Romans 16
Hidden Mystery
Paul closes the letter to the Romans with Seven Impact Statements
1. Now to him who is able to establish you by my Gospel
2. And the proclamation of Jesus Christ
The third Impact Statement Paul makes as he closes the letter to the Romans is
3. According to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past
This Impact Statement
The revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past
Is found in Christ
And because of the revelation
We can spend the rest of our lives unpacking this Impact Statement
All the hidden mysteries are found in one package
Jesus Christ
Hidden Mystery
Paul closes the letter to the Romans
with Seven Impact Statements…
1. Now to him who is able to establish you by my Gospel
2. And the proclamation of Jesus Christ
The third Impact s\Statement Paul makes as
he closes the letter to the Romans is…
3. According to the revelation of
the mystery hidden for long ages past
A mystery is something that is difficult
or impossible to understand or explain.
A mystery is a novel, play, or movie
dealing with a puzzling crime,
especially a murder.
Human curiosity causes us to love mysteries.
The hunt for the answer drives us,
whether it is to sit to the end
of a 2-hour mystery movie…
Or, search for the answers in the stars and galaxies.
I think we all love to solve mysteries.
I think Paul loved mysteries.
He uses the word mystery 15 times or more
as he writes letters to the churches.
Paul tells us there is a mystery
that has been hidden for ages.
It is one of those mysteries that has been
undiscovered long before his life time.
Solving the mystery of where
the cookies on the counter went is…
Much easier to solve than
a mystery from the beginning of time.
Paul is talking about a mystery that has been
hidden since the world began.
This mystery has been God’s secret.
Every generation has tried to find the answer.
A mystery takes a revelation in order to solve.
Paul says the revelation has come and
it is part of God’s work in establishing you and I.
Now to him who is able to establish you by…
Romans 16:25
Paul says God establishes us…
By His Gospel, the proclamation of Christ.
And the third thing he says is…
By revelation of the mystery.
So, what is the revelation of this age-old mystery?
Paul uses the word mystery
one other place in Romans, chapter 11,
when he writes about Israel who
discovered a key clue to the mystery.
Abraham discovered that
by faith and obedience in God,…
God becomes a friend who makes
great promises of provision.
Abraham and his children saw great
revelation of God’s love for them.
But Paul says that this new revelation
of the mystery to the Gentiles
of God’s love and provision through faith
and obedience should not make us conceited.
The revelation to the Gentiles is…
Not greater than the revelation to Israel.
One take-away from Romans 11 is…
Revelation does not make you
any better than someone else.
Don’t become conceited.
Here are some other uses
Paul makes of the word mystery…
The mystery of life after death…
Listen, I tell you a mystery:
We will not all sleep,
but we will all be changed— in a flash,
in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.
For the trumpet will sound,
the dead will be raised imperishable,
and we will be changed.
1 Corinthians 15:51-53
The mystery of time, heaven and earth.
Christ is the head of it all…
And he made known to us the mystery of his will
according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ,
to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment — to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.
Ephesians 1:9-10
The mystery is, through the Gospel,
Gentiles are heirs with Israel…
The mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God's holy apostles and prophets. This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 3:3-6
The administration of the mystery
is to be made plain to everyone…
And to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery,
which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.
Ephesians 3:9-10
The mystery is for everyone Christ
in you the hope of glory…
The mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations,
but is now disclosed to the saints.
To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles
the glorious riches of this mystery,
which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Colossians 1:26-27
The mystery is known in Christ,
the treasure of wisdom and knowledge…
so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding,
in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ,
3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Colossians 2:2-4
The Great Mystery is summed up…
Beyond all question,
the mystery of godliness is great:
He appeared in a body,
was vindicated by the Spirit,
was seen by angels,
was preached among the nations,
was believed on in the world,
was taken up in glory.
1 Timothy 3:16
This Impact Statement…
the revelation of the mystery
hidden for long ages past
Is found in Christ.
Because of the revelation…
We can spend the rest of our lives
unpacking this Impact Statement.
Seven Impact Statements…
1. Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel
2. and the proclamation of Jesus Christ,
3. according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past,
4. but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings
5. by the command of the eternal God,
6. so that all nations might believe and obey him—
7. to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.
Scripture Reading
Romans 16:25-27 NIV
25 Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, 26 but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey him— 27 to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.
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