Rev. David Holwick ZK Romans series #21
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
December 4, 2005
Romans 16:1-16
IT TAKES ALL KINDS
SERMON SUMMARY: A look at what a list of Christian names reveals about
the early church. Few illustrations – my wife thought it was rather
dry.
I. Christmas letter lists.
A. The annual ritual.
1) Who has completed their Christmas cards?
2) How many send over 100? Less than 10? None??
3) Is your list longer this year, or shorter?
B. People need people.
1) Christmas cards are a way of connecting with distant
(and close) friends.
a) Many on my list have been friends since high school.
b) A few are "socially required" to be on my list, but
most have had an impact on my life.
2) From the beginning, the church has thrived due to
friendships.
C. Romans 16 gives a glimpse into the early church's network.
1) Quite a large group, considering he has never been to Rome.
2) It reveals Christians were always on the move, spreading
the good news about Jesus.
II. A gallery of friends in Rome.
A. Phoebe. 16:1
1) Letter is almost a cover for her commendation.
2) Servant = deaconess.
3) She is a great help to many.
B. Priscilla and Aquila. 16:3
1) Old friends of Paul's from Corinth.
2) She is usually mentioned first.
a) Highborn?
b) Did she have stronger reputation as a worker?
3) Church met in their home, so it must have been sizeable.
a) All churches in this period were in private homes.
b) Some of the references to households in this list are
not to homes, but family groups (the Christians were
probably slaves, as in verse 11).
C. Andronicus and Junias. 16:7
1) Paul's relatives. (blood relatives or fellow-Jews?)
2) Imprisoned with him.
3) Listed with apostles.
a) Secondary meaning, similar to "missionary."
4) Were saved before Paul was.
D. Ampliatus. 16:8
1) William Barclay says there may be an interesting story
behind this slave name.
2) In one of the earliest Christian catacombs in Rome, called
the cemetery of Domatilla, there is a decorated tomb
with the single name Ampliatus carved on it.
The lettering is bold and decorative.
Most Romans had three names, so the fact that the single
name Ampliatus alone is carved on the tomb would
indicate that this Ampliatus was a slave.
But the elaborate tomb and the bold lettering would
indicate that he was a man of high rank in the Church.
From that it is plain to see that in the early days of the
Church, the distinctions of rank were so completely wiped
out that it was possible for a man at one and the same
time to be a slave and a prince of the Church.
Social distinctions did not exist. [William Barclay]
E. Tryphena and Tryphosa. 16:12
1) Rhyming names - were they twins?
2) Hard laborers - perhaps a pun on their birth/delivery.
F. Rufus. 16:13
1) Son of Simon of Cyrene, who carried Jesus' cross?
2) Mark 15:21 says Simon had a son named Rufus.
3) Many scholars think the gospel of Mark was written from
Rome, and Rufus is mentioned because he lived there and
was well-known among Roman Christians.
4) He is called "chosen in the Lord" which may mean he had a
special status among them.
III. A gallery of friends with Paul. 16:21
A. Timothy, Paul's young protege.
1) For at least half of Paul's ministry, Timothy was there.
2) Paul wrote 2 New Testament letters to him.
B. Tertius, the secretary. 16:23
1) You might say he was the real writer of Romans.
C. Erastus, the director of public works. 16:22
1) 2 Timothy 4:20 associates Erastus with Corinth.
2) In 1929, archaeologists working in Corinth found a marble
paving block with a Latin inscription.
It says that the pavement was laid at the expense of
Erastus, who was the Commissioner of Public Works.
It dates from the first century A.D.
3) Erastus would be a rare example of a Christian who had a
prominent position in the world.
IV. What this list of names reveals about the church.
A. It was multi-national and multi-ethnic.
1) Some of the names are Latin, others are Greek, some
are Hebrew.
2) From the earliest days, the church gave a taste of the
whole world.
B. It was multi-gender.
1) A high percentage of the names in this list are women.
2) They are called what most of the men are called - workers.
3) They do not seem to be second-class Christians but are
immersed in the life of the church.
4) They still are!
C. It worked well together.
1) Working and helping and encouraging are key terms here.
2) Everyone had a role to play, and they put their hearts
into it.
3) The church has always been a cooperative effort.
D. It was a warm fellowship.
1) "Greeting" is repeated over and over.
a) He even talks about greeting with a holy kiss. 16:16
b) This was is common feature at the end of his letters.
c) We will stick to handshakes for obvious reasons.
2) Paul talks about being encouraged and "mothered" by these
people.
3) In return, he loves them in the Lord.
4) Any real church should have this closeness.
E. It was centered in Jesus Christ.
1) Jesus is mentioned throughout the passage.
2) People are said to be "in Christ."
a) This was a common way to say their were saved.
b) Their work is also said to be "in the Lord."
3) Churches are not social clubs -- they exist to exalt the
Lord Jesus.
V. It is not a total lovefest.
A. Even in these positive affirmations, there is hint of trouble.
1) Without giving names, Paul mentions troublemakers in v. 17.
B. Attributes of the troublemakers.
1) They trip people up. (erect obstacles)
a) Push doctrines that are contrary to received teaching.
b) Avoid them.
2) They focus on their fleshly needs. 16:18
a) They are not serving Jesus, but their own appetites.
b) Manipulative style. 16:18
C. Don't let troublemakers become the focus. 16:19
1) We are aware of evil, but not obsessed by it.
2) Our focus should be on what is good and edifying.
VI. The church is still a pile of personalities.
A. Think of the characters we have in this church.
1) Some are not here:
a) Iris is in Arizona (she called me).
b) Bonnie is waiting for her wheelchair ramp.
2) New ones drop in each week.
a) We have room for many more.
B. And today, you are here.
1) What work are you doing for the Lord?
2) What encouragement are you giving?
3) What bonds are you forming with others?
C. The members of the church are Christ's body on earth.
1) Get to know one another.
2) Work for the Lord together.
