A Letter of Introduction

 Romans 16:1-16

Each of us knows a brother or sister in Christ that we would trust to make sure a letter of great importance was carried to the object of its intent.  Such a woman was Phoebe, a first-century Christian woman mentioned by the apostle Paul in his Epistle to the Romans, verses 16:1-2.  She was a notable woman in the church of Cenchreae, and it is believed she was trusted by Paul to deliver his letter to the house churches in Rome.  Paul introduces Phoebe in this manner, a servant of the church in Cenchreae, so I’m asking you to receive her as you would receive Jesus.  And be of help in whatever she may need or ask of you, for she not only has been a benefactor of many – and of me also.

With that introduction, she is getting the guest room, the fresh lamb chops, and her feet washed, and she is also getting the full attention of those who are in leadership.  When I was a child I recall in those small Baptist churches a person could come into the membership if a letter was sent from the Baptist church they had come from.  I do not know what was written in those letters, it might have been no more than yes they were on our role.  But I will bet the farm it did not say; yes they are in the role, they never came, they never gave, and we are very glad you got them, for the few times they came they griped about the hardness of the pews, the length of the sermon or something.  Each of us who are followers of Christ should live a life of service that we would have a Paul write such an introduction about us.

One might call this Paul’s hall of thanksgiving, a recall of those who came along beside him so that he could bring the message of life to the Gentiles and the Jews.  “Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. Greet also the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in Asia. Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles, and they were in Christ before me. Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys. Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the family of Aristobulus. Greet my kinsman Herodion. Greet those in the Lord who belong to the family of Narcissus. Greet those workers in the Lord, Tryphaena and Tryphosa. Greet the beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord. Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; also his mother, who has been a mother to me as well. Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers who are with them. Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.”

I often share about the men that God brought into my life, men who were faithful servants of Jesus Christ, but my foundation was my mother and dad, no matter how far I went from God and wanted to run my own life, and to be the master of my ship, the teaching of mother and dad were fixed in my mind.  My wife came to know Christ a year after I had, but she is an amazing lady, a doer of the Word, and a prayer warrior, I’ve have been blessed.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice