From 1994-2004, one of the most successful television series in history ran across TV sets all over the world. That TV series was “Friends.” One of the main characters on that show was Phoebe.
Well, today, we’re going to learn about Phoebe and some other friends.
Now, we’re not going to learn about Phoebe Buffay from the television show, but we are, nonetheless, going to learn about Phoebe and some friends. In fact, today’s sermon is entitled “Phoebe and Some Other Friends.”
Before we go any further, let’s go to the Lord in prayer and ask Him to speak to us.
(prayer)
So, let’s look at this passage and see what the Lord has to say to us. Look at Romans 16:1-18:
1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant of the church in Cenchreae. 2 So you should welcome her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints and assist her in whatever matter she may require your help. For indeed she has been a benefactor of many—and of me also.
3 Give my greetings to Prisca and Aquila, my coworkers in Christ Jesus, 4 who risked their own necks for my life. Not only do I thank them, but so do all the Gentile churches. 5 Greet also the church that meets in their home. Greet my dear friend Epaenetus, who is the first convert, to Christ from Asia. 6 Greet Mary, who has worked very hard for you. 7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews, and fellow prisoners. They are noteworthy in the eyes of the apostles, and they were also in Christ before me. 8 Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our coworker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys. 10 Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus. 11 Greet Herodion, my fellow Jew. Greet those who belong to the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord. 12 Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who have worked hard in the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis, who has worked very hard in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; also his mother—and mine. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers and sisters who are with them. 15 Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. 16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send you greetings.
17 Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles contrary to the teaching that you learned. Avoid them, 18 because such people do not serve our Lord Christ but their own appetites. They deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting with smooth talk and flattering words.
So, this may seem like just a list of people and some final instructions from Paul. Yet, it is the Word of God, and it contains some valuable nuggets within it.
So, let’s find in these verses four things that we can value in the church of Jesus Christ:
First, we can . . .
I. Value godly servanthood.
Paul says very clearly in verse 1, “I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant of the church in Cenchreae.”
Then, he continues in verse 2, “For indeed she has been a benefactor of many—and of me also.”
Now, first of all, the word used for servant here is the Greek word diakonos, which is the word we translate as deacon.
So, some questions have been raised as to whether or not Phoebe was a deacon. I can definitely confirm that she was a deacon because Paul calls her a deacon.
The question is, was Phoebe in the official deacon office of a church, or was she just living her life as a servant of Jesus?
Well, we really don’t know definitively, but it appears that she was an official deacon of the church in Cenchreae.
I will say this, as your pastor: there are much more concerning issues about deacons than whether or not they are women. To be clear, we’re not talking about the office of pastor; we’re talking about deacons: the servants of the church.
The modern church has a much larger problem with deacons trying to grab power, trying to undermine the pastors, and trying to gain status in the church. Many deacons have forgotten that the heart of a deacon should be the heart of a servant.
My prayer is not that we have fewer women serving the church, but that we have more women serving the church, and more men for that matter as well.
I’m thankful for any and all who serve the church and serve the leaders of the church as Phoebe did.
I’m also thankful for all of our deacons who understand that the heart of a deacon is the heart of a servant.
You see church, in a sense, all of us can be deacons; all of us can be a diakonos, and serve the church. All of us can be like Phoebe.
Not only can we be godly servants, but we must value godly servants in the church.
Part of what it means to be disciples who LOVE THE CHURCH is that we are disciples who serve the church.
We serve with our time, our treasure, and our talents.
This past Friday was a particularly busy day for me, and knew I wasn’t going to get everything done, so I was starting to feel a little sorry for myself. Then, I walked next door to check to see that things were in order for Sunday, and I saw two different sets of volunteers serving our church. These people love our church and they love our Lord, and I was stirred to appreciate and value their service, rather than feel sorry about my busy day.
Church, we must value godly servanthood.
Second, we must . . .
II. Value godly friends.
Paul lists too many friends for us to talk about in detail, but I wanted to talk about a few.
Pauls speaks of Prisca and Aquila. By the way, you may know them as Priscilla and Aquila. They are spoken of elsewhere in Scripture.
Paul says in verse 4 that these two “risked their own necks for my life.” It’s good to have friends like that.
Paul speaks of Epaenetus, who was the first convert in Asia, which would have been modern-day Turkey.
That’s pretty cool to have been the very first person to be converted in that region.
Paul mentions Andronicus and Junia, who were also Jews like Paul.
