With one Sunday in between Advent and the start of the new series, we have planned an extended Scripture reading from Romans 12-16 as way to prepare our hearts and get us ready for Romans. In order to best understand the deep theology of Romans 1-11, you have to grasp the particular situation and relational setting of Romans 12-16. This application at the end of the letter helps give a context and better understanding of the earlier, rich content of Paul's letter. All that is going on at the end of Paul's letter to Rome is not disconnected and actually helps us hear Romans 8 better.