Now here Romans 16 is the conclusion
of Paul's letter to the church at Rome. He gives greetings to
several of the people there. As we read through these first
verses, you'll notice how many of them are women. And I know,
you know, that authority in the church is given to men to preach
and to teach and to lead the church. But by no means does
that ever mean that women are second class citizens. by any
stretch of the imagination. Each child of God is important. They're precious. And just humanly
speaking, the church on earth would not be near as pleasant
if it wasn't for women. I mean, this place would just
have white walls and black carpet. It wouldn't be a pleasant place
if men did the decorating. We wouldn't have flowers and
nice things. They wouldn't be near as nice just being with
one another. Women just make life nicer. You're
nicer than men. It's what my wife tells me all
the time. And through, in this letter, his greetings, you'll
notice how Paul mentions several faithful women. Women who served
with him in the gospel, who were a help to him. Paul was the one
doing the preaching and ministering to people in the Word. Don't
be deceived that these women were an enormous help to him.
They're faithful to the Lord, faithful to him, and he's thankful. He's thankful to know these faithful
women. As I studied this the last few
days, I thought, we are too. Now, we are, and I'm very thankful.
And you'll notice that both men and women, that Paul was careful
to thank them, to tell them, I'm grateful, I'm thankful to
you. And we do thank God for each other. God gave you the
faith and the gift to do the things that you do. But we're
grateful to each other, too. I don't just thank the Lord for
you. I thank you because I'm just very thankful. And that's
what Paul's doing in the first part of this chapter. In verse
one, he starts out, he says, I commend unto you Phoebe, our
sister, which is a servant of the church, which is in Centuria,
that she receive her and the Lord has become a saint. and
that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you.
For she hath been a succorer, a helper of many, and of myself
also." Apparently, from what I read, Phoebe was a rather wealthy
woman in business, and she was in Rome on a business trip, or
she would soon be in Rome on a business trip. She was known
to be a hospitable woman. She'd helped many all around
the world, and when they'd come to her town, she was very helpful
to them, hospitable. And Paul says, now you receive
her in the Lord. Receive her as a sister for the
Lord's sake. And that's teaching us how we
should be hospitable to each other, particularly those who
are traveling. They come into town and receive them, make them
feel welcome and help them. You know, Paul says whatever
business she has need of you there when she's in town, you
help her in her business. Just be hospitable to one another
because family does that. They support one another. He
says in verse 3, says, Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my helpers
in Christ Jesus, who have for my life laid down their own necks,
unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of
the Gentiles. Likewise, greet the church that
is in their house. Salute my well-beloved Eponidas,
who is the firstfruits of the Chai unto Christ. Now this couple,
Priscilla and Aquila, Paul lived with them when he was in Corinth.
They were tent makers. Apparently Paul had that same
skill. They made tents together. They risked their life to house
Paul, to help him. That was not a popular decision
to help the Apostle Paul. And he's thankful. And not only
did they help Paul, all the churches of the Gentiles, they were known
to be people who helped them, served with them. And so Paul
sends his greetings, his thanks. In verse 6 he says, Greet Mary.
who bestowed much labor on us. Salute Androconitus and Juna,
my kinsmen, my fellow prisoners who are of note among the apostles,
who also were in Christ before me. Greet Ampelus, my beloved
in the Lord. Salute Urbain, our helper in
Christ, and Stachys, my beloved, and Apelles, approved in Christ. Salute them which are of Aristobulus's
household. Salute Herodian, my kinsman.
