Not Ashamed of the Gospel - Lesson 28

We only have 3 more days to go in our study of Romans! This has been such a good journey - thank you for joining me along the way.

The Bible passage we're reading today is Romans 16: 7 - 16 ...

"Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow countrymen and fellow prisoners. They are noteworthy in the eyes of the apostles, and they were also in Christ before me.

8 Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord.

9 Greet Urbanus, our coworker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys.

10 Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ.

Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus.

11 Greet Herodion, my fellow countryman.

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

12 Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who have worked hard in the Lord.

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

13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; also his mother—and mine.

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

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

16 Greet one another with a holy kiss.

All the churches of Christ send you greetings."

It's such a wonderful feeling when someone you respect greets you by name, or someone you only met once remembers you the next time you see them. It makes you feel all warm and glowy inside, like you actually do matter - or at least that's how it makes me feel!

So, it's no small thing that in the midst of teaching truth, correcting sin, and sorting out divisive issues in an emerging church, that Paul takes the time to acknowledge specific people by name, and to record the role they've played in his ministry.

It's a big deal, and I encourage you not to gloss over the lists of names and genealogies you come across when you read the Bible. If the Holy Spirit took the time to record those names, you can be sure they matter to Him - and they should matter to us.

As Christ-followers, it's a powerful thing to remember that our names have also been recorded. In Luke 10: 20 Jesus tells His disciples: "However, don’t rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

And, chillingly, Revelation 20: 15 tells us that on the day of judgment, when Satan is cast into hell for eternity, "if anyone was found whose name was not written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire"!

Oh, what an amazing thing it is that our God knows us by name!! As a Believer, you are known, valued, and dearly loved by the all-powerful, all-knowing God!

Rejoice in that fact today!

Next time you come across a list of names and greetings in your Bible reading, pause to reflect on those people's contribution to the universal Church, and savour the fact that one day, your name too will be read out in the presence of the faithful!

You might even want to sing this old Johnny Cash song while you do (wink): https://youtu.be/sDrPLANLvTY

"When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound and time shall be no more

And the morning breaks eternal bright and fair

When the saved diverse shall gather over on the other shore

And the roll is called up yonder, I'll be there."