How
many of you like mystery stories? I certainly do. When I was younger, I loved
watching mystery TV shows such as the “Perry Mason” movies, “Columbo” and
“MacLeod”. Even now I like watching TV shows such “CSI: NY” and all three
versions of “NCIS”. I also like reading mystery stories and novels, so it’s not
surprising that I really liked the reading we heard from Romans 16:25-27 a few
minutes ago.
This
reading is a prayer of praise to God. It ascribes glory and worth to God’s
name. Paul wanted the Christians in Rome to be established, firm and unmoved in
their commitment to the truth of the Gospel. There is a mystery surrounding the
revelation of God. The part of God that was not revealed in the Old Testament
was revealed in the New Testament.
Paul’s
Letter to the Romans explains the salvation that has come by God’s grace for
God’s glory. Romans 16:25-27 is appropriate for the Fourth Sunday in Advent.
Christ was born so that God’s glory and grace could be brought into our
sin-filled world. God’s grace is the only way we can be restored to him. Since
we are separated from him, we are in exile just like the Israelites were in
exile in Egypt. God comforts his exiled people by promising the world-changing
display of his glory. That display was
the birth of Jesus.
Paul
reminds the Christians in Rome that God commanded that his Scriptures be
preached throughout the world so that all people can obey God’s command to
believe. We must remember that while we are celebrating the Advent of our
Saviour, that Saviour is also the reason for the season. The reason we
celebrate Advent is to remind us that the mystery Paul spoke of in this passage
is no longer a mystery or a secret.
Romans
16:25-27 is a doxology or song of praise that praises God for his work through
Jesus. It summarizes the major themes of the Letter to the Romans. Paul has
outlined the great themes of salvation in this letter. He urges the Romans and
us to live as Christians and spread the Gospel to the whole world. In order to
have the strength to do this work, we must always look to Jesus and the mystery
of salvation that was revealed on that first Christmas 2,000 years ago.
The
gospel was revealed by the Father through Jesus Christ. God revealed what had been hidden for so long
when Christ died and rose again. Christ conquered death for himself and for
everyone who believes in him in faith. Our sinful nature estranged us from God,
but Christ’s death and resurrection reconciled us to God. Adam’s sin led to our
condemnation, and Christ’s righteousness made our justification possible. God
is wise and deserves glory forever and ever. He sees all, and he can take our
foolishness and give us wise hearts. He knows our beginning and our ending, and
his wisdom holds us together, especially when times are tough.
We
are to listen to God with a heart that is filled with faith. We are to honor God
because he plans to bring all peoples and nations together in faith. Obedience
to God and listening to God means that we have to listen to what he tells us
and apply our hearts and minds to those words.
Jesus
is the access route that we have to take for our salvation. That’s why he was
born on that first Christmas. He places us securely and permanently in a
position of faith, blessing and peace. God gets us to a spiritual place where
our faith can’t be shaken and where life’s trials strengthen our faith.
Why
should God receive glory? He gives us strength through his message. He revealed
his will in a way that was hidden in the past. Our relationship with him is
based on faith. Romans 16:25-27 places Christ’s birth in the broad arena of
God’s desire for humanity to live in peace. The reconciliation that is offered
in the gospel is the reconciliation to what humanity was created to be. The
goal of reconciliation has always been at the heart of the mystery of the
revelation of God.
Luke’s
Gospel relates the announcement of the angel Gabriel to Mary, and then together
with Mary we sing the reversals of the gospel in the Magnificat. This
announcement was the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret throughout
history. This revelation brings together the hopes of the Old Testament
prophets, the longing of the Old Testament law and the yearning of all
humanity. The history of salvation begins to unfold before us in full splendor
and will be fully and finally realized in a meal in which this mystery is given
and distributed to the community.
Bibliography
1.
Jeremiah,
David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood,
TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013)
2.
Briscoe, D.S.
& Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s
Commentary Series, Vol. 29: Romans (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.;
1982)
3.
MacArthur,
J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, NASB
(Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson INc.; 2006)
4.
ESV Study
Bible. Part of Wordsearch 10 Bible software package
5. Anne Jervis,
“Commentary on Romans 16:25-27.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?community_id=183
6. Dirk
G. Lange, “Commentary on Romans 16:25-27.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?community_id=1152
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