Sermon Cloud

051312 Sermon

Where Everybody Knows Your Name

Romans 16:1-16

 

Romans 16:1–16 (NIV84)

Personal Greetings

16         I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church in Cenchrea. ² I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been a great help to many people, including me.

³    Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus. ⁴ They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.

⁵    Greet also the church that meets at their house.

Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia.

⁶    Greet Mary, who worked very hard for you. ⁷ Greet Andronicus and Junias, my relatives who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.

⁸    Greet Ampliatus, whom I love in the Lord. ⁹ Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys.

¹⁰   Greet Apelles, tested and approved in Christ.

Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus.

¹¹   Greet Herodion, my relative.

Greet those in the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.

¹²   Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those women who work hard in the Lord.

Greet my dear friend Persis, another woman who has worked very hard in the Lord.

¹³   Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too.

¹⁴   Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the brothers with them.

¹⁵   Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas and all the saints with them.

¹⁶   Greet one another with a holy kiss.

All the churches of Christ send greetings.

It’s About People

Transformed By The Gospel

Engaged in Mission

 

 

 

It’s About People

 

Never Powerful Political Movement –

Kingdom Not of this world – John 19:36

 

Never slick marketing campaign

          Advertising, coordinating media

 

Apostle Paul never built a building,

never ran a building campaign

when he talked about church meant people - 5044

          He apparently did rent space to hold meetings

 

God used these to change the course of history

 

God’s plan to rescue His damaged and drowning creation

          Gospel à Jesus à People

 

Choose Politics, marketing, programs à Not trusting Gospel

 

Interesting to ponder

          Centuries later – lowpoint in Gospel awareness

 building of a cathedral in honor of St Peter in Rome

          Sparked the Reformation

 

Paul knew these people – loved them

          Cotton Patch Gospel

 

 

 

 

United By The Gospel – God’s Activity

 

Drawn Together by Affinity – point of similarity

          Same college, same neighborhood,

          Station in life – families with young children, students

 

I played football for eight years

 

Churches – often united by an affinity not the Gospel

          Ethnic background, Social, political, theological

 

Many churches rarely get to affinity – I don’t feel welcome

          Even fewer ever get beyond affinity

 

Affinity – common to us, experience, conviction or behavior

          Gospel – common experience of what God has done

 

 

Group of people Paul knew and loved united in Gospel         

I am not ashamed of the Gospel – Rms 1:16

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pheobe – Greek name – probably not Jewish

Deaconess – feminine of same form used to describe the deacons in Acts 6 elsewhere

          Plain meaning – woman who was a deacon – held recognized office in the church

          From Cenchreae – eastern portion of port city of Corinth

          She was trusted and respected enough by Paul - she carried this letter to Rome

 

Paul was in Corinth for about 1.5 years

 

Aquila and Priscilla

Acts 18:2 – Jews persecuted by Claudius – moved to Corinth

          Meet Paul – in same business – tentmakers – Paul stayed at their home - hospitality

18:18 – they are leaving with Paul

18:26 – meet Apollos – Jewish Scholar from Alexandria, Egypt – eloquent, competent in Scriptures – had come to faith but was still young in faith.  P & A explain the Gospel to him “way of God more accurately – 18:26 – Apollos perhaps author of Hebrews

Eventually moved back to Rome – started new church in their home

 

Roms, I Cor – A church in their house, II Timothy – Paul sending greetings

 

Epaenetus – same as Stephanus in I Cor

 

Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles, and they were in Christ before me.

 

Husband and wife – known as apostles

          Messengers or the Gospel – missionaries

 

D.A. Carson – Love in Hard Places

The reason there are so many exhortations in the New Testament for Christians to love other Christians is because . . . the church itself is not made up of natural “friends.” It is made up of natural enemies. What binds us together is not common education, common race, common income levels, common politics, common nationality, common accents, common jobs, or anything else of that sort [that bind most other groups of people together]. Christians come together not because they form a natural collocation, but because they have all been saved by Jesus Christ and owe him a common allegiance. In this light we are a band of natural enemies who love one another for Jesus’ sake. That is the only reason why John 13:34–35 makes sense when Jesus says: “A new command I give you--Love one another as I have loved you.” . . . Christian love will stand out and bear witness to Jesus because it is a display, for Jesus’ sake, of mutual love among social incompatibles.  P.61

 

What about your relationships?

          Based on some affinity?  Or the Gospel

          Nothing wrong with affinity –

But something missing if only affinity

 

Encouragement of Gospel

Challenge of the Gospel

          Forgiveness and Reconciliation

 

Marriage

Working together to raise kids?  Find personal happiness?

God called you together to cultivate character of Christ?

Business – Chic-Fil-A

Not open on Sundays – good behavior – brownie points

Read rationale – care and value of employees

         

Engaged in Mission

 

Did serve the world

          Romans abandoning babies on hillside

          Divided society – slave and free

 

God’s life in them effected everything they did

 

Ministry of Christ Covenant

          Not our programs or meetings

          What you do – classroom, home, work, grocery store

 

CBTP – relationships not affinity – but gospel mission

          NOLA mission trip – outside comfort zone

          Sebas – praying – seen grace growing in his heart

 

Bible – meet God alive enough to pull you out of comfort?

          Just bullet points to reinforce guide your behaviors?

 

 

Missional Church – Mission Dei – Mission of God

 

Invite you to join God’s Mission

          What He is doing

Be a part of family of CC à

see your life thru week as God’s mission

          CC’s ministry

Only step into that – first respond to God’s love for you

          Not because you are so loveable

          He is so loving – He would pay price – give gift