March 7, 2012
Personal Words
Romans 15:14-16:27
I. Paul Explains His Intent Romans 15:14-32
II. Paul Greets His Friends Romans 16:1-16
III. Paul Gives a Final Warning and
Sends Final Greetings Romans 16:17-27
In 1921, Dr. Evan O'Neil Kane, had become preoccupied with a specific area of medicine. He was obsessed, with not using, general anesthesia in major surgery. He believed that most major operations could and should be performed under a local anesthetic. His opinion, was that the hazards of general anesthesia, were worse than, the risks of the surgery itself. Kane was determined to prove to his colleagues, and to the world, that local anesthesia was a viable option, when surgery was performed----but he knew that it would take a great deal of convincing.
In order to prove his point---Kane knew that he would have to find a patient who was brave enough to go through with, what he hoped, all patients would experience someday----major surgery without the dangers of general anesthesia. In his 37 years as a surgeon, Kane had performed nearly 4000 appendectomies. He wasn't worried about it at all------when he finally found a volunteer------he didn't waste any time----he proceeded with the surgery as quickly as possible.
The patient was prepped in the normal way, but in the operating room was only given a local anesthetic. As he had, thousands of time before, Kane entered the abdomen, slicing tissues and clamping bold vessels as he went. Locating the appendix, the surgeon carefully clipped it away from the surrounding tissue, folded the stump back into place and sewed up the patient's wound-------he did it all, with the patient wide awake, and experiencing only minor discomfort. After a restful recovery of two days-----faster than most general anesthesia cases, the patient was released from the hospital to recuperate at home.
Kane had achieved his goal----which was, to demonstrate, that successful general surgery, could be accomplished, without the risks of general anesthesia. Dr' Kane's experiment, changed the face of surgery-----but not just for scientific and medical reasons-------because Dr. Kane's name was added to a short list of pioneers in the medical field, who, so completely convinced of the rightness and truth and authority, of their theories, that they chose to use them first, on themselves. Dr. Kane's first, voluntary, appendectomy patient, was himself----- to prove his theory, he had operated on himself and removed his own appendix.
The mark of a true leader is, that the leader won't ask followers, to go somewhere that they haven't been themselves. Dr. Kane chose to test his theory, by risking severe pain and even death, operating on himself, before asking anybody else to run the same risk. In the exact same way-----before asking his followers, to risk excruciating, emotional and, or, physical pain and even death-----Paul chose to demonstrate personally, what he wanted the church in Rome and all the other believers to do------which was to be 100% devoted to the Lord and His gospel, no matter what. Paul's life, is at the heart of this last section, of the letter to the Roman believers, and the gospel was at the heart of Paul's life. Paul doesn't tell us this, himself-----he would never, have boasted about himself------but its clear to the reader. We are able to see that Paul was a builder; servant; shepherd and apostle of the church.
These 4 aspects of Paul's heart, for the church, are the same things that he wants for every believer to have, as a part of their hearts, too------we are to build the church, by spreading the Gospel to everybody, we come in contact with; we are to serve the church, by going to any lengths, to demonstrate the love of God, that the Gospel is based on; we are to shepherd the church, by developing genuine, and time-tested relationships, with its members; and we are to have the vision of an apostle, who desires constantly, to see the gospel taken, wherever it hasn't been preached before. This was Paul's life, and it's what he considered to be, a normal life, for all believers.
In this last passage, we are able to catch a glimpse of the love Paul has for the Lord Jesus and for believers. He talks in an affectionate way, of his longing, to visit the the Christians in Rome, and he sends greetings, by name, to dozens of his close friends and relatives in the ministry.
I. Paul Explains His intent Romans 15:14-32
The letter closes, pretty much, in the same way, that it began------ with a personal word, from Paul, about himself and his intent, and about his desire for the believers, in Rome.
Paul described 3 qualities that the Roman believers possessed that he also wants us to possess:
1.) They were full of goodness----their motives were pure. They were motivated by compassion to reach out to people in need. They were motivated by Christian love to share with each other and to carry each other's burdens.
2.) They were complete in knowledge. Paul didn't mean, that they knew all that there is to know about the faith. No matter how much a person knows about God, there is always more to learn. The riches of God's truth are inexhaustible. What Paul was saying was, that they were complete in their knowledge of how to be saved and how to trust God, because of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus on the cross. They had become diligent students of God's word and they were totally committed to understanding God's will and Paul couldn't help but applaud them for it.
