Romans 16: 8-11
8 Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys. 10 Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the family of Aristobulus. 11 Greet my kinsman Herodion.
You have made it through Romans! Almost. At first glance, Romans 16 seems to be just a bunch of names. If you have been reading Romans with us, you might skim it or skip it. Let me encourage you that this is an important chapter that illustrates the importance of each person to the church. The author of half the New Testament expressed gratitude to a servant, a patron, a host to the church, new and old believers, workers, prisoners, and slaves. Many, like Priscilla and Aquila, risked their lives for Paul. Many names are written of people who may have thought they were insignificant. Paul wrote otherwise. In fact, the only people not mentioned by name are those who caused divisions, and false teachers. If anybody was a nobody, it was these busy bodies.
Carl Price leads our Bible Study and marveled at how everyone there had a different skill and story, their own path to Christ. He’s right. My heart was warmed by my brothers and sisters in the Lord. None of them is insignificant. To paraphrase my old Pastor, Dr. Bob Sloan, they all changed the church merely by joining it. The great message of Romans 16 is that what you may be doing may not get your name in lights or in Christianity Today magazine. What matters eternally is that your name is in the Lamb’s Book of Life! The next time you feel insignificant, remember that you are a part of the body and that nobody can do everything but everybody can do something. The church needs…
Your name here.