Author: missionspaul

You are not here to be beaten up, pushed down or held back.

The Apostle asks them to have discernment over good and evil and he now reminds them of the end result: “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.” (Romans 16 v 20)

Whatever you are facing today (and it may not be the false teachers that the Apostle is alluding to) be reminded of this powerful verse for your life.

There is a demonic plan working behind the battle you are in.

You can be confident that it will not be you that is trampled upon.

Many wake today needing peace that passes all understanding (Phil 4:7).

God is your peace.

Paul tells them that this battle will soon be over. How can he be so sure? It is because Satan has been totally defeated. God has placed all things under the feet of Christ (Ephesians 1:22) and so He will place these satanic attacks under your feet too.

You have the opportunity to trample on all the work the enemy seeks to do in your life and you also have the ability. So do it. How?

His grace over your life. When the enemy reminds you of what you cannot do because of your past or even your present; when he tries to destabilise you because of your inadequacy or lack of whatever then remind him of God’s grace over your life.

You can live in victory today.

Using only these verses and see the emboldened words:

“I urge you, brothers and sisters, 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 such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.” (Romans 16 v 17-19)

Is it in alignment with the Bible?

Is it in alignment with the Lordship of Christ?

Is it in alignment with goodness?

“I urge you, brothers and sisters, 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 such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.” (Romans 16 v 17-19)

Four simple words emboldened there. Remember the Apostle has told them to greet one another with a holy kiss but now it is the direct opposite to that. Avoid, give a wide berth, walk away; don’t go near these Church destroyers.

1. Don’t be hospitable to everyone. There are some you should not fellowship with. Wisdom is knowing who to leave behind.
2. Don’t walk with people who are only in it for themselves otherwise you will end up not only walking with them but also serving their selfish agendas.
3. Don’t be taken in by the praise of man which is a drug to lull you into false security.

After a long list of lovely greetings the Apostle feels compelled as he comes to the end of his letter to warn about what he sees as dangerous to the Church: false teachers or leaders or maybe simply those who influence negatively and end up causing decline and so destroying what God has built.

“I urge you, brothers and sisters, 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 such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.” (Romans 16 v 17-20)

So using the emboldened words only, here are 5 things to watch out for:

1. Division is caused by being in the middle of things. These negative influencers are not the enemy outside the Church but are from within. They are known and so find it easier to deceive.
2. Obstacles are created to change the journey and to cause a person to veer away from the direction they were taking. They demand an obedience and an abandonment from the foundational truths that had first been followed.
3. Gain is the key for those who are false. Ask yourself, ‘what are they getting out of this?’ If you can see they are benefitting, whether that by position, power or material gain then the next question becomes even more important, “Is this really serving the Lord Jesus Christ?” There are glory-seekers in every generation.
4. Deception works because it sounds beautiful and full of truth.
5. Naivety is a dangerous position to be in; watch for those ‘who don’t know any better’ (CEV); the ‘unsuspecting’ (NASB); the ‘innocent’ (NLT).

The Apostle wants the Church to watch out, to be vigilant and not to be taken for a fool. We can stop the Church from declining and being destroyed. Open our eyes.

Tread carefully; you are not there for yourself.

Speak well of it; never write it off for it always has the ability to bounce back.

Contribute towards it; play your part, it is where you will be the best version of you.

Don’t try to control it with your own agenda of what it should be.

Don’t manipulate it so that you can be seen more prominently.

“All the churches of Christ send greetings.” (Romans 16 v 16)

Who is he referring to?

Maybe it’s those representatives of churches who have gathered in Corinth to help him take the offering to Jerusalem. You can read about that in Acts 20. Maybe they sent their greetings.

Whoever these churches were they were ‘of Christ’.

It’s not a bad thing to remind ourselves who the church belongs to.

It’s not the Pastor, the trustees, the denomination or the people. It is Christ!

“I think, they think, we think” is not half as interesting as ‘what does Christ think?”

The Church belongs to Christ.

The Church bears all the hallmarks of God. The Church has His Word, His Provision and we are the Chosen appointed people of God. We are the presence of God, the Holy Spirit is manifested through us, the church.

“Greet one another with a holy kiss.” (Romans 16:16)

So wherever you are reading this from in the world you might have a different way to greet one another.

A Tibetan? You might be sticking your tongue out!

An Indian? You might be kneeling and touching the feet of the other.

From South East Asia? You could be touching noses.

A European? Depending on the country you will be doing some air-kisses from one, two or even three times!

The Apostle has a European flavour but it has to be a holy one!

Why?

It seems Paul is wanting them to physically connect. To know the power of touch.

He wanted them to have something tangible happen in their greeting.

“Give each other a big hug” or if you’re a more conservative Christian, “Give each other a hearty hand-shake”.

A cursory look online at the traumatic sad stories of feral children raised with little or zero human contact and you realise the power of touch.

Greet one another not only with words but make sure you all know the feeling of being loved, appreciated and wanted. The power of touch heals, restores and connects us into a wholesomeness of our well-being. Perhaps Paul was on to something which we now know is vital for our lives. So go hug someone today or pucker up so long as it’s holy. If you’re nervous, sanitise your hands for a really good handshake.

“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.