• Main Idea: To fulfill the mission God has given us we must receive the gospel, depend on the Spirit, and conform our lives to what God has revealed in his Word.
• Head Change: To know that God has given us a role to play in the mission of his church.
• Heart Change: To feel encouraged about the unique assignment God has given us to serve in his mission.
• Life Change: To faithfully carry out our role in the mission of God, no matter how ordinary or insignificant it may seem.

When you survey your life’s ambitions, is being “ordinary” something you want to be? Why, or why not?

In our society, being ordinary is not something most aspire to—it’s almost sacrilegious. We want to be influencers and make our mark on the world. But why do we have to be extraordinary to make a mark on the world?

In our final session, J.D. will show us what it takes to make a lasting impact, and it has nothing to do with being extraordinary. Because we believe an extraordinary gospel and are filled with an extraordinary Spirit, we can be thoroughly ordinary—exercising everyday, ordinary faithfulness—and marvel as God changes the world one ordinary life at a time.

Read Romans 15:14–16:27.
Show Session 12: Romans 15:14–16:27 (14 minutes).

Beginning with the second half of Romans 15, Paul starts to draw his letter to a close. In these last passages, he leaves the Roman Christians with some important parting words.

Paul here commends these brothers and sisters, saying that he’s convinced they are “full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another.” Yet, he says he’s written to remind them “more boldly on some points.” How do you respond when someone reminds you “boldly” of something you already know? Why do you respond the way you do? What can you do to condition your heart to receive their reminder humbly and charitably?

In verses 15–17, Paul clearly articulates the calling and purpose placed on him by God. What is your calling? For what purpose has God called you to that work? How did you discover your calling and purpose?

If you haven’t discovered your calling yet, J.D. gave some advice in this session on finding it. He suggested we answer two specific questions: “Where is the Spirit of God moving in my life?” and “What is the Word of God saying to the church?” How would you answer these two questions?

In describing the success he’s seen in ministry, Paul takes pains to de-center himself from his accomplishments. Instead, he attributes everything to Christ’s work through him, accomplished by the power of God’s Spirit. What dangers lie in boasting in ourselves and not in Christ?

When have you experienced “success” in life? What caused the success? How did you respond?

As a result of Christ’s work through him, Paul says in verses 19–20 that he had fulfilled his aim, which was to “preach the gospel where Christ had not been named.” As J.D. pointed out, Paul derived this goal directly from the Scriptures, which he quotes in verse 21. What are your ambitions? In what ways do you seek to keep your ambitions aligned with the Scriptures? Who in your life holds you accountable to this task?

In verses 22–24, Paul shares his desire to come and be assisted by the church members in Rome and refreshed by their company. Who refreshes you and spurs you on in your ministry calling?

Paul briefly describes the task he’s completing at the time he’s writing this letter, saying that he’s delivering funds that churches in Macedonia and Achaia (or Gentiles) had contributed to “the poor among the saints in Jerusalem” (or Jews). He goes on to make a statement that we’d be wise to make note of. Speaking of those Gentile churches, he says if they “have shared in [Jerusalem’s] spiritual benefits, then they are obligated to minister to them in material needs.” In other words, people’s spiritual and physical needs are deeply intertwined. How do you seek to minister to the material and physical needs of others?

In verse 30, Paul appeals to his brothers and sisters to “strive together” with him in “fervent” prayer. What does it mean to “strive” in prayer? Who do you strive together with in prayer? How can you cultivate a prayer life that is “fervent”?

He asks these believers not just to pray with him but to also pray for him. Who do you go to when you need prayer? In what ways have you seen God answer those prayers?

Before he begins to commend and greet those who are in Rome by name, Paul ends chapter 15 with an important statement. He says, “May the God of peace be with all of you. Amen,” which would have been a deeply encouraging statement for a Roman Christian considering the threats they faced in the Roman empire. In what ways do we need to be reminded that God is the God of peace? How has God proven himself to be the God of peace to you?

In the final chapter of Romans, Paul has a list of people he wants to commend and greet, and he begins with a woman named Phoebe. He calls her a “servant” of the church in Cenchreae and instructs his readers to “welcome her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints” and to help her in any way she needs. Paul’s words would have been significant because women weren’t regarded highly in the first century. Who are the women in your life who are faithful servants of Christ and his church? How can you encourage them for their faithfulness and commend them for their service?

In this block of Scripture, Paul greets at least twenty-seven people by name and, for most of them, identifies a specific reason why he’s thankful for them, which shows how much he valued his personal relationships. Who do you need to tell today that you’re grateful for them?

Read verses 3–16 again. As you read, pay attention to the words Paul uses to describe the people he’s greeting and the terms of endearment he uses. What can we learn about Paul in this passage? How can you use Paul’s greetings here as a prompt to help you pursue the kind of life Scripture calls you to?

In his closing remarks, Paul tells his readers to be on guard against those who would sow division and create obstacles to belief. He says to “avoid such people,” because they “do not serve our Lord Christ but their own appetites.” What are some of the issues that we’re divided on today? How strongly do you strive to avoid these divisions and the people who sow them? In what ways is division an obstacle to belief?

Having given a final warning, Paul turns once again to commend the Roman Christians a final time. Because of their reported obedience, he rejoices over them and encourages them to keep at it. Whose obedience encourages you? How does it motivate you to pursue obedience yourself?

What can we do to prioritize the communal nature of following Jesus more so than our tendency to operate on our own?

This letter ends, as so many of Paul’s letters do, with a doxology, or a statement of praise to God. It’s as if Paul is trying to jam as much praise into this statement as he can—he can’t seem to help himself. What stands out to you about Paul’s doxology? Why is this statement an appropriate ending point for the book of Romans?

As J.D. said at the beginning of The Book of Romans: Part 1, Paul’s letter to the church in Rome is one of the most important theological documents in the literary and biblical canon. It bursts with theological depth unlike any other book. Having studied the second half of the book now, we have a lot to reflect on. What are one or two things you want to remember from this study of Romans? What could you do this week to apply that truth to your life? How will you keep what you’ve learned fresh in your mind now that this series has concluded?

The second half of the book of Romans is deeply theological and deeply practical. In it, Paul explores the depths of the gospel and God’s mercy, and he calls us as followers of Jesus to live lives marked by love and holiness.

As we close this series, reflect on the truths we’ve only scratched the surface of in our time together. Consider setting aside an hour or two to read the book of Romans from start to finish, meditating on what God has taught you. Pray that God would firmly fix these truths in your heart so that you can walk in a manner worthy of the gospel.