

himself.

His

holiness

is the

incomparable

perfection

and greatness

of his

divine

nature.

and we

would not

know

him

unless he

was to

reveal himself

to us.

So great

is his

holiness.

We have

no

comprehension

of grasping

his holiness

unless he

was to

reveal it

to us

and that

is what

his glory

is.

his glory

is when

he chooses

to reveal

himself.

Holy,

holy,

holy

is the

Lord

almighty.

Isaiah

6,

3.

The

whole

earth

is full

of his

glory.

He

has

himself.

He

glory.

His

glory is

the

open

revelation

of the

secret

of his

holiness.

When

God

shows

himself

to be

holy,

what we

see

is

glory,

magnificence.

glory is

the

beauty of

his

holiness

is what

we see.

The

glory of

God

is the

infinite

beauty

and

greatness

of his

manifold

perfections.

So what

do we

mean?

What

does Paul

mean when

he says

to God

be glory?

What does

that mean?

As

he ends

the

book of

Romans,

to God

be glory,

what does

he mean

by that?

Because

if he

can

understand

that,

it

helps

us

understand

what

happens

to

us?

How

do

we

do

this?

Now

the

way

that

Paul

wrote

this

in

the

original

language,

there

is

no

verb

in

this.

That's

a

doing

word.

I

have

to

keep

telling

myself

that,

verb,

doing

word,

right?

It

simply

says

in

the

original

language,

to

him

glory.

I

think

it

is

both

a

worshipful

statement

of

fact

and

it's

a

expression

of

longing.

In

worship,

we

herald

the

fact

that

God

is

glorious.

We've

done it

already

this

morning.

Whether

we

said

or

not,

we're

glorious.

He

has

it,

he

displays

it.

The

expression

of

longing

is

something

like,

may

glory

be

given

to

him,

may

people

see

him

as

glorious,

may

they

praise

him

as

glorious.

So

when I

asked you

at the

beginning

of this

message,

what

change

has

happened?

That's

the

change

I'm

looking

for.

That's

what this

whole

Romans

is

about.

Are

you

seeing

and

praising

the

glory

of God

more?

Paul.

In

other

words,

the

longing

here

from

Paul

right at

the

end

is

may

the

nations

acknowledge

him

and

treasure

him.

These

are the

final words

in

Romans

and I

want to

ask

you,

are

they

the

cry

of

your

heart?

Do

you

love

Jesus?

do

you

love

the

glory

of

God?

If

your

journey

in

Romans

has

been,

oh,

I've

got a

bit

more

clarity

on

that

verse

that's

troubling

me

all

these

years,

but

it

hasn't

flown

over

into

surrender,

adoration,

you

haven't

seen

the

glory

of

God.

God

is

calling

for

your

attention

in

Romans.

He is

calling

for

your

adoration

in

Romans

and

he's

calling

for

your

attention

and

your

adoration

every

single

day

of

the

year

because

Psalm

Psalms 19:1

19

verse

1

says

the

heavens

declare

the

glory

of

God.

God

is

calling

out

to

you

behold

my

beauty

behold

my

glory

the

gospel

is

radiant

with

the

glory

of

God

in

the

face

of

Jesus

Christ

read

your

Bibles

and

see

see

his

beauty

see

his

glory

do

you

see

it

do

you

love

it

you

were

made

for

this

something

deep

in

your

soul

is

saying

to

you

I

was

made

for

this

to

behold

the

glory

of

God

and

to

become

a

glorious

Jesus

reflecting

person

receive

the

Lord

Jesus

and

you

will

become

a

child

of

God

and

if

you

become

a

child

of

God

you

will

see

him

and

you

will

love

him

and

grow

up

all

the

way

up

to

be

like

him

for

his

glory

this

is

God's

plan

for

the

nations

it

is

plans

for

all

people

it's

his

plans

for

you

it's

his

plans

for

this

church

and

so

in

the

words

of

Martin

Luther

have

you

got

the

breakthrough

yet

do

not

plead

for it

this

morning

do

not

sit

there

in

the

malaise

of

well

I

want

Jesus

to come

into my

heart

20

years

ago

that's

good

enough

don't

sit

there

move

towards

Christ

do

you

love

God

more

are

you

enjoying

your

identity

as a

child

of

God

more

are

you

offering

yourself

to

God

in

new

ways

for

his

glory

and

your

joy

more