We have seen before that Paul has a deep heart for this church in Rome. Even though he hasn't visited Rome he knows some of its members. Chapter 16 details for us these people and their names tell us more about them. Long lists of names aren't simply in the Bible to fill space; they communicate important details of how God works through his people to build his church.

The church in Rome was a diverse church made up of Jews, Greeks and Romans. It had nobility and slaves and it was a place where both men and women worshiped and served. This has bearing for us as a church today.

Every church should strive to welcome and greet all who enter its fellowship. This includes those who are visitors and those who come week by week. The church should also express its affection and acceptance of one another in deeds as well as words. When we work together in the church we get to know each other and so our bond of fellowship grows. And when we do all of this then we should expect growth in the church as we live as the people of God.

The picture Paul paints for us in Romans 16: 1-16 is a beautiful one of what the church should be and how God's people should be one in the Holy Spirit, under one gospel.

Romans - The heart of the Gospel is a teaching series from Annalong Presbyterian Church. Find out more at www.annalongpc.org/sermons.

As I was reading through Romans 16, um, really

2

it began a week and a half ago.

3

I thought to myself, boy am I glad

that these biblical names aren't

4

being reintroduced into society.

5

It would leave baptisms quite

a fun thing, wouldn't it?

6

Um, interesting names and maybe you're

thinking you're glad you didn't have

7

to read that passage this evening.

8

But there's something beautiful about

these names that we read that we'll

9

see because as we read this long list

of names they're important because

10

they tell us something about Paul.

11

But they also tell us something about

the church that we don't see on first

12

reading because we can read these names

and they can sound like strange things

13

and wonder what on earth are we going

to do with this passage this evening.

14

Well, this morning as we

concluded Genesis, we were

15

thinking of heaven and hell.

16

We were thinking that when our time on

this earth comes to an end, we will be

17

confronted with one or two destinations.

18

Those destinations being

that heaven and hell.

19

The challenge, of course, is always

to seek heaven, to know assurance

20

that heaven is our promised land.

21

Just as Hebrews wrote about

those who came after Joseph,

22

that they knew the promised land.

23

Yes, it was a physical place that God

had given them, but they were looking

24

beyond that land to a heavenly land.

25

And so must we.

26

And so as we look towards that heavenly

land, we have to ask ourselves,

27

well, what do we do as we wait?

28

What do we do as we wait for

that heavenly land to come?

29

Well, the simple answer Paul has for

us this evening, how do we live out a

30

life of faith, is to live as the church.

31

What we get in this passage

is a snapshot of the church.

32

And as we've gone through Romans, we may

not have naturally seen the pastoral heart

33

that Paul has for the church at Rome.

34

Now, we could perceive his first 11

chapters as deep theology, that deep

35

theology putting them in their place and

making sure they stay in their place.

36

And then chapters 12 to 15 as telling

them what to do and how to live.

37

But at the heart of this message

has been Paul's great desire to

38

see the church grow and mature.

39

That's why we said that Romans truly is

the heart of the gospel, because it not

40

only is at the heart of what we must know

about the gospel, but it's the very heart

41

of how we live out the gospel, how the

church lives as God's people in the world.

42

And by his own admittance, Paul tells us

in verse 15 of chapter 15 that he has been

43

bold at times in what he has said to them.

44

And they may not have liked it because

of the strength of his argument that

45

he's needed to use to convince them

of what is the heart of the gospel.

46

Well, let's go back to chapter one and

remember how Paul addresses this church

47

and how he loves them because he says in

verses seven and eight To all those in

48

Rome who are loved by God and called to

be saints, grace to you and peace from

49

God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

50

First, I thank my God through

Jesus Christ for all of you

51

because your faith is proclaimed.

52

in all the world.

53

Paul recognizes their position before God.

54

What do these verses tell us?

55

First of all, they are loved by God.

56

And so Paul then emulates that

love to these people who are

57

his brothers and his sisters.

58

And notice the thanksgiving

that he gives for them.

59

He gives thanks for their testimony

of faith, that that testimony of

60

faith is not only known amongst the

church there, but it's reached other

61

churches around the known world.

62

These are people who are quite

literally living in a tough spot.

63

The imperial capital is no friend

of Christians, and yet they

64

maintain their profession and

their witness of Jesus Christ.

65

And Paul is in awe of this.

66

There's people in this church who

were saved before him, and he's

67

in awe, but he also supports them.

