Romans: The Revelation of Righteousness Part 16 – Lawson and Aaron Perdue

Romans Part 16

Romans Part 16: The Revelation of Righteousness with Pastors Lawson and Aaron Perdue. You need to know the difference between people to hang around and those to stay away from.

Romans Part 16 Transcription

Praise the Lord Jesus Christ. Friends, I am so glad that you’re with me today. I’m here with my son Aaron, and we’re gonna be teaching Romans chapter 16, where Paul says, “Hey, there’s a lotta people that helped us. There’s some people you need to hang around. And there’s some people that hindered us. There’s some people you need to stay away from, and you need to know the difference.” And if you know the difference and get a revelation of the gospel, it will change your life for good. Open your heart and receive God’s good Word today. Friends, we are in Romans chapter 16 today, and we’re gonna be talking about staying around people who help you and staying away from people who don’t. That’s some pretty practical instruction here from the Apostle Paul. But Aaron, why don’t you begin reading in Roman 16:1, just read as far as you want to.

Awesome. I actually love whenever Paul names people, and thanks people by name. I think that’s so important to just be thankful and to thank people by name. I know my parents kinda taught me this growing up, but it’s really important to really take time to thank people. Maybe it’s to call them, show your appreciation, write a thank you to people who maybe gave you a gift or invested in you. So I just love that Paul takes the time to personally and by name thank these people. To me, it just really shows that Paul wasn’t alone. He wasn’t off on his own doing his own thing. Sometimes you picture these great people of God as just being very on their own, but Paul really wasn’t. He names a lot of people, a diverse group of people, men and women, Jewish believers, Gentile believers, people from all walks of life who really helped him fulfill what God called him to do. So let’s read here in Roman 16:1. It says, “I commend unto you, Phoebe, our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea, that you receive her in the Lord as becomes saints, that ye may assist her in whatsoever business she has need of you, for she has been a succourer of many, a helper of many, and of myself also. Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my helpers in Christ Jesus, who have for my life laid down their own necks unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.” So I love these first few people he mentions. He says, “You need to really take care of Phoebe. Receive her but also help her. She really helped me.” So Phoebe was a woman that helped Paul in his ministry. A lotta people think that Paul was anti-woman, but he really wasn’t. He took time to thank women who helped him in ministry, who helped work alongside him in ministry.

People who think that do not understand the culture in which Paul was teaching. Jesus Christ has done more to elevate the position of a woman than any other man on this planet, amen? And people who think that just don’t understand the culture that Paul was teaching on. And Jesus elevated–

And I love that he mentions Phoebe. “You need to help her do whatever business she has need of.” You know, she was a business-minded person. She took care of things for believers in the church. And he said, “Hey, you need to help her out.”

Praise God.

And he’s saying, “Men, women, the whole church here, everyone I’m writing to you need to help this person out. You need to help Phoebe out.” We help certain women out who are called to do different ministries.

Praise God.

There’s a woman here, Julie Mapatano, who, you know–

Single mom.

A single mom, was widowed with six kids. She’s since adopted a seventh, and she feeds over close to 1,000.

She feeds nearly 1,000 single moms and children, orphans in Congo every day of the year. She is an amazing woman.

Yeah and she has a great testimony of God’s goodness. She can preach the gospel, and for us to say, “Well, we’re not gonna help her because she’s a woman,” that’s actually unscriptural, that’s unungodly. She’s about–

Woman of God.

Yeah, she’s helped us a lot here at the church and we wanna help her do her ministry, her business for the Lord as well. And I like that he says, “Greet Priscilla and Aquila.” A lot of Bible scholars think that Priscilla and Aquila were actually a husband and wife team that pastored a church together.

Wow. And, you know, talking about helping people, you know the Bible says, “Whoever waters others will be watered himself.” And your mom’s been praying that over me because over the years, I have helped a lot of people, and some of them haven’t liked it that much or really known how much I’ve helped ’em. But mom prays that, and you know what, it comes back to you.

[Aaron] Amen.

He says, “These people,” in verse 4, this Priscilla and Aquila “for my life laid down their own necks, and to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.” So Paul was a grateful, thankful person, and we need to be grateful, thankful people. You know, I write hundreds of thank yous.

Yeah.

Probably every month, hundreds of–

That’s awesome.

I am so thankful to God that he has helped me and for the people that he’s given me to help me. Praise God.

And you never really know how much a simple thank you note means to someone, you know?

Yeah.

