ROMANS 16:1-16
SUBJECT: APPRECIATION
THEME: honor,
appreciate, and celebrate those who have greatly impacted your life and
ministry in the church, at home and professionally. We need each other to
accomplish the work of God!
INTRODUCTION:
“I did it my way. I didn't have any help from anyone. I was totally
on my own. I did a great job by myself. My success is just that—mine alone. It
belongs to no one else but me.”
Does that sound egotistical?
You're right, it is. Does it sound selfish? Right again. But worse than that,
it's simply not true—not for anyone. There isn't a human being—never has been
and never will be—who hasn't drawn on someone's help at some time to do
something. We come into this world with help, and we get through this world
with help. We are dependent people, like it or not, acknowledge it or not.
The apostle Paul knew this.
And to his credit, he not only accepted it but reveled in it. He loved the
people he depended on. They were family to him, loved ones with incredible
value because of who they were and what they did. He believed they deserved
honor and respect, especially from fellow brothers and sisters in the faith. Church
members, of all people, should embrace and support one another as family. Paul
did that himself, and he expected other believers to do the same.
In the closing chapter of
Romans, Paul spends the bulk of the space greeting various members of the
churches in Rome (16:3–15) and offering greetings to all the Roman Christians
on behalf of the believers who were with him, helping him with ministry (vv.
21–23). As we work through these closing verses, may we remember all those who
have helped us along the way and renew our appreciation for them. (Source
Unknown)
LESSON:
I.
Value People and the Things
They Do to Help Us
At first glance the closing chapter of Romans seems to be an uninteresting catalog of names that have little or no meaning for us today. However, upon closer study this neglected chapter yields many important lessons for the believer.[1]
A. Like Paul, We Must Value People
What a remarkable chapter! In it Paul greeted at least twenty-six people by name, as well as two unnamed saints; and he also greeted several churches that were meeting in homes. He closed with greetings from nine believers who were with him in Corinth when he wrote the letter. What is the significance of this? It shows that Paul was a friend maker as well as a soul winner. He did not try to live an isolated life; he had friends in the Lord, and he appreciated them. They were a help to him personally and to his ministry. In my own reading of Christian biography, I have discovered that the servants whom God has used the most were people who could make friends. They multiplied themselves in the lives of their friends and associates in the ministry. While there may be a place for the secluded saint who lives alone with God, it is my conviction that most of us need each other. We are sheep, and sheep flock together.[2]
1.
He Remembered Their Names
2.
He Appreciated Their Helps
3.
He Embraced Them as Friends
Some people remember names but
not faces, while others have faces etched in their minds but can't recall names
to save their lives. It appears that Paul, however, remembered a lot of names
and faces. People he had met, worked with, helped, and been befriended by were
people he would never forget, no matter how far away they were.
4. He Tracked Their
Locations
The capital city of Rome was a magnet that drew people from all over the empire. In addition Paul’s travels to many of the major population centers—Jerusalem, Syrian Antioch, Philippi, Athens, Corinth, Ephesus—brought him into contact with the mobile segment of Roman society. These factors help explain the presence of Paul’s many friends in Rome, but his knowledge of their whereabouts remains a tribute to his deep concern for people.[3]
I think it is also safe to
suggest that Paul made contacts with Mariners, Merchants, and traveling
Believers and used the contacts to keep abreast with people he knew in varied
parts of the world and to get reports on how the many churches were doing
throughout the Roman Empire.
Who are some of the significant people in your life? You know, the ones who have really impacted you for good, the ones who have shaped you, been models of faith, manhood, or womanhood to you, run interference for you, stood by you regardless, or reproved you when no one else had the courage to. Some of them may have already passed on; others may have moved away; several may still be at your side. Think about them; then, in the coming days, decide how you would like to thank them for what they have done for you. Then follow through by showing your love and deep gratitude. Imagine how surprise some of them might be, and you will certainly make them feel honored and appreciated. Maybe a “Thank you Card”, maybe a small but thoughtful gift, maybe a great big hug and a sincere thanks, maybe in a special meal, or some flowers. Whatever the case let them know you appreciate them.
