Author: missionspaul

“We are with you.” That’s what I wrote a couple of days ago to someone going through a terrible season. It means we will be in communication with you regularly; it means someone has already offered to cook meals; it means visits to pray with them; it means mobilising intercessors to pray; and it means raising finances that are needed to see them through. 

“Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympasand all the Lord’s people who are with them.” (Romans 16 v 15)

Here’s another of the house churches that Paul sends greetings to. 

See past the names to those beautiful words, ‘all the Lord’s people who are with them’. 

How do people get through life without the support of these smaller church gatherings?

Those who have tried to be a disciple without the Church soon realise they are on their own when trouble strikes.

Today maybe you can send a message to someone, ‘we are with you’, with all that this entails for you, it will certainly be a source of encouragement to them to keep going.

It is so easy to opt for a Christian life which attends Church on a Sunday morning. It is also an easier Christian life. What isn’t so easy is being part of a small group of Christians who become like family where they help one another live out the best Christian life they can. That may sound attractive but it does take commitment and vulnerability.

Who is walking with you?

“Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the other brothers and sisters with them.” (Romans 16 v 14)

The way this is phrased could indicate that this was some kind of house church set under the umbrella of the Church in Rome.

The Apostle hasn’t given any instruction that the Church should be divided up into groups that meet in houses or discipleship groups or missional communities but he simply recognises them.

In places of the world it is vital for the growth of the kingdom for smaller groups to meet together. Any large gathering would attract the attacks from people of other faiths and any church building erected would soon be burnt down. Perhaps this is the case in Rome. Also with Paul keen to establish unity amongst the churches then this would make sense that in effect he is speaking to the many smaller church communities scattered across the city to recognise one another in love.

However the benefits of doing life with a smaller group of people (whatever word you use to describe them) is essential for discipleship, accountability, friendship, support and mission. These 5 names plus the others known as ‘brothers and sisters’ are doing this kind of life together. Paul knows them and he knows their group.

Who is in your group?

Nine out of the twenty-six persons greeted by Paul were women: Priscilla (v3), Mary (b6), probably Junia (b7), Tryphena and Tryphosa, who may have been twin sisters, and Persis (v12), Rufus’ mother (v13), Julia and Nereus’ sister (v15).

Thank God that the Apostle and the Bible don’t have a problem with women having public ministries that they are commended for. May it continue !

If Mark’s gospel was written either in Rome or for the church there, then those receiving this letter will have known our next person that Paul sends greetings to.

For it is only in his gospel that he mentions the man who carried the cross of Jesus, his sons also being named: “A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross.” Mark 15:21

So who is our person today?

“Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord” (Romans 16 v 13)

Surely Paul isn’t using the word ‘chosen’ to indicate his salvation. Chosen for what?

Perhaps chosen to be in the story of the cross. His dad carried the cross of Christ. That is quite a claim! I wonder if the sons were there with their father accompanying him on his business trip. Maybe Rufus watched his father carry the cross?  Were the sons as chosen as their father? Chosen to be near and part of the cross. The father, Simon, was the principal character but his sons journeyed in that experience.

Rufus was living in Rome and was part of the church. He was chosen and maybe this is the beautiful reason why he was.

I have always found it a gracious privilege that my son and daughter have followed my path with the cross of Christ. It is the most important thing I have ever done in leading them this way. Others don’t have that blessing as yet but I know this is their prayer that the children are not forgotten in the story of God.

These women joined that of Mary who were commended for all working hard.

“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.” (Romans 16 v 12)

One of my first jobs was in the Valuation office in Leeds as a clerical assistant. I worked ‘flexi’ hours which meant I had a card that I clocked on and pulled the card out when I finished work. There was an allotted time of hours I had to work in a month and I could do the work pretty much at any time so long as the hours were worked. Many of the staff members worked long hours in the first 3 weeks and then in the 4th week of the month they had done all their hours so managed to have a couple of extra days off. Not me! I did the reverse. Knowing that I only needed to work the minimum 6 hours a day, I ended up having to cram in as many hours as possible at the end of every month!

It would be my first Pastorate, in the Lake District, in farming country, where I would be introduced to having to work hard. The farmers in my church all rose early, even when it was still dark and they worked hard and long hours in all types of weather. In the early days I would leave the curtains open in the lounge so that in the morning when the farmers passed by they would see that their Pastor was awake, though I was still having dreams from God horizontally. But gradually I learnt the benefits of hard work. I learnt that to grow a church it takes hard work, to love others is hard work and more importantly I was created for this and work could be fun! f you looked at my work today you wouldn’t believe how much I have changed. I work long hours, I am always up early and I give 100% into all that I do. I have learnt the importance of hard work.

The created order involved work and this had nothing to do with salary. It was God’s good intention that Adam should work. God worked the creation and then rested from that work. Today you will be perhaps a student or an employee or a full time parent or the one who stays to work at keeping the home, maybe you are a volunteer or a retired person helping others and you have 24 hours to do the most amazing thing and that is to work hard for the good of others. Like Adam you can take care of your domain, you can keep it together, you can make it a happy place and a healthy one for others. You can bring life but it will take hard work. You will perhaps work with others who don’t want to be there! They will ask ‘Why am I here? What am I doing this for? Is there any point?’ Don’t let this rub off on to you. Be different. See things as God sees them. Your work matters to Him. You can add value. You can work as God would work. You can work for Him. You may work with someone who is the opposite of work. But don’t become like them. Proverbs 18:9 says, “One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys.” Lazy people ruin but you are different, you are building something for someone. But it also builds into you the purpose for life, you were created to work, to give, to add and how intrinsically satisfying is it when that involves those who need your help?!

