Romans 16 - Meet All of the Apostle Paul's friends.

Personal Greetings

16 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon[a][b] of the church in Cenchreae. 2 I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of his people and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me.
3 Greet Priscilla[c] and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus. 4 They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.
5 Greet also the church that meets at their house.
As Paul finishes his letter to the Romans, he finishes on a very personal note. He offers greetings to all kinds of people in different types of relationship with him. As you can see he has many close brothers and sisters in Christ. As you read the next several verses after the verses above you can see several characteristics of the church. Including but not limited to:
1. Look at all the women Paul mentions.  Look at all the roles they play in the early church. Serving in the church, supporting Paul in some way's like a "mother", and in one case hosting a church in her home. In the early church all people got to play. Males and females.  Jews and Gentiles.  Slaves and free. 
2. The church met in homes, as just mentioned. The early church didn't meet in large cathedrals but gathered in homes.  They gathered in prayer, reading of the word, and holy communion.  This developed deep relationships which we see throughout Paul's greetings. 
3. The church met in different locations but Paul's desire that they would welcome each other in the name of Jesus.  He even said to greet each other with a "holy kiss".  Of course we won't allow this in our youth group. LOL
The church needs to look back at what the first church looked like.  The church has a tendency to institutionalize rather than staying lean, flexible and open to the move of the Holy Spirit.  The early church is a great model worthy to be emulated. 
    

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