“Greet Mary who has worked hard for you. Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles and they were in Christ before me. Greet Amplias my beloved in the Lord. Greet Urbanus our fellow worker in Christ and my beloved Stachys. Greet Apollus who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the family of Aristobulus. Greet my kinsman Herodion. Greet those O Lord who belong to the family of Narcissus.” That’s kind of an unfortunate name. “Greet those workers in the Lord, Tryphena and Tryphosa. Greet the beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord. Greet Rufus, chosen of the Lord, also his mother who has been a mother to me as well. Greet Asynchritus, Phleygon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers who are with them. Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus, and his sister and Olympas and all the saints who are with them.”
– Romans 16:6–15
Paul takes time to mention less known members in the church. We should be encouraged that we are all valued by God and have been given a role in taking the gospel to the nations.
You look in Romans 16:6–15, there’s 27 different names that Paul mentions. The reason I want to read all those names is because, especially in light of what we saw in Romans 15, ambition to see Christ preach where he’s not been named. This is a clear reminder in the very verses that follow after Paul saying let’s get the gospel to those who have never heard. He’s saying look at all these people who are playing a part in this global mission of God in the spread of the gospel to the nations through the church. I mean all these people that are involved.
Phleygon. We don’t know anything else about Phleygon. And we name people Paul. We don’t name people Phleygon or Philologus. I mean, greet Rufus and his mom. All these different people, but they all had a unique part to play in the church and the spread of the gospel to all the nations. I just want to encourage you. I’m guessing there’s some Tryphenas and Tryphosas listening to this.
Romans 16:6–15 Tells Us Not to Underestimate Our Value in the Great Commission
Maybe that’s not your name, but you’re an individual in the church, and you are a valuable part of the church for the spread of the gospel through the church to the ends of the Earth. Don’t underestimate your value, the part you have to play in mission. In the spread of the gospel to the nations. For you as a senior adult, as a child, anywhere in between, to realize God has gifted you with grace. He’s called your name. He saved you from your sins. He’s made you a part of his people, and he’s give you a mission to make disciples of the nations.
Romans 16:6–15 Leads Us to Live, Give, and Pray for the Spread of the Gospel
We get to do this together. Not one of us counts in a sense more than the others. We are all playing a part. Yes our parts are different, but we’re all playing a part in the spread of the gospel and the glory of Christ among the nations. Pray like that. Give like that. Live like that.
Go like that in the place that you live today and share in the gospel and in opportunities you might have to make the gospel known in context beyond where you live. Let me pray for you, pray for all of us. God help us all to be faithful to play the parts you’ve called us to play. Lord for me in leadership positions, and opportunities you’ve given to me. God thank you. Thank you. Help me to play my part faithfully.
This Verse Leads Us to Pray for God to Use Us to Spread the Gospel
I pray for that and for every person who’s listening to this and the different parts you’ve given them to play. In the places where they live. The positions they are in. The jobs they have. The churches where they are members. God we pray, help us all to be faithful in the part you’ve given us to play for the spread of the gospel right around us. We pray that you would use us for the spread of the gospel right around us.
God we pray that you would use each of us for the spread of gospel to those who have never heard it. We want to see your kingdom come, your will be done. We want to see the gospel proclaimed to the ends of the Earth. Please, please God, use every one of us and the uniques gifts, positions you’ve put us in toward that end we pray. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
David Platt serves as a pastor in metro Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Radical.
David received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is the author of Don’t Hold Back, Radical, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Before You Vote, as well as the multiple volumes of the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series.
Along with his wife and children, he lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
