but made the Lord by the Spirit, leader, and blesses from the chapter. We will not read the chapter through. I'm sure many of you may have already noticed this. It is the closing chapter to the Holy Epistle. More personal than it is, doctrinal. And particularly if you have it, the first sixteen verses Paul sends greetings to many individual believers in Rome. It is an amazing thing to my heart and to my mind to realize how many of the saints he knew personally in the city of Rome, though he had never been there. And it would be many more years later before he did arrive. But he knew personally many of the saints, some of them coming from other places, even from Jerusalem and from others in the nation of Israel, another sphere. I will not read all the names of the there, but I would like to begin in verse one and particularly emphasize the first one he mentions in verse one and two. I commend unto you, Phoebe, our sister, which is a servant of the church, which is in Sanctria, that ye receive her in the Lord, as be cometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of, you, for she hath been a succourer or a helper of many, and of myself also. I believe some of you may have, as I do have in my note at the end of the chapter, that the letter to Rome was sent to the saints there through Phoebe. And if I may note it with you, please carefully note, in verse one, she was called a servant of the church in the local testimony where she was. I'm sure that we can commend this dear saint of God, a woman, to be a deaconess as she was, fulfilling a ministry in relation to God's earthly people, one of help and blessing, and even to the great Apostle. And then you have, verse three and four, two that need to be remembered. Greek Priscilla and Aquila, my help is in Christ Jesus, who therefore my life has 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. Two other particularly saints, we may have read of them and we did in the study of the Book of the Acts, Aquila and Priscilla. We are not told in our chapter here what may have been the circumstances of their health. in risking their lives for the dear Apostle Paul in his testimony. But we do know that they labored together with Paul in the city of Corinth for much time. But how he commends them. Now I'm not going to read the names that follow down to verse sixteen. You can read them for yourself. All of them without question of doubt, personally known and personally greeted by the beloved apostle. I think it brings before us the responsibility of realizing how we need to be as fellow believers well acquainted with one another in that which we may be involved for the sake of the Lord in his testimony. And what joy would be, if I may suggest it, to have as they do have their names written in the living and the eternal Word of God. But may I suggest to you, how precious to recognize the brotherly love of the dear Apostle Paul to these individual believers in Rome and the assembly of that company of saints whom he had never yet had the privilege of meeting personally in Rome. But his heart goes out to them, and his love greets them. And just an example of that, we should be yours and mine in relation to our fellowship with one another. But I want to close, or go down the chapter if I may, particularly to the next division. in verse seventeen through verse twenty. For we have in this closing portion of the scripture a very solemn word of warning, a danger which is greater today than it was in the days of the Apostle Paul. But let me read verse seventeen through twenty. Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them, take particular note of them. which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which he have learned and avoid them. I believe today more than in the day when Paul wrote these words there is a greater danger for the saints in the world today. It's the false teaching of many and the doctrines that many would propagate which are contrary to the learning of the doctrines that we have been taught. And we are told to avoid it. May I say lovingly, I wonder if you realize there's only one, if you want to call it a religion, Christianity, but it is the only one religion, if you call it, which the leader and the head of it died to save us. You will find many other religions which are recognized by only the teaching of their leaders. None of their leaders died for them. And I just suggest very simply, let us be true to the doctrine of Christ. pertaining to a blessed person. And even though it may and it does happen, there are more divisions in the world today in a profession of Christianity and the most of them need to be avoided. For therefore you have in verse eighteen the purpose for them. They're selfish. They're seeking their own glory. For they that are such, sir, not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly. And by good words and fair speeches they deceive the hearts of the simple. I wonder if you've ever noticed carefully, as you have in Second Peter chapter two, Peter's reference that in the closing days of Christianity there will be more false teachers than the true teachers of the Word of God. And may I again re-emphasize, I cannot enlarge upon it, but I would re-emphasize one great doctrine in relation to Christianity is the precious death of the Lord Jesus on the cross of Calvary. Any teaching of any kind that does not manifest an interest or a teaching concerning the death of Christ. Avoid it. As I think of a little Japanese Christian, offended because of a liberal Bible teacher saying she would support Mohammedism, Shintoism, Confucianism and so on. He was so excited about it, he interrupted her and said, Please, honorable lady, don't go to my country and tell them that. Mohamed didn't die for me. Shinto didn't die for me. Confucius didn't die for me. No one but Jesus Christ died for me. And may I say, my beloved, just by way of suggestion, make sure The teaching is founded upon the precious and the atoning death of the Lord Jesus Christ. And you note in verse nineteen what the apostle goes on to say to them. For your obedience has come abroad unto all men. I'm glad therefore on your behalf. But yet I would have you wise unto that which is good and simple concerning that which is evil. And the God of peace And what an encouragement. The God of peace shall bruise or crush Satan under your feet shortly. For the blessed Lord Jesus is coming again. And under its blessed feet he will crush the enemy. And the grace of the Lord our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. Now he goes on to speak more of the labors of others. with him who were writing, Timotheus, my workfellow, Lucius, Jason, Suscipita, my kinsman, salute you, I Tertius, the one who was personally writing the letter for Paul, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord, and another greeting from Gaius, my host, and of the whole church, salute of you, he raptus the chamberlain of the city, salute of you, quarters our brother and then he comes to another termination of a doxology the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all there were greetings not only from Paul but from fellow believers who were women some of them named as they are here and even the one who was writing the letter on the behalf of the dear Apostle Paul Now we have at the end of it in verse twenty-one through twenty-four, we have the final, or to the end of verse twenty-four to the end, twenty-five rather to the end, we have the final conclusion. Now to him that is of 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 prophet, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith. The beloved apostle has given to us in this old epistle. The doctrinal teaching of the meaning of the gospel. And at the end of it he speaks of something that is never developed in the letter. But which he does develop later on. In the writing of his epistles. And you have the thought, if I may note with you very carefully. Verse twenty five. To him that is of power to establish you. according to my gospel please note the beloved emphasis he calls the gospel my gospel and beloved when the gospel is preached be sure that it is Paul's gospel as you may read of it in first Corinthians fifteen one through four how the Christ died for our sins that he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures The gospel is regarding Christ, and again may I refer to the emphasis precedingly made, and upon his death is the emphasis. But then the apostle adds, as you know what he adds in the middle of verse twenty-five, according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret since the world began. What was the mystery? I hope you're familiar with the Ephesian epistle. Later on from the prison in Rome, Paul in detail in the Epistle of Ephesians writes concerning the mystery of Christ and the church. May I just emphasize, nowhere in the Old Testament is the mystery of Christ and the church revealed. All Christ is revealed, but never in reference to the church. Paul's message in teaching and the teaching of Christianity has to do with something new. That out of the Gentiles as well as the Jews who believe on the Lord Jesus, God is forming the church. And the church is to be the bride and the eternal object of the eternal love of the Lord Jesus, the bridegroom. My beloved, let me re-emphasize again. You have no direct teaching in the Old Testament concerning the church. You may have a Bible where oftentimes you find over the pages of your Bible the church is referred to regarding the scriptures below. But nowhere in the scriptures of the Old Testament is the church where you read Ephesians chapter three, where Paul reveals it was kept secret before the world began until God gave it to him. Paul's gospel. was the gospel never preached in the Old Testament not even in the days of the Lord Jesus though he preached the gospel we know but Paul's gospel included Christ and his relationship to the church I wonder do we value as we ought to the truth about this mystery my beloved time would prevail. But many scriptures in the New Testament, particularly in your New Testament. May I give you this thought? Even in the New Testament, one hundred and seventy-five times, the death of the Lord Jesus is recorded. the importance of it. Now let me quote what Paul wrote in Ephesians five twenty five. Christ loved the church and gave himself for it that he might sanctify and cleanse it by the washing of water by the word and that he might present it to himself a glorious church not having spot or wrinkle or blemish or any such thing. Then my beloved let me say again You don't find the teaching of the church in the Old Testament. Paul could rightly say, according to my gospel, that he gave it to me to reveal. And you find particularly in Ephesians chapter three, how in detail he tells how God gave him the blessed mystery to reveal. And I may say this, if you want to understand what the church is, you'll have to read what Paul wrote in his blessed epistles. especially the Ephesians and the Colossian one. But now, I want you to notice in verse twenty-six how precious it is to realize. It's now been made manifest and by the scriptures of the prophets. New Testament prophets if you please. Not Old Testament prophets. Read Ephesians chapter three. Paul rather. And you'll find the New Testament prophets are referred to, that Christ gave some apostles, some prophets to teach the Word of God before it was written, as well as evangelists and so on, and shepherds. But how do you have, but I want you to notice what the closing of verse twenty-six says. And this was according to the commandment of the everlasting God made known and known to all nations for the obedience of faith. Do you remember the words of the Lord Jesus at the end of Matthew? Commanding the disciples after his resurrection, going to all the world and preach the gospel. Where? To all nations. You don't find a message directly in the Old Testament to all nations. Neither do you find it in the ministry of the Lord Jesus. He was sent to Israel. But following his resurrection, ascension and glorification, the promise of the Holy Spirit was fulfilled. And the Holy Spirit came into the world. to preach the gospel. And if you may know, for all nations, what for? That they may obey it. One never gets saved unless they obey the gospel. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Thou shalt be saved. And the message was given, as Paul heralded it. And particularly he became the apostle to the Gentiles, while the other apostles weren't chiefly apostles of the circumcision of the Jews. But oh the joy of knowing the gospel was given for the obedience of men and women to believe it and receive it and accept it. And of course Paul rightly closes by saying in doxology, To God only wise, Out of the wisdom of God it has been developed. But to God only wise be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen. May the Lord bless this precious portion of his word. The affection of dear Paul for his fellow believers. May you and I have that affection in our hearts for one another. And then the joy of knowing. his warning be careful and follow only that which you've been taught according to the word of God and rejoice that we belong to that great company that will be the bride of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let me repeat again. No teaching in the Old Testament can be found or you may find some types that are often used but No direct teaching concerning the promotion. Well, let me give you one proof of this. It was not until the Lord Jesus came. And in Matthew sixteen, when Peter contests, Thou art the Son of the living God, Jesus said, Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Jonah, flesh and blood did not reveal the Son to thee, but my Father, which is in heaven. And I say unto you, Thou art Peter, a stone, but upon this rock and note the future. Jesus said, I will build my church. And it's been being built since Pentecost by the work of the Holy Spirit on the earth. And thank God let me close by commenting. We're waiting for that church to be completed. For when the last one has been added, To the blessed company, I believe the Lord Jesus will come for his bride. Shall we pray? Our beloved Father, we bow in thy presence with thanksgiving. First of all, for the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Good news. Blessed Father, we have. We've got the evidence of it in the history of the Bible. as well as the history of time. No preaching of a salvation from all sin ever began until after the death, the burial, the resurrection, the ascension and the glorification of our Lord Jesus in heaven. And we bless thee for the dear Apostle Paul. And thank thee for his ministry. Making known the gospel. And Lord, we thank thee. Thou didst appointing to be the apostles of the Gentiles. And he did his work well. We thank thee even today in Florence. We Gentiles who have believed. We're in the body of Christ and we belong to the bride of Christ. Scientify the blessing of thy word as we may have covered it. Refresh our hearts and minds then.