Greet them that be of the household of Narcissus, which are in the
Lord. Salute Tryphaena and Tryphosa,
who labor in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis, which
labored much in the Lord. All these different people, men
and women, you see how much labor they bestowed on the to help
the gospel be preached. And each of us, every believer,
is involved in the ministry, in helping the ministry, supporting
the ministry. Everybody doesn't preach, but
everybody's involved in the ministry. And people think, well, you know,
I don't do anything, or I don't matter, or I'm just a woman,
I don't matter. Well, yes, you do, too. Now,
you do. You matter a great deal. Certainly
to the Lord and to the rest of us too. And you'd be amazed how
just a kind word, a supportive word, will help your pastor in
the ministries. It's amazing just what a little
kindness, how it'll help. And to take care of all the details
of everything that's got to be taken care of, that's way too
much for one man to take care of. Everybody's involved. And
when you're someone like Paul who travels, you know, I've done
a little bit of traveling and preaching, and somebody just
takes care of you, you know, while you're there, gives you
a place to stay, feeds you. It's just so appreciated. It's
kind of embarrassing the way people go out of their way just
to treat you a whole lot better than you deserve. People do that
to me, I think, they don't really know me. They wouldn't treat
me this nice. It's very, you know, here you
are traveling, they make you sandwiches for the road. And,
you know, just, I mean, it's nice. And that's the things that
these people are doing, they're laboring with Paul in the gospel.
And he says in verse 13, he says, Salute Rufus, chosen in the Lord
and his mother and mine. Now this man, Rufus, He was chosen
in the Lord. That's the first thing we notice
about him. Elect. Elect of God. Chosen by God.
And his mother apparently too. And Paul calls Ruth's mother,
my mother. She's like a mother to him. You
know, I can just imagine Paul's there traveling and she's just
mothering him. Just hovering over him. Just mothering him. He just won't
let him lift a finger. Just mothering him. Things that
women can do. Men don't do that. Men aren't
that nurturing, as my wife frequently points out to me. Women can do
that. And she's very important to the
Apostle Paul. And don't be mistaken that that
is not a huge help. When we think of the Apostle
Paul, we think of a warrior, a man who stood for the gospel
despite All obstacles. Beaten. In prison. His life's
in danger. Stood before kings who would
take his life. And never one time backed down
a man of strong faith and courage. Yet he goes to Rufus' house and
he's taken care of. Just spoiled, rotten. And don't
think that that hardened soldier of Christ didn't appreciate it.
Oh, he appreciated it. Henry said in his outline, believers
are more to one another than holders of common doctrine. We have a whole lot more in common
right here than we just believe the same doctrine. It is a whole
lot more than that. We're family. My girls, as long
as they could talk, have had Uncle Dan and Aunt Dee. Now,
we weren't born from the same mother and father, but that's
her uncle. Uncle Dan and Aunt Dee. It's
that close, tight-knit, just that you would love one another,
that you're there for one another. It's family. That's what he's
teaching. That's what believers are. And we're taught, not only
are you given that affection in the new birth, but to show
it. Look at verse 16. He says, salute one another with
an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute
you. Now we're given this affection, this love for
Christ and love for His people. And we're to show it too. To
show that genuine love and affection for each other. This is not for
a faith thing. This is not, you know, that you
kind of put on show for everybody else. Everybody says, oh, look
how loving He is. It's not just for show. Like Judas, when he
kissed the Lord, that was to betray him. It's a genuine love
and care for one another. My daughter Holly called me yesterday
afternoon. She'd been down to the conference
in Danville. She's leaving to go back to her
dorm. And she was telling me about
Donny Bell's message. He preached where Joseph revealed himself
to his brethren. And he got up and he kissed them.
And he said, that's a, you know, he said, we greet one another
with a holy kiss. He said, I greet you. I haven't
seen you in a long time. He said, I'll kiss you on the cheek. He said, I
kiss my wife, Mary Bell, square on the mouth because I love her.
And that's what Paul, a holy kiss. You know, you don't have
to, you know what that means, but Donnie put it good. And you
feel this, you feel this affection for one another. Henry said,
if this kind of love is strange to you, it's probably because
the Lord's love is strange to you. You feel this love and we're
to show it to one another in genuine affection and care for
one another. But now, in the midst of these
warm greetings and love for one another, love for the family
of God, there comes a warning. Now, the gospel, the gospel,
The gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ unites believers in love,
100% of the time and without exception. And you just beware
when that's not the case, when that's not true. Look at verse
17. He says, Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause
divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which you have
learned, and avoid them. Now, you just beware of people
who cause division and dissension everywhere they go. To preach
the gospel is to preach the Lord Jesus Christ. It's not to always
preach, well, this one's wrong and this one's wrong and this
one's wrong and this one's wrong and this one's wrong. We do warn
because scripture does about false doctrine and things. But
if you're going to preach the gospel, that's not where you
spend the majority of your time. It's preaching Christ and Him
crucified. That kind of preaching divides. Now, the gospel does divide. That's what Scripture teaches.
