Title: Romans 16:1-16 Unforgettable faithful people
Contents Main text: Romans 16:1-16
Subject: Unforgettable faithful people
The Apostle Paul concludes his letter by saying hello to the unforgettable workers who cooperated and cooperated during his missionary work. These are the people who risked their lives to help Paul. The list of those people is about 30. They were either alone, as a couple, in groups, or from all nations, including Romans, Greeks, and Jews. At that time, the Roman Church was a group of people from various countries gathered to form a church.
Who were the faithful workers whom the apostle Paul could not forget?
1. I recommend Phoebe, the butler. (Verses 1-2)
In verse 1, it says, “My sister Phoebe, who is a minister of the Church of Cenchria,
I commend you."
Paul confidently recommends Phoebe.
Saints!
May you be recommended by your servant. I hope that you will be recommended by people. I hope that you will become such faithful saints.
1) Let's see why it was recommended.
Paul recommends Phoebe as "my protector" as an ardent worker.
Guardian means "one who stands in front". Phoebe was a man who took the lead in every aspect of Paul's evangelistic ministry. He was a spiritual and financial supporter. Perhaps Phoebe was wealthy, had a high social status, and protected the saints.
2) Please welcome me in the Lord and help me.
Paul highly recommends Phoebe and asks the Romans to treat him with respect.
“Receive him in the Lord with the proper manners of the saints.”
He says to receive them according to the will of the Lord, to receive them as members of the Lord's body, and to receive them with the proper manners of the saints. The proper manners of the saints refer to the manners of fellowship of saints based on faith, love, and respect.
Saints! Greet guests with the proper manners of the saint.
3) Tell him to help him whatever is needed.
I asked for spiritual comfort and guidance for my trip to Rome.
It's not about how much you can help, it's about what you need. It's about helping with something spiritual or material. This is helping Paul himself, and furthermore, helping the church.
2. Prisca and Aquila. (Verses 3-4)
"Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,
He laid down even his own neck for his life, to which I give thanks, not only to me but also to all the churches of the Gentiles."
1) Paul calls them my co-workers.
Co-workers are people who work together. It refers to those who dedicate themselves together for the gospel.
Prisca and Aquila worked in tent making in Corinth. It was here that I met Paul, heard the gospel, and believed in Jesus. After meeting Jesus, this couple began to work hard together in Paul's gospel ministry. Wherever Paul went while preaching the gospel, he went to work together. Even when Paul made a plan and decided where to go to preach the gospel, he went ahead and made preparations. Throughout my life, I moved while moving from work to evangelism centered on the gospel. This couple were the best family members who were involved in Paul's life and evangelism work for the Lord as ministers to help Paul.
2) He says that he even laid down his neck for Paul.
They are people who would give their lives for the Apostle Paul.
saints
The saints should know that helping the servant of the Lord with the talents they have is doing God's work. It is God's work to help those who are good at music with their talents, with music for those who are good at business, economically for those with skills, and with their talents.
3. Many others (vv. 5-16)
Paul introduces them this way.
“The firstfruits in Christ, those who labored, those who were prisoners with me, those who were in Christ before me, those who loved us, our fellow workers, and those who were approved in Christ.”
All of these are people who lived in Christ and suffered persecution, tribulation, and suffering for Christ's sake. These are people who risk their lives and believe in Jesus. The early church members risked their lives to believe in Jesus. He devoted his life, devoted his life, devoted his time, and made a decision before the living God to believe. However, today, there are very few people who believe that way, and those who believe like that are rather humiliated. They are even more slanderous and tend to regard them as strange people.
Dear saints,
It was by the grace of God that Paul became Paul. Not only that, it is God's grace that accomplished a great work in Paul's gospel ministry. But next, we need to know that all these co-workers who risked their lives and worked together in Paul's evangelism work were devoted.
Everyone!
People who work hard and work hard and have no hard work of service are not remembered by name. It will be remembered for the hard work you put in. The same is true today. How will the Lord's servant and other saints remember the three letters of my name? Do you have good memories? Is it that you don't even want to remember?
You have to think carefully. Saints! I pray that you will work together with your servant for the sake of the kingdom of heaven and become unforgettable and faithful people of faith.