Being Established

Being Established

Rom 16:25-27, Rom 1:11-12, 2 Cor 3:3

December 18, 1998

I. I have been preaching about loose ends in our lives for the last nine weeks.

A. I hope by now you see that a lot of our loose ends in life, our problems, our stress creators are a result of our trying to be in control of our own lives, instead of letting Jesus be in control.

B. When I started all this I talked about the nine most spoken words in the nineties, " I’ve got to get my life under control".

C. I started by saying " when we try to get our lives under control we usually mean we want to be in control, and when we are in control instead of Jesus being in control that’s when life is the most out of control.

D. When we try to take control we are eagles stalled in flight, unable to soar and headed for a crash.

1. We are people deadlocked in life because we won’t make a commitment to Jesus that will open the flood gates of His power that will raise us to a new level of life.

2. We’re people who hug center stage when only Jesus can be the star.

3. We stumble over our previous failures instead of realizing that we are free.

4. We can’t sympathize with other because we struggle ourselves.

5. BUT, IS SYMPATHY ALL WE HAVE TO OFFER?

E. Until we let the one who is able, be the Lord of our lives, it may be all we can offer.

1. But, when we come to the place where we are willing to admit our addiction to false human power and our tendency to play power games with other people and God.

2. When we can overcome the temptation to stand at center stage and try to be the focal point of our own lives.

3. When we know that we are free, because we have been, are being, and will be delivered from our failures by His Grace.

4. Then we can really begin to soar in the Lord’s power.

5. And then we are ready to be recruited into God’s special forces, and offer the people around us a message of peace that only God can bring to their lives.

F. I know that there are a lot of you that just thought I’ll never be able to do those things.

1. Right! And the fact that you just thought that, may be proof that you are aimed in the right direction and that you might see those things become a reality in your life soon.

2. You see the first thing that we have to realize, is that we can’t do it, because only Jesus can make us what we need to be.

3. ONLY JESUS IS ABLE!

II. That’s the really good news!

A. Its good news that we have been given and it’s good news that we have to give.

B. Paul said it well in Rom 16:25-27.

(Rom 16:25-27 NIV) 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 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-- to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.

C. I have been preaching for weeks about all the ways that God through Jesus is able, and this promise, that He is able summarizes all the others.

1. In Romans chapters 1-11 Paul talks about our being called to be disciples, followers of Jesus.

2. In Romans Chapter 12 - 16 Paul talks about the wonderful Grace of God that frees us.

3. Then in Romans 16:24-27 God had Paul write a summary of what he had been saying for sixteen chapters, and a reminder of His power to ESTABLISH us.

4. The word translated "establish" here comes from the Greek word that means to fix, make stead fast, or stabilize.

D. Jesus is able (has all power to) create stability in our lives and make us secure.

1. I think that is what God was trying to get across in the book of Romans and I think that is one of the main things that God wants to get across to us period.

2. In Romans 1:11 - 12 Paul says, (Rom 1:11-12 NIV) I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong--that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.

3. The word translated strong in that verse is the same Greek word as established in Romans 16:25, "to make secure or to stabilize".