Paul says that these two were noteworthy in the eyes of the apostles, or among the apostles, probably meaning that they were known by some of the other apostles.
Paul goes on to speak of others who have been a blessing to him. These were people who were probably currently in Rome or perhaps traveled with Phoebe to Rome to deliver Paul’s letter.
Paul has a lot of friends that he mentions in this letter, and these friends are valuable to him.
Paul has been through a lot in his lifetime, sometimes suffering greatly for the cause of Christ.
These friends mentioned by Paul are a sign of God’s grace to him. God is blessing Paul by providing godly friends.
Church, we should value godly relationships. We should value, and we should cultivate, or develop, godly friendships.
At First Baptist Bartow, we believe that God has created you, not only to be in a relationship with Him, but to be in a relationship with Christian friends.
We encourage you to be a part of a small group Sunday School class. We encourage you to come fellowship with others during our meal time on Wednesday nights, even if you’re not eating. We encourage you to do things with Christian friends, like share a meal, go to a movie, go hiking, or whatever. We encourage you to serve together. I’m so thankful to have seen so many from our church gathered together and laughing and talking at the Christmas parade.
We should value godly friendships. In fact, we should value each other so much that we should kiss each other!
Listen again to what Paul says in verse 16, “Greet one another with a holy kiss.” How ‘bout that?
So, after worship service, we all need to go kiss each other! Actually, no, let’s not do that.
What is happening here is that Paul is encouraging the Roman believers to greet each other as was custom to greet warm friends at that time.
So, for us, we may give a big handshake or a friendly hug.
If we value each other as friends, we should treat each other as friends, including giving the normal friendly greetings.
So, let us value godly friends.
Next, we should . . .
III. Value godly truth.
Let’s look at verse 17 again. Paul says, “Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles contrary to the teaching that you learned. Avoid them.”
As John warns, as Peter warns, as Jude warns, and as Jesus warns, Paul also warns us that there will be false teachers.
Paul tells the Romans to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles that are contrary to what they have been taught.
Listen, church: we should take the same attitude. We should be careful not to fall into believing anything that is contrary to the teaching of the Word of God.
It doesn’t matter if it’s some preaching on television, It doesn’t matter if it’s your grand-mama or your grand-pappy, It doesn’t matter if it’s your pastor; if it does not match the Word of God, throw it out!
Church, we must value the truth! The church of Jesus Christ must know the truth, embrace the truth, and live the truth.
Jesus said in John 8:32, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
May we be people of the truth; may we value the truth.
Finally, we should . . .
IV. Value godly unity.
Speaking of the false teachers who bring disunity, Paul says in verse 18, “ . . . because such people do not serve our Lord Christ but their own appetites. They deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting with smooth talk and flattering words.”
When Paul speaks of “their own appetites,” he more than likely means that they do what they want for their own preferences and their own pleasures. In other words, they are concerned about themselves.
Church, this is not the way of a Christian. As followers of Jesus, and as the church of Jesus, we should value unity.
Remember, Paul said in verse 17 to watch out for these people.
If one of you saw a big rattlesnake inside the building just down the hallway, you would tell everyone who was walking that way, “Look out for that rattlesnake!” So, also, we must watch out for disunity in the church. We must see it as dangerous and ungodly. Just as you might yell out, “Snake!” So, also, you might want to yell out, “Disunity,” when you see it in the church!
Those who cause disunity do so because they are all about themselves. We must not be about ourselves. We must be about the glory of God the Father, lifting high the name of Jesus, and yearning for the work of the Holy Spirit among us.
We must value unity, and we must fight for unity in the church!
We value godly servanthood, we value godly friends, we value godly truth, and we value godly unity.
We can wrap this up with this bottom line:
Bottom Line: Let us all seek to value the virtues of true Christian friendship.
Let us be servants to one another, let us be true Christian friends, let us have relationships that are built on truth, and let us have churches that are bound in unity.
Challenge yourself to live this out in the following ways:
Weekly Challenge #1 – Ask yourself if you are more like the people in Romans 16:1-16 or more like the people in Romans 16:17-18.
Take some time this week to think about that. Are you the one who is a servant and a true friend, or are you the one who is selfish, deceptive, and dis-unifying?
Weekly Challenge #2 – Ask yourself what you value in others.
Paul valued these people for their servant attitude, their true friendship, and their commitment to the gospel.
What do you value in others? Take some this week to think about that.
(Gospel presentation)
These people were great friends to Paul, but there’s no one who’s as good of a friend as Jesus. What a friend we have in Jesus!
(closing prayer)
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