So today, work hard, give of your best, add value, but never lose the sense of fun! It is still there in my life. It is still the driving force. I find ways to make sure my work brings the enjoyment to me and to others.

The Apostle recognised hard work. He saw it in these women and they were deserving of honour.

Sometimes we only have to mention a name and those that know remember the painful season they went through.

“Greet those in the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.” (Romans 16 v 11b)

Narcissus was a secretary to the Emperor Claudius.

He died in AD 54.

How did that happen?

Narcissus informed Claudius that the Emperors 3rd wife had actually got married to her secret lover. He obtained the permission to kill the 2 lovers. He was then promoted.

Claudius soon married his own niece who began a feud with Narcissus resulting in her killing the Emperor by poisoning in AD 54 and soon after her son then arrested Narcissus and forced him to commit suicide. And you think you have a family story?!!

Everyone who read the sentence found in verse 11 knew this story except mine is ultra-brief.

And like the readers of the Apostle’s letter we too know stories filled with grief and pain. Just the mention of a name and the story is relived. Some are really close to the story and it is a season they will never forget. Let’s not forget them. Remember those who have carried the most difficult of stories. The story is often paused within them, it never goes away; they just try and learn to live with it.

Do you know friends who have not arrived at the place where you are at? They haven’t become followers of Jesus … yet!

“Greet Herodion, my fellow Jew” (Romans 16 v11)

That’s all we know, a fellow Jew, just like the Apostle.

Why didn’t Paul give more indication that Herodian was more than a Jew?

In one of the churches in my region the Pastor has a relative who faithfully comes every Sunday. He’s not yet a committed follower of Jesus but he seemingly attends more than some followers! He is prayed for and welcomed in the church. He is not spoken of quietly but as if he was one of them. It’s a testimony to the heart of this welcoming church.

In another church plant recently a man wonderfully committed himself to Christ by being baptised, prior to this he was seeking as he served on the leadership team! Those who have never done a church plant themselves will not understand that planters use and honour whatever God gives them. That may be signed up fully committed, 2 baptisms and a regular tithe cheque members but also those who are not sure yet. I actually think the 12 disciples were filled with all kinds of doubts and malfunctioning behaviours in those early years of being on the team.

The Apostle in greeting Herodian may be letting us into an important principle of honouring those on the journey as much as those who have reached their destination. Give people time. Give the Spirit time as He journeys with them to the place of surrender to Jesus Christ.

Can you imagine how you might feel if the great Apostle praised you for successfully passing the tests of life?

“Greet Apelles, whose fidelity to Christ has stood the test”. (Romans 16:10)

We don’t know how Apelles was tested. But we do know how we have been tested.

We serve one also was tested in every way and didn’t fail.

See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation.” (Isaiah 28:16)

A tested stone. In every way possible He was tried, tempted, tested and He came out totally obedient.

But here’s the question: when you know you’ve done well, you’ve become a veteran as a follower of Christ, you’ve stood the test of time and the trials of life and you are now being recognised for having done so, you are being praised: can you pass this praise test?

Proverbs 27

The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but people are tested by their praise, v21.

The kind of testing that makes a person a Godly person is not the testing but the successes.
How does a person handle praise?
Do they deflect it to God out of false humility?
Do they crave for more?
Do they try and please to get praise?
Is it a drug?
Does it create their fantasist identity?
Do preachers think they’re giving a presidential speech?
Do worship leaders think they’re pop idols?
If there’s no praise do workers think they are undervalued and so do not work?
Within praise there lies such temptation.
Praise is a crucible, it is a furnace.

Let’s not fail at the final hurdle. Let’s not pass the tests to simply fail at the grand podiums that our successes have built.

Whoever Apelles (and the others) actually was I believe the Apostle had confidence he could survive the test of praise.

Do you have one? It seems according to Facebook we have a mountain of friends (that we don’t know!)

I wonder what life was like as a dear friend of the Apostle Paul?

‘Greet … my dear friend Stachys.” (Romans 16 v 9b)

In every generation friendship has been sought, broken and found again. Times of deep loneliness as friends have walked out the door and times of huge blessing as friends have been made again. If you have a friend, treasure them. 

Stachys was treasured. It’s amazing you make it into the Bible for simply being known as a dear friend. So let’s work on those friendships and let’s also recognise them more. 

The Apostle in mentioning Stachys honours him. He wants others to know he can be relied upon, he is trustworthy, he is genuine. Today how can you honour your friend? How can you open the door for them to know others and be known?

They were alongside you; maybe for a season or longer. They walked where you were walking. They shared the same struggles and hopes. They came into your lane and helped you. And because of this there is no one who truly understands you and what you have been through than your co-worker. Don’t forget them.

Greet Urbanus, our co-worker in Christ (Romans 16 v 9)