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25. Romans 16: “Paul Puts People Front & Center”
Golden Nursing Center in Mannington, NJ –Evening
Service on 12/20/2012
(edited December 2019)
It’s Holiday Time once again and as I
study this chapter in the Book of Romans, I can’t help but try to imagine how
the Apostle Paul would fit in at our Christmas social and church gatherings. I
also question myself on where I want to fit in with other people. Should I
concentrate solely on the doctrines of the faith, or take some time to extend
true hospitality to others as God enables me? I’m sorry to admit that it’s
often harder for me to be hospitable than it should be.
Well, if anyone had an excuse to put
religious doctrine over social interaction and Christian Love, it was Paul. He
literally wrote many of the major doctrines of the New Testament. For instance,
there is a well-known Doctrine called “The Roman Road.” It is often shared with
potential believers and has been printed in tens of thousands of Gospel tracts.
It is based on quotes found in chapters 3-10 from this Book of Romans.
Plus, Paul had been a Pharisee before
he met Christ. An Old Testament expert who had lived zealously for doctrines,
even to the point of advocating death and confinement for those who would not
submit to the doctrines he held at the time. Then Paul met Jesus on the road to
Damascus. In this chapter we are going to see clearly that Jesus changed Paul
into a people person!
Verse 1: “ I commend unto
you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:”
Sister Phebe voluntarily served a
specific church group. And when Paul was in town, Phebe had helped him.
Paul hadn’t forgotten:
Verse 2: “ That ye receive
her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever
business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of
myself also.”
Why mention this one Christian by
name? Well, she was important to Paul. Paul was a great preacher, missionary,
Apostle, and an actual “miracle-worker” in the flesh! But Paul was not a robot.
He needed help and support in his ministry. Yes, he needed PEOPLE.
We often hear Paul quoted from his
letter to the church at Philippi as saying, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
But the next verse doesn’t get as much
air-play: “Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did
communicate with my affliction.”
Paul wasn’t obsessed with Phebe, by
the way. His Love in Christ extended to many others gathered there at Rome, and
so he begins to commend them by name and by category:
for COURAGE:
Verses
3-4: “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.”
Verse 5: “ Likewise greet
the church that is in their house. Salute my well-beloved Epaenetus, who is the
firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.
This couple, Priscilla and Aquila,
hosted church meetings in their home in addition to all they had done for Paul individually.
And this man, Epaenetus, was a “firstfruits” believer. Do you know what that
means? He was the first open convert in the
area that included Ephesus in Asia. When Paul first preached in this area, a
mob tried to kill him. That means that back
when everybody was shakin’ in their boots, back before anyone else publicly
confessed faith in Christ in that heathen environment, Epaenetus stood up and
said, “Yes, I’ll trust in Jesus for my salvation!” Paul never forgot the man’s
courage.
for SERVICE:
Verse 6: “Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on us.”
for PERSERVERENCE:
Verse 7: “Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen,
and my fellow-prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in
Christ before me.”
for BONDS OF LOVE:
Verses 8-9 : “Greet
Amplias my beloved in the Lord. Salute Urbane, our helper in Christ, and
Stachys my beloved.”
Real love, God’s unselfish Love, is a
great gift to any relationship. Paul appreciated it and wanted to mention it
here about these folks.
for CHRISTIAN FAMILY TIES:
Verses 10-11: “Salute Apelles
approved in Christ. Salute them which are of Aristobulus' household. Salute
Herodion my kinsman. Greet them that be of the household of Narcissus, which
are in the Lord.”
Some of them, including Paul, had apparently found great Christian
fellowship and Love within their own earthly families. -By the way, if you
haven’t found much of that in your walk with Christ or your walk toward Christ,
in other words, if your earthly family has not encouraged you to pursue Christ,
please take a look at Christ’s promise to you in Mark 10:29-30
“And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you,
There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or
mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, But he
shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and
sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the
world to come eternal life.”
This, I believe, was part of Christ’s
experience. The Scriptures tell us that His own family members doubted Him
during his life on earth. But His life goes on even now and look at ALL THE LOVE
HE NOW RECEIVES DAILY!
