Built to Last
(Romans 16:1-27)
Intro
1. My kids just got a puppy that is scared of every appliance in the house, but one in particular. I suggested they name the dog, “Nature.” Because nature abhors a vacuum.
2. Appliances are not what they used to be. Old appliances were built to last.
3. We had a water heart in the church that last well over 45 years. Now 5 to 10.
4. The Roman Coliseum is a mess, not because of age, but because people in the past cannibalized the stones to build houses.
5. Even lumber is not what it used to be. Different grades of strength. Lumber: 1 X 4s, 2 X 4s, 4 X 4’s, and up it goes.
6. Good quality products are built to last, they are reinforced and made with heavy, solid materials.
Main Idea: Church congregations need to withstand storms: changes in membership, changes in leadership, differing political situations, changes in culture, and a host of potential challenges. Church congregations need to be strengthened and reinforced.
I. Reinforced by Strong RELATIONSHIPS (1-16, 21-23)
Dr. Thomas Constable writes: This last chapter is very letter-like in its spontaneous arrangement of material. Paul evidently related matters as they occurred to him. He named 36 persons in this chapter. Eight of these people were with Paul, and the rest were in Rome. He identified 27 men and seven women by name, plus two more by their relationship to someone else. In addition, he referred to at least two households (Romans 16:10-11) and three house churches (Romans 16:5; Romans 16:14-15) plus some other unnamed brethren (Romans 16:14) and two other women (Romans 16:13; Romans 16:15). The households may be house churches too. Most of the names are Gentile, reflecting the mainly Gentile population of the church in Rome, and most are those of slaves and freedmen and freedwomen.”
A. Never visiting the Roman church, Paul bonded with several members ABROAD.
1. The early church’s strategy for outreach emphasized winning extended family groups, as evidenced by Paul’s relatives Andronicus and Junias (7) and Herodian (11).
2. He had built strong bonds with a number of the Roman Christians, some of whom he met when they were in temporary exile from Rome
3. Some were government servants, others unusually hard workers in God’s Kingdom, while others are mentioned as beloved.
• Epaenetus was Paul’s first convert in Asia
• Rufus (13) was son of Simon the Cyrene (he helped carry the cross) –see Mark 15:21
B. Women always played a CRUCIAL role in church life.
(9 out of 26)
I Timothy 2:11-12a only restricts women from two things: teaching men (Bible or doctrine) or being in authority over men (as in the case of elders or pastors) in a church gathering;
“Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man…”
• Phoebe is called a deaconess in the Greek; she was visiting Rome, so Paul sent a letter to vouch for her; Christians are always wise to protect themselves from charlatans, addicts, etc.; there is nothing spiritual about being gullible
• Priscilla and Aquila worked as a team, risking their lives, host the church in their house (3-5); in Acts 18, they were instrumental in leading Apollos to a deeper faith in the Lord
• many women mentioned in this passage
C. These believers were not merely acquaintances, but also developed AFFECTION for Paul.
The Kiss of verse 16 --- not a ritual, but an ancient form of greeting and affection; perhaps equivalent to the modern hug
II. Reinforced by Shoring Up Our VULNERABILITIES (17-18)
• Luke had knee surgery, friends donated a rocking chair….the dowell rod on the back rest kept popping out on one side…had to address its vulnerability…
A. By taking PRO-ACTIVE measures, not merely reactive ones
1. Like learning the Word
2. Like taking appropriate precautions (Mike Pence)
3. Knowing which doctrines we should separate over, and which not.
The five Solas: Scripture the Final Word, Salvation by Grace along through faith alone in Christ alone to the Glory of God alone.
4. Monitoring ourselves for gullibility
B. Perceiving vulnerabilities WITHIN the congregation (17-21)
1. DIVISION
2. DECEPTION
3. EGO
C. Keeping LIMBER and monitoring spiritual battles (19-20).
1. The battle within us: ATTITUDES (19)
----discerning obedience, not blind obedience…
JB Phillips, “I want to see you experts in good and not even beginners in evil”
2. The battle against our adversary, SATAN (20)
Genesis 3:15, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring…”
---the Roman believers must have been going through some great trials or persecutions…
• the crushing of Satan is a temporary preview of his final crushing (Gen. 3:16)
“…resist the devil and he will flee” (James 4:7
3. Is Satan more active, less active, or just as active as he was then?
4. His strategies: sowing wheat among the tares, inhibiting the sharing of the Gospel, enticing believers to fall into sin that will negate their credibility, distracting churches and Christians from their true mission by focusing on side-issues, creating societies and cultures that make the Gospel sound absurd or make it difficult for Christians to live Christ-like lives, breaking up families….gender confusion, whatever destroys God’s purposes….
III. Reinforced by Focusing on Our PURPOSE (25-27)
As a congregation, we exist to glorify God and corporately love God and others. But there is a specific direction for the church.
Year ago, in 1996, we remodeled the parlor. Some of the committee asked about dividing the library in two and putting half in room 200. Our answer was that we were decorating around our purposes and functions, not making our functions adjust to the décor.
A. DEEPENING (25)
the idea of “establish” in verse 25
B. REACHING (26)
“so that all nations may believe” (26)
C. CONNECTING (27)
Application: If we get off on tangents, then we will not be as effective….
….Making the world a better place
…..Building the most beautiful church building in town
…..Making everyone happy
…..Trying to match the quality of Hollywood in music, décor, or presentation
