The Forgotten Chapter of Romans

Briefly, look at some scripture. Be looking at the Forgotten chapter of Romans, the Forgotten chapter Romans Romans chapter number 16. A lot of times when we think about the book of Romans, we think about maybe Romans chapter 1. Or Paul the Apostle Paul gives us his calling to the Romans. He talks about the gospel message and they're in Romans chapter 1, it states. That's famous verse, where Paul says, for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. And so a lot of times when we think about the book of Romans, we think about Romans chapter 1. And then also their Romans chapter 1, it talks about the results of a Godless society. When a society forgets, God, how depraved it goes as they depart from the Lord? Only think about Romans chapter one. We also think about Romans chapter are the book of Romans. We think about Romans chapter 3, or talks about that. All men are guilty before. God, Romans 3:23 says, for all have sinned and come short of The glory of Glory of God. So all men are guilty before God. I want when we think about Romans, we may think about Romans chapter 5, that talks about the results of our justification. And then, maybe we think about Romans chapter 8 and 9 where it speaks of the sovereignty of God, but we don't immediately think about Romans chapter 16, always think about the book of Romans. And when we start reading this, you may okay. I see why we don't necessarily think about it at the very beginning because it has a lot of difficult names to pronounce, and I'm probably going to butcher these names, but we're going to try to read through it. But there is Great Value in Romans chapter 16. Verse earlier. I want to read in Romans, 16, and verse number one.

It says I can man to you see, be our sister, who is a servant of the church and Sentria that you may receive her in the Lord, in a manner, worthy of the Saints, and assist her, in whatever business. She has need of you for indeed. She has been a helper of many and of myself. Also, greet, Priscilla and Aquila my fellow workers in Christ, Jesus. Who risked their own necks for my life to who? Not only, I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles Likewise great, the church that is in their house greet. My beloved, a pain in his, who is the first fruits of a kaya to Christ. Great Mary, who labored much for us, great hundred on your tacos and Junia my countrymen, and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles who also were in Christ before me greets and plus my beloved in the Lord great arbanas, our fellow worker in Christ and statues. My beloved greet a pillowcase approved in Christ. Great, those who are the household of our wrists to boost our wrists of you lost. Great. Herodian my countrymen greet. Those Who are of the household of anarchists who are in the Lord? I like this one right here in verse 12, greek. Tryphena's. And try Susa. Surely. They were a couple, you know, tryphena's and drive. Who labored in the Lord greet, the Beloved Percy's, who labored much in the Lord, and then we can not forget Rufus Wright, and verse 13, great Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. And then it says, verse 14, great assume Treetops and Fletching her Moss petrobras, her mace and the Brethren who are with them greet 415 greet a fellow August and Julia and near use, and his sister and Olympus, and all the saints who are with them. How does it say? Greet them verse 16 greet one another with a holy kiss the Churches of Christ greet you. Therefore. Let's pray. Our Father. We thank you so much for 4 this evening of looking at this particular chapter and Lord. I pray your blessings as I preach your word and teacher word. I thought I pray that that each point. Lord was sink deep into our hearts and Lord that you would use it For Your Glory. Betrayal or for those who are unable to be here. Due to various reasons. I pray God, your blessing is upon them. We ask all these things in Christ name. Amen. Again, probably the reason why the Romans chapter 16 is often the Forgotten chapters because of all of those difficult names that a pastor would would try or attempt to read aloud, but there is really great value in this chapter, of course, and is really three characteristics of the church. That was

Yes, exactly. Exactly. Yeah, but Myron on that one, say, hey, whatever you do teach Rome of Romans 16. So absolutely but there's great great value in this. And there's great characteristics that were present in this particular church and Rome and should be present in every Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. The first thing I want you to notice very quickly is the characteristic. Number one is the church is one body in Christ. The church is one body in Christ. It's very interesting that you read throughout the verses that we've read in verses 3 through 16, the phrases in the Lord. In Christ in Christ, Jesus, our chosen in Christ appear, nine times in those verses, we see that in verse three were Priscilla and Aquila my fellow workers in Christ Jesus. Our, we see that in verse 7. They were also in Christ before me verse 8. In the Lord, verse 9, our fellow worker in Christ verse 10. A pillowcase approved in price and then verse 11. You have the household of Northeast sauce who are in the Lord verse 12. Those who labored in the Lord. And then also labor much in the Lord. And then greet, Rufus. Chosen in the Lord. And so you have this repeated phrase in the Lord are in Christ repeated, some nine times. And just those few versus now, what does it mean to be in Christ? Well, I great great verse to write down and you can turn their, if you would like and Galatians chapter 3, Galatians chapter 3 and verse 26 houses. Really what it means to be in Christ relations 326s for you all. Are all the sons of God through faith in Christ? Verse 27 says, for, as many of you as were baptized into Christ. Have put on Christ. Verse 28 says, there is neither Jew nor Greek, There is neither slave nor free male or female for. You are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promises of God. And so we see that when an individual turns from his or her seeing and believe in, Jesus Christ, a union then is made with Christ and the believer. We notice here that Union with Christ, not only happens on a personal individual level. But this Union with Christ happens on a corporate level as well. A Romans 12:5 says, we though many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another. And so yes, though personally and do individually. We have Union with Christ Union with the Lord. It is also true.