68

That's why he has worked hard

in teaching them and giving them

69

practical instruction of how to live.

70

And so as this letter closes, he turns his

attention to the members of the church.

71

Now we all like to be

noticed and thought of.

72

Much of our correspondence these days

is done in less than a hundred words.

73

We do it through social

media and instant messaging.

74

We can't wait These days to send nor

for a reply, but when someone takes

75

the time to sit down and write a

letter or card, we consider what it

76

has taken them to write it and post it.

77

I love getting letters.

78

I particularly loved getting

letters in our five years in Malawi.

79

Post didn't come to our door.

80

You had a little key in a little black

box that you opened up and in there

81

you'd get whatever had been delivered.

82

You learned not to go every day because

the post only came every 10 days, but

83

what a joy it was whenever you got an

envelope with a letter or a card in it.

84

I've told you before, what was even

better was you'd get a wee slip of paper.

85

Which meant you had to go to the

parcel office then because it was

86

too big to go into the little box.

87

There would be cards and pictures

and chocolate and Percy Pigs.

88

And at one point, Marks and

Spencer's, um, truffles as well.

89

They'd all melted into one

big bunch, but that was okay.

90

Someone had taken the time and

then it had taken time, 10, 14,

91

21 days to get from the Malawi.

92

We love getting correspondence.

93

We love someone taking the time to

send us something through the post.

94

We value it.

95

We feel thought of as the postal

worker places the correspondence

96

through our letterbox.

97

We hear it drop with that

lovely thud on the mat.

98

And within that letter or card we see the

salutation of dear, not hi or straight

99

into whatever it is someone's looking,

it always bugs me, this is my bugbear.

100

Whenever you're sending a text

message, please say hello,

101

please say hi, it's only nice.

102

Because in our letters we say dear

such and such, because we mean it.

103

The person we're writing to is cherished.

104

The closing of a letter is

always sincerely or faithfully.

105

or with love.

106

It's not an abrupt ending with

multiple question marks, but a

107

recognition of the affection with

which this relationship is held.

108

Paul has not only written this letter,

but in these first 16 verses of

109

chapter 16 we see his relationship

with the members of the church.

110

Now we don't know everything about

all of them that are here, but

111

what we do see is a real church.

112

With those who are a blessing to Paul

and to other believers in what we

113

would call their fellowship together.

114

And so Paul begins with a commendation

of Phoebe, who is described as

115

a servant of the church at St.

116

Croix.

117

Now it seems that Phoebe has

been a key servant in the church.

118

It might even be that she is the bearer

of this letter to the church in Rome.

119

She comes from this place called St.

120

Croix, which is modern day Quetres, a

port city five miles east of Corinth.

121

Paul encourages the church to welcome her

and to support her in whatever she needs,

122

as she has been a support to so many.

123

including Paul himself, and most likely

she has contributed financially to the

124

mission work of the spread of the gospel

in that eastern part of the Roman Empire.

125

And so having introduced Phoebe and

commended her to the church for her

126

service, Paul goes on to give 16

greetings to those in the church.

127

These greetings are given to

12 people directly and scores

128

of others more indirectly.

129

And the first two to be

greeted are Prisca and Aquila.

130

Prisca and Aquila were a married

team that labored with Paul from

131

time to time for many years.

132

We read of them in Acts

chapter 18 in verses two to 19.

133

They hosted house churches in both

Rome and Corinth, and when they heard

134

Apollos preach, they discerned both

his par and his deficiencies and.

135

As Acts 18 verse 26 tells

us, they explained to him the

136

way of God more accurately.

137

They recognized his giftings,

but they wanted to support the

138

spread of the gospel, and so they

took him aside and directed him

139

in how he could serve the Lord.

140

And because of their profession

as tent makers, this allowed

141

them to travel widely.

142

And so Prisca and Aquila assisted

Paul in Rome, Corinth, and Ephesus.

143

At an unknown point, they risked their

lives for Paul, possibly during the riot

144

in Ephesus in the latter part of Acts 19.

145

So Paul honors Prisca and Aquila

as a team for which the entire

146

Gentile church should give thanks.

147

We don't know exactly what they did, but

they have been a blessing to the church.

148

It might be that they have blessed

Paul and thereby that blessing

149

has been extended to the church.

150

But Paul recognizes their work

for the sake of the gospel.

151

Well, the greetings continue from

the end of verse 5 through to

152

verse 15, where Paul names an array

of people in the Roman church.

