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Greetings and genealogies: the graveyards of Bible reading plans.

As we have studied, preached, and read through this letter together, it can be easy to forget this type of writing: a letter or epistle written by Paul to the church in Rome. Now if you are anything like me, this is the part of the letter where it becomes easy to skim so I can mark off on the reading plan that I read that day. I think, “This isn’t really that important, not compared to all that has come before it about our gospel hope and reality?”

What if I tell you though all we see on the surface is a list of names, it holds great encouragement for believers now? As Keith Pinckney says, “There are gems in the genealogies,” so are there gems in the greetings. How would it change your reading of Romans 16 if we truly believed that “all Scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable” (1 Tim. 3:16)?

In his longest epistle, the apostle Paul gives us his most in-depth explanation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Images of this master theologian who traveled all over the known world planting churches, raising up pastors, and was zealous for the true gospel to be known even to the point of death. If you are like me, it’s easy to look at Paul’s life and think there is no way I could even hold a candle to that kind of gospel legacy.

Yet, when we read these names in Romans 16, we see people who were not apostles, megachurch pastors, or leaders of missions organizations and conferences–but ordinary people who were all in and believed that the gospel truly changed everything. This reality stirred them to play their role in kingdom work.

Paul recognized that he could not do the work alone. He was constantly encouraged by these believers who showed extraordinary faith and generosity towards him because of their love of Christ. Without the gospel, there is no Church. Without Jesus catalyzing his Church into everyday mission, there is no Paul.

We read of Phoebe, who most likely delivered and read this letter to the church in Rome, described as a deaconess and likely a wealthy benefactor who funded Paul’s journeys so the gospel could be proclaimed and churches could be planted. We see a picture of gospel service to the poor and generosity. 

Prisca and Aquilla opened their home so that the people of God could gather, worship, and break bread with one another. They saw their home as a gift God had given them to bless others so they could be encouraged by the hope of the gospel. 

What if God wasn’t asking you to do something “big” for the kingdom but to be faithful to where you are right now? How are we utilizing our time, money, and homes? Do we welcome people who need the hope of Jesus into our homes for meals? Maybe you have thought about opening up your home for your Gospel Community, but you’ve thought it is not that big of a deal. In God’s economy, he does so much with something as simple as an open the door to those who would come and seek him.

I love that Redeemer sends goers to the unreached who have no access to the gospel, but I also love that we will not send someone to the unreached who has not sought to be faithful with their gospel witness here.

I love that we send our best people to go and plant churches in cities and towns where there is a need for a healthy, gospel-centered church, but none of that would be possible without the faithful generosity of our people here.

I pray that we would read the names in this greeting and be encouraged that it takes more than one man to reach the world for Christ, but a Spirit-filled and empowered Church committed to making disciples of all nations go forward. Your role in the church matters not because of how articulate, well-resourced, or relationally networked you are (1 Cor 3:4-8). It matters because, in the hands of our Redeemer, our everyday faithfulness can be used in profound ways that will impact generations to come (Matt 16:18; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Cor 12:12-20; Eph 3:20-21).

I can only fathom what the people mentioned in this letter would think about the fact that we are still reading about their faithfulness to Jesus. I hope you are encouraged to think about how your life, in whatever areas God has called you, could be used by Jesus for eternal impact. We do need pastors, church planters, and goers, but without the faithfulness of the Church, those things simply do not happen. I love my job. I love that, in a small way, I get to help equip the saints for ministry (Eph. 4:12). However, my work and ministry are limited and, ultimately, die with me. The Church is an eternal reality. Paul is dead and gone, and we are forever indebted to him, but Christ’s Church remains, and the mission continues. So Redeemer, for Christ’s glory and by his grace, let’s do this.