Author: missionspaul

“Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord” (Romans 16 v 8)

““Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord.”

His name is often appropriated to slaves or those who used to be so.

The Apostle isn’t swayed by a person’s past or even perhaps their present.

But in a few words we see the heart of this great man. We see his love, his kindness and tenderness.

How deeply moving to see someone in high office with such a heart for another who was at a place of lesser authority than him?

It is one of the joys of my life to see my Pastors that I serve do exactly this week in and week out. They love. They continue to find new ways to show kindness. Amazing things happen when people are loved. Christian social media news has been going crazy lately over a testimony of such love. “The co-founder of a Satanic movement in South Africa is telling his personal story about choosing to leave Satanism after his heart was overwhelmed with the love of Jesus” (CBN) How did he experience this miracle? A Christian lady hugged him and he had never experienced such unconditional love before.

My dear friend and my beloved in the Lord. Whatever was going on in Ampliatus’ life he knew the great Apostle loved him and I reckon that had a major impact on his life.

Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was. (Romans 16 v 7)

It seems likely that Paul is commending another married couple. But unlike Priscilla and Aquila the male is mentioned first.

Both were Jews like Paul. They had paid the price for the gospel like Paul. They were identified as sent-ones (apostles) just like Paul (though not as the office that Paul had).

But the similarities stop there because Paul says this couple had come to Christ before he did.

Whilst he was known as Saul the Pharisee; whilst he was carrying out his murderous threats to Christians; they were in Christ. They were part of the hunted pack. In his past he viewed them as his enemies now they are colleagues, kinsmen, comrades in the faith and family. I wonder if they prayed for him when he was persecuting the Church. I wonder if they were sceptical when reports came that he had converted to Christ. I wonder if they had to forgive him.

Little did they know back then as they were looking over their shoulder that they would be part of Paul’s team. They are now announced as a couple with an excellent reputation from someone whose reputation used to be that of a murderer.

Continue running your lane because there are surprises in store for you! It might be tough today but it could well be part of a beautiful story that God is writing. The race isnt over keep running.

We don’t know who she was. She was on the team. Paul says she was a hard worker for them.

“Greet Mary, who worked very hard for you.” (Romans 16 v 6)

We were created to work, to pour our whole energy and passion into whatever our hand finds to do.

There will be no impact, no fruit and no results without work.

Mary is not commended for her faithful church attendance but for her work for the cause of the Church in Rome. We don’t know what she did. But we can assume she shared in the struggle of what Paul was carrying.

There are plenty of ‘Mary’s’ in the church today. Think of them now. Think of all that they do. The hard work they are engaged in for the sake of others.

We need more people like Mary.

Here it is: you wondered how it all began didn’t you?!!

“Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia.” (Romans 16 v 5)

Immediately after the leaders Priscilla and Aquila are presented Paul is mentioning Epenetus. He may well have been placed here because he was also a Church leader. He is amongst the group led by Phoebe who are bringing this letter to the Church.

One thing is sure is that he was someone who people were still thankful to God for (which suited his name as it means Praise). Whether or not Epenetus had become a leader he had certainly grown in discipleship since the day of his conversion. The Orthodox Church believe he was one of the 70 Apostles (celebrated on January 4^th). He was Paul’s dear friend.

That day (probably around 48-52 AD) when Epenetus gave his life to Christ the world of evangelism looked quite small. Just one man. However, look at the spread of the gospel now!

From one small seed …!

The next time you see someone come to Christ then pause long enough to understand that this person has a destiny greater than anyone could ever imagine.

Do you wake into a storm today? Are you being tossed about by circumstance? Are you looking for guidance?

Let’s meet a remarkable couple who battled with uncertainty but seemingly got through their storms.

“Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus. They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. Greet also the church that meets at their house.” (Romans 16 v 3-5)

Aquila originated from the south shore of the Black Sea and had settled in Italy with his wife Priscilla until the Emperor expelled all the Jews from Rome in AD 49. So they arrived into Corinth as refugees where they met Paul who stayed with them and then later they travelled together to Ephesus. They became so close Paul calls them co-workers. (Acts 18:2 “There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome.”) This couple became church leaders and were influential with Paul in the planting of churches in Corinth and Ephesus. They had their own church that met in their house in Corinth. But there is so much story between the lines.

The emperors were often involved in such ethnic cleansing. Claudius was no exception, he was a racist and he increasingly became intolerant of the Jews.

Aquila and Priscilla had suffered, they went through this evil purging feeling like dirt in such wicked circumstances. No doubt they experienced every fear and doubt. But through it all unbeknown to them God was working it all out.

Your greatest catastrophe can be your greatest opportunity.

This couple may never have left voluntarily. Sometimes we have to be violently thrown out of our nest. So much so that the only presence we feel is that of the evil one. It is much later that we realise the overriding presence is that of God.

In AD 54 Claudius died and presumably it was then that the couple returned to Rome along with other Jewish/Christian refugees. Again they had their own church in Italy, presumably planted by them. But one thing they had come to know is the stability of God. No matter what turbulence we go through God is always there holding us in that storm. Paul greets them and they deserved to be mentioned first.

I met these three people yesterday morning: Sharon and Dot, two Deacons and Titus an Elder of a church in a village just outside Sheffield. All had served in the church for over 30 years. They not only loved their church and the community where it sits but they loved their Pastor and his family. I’m thinking of them this morning and others that I meet who may not be standing behind pulpits on Sundays but are definitely the backbone of the church. Their names and faces flash through my mind and I am privileged to have met them and for many to call them friends.

As with the genealogies found all the way through the Bible, the Apostle has his own lists of people in his letters. He is a doctrine man, a leader of the church and God has used him powerfully yet he never forgets to mention people within the church.