153

And you know, we can sit back

and we can wonder, well, how does

154

Paul know so many people in Rome?

155

He's never visited the city because

he plans to go, but was never there.

156

But we have to remember that

travel was common in the empire,

157

and that old saying that all

roads lead to Rome was a true one.

158

All good roads led to the imperial city.

159

On top of this, when the Emperor

Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome

160

in AD 49, he scattered Rome's Jewish

Christians throughout the region.

161

They often landed then in cities, cities

that Paul had visited in his journeys.

162

And when Claudius rescinded his decree

in AD 54, many returned to Rome.

163

So Paul is greeting people

whom he met during his journeys

164

because of their persecution.

165

And like the city itself,

Rome's church was a diverse one.

166

And we see a couple of

things about this church.

167

First of all, we see its ethnic diversity.

168

There's Greeks.

169

Romans.

170

Jewish names on this list that we see.

171

We also know that Prisca and Aquila

were Jews, and that since Paul calls

172

Adronikus, Junia, and Herodian his

kinsmen, presumably they were Jews also.

173

By contrast, the houses of Aristobulus and

Narcissus were well known Roman families.

174

And most names in Romans

16 are Greek or Roman.

175

So this is a church that's

diverse, ethnically.

176

But there's also diversity

in its socio economic makeup.

177

That's the class of people that

they come from, how much money they

178

have, what kind of jobs they have.

179

Were they born in the city or did

they come from the rural areas?

180

There's historical evidence in

inscription and household records

181

that Ampilatus, Urbanus, Phlegon

and Hermes were common slave names.

182

Among the women, Trifinia, Trifosa

and Persis could also be slave names.

183

So when Paul wrote, any of these people

could be free, since slaves often gained

184

their freedom, but their social status

in Rome would probably remain quite low.

185

On the other hand, then, you

have Junia and Julia, both

186

names common to Roman citizens.

187

Also, the family of Narcissus

probably refers to Narcissus, recently

188

deceased, who was one of the empire's

most powerful men under Claudius.

189

And again, we find that

out in works of antiquity.

190

And the family of Aristobulus might

refer to the grandson of Herod the Great.

191

He spent long years in Rome.

192

And so clearly the early church in

Rome had members and distinguished

193

helpers from all classes.

194

So not only was it ethnically diverse,

it was socio economically diverse.

195

And thirdly, we noticed that Paul

greeted and commended both women and men.

196

Of chapter 16's 26 names,

perhaps 10 of them are women.

197

There's a few that we don't

know if they are men or women.

198

And Paul singles out most

of the women for praise.

199

Phoebe is a sister, a

servant, and a patron.

200

Prisca, with Aquila, is a co worker

who risked her life for Paul.

201

Paul commends several women.

202

Mary, Tryphaena, Tryphosa, and

Persis for their hard work.

203

And he blesses the mother of Rufus

for acting like a mother to himself.

204

Paul also singles out several

men for comment or praise.

205

Among them, Paul then commends

Urbanus as a fellow worker.

206

And Pilatus and Statius are simply

my beloved, he refers to them.

207

And Rufus is chosen in the Lord.

208

Of the people Paul names

without comment, most are men.

209

And it might be that he did not

know them well enough to comment.

210

Three different ways that the

church in Rome is diverse.

211

And isn't it wonderful to see

a church described like this?

212

Paul speaks well and lovingly of

those who meet week by week because

213

of their one heart for the gospel.

214

Yes, they may look different.

215

They may dress differently, their

names might tell where they're

216

from, but all of that is put

aside for the sake of the gospel.

217

See, Paul does know this church well,

even though he's never been, because

218

he's already described what this church

looks like in chapter 15 and verse 29.

219

He says, I know that when I come to

you, I will come in the fullness.

220

of the blessing of Christ.

221

This is how he describes this church.

222

A church as having the fullness

of the blessing of Christ.

223

This is a church that knows and

demonstrates Christ's personal presence

224

and guidance and protection in what is

a tough station to live and minister.

225

This is a church that puts aside

its human disagreements and

226

opinions for the sake of the gospel.

227

where it desires to be a

blessing to everyone who attends.

228

And whenever we pick up on verse 17 next

week, we'll see that Paul warns against

229

those who will try to dis, uh, disturb

and disrupt this unity that they have,

230

that they shouldn't become complacent.

