Romans Week 12 | Ordinary People, One Gospel, One Mission

INTRODUCTION

Well guys, we’ve made it. We have walked through the depths of human sin and climbed the heights of God’s saving grace in this letter. It’s been quite a ride, hasn't it? We’ve seen that we are justified by faith alone, transformed by the renewing of our minds, and united as one body in Christ. But Paul doesn't end Romans with just a "feel-good" altar call. He ends with a sending call.

But you know, Paul is like that friend who says he’s leaving the party but then stands at the door for forty-five minutes talking. He’s got "one more thing" to say, and it’s usually the most practical stuff in the whole letter. In chapters 15 and 16, Paul shows us what the gospel actually looks like on the ground: in our relationships, our leadership, and our mission. It’s about how the gospel lands in real life.

The same gospel that saves us also shapes us and then sends us out. We’re going to see three movements today: unity through love, unity through mission, and unity through relationships.

The gospel makes us one family: welcoming, serving, partnering in mission, and guarding our unity for God’s glory.

The gospel isn't just a finish line we cross; it’s the fuel for the mission we’ve been given.

1. BEAR WITH ONE ANOTHER IN CHRIST

Romans 15:1–13 

We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 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 glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.” And again it is said, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.” And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him.” And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope.” May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

What Does it Mean? Exegesis:

Paul is wrapping up the discussion from chapter 14 about the "strong" and the "weak" in faith. Back then, they were arguing about what to eat. Today, we argue about the volume of the music or how cold the AC is. 

In the Roman church, this usually meant those who felt free to eat anything (strong) versus those who still felt bound by Jewish dietary laws (weak). Paul makes it clear: the goal of the Christian life is not "freedom to do whatever I want." It is the "freedom to serve." He uses the word "obligation." We are obligated to carry the burdens of others.

Look at verse 3. Our ultimate example is Christ. Jesus didn't come to demand His rights. He took our hits. And verse 4 tells us why we need this Book—it gives us the "staying power" to keep loving people when they get on our nerves or whatever. The goal is "one voice." When we welcome each other—quirks, bad habits, and all—just as Christ welcomed us, it turns the volume up on God’s glory. 

The ultimate goal of all this "bearing with one another" isn't just to be "nice." It’s so that the church can have "one voice" (verse 6). When a church is divided over small opinions, the world can't hear the gospel. But when we welcome each other like Christ welcomed us—flaws and all—God gets the glory. Paul then quotes the Old Testament four times to show that God always intended for the Gentiles (the non-Jews) to be part of the family. He ends with a prayer that God would fill us with joy and peace, but notice it's "in believing." Our hope comes from trust, not our circumstances.

Romans 15:8–13 shows that Christ came to serve the Jewish people as the fulfillment of all of God's promises to them. In doing so, He also became the hope of the Gentile peoples around the world. The Old Testament prophecies reveal that God's plan was always to receive praise from the Gentiles and to make it possible for them to be included in His grace. Paul prays a blessing of hope, joy, peace, and power for his Roman readers.

Application:

• Identify one area where you are "strong" and use it to build up another believer.

• Ask yourself this week: "Lord, is there anything in me that needs to change?"

• Share a verse of encouragement with someone this week to help them "abound in hope."

Harmony in the church sounds like one voice, but it’s made up of many different people being served by one Savior.

2. LIVE ON MISSION

Romans 15:14–33 

I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another. But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God. For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ; and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, but as it is written, “Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.” 

This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you. But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while. At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints. For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. For they were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings. When therefore I have completed this and have delivered to them what has been collected, I will leave for Spain by way of you. I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ. I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, so that by God's will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company. May the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

What Does it Mean? Exegesis:

Paul shifts here to talk about his own heart and ministry. He calls himself a "minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles." He uses language from the temple—calling his preaching a "priestly service." He sees the Gentiles he leads to Christ as a "holy offering" to God.

