A Grace-Shaped Life: Romans 9-16Sample

You Belong

Greet one another... (Romans 16:16)

Again and again, in this passage, Paul invites his readers to “greet” people. Paul’s letters often end with personal greetings, but the list in Romans 16 is stunning for its quantity and diversity. Twenty-seven people are named! Throughout Romans, Paul wrote about how God’s grace and mercy through Jesus are available to all people. Now he offers a list of specific people.

They come from all walks of life. Men and women, Jews and Greeks, aristocrats and slaves. Phoebe, Priscilla, and Junia were among the women Paul singled out for their unique contributions to service and leadership. Names like Hermes and Julia were common slave names. Aristobulus was likely the grandson of Herod and a friend of Emperor Claudius. Andronicus and Junia were in prison. Rufus may have been the son of Simon of Cyrene, who carried the cross of Jesus.

Why go through the effort of writing each of these names? The names show that Paul and his Roman readers know the same people, even if they have never met. Paul As if to say, “We’re on the same team.” For you and me, the names offer proof that people like us belong in God’s family. Our readers include pastors and laypeople, prisoners and politicians, old and young, new believers, and lifelong Christians. Galatians 3:28 says, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” This list proves it. You belong!

As you pray, thank God for including you.

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