Just yesterday, last night, my family was invited to go to dinner to one of our worship leaders’ houses. You know, we compensate this worship leader monthly for his time and his leadership on the team. I just noticed in his office, he had two of the thank yous I’d written him just there on his display cabinet.

Yeah.

And to me, it didn’t take a lotta time or a lot of effort to do that, but it probably meant a lot to this–

He’s a very grateful person. You know, we had a time in the church where we’ve had some people who were not very thankful for what we do, and we’ve done much more for them really than the people we have now. But recently we did just a deal where we just blessed our worship team and all the different people involved. And our two main leaders both came and told me, “Thank you.” And the one you’re talking about is from Russia. And he came out of the house specifically when I was leaving. We just were kind of slipping out, mom and I, and specifically came to mother and I and thanked us. And you know what? That shows something about a person’s heart when they’re grateful.

That’s really neat. And I love like all these people who Paul is thanking. It’s a very diverse group of people. Like we have a worship leader from Russia, another one who grew up as a Baptist, preacher’s kid.

Hallelujah.

Later on got Spirit-filled. They have very different backgrounds. But I love what Paul’s talking about, too. Earlier in Romans, he’s saying like, “One regards this day, another one regards this day.” We were talking to this Russian worship leader and his wife. His wife got born again at a Christmas service in Russia on January 4th, 2000. So in Russia, Christmas is on a different day than here.

[Lawson] Wow.

It’s probably because of the Russian Orthodox Church. They chose to celebrate the birth of Jesus in January, a couple weeks after here. But I think on January 4th, 2000, was that the exact day that God spoke to you to start Charis Christian Center? I think it–

January 4th, 2001.

Okay.

I was sitting in my office. I believe that was a Thursday. It’s your birthday.

Yeah.

I didn’t know

I wasn’t sure

you were born on Christmas.

if it was the year 2000 or 2001. But she got born again January 4th in 2000.

I was sitting in my office in Kit Carson, very small town in eastern Colorado, where mom and I, and you boys were raised there in your early childhood years, but we pioneered a church there with a group of people, great group of people. But God just dropped it in my spirit, “Go to Colorado Springs and start a church, Charis Christian Center.” And we moved, you know, we started looking immediately for a home here. We moved that summer. It was hard for us. We had to go to six banks before we could find a bank that would give us a loan to buy a house. And we had 50% down. It was very challenging. And yet, you know what? God has blessed us and helped us. Today, you know, he’s helped us so much. We have our home and other rental property, an office building. We have this church, you know, 120,000 square foot in the, very growing part of the city, completely paid off, given to us supernaturally by God. And, you know, we had to pay some money. We had to listen to the Holy Ghost and do what he said. But man, the Holy Ghost will help you if you listen.

[Aaron] Amen.

Amen.

Awesome. So I’m gonna go on here in Roman 16:5. It says, “Likewise greet the church that is in their house.” So he’s talking to Priscilla and Aquila, right? And I said a lot of scholars believe that they were a husband and wife co-pastoring of a church “that was in their house. To salute my well-beloved Epaenetus, who is the first fruits of Achaia unto Christ. Greet Mary, who bestowed much labor on us.” So she was probably just someone who loved to serve. A lot of these people had different gifts. Paul talks about different giftings that people have given to them by the Holy Spirit. So Mary was probably someone with a gift of ministry, a gift to serve. “She bestowed much labor on us. Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners who are of note among the apostles who were also in Christ before me.” So a lot of people believe that Junia was, is actually a female person’s name. Paul calls Junia an apostle.

Andronicus and Junia. You know what? If a woman can be an apostle, she can operate in any office in the church. And some people think women can’t pastor a church. When the Bible talks about the order of the ministry gifts in 1 Corinthians 12:28, it says, “God set some in the church. First apostles, secondarily prophets.” Prophets are… There are women prophets named in the scriptures. Anna was a prophetess that prayed over Christ when he was dedicated over Jesus.

Now there’s Old Testament and New Testament prophets.