It divides believers from unbelievers. But it doesn't divide brethren.
It doesn't divide believers from one another. The gospel will
never divide believers. It can't do it. And a man who
claims to preach the gospel but causes division is a false prophet. Now that's just so. And Paul
says you mark them and you separate yourself from them. And it's
not because of personality difference. It's not because they want to
order their service in some different way than what we're used to.
It's doctrine. Paul says you avoid them. You
mark them. They cause these divisions and
offenses because they're preaching something that's contrary to
the doctrine which you've learned. Look over at Titus chapter 3. Titus 3 verse 10. A man that is a heretic, after
the first and second admonition, rejects Now I look that word
heretic up, a man that isn't heretic. And it means what we
think of as a heretic, a follower of false doctrine. But it's also
a follower of a man-made doctrine, not something that came from
God, something that's man-made. And also, you know what that
word means? One who causes schisms, divisions. And that's what a
heretic is. One of the old writers, I think
it was Matthew Henry, said this, and this is so true. If the truth
be once deserted, unity and peace will not last long. Unity and
peace will never last once the truth of Christ is forsaken. Never will. And one that does
that, we're to reject him. We're to have nothing to do with
their ministry because their word eats like a cancer. It slowly
but surely kills. And you avoid them like the plague.
Don't bid them Godspeed. Don't entertain them in your
homes. They're a heretic. They teach a different doctrine
than what you've learned from the scriptures. Now they call
it the same thing. They try to say it falls under
the same heading, but it's different. Listen to what John Gill said
about them. They use the same vocabulary. They use the same
words. They use the same phrases that
you've heard in the past, but they attach a different meaning
to them. That's what John Gill said. How
many years ago did he write? And the different old writers
from years and years ago that I read on this, these verses,
you can tell they're very familiar with situations like this. They
don't mention any individual case by name or any individual
man by name, but it's very obvious they're intimately familiar with
men like this. And that was helpful to me. I
don't know if it is to you, but it's helpful to me. There's nothing
new under the sun. The things that we see happen
today happened in the Apostles day, which is why Paul had to
mention it. It happened in Gil's day, Matthew Henry's day, and
Spurgeon's day. Well, we shouldn't be surprised
it's happening today, too. And you know why it's happening?
Because wherever the gospel is preached, it will be under attack. It will be imitated and come
under attack. Now, what are the doctrines that
you've learned? Do you hear something different from the doctrine that
you've heard preached? Well, first, We've learned we're
dead in Adam. My wife was talking to a lady
about this at work yesterday. I think it was. When Adam fell,
we died. That was kind of news to this
very religious, but it was news to her. When Adam fell, we died. Became incapable of doing anything
to please God. But we're made alive in Christ.
We're not justified through the law, through our keeping the
law. It's through faith. in Christ. We're not made righteous
by something we do, it's through the imputed righteousness of
Christ. Salvation comes from the sovereign choice, the sovereign
mercy of God. It's been bought, redemption
has been bought by the blood of His Son. A believer has been
made dead to sin and made alive in Christ. Faith cometh by hearing
the Word of God. It does something we decide to
do for God one day. It comes as a gift of God through
the Word of God. Salvation is the work of the
entire Godhead. God the Father elected a people
simply because it seemed good in His sight. Not because they
did anything different or they would do anything different.
