Ordinary People - Part 3

We are still in Romans 16, looking at the list of people Paul is sending greetings to in Rome.

8. Tryphena and Tryphosa. These are two feminine names with the same root word meaning to live delicately or daintily. When Paul says they work hard for the Lord, maybe he was smiling a little and making a clever play on words.

9. Persis. This is another woman, and since Paul seems to be talking about her past service, maybe she is elderly now and unable to work as hard as before.

I think about the many older women we have in our church -- women whose lives are bright with the love of Christ. I heard LeeAnn McGonagle once say that her goal was to be like these women when she reaches their age. And she is right! To be like those women who have followed Christ, remained faithful, and still emit the loving power of the Holy Spirit, glowing with the pleasant aroma of Christ-like living -- what could be a better way to bring honor and glory to Christ?

10. Rufus and his mother. This might be the most fascinating yet.

Who is this Rufus? Very likely it is the same Rufus mentioned in Mark 15. Remember the Cyrenian man who was forced to carry Christ's cross when He was too weak to do it? His name was Simon. Mark tells us that Simon was the father of Rufus and Alexander.

It appears from the way it is written that Rufus and Alexander were well-known in the early church, otherwise Mark would not have mentioned their connection to Simon.

And Mark's main audience for his gospel was the church at Rome.

Simon himself would be an interesting person. To be a Jew, who hated Romans, and to be compelled by Roman soldiers to carry the cross of a condemned criminal would be a hard and bitter task.

But maybe there is more to the story of Simon. Did he stay and watch the crucifixion?
Did he witness something that changed his life forever? Did he return to Cyrene after the Passover and relate to his eager family all the news and details of his trip? Then did he lead his sons and wife to receive the saving message of the gospel?

In Acts 11:20 we read that "men from Cyprus and Cyrene" came to Antioch and first preached the gospel to the gentile world. Was Simon in this group? His sons Rufus and Alexander?

Then remember the story in Acts when angry mobs caused a riot and almost killed Paul?
It was a man named Alexander who faced the crowd and tried to speak in his defense.

We don't know for certain about all this. But we do know the names of Rufus and his mother were well known in the Roman church.

11. Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers with them.


We don't know anything else about these men. Were they businessmen? Were they slaves? The mention of brothers probably refers to their "brothers in Christ."
Maybe they worshiped together in one of the house churches in Rome.

12. Philologus, Julia, Nereus, and his sister, and all the saints with them.

James Montgomery Boice's book on Romans gives us some interesting information that might refer to Nereus. In 95 AD two of Rome's most distinguished people, a husband and wife, Flavius Clemens and his wife Domatilla, were condemned for being Christians. (Domatilla, who gave her name to the earliest Christian cemetery in Rome -- where Ampliatus, included in Part 1, was buried)was banished to the island of Pontia. Her husband was executed.

Domitilla was not executed,probably because she was of royal blood. She was the granddaughter of Vespasian, a former emperor, and a niece of Domitian, the ruling emperor. Their personal steward, one who would have handled most of their affairs and finances, was named Nereus.

Is it the same Nereus? Maybe. If so, perhaps Flavius and Domatilla first heard the gospel from him. Flavius' execution and Domatilla's exile must have shocked the wealthy and influential Roman social circles.

And so Paul ends his list of friends in Rome to whom he wants to send greetings.

Now that we are through with the list, here's what I want to do. I want to (1)be alert to see people who are serving in our church and all its outreaches, and (2) pray for them and encourage them, send them notes, give them hugs and thank them.

To do that, I need to make a list -- that's the best way to start. Just start observing people when I am at church, reading the newsletter, looking at the directory. Then do something for each one to let them know they are recognized and appreciated -- I started today. It is already getting to be a long list.

And then to remember that for 2000 years -- 20 centuries -- 60 generations, the church as we see it today has been blessed with people like these on Paul's list. They have been the ones to lead and sustain the church, to extend God's Kingdom, to do all the small tasks that add up to make our churches function. Millions of names we will never know. But they are the ones who handed down to us this wonderful legacy in the 21st century -- the church where we worship today, where we enjoy the company of God's family.


Just ordinary people -- people like you and me.


No one is insignificant in the plan and purpose of God.