3.) They were competent, to instruct each other, which means, that they were competent to counsel each other. In today's churches, a great burden is placed on most pastors, for them to be counselors, the listening ears and the problem-solvers of the church. But Paul, is saying here, that that was never God's plan for the church. According to this passage, the entire congregation should be involved in counseling each other. We should help each other find sound, biblically-based solutions to our problems and spiritual comfort for our sorrows and hurts, even if that means recommending professional Christian counseling, to each other. The church should be a place of healing and we all have a responsibility to make sure that it is.
Paul also cites 3 things, that the Roman Christian lacked, and they apply to us too:
1.)They needed a bolder reminder of the truth. We need to be reminded again and again, to embrace the truths of the Gospel-----we get so bogged down, drawn into the mindset of the world, by everyday life, sometimes---- and that's why we need to gather in our churches, every Sunday, for worship, instruction, fellowship and celebration in song. We need to continually brought back to the beauty and the strength of our faith----we need to be "continually transformed by the renewing of our minds".
2.) They needed a priestly ministry. We have a priestly duty, to spread the Gospel. Every believer, is part of the royal priesthood. It's our duty to get people prepared to meet God----we need to evangelize and to disciple. We have to make sure that we have prepared ourselves for worship and service first, through the power of the Holy Spirit.
3.) They needed to become sanctified. Every congregation needs to experience sanctification. Sanctification, is the process by which the righteousness of God, that He's given us, will gradually changes our attitudes, habits, speech and conduct. As we become sanctified in the Lord Jesus, people notice that we're becoming more like Him. A church that isn't sanctified by the Holy Spirit, is just a religious organization; but a sanctified church is the living body of Jesus Christ! When the divine wind of the Spirit blows on a church, and the church is vital and active and alive in the community-----that is sanctification.
Next, Paul talks about his own service to the Lord. He gives us a fascinating insight into his own life and work. The apostle Paul's influence on this world and upon each of our lives is immeasurable. He lived 2000 years ago , but your life and my life and virtually everyone we know have been profoundly affected by this man. The course of history has ben altered by the truths that he taught. His teachings had a huge impact, on the founding fathers, as they formulated the plan, to govern our country, deciding about liberty and justice and fairness. The United States of America, would not exist, if Paul had never come to a saving faith, in the Lord Jesus. The vitality of his spirit, the excellence of his mind and the sweetness of his heart, still echoes, down through the ages, and touches our lives.
Paul outlined 3 features of his own ministry:
1.) The 5 principles he embraced…
1st Principle: Paul continually rejoiced wherever he went, despite the hardships and difficulties that he endured. Everywhere he went, he found villages and towns and cities in the iron grip of Roman authority. The people in those communities were deep in despair and emptiness and were longing for something they couldn't find; tumbling in superstitious fear. Why he rejoiced in this though, was because, it was in these towns, that he would find, people who were hungry for God, and that made them open to the Gospel. Paul rejoiced because his preaching gave these people a light in their darkness, and he had the privilege of seeing many lives changed as people heard about Jesus for the very first time.
2nd Principle: Paul allowed God to work through him. This is one of the great secrets that God wants to teach us------that we don't do great things for God, but that he does great things through us. Sometimes we get the idea that God couldn't get along without us. We feel self-important, as we think back over our work for the Lord, or when He gives us some task, for the kingdom, to do------but the truth is, we are little-bitty-tiny people--the Lord doesn't need us, He gives us the privilege, of being used by Him, so that we can be amazed, at His glory! There is not one instance, in the scripture, in all of Paul's writings, where we see that attitude in Paul. He always gives God the credit; he never claims, what God has done through him, as his own work.
3rd Principle: Paul relied on the power of the Holy Spirit: He talked about the signs and miracles which only Jesus and the apostles were able to do------the fact that he was able to perform signs and miracles was roof of his apostleship. And even though we aren't apostles, and we don't really need the sign gifts anymore, (although, if God still wants to use them, in certain situations, I believe that He does) because we have the scripture------we do have the power that Paul's talking about-----the power of the Holy Spirit is available to us today, in just the same measure that it was available to Paul.
4th Principle: Paul, willingly, went anywhere that God led him: Paul described how far-flung his ministry had been. Jerusalem is in southern part of Judea---Illyricum was in the area of modern-day Albania and Croatia in the Balkan region of eastern Europe--so when you look at a map of his journeys-----you can see that he went up the Mediterranean Coast, through Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey-----across the Dardanelles into Greece, Macedonia and Croatia. Most of his traveling was done on foot and there was always some hardship to endure, wherever he went-----but he always obediently went, wherever the Lord sent him.
5th Principle: Paul was a pioneer: Pioneers have a spirit of adventure. They seek to advance the Gospel in new and unreached places. A pioneer spirit is characteristic of the spirit of God------we never know where He is going to show up and reveal Himself or some aspect of His truth in creative ways.