This isn't just a job for Paul; it's a sacred calling. 

Notice Paul’s "holy ambition" in verse 20. He wants to go where the name of Jesus has never been heard. He doesn't want to just build on what someone else started; he wants to break new ground. This is why he hasn't been to Rome yet. He’s been too busy spreading the gospel from Jerusalem all the way to Illyricum (modern-day Balkans) — which is basically like saying he’s walked from Miami to New York preaching at every gas station along the way.

Paul also shows us that the gospel creates a practical, global family. He’s taking a collection from Gentile churches in Greece (Macedonia and Achaia) to give to the poor Jewish Christians in Jerusalem. He says the Gentiles "owe it to them." If you’ve received spiritual life from the Jewish roots of the faith, you should be happy to provide material help when they are in need. 

Finally, he asks folks to "strive together" with him in prayer. Prayer isn't just something we do before a meal; it’s a form of spiritual "striving" or wrestling alongside those on the mission field.

How Do We Apply This?

1. Ask God to give you a "holy ambition" for those in your life who have never heard the gospel.

2. Recognize that your material resources are meant to bless the larger family of God.

3. Commit to "striving" in prayer for the missionaries in your midst and the missionaries at large.

We don't just go to church; we are the church, sent into the world to make His name known.

3. PROTECT THE UNITY OF THE FAMILY

Romans 16:1–27 

I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at Cenchreae, that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well. Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. Greet also the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in Asia. Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles, and they were in Christ before me. Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys. Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the family of Aristobulus. Greet my kinsman Herodion. Greet those in the Lord who belong to the family of Narcissus. Greet those workers in the Lord, Tryphaena and Tryphosa. Greet the beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord. Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; also his mother, who has been a mother to me as well. Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers who are with them. Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. 

Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you. I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you; so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen. I Tertius, who wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord. Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus, greet you. 

Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith—to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

What Does it Mean? Exegesis:

Most people skip Romans 16 because it's a long list of names, but don't do that! This is a list of the "heroes" of the church back then. We see Phoebe, who likely carried this letter to Rome. We see Priscilla and Aquila, who "risked their necks" for Paul. We see Junia, who suffered in prison. This list shows us that the church is made up of ordinary people—slaves, royal households, women, and men—all working together. It’s a shout-out list to the ordinary people who made the church work. 

But then, right in the middle of these warm greetings, Paul drops a serious warning in verse 17. He says to "watch out" for people who cause divisions. These aren't just people with different opinions; these are people who teach things "contrary to the doctrine" you were taught. Paul says they don't serve Christ; they serve their own "appetites."

They use "smooth talk and flattery" to deceive people.

Paul’s advice is simple: avoid them. We have to be "wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil." This doesn't mean we are mean; it means we are protective of our family. He ends with a promise: the "God of peace" will soon crush Satan under your feet.

This is a direct callback to Genesis 3. When the church stays unified in the truth, the enemy is defeated. He concludes the whole letter with a "doxology"—a hymn of praise—to the only wise God through Jesus Christ.

How Do We Apply This?

1. Take time to "greet" and honor the ordinary people in our church who work hard behind the scenes.

2. Be on guard against "smooth talkers" who try to create division or move us away from the core truths of the gospel.

3. Ask God to help you be "wise to what is good and innocent to what is evil" in your daily decisions.

People will know we belong to Jesus not by how much we know, but by how much we love and protect one another.

GOSPEL CONNECTION AND CONCLUSION

Romans ends with a beautiful doxology, praising the God who strengthens us through the gospel. This whole letter has been about one Savior, one gospel, and one mission. Whether you are a "Phoebe" or an "Aquila," whether you feel strong or weak today, you are part of this story.

If you are in Christ, you are welcomed, you are forgiven, and you are sent. The same Jesus who empowered Paul is the same Jesus who is saving and strengthening people today. Let’s be a people who live out this gospel together for His glory.