There was a day when I wouldn’t have spit
for Him. I wouldn’t take one step for the cause of Christ. But He has changed
me and persevered with me. He still does, in fact. And though my love is
nothing special (very weak at times) and I don’t know why He would even want it,
I have to say, I adore Him today. I kneel, I bow, and I even weep on occasion
over Love for Him. He is NEVER going back to Calvary. And one reason is that many
of his enemies, as I unknowingly was, now Love Him dearly.
If you follow Him and show His Love to
others, they won’t all love you back right away. That’s just not realistic.
Some never will, but Jesus promises that many will. This is a wonderful
promise and motivation for all believers.
even MORE LOVE:
Now Paul’s cup is gonna overflow with
Love. This man once was ready to write people off and even destroy them over
religious doctrines. It’s amazing how
much he has changed. Just listen to him:
Verses
12-16: “Salute
Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis, which
laboured much in the Lord. Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord, and his mother and
mine. Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes,
and the brethren which are with them. Salute Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and
his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints which are with them. Salute one another with an holy kiss. The
churches of Christ salute you.”
I’m no Bible scholar, I don’t really
know much about most of these folks. But they are teaching me that the Love of
Our Lord is marvelous. And that Paul felt that way about it! It didn’t come
second to his doctrine. Loving people came FIRST!
Will I be able to show that “Agape”
Love, at least a little bit, during this season? I hope so. Paul seemed to l-o-v-e
EVERYBODY in that church! The real question for me, based on some of my past
performance, is: will I love be able to love anybody?
What was Paul’s secret?
To find out let’s go on with Paul’s
letter. Next, he turns back to doctrine:
Verses 17-18: “Now
I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary
to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For
they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by
good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.”
It was such a beautiful picture of
Christian fellowship that Paul was painting. Why spoil it now by speaking of
unpleasant things? Well, two reasons, that I can think of:
1. It’s OK to be skeptical when it
comes to Christian fellowship or Loving anybody. People are not perfect and
they do not always respond appropriately to us. Love leaves us vulnerable and
some, both in and out of the Church, may try to exploit us with hostility or a
fake and insincere offer of fellowship.
2. Holding to the Truth means that we Love the Lord. He’s worthy
of Love, too. One day a man asked Jesus what the most important commandments
were. He answered immediately and it’s recorded in Matthew 22:37-39 “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with
all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first
and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy
neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the
prophets.”
So, doctrines don’t come before Love. But if we
abandon the doctrines of God because of selfishness or because of a relation we
have with another person, that ain’t Love either! It actually shows that
we are neglecting our Love of the Lord!
The believers in Rome at this time were BOTH Loving one another
AND Loving God:
Verses
19-20: “For your obedience is come
abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have
you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil. And the God of
peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ be with you. Amen.”
How did Satan get into this beautiful
chapter? Well, it’s a battle to love other people. We aren’t perfect and
neither are they. That alone can turn relationships into a battleground.
But Paul says God was doing their
fighting for them. They were obeying Him and loving one another. That’s the way
to defeat evil.
MORE COMMENDATIONS from Paul:
Verses 21-24: “ Timotheus my workfellow, and Lucius, and Jason, and Sosipater, my
kinsmen, salute you. I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute
you in the Lord. Gaius mine host, and of the whole church,
saluteth you. Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you, and Quartus a
brother. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be
with you all. Amen.”
These guys were with Paul at Corinth,
I believe, where he was writing this letter to the Church at Rome. How could one
of the meanest and nastiest Pharisees of his day have changed into such a
Loving person? Paul us all:
Verses 25-27:
“Now to him that is of power to stablish you according
to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of
the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made
manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment
of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: To
God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.”
Paul didn’t change on his own. And it
wasn’t from the doctrines and rituals he excelled at. Religion had actually
blinded him and turned his heart as cold as stone. It was on the road the
Damascus that Paul learned about God’s Love. He learned it directly from God’s
Son and so can any of us who come to Christ with our whole heart.
Love, kindness, and fellowship come
before religion, ritual, and doctrine. But Love for God comes before EVERYTHING
ELSE! May you find strength this Christmas in His perfect Love for you. Let’s
pray.