2.) The means by which he carried our those principles…
Paul had a very practical approach to ministry, which involved 3 practical considerations:
1.) Planning: Many Christians don't believe that we should plan our service------they think that we should let God guide us from moment to moment, and that we don't need to look ahead to the future------but God is a God of order, and He certainly has a plan, and He executes each step, when the time is right. And Paul didn't live that way either. He spent years laying plans to go to Rome and Spain. Paul was practical and he was a planner.
2.)Completion: Jesus never went on to another task, before he had completed the one He was working on. Some believers continually jump into new ministry efforts, before the old ones are finished. But Paul didn't work that way----he worked steadily toward a goal, he achieved that goal, then he went on to the next goal. The specific task that he was taking care of in this passage involved taking up a collection for the needy Christians in Jerusalem.
3.) Prayer: Prayer was the most important ingredient in Paul's ministry. It was empowered, energized and protected by the power of prayer.There is no more practical consideration in any ministry than the empower of prayer. Prayer is our most potent spiritual weapon---there is nothing more critical to ministry success than prayer. Prayer helps to protect us from satan's temptations and it helps to protect us from physical harm too. Prayer is the key to resolving disputes, disagreements and misunderstandings so that ministry can go forth without hindrance.
3.) The power that he relied on to carry the principles out…Prayer and the power the Holy Spirit, gave him over and over and over again.
The last verse in chapter 15 says, "By God's will I may come to you with joy, and together with you, be refreshed," This hope of Paul's was realized 3 years later, when he finally arrived in Rome. The last chapter of Acts describes how Paul----having been arrested by the Roman government, having survived shipwreck and other arduous perils, finally arrived in Rome. Acts 28:14-15 says "And so we came to Rome. The brothers there had heard that we were
coming, and they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. At the sight of these men Paul thanked God and was encouraged." Imagine the great feeling of encouragement Paul must have felt when the Roman believers came out to meet him. The very sight of them, caused Paul to thank God. Even though he came as a prisoner, and even though he was chained to a Roman guard and was destined to stand trial for his life, Paul felt a surge of joy and refreshment of his spirit.
II. Paul Greets His Friends Romans 16:1-27
The last chapter in Romans gives us some insight, into some of the people, who were the first ones to hear this wonderful letter. Initially, it looks like it's pages were taken from the phone book---but it's really a very fascinating read. Paul lists 33 men and women, who had no idea, that they were going to be famously immortalized in scripture, for all time, as the Paul's friends. There were 17 men and 7 women in Rome; 8 men and 1 woman were with Paul in Corinth, where he was staying when he wrote the letter. There were 2 households mentioned and 2 unnamed women and there were some references to some other unnamed brothers, in the faith.
People traveled in that day and time, more than we think they did-----in our world of cars and planes and trains and big ocean liners--we tend to think that people stayed close to home, then----but they actually traveled quite a lot and extensively. The letter was carried to Rome by a traveling businesswoman named Phoebe. The whole church then and now, can be so grateful to Phoebe for her courage and faithfulness, in taking the letter from Corinth to Rome. Paul identified her as a servant of the church in Cenchrea, which was a port town, nine miles, east of Corinth. Phoebe was a servant (deacon was the Greek word used here) in the church in her hometown. The fact that she was a servant or a deacon, doesn't necessarily mean, that she held an office in the early church, it just means that she had a ministry of servanthood within that church and Paul also indicated that she had served him, in some way, too. Phoebe is just one of the many women mentioned in the New Testament. Romans 16 affirms the fact that Christianity has done more to elevate the status and dignity of women than any other movement or social force in history.
Greetings, in Paul's day, were always put at the end of their letters, so he starts the end of the letter, by presenting Phoebe to them, first and then, commending her for her help.
Pricilla and Aquila are next----the book of Acts tells us that they were Jewish tentmakers, who were from Rome but that they had been driven out by Emperor Claudius----and had gone to Corinth where another tentmaker, named Paul, moved in with them, and led them to the Lord. Their home was probably the first church in Corinth. Paul spend two years in Corinth and then he went to Ephesus-----and Priscilla and Aquilla went with them. But apparently, Priscilla and Aquilla had been able to go back to Rome----and Paul greeted them, reminding the church that they had risked the lives to save his.
Next was Epenetus. Scholars don't know why Paul was in Rome, but they do know that he was cherished by Paul, because he was his first convert, in Asia----- and you never forget the first person, that you lead to the Lord.
Then Paul greets Mary-----she was an anonymous servant who had the spiritual gift of helps. She might not have been able to teach preach or evangelize, but she was a hard worker.
