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The greetings to the saints
- The reson for the names…
- There are 29 names Paul greets in his closing remarks to the church in Rome…
- Most of them we do not know anything about – they are only mentioned here…
- Most commentators just skip over these names – because we know so little about them…
- II Timothy 3:16 – “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right.”
- But God does not waste space – or put things in the Bible for no reason…
- Phoebe… vs. 1-2
- Phoebe was a servant from the church in Corinth (Cenchrea is one of the ports of Corinth)…
- She was coming to Rome – apparently she had some business to take care of there…
- It is thought she is the one who delivered this letter to the Church in Rome…
- 3 things Paul gives us about this woman – who is only mentioned here in the Bible
- 1st – Phoebe was a sister – not literally – she was a gentile / Paul was a Jew…
- This might not seem like a big deal today – but in Paul’s day Jews hated gentiles…
- But because of Phoebe and Paul’s common love for Jesus – they were family!
- Galatians 3:28 – “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
- The relationship – bond – in the Body of Christ – can be even closer than family
- Perhaps you’ve noticed – brothers and sisters in the Lord closer even than family
- The bond we have in Jesus – the love of Jesus – making us part of the family of God!
- 2nd – Phoebe was a servant – diakonos – literally the role of a ‘deacon’ in the church…
- The role of the deacon – is to minister to the practical needs of the church…
- The role of the elder or pastor – is to minister to the spiritual needs of the church…
- Calling Phoebe a ‘deacon’ is interesting – its commonly taught only men can be deacons
- Timothy 3:12 – “Let deacons be the husbands of one wife…”
- But the example of Phoebe shows that women can also be ‘deacons’ in the church…
- Paul is very clear though that only a man can be an elder/pastor in the church…
- I Timothy 2:12 – “I do not let women teach men or have authority over them.”
- So women can serve as a deacon in the church – practically serving the people…
- But only men can serve as pastors/elders in the church – the Bible is very clear…
- Not because men are better – there is equality within the church – but also order…
- I Corinthians 14:40 – “Let all things be done decently and in order”
- Just as the Father – is over Jesus – who is the head of the church…
- So also men are the head over women – the example of marriage…
- Ephesians 5:23 – “The husband is head of the wife, as Christ is head of the church.”
- So men & women are equal in the sight of God – each has a role to play in the church
- So women are not to teach men – be pastors in the church….
- I Corinthians 14:34 – “Women should be silent during the church meetings. It is not proper for them to speak.”
- In Paul’s day the men and women sat on opposite sides of the church…
- If a question came up in the service – the women would yell across to their husbands
- ‘What is the pastor talking about’ – disrupting the whole service…
- Paul’s command was to let the women instead ask their husbands at home…
- The wives should not go and ask a pastor – or be a know it all to their husbands…
- Instead they are to go and ask their husbands – ‘but we do not know the answer!’
- If our wives ask – we will find out the answer – we will dig into the word…
- The ideas being the wives are to stir up their husbands to get into the word!
- 3rd – Phoebe was a strengthener…
- She was a helper in the church – she took care of many of the saints – and Paul!
- The name Phoebe means – ‘bright / radiant’ – she shone for Jesus!
- A great encouragement for the women in the church…
- As they serve others – help others – they will shine bright – be radiant for Jesus!
- Pricilla and Aquila… vs. 3-5
- A married couple that Paul met in Corinth on his 2nd missionary journey – Acts 18:2-3
- They were exited from Rome in AD 44 – when all Jews were banished from Rome…
- They were tentmakers (same as Paul) so they worked together there in Corinth…
- Paul gave thanks for them (along with all the churches) – 5 reasons…
- 1st – because of their ministry as a couple (they are mentioned 6 times in the Bible)
- Every time they are mentioned – they are mentioned as husband and wife…
- It is always a blessing to see a husband and wife serving together in ministry…
- You might ask – what if God calls me – but not my wife – wait for God to call you both!
- I had a good friend who was called by God to go to Israel as a missionary…
- His wife is no uncertain terms told him – NO – he just asked her to pray…
- 4 months later he came home to find his wife packing for Israel!
- 2nd – for their ministry to disciple others…
- When Pricilla and Aquila come to Ephesus – they met a man named Apollos…
- Acts 18:26 – “When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.”
- They ministered as a couple – together they made disciples of Jesus Christ…
- Fulfilling the Great Commission of Jesus – Matthew 28:19-20…
- 3rd – because of their ministry to Paul…
- Paul calls Pricilla and Aquila Paul’s fellow workers in the ministry…
- There is nothing quite as wonderful as seeing men step up and help in ministry…
- There is only so much that one man can do – so many hours in one day…
- But as men step up to help out – co-labor – the work of the ministry expands!