Simply because He chose them. His sovereign choice. The Son
came and redeemed. every single one the Father elected. He worked out a perfect righteousness
imputed to them. He shed His blood. He sacrificed
His body on the tree to pay for their sin. And God the Holy Spirit
comes and regenerates every single one of them. Gives them new life. He doesn't just give some life
to this old flesh. He gives new life where there
was not life before. A brand new man has been born
of God. You have now a new nature that
loves God and loves one another, despite whatever physical differences
there may be. We know we're to follow after
those things that promote peace and unity in God's family. And
when someone departs from those things, avoid them. That's what
that's what scripture is teaching. And I can tell you why men get
into this position. They love the affection and the
love that a pastor receives. They see the way people respond
to their pastor. They love him. They recognize
him as a spiritual leader. They admire him. They'll do anything
for him. You know, everybody would like
to be recognized as a wise spiritual leader, you know, have that reputation
and that character. I was watching college football
yesterday because that's what I do on Saturdays during college
football season. I saw an interview with Bobby
Bowden, coach at Florida State, and he was talking about character.
He said, young men today, he said, this is not taught character. He said, you don't just walk
into the room and say, I've got character. It takes years and
years and years to establish that and earn it, and it can
be done away with in one bad decision. Well, a man just doesn't
walk in and say, well, I'm the pastor, and get the kind of respect
and love that a man's had when he's been doing it for 40, 50
years. It doesn't happen that way. But
that's why they get into the ministry, because that's what
they want, that praise of men. They get into the ministry not
to serve God, or you, but themselves. It's out of pride. It's ambition.
It's covetousness. They want to look smart. You
know, people think preachers are smart. I mean, they just
really think preachers are smart. You wouldn't believe how many
times somebody finds out I do this and they start asking questions
and I say, I don't know. I'm not all that bright. I don't
know. But they want men to think that
about themselves. They want to come up with something
people haven't heard before. Look at verse 18. Here's their
description. For they that are such serve
not our Lord Jesus Christ. but their own belly, and by good
words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the sinful. See,
these men do not have the glory of Christ at heart, and they
don't have your good at heart either. Their main interest is
their own belly, their own fleshly security, and they'll say anything
to keep a paycheck. God's pastor doesn't do this
for a paycheck. But these men do it for a paycheck
and they'll compromise practically anything to keep it. Anything. Or make that paycheck
bigger. They'll say, well, you don't
have to believe it just like I do. You know, this is what I'm preaching,
but it's okay. You don't have to believe it
like I do. Well, you don't have to believe it just like I do,
but you've got to believe it just like God said it. It's not
a compromise. You've got to believe it like
the Word says it. So, in order to get around that,
well, they'll just change the meaning of Scripture and say,
well, it doesn't mean what it says. God's Word means what it
says. It means precisely what it says.
And you know why they're willing to change what God's Word says?
Say, well, it doesn't mean that. Because something, whatever it
is, and typically it's their belly, it's their paycheck, is
more important to them than God's Word. That's why they're willing
to change it. If God's Word is what's most
important, you won't compromise it, will you? And the reason
that they do this is they seek to please men because they think
their security really comes from what men will give a man an offering,
not what the Lord will provide. And they use Scripture to do
it. This is the heart of evil. That's a strong word. I thought
about that this morning. I was going over my notes. That's a
strong word. Evil. But that's exactly what
it is. What did Satan do when he deceived
Eve? Use God's word. Evil. And that's where it comes from.
From the very first time you saw it done in scripture, it's
evil. And they twist the scriptures
for their own good. That's handling the word of God
deceitfully. And they're able to do it by
acting very, very religious. They use good sounding words.
They have all these doctrinal words they use. Fair speeches. I mean, buddy, they can preach.
They can be an orator in front of men and sound so impressive
with this deep doctrinal messages. It's not a blessing to anybody
because the message is in Christ. It's doctrine. But there's no
life in it. But it's deep, buddy. It's doctrinal. It's been studied out and go
from point to point to point very carefully. And people go
away thinking, wow, that's impressive. It wasn't a blessing to me and
it must not have been a blessing to me because I'm just not as
smart as him. If you don't understand exactly
what I'm saying, it's not your fault, it's mine. It's my fault. And that goes for every preacher
you ever hear. If you don't understand what we're saying, that's my
fault, not your fault. And the heartbreaking thing about
this is these men prey on the simple. You know, people are not that
complicated. I mean, some people are, but
most people are not complicated. People go to churches, religious
gatherings on Sundays and Wednesdays and wherever else they go. Because
they're looking for something, they're looking for something
that they don't have. Maybe they they know they're
lacking something, they have some concern or fear about eternity,
and they're looking for somebody to tell them what to do. Honestly,
they're not that complicated. And they think the preacher is
so wise. He's a man of God. If he can't tell them the answers,
he can tell them where the answers are found. That's why they go
to him. And they're willing to sacrifice
nearly anything to get that security, to get what they feel they're
missing. They're willing to be separated from their money. They're
willing to be separated from their family and friends. If
the preacher tells them, that'll make God happy. They're just
not that complicated. Nobody is. being harsh on them
now, that's the way all of us are if we'd be out there today
if God hadn't prevented us from it. And even believers have to
be warned about these things now. It's not just something
that the world... I'm talking to us. We need to
be warned about this. Because look what Paul says in
verse 19. For your obedience is come abroad unto all men.