And he says so first apostles, then prophets, then he says, thirdly, teachers. I believe that’s talking about the office of pastor teacher. Because if you study Ephesians 4:11, he says, “When God gave these gifts to the church, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers,” he says, “Some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers.” He doesn’t say, “And some pastors and some teachers.” So you can be a five full ministering gift teacher of a public preaching teaching ministry gift of a teacher and not be a pastor. But if you’re a pastor, you must be a teacher. And so I believe when he says, “Thirdly teachers,” he’s actually talking about that office in the church. And then he says, “Miracles and gifts of healings,” which really when you study Phillip, the evangelist, those gifts went with the office of an evangelist. Now, you can not have the office of evangelist and operate in miracles and gifts of healings, but if you’re a true biblical of evangelist, you should have miracles and gifts of healings working. Thank God. So he talks about this. He says, “These were my, Andronicus and Junia, my family members and my fellow prisoners.” So they were in prison for the gospel who were of note among the apostles. And he says, “Who also were in Christ before me.” Now, some people don’t think they were apostles. I’m not gonna argue with you. But I will ask you if we include these, how many New Testament named apostles are there if we include Andronicus and Junia? There are 24 New Testament named apostles. So Jesus is the chief apostles, right? And then there are the foundational apostles, the apostles of the Lamb, the 12. And then there are another 12 that are named in the scripture. You know, there’s an ongoing ministry of an apostle. And so he says, “Greet Amplias, my beloved in the Lord. Salute Urbane, our helper in Christ, Stachys my beloved. Salute Apelles approved in Christ.” You know what? You need to know that Christ has approved you. If Jesus has a good opinion of you, who cares what anybody else says. It really doesn’t matter. “Salute those.” You know, another person’s head is the wrong place to have your happiness. He says, “Salute Herodion, my family members. Greet them of the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord. Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa who labor in the Lord.” You know, there are people who work, who labor in the Lord. Salute them. God respects that. He says, “Salute the beloved Persis who labored much in the Lord.” She’s a hard worker. Some people ain’t much hard workers.

We have some really hard workers here.

We have some amazing–

I remember not too long ago we hosted a big event here at the church. It was called “Reawaken America.” I think there were over 3,000 people here at our building, all day for a couple days. They allowed our youth ministry to sell concessions. One volunteer on the youth ministry, Dakota, he’s a laborer in the Lord.

Whoo!

He cooked hot dogs.

Man, what a worker. That man is a–

Just did not stop

great worker.

for a couple days. I think the youth made like $16,000 profit.

Yeah you know, we have a tremendous, tremendous team. We have over 300 volunteers who serve at the church and help. Oftentimes people ask me, “How can I get involved? How can I get to know people?” I say, “Start serving.” And you start serving, there are so many places, and then you really get to know people. And we do different things to honor people who serve. And when we do that, they get to know each other. And so there’s all kinds of places that you can get involved. You know, I pastored a church where I cleaned the toilets and I vacuumed. I carried out the trash. I mowed the grass. I helped carry the concrete up. The ends of the building went up 16-foot high and I helped carry the concrete up in five-gallon buckets to the guy that was laying the brick. Man, I worked. I know how to work. I was raised on the farm, and my daddy, my daddy died when I was 17 years old. But before he died, he taught me how to work. And I look forward to meeting my daddy in heaven. I’ll tell him thanks again.

[Aaron] Yeah, it’s–

It’s really helped me. You know, in the body of Christ, there aren’t any divas. There aren’t any soloists. There aren’t any… We’re all just part of a team.

Yeah, so he talks about all these people. He goes on and says, “Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord, his mother and mine, and Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, the brothers which are with them, and Philologus, and Julia.” These are whole families serving God. Nereus, and his sister, and Olympas and all the saints that are with them.” Man, do you know if you’re born again, you’re a saint? You’re sanctified by the blood of Jesus, and God made you a saint in the Spirit the moment you’re born again. He says, “Salute one another with a holy kiss. And the churches of Christ salute you.” A holy kiss, that’s not a sexual thing. That’s a greeting of love towards one another. I know there was this guy, his name, he’s a great man of God, Dean Milton, pastors a church in Charlotte, North Carolina. And Dean’s kind of funny. He would scare people who didn’t know him, and he’d kiss the men. He’s just joking around with him. So the first time I met him, I decided he wasn’t gonna get one up on me. We were at a restaurant when this guy driven me down. I’d been preaching north of Charlotte in the Tri-Cities area. And they drove me down there to preach for Pastor Dean. And so when I saw him at the table, I just went up and gave him a big old hug and kissed him on the cheek. He said, “My God, my God. He was giving me a hard time, but I turned it back on him. But you know, we can greet one another and everything doesn’t have to be so sexual. And that’s what Paul’s talking about. This is a holy thing. He says it’s holy, praise God. “And the churches of Christ salute you.” We’re gonna be back in a short break and we’re gonna talk about some other things that you need to know if you’re gonna make it. Friends, I’ve been teaching from my series on “Romans: The Revelation of Righteousness.” Romans is actually my favorite book of the Bible. And I teach this class, I’ve been teaching it for years at Charis Bible College in Woodland Park with Andrew Wommack, and so I’m teaching about the gospel is the revelation of righteousness. You wanna get ahold of this? I have a book on it. I also have a four-CD mini-teaching on it. And then most recently we’ve done the 16-teaching USB that you can get just as we’ve been teaching it here on television. And so you want to get ahold of this revelation. If you get ahold of this revelation, it will change your life. So “Romans: The Revelation of Righteousness.” Thanks so much for being with us today. I’m sure that you’ll enjoy this great teaching and you’ll want to share it with your friends. Blessings. We appreciate you. Praise the Lord, friends, we’re back. And you know, in Romans chapter 15, the first 16 verses, Paul talks about all these different people, many, you taught on this, said that he had never even met who helped him further the Gospel of Christ. But then in verse 17-20, I mean, he tells him some other stuff, and it’s not near as long, but he says, “You gotta know who to stay away from. And just as much as you need to know who helped you, and thank God for ’em, there are some people you need to stay away from.” And he says, “I beseech you brethren, mark those who cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine that you have learned and avoid them.” Some people just contrary, and you know, they’re going the wrong direction. “For they are such who do not serve the Lord Jesus, but their own belly, and by their good words and fair speeches.” Just because they’re a good orator does not mean that they’re anointed by the Holy Ghost. Does not mean–

