INTRODUCTION
If you moved away from this area then met a Christian who was moving here, I’m sure you’d encourage them to visit North Park Church and you’d tell them some things about the church.
You might also give them the names of a fe people here at the church to look out for and when they find them to those them to say hello for you.
Who might you tell them to greet once they got here?
As we close Paul’s letter to the Roman Christians, he does something like this. Except he asks the church in Rome to greet some of their members that he already has met outside of Rome. His list is pretty long. It consists of 29 people by name or by position.
We probably wonder how Paul could know so many believers in the Roamn church having never visited it. We may never know. Some were Jews expelled from Rome by Emperor Claudius. Others were believers from churches Paul planted or visited that had then relocated to Rome. What we do know is all the good things Paul said about many of them indicate he knew them personally.
Besides asking the Roman believers to greet those of their members that Paul knew personally, he warns them of a danger they had to watch out for, sends greetings from his co-workers and others in the church at Corinth, and then reminds them of how great the God they serve in the gospel is.
We’ll take the chapter under four heads:
Paul asks the Romans to
- Greet some great people to know
- Avoid some dangerous people they might encounter
- Receive greetings from some faithful co-workers
- Remember how great God is
Greet some great people , 1-16
A of the church, 1-2
Phoebe
co-workers, 3-5a
Aquila and Priscilla
(MULTILINE REVEAL TINY)
A memorable
Epaenetus – from Asia (Ephesus?)
Perhaps led to the Lord by Priscilla and Aquila in Ephesus, and went to Rome with them?
Hard working
Mary, 6
Tryphaena, 12
Tryphosa, 12 (Perhaps the two are sisters)
Persis, 12 – met Paul outside of Rome. Impressed him with her hard work and won his admiration and affection
Fellow and fellow
Andronicus and Junia, 7 (some think Junius (masc) and therefore another man) If Junia, then she might be his wife
Had seen the risen Lord (called apostles) and were apostles before Paul
At some point had been imprisoned with Paul for the gospel
Had outstanding reputations as apostles
Herodian, 11 – perhaps a former slave of Herod who’d been set free and traveled to Rome, 11
brothers
Ampliatus, 8 – a typical slave name so a slave or a freedman
(MULTILINE REVEAL TINY)
Stacys, 9 – another believer who Paul had met outside of Rome and thought highly of
A fellow
Urbanus, 9 – Probably a Gentile Christian. Besides A & P the only co-worker of Paul named
An believer
Apelles, 10 – we know only that Paul must have met him outside of Rome and knew him to be a man of whom Christ approved.
Whole
Aristobulus’ family, 10 Tradition says that he was a brother of Barnabus and eventually was a missionary to Britain. Paul’s words indicate his whole family were Christians.
Believers in Narcissus’ household, 11. Paul’s words indicate that not everyone in Narcissus’ household were believers, in fact Narcissus may not have been a believer.
A brother
Rufus, 13 – probably a Gentile Christian and free person
Choice – “chosen in the Lord”
A shared
Mother of Rufus, 13
May have been of his mother’s age and doted on him like a mother would,
A 14
Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas
Likely all members of the same house church, all likely Gentile Christians, and perhaps all leaders of the church. Paul must have net at least one of them (Asyncritus?) outside of Rome. He might know of the others through that one person.
and more 15
Philologus and Julia (Husband and wife? Brother and sister?) Likely immigrated to Rome for the east where Paul met them.
Nereus and his sister. (Likely Gentile Christians as well)
Olympas. Like Philologus, he was probably a Gentile Christian who had immigrated to Rome.
All the saints with them
Likely all part of the same house church of which the mentioned five were among the leaders.
Avoid some you might encounter, 17-20
(MULTILINE REVEAL TINY)
Who to watch out for:
(cause dissension or opposition)
(temptations to sin)
What these people do:
Work against (teaching)
They serve their , not Jesus
Use and flattery
The those who are naïve (unsuspecting, innocent)
How these people must be treated:
(stay away, steer clear of)
Why this is needed:
To stay innocent of while being wise to what is
What will become of these people (and their leader):
They will be with Satan under their feet.
Receive greetings from some great , 21-23
– 2nd-3rd Missionary journeys, trusted co-worker, Paul’s beloved and faithful child in the Lord, mentioned as a co-writer with Paul of 2 Corinthians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.
– possibly the Lucius who co-pastored with Paul in Antioch before he was called to missionary work.
– possibly the Christian from Thessalonica in whose house Paul was staying (Acts 17:5-9)
– perhaps Sopater the Berean Christian who later accompanied Paul to Jerusalem (Acts 20:4)
– the scribe who wrote the letter down.
– a Corinthian Christian with whom Paul was staying and who in one way or another hosted the whole church in his home. One of only 3 people that Paul baptized in Corinth.
– treasurer of the city of Corinth.
– called “the brother” – a fellow believer.
Remember God is, 24-27
Able to
Author of salvation
Giver of salvation to
The only God
The one who deserves forever through Jesus Christ
APPLICATION OF ROMANS 16
Look for good Christians to make friends with and to emulate.
Good students of the word, good personal evangelists, good teachers, good servants, good welcomers, good leaders, etc.
Watch out for so-called believers who create .
Find good believers to .
Remember the God of the gospel is.
CONCLUSION TO ROMANS
Paul has finished writing a masterpiece, the most important Christian letter ever written.
He stated his theme in the beginning of his letter
Romans 1:16–17 (ESV)
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
His theme has been :
The need for the gospel: universal
The content of the gospel: the righteousness of God can be obtained alone in Jesus alone
The benefits of the gospel: sin’s power in the believer’s life, the presence of the Holy Spirit makes living in victory over sin possible.
The faithfulness of God in the gospel, offering salvation to by faith.
Life as a gospel transformed person: offering ourselves to Gid as a living sacrifice, being transformed by the renewing of our mind, putting love first, living in harmony and peace will all people, submitting to God-given authorities, watching out for the weaker brother or sister, and making sure every brother or sister feels welcomed by us.
If Paul were here today he’d urge everyone here to : to repent of sin, put your faith in what Jesus did on the cross for you, and be saved.
He’d go on and tell all of us to live . To live free from sin, to love others, seek harmony and peace, and put our weaker Christian brothers and sister before ourselves.