Oh! What a blessing

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.”

Chapters 1-3 All are guilty of sin

Chapters 4-5 Salvation/justification by faith

Chapters 6-8 Sanctification/no condemnation

Chapters 9-11 It brings salvation for all, the Jews are not cast away

Chapters 12-15 Sacrifice, submission, service

Chapter 16 the friends, the servants, the sent

Q: How many friends can you say that you have? Do you have one really good friend? How about 2? A handful? A group?

Paul in this chapter lists 26 people, 26 that impacted his ministry, his circle of friends. Enough that he has to make mention of them by name. By name to a church that he has never been to personally.

What a cast of characters, a couple of unnamed people, people in house churches, government people, people of little renown, important people, some we know little about, but were important to Paul. What about people in your life, people might have meant something to you may not have meant something to anyone else.

God’s righteousness revealed was available was revealed to everyone. It was needed by everyone, Chapters 1-3, available to everyone, Chapters 4-5, changes everyone who accepts it chapters 6-8, and transforms everyone chapters 12-15.

Having said all that lets get into our cast of characters for this morning.

Paul’s circle of friends

Romans 16:1–2 NASB95

1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea; 2 that you receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and that you help her in whatever matter she may have need of you; for she herself has also been a helper of many, and of myself as well.

Phoebe, what can you tell about her from (vv.1-2)?

sister, servant, from Cenchrea, she has been helper to Paul and to many

What instructions did Paul give to the Romans about Phoebe?

Receive her in worthy manner, help her with whatever need she may have

What can we learn from these verses for our application?

Maybe want to say don’t we all need Phoebe’s in our churches, people who are servants who work behind the scenes. She was a trusted servant, she was so trusted she carried the letter to the Romans from Paul.

Romans 16:3–4 NASB95

3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who for my life risked their own necks, to whom not only do I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles;

Romans 16:5 NASB95

5 also greet the church that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus, my beloved, who is the first convert to Christ from Asia.

What can we see about Prisca (aka Priscilla) and Aquila) in these verses?

Fellow workers, risked their own necks (lives) have a church in their home

What instructions are given regarding them?

Greet them as fellow workers; and the church that is in their house (home)

Paul met them while in Corinth and made tent’s with them they went back to Rome after previously getting kicked out of Rome by Claudius Caesar. They had travelled with Paul from Corinth to Ephesus. You can find them in (Act18, and also 1Cor16 if you want to find out more about them).

You notice another name in (v.5) It is Epaenetus, what can you learn about Epaenetus?

First convert in Asia

Romans 16:6–7 NASB95

6 Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. 7 Greet Andronicus and Junias, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners, who are outstanding among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.

Mary, Andronicus, Junias, what do you learn about them from (vv.6-7)

Mary hard worker

Andronicus and Junias fellow kinsmen and prisoner with Paul, could be from tribe of Benjamin and considered well among the apostles, so must have been traveling with them.

I want to be a worker for the Lord, I want to love and trust His hold word, I want to sing and pray, and be busy every day in the vineyard of the Lord, I will work , I will pray. . . you know the song. Don’t we want to do that. Well these people Paul is mentioning these circle of friends are known for that.

Romans 16:8–9 NASB95

8 Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys my beloved.

Ampliatus, Urbanus, Stachys, how does Paul refer to them in his circle of friends?

Beloved, fellow workers

How would you like to be known, not because you ask to be known by that, but that your actions speak of that.

Romans 16:10–11 NASB95

10 Greet Apelles, the approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus. 11 Greet Herodion, my kinsman. Greet those of the household of Narcissus, who are in the Lord.

Apelles, Aristobulus, Herodion, Narcissus, do you notice anything in particular about what Paul says about this circle of friends?

Paul says who are in the households of them.

Real mission work starts at home, your first fruits start at home!

Romans 16:12–13 NASB95

12 Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, workers in the Lord. Greet Persis the beloved, who has worked hard in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, a choice man in the Lord, also his mother and mine.

Tryphaena, Tryphosa, Persis, Rufus, His mother, Oh man, more names, what, if anything special you see, maybe can deduct from this?

Paul’s mother? Do you think this is literal or maybe figurative? They are workers, hard workers, beloved, choice man.

Romans 16:14–15 NASB95

14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the brethren with them. 15 Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.

Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Mermas, Philolgus, Julia, Nereus, his sister, Olympas and all the saints

Hum, notice anything?

Women, there are more women named, but really no more details

Interesting fact, there are many who say that Paul was a woman hater, but I think when you look at this circle of friends it seems many of the names are women’s names so this proves otherwise.

I think there are two more points to pull from this circle of friends before moving on

We should be grateful for those that surround us that support us, love us and we should surround others, love others and support others.

Some say Paul was a woman hater, in looking at this list would you agree with that statement?

Foes to avoid!

Paul gives encouragement, direction and warnings. After giving accolades to the circle of friends he now gives some warnings about foes to avoid.

Romans 16:17–18 NASB95

17 Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. 18 For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.

Romans 16:19–20 NASB95

19 For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil. 20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

What do you see as the warning in (vv.17-18)?

Keep your eye out for those who cause dissensions and hindrances

Paul has a report about them and gives instruction to them (vv.19-20) what is it?

I have had a good report on you, on your obedience, but be wise!

In those days there was the Judaizers preaching their own religion (must be a Jew first) vs. Gospel of truth. Consider what Paul said

Galatians 1:8–9 NASB95

8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! 9 As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!

2 Corinthians 11:4 NASB95

4 For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully.

Paul says, watch out, avoid them, keep your eye out for them, turn away from them. The God of peace will soon crush them under your feet!

There are many who try to peddle a different gospel today, we need to be able to tell a counterfeit gospel today.

How can you know a counterfeit gospel?

You need to know the gospel

To wrap up the book of Romans, let’s look at how Paul does it

The Sum of all things

A few final words, a few final greetings from his circle of friends.

Romans 16:21–22 NASB95

21 Timothy my fellow worker greets you, and so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen. 22 I, Tertius, who write this letter, greet you in the Lord.

Romans 16:23–24 NASB95

23 Gaius, host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer greets you, and Quartus, the brother. 24 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Romans 16:25 NASB95

25 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past,

Romans 16:26 NASB95

26 but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith;

Romans 16:27 NASB95

27 to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen.

Timothy, Paul’s protege, his son in the faith

Lucius, Jason, Sosipater - fellow Jews for the cause of Christ

Tertius Paul’s scribe who wrote the actual letter

Gaius whom housed Paul and the whole church where Paul gathered with at the time

Erastus the high government official (treasurer) in the city. He surely would have been a Roman outcast. - So see the gospel had no borders, it reached High and low. From the woman with many spirits with Jesus, to an adulterous woman, to a high government official to you. the gospel is for all. We too can carry that same gospel.