Commended
ROMANS: THE ROAD NOW TAKEN • Sermon • Submitted
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· 11 viewsSermon 9 in 2021 Book of Romans series
Notes
Transcript
I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant of the church in Cenchreae.
INTRO—
INTRO—
OK…I’d like everyone to grab pen and paper or phone and finger, to be able to jot down something (on the phone, notes or similar app). Now that you’re ready…write down your 5 most favorite books…& now write down your 5 most favorite musicians/groups...
I’ve already done a mine…Books: The Prodigal God (Keller) & Morning and Evening (Spurgeon)…Music: Michael Card—The Way of Wisdom.
Truly, I commend all of these to you!
In Romans 16.1-16, Paul commences to a similar task…on a more siginficant and personal level...
Commend (16.1 - “I commend to you...”): recommend…stand with… presenting
Greet (16.3 - “give my greetings to...”): happy welcome…embrace
The Recipients (Romans 16.1-16)
The Recipients (Romans 16.1-16)
FELLOW WORKERS
Persis, Tryphaena, Tryphosa, & Mary
“worked very hard in the Lord…for you”
[Note Here: These four are women! Along with 5 more are among Paul’s list; worked very hard]
Urbanus
“our coworker in Christ”
Prisca & Aquila [Priscilla & Aquila - Acts 18.2-3; 18.18-19; 1 Cor. 16.19]
“my coworkers in Christ
Jesus”
“risked their own necks
for my life”
[Maybe at Corinth or Ephesus…but not certain]
Phoebe [Most probably the carrier of the letter to Roman church]
“I commend to you”
“our sister”
“a servant of the church in Cenchraea” [Greece, Achaia]
[servant…yes; deaconess?…no…]
For I say that Christ became a servant of the circumcised on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises to the fathers,
[significant ministry in the local church &…because…]
“she has been a benefactor of many”
[Benefactor: helper; patron(ess). A person of means/wealth]
FRIENDS & FAMILY [The Cingular Wireless segment!]
Olympas, Nereus & his Sister, Julia, Philologus, & all the saints with them.
Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, Phlegon, Asyncritus, & all the brothers and sisters with them.
“the saints” & “the brothers and sisters” are the same types of people…fellow Christians
[Various names here (& Urbanus, Ampliatus) were commonly slave names…interesting that Paul’s circles of connection were so varied!]
Rufus and his mother.
“his mother…& mine”
[Paul allowed himself to get close enough to people (many) that he developed family-like bonds…Timothy being another]
Narcissus and…Aristobulus and…
“those who belong to the household”
[must’ve had big families…or could be the immediate decents of; another two prominent mentions (by person or prominent families): N= known freedman who influenced the emperor, A= possible grandson of Herod the Great (killed the kids 2 yrs & younger after Jesus’ birth, etc.) & friend of emperor Claudius]
Stachys and Ampliatus
“my dear friend…in the Lord”
FELLOW JEWS
Herodion
“my fellow Jew”
[given...
I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience testifies to me through the Holy Spirit—that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the benefit of my brothers and sisters, my own flesh and blood.
…it must have done Paul’s heart alot of good to be able to talk about this fellow Jew, et al., as a brother in Christ!]
Andronicus and Junia
“my fellow Jews”
“my fellow prisoners” [not sure exactly when..or even if they were ‘cellmates’]
“noteworthy in the eyes of the apostles”
[noteworthy: ‘bearing a mark,’ ‘notorious;’ either as part of the company of the apostles…more likely, well known to the Apostles]
“were also in Christ before me”
UNIQUE DESIGNATIONS
Apelles
“approved in Christ”
[approved, like ‘tested and approved’]
Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
(discern=test and approve what is the…)
Epaenetus
“my dear friend”
“first convert to Christ from
Asia” [Asia= Asia Minor…Ephesus, Colossae, Pergamum, etc.]
CONCL—
CONCL—
Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send you greetings.
Now…take that pen & paper or finger & phone back out...
List five significant, godly influencers in your life…
Tell, “greet,” them directly…
and commend them to someone.
Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send you greetings.