Corporately speaking, as a body of the church Body of Christ. Again, Romans 12:5 says, though. We are many. We are in the body of Christ, if you are in Christ and I am in Christ. Then we are each part of one body in Christ. Even though we may not know one another, there may be a believer. I know that there is a believer in China who has made Union with Christ by the Forgiveness of their sins. They have trusted Christ. They are united in Christ and do we do not know one another. We are still United. One another through the Lord Jesus Christ. The church is one body in Christ. There is the one body, there is the universal Body of Christ for the universal church, one body. But yet in that one at Universal body, there are several bodies. The local church. There are smaller units within this body. That is the local church.

The church is one body. After Christ bodily Ascension price continues his work in the world through those to whom, he has redeemed until the church functions as the body of Christ. And so we think about the body of Christ. We think about a body that is Unified. We think that of a body that that there is one this in this body,

unfortunately, on at times, we don't always enjoy Oneness in Christ. Disputes and disruptions fracture and divided as any family. What should we do when that happens? Well, if you are the offender, we should you should repent and seek wrecker reconciliation. If you are the offended then we must do as Paul tells us. And if he's in 4:32 where he says be kind to one another tenderhearted, forgiving one, another as God in Christ, forgave you and sold the first characteristic that we see of Romans 16 is that the church is one body in Christ. One body in Christ. The second characteristics we see here is the church is a diverse group of believers. The church is made up of a diverse group of Believers notice and Paul's, greetings here that we have read. Paul's greetings, were not only for men, but Paul also greeted many women. As a matter of fact, nine of the 2026 names that are mentioned in this chapter. Are women. 9 of the 26 names are women. What does that tell us? That tells us very plainly that the Lord uses women in the church. And they are greatly used within the body of Christ. And think about the date and time that Paul is writing this when women were not at all looked upon high in society. But Paul is writing a letter to churches in that day and time and he is commending the women in that church and he demands, not only one woman, but he can mend some nine women and one chapter alone. And he talks about how they have a risk, their lives. They had labored much for the lure. Women. Can be and have been throughout church history. Greatly used by the Lord. We think we are thankful for that. And then we also think about Christ's Resurrection.

They're in that Garden. Who was the first to see Christ resurrected. It wasn't it? Wasn't the disciples. They were all hiding in fear. It was the women who first saw the resurrected Lord. But also notice Paul not only greeted Jews like his Kinsmen herodion, but he also greeted gentiles. There were certainly also Gentiles among those named which, again, for a Jew to do. That was. Not Kosher you could say. But here Paul, he mentions both Jew and Gentile men and women. Paul also greeted not only free men, but he also greeted slaves, like a sinner Banas and statues. Those names were common slave names. So, what this tells us about the church in Rome in about rid of the body of Christ. There was substantial diversity, among the Believers in Rome. And it tells us that Jesus Christ saves people from a variety of backgrounds from a variety of cultures.

So even if you feel like you're quite different than the other believer around you, listen, you are very important in the body of Christ. Paul says though, you are a man or woman. So you are a Jew or Gentile, a free man or a slave, you are chosen in Christ and you're greatly used, you can be greatly used for the Lord. So, the church is a diverse group of Believers, notice thirdly. The church is careful to love one. Another. The church is careful to love one. Another. For example, Paul greets, so many people here by name. Even those he probably never met. A number of them face-to-face. Also, some of pause descriptions of these. People indicate the loved the church in Rome experienced. Brinson's. Paul mentions, Mary. Who has worked hard for you? What we see here is that love is the chief characteristic of all believers. And we need to exercise this love more and more. So, how can we do this? How can a church? How can we as Believers? Love more than what? Maybe what we do? Well, here's how. And here is one that I need to get better at myself. And that is first. First of all by remembering people's names, okay. By remembering people's names. I'm horrible at doing that, but it's very important. Think about How great Paul was here of remembering people's names. Think of all the people, he met throughout his long Ministry. Yeah, I think how he spell them, you know, maybe he didn't know their names. You just wrote down some crazy like, but, you know, honestly a great memory, he had a great vast number of people within his circle of ministry, to whom he was very personal. With his ministry, was very personal. He didn't just say, hey, thanks, all those who helped me. He said hey thanks to so-and-so and thanks for this. Thanks for that. Very personable. We as a body of Believers. Should also be very personable especially to those who are may be visiting our church.

Notice we can remember people's names. We can also work hard for the church. That is a way that we express our love for the church, but also our love one. Another How many times in those verses did Paul think so-and-so for their work in the Lord? Are they labored in the Lord or they risk their necks? They lay their life down on the line for the church and the Lord, they worked hard. And then, of course, first 16. talks about how where to greet one another with a holy kiss.

Thankfully, we don't do that today. That was the cultural appropriate way that they did that in that day. But listen. How about a smile and a handshake? A listening ear? Think about how those things, even the last two years have been coming, neglected thing? You know, the wearing of masks, the social distancing to wear a, when I supposed to shake hands anymore and all those things, how much of this type of affection even within the the church. Has been lost. And it's it's not healthy at all. Colossians 3:14, Paul says, where to put on love, which binds everything together in Perfect Harmony. So, these are the three characteristics of just, some of the things I noticed in Romans 16 that they are one in the body of Christ. There is a great diversity was in this church. Each person who has saved had a different background summer, free summer, slave summer, men summer women, some were Jews summer Gentile. But they all had this characteristic of Love toward one another and may we also increase our love for one another, as we continue to love the Lord Jesus Christ. All right. We're going to take a few moments to mention some prayer request. And we need to pray for Janet's family. Janet Blair's family, her brother, Larry passed away today. So pray for their family as they prepare to have the funeral.