I love what he’s talking about,

That they’re doing what God called.

“To mark those that cause divisions.” You know, the Bible says that there are certain things that actually, that God hates.

Yes.

Saying, God is is a god of love, but if he hates something, you better watch out. And it says, “He hates those that cause–

Division.

Division. That sow discord among the brethren.

There’s six things the Lord hates, and the seventh is an abomination to him. And when he talks about the last one, he says, “Those that sow discord among the brethren.” God hates it. And when you read that in the book of Proverbs, it’s kind of a progressive thing. If they get involved in this, you just go on down. There’s some things you just, envy, strife, bitterness, hatred, lying. Just stay out of it.

And we talked about lying in another show, just how that’s just a… It’s a very wicked thing to lie. And some people actually go about lying to try to sow discord.

Some people just, they have a habit of lying. I told one young man from another ministry, I said, “Just don’t lie. It’s always better to tell the truth.” Just don’t lie. It’s no good. And so he says this, “By their good words and fair speech, they deceive the hearts of the simple.” Don’t have a simple heart. “For your obedience is come abroad to all men. I’m glad, therefore, on your behalf, but yet I would have you wise,” to be wise. “Be wise concerning that which is good and simple concerning that which is evil.” You know, some ministries try to talk about all the death and all the evil and all the problems in the world. It says be simple concerning evil.

It means you don’t have to understand everything.

You don’t have to… I never tried to teach you and your brothers all the bad things in the world. I never focused on all this sin. You know, I might’ve warned you against some things, and if I started to see you get off, I’d bring you aside and talk to you. But I never talked to you about, if you play this song backward, it’ll tell you how to smoke pot and roll a joint. And I never talked to you about a– It’s simple, yeah, I like that.

Just, I just think–

Yeah.

You know, you guys knew more on your own if you lived by the Holy Spirit. You watched some Christian TV and said, “Man, that stuff, some people–

It’s not right.

Yeah, it’s demonic. Praise God, so, you know, and God can show you, I’ve had the Christian TV on once. I fell asleep watching this one show one time. I had the Christian television on on a Christian channel. And this very well known preacher when I woke up was preaching, “Oh, if God, if you’ve had a foreclosure, thank God, and if you’re dying of cancer, thank…” I’m telling you, God is not the author of your financial problems, and God is not the author of cancer and disease. It’s just a lie of the devil. So, you know, some people, he says, “By their good words and fair speech deceive the hearts of the simple.” My goodness, some of these people you ought to just stay away from, and that’s what Paul’s saying. Some of these people that recently in this… I don’t wanna talk about it, it’s just crazy. But they get off all on these crazy things and it’s completely against the gospel, has nothing to do with the truth. And they’re deceiving the–

I love verse 20 here. Verse 20 is powerful. This is actually a verse that just talks about the gospel. It says, “And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.” This is actually going back to Genesis.

Genesis 3:15.

And Genesis 3:15, a lot of people believe that’s the first time the gospel is ever mentioned in scripture.

Amen.

When God prophesies, I think it’s to the serpent.

The seed of the woman will crush the serpent’s head.

But I love what he says here now that, “The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet.

Yeah.

Let’s talk about the authority of the believer now. We have power. We have power and authority in the gospel of what Jesus has done.