“I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchreae. I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of his people and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me. (Romans 16 v 1-2)

So let us look at Phoebe but have the Sharon, Dot and Titus people in our minds.

• She is ‘our sister’. Phoebe is family. Paul says she is the Roman Church family as much as the Corinthians.
• She is a deacon in the church in Cenchreae (east Corinth). Phoebe rolled her sleeves up and served the church. She worked hard (on top of whatever else she did) for the good of the church community.
• She was a benefactor of many people including Paul. Phoebe (maybe through her business work) had contributed financially to many, even helping Paul himself. She was generous and kind.

Perhaps Phoebe was bringing this letter from Paul to them. He is keen for them to give her a great welcome and to help her with whatever she needs when she arrives.

Paul is the networker, opening doors for further relationships to develop, encouraging unity. We can make it easy or hard for people to move into the next chapter of their life. We can be the bridge or the wall.

Phoebe arrived into family; she was honoured for all she had done in the church in Corinth and she reaped hospitality as one who had sown it liberally.

The Sharon, Dot and Titus people may not be carrying a letter to a far-off city for us. Their next chapter may seem so much more insignificant and yet if you have been blessed by them then it is our duty to encourage them in whatever is before them, to make it easier and to bless them.

Don’t let go of what is in your heart.

“The God of peace be with you all. Amen.” (Romans 15 v 34)

Paul carried to the end his desire for the Jew and Gentile to be together making up the body of Christ. He uses the word ‘shalom’ (peace) as a Jewish benediction over these majority Gentile readers. This is his heart’s desire and after asking for prayer for himself he declares this over them revealing what was truly in his heart.

Carry what is in your heart to the end, don’t let go.

Paul continues to ask for help. This is the 3^rd request after asking for protection from the unbelievers in Judea and as he heads towards Jerusalem that the Church receive the gift of money that he has collected from the Gentile Christians for them.

“…so that I may come to you with joy, by God’s will, and in your company be refreshed.” (Romans 15 v 32)

He is looking forward to his time with the Roman Christians. So now here is the question.

Were these prayers answered and are you experiencing answered prayer?

Maybe you can relate to something of what happened to Paul? Let’s ask if these prayers were answered favourably:

1. His safety from the unbelievers on his way to Jerusalem? What we know is that he was captured, tried and jailed: so not exactly. But he was saved from death and a flogging (you can read about it in Acts 21-23) so you could say the prayers were answered with a yes though at times if must have felt like a no.
2. Did the Jerusalem Church receive the financial gift? Maybe. In Acts 24:17 when Paul is on trial before Felix he tells of the reason why he came to Jerusalem. He doesn’t say anything else, Luke doesn’t refer to it, so assume what you want from the scant details, but I say, maybe it was answered favourably.
3. So did he reach Rome? Yes but not as we or importantly Paul might have expected! He arrives via a shipwreck and as a prisoner! So it is a yes but not the yes he had envisaged.

So the cynic might question the validity of prayer.

But it isn’t about having a genie in a bottle. It is about aligning ourselves and others with the purpose and story of God who works all things together for good to them that love Him and are called according to that purpose.

Don’t just say you will.

Do it, pray for others.

Don’t try and get to your dreams and destinations without prayer.

If you don’t know if someone is praying for you, then do something about it. Ask someone to pray for you.

“Pray that I may be kept safe from the unbelievers in Judea and that the contribution I take to Jerusalem may be favourably received by the Lord’s people there” (Romans 15 v 31)

He is carrying the money collected from his journeys for the poor in Jerusalem. He is a target not only because of that but because of the gospel.

What is on your path? What is in front of you? It is not safe enough not to have someone praying for you. Paul knew what he needed prayer for. He was specific. The unbelievers made it unsafe for him. Those gospel planters in unsafe places know the power of prayer. They always have. The great missionary William Carey, who embarking on taking the gospel to India, looked at the small team around him and said, “Well, I will go down into the pit, if you will hold the rope.” We all need someone to hold the rope for us as we venture forward.

Paul isn’t done he also has concerns for when he arrives into the Jerusalem Church. Will they receive this gracious gift from the Gentiles? He knows that there are still some who are prejudiced towards the Gentiles. He sees this gift as being a great opportunity of a demonstration of oneness in Christ.

So putting this altogether. He sees his visit to Jerusalem as being really important for the body of Christ. If the unbelievers prevent it happening or if the believers do not accept the gift then his hope and desire will come to an end. He needs prayer!

What about you? What is ahead of you? Who is praying? Are you asking?

At the start of his letter Paul told the Church that he was continually in prayer for them and now towards the end of it he comes back to it and asks for prayer from them.

“I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.” (Romans 15 v 30)

1. He is not afraid to ask for prayer, he appeals for it. We should too.
2. His filter for prayer is the Lord Jesus Christ. The response to these prayers is for whatever He wants. It is for us too.
3. He knows that those who pray care, they carry love for those they pray for because the Spirit has given them that love. We need to ask for this love and then we will pray more.
4. He reveals the beautiful alignment available as the family of God as he invites them to join him. Even if people are thousands of miles away and even if we have never met physically, we can be with them in their situation.
5. He refers to him being in a struggle and asks that they enter into that same struggle through prayer. If he is suggesting that prayer is the struggle then we could think of Jacob wrestling with God, or even what the Apostle says about wrestling with principalities etc (Ephesians 6:12). But it could simply be that the struggle is with ourselves so as not to give up.
6. He points to the supreme alignment which outweighs that with himself and this is to God. Submission to Almighty God is the focus of our praying.

Just some thoughts from a verse on prayer.