- 4th – their ministry was sacrificial…
- Pricilla and Aquila were willing to risk their own lives – for Paul’s life…
- We often like to serve the Lord – as long as it is convenient for me…
- If it is not convenient – then we often don’t want to serve the Lord…
- I’m tired / I have other things I’d rather do / I too busy…
- But God desires sacrificial ministry – taking the time / making the time to serve Him!
- 5th – their ministry at home…
- Pricilla and Aquila had a church that met in their home…
- They understood the need for ‘church’ to extend beyond Sunday mornings…
- They also made their home a place where people could come and hear about Jesus!
- 1st – because of their ministry as a couple (they are mentioned 6 times in the Bible)
- A married couple that Paul met in Corinth on his 2nd missionary journey – Acts 18:2-3
- A church building is not the only place we can worship God – learn about the Lord…
- We can worship God in our own homes – in school – in our workplace…
- We are called to constantly be talking to the Lord in prayer – I Thessalonians 5:17
- We should be daily in God’s Word – reading and studying about our Lord…
- Worshiping God – singing praises – thanking Him daily for all He has done!
- Epaenetus – Olympas… vs. 5-15
- 1st – Epaenetus – means praiseworthy – one of the 1st to get saved in Corinth…
- Paul greets- remembers him – because he was one of the 1st ones to receive Jesus…
- There is no greater joy than being able to lead someone to faith in Jesus…
- To know that Jesus used us to give a person the hope of eternity in heaven!
- I still remember the 1st person I ever had the joy of leading to the Lord…
- I was on a missions trip to Kazakhstan – I had a muslim roommate for the summer…
- His 1st words to me were – ‘I don’t want to hear about your God’ – wasted trip…
- God told me to let him see Jesus in me – be his Bible – II Corinthians 3:3
- 4 weeks later – on a walk – he opened the conversation – accepted Jesus as his savior!
- 2nd – Mary / Tryohena / Tryphosa / Persis – labored much in the Lord…
- Tryohena means delicate / Tryphose mean dainty – likely sisters…
- Persis means – a Persian woman / and Mary (not the mother of Jesus)…
- 4 women who we know nothing about except – they worked HARD for the Lord…
- Labored – literally to work to the point of exhaustion…
- Ministry is a LOT of hard work – and it is easy to get ‘tired’ in the ministry…
- But you never get ‘tired’ of the ministry – it is the result of a great love for Jesus!
- The heart of ministry is to get there early – leave late – ready to do it again tomorrow!
- Not by our strength – but by the Spirit of God – Zechariah 4:6
- 3rd – Andronicus and Junia – possibly a husband and wife…
- We know they were imprisoned with Paul – presumably for preaching the Gospel…
- Paul called them apostles – interesting because Junia is a woman…
- Not as in the 12 Apostles – Peter, James, John and the group (including Paul)…
- But the calling of an apostle – the word meaning ‘one who is sent out’ – missionary…
- Men and women can both be ‘sent out’ – be apostles for Jesus Christ…
- How can people believe – be saved – if we are not out there sharing the Gospel…
- We know LOTS of people who do not believe in Jesus – what are we doing about it
- We are called to ‘go’ – into our workplace / our families / our back yards…
- And tell people about Jesus – give them the message of salvation!
- We know they were imprisoned with Paul – presumably for preaching the Gospel…
- 4th – The remainder of the greetings…
- Urbanas (polite), Stachys (whom Paul loved), Apelles (approved by Jesus)…
- Aristobulus (the best counselor) – we no nothing else about these men…
- Herodion – possibly a relative of Herod the Great – also possibly a relative of Paul…
- Narcissus (stupidity) – we don’t know anything about him – but he had a tough name…
- Rufus (red) – chosen in the Lord – whose mother was a like a mother to Paul as well
- Possibly the son of Simon of Cyrene – the man who carried the cross of Jesus…
- Mark 15:21 – “Then they compelled Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross.”
- Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and all the brethren with them….
- Philologus (loves the Word), Julia, Nereus (and his sister), Olymas, and all the saints…
- We know next to nothing about any of the people Paul’s lists here…
- Except to say – their names made in into the Word of God!
- Because of their faith – their love for Jesus – their names were recorded in the Bible!
- 1st – Epaenetus – means praiseworthy – one of the 1st to get saved in Corinth…
- Many people try to leave their ‘mark’ – their name on memorials to be remembered
- But memorials crumble – names fade away – things are forgotten…
- Those Paul greeted here had their names written here for us to read 2000 years later
- The things we do for ourselves – the glory of men – are all forgotten…
- It is the things we do for the Lord that last forever – Matthew 6:20
- Greet one another with a Holy kiss… vs. 16
- Paul commanded the believers to greet each other with a kiss…
- In Israel it is still a custom to great one another with a kiss on the cheek…
- It was meant to be a sign of the love within the church – a since of family…
- The church should be a family – knit together by the Love of Jesus for one another…
- So the world can look and see Jesus in us!
- John 13:35 – “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
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