231

You see, what the people are doing is

they are living what Paul has taught.

232

But they still needed to hear it

because of course they could do better.

233

But we see evidence in this list of

people who are loving Christ daily.

234

in their walk of faith.

235

And this is a challenge to us as

the church in this place today.

236

Are we as we should be?

237

We can often think that simply

showing up on a Sunday is all that

238

there needs to be, but it isn't.

239

The church needs to be active

in its every day as the church.

240

We are to be the people of Christ who

live out our faith in this community

241

Through acts of kindness and in the

sharing of the gospel as Peter writes in

242

first Peter 3 verses 14 to 16 But even

if you should suffer for righteousness

243

sake you will be blessed have no fear

of them nor be troubled But in your

244

hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy

and holy Always being prepared to make

245

a defense to anyone who asks you for

a reason for the hope that is in you.

246

Yet do it with gentleness and respect,

having a good conscience so that when you

247

are slandered, those who revile your good

behavior in Christ may be put to shame.

248

Peter says we're to give a

defense for what we believe to

249

anyone who asks why we have hope.

250

This of course means that we need

to know that we do have a hope

251

that is different from the world.

252

This hope will make us want

to share the good news.

253

To be a listening ear and to

demonstrate acts of kindness in Jesus

254

name so that we live together as the

church, not simply a building used

255

twice on a Sunday, but as we go out.

256

I attended a Baptist church in

West Yorkshire when at university

257

and it always had stuck at the

back of its door as your way out.

258

You're now leaving church and

entering the mission field.

259

I believe that Baptist Church is now long

closed because its numbers were dwindling,

260

but it had the right perspective.

261

Church was where we worship, but the

mission field was out there for the other

262

hours of the week where we spend our time.

263

You see, we are to live as the church,

not just for two hours on a Sunday.

264

We are to live as the church

every day that we are given.

265

And did you notice how

Paul finishes this passage?

266

In verse 16 he says,

267

All the churches of Christ greet you.

268

Now this is where we all get

a little bit uncomfortable and

269

start shifting in our pews.

270

Is he going to make us now

start kissing each other?

271

Well a kiss of greeting which is

still common in some parts of the

272

world today and always catches

me off guard when it comes.

273

It was customary among early Christians

because it demonstrates the family tie.

274

Remember the brothers and

sisters that Paul referred to

275

at the start of this chapter?

276

That family tie shared by all as

a result of having God as father.

277

It was a holy kiss, precisely because the

affection it expressed was God generated

278

by the work of his Holy Spirit, uniting

a people through faith in Jesus Christ.

279

And Ian Duguid says regardless of

social class, gender, ethnicity,

280

or other usual separating and

often subordinating distinctives,

281

persons in Christ are of equal worth

before their God and each other.

282

A holy kiss demonstrates

that there is no difference.

283

A holy kiss means we recognize

each other in Christ as he sees us.

284

That's how we are to live as the church.

285

We are to live as one

people under one gospel.

286

We may be different in how we dress.

287

We may be different in where we come from.

288

We may be different in our educational

backgrounds and our life experiences.

289

But what unites us and enables the church

to greet each other with a holy kiss

290

is our unity in that God given unity.

291

unity.

292

One with the other.

293

We may not give each other a holy kiss.

294

That's okay.

295

But what it means and what it needs

to mean still that we recognize who we

296

are together in Jesus Christ and so as

chapter sixteen draws this letter to its

297

conclusion, we get a wonderful picture of

who the church is to be and it's and it's

298

to be beautiful because Paul's greeting

shows a diverse yet unified church.

299

And the greetings here

have three notable parts.

300

First of all, Paul sees the

people he greets as family.

301

As brothers and sisters.

302

Second, he loves this people

and often calls them beloved.

303

And third, Paul toiled and

suffered alongside his friends.

304

And so by sharing tasks and

sorrows, bonds grow strong.

305

But more foundationally, Jesus

Christ united the church.

306

In Romans 16 and verses 3 to 13,

Paul greets eleven people and the

307

family of Narcissus saying that

they are in Christ or in the Lord.

308

As they work together for the

church, the grace of Christ sustains

309

them, as Paul writes in chapter 20.

310

The God of peace will soon

crush Satan under your feet.

311

The grace of our Lord

Jesus Christ be with you.

312

They are to be a grace filled church

in how they worship, how they live, and

313

how they serve, and how they fellowship.

