The Family of God at Work

1:02And so nobody really sees you. When you feel known but not needed, you feel visible, but you also feel useless. You're like a convertible top in Texas. Everybody sees you, but it's 140 degrees or it's 40 degrees or it's allergy season, so you've got nothing to do. But when we feel needed and known, we've got the best of both worlds. We feel useful. We feel we have purpose. There's a reason to show up. There's a reason to get up in the morning. And we feel that we matter to others, that who we are is just as important as what we do. That's what makes healthy families so great. In a healthy family, every member feels needed and known. Every person feels useful. Every person feels that they matter.

2:07And in Scripture, the church is referred to as the family of God. It's referred to as the household of God, the household of faith. The church is God's family. And because the church is God's family, the church should be the healthiest family of all, where every person feels needed and every person feels known. But sadly, that's not always the case, is it? It's not always the case that every Christian, that every member of God's family feels needed and known.

2:44In fact, if you've ever left a church before, or if you've had a friend who's left a church, could be for any number of reasons, but in my experience as a pastor, people leave churches because they don't feel needed, they don't feel known. Or they don't feel both. This morning we're going to begin the final chapter of Paul's letter to the Romans. And as you just heard in the reading, God bless you, Brianna. The first 16 verses of this chapter is nothing but greetings. 29 unique individuals, plus families and churches.

3:29And you might be thinking, what in the world is Pastor Allen going to say about this? Indeed. What is Pastor Allen going to say about this? Let's be honest, this is one of those passages in the Bible that many of us, perhaps most of us, are tempted to scan quickly or even skip entirely. We read this list of names and we say along with the evil spirit in Acts 19, Jesus I know and Paul I've heard of, but who are you?

4:08Fair play, the Bible is funny before. It feels like one of those cards that should be in that stack. But friends, as I studied the passage this week, I was struck by how much there is to glean from these 16 verses and this list of names, this list of greetings. I was reminded of 2 Timothy 3, verses 16 and 17. All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.

4:40That the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. Friends, all scripture is God-breathed. All scripture is profitable, including a long list of names that we don't recognize. The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write these words for a reason. And I believe that he did that to remind us that every person wants to feel needed and known. Every believer is known by God. Every believer has important kingdom work to do. And so here's what we're going to learn this morning from the text.

5:18Every Christian is a beloved member of God's family and a fellow worker in God's kingdom. Every Christian is a beloved member of God's family and a fellow worker in God's kingdom. So we'll start with the first half of that truth. Every believer, every Christian is a beloved member of God's family. Now, you probably noticed that when we went through the text and Paul tells the church to greet this or that believer, he doesn't say, tell so-and-so I said, howdy.

5:51And that's it. He has an adjective for every person on this list. And most of the adjectives that Paul uses aren't just true of these believers that he's talking about here they're true of every believer in Jesus Christ and I want to highlight three of those chosen approved and beloved chosen approved and beloved look at verse 13 Paul instructs the Roman Christians greet Rufus chosen in the Lord friend if you are a believer in Jesus Christ you are chosen in the Lord and I think that is a truth that we need to be reminded of all the time that's why it comes up so often in scripture you believer are chosen in the Lord you know one of the things that strikes me all the time when I read the Bible is that the inspired authors of scripture never attempt to encourage Christians by saying remember you chose God every single time they write remember God chose you think of what we learned earlier in Romans chapter 8 this is verses 29 and 30 for those whom he formed Knew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

7:40And those whom he predestined, he also called. And those whom he called, he also justified. And those whom he justified, he also glorified. Now, look at those verses. When Paul writes, for those whom he foreknew, he is not talking about decisions. He's not talking about actions that you have taken. He's talking about people, for those whom he foreknew. He's talking about the people that God knew and loved before the foundation of the world. Look what Paul writes in Ephesians 1, verse 4.

8:19Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. Friends, being chosen by God is such a comforting truth because it reminds us that our salvation is secure. It is secure. If you are tempted to doubt your salvation, to doubt God's promises, to believe that your salvation somehow depends on you, remember that God chose you. He chose you long before you were born, before you had done anything good. Or bad. He chose you irrespective of the decisions that you were going to make, that he knew you were going to make. He chose you simply because he loved you. He set his love on you before the foundation of the world, so your salvation is secure because you are chosen.

