February 28, 2015 - Church at Worship

Sermon: "Priscilla and Junia: The Apostles’ Colleagues" Part 5: Unsung Heroes - Randy Roberts

Pastoral Welcome: Burt Clark

Child Dedication: Ariella Elizabeth Priester - Randy Roberts

Scripture Reading: Romans 16:1–7, TNIV - Cheryl Simpson, Leslie Ferguson, Jr.

Note: Child Dedications and Baptisms are on the extras section of the dvd.

Sermon Notes:

Romans 16—the last chapter of that epic epistle—consists primarily of a list of names. It does not make for gripping reading! For example, consider this passage from the chapter: “Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the other brothers and sisters with them. Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas and all the Lord’s people who are with them” (Romans 16:15, TNIV). Are your nerves all aflutter?!

It’s easy to wonder why the Bible includes so many lists of names—and they’re in both the Old and the New Testaments. What good do such lists do? What can we possibly learn from them? Actually, there is much we can gain. In the case of Romans 16, in particular, we can learn about the people that made up an ancient church—who they were, how they might have been related to each other, what they did to help forward the cause of the gospel and, in particular, what roles they held in the body of Christ.

We turn our attention to such issues today as we consider some of the colleagues of the apostle Paul. Join me as we consider names like Priscilla and Junia … and maybe even Phoebe. They have something to teach us.

Randy Roberts
Senior Pastor