Many times in evangelistic
ministry we start by showing ourselves friendly. That is literally befriending
those we are trying to win to Christ—caring about them as a person. It has been
said repeatedly that people do not care what you know until they know that you
care. This is extremely true in this age where nobody trusts anyone they do not
know already. Yes, this approach will involve more effort, time, energy,
creativity, and focus…. Yes, such a strategy may take longer to win them to
Christ, but it increases the chances of a genuine conversion and readily facilitates
and encourages their growth in the Lord through discipleship. You show yourself friendly then you will win
friends!
Prov
18:24, A man that hath friends must shew
himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a
brother.
Prov
17:17, A friend loveth at all times,
and a brother is born for adversity.
B. Like Paul, We Must Value Devotion and Service
to Christ in Others
Paul was impressed with their Christian service! This is beyond doubt
what he appreciated most about these individuals.
1. So Often we Value People for
the Wrong Reasons….
a. He Was Not Impressed
With Their Station in Life
b. He Was Not Impressed With Their
Bank Accounts
c.
He Was Not Impressed With the Clothes They Wore
d.
He Was Not Impressed With Who They Network With
e.
He Was Not Impressed With What They Did For a Living
While
some of these reasons for being connected with another can be innocent, the
most of them center on using people to advance ourselves and our personal
agenda. It is the habit of selecting our association because of what we hope they
can do for us.
What
impresses you about others? Another way to ask this is, how do you size up
people? What’s your criteria? What does your values system reveal about your
heart’s motives? Is it all about you or Christ? Answering these questions will tell
a great deal about what you deem to be important. Sometimes we have missed
placed standards or criteria about people and whether or not we will fellowship
with them. Could it be possible that our fellowship with each other has no
greater basis than that of the world? Their social status, amount of income,
the part of town one lives in, WHO you know, ethnic background, the job they
have; these are ALL worldly ties and they provide a weak basis for Christian fellowship
and must be rejected!
2.
But, Paul was Impressed with Their Devotion and Service to Christ.
a. Notice the Following Verses Concerning
Their Salvation: Rom. 16:2, 5, 7, 13, 15
b.
Notice the Following Verses Concerning Their Devotion: Rom. 16:4, 5, 7, 8, 9,
10
c. Notice the Following
Verses Concerning Their Service: Rom. 16:1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 12, 21
How
does your CRITERIA compare with Paul’s? How do you measure a person’s worth? Is
it selfish or Christ-centered? Do you see any places where you may have
misplaced standards? What should you change them to? In other words, what would
be some better biblical standards for deciding what really counts and what does
not when it comes to people? It appears to me at least that the fact that a person
is SAVED, DEVOTED, and SERVING Christ Jesus is a biblical criteria for mutual appreciation
and honor among believers. Certainly everyone has intrinsic worth because we
bear the very image of God as his human creatures, but all who love and serve
Christ should be treasured for their service. This criteria will be expanded
later in this same text.
CONCLUSION:
Like the Apostle Paul, we too must honor, appreciates, and celebrate
those who have greatly impacted our lives and ministry in the church, at home,
and professionally. What can we do today to put this into practice? Have you expressed
your appreciation for someone that has been a help to you along your Christian
walk and service lately? It will be good
for you and it will be a blessing to them if you did. We all need each other to
accomplish the work of God.
[1]
MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible
Commentary: Old and New Testaments. (A. Farstad, Ed.) (p. 1740).
Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[2]
Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible
exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 565). Wheaton, IL: Victor
Books.
Some people remember names but not faces, while others have faces etched in their minds but can't recall names to save their lives. It appears that Paul, however, remembered a lot of names and faces. People he had met, worked with, helped, and been befriended by were people he would never forget, no matter how far away they were.
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