There is a lot of the Bible that is simply taken at face value, like:
John 14:15
If you love me, obey my commands
But then you have verses in Romans like:
Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose
...where you need to dig deeper into the mysteries of God to understand them. Some of these sections of Romans take years and years to fully understand, and some we won’t understand this side of Heaven!
After Paul drops truth for 15 chapters straight, he ends with a long list of people in Rome that he has respect for, who are people we should have respect for too. At the end of Romans 15, Paul talks about how he’s been “longing for many years” to visit the Romans as a people group. And then he jumps into the list of the people themselves:
Romans 16:1-16
1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchreae. 2 I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of his people and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me.
Phoebe is mentioned here as a deaconess. Deacons were people set aside as leaders in the church to serve the practical needs of the church. Phoebe is such a servant hearted woman that Paul’s first order of business in the wrap up of this letter is to commend her on her work and talk her up to the Romans because of how she served Paul.
Be like Phoebe, putting the needs of everyone else first!
3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus. 4 They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.
5 Greet also the church that meets at their house.
Priscilla and Aquilla were a married couple who served alongside Paul for a lot of his time in leadership. Priscilla and Aquilla are THE power couple of the New Testament because they were in it for the long run, and they gave everything for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They hosted churches in their home. They went wherever God said to go. They got behind solid Godly leadership, and they risked everything for people to hear about Jesus.
Be like Priscilla and Aquilla, pick a great spouse, and make everything in your marriage be about the Gospel.
Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia.
Epenetus was just living his life (most likely in Ephesus), was presented with the Gospel, and he said yes to Jesus! He was a pioneer of the faith, willing to lay it all on the line, most likely not caring what anyone else thought of him because Jesus had to have been everything to him.
Be a pioneer of faith, in whatever God calls you to!
6 Greet Mary, who worked very hard for you.
All we know about Mary is that the work she did set the stage for the Romans, so much so that Paul calls her out by name.
Give your all to the church of Indianapolis, just like Mary gave her all to the Roman church!
7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.
Andronicus and Junia are people Paul tells us to look up to. He was in prison with them, where there’s simply no hiding who you really are and your flesh is going to come out, and he still said they are outstanding among the apostles!
Be the Hero Maker who is willing to invest everything in a new believer, genuinely believing that they can outpace you!
8 Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord.
Ampliatus was a friend to Paul.
Ampliatus was a common slave name in Rome. There’s a great chance that at that time he wasn’t the one teaching, preaching, or coaching leaders, but he poured into Paul.
Be someone who comes alongside great men and women and gives them a safe place.
9 Greet Urbanus, our co-worker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys. 10 Greet Apelles, whose fidelity to Christ has stood the test. Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus. 11 Greet Herodion, my fellow Jew. Greet those in the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord. 12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those women who work hard in the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis, another woman who has worked very hard in the Lord.
All of these people are ones who are only listed in the Bible here in this verse, and we don't really know what they've done for the Kingdom.
Be like these men and women: giving everything for the Gospel and not looking for recognition, titles, or a following… Just wanting to serve Jesus.
13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too.
When Paul mentions Rufus’ mom, he says she had been like a mother to him.
Moms and older women, don’t discount your ability to be a mother figure to incredible men and women of God. Be a nurturer in a life-changing way!
14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the other brothers and sisters with them. 15 Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas and all the Lord’s people who are with them. 16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send greetings.
The verbiage: “all the Lord’s people who are with them” implies that this part of the letter is a list of people in a specific house church.
Maybe just band together and be a Life Group that is so amazing at bringing in lost people, that even Paul wants to be a part of your group!
I think God wanted the church in Rome to remember how good they have it, and how incredible their people are! When we remember how great the people are around us, we don’t listen to the lie that the grass is greener somewhere else.
Romans 16:17-19
Romans 16:17-19
17 I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. 18 For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. 19 Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.
In other words, don’t listen to the dumb people who are GOING TO COME IN and try and cause issues. Remember all of the incredible saints around you, and remember how good you have it!
- Celebrate this incredible family that you have here.
- Don’t believe the lies of the enemy.
- Let’s all work hard to be like these people in Romans 16!
Romans 16:27
to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.
