Not Ashamed (Week 38) Romans 16:1-16 “People of The Romans Road”

Introduction
…How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news. Romans 10:15b

Lots of pastors will skip the Sixteenth Chapter of Romans when they teach through the book. To do so, in my humble opinion, is to miss out on a very important truth of which every follower of Christ
should be aware: God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. As Paul closes his letter to the church at Rome, he lists thirty-five separate names of people who are, in one way or another, involved in the church ministry there. These people, most of whom we have never heard of, were dear to the Apostle Paul. Many had served alongside of him during some of the most critical and difficult times in his life. What many have dismissed as just a simple greeting from Paul, I see, as The Holy Spirit revealing these people to us for a reason. They weren’t spectacular by any means, and the world, for the most part, has forgotten about them, but God hasn’t. And one day, when we all are reunited at the resurrection, we will have fellowship with these wonderful saints of God, who have not only gone before us but set before us a lasting example to follow.
  Now, if we were to take every name on this list and expand upon them one at a time, it would take weeks to try and uncover the secrets of their contribution to the faith. And for many of the names on this list, it would be impossible for us to ever know their stories. However, the ones that we do know about are fascinating for us to rediscover.
The most powerful thing that strikes me about this list of the faithful is the diversity of it all. There are men and women, Jew and Gentile, rich and poor, slave and free, and yet, each is valuable, not only
in Paul’s eyes but in the eyes of a Heavenly Father, Who made sure that they were listed here for posterity. God uses people from all walks of life. While others may judge by one’s status or lineage, God
looks upon the heart. And to Him, all are valuable, as well as, equal.

There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male of female; since you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28