Witnesses that Saved and Changed the World (Romans 16:21-27) 10/6/2024

Eternal Answer of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd RUTC:

Witnesses that Saved and Changed the World (Romans 16:21-27)            10/6/2024

 

This week’s pulpit is the conclusion of Romans. It is the conclusion of Romans as well as God’s conclusion for us, and the conclusion that our lives must enjoy. What is that? God wants to save us to save the world. God wants to change us to change the world. God wants to bless us to bless the world.

The gift that God has given us for that blessing is the Gospel (Romans 1:1-11).

If we enjoy this Gospel and align our lives to spreading it, God will change everything into evidence (Romans 12-15). People must hear the Gospel through us. It says, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?” (Romans 10:14). That is why we evangelize and go on missions. Spreading the Gospel like that is important, but we must be able to share the power and blessing of the Gospel that we enjoy in our lives. Therefore, God said do not follow this world but live a life of a witness that enjoys the blessing of the Gospel, that serves, and that has no choice but to testify (“living sacrifice that is pleasing to God” (worship).

This is Jesus’ last promise (Acts 1:8). Witnesses with this evidence of Christ are Evangelists, Disciples, Spiritual Leaders that God uses, and the Summits. “Presbytery” means going ahead and setting a model.

The witnesses of Romans 16 who were blessed and used as witnesses are the conclusion of Romans. We must hold onto this conclusion.

 

  1. God wants to give us the perfect evidence of the Gospel. This is the conclusion of the covenant. What is the “covenant?” God has placed His absolute love, plan, and conclusion within the Word and has given the Word to us.

1) This does not mean people with the covenant can never make mistakes or fail. Our lives are bound to fail. That is the result of corruption of life in Genesis 3 (Romans 4:12, Ephesians 2:1, John 8:44). By Christ’s redemption (Romans 3:25), we have been eternally delivered from all sin, curses, destiny, and power of darkness (Romans 8:1-2). As he resurrected, he gave us Eternal Life, Authority, and Power. He changed our identity. We are now children of God (Romans 8:15-17). If God is for us, then who can be against us? Who can separate us from that love? (Romans 8:30-39).

2) It is up to us, how we enjoy and experience that Blessing, Identity, and Authority in our daily lives. We could have lived like an unbeliever. We could have lived a life oppressed by religion or legalism. Those things have remained as our scars, bad habits, and unbreakable strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4).

3) God will heal those things and make them into evidence to raise us as witnesses that save people like us.

We must meditate daily on the power of the Word and enjoy prayer that holds onto that Word and experience God’s power. That power of God breaks down strongholds. It will break down all our unbelief, arrogance, ideologies, and thoughts and make them obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). With that power, break down the darkness (Romans 16:20).

Especially in problems, conflicts, or crises, seek out what God desires. That is how we avoid being deceived. When problems come, do not be oppressed or stressed, but discover God’s hidden answers within prayer (Jeremiah 33:2-3). When conflicts come, do not be scarred but listen to and meditate on the Word to enjoy the blessing of healing (Hebrews 4:12). When doors close and crises come, do not be afraid but look upon the throne and wait on greater doors that God will open (Revelation 3:8).

The names recorded in the passage are all witnesses of that blessing. They faced many hardships, persecution, and pain. However, they held onto the conclusion of the covenant and became victorious witnesses. They saved and changed Rome. Their blessings, answers, and devotion were recorded as their nicknames.

 

  1. Hold onto the conclusion for your life that is within this covenant. God is writing the perfect introduction, main, and conclusion of our saved lives (Journey, History, and Masterpiece is formed)

1) My life’s past. It is the introduction that God has allowed. Verse 25 says the Gospel we hold onto “has been hidden from long ages past” (Absoluteness of Gospel).

Why was the Gospel prepared long ages past? Omniscient and Omnipotent God knew of Adam’s fall and had already prepared. He knows the pain, scars, failures of our past. He chose and called us so that we could receive the Gospel. He made us holy by the blood of Christ (Ephesians 1:3-5, Romans 8:30).

Within this Gospel, He will make all our past into Testimony and Platform. God knew that Paul would live a part of his life as a failure and persecutor of the church in legalism, religion, and authority. God called Paul “my chosen instrument” that will save kings, Gentiles, and Israelites like him (Acts 9:15). Do not be bound by your past (Isaiah 43:18-19). It is an introduction. It is a platform that will allow you to be used for the work that God desires.

2) My life’s present. It is the main theme that God has allowed. Verse 26 says that the Gospel that will save you and the world has “been revealed” (Completeness of Gospel).

That fulfilled Gospel has been permitted to us in this age. Within that Complete Gospel, our today has been permitted. That is why whatever happens today and now are opportunities to experience the power, answer, and blessing of the Gospel.

Give thanks today, restore your faith today, do your tasks today, and enjoy your today. James 4:14 says you do not know the things of tomorrow. We are like a passing mist that appears for a little while and vanishes.

Even if you get angry, do not let it carry over to the next day. If you think of something that you need to repent or ask for forgiveness, do not let it carry over to the next day. It will not resolve itself in time. It will remain as scars. That is what Satan attacks (Ephesians 4:25-26).

3) My life’s future. It is the conclusion that God has prepared. Verse 27 says, “to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ” (Eternality of Gospel). We may face various hardships, conflicts, and failures in life. However, those things will not be our conclusion.

God will lead us by His wisdom to make everything God’s Glory. That is the conclusion (Deuteronomy 34:7, 1King 29:28, Job 42:10-12).

One day, we must stand before God. Even then, we must be able to look upon the Eternal Answers and Blessings that God has prepared. Whatever you store, store it in heaven. Whatever you sow, you will reap what you sow (Inheritance, Masterpiece, Legacy).

 

Conclusion – We call America the Rome of this age. That is why the book of Romans is important, and we who live in America are important. The best of the world has gathered here, but there are so many spiritual problems (Revelation 18:1-3). That is why God must save us, our church, and our posterity to raise us as witnesses and models, that will save and change this land. That is the conclusion of Romans, conclusion of God, and conclusion of our lives. May we all remain in the blessing of the “witnesses that save and change the world.”

10_6_24 Witnesses That Saved And Changed The World (Romans 16-21-27)

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