I'm glad therefore in your behalf. But yet, I would have you wise
unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil." Believers
are sheep, aren't they? That's what believers are called
in Scripture. The Lord told Peter, feed my
sheep, feed my lambs. Other sheep I have which are
not of his foal, them also I must bring. I'm the good shepherd
of my sheep. My sheep know my voice. And sheep
are obedient. They're followers of the shepherd. They're followers of the Lord
and of His servants. They'll follow. And men know
you to be obedient. Your fame has gone out abroad
and people know about your faith, your love, and your obedience.
And that's the way it ought to be. By all means, that's the
way it ought to be. But that makes you a big target for these
fellows. It sure does. They want to find
out if you'll be obedient to them. Because if you will, their
money worries are over. Their bellies filled the rest
of their lives. If you'll be obedient to them, they know it.
Thieves are a whole lot more interested in the Brinks truck
than my wallet. Because there's something they
want in that Brinks truck. It's a big haul in one spot. And that's the way they see the
sheep. They see the sheep as a lamb chop. Not as one to be
loved and taken care of and taught and protected. And Paul tells
these Roman believers, I'm glad that you're obedient to the Lord
and you're obedient to this scripture, but you beware. Be wise enough
to recognize evil, but don't be well versed in using it. Be
wise enough to recognize a counterfeit $100 bill when you see it, but
don't be wise enough to not make one. That's what he's saying.
Look at Matthew chapter 10. In Matthew 10 verse 16, Behold,
I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves. Be ye therefore
wise as serpents and harmless as doves. Be as wise as the serpent,
but not as subtle as the old serpent, which deceived Eve. Be wise enough to recognize evil,
but be harmless and loving and kind. Now you might think, Frank, that's
awful depressing. To think I'm going to spend the
rest of my life as a sheep in the midst of wolves. Always got
to be on the watch for false prophets who are trying to take
advantage of me. Because sheep don't want to do that. You don't
want to spend the rest of your life fighting. I'm willing to
contend for the gospel. But what I seek is peace. This
is peaceful. To be able to meet together with
my brothers and sisters in peace and worship the Lord. We want
peace. We'll look at what Paul said
in verse 20. And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your
feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
be with you. Amen. The battle is not yours,
but God's. He's going to bruise Satan very
shortly. He already has. He's already
bruised his head. Very shortly he's going to put him away forever.
Fulfill that very first promise of Scripture. And the grace,
Paul says, and it'll happen quickly, by the way. The Lord says, behold,
I come quickly. The battle's over. And pretty
soon, he'll show himself as the victor. And Paul prays for grace
for us, because whatever situation you find yourself in, when you're
in the sheep and among the wolves, his grace will be sufficient.
Now verse 25, and I'll quit. Now to him that is a power to
establish you according to my gospel. and the preaching of
Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which
was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest,
and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment
of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the
obedience of faith. To God only wise, be glory through
Jesus Christ forever. Amen. Now we need to be established,
and the one who has the power to establish us is the Lord.
He'll establish it, and He'll do it by the Gospel, through
the preaching of Jesus Christ, through the preaching of the
Scriptures. That's how He'll do it. And that's
understood, and it's received, and it's believed by faith, by
God-given faith. It's all of the Lord. He called
us. He redeemed us. He's the one who established
us. He's the one who gave us faith. It's all of Him.