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romans 16 relationships

John Piper, in Commending and Welcoming Radical Risk-Takers for Christ, makes six amazing observations from Romans 16.1-7.

1. Notice the names. There are twenty-seven names. More people are greeted, but twenty-seven are named—twenty-six of them in Rome, and Phoebe (the first mentioned) on her way to Rome. Surely we should learn from this that names matter. I wish I could call you all by name. Jesus does. John 10:3 says, “The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” Strive to know each other’s names. Paul is working here at building a relationship with the church he wants as his sending church in the mission to Spain. It’s amazing how many names he knows in Rome when he has never been there. Let’s be like him in this.

2. Notice the different the relationships and partnerships. It is remarkable the words that he uses to describe who these people are in relationship to him and to each other: sister, brother, servant, saints, patron, fellow workers, church, firstfruits, kinsmen, fellow prisoners, beloved, approved in Christ, elect, mother to me. The more you connect with people the more different and the more enriching are the ways that they bring blessing into your life—and you to theirs.

3. Notice how Christ-saturated these relationships are. Verse 2: “Welcome her in the Lord.” Verse 3: “My fellow workers in Christ Jesus.” Verse 5: The “first convert to Christ.” Verse 7: “They were in Christ before me.” Verse 8: “My beloved in the Lord.” Verse 9: “My fellow worker in Christ.” Verse 10: “Apelles, who is approved in Christ.” Verse 11: “Greet those in the Lord.” Verse 12: “Greet those workers in the Lord.” Verse 13: “Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord.” Verse 14: “Rufus, chosen in the Lord.”

This is not a simple list of greetings. This is the way a person who is drenched in Christ talks about his friends. When you write your family or friends, or when you talk on the phone, or send an email, is Christ there like this? If you say, as I have heard some say, “I don’t wear my faith on my sleeve,” be careful. The issue isn’t what’s on your sleeve. The issue is what’s in your mouth, because Jesus said, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34). If Christ isn’t there in your talk and in your emails, it’s not a sleeve issue—it’s not merely a personality issue, it’s not merely an ethnic issue, it’s not merely a family-of-origin issue—it’s a heart issue. Let’s be a church drenched with Jesus like Paul in Romans 16.

4. Notice that these folks are spread over several churches in Rome. Verse 5, referring to Prisca and Aquila: “Greet also the church in their house.” So there is one church that he gives a generic greeting to through Prisca and Aquila. Then there are all these other names. Look at verse 14: “ Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers who are with them.” That probably means: the church that meets with these brothers. Similarly in verse 15: “Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.” And there are probably other groupings. So we learn that the church in Rome was really churches in Rome. So the church in the Twin Cities should be the churches in the Twin Cities. May the Lord multiply Bible-believing, Christ-drenched churches in these cities!

5. Notice the most common command—to greet. Thirteen times in sixteen verses he tells them: Greet so and so. And greet so and so. Who is he talking to? I assume that this letter is written to all the Roman Christians. Romans 1:7, “To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints.” If I am talking to Kenny Stokes, I don’t say, “Greet Kenny Stokes.” So it seems that Paul expects this letter to be handled and read and taught by the leaders of the church in Rome. He is telling them: Greet these twenty-six people that I have named and all the churches they represent.

6. Notice the love that permeates this chapter. Four times Paul uses the word loved or beloved. “My beloved Epaenetus” (v. 5), “Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord” (v. 8), “my beloved Stachys” (v. 9), “Greet the beloved Persis” (v. 12). And then we read things like: “Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you” (v. 6) and Prisca and Aquila “risked their necks for my life” (v. 4). This is the language of love. May the Lord take last week’s message on wrestling and resting together and draw us into these kinds of relationships.

I’m not sure what I can add to this. The thread is community and people matter. I love that.

Technorati Tags: community, John Piper

prayer discussion

The Pyromaniacs are trying to teach that prayer is not a two-way street between us and God.

A friend asked me to comment and I had to say I disagree. I understand that the Pyro guys may be trying to address some error but not only do I not see the Pyro position as in-line with the Biblical model, it also doesn’t make sense to me. If I am not hearing from God before, during and after prayer, I’m not quite sure why I bother to live.

And while I continue to try to read Pyromaniacs because of their high value of the Word of God, I find that it is not uncommon for them make statements that are either wrong or true but caustic.

Ilona, at truegrit, has jumped into the fray here and here to try to address this prayer issue – to wit she earned the wrath of the pyro gods.

God bless her!

Technorati Tags: prayer

driscoll on spiritual gifts

I’ve begun listening to Mark Driscoll’s series on Spiritual Gifts. The first in the series is ok. While Driscoll is “charismatic”, I sense he panders a little to the “anti-charismatic” crowd. I don’t blame him. I identified with much of what he said but that aside, I don’t believe it is proper to refer to “charismaniacs” and joke about hair style, make-up, etc. especially while teaching on this important Biblical topic.

I also struggle a little internally while listening to Driscoll. I think he is cool and therefore I want to believe what he tells me. I have to be careful, he almost “tricked” me in the past. Already in this first in the series I had to stop myself and ask, “hey wait a minute, can that be supported?”

