Come into the Circle

Recall in Princess Bride, Prince Humperdink ordering the priest at his wedding, "Skip to the end." That is what we tend to do when we get to the most important chapter in Paul's letter to the church at Rome.

What? Most important chapter? Yes, because everything Paul writes comes forth out of it.

It happens to be the guide for this blog. I could write about anything under the sun. I could write about things that stimulate me. I could paraphrase ideas of whatever author I am reading at the moment. I could react to the news. I could attempt to defend and persuade you concerning my favorite subjects.

But consider what Paul was doing. Everything he wrote came out of his relationship with actual flesh-and-blood individuals. As he dictated his letter, he had their faces in his mind's eye. In his letter are things he wanted to tell them face-to-face in the gathering, and therefore it would have passed the test of "let everything be done for edification".

In this blog I have determined to write down the things which I have shared in the gathering, because I spoke these things under the awareness of the rule of love. So it will pass the test for you, even though we have never met. By reading these articles, you have crossed into my circle of fellowship. Come in.

"Be sure to welcome our friend Phoebe in the way of the Master, with all the generous hospitality we Christians are famous for. I heartily endorