Embracing Community: The Heart of Paul's Ministry

One thing's clear, and that is that Paul was a people person. He was no Lone Ranger, no aloof celebrity preacher with guards around him so you couldn't get near him. He wasn't some isolated character. No, he worked with others and he depended on others. And they helped him willingly. These were no hirelings. He wasn't dangling a carrot of salary in front of their head to get them to serve the church. These were people that wanted to spread the gospel. It's going to become clear, Paul was a loving and a lovable leader. [00:27:11] (35 seconds)

God doesn't forget your hard work for the kingdom. It shows your love for Christ and your fellow saints. He doesn't forget your hard work. It shows your love for Christ and your fellow saints. And so what Jesus said, they will know that you're my disciples by the love you have for one another. How we love one another in this fellowship is a message to the people that are watching us, right? And it's a point that God's watching that too. [00:42:48] (37 seconds)

So a slave could rise in the church of Jesus Christ to a place of recognized prominence and be given unique honor even in his burial what for there's neither male nor female slave nor free whatever you know we're all one we're all equal you know you're all you're all you're all you're all Thank you.in the eyes of God within the church of Jesus Christ. [00:48:59] (19 seconds)

So Paul's commending this man as one whose Christian life has been tested and found worthy to be a teacher of God's word. Okay? Has your Christian life been tested and approved? Would that be said of you by other strong believers? It's certainly something we want to aspire to. And it's not about getting a degree or something. It's about being someone who loves...hey, if they're opening the word of God somewhere, I want to be there. If it's in a home, I want to be there. If it's on a day of the week at night at the church, I want to be there. Sunday morning, you know I'm going to be there, right? But that's because you want to learn the word. [00:52:41] (39 seconds)

And again, the wonderful thing we see here in these lists of names is that Christianity cut across all cultures and economic strata. The gospel leaped over incredible social barriers, right? In Galatians 3 .28, it says, There is neither Jew nor Greek. There is neither slave nor free. There's neither male nor female. For you all are one in Christ. It's the sign of a healthy church when you have a congregation made up of folks, all one in Christ Jesus. Regardless of the nature of the economic strata they go home to, we come here, we just see fellow believers. That's all we see. [00:57:20] (42 seconds)

Christian retirement starts in heaven, not here. Okay? Christian retirement starts in heaven, not here. So it's like I joke around, I say retired pastor is an oxymoron. I'm as busy for the Lord as I've ever been when I've pastored at church, right? And it's the same for us. And actually, the more I come and think about what heaven's really going to be about, I'm not sure we get to retire there either. But you get my point, right? You don't get to retire here to be determined in heaven if you get to. Okay? And you know what? I don't care if I don't there either, right? But imagine being able to serve the Lamb of God in the presence of the Lamb of God. How awesome would that be? That won't be work. [01:00:53] (46 seconds)

So finally, we close with verse 16, which speaks to the fact that true, vibrant, living Christianity is to exist in a family -like atmosphere, not a stiff, wooden, cold, business -like affair. Verse 16, Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you. [01:06:23] (19 seconds)

``So we've been given access to Paul's mental photo album. Think about that. Think about how precious these faces are in his memory as they come to mind. 25 people who were precious and influential in his life, people who made an impact on him because they were impacted by him. We see how Paul finds something wonderful to say about almost everyone mentioned, noting their labor, his special regard for them, using beloved. They're standing in the Lord, approved in Christ, in the Lord, chosen in the Lord. Paul was that sort of friend who goes behind your back and says wonderful things about you. Do you have enough friends like that? Man, you never have too many of those, right? What a tremendous pattern for us today. It shows Paul's way of casting about uplifting words in a way meant to build up God's people. He was generous in paying compliments that were sincere and wonderful. Not trying to puff people up, simply stating the truth, what he appreciated about them. Let's be a church guilty of that at every turn. [01:09:01] (71 seconds)