After that he greets Andronicus and Junias who were relatives of Paul's. They apparently had come to know the Lord before Paul----so they must have been among some of the earliest believers in Jerusalem. They had probably been sacred to death, of their zealous relative, who was persecuting the church. They must have been thrilled, just like we would be, if a relative comes to know the Lord, when they heard about Paul's Damascus Rd. Experience, aside from the fact that another believer had come not the fold. It isn't clear whether they are a husband and a wife or two brothers. There is confusion in the early manuscripts as to whether the second person's name is Junia or Juias. But whichever it was-----they were such dedicated Christians, that even the 12 apostles in Jerusalem, loved them. Paul also mentions with fondness, that they had been fellow prisoners, with him, at one time.
Ampliatus is an interesting name. In the catacombs of Domitilla under the streets of Rome, there is a highly decorated tomb that bears the single name Ampliatus. A single name usually means that the person was a slave----the ornate decorations on the tomb, though, indicate that Ampliatus was well-loved by the leading citizens of Rome. We don't know if the Ampliatus who is entombed in the catacombs is the same person that Paul mentions here, but scholars think that its likely.
Urbanus and Stachys are next---we don't know anything about them, except what Paul says here---that Urbanus had served on Paul's ministry team and Stachys was a dear friend.
The next person--Apelles---was described by Paul as having been "tested and approved in Christ"----He will forever be known as a person who had endured the testing of his faith and and emerged with the approval of the Lord.
After that, was the household of Aristobulus, was greeted-----scholars have speculated that he may have been the grandson, of King Herod the Great. Aristobulus was a close friend of Emperor Claudius. When Aristobulus died, his household became the property of the emperor (by this time, we know that it was Nero). So even though though the servants legally belonged to the emperor, they were still known as the household of Aristobulus. This suggests that there were a number of Christians servants and slaves, who may have had opportunities to witness to the leaders of Rome.
Then he greets another relative----Herodian---who is somehow connected to these servants. The name Herodian indicated a connection with the family of Herod----so Paul may have been related to the ruling family of the Jews. Herodian had become a Christian and was living in Rome as part of the household of either Aristobulus or Narcissus.
Then, the household of Narcissus---which is probably a reference to the servants of the former slave, Narcissus, who became the personal secretary of Emperor Claudius. Scholars do not believe that Narcissus was a believer-----just that he had servants who were.
Then Paul, greets some hard-working women in the church---their names are Tryphena and Tryphosa----its funny, their names mean "dainty" and "delicate"----yet they were commended for their hard work-----so, they must not have been as delicate or dainty as they sound. There names indicate, that they were probably, from the ruling class.
Paul's dear friend Persis---we don't really know anything about-------but she must have worked with hims somewhere--because he greeted her specially.
Next is Rufus and his mother. It is believed that this is the same Rufus who is mentioned along with his brother Alexander with their father, Simon of Cyrene, who witnessed Jesus struggling up the Via Dolorosa, to be crucified, he was a Jew from North Africa, who was in Jerusalem, for Passover, and he was forced to carry Jesus cross. As an eyewitness to the crucifixion, Simon was probably one of the very first Christians and may have even been present on the day of Pentecost. It stands to reason that he would have taken his new faith, back to his family and they would have become believers too.
Asyncriticus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas----are all Greek names. They would have been Greek Christians, probably businessman, who lived and worshiped in Rome.
The name Philogus, means "a lover of the word"----scholars think it was probably a nickname, describing someone who must have learned the word of God. And gathered with him, were Julia, Neurus, the sister of Nereus and Olympas--------they were probably, members of the same house church------and Paul greeted them all.
Nereus was another interesting name. William Barclay says that he may have been a housekeeper of a prominent Roman citizen, Flavius Clemens. History says, that Flavius Clemens, became the Consul of Rome, the highest political office in the city. He was executed for his Christian faith in AD 95. His wife Domatilla, was banished for her Christian faith. It is believed that, Nereus, led his prominent employers to the Lord.
In this list of names-------we are able to see that Roman society was being steadily infiltrated, from top to bottom, by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The church is at its best, when we quietly but steadily, make our presence known and felt, and penetrate all levels of society, so that we can take the Gospel to everybody.
Then he extends a general greeting to the Romans from all the church plants that he had been part of------to signify that they were all one church, unified in love and in the Holy Spirit.