We operate in the victory of the cross, the victory of–

So Jesus has crushed Satan and we’re now able to crush Satan. We have authority over Satan, over the works of the enemy.

Yes.

That’s the full gospel right there.

Amen.

That Jesus gives us authority over death.

Over sin. Now he begins to talk about those that are with him and helping him at this time in the ministry in verse 21-24. He says, “Timotheus my work-fellow.” He’s my partner in the work. “Lucius, Jason, Sosipater, my family members, salute you. I Tertius, who wrote this epistle.” Paul had people who helped him write down these things that God was speaking on. “We salute you in the Lord. Gaius, mine host.” Gaius had Paul, was taking care of him at his home more than likely. “And the whole church. And of the whole church.” He not only takes care of me, but the whole church. “Salutes you. Erastus, the chamberlain of the city.” You know, the gatekeeper of the city, “salutes you and Quartus, a brother.” You know, I went to Dr. Lester Sumrall’s church when I went to his Bible school. Andrew Wommack didn’t have one then. And he preached a whole message on a Sunday morning on Quartis, a brother. It was a powerful message and talked about how we just thank God for people, whatever place God’s given ’em. A brother, thank God for brothers in the Lord. Amen, thank God for people who stand with us in the Lord. He says, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all, amen.” Thank God. Grace is with you. Now he says in verse 25 in his final close, “To him who has the power to establish you according to my gospel.” You need to get established in the gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ. I tell you what we need to preach. We need to preach Jesus. Paul said, “I’m preaching Jesus. I’m not ashamed of Jesus. According to the revelation of the mystery.” What is the mystery, Aaron?

This is what Paul was talking about in Colossians, the mystery that is now revealed, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Colossians 1:27.

I love that. Paul talks a lot about the mystery. I think he probably preached a lot about the mystery now revealed.

So he says, “God will establish you according to the power of my gospel.” And there’s power in the true gospel. “And the preaching of Jesus, according…” You need to get a revelation that Jesus Christ, the resurrected Lord of the church, is living on the inside of you. And he says, “Which was kept secret since the world began.” They entered into a new dispensation, a new time period once the Holy Spirit was sent. Praise God, the dispensation of grace. And he says, “But now it’s revealed, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God made known to all nations for obedience to the faith.” Hallelujah, there’s some great things for obedience to the faith. “To God only wise be glory through Christ Jesus forever, amen.”

That’s awesome.

Hallelujah.

Romans is such a powerful book in the Bible. It’s one of my favorite epistles that Paul wrote. It’s just a great declaration, a great explanation, a great revelation of what the true gospel of Jesus really is. It’s not just mere words or philosophy. It is the power of God unto salvation. And to all those who believe, to the Jew first, but also unto the Greek. You know, the only thing that God sees in their own with the spirit is faith. He doesn’t see race. He doesn’t see if you’re Jewish, or Greek, or white, or black. He doesn’t see gender, if you’re male or female. There’s neither male nor female. There’s neither rich nor poor. But God sees faith. He always honors faith.

And when God sees you, if you have faith, he sees Jesus. Amen? And he goes on in verse 17. Aaron, you just quoted Romans 1:16. But verse 17, and he says that “The gospel is the revelation of righteousness.” Amen? So if you get a revelation of right standing with God and how to live it out, and that’s what Paul talks about in Romans, it will literally change your life for good.

You’ll reign in life through the gift of righteousness and the abundance of grace. That’s right.

Amen.

Romans 5:17 says that.

Amen, thanks for tuning in, being with us. If you need prayer, if you wanna become a partner, if you need product, just give us a call today. Blessings. God loves you and so do we.

[Announcer] Jesus is the answer for every need that the world faces today. In this package containing “Romans: The Revelation of Righteousness,” CD, USB, and book, you’ll learn how to receive righteousness and what happens when you do. You can get this special package for $49 when you call 719-418-4000 or visit charischristiancenter.com.

Hi friends, I’m Pastor Lawson Purdue, and I’m gonna have my good friend Jesse Duplantis ministering here at Charis Christian Center. He’s ministered for us every year for the last 11 years. One thing he said that really has helped me, he said, “In the realm of faith, most of the time I made a decision and God honored it.” So you don’t wanna miss these meetings with Jesse Duplantis. Come and receive the good word of God. Blessings.

[Announcer] Thanks for watching “Grace for Today.” This broadcast has been made possible by our faithful partners. If you would like to become a partner, need prayer, or have a question, please call us at 719-418-4000, or to partner online, go to charischristiancenter.com/give. You can write us at P.O. Box 63733, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80962. See you next time on “Grace for Today.