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December 11th

The bible reading today is in Romans 14-16.

Paul closes this letter of Romans with a picture of the church there. Did Paul create a drawing of the building where this church met for worship? No. Paul greeted over twenty people by name that made up the church at Rome. That wasn't all the followers of Christ there, just people that Paul knew.

The followers of Christ were the church.

So Paul painted a picture of the church by naming people and what they were doing in the name of Christ there. “

I commend to you “our sister Phoebe”, a “servant of the church at Cenchreae”, that you may “welcome her in the Lord” in a way “worthy of the saints”, and “help her in whatever she may need” from you for she has been a “patron of many and of myself” as well.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭16:1-2‬

Phoebe was a believer from the little town of Cenchrea, next to Corinth. She was a deaconess, serving her church in Cenchrea. She was a Roman and friend of Paul. She supported Paul and other missionaries with her resources.

And in our text today, she is Paul’s ambassador to the church at Rome...delivering Paul’s letter to the church.

Paul told the believers in Rome that Phoebe was “their sister” in Christ. Love her like a sister and welcome her in Jesus’ name. He told them to help her with whatever she needed. Show her hospitality worthy of Jesus' followers.

What Phoebe was doing and what Paul was expecting of the Roman church family upon her arrival does give us descriptions of what church people did and what we are to do.

“Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭16:3-4‬

Apparently, Paul’s fellow missionaries to Corinth on his second missionary journey, Aquila and Priscilla, were now sharing the gospel in Rome from the church there.

Paul wanted every church member there to know that the bold Jewish couple who labored among them were Paul’s heroes. They had risked their lives to save Paul’s many times on mission with Jesus.

“Greet also the church in their house...a missional community to be sure...who else made up that fellowship in Rome?

“Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in Asia.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭16:5‬

Another wow...first convert in Achaia. Epinetus could have visited Lystra or Derbe on business from Acahia...right about the time Paul and Barnabas came preaching the gospel. Perhaps he got saved there, first among many...and became a businessman on mission with Christ and wound up in Rome and became a part of the church there. Paul never forgot him. How awesome!

“Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles, and they were in Christ before me.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭16:7‬

And guess who else was now a laborer in God’s Roman spiritual vineyard. A messianic Jewish couple by the names of Andronicus and Junia. They were imprisoned for the sake of the gospel...not with Paul but before Paul was converted to Christ. They were well regarded by the apostles...perhaps they got saved during Pentecost and partnered with the other believers in Jerusalem before the persecution of Jews and Christians by Rome. Paul called them my fellow prisoners...they were all apart of the “fellowship of the persecuted”...and they stayed faithful to Christ too.

What a picture of that young church in Rome. Men women and children...Jews and Gentiles...rich and poor...brand new in the faith and the more seasoned laborers of the kingdom.

Thanks, Lord for the picture gallery of the church...past and present to be.

Have a great day