III. Paul Gives a Final Warning and Sends a Final Greeting Romans 16:17-27
Paul's gives one last warning to the Romans. He wanted them to be aware of people, who profess to be Christians and who preach a false and divisive doctrine. He warns us against people, in the church, who say they are believers, but then stir up discord, by elevating one particular point of doctrine, at the expense of the full counsel of God's word. Throughout church history, one of the greatest dangers has been the presence of false teachers, who emphasize one spiritual gift, or some other teaching, claiming that, that one thing, is what makes a person a true believer. False teachers sometimes introduce practices or rituals, that they insist, are the marks, of true Christianity. They seduce the unwary and the innocent, into a spiritual arrogance that says, "we are different----we have this special understanding or mark, that sets us apart, from everybody else---we are super Christians---or what I call them, the Christian Elite.
In spite of their smooth words, false teachers aren't seeking to serve the Lord Jesus, they really just want to advance themselves. They create divisions and factions, using biblical-sounding language and flattering words to entice, unsuspecting followers. Paul doesn't say that they should be censured or denounced from the pulpit or tossed out of the church. His advice is to just simply avoid them. If we will avoid them, the the Lord will take care of everything, including the peace of the church. Eventually, the eyes of the people will be opened and the false teachers will be revealed for what they are---either immature Christians or non-believers-and then they will either grow up in the Lord or they will lose their following, and they will walk away. He wants us to be wise about what is good and innocent about what is evil----in other words, we need to be discerning about who we listen to and who we emulate and who we trust, even among fellow believers-------we have to line everything up against the Lord and His word.
Then, Paul added the greetings, of the believers, who were in Corinth, with him---
First, from Timothy-----one of Paul's closest friends. Timothy was the son of a Greek father and a Jewish Christian mother, Eunice, and grandmother, Lois. Paul spoke of Timothy, as his son, in the Lord. Timothy was associated with Paul in the writing of five of his letters---1and 2 Thess., 2 Corinthians, Colossians and Phillipians. Timothy traveled extensively with Paul, and was eventually imprisoned with him, in Rome and remained his faithful companion and friend until the end. 2nd Timothy was the last letter, that Paul ever wrote.
Lucius----one of the teachers that Paul had known in Antioch.
Jason----Paul's host in the city of Thessalonica.
Sosipater-----we aren't sure, but he is probably Sopater of Berea, who is mentioned in
Acts 20.
Tertius----is the helper who transcribed this letter, while Paul dictated it---and he sent his own greetings. The name Tertius means he was a slave----his name means "Third". In slave families, it was common to number children, instead of naming them--so the children would have been named first, second, third, fourth and so on-----
Quartus----is probably Tertius' younger brother----his name means Fourth.
Gaius---Paul was probably staying in his home. Gaius had opened his home to the entire Chrisitan community in Corinth. There might have been whole room full of people, in the house of Gaius, listening to Paul dictating his letter.
Erastus-----He was the director of public works in the city of Corinth.
Clearly, this last chapter of Romans, is not just a list of names--------because as we read them----it enables us, to catch a glimpse, of flesh-and-blood people, who really lived, people that Paul loved and appreciated and commended, for their authentic love, and their proven commitment, and their faithfulness to the Gospel.
The last paragraph of this letter was probably written in Paul's own hand----it was his custom to do that-----he would dictate the main body of the letter and then write the last paragraph himself. He would write it in a very big font, to protect his letters from forgery.
Paul gave his readers, one last explanation of the Gospel, and then ended the whole thing, with a wonderful outpouring of praise to God the Father.
He had explained the gospel, at length, throughout the whole letter. He reminded his readers, one last time---that the gospel and the Lord, himself, would strengthen and stabilize them, in the faith. He reminded them, that parts of the Gospel, had been hidden for many ages, in the Old Testament-----that the prophets, who had written that part of the scripture, weren't fully aware, of the meaning of their own words, but they had still written, what God had told them to, about the fulfillment of the mystery-----which was the coming of the Messiah, the salvation of the Gentiles and the return of the Jews. The mystery had been completely revealed in the Lord Jesus; and His death and resurrection; and with the salvation of the Jews and the Gentiles, and their growth in the faith----- it was finally being understood, by the nations.
and that this was God's ultimate goal all along----to draw all men to Him---- whether they were slaves or free, barbarian or Greek----they could all become, one people, in the Lord Jesus.
God's glory is displayed through Jesus Christ and Paul couldn't help but praise God, for his wisdom in the perfection of His plan, to save the world through Jesus.
Our God is the only wise God. He has infinite wisdom. Wisdom, among other things, is the ability, to devise perfect ends, and to achieve those ends, by perfect means. This our God does, without limits. In His wisdom, He has made it possible, for those who were once bound to the earth, by their own sin, to be forgiven and freed from their sins, so that heaven will become our eternal home. Which leads us all to say, right along with Paul, "To the only wise God, be glory forever, through Jesus Christ! Amen"
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