Bill Acton :: Romans 16:1-16 - The Expression of Love for God's Elect

Sermon Outline for Romans 16:1-16

The Apostle’s Expression of Love for God’s Elect

1. Intro and Purpose of the Text – Paul’s expression of appreciation for the body of Christ
2. His High Regard for Fellow Believers
   1. His desire to be with them
   2. The close personal relationship
   3. The personal ministry of Paul
      1. The time, the labor, the tears, the teaching – 1Th 2
      2. The people of Ephesus – Act 20
3. The Special Commendation for Phoebe – Rom 15:1-2
   1. Her name means – bright or radiant
      1. Pagan mythology
         1. Artemis – bright moon goddess
         2. Diana – Roman goddess
      2. Jews adopted Greek names
      3. In church at Cenchrea
         1. Corinthian seaport
         2. Paul had been there – Act 18:18
      4. Carried the letter?
   2. She is a “sister” in Christ – not flesh
   3. She is a “servant” of the church
   4. She is not an ordained officer
      1. The Word – not technical, but service
   5. She is a very vital and important servant of the church
   6. She is a “strengthener” to Paul and to many – to us
      1. Faithful
   7. She is to be worthily received
      1. As a saint – acceptance
   8. She is to be eagerly helped
   9. She is highly commended

Common Practice – Church Letters

4. The Special Greetings to Others – Rom 15:3-16
   1. Aquila and Priscilla – Jewish
      1. Their relationship – fellow-workers
         1. 1Co 16:19; 2Ti 4:19; Act 18:2, 18, 24-26
      2. Their occupation
      3. Their loyalty – risked their lives
      4. Their hospitality – The church in their house
         1. Every home a church
   2. Epaenetus
      1. The first believer in Asia
      2. Paul will never forget him
      3. “First fruits for Christ” Not Paul many more to follow
      4. God is still saving His chosen – the predestined ones
   3. Mary – Jewish name
      1. The worker
      2. The helper
      3. Gets things done
   4. Andronicus and Junias – Men
      1. Relatives?
      2. Fellow-countrymen
      3. Jews
      4. In Christ before Paul
      5. In high regard by the Apostles
      6. In prison together
         1. Shared suffering
   5. Ampliatus
      1. Whom I love in the Lord
      2. Catacombs in Rome has a tomb marked “Ampliatus”
      3. Close personal attachment
   6. Urbanus
      1. Fellow worker in Christ
   7. Stachys
      1. My beloved my dear friend
   8. Appeles
      1. Tested and approved in Christ
      2. What a tribute
      3. What an epitaph
      4. Tested and approved
      5. True – Dependable
   9. The household of Aristobulus
      1. May have been the grandson of King Herod the Great
      2. His household evidently had some believers
      3. Influential on Roman leaders
      4. Herodian
         1. Relative
         2. Fellow countryman slaves?
   10. The household of Narcissus who are in the Lord
       1. Narcissus
          1. Slave – became personal secretary of Emporer Claudius
          2. Wealthy
          3. Claudius murdered
             1. Nero took over
          4. Took over the household of Narcissus
          5. He forced Narcissus to commit suicide
          6. Believers in His household
             1. Paul does not forget them
   11. Tryphena and Tryohosa – sisters?
       1. Women – hard workers
       2. “Dainty” and delicate
       3. Persis – woman worker – a dear friend
   12. Rufus and his mother
       1. Chosen in the Lord
       2. Rufus and Alexander
       3. Sons of Simon of Cyrene who carried the cross
       4. The mother – to Paul
       5. Paul’s appreciation
   13. Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes and …
       1. The brothers with them
       2. Group of business associates – real estate, insurance
   14. Philologus, Julia, Nerves and his sister, and Olympas
       1. And all the saints with them
       2. Philologus – “Lover of the Word”
       3. They had some influence among Roman leadership
       4. Infiltrated with the Gospel
       5. Penetrated
       6. A house church?
   15. Greet one another with a holy kiss
       1. Symbol of affection
       2. A greeting – must be sincere
          1. Must be holy
          2. In the Lord
       3. Justin Martyr – included in the service
   16. All the churches of Christ send greetings
       1. Paul’s travels
       2. The churches would ask him to send greetings
          1. Concern
          2. Care
          3. Consideration
5. Summarizing Observations
   1. The family of believers
      1. They work together
      2. There is diversity
      3. There is unity – not perfect
      4. They express appreciation
      5. They suffer together
   2. The importance of personal ministry
      1. Labor, work, sacrifice, tears
      2. Helping, strengthening, encouraging, growing
      3. Paul – people
         1. The work of the Lord
   3. Concerning men and women
      1. Close working relationship
      2. Avoid two extremes
         1. Ordaining women to church office
         2. Failing to recognize and appreciate the devotion to the Lord and vital service of godly women
   4. The value of small churches
      1. The church in the home
   5. What produces this kind of relationship
      1. Of ministry Jew and Gentile – one penetrating
      2. The doctrines of God’s sovereign grace
      3. The truth produces
      4. Total depravity
      5. Unconditionally – election – humility
      6. Atonement
      7. Security freedom