314

And so every point in this passage has

implications for us, the church, today.

315

Above all, every true church focuses

on Jesus and the gospel, because

316

lasting unity grows from our union with

Christ, not from mere human affinities.

317

First, every church should

strive to welcome and greet

318

all who enter its fellowship.

319

We greet one another by name, if possible.

320

and give signs of affection through

hugs, if you really want to do holy

321

kisses, or whatever our society

considers a normal way to convey

322

that we are glad to see one another.

323

Let's face it, in our culture, it's

a smile and a strong handshake.

324

That signifies a welcome.

325

Are you doing that?

326

Not just those who are out

in the vestibule, but are you

327

doing that amongst yourselves?

328

That you're actually telling each other

that you're glad that they are here?

329

Are you telling our visitors that you are

glad and thanking them when they had so

330

many other choices to go to many other

places But they chose here and we will

331

be blessed because of their company So

the implication for the church today is

332

to welcome and greet everyone who enters

the fellowship to show that we truly

333

are a fellowship secondly Let us follow

Paul by expressing our affection and

334

acceptance in deeds as well as words.

335

Paul praised people for their work, but

he also worked beside them, fulfilling

336

tasks and facing opposition together.

337

By working together, suffering together

and bearing one another's burdens.

338

Relationships deepen.

339

That's why service in

the church is important.

340

That's how we get to know one another.

341

And I give you one example of holiday

Bible club where we have people that

342

I don't ordinarily get to serve with.

343

But on holiday Bible club, we do.

344

And because of that week we spend

together, we get to know each

345

other through conversations.

346

through comments and jokes

and things like that.

347

Our, our relationships go deeper

as we spend time with one another.

348

That's what we hope Saturday

will be for those who serve.

349

You will be appreciated and welcomed

and we'll have the time to sit

350

and to chat so that we will have

fellowship one with the other.

351

So, uh, implications for the church today

is to welcome and greet all who enter its

352

fellowship, to express our affection and

acceptance in deeds, as well as words.

353

But thirdly, we should expect church

growth through our unity in the spirit.

354

And so not only will we save Nathan and

a law native and along Ian's, if that's

355

what we're called, those have an along

who will come to salvation, but those from

356

other cultures and nations, the church

in Rome was truly a multicultural church.

357

And we should be open to this as an

expression of what we believe heaven will

358

be like with all tribes and all nations.

359

This is the church as presented to

us in Romans that lives out what it

360

believes and holds dear to its heart.

361

You see, the church needs

you to play an active role.

362

The church needs you in worship.

363

It needs you in prayer.

364

It needs you in service and in giving.

365

It needs you to be to your brothers and

sisters, the support, encouragement and

366

fellowship they need in this tough world.

367

As Paul writes in Ephesians 2, 22, In him

you also are being built together into a

368

dwelling place for God by the Holy Spirit.

369

This is the church.

370

And this is what is beautiful about

the church because we get to do this

371

together so that we may be built up

to be the very dwelling place of God

372

by his Spirit amongst his people.

373

General Kitchener did a wonderful

publicity for the war effort.

374

But your church truly needs you.

375

It needs to love you

and it needs your love.

376

It needs your hands, your feet, your

eyes, your ear, ears, your brain.

377

It needs every part of you that together

we will grow so that yes, we will welcome.

378

Yes, we will appreciate one another.

379

And yes, we will see growth

for the kingdom because we

380

will live as kingdom people.

381

Will you take seriously Paul's

challenge so that indeed we will

382

be built together to be a dwelling

place for God by his spirit.

383

I'm willing to go on that journey.

384

I'm willing to give it a go.

385

I'm asking if you'll join me

seriously in doing this together.

386

Let's pray.

387

Father, your word challenges

us individually, but often

388

it challenges us corporately.

389

Who we are as your people.

390

And Father, by your grace, we need to

know you love us so that we may welcome,

391

that we will show affection for each

other and acceptance, and that we will

392

recognize and believe in the growth of the

church through the conversion of souls.

393

But Father, you need us to play our

part and it's good to do so, so that

394

we will be a blessing to your name.

395

So Father, give us the strength and

the courage and the grace to step

396

forward in faith, to serve you well.

397

So that we will be a blessing to

you and fulfill what you require

398

of us as a people to be your

dwelling place by the Holy Spirit.

399

So as we pay attention to your

word and as we live it, keep

400

us close to you in Jesus name.

401

Amen.