On the positive side, Driscoll draws a good distinction between talents versus gifts. He states that talents are given by God at birth and gifts are given by God at rebirth. I’d modify that a bit. First I’d add the two categories of skills and personality – skill being something that can be taught and personality being a psychological or emotional leaning or disposition.

In addition to adding these categories, I reject that gifts are given by God only at rebirth. I agree that they are given by God but I wouldn’t limit the timing. I understand one can receive a gift prior to conversion as well as many times post-conversion.

Driscoll understands gifts as something that is given once to a believer and then retained throughout the individual’s “career”. He said that all believers receive one gift and only some receive more. I understand that a gift can be a one time gift for a the specific moment or it can be many times over the course of a career. I also understand that it would be normative for an individual to operate in multiple gifts rather than Driscoll’s single gift norm.

Regarding the “lists of gifts”, I agree with Driscoll in acknowledging that the gifts noted in Ro 12, Ep 4, 1 Pe 4, 1 Co 12 are not intended to be comprehensive lists. I’ll be interested if in the later sermons he tries to make a distinction between gifts, ministry, and church office. I personally subscribe to John Wimber’s understanding of the 1 Co 12 gifts as gracelets. In a nutshell, the “gracelet” theory is that everyone can operate in any gift at any moment as God determines. The gift that is given is the one that is needed at the time. The analogy is that it is probably not useful if someone comes to work on the plumbing in my house with only a hammer. God will give the gift that is needed as He sees fit at the time that He sees fit.

This differs from someone who seems to work in a certain gift area as a norm. This then is a “ministry”. Which is different than someone who is recognized officially by the church (ordained) in a gifting. This then is an “office”.

It is based on this gracelet understanding that I conclude that any believer can operate in any and all gifts.

Remember, in the Greek, the word gift is actually the word charismata. Charismata refers to “something bestowed out of grace, favor or special kindness.” Grace is from the Greek word charis, the first half of the word charismata. The gifts of the Holy Spirit, then, are God’s undeserving grace endowments. The gifts of the Spirit are simply the extension of God’s grace to His people.

For more on gracelets, here’s a fair representation or here for a more in-depth treatment. Or, if you promise not to attack the straw man, here’s a child level teaching (probably more appropriate for me and some of my readers).

Regarding portions of gifting, Driscoll does well to explain that not all that receive a gift receive the same measure of that gift. For example someone may have the gift of leadership and be able to use that well for a group of 12 while another may have the same gift of leadership but be effective leading a group of 1200.

And so I’m looking forward to the rest his sermons. Feel free to jump in with your comments as I outline what I’m hearing. I will try to avoid a theological debate with some of you “anti-charismatics” but if you poke me right, I’ll probably respond.

Technorati Tags: charismata, John Wimber, Mark Driscoll, spiritual gifts

making a difference

Piper on making a difference, “You don’t have to know a lot of things for your life to make a lasting difference in the world … you have to know a few great, majestic, unchanging, obvious, simple, glorious things – or one great all-embracing thing – and be set on fire by them.”

Paul, the Apostle, “I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” 1 Co 2.2

What is setting your heart on fire today? What passion is driving you? Is there a single, great, all-embracing something (or someone) that pulls all of life’s meaning together for you to provide purpose and drive?

Lord God come and fill our hearts with your burning fire. Take our lives and make us into people worthy of the price you paid for us. Turn us to the cross and to yourself. Help us to die and then raise again with you and you alone as our soul passion. Let us love and adore you above all and may that drive all that we say and all that we do.

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Gal 2.19-20

Technorati Tags: discipleship, John Piper

saturday service project

Barb and I joined the NSV gang to serve in a couple of low income housing areas around here. This is a weekly outing to serve the needy in our own community. We went door to door giving out small packages of food. It was pretty cool. The church has been targeting a few neighborhoods in an attempt to build relationships as we serve. I sensed an openness in the community to us being there and that felt good.

I also liked it because we were partnering with another church community with the same passion for outreach.

Today was neat in that some connections were made and I’m excited about the potential I see in the Kingdom.

The direction of NSV relative to outreach is awesome. They have wide range of activities to provide us opportunities to give God’s love away – very cool.

Technorati Tags: community, outreach

espresso here i come

Well I got it … my Rancilio Silvia, Rancilio Rocky, and base finally arrived. And yes, I had the Silvia modified with the internal PID controller. All of it is very cool but I’m 10 cups into it and still haven’t figured out how to run the thing … the good news is now I’m not tired so I’ll be up all night trying to work it out.

Technorati Tags: coffee, personal

6 pointer again

I’ve changed my mind again, I’m back to being a 6 pointer …

Technorati Tags: Calvinism, humor

ok go – here it goes again

Barb is considering a new workout plan but we don’t have the clothes for it …

Technorati Tags: humor

myson’s myspace

I hate MySpace. My kid’s say I just don’t get it – something about being old and not too smart. I think it is unhealthy community, often borderline porn, etc.. But in the end, it’s there and it’s hot (106 million accounts as of 6 September).

So, my son, whom I’m very proud of, has a MySpace dedicated to his music. His old band, Free Parking, also had a MySpace.

Technorati Tags: Isaiah Ianniello, personal