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Great Lessons About Christian Friendship
The Book of Romans
Romans 16:1-16
Sermon by Rick Crandall
(Prepared January 24, 2022)
BACKGROUND:
*Please open your Bibles to Romans 16.
Here we are in the last chapter of this heaven-sent letter the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write to the Christians in Rome.
In the last two chapters, Paul's got very personal about his future plans and his affection for these believers.
*At first glance, today's Scripture may just seem like a long list of names.
But here the Bible has some key lessons for us about Christian friendship.
Please think about this as we read vs. 1-16.
MESSAGE:
*Think about the closest friends you have ever had.
My closest friends include my wonderful wife, my children, and other family members.
I thank God so much that I can say that!
*But I have also been blessed by many other good, godly friends, and none more so than you!
You have been fantastic friends to our family.
And, best of all, we will be friends forever!
Let’s look into God's Word and see how He wants us to handle Christian friendship.
1. FIRST: GOD WANTS US TO RECEIVE NEW FRIENDS.
*We see this truth in vs. 1-2, where Paul said:
1.
I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea,
2. 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.
*Paul had a close, personal relationship with Phoebe.
He knew her well as a spiritual sister, and fellow servant in God's Church.
That’s why Paul introduced Phoebe to the Christians in Rome.
He wanted them to "receive her," or accept her into the fellowship of their church.
*Phoebe was one of Paul's good friends, and he had many more, because all of his life as a Christian, Paul went around making new friends for Jesus Christ.
Some great examples are found in Paul's letter to Philemon.
This is the shortest of Paul's letters, and it was written when he was older man.
Paul was also a prisoner of Rome, but he was still making new friends, and Paul wrote on behalf of his new friend Onesimus.
*He opened in vs. 1-3 with this greeting to Philemon:
1. Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer,
2. to the beloved Apphia, Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:
3. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
*Then in vs. 9-21 Paul said:
9.
For love's sake I rather appeal to you being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ
10.
I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains.
11. who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me.
12.
I am sending him back.
You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart,
13. whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel.
14.
But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary.
15.
Perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever,
16. no longer as a slave but more than a slave, as a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
17.
If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me.
18.
But if he has wronged you or owes you anything, put that on my account.
19.
I, Paul, am writing with my own hand.
I will repay not to mention to you that you owe me even your own self besides.
20.
Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord.
21.
Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.
*Onesimus was in trouble.
Apparently, he was a runaway slave.
Maybe he had also stolen from Philemon.
People get into all kinds of trouble.
Sometimes it’s our own fault.
Many times, it’s just the circumstances of life.
And Jesus doesn't want us to kick people when they are down.
He wants us to help them, just like Paul helped Onesimus here.
*Paul was a trying to be a peacemaker here.
He was doing everything he possibly could to bring Onesimus and Philemon back together.
In vs. 10, he pleaded with Philemon.
In vs. 11, Paul persuaded.
In vs. 12, he sent Onesimus home.
And in vs. 18-19, Paul even offered to pay the debt.
But best of all, Onesimus' life was turned around when Paul led him to the Lord Jesus Christ.
*Paul helped Onesimus, and I doubt anyone else could have helped him like Paul did.
God can use us to help other people too, but we have to be willing to receive new friends.
2. THAT'S WHAT GOD WANTS US TO DO.
BUT HE ALSO WANTS US TO BE FAITHFUL FRIENDS.
*Again in vs. 1-2 Paul said:
1.
I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea,
2. 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.
*Paul commended Phoebe because she had been a faithful friend.
How much did Paul trust her?
Well, how important do you think this letter was to Paul?
It was Paul's God-inspired, love-filled message to the church in Rome.
It was extremely important to Paul.
And after vs. 27, the KJV contains sort of a P. S. that says: "Written to the Romans from Corinthus, and sent by Phoebe servant of the church at Cenchrea."
*Bible scholars such as John Gill verify the truth of this statement.
And it surely would have been delivered by someone with Phoebe's character, so it is highly likely that Paul trusted his faithful friend enough to deliver this letter.
(1)
*No wonder Paul wanted the Christians in Rome to receive Phoebe, but also notice that he asked them to "assist her in whatever business she has need of you."
The original word for "assist" has the wonderful meaning of standing close by someone to provide them with all the help they need.
*It's the same original word Paul later used in 2 Timothy 4:17 when he said, "The Lord STOOD WITH me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear.
And I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion."
(2)
*Phoebe had certainly assisted many other Christians.
We know this because in vs. 2 Paul wrote that "she has been a helper of many and of myself also."
*Phoebe had been a great helper to many people, including Paul.
She was someone who cared for other people and helped them with her resources.
The original word picture for "helper" or "succourer" in the KJV was a person who was a guardian and protector over other people.
So, Phoebe was like a mama bear in the church.
"Don't mess with her cubs!"
*Phoebe had stood by many other Christians, and now Paul asked the Roman church to stand by her.
That's the kind of faithful friends God wants us to be.
*Let me tell you about one of the countless times God's people stood by me.
It happened in 1975, shortly after I received Jesus as my Lord and Savior.
I was 24 years old at the time, and we had joined McClendon Baptist Church in West Monroe.
*A few weeks later I ran into the worst mess I've ever faced.
That Thanksgiving we had gone to visit my family in Georgia.
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