[This post is a bit of a fragment, never quite completed and posted before the sermon it aimed at on December 18. I place it here just to fill out the record of my thoughts prior to preaching this text.]
The credits roll and as the actors’ names run down the screen you hear the movie’s theme music play once again. Then the cast and supporting cast are done and we begin to see the names of director, producer, and writers, the music changes again, maybe to the romantic theme of the film. Yet another tune from the movie plays as we read start into the gazillions of names of those who worked on costumes, props, special effects, assistants to the stars, gaffers, grips and all the plethora of different jobs that into the film. By the time we reach the location credits and film studio logo at the bottom, we’ve probably heard most if not all the musical pieces which played behind the movie’s action.
That sort of reprise of themes is just what Paul does for us in the closing verses of Romans, chapter 16, verses 25-27. Beginning with the power of God, he moves to the Gospel and Jesus Christ, on to the fact that this good news was previously hidden and is now revealed, that it was predicted in the prophets, that it is God’s command which brings it all about, and then that key phrase from Romans 1:5, “the obedience” of faith.
These verses are all one sentence in Greek, starting out to give praise to God, but sidetracks to all the reasons Paul has to do so. But he finally lands this verbal 747 in verse 27 with the doxology he intended from the start of verse 25, “to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever! Amen.”
As we prepare for Christmas we are making ready to do just what Paul was doing at the end of Romans, to praise God for all that He has done for us in the gift of Jesus Christ.