Romans 16: Friends

Read Romans 16:1-27

Friends

I commend to you Phoebe…she has been helpful
to many, and especially to me.
~Romans 16:1

Digging Deeper: So who was Phoebe?  We don’t really know, except that she was a deacon in the church in Cenchrea—which brings up a whole different matter about women deacons.  I won’t go there for now, but, hey, the Bible sure does…

Anyway, we don’t know much about Phoebe, or the other friends Paul names as he closes out the book of Romans.  Now, I want to do something normally guaranteed to lose your interest at this point—I want to list those names for you. But before I do, promise me that you’ll read through this entire list.  You probably won’t be able to pronounce the names correctly, but that’s okay, I can’t either.  I just read them really fast and with a lot of bravado, so when people hear me they think I must be an expert in ancient languages.  Try it—you’ll impress your friends.

So here they are: There’s Priscilla Aquila, Penetus, Mary, Andronicus, Junia, Ampliatus, Urbanus, Stachys, Apelles, the household of Aristobulus, the household of Narcissus, Tryphena, Tryphosa, Persis, Rufus and his mother, Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and his fellow Christians, Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, Olympia and her Christian friends, Timothy, Lucias, Jason, Sosipater, Tertius, Gaius, Erastus, and last but not least, Quartus.

Whew!  My spell-checker is smoking.  I don’t think it will ever be the same again.

So what’s up with these names?  Simply this:  Paul, the great Apostle, the guy who deservedly gets his name in lights almost every Lord’s Day in churches around the world, knew very well that he couldn’t have done it without the help of his friends.  If Paul were accepting an Oscar, he would be up there for minutes listing off all the people he’d like to thank—these names and many others he mentions in some of his other writings.

This great theologian who was largely responsible for the evangelization of the western world didn’t do it all by himself.  He needed a little help from his friends in every city where he preached the gospel and/or planted a church.  Though you will likely never hear a sermon or attend a Bible study where these names are given any mention, Paul gives them their props in the eternal Word of God.

My point is, it takes a team to do the work of the Kingdom. For sure, there are leading characters on the Kingdom team, but it’s still a team, mostly of unnamed, unsung heroes who are typically forgotten—except by God. God never forgets. He appreciates the contributions of each one—even the lesser lights.  And he has stored up indescribable recognition and reward for them in the Kingdom to come. And Paul’s mention of them here in the last chapter of Romans is a subtle reminder to us of their contribution to his efforts and of their value to God.

Maybe you are one of those unnamed, unsung heroes who goes unnoticed by everyone else.  But your faithfulness is noticed by God.  Perhaps you are a Phoebe to a Paul or a Patrobas to a Peter or a Junius to a John, and you wonder if you really matter.  My response to you is, “Yes, you matter.  We wouldn’t be effective in building God’s Kingdom without you!  It takes a team—and no matter how you feel, you are an integral part of that team!”

But more important than my acknowledgment is God’s.  He has written your name in a book too—one that’s even better than Romans.  It’s the Book of Life. And God himself will celebrate your name all eternity long.  How’s that for recognition?

So just be faithful doing what you’re doing.  Your day is coming!

“God has not called us to do great things, but
to do small things with great love.”
~Mother Teresa

This Weeks Assignment

Read: Romans 16:1-27

Memorize: Romans 16:17

“I urge you, brothers, 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.”

For Your Consideration: Every church is made up of friends of Christ as well as enemies of the Gospel.  Even your church!  That may be hard for you to swallow, but it’s true.  Now rather than getting you riled up and ready to go on a witch hunt, here is what Paul would ask you to do:  First, take the time to express your gratitude to God for those true friends who make the Gospel possible in your church.  And not only thank God for them, thank them, too.  Second, simply and steadfastly stay alert to anyone that would cause a division in your fellowship.  Satan’s chief strategy to weaken your church is to divide it—and he usually begins with small, subtle cracks!  Don’t’ let him!