9:19Look now at verse 10. In verse 10, we read: Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Friend, if you trust in Jesus, you are approved in Christ. But I wonder how many of us struggle to believe that we are approved in Christ, that you have God's approval. I think a lot of Christians worry that even though they believe in Jesus, they do not have God the Father's approval. And maybe that's because a lot of us had fathers that were hard to please. I know a lot of times I'm a father who's hard to please. And so that can be difficult to believe. Because it's like if I couldn't even please my own dad, how could I ever please my father in heaven? How could I have his approval?

10:19But remember what we saw earlier in Romans chapter 8, verse 1. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are Are in Christ Jesus. Friends, Jesus bore all of our sin, all of God's wrath, all of the condemnation that we deserved because of our sin on the cross. There is no condemnation left for you or for any believer. That's why Apelles was approved in Christ. That's why you are approved in Christ. So many Christians live life believing that God is angry with them, or at the very least, mildly disappointed all the time.

11:14We live our lives like God's approval is dependent on our behavior, upon how good our quiet times were, how consistent our Bible reading has been. But, friend, your approval is not based on your performance in any way, shape, or form. Your approval is based on the perfect record of Jesus Christ. God looks at you, His child, and smiles because Christ's righteousness is counted to you through faith. You are approved in Christ. And then in verses 5 through 12, we'll work through these quickly. You look at verse 5.

12:03He refers to my beloved Epinetus. If you go down to verse 8, greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. He refers to my beloved Stachis. In verse 12, the beloved Persis. You know, all of those greetings remind us that we aren't just chosen, we aren't just approved, although those are wonderful truths. We are beloved in Christ. If you are a believer, you are beloved. And yet, once again, I think so many Christians struggle with that. They know God is love, but they think, how could God love me?

12:54Think back to what we learned in Romans 8 once more. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Oh, friends, you aren't just chosen and approved. You are beloved by God. You are beloved by God. God loved you so much that while you were a sinner, he sent his son Jesus to die for you.

13:44He didn't say, why don't you clean yourself up a bit? Why don't you get yourself to church a little more often? Why don't you learn a little bit more about the Bible, and then we'll talk. The scripture says in Romans 5, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. So, my friend, if he came and died for you while you were a sinner, how could it possibly be true that now that you love God, now that you seek to worship and serve him and honor him with your life, how could it be the case that he doesn't love you now?

14:24You are beloved by God, and nothing can separate you from the love of Christ. So, if you are chosen, if you are approved, if you are beloved by God, that means you are a part of God's family. And families are composed of kin, brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers who know one another and who are known by each other. And that's just what we see in the passage. If you look at verse 7 and you look at verse 11, Paul wrote, To his kinsmen, Andronicus, Junia, and Herodian. And Paul calls them kinsmen, probably because they share his Jewish background. But through faith in Christ, he has a much deeper bond, an eternal bond, with these people. They're not just ethnically related anymore. They are related because they are members of God's family through faith. They are kinsmen through faith. If you look at verse 13, Paul refers to Rufus's mother, and he says, Who has been a mother to me as well?

15:39Oh, so many of us don't have believing parents. But thanks be to God, in his family we get spiritual parents. Mothers and fathers who have walked the road longer than we have, who want to help us know and follow Jesus. What a blessing. If you look at verse 14, Paul instructs them to greet the brothers who are with them. And that Greek word brothers refers to men and women, brothers and sisters in Christ. So we don't just get spiritual parents, we get spiritual peers, brothers and sisters who walk the road of faith with us. Faith in Christ ensures that we have family, a spiritual. Family now and for eternity. And so, friends, it's natural that Paul extends greetings to all of these people because these are not random, nameless, faceless individuals that Paul doesn't really know. These are his kinsmen. These are his brothers and sisters. These are his mothers and his fathers. These are his spiritual family.

16:54And so, if you are a believer in Jesus Christ, then you are a beloved member of God's family. A healthy family is made up of healthy relationships where the members know each other and are known by each other. You're excited to see each other. You're excited to be together. You miss each other when you are apart. Family members show warm affection to each other. So, in some cultures, if you look at verse 16, greet one another with a holy kiss. In ancient cultures, in Hispanic cultures today, that's very common.

17:35In other cultures, in the Far East, that might mean a deep, respectful bow. Here in the West, that could mean a hearty handshake. The bro hug could mean the well-meaning, well-intentioned, but always awkward side hug. The point is that we are to know and to know. Each other in the church. We are to be known and to know each other in the church. That's what being a part of a family is all about, knowing and being known. That's why we encourage you to stay, to not run off after worship, but to stay at 11 o'clock for coffee and conversation, for college connect, to get to know others. That's why we encourage you to join a life group as Pastor Joshua talked about and as Maddie and Jonathan shared in the video to get into relationships with others in the church, to be a part of our men's and women's ministry, to show up for youth group. Because all of us are created by God to know and to be known, to live as the spiritual family that we are in Christ.

18:45Because every Christian is a beloved member of God's family. And as we'll also see, every Christian is a fellow worker in God's kingdom. Let's back up to verse one. Now, in this section, Paul alludes to the work of seven different believers, six of whom are women. And so, ladies, I hope that encourages you. You matter. Your gifts matter. Your work in the kingdom matters. Men, we should be challenged by these ladies that Paul refers to in scripture, by their godliness, by their goddess. Their devotion to the cause of Christ. And so I want to highlight a few of these faithful women and just consider what we can learn from them.

19:41First is Phoebe. Phoebe was a servant and a patron of the church. Look at verse 1. Paul says, I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at Sencrea, that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well. Phoebe is referred to as a diacon. That's the Greek word that means minister or servant. And so sometimes in the New Testament, that word is used in reference to the office of deacon, like in 1 Timothy 3, in Philippians 1. Other places, it refers to just someone who is serving, someone who is ministering in the church. Paul could be using that word either way here in Romans 16. But however, Paul is using that word, he viewed Phoebe as a trustworthy leader in the church. He highlights her work as a servant and as a patron. And so, first, Phoebe was a servant in the church. And, friends, that means just what it sounds like. It means that when the church had needs, Phoebe was the church. To seek to meet those needs, we don't know exactly how she served at Sancrea, but she is described as a servant, as one who was ready to meet the needs of the church. And it seems from the context of this section, as well as from church history, which a number of you are studying on Tuesday mornings, it seems that Phoebe carried this letter to the Roman church.

21:28That was no small task. I mean, think about all the things that get lost in travel in the 21st century. Now, imagine carrying this letter on foot and in caravan and by boat thousands of miles away when you've got robbers and pirates and all kinds of disasters that can befall. Can you imagine if you lost Paul's letter to the Romans? How did the trip go? It was good. Sorry about that letter. But Paul trusted Phoebe so much. She was such a dedicated servant to the church that when he needed to get this letter, arguably the most important letter ever written, when he needed to get that letter to the Roman church, there was one person that he had in mind, and it was Phoebe. We don't know if she was going to Rome on business or for political matters. Or for legal matters, or whatever it might have been, but she was going, and he felt that he could send that letter with her because she was a servant. She served the church by carrying that letter.

22:42But, second, Phoebe was a patron of the church. And a patron is someone who supports, or sponsors, or protects a person or a cause. And Paul notes that Phoebe funded his ministry along with the ministries of many others as well. She was a woman of means, but what an example she sets. Like so many other godly women in Scripture, she didn't just use her wealth to make herself comfortable, she used her wealth to advance the cause of the gospel. And friends, what a challenge that is to all of us: to men and women, to young and old, to college students. What an example that is to all of us to consider: how are we using our money?

23:36Is it just to make our lives more comfortable? Or is it to advance the cause of Christ? Phoebe was overjoyed to sponsor not just Paul, but many others who were doing the work of the gospel. She was excited to invest her money, to give up money today for a greater return later on. She was excited to invest her money. And eternal purposes. So she's a servant and a patron of the church. We should seek to emulate that example.

24:10Next, let's consider Prisca and her husband, Aquila. They were risk-taking teachers and hosts. Look at verse 3. Paul says, 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. Man, there's so much high praise for this couple. We know from the book of Acts they were tent makers by trade, but it becomes clear reading the book of Acts and reading all of these letters that tent making was simply their means of spreading the gospel. This couple moved often. Over the course of about a decade, they lived in Rome two different times, they lived in Ephesus two different times, and they lived in Corinth at least once. They taught the truth of Jesus everywhere they went, especially in areas that had violent persecution. The reason they left Rome the first time is because they got kicked out by Emperor Claudius. The reason they left Ephesus is because there was a huge riot there. That may have been where they risked. Their necks to save Paul's life.

25:33But in every city, no matter what was going on around them, they taught the truth about Jesus. They opened their home and they invited people in. In fact, their house was where the church met. It was the church building, so to speak, in Rome and in Corinth. Paul lived with them while he was in Corinth as well. And so, friends, Prisca and Aquila were tent makers by trade, but their life was all about Jesus. They were risk-taking teachers and hosts who used their gifts and their possessions to advance the cause of the gospel. What an example for all of us to take risks for God.

26:18We live in the safest time in world history. It's not close. And yet, we live in a time where Christians are the most hesitant to take risks for God. Safetyism has taken over as the highest priority for most people. You have helicopter parents and helicopter adults whose number one priority is making sure that nobody ever gets hurt doing anything. This is not a Christian value. Nobody has ever wanted their kids to get hurt. Nobody ever wants somebody to get hurt. Or die in an accident or in a terrorist attack or anything else, of course. But, friends, safetyism should not take over in our lives as Christians, where we value safety above all else, including the eternity of millions of people around the world. We need to be like Prisca and Aquila, risk takers who are eager to take risks to advance the gospel, who are willing to open our homes to people who will be at times ungrateful, to people who will at times break our stuff, get it dirty, misuse it.

27:44We need to be people who teach the truth of Jesus just like them. And so, I think, particularly in the years after COVID, here in America, we've tended to see our homes as a castle that we retreat into to protect us from a world that's gone crazy. Hospitality was not exactly at a high point before COVID, but now it's down lower than ever. And I think it's because we've started to view our houses as castles that protect us from the world around us instead of gospel outposts for ministry where we can open our doors to people who need to be taught the truth about Jesus.

28:30To people who need to know the love of Christ through the church. And so let's emulate Prisca and Aquila's example there as well. And then finally, I want you to consider the work of these four women, Mary, Trifina, Trifosa, and Persis. Unlike Phoebe, Prisca, and Aquila, we don't really know what these women did, but we do know one thing. They worked hard for the cause of Christ. And if you look in the text, you'll see that every one of these ladies, Mary, Trifina, Trifosa, Persis, they have this word that's used. It's hard work. The Greek word koryao, it means to toil, to engage in hard labor, implying difficulty and trouble.

29:23And so you think back to Romans 15, verse 17, Paul said this. He said, In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work, my hard toil and labor, my difficulties for God. You see, when Paul got to the end of his life, he did not want to have any regrets about the way that he lived as a Christian. He wanted to be able to say, like an athlete, I left it all on the field. There was nothing left that I could have given. And that's what these women did. Did. They worked hard for the Roman Christians. They toiled, they labored, they endured difficulties and troubles on behalf of the church. And friends, we should be challenged by that example of hard work.

30:18As Christians, we are not called to the broad, easy road that leads to destruction. We are called to the narrow, hard road that leads to life. The Christian life is not one of rest and ease. The Christian life is one of hard toil and labor. It is hard to stay up late at night or to get up early so that you can disciple Christians or so that you can share the gospel with non-believers. It is hard work to set up this building week after week for worship and for programs that go on in the church building.

31:01It's hard work to disciple children in the home. It's hard to teach children week after week, year after year here in the church building. It's hard to bear each other's burdens, to walk with people through the hardest seasons of their life. And it is always somebody's hardest season. Ministry is hard work, but it's also work. It. I mean, these women that Paul commends in this passage believed that. And I hope you believe it too. I hope you believe that sharing the gospel with non-Christians is worth it. I hope you believe that discipling is worth it. That seeing people get baptized, seeing their lives transformed by Jesus is worth it. That seeing people finish the race of faith is worth it. It's all worth it. So let's learn from the example of these godly women. God has given every one of us gifts to use, ministries to fulfill. Every one of us is a fellow worker in God's kingdom. My friend, have you embraced the work that God has given you to do as a Christian? Have you embraced your role, your place in our church? Are you toiling and laboring, like these women, to make Jesus known? Because that is how God builds his kingdom through us.

32:35Friends, everyone wants to feel needed, and everyone wants to feel known. Nobody wants to feel useless. Nobody wants to feel invisible. And so I want to begin by addressing the Christians in the room, those who are already trusting in the life and death and resurrection of Jesus. My friends, And you are a beloved member of God's family. And you are a fellow worker in God's kingdom. These Christians that Paul greeted, it's so clear from the text that they were needed and they were known. They were all deeply involved in the local church, working hard to advance the gospel. And it's clear that they were deeply known to Paul and to each other. Their relationships were forged by the gospel, by their common union with Christ. They were strengthened by worshiping and serving together on a regular basis.

33:37And so, brothers and sisters, if you don't feel needed and you don't feel known, something is seriously wrong. Maybe the reason that you don't feel needed or known is because you're not a member of a local church. You might attend regularly, you might even attend every single Sunday. But if all you do is come to worship and then leave, it is nearly impossible to feel needed or known. And so I want to challenge you, particularly those of you who have been attending New Life or another local church for a long time, if you're not a member, join the church. Become a member of the church. There is so much good gospel work. Going on in any healthy local church, we need you in your spiritual gifts. There are so many people that need to be discipled, so many people that want to disciple. There are so many people that need a Christian friend or a mentor. There is good, necessary work to do.

34:50And so, if you don't feel needed or known, perhaps the reason is that you're not involved. So, we'd encourage you to resolve to join a healthy church today. But maybe you are a member here or somewhere else, and you still don't feel needed or known. And if that's the case for you, I want to encourage you to talk to somebody. To tell somebody, a pastor, your life group leader, a member here, I just don't feel like I have a purpose here. I just don't feel like anybody knows me.

35:29Because we want to help you get connected to meaningful ministry and meaningful relationships. Don't give up. Don't be satisfied with sitting at home or sitting on the bench when there are people who want to know you, when there are ministry that needs your gifts, your passions. We want you to feel needed and known because you are a beloved member of God's family. And you are a fellow worker in God's kingdom. So don't put that off if you're in that spot.

36:09And today, if you're not following Jesus, I believe that you want to feel needed and known also. That's not a Christian thing. That's a human thing. Every person wants to feel needed and known. But maybe you don't feel that way. I certainly did not feel that way in my teenage years and going into college. I didn't feel that way at college. I feel like I knew a lot of people. But I didn't feel like anybody really knew me. I was working hard to get a degree so I could make money and live the American dream. But I'm sitting there thinking, what is this all for? What does it mean? What's the purpose? But thankfully, God placed Christians in my life who told me that God loved me, that he had a purpose for my life, that the church was a place where you could be needed and known. I am so thankful for those people because they changed my life.

37:19And this morning, we are here to tell you the same thing. If you don't feel needed, if you don't feel known, you are created for those things. God created you in His image and likeness to be. Be known. He created you with a purpose. He has valuable, meaningful work for you to do. And that is why he sent his son Jesus to live and die and rise again for you. So that you could come into this family of faith. So that you could be given this means of purposeful work in life. Just look at how Paul says it in Ephesians chapter 2. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing. It is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

38:21So, my friend, receive Jesus this morning. Turn from your sin. Turn to faith in Christ, who loved you and gave himself for you. Because when you do that, you come into God's family. And when you're a part of God's family, you are loved, you are needed, you are known. And so that's our prayer for you this morning. Let's pray. Father, we lament the current situation. State of our culture where there's so many people who don't feel known.

39:12They may have thousands of friends, thousands of connections online. They may post all the time and see other people's posts, but they don't feel known. Lord, I pray that you would show them that you know them. Remind them that you know them. And I pray that they would look around this morning and see scores of people who want to know them. I pray that there would not be a lonely person in here after today. That there would be no one who feels invisible, whether to you or to others.

40:18God, we pray for those who do feel useless, like they're not needed, they have nothing to offer. I pray that you would show them. The valuable kingdom work that you have for them to do. Pray that you would help us to employ them in meaningful service in your kingdom. I pray that after today there would be nobody that feels useless or set aside. God, we thank you that you have loved us, that you have approved us, that you have chosen us in Christ.

41:04Thank you. We know that it was nothing in us. We don't deserve that love, that treatment. But you are gracious and merciful. We gladly receive it again this morning. I pray for anybody here who has not received the grace and mercy of Jesus. Would you draw them to yourself this morning? Would you help them to put their hope in Christ? God, we thank you for the faithful example of these men and women that we read about in Romans 16. Help us to emulate them.

41:47Give us faith like they had. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening to the sermon audio from New Life. Baptist Church in College Station, Texas. For more information or to support our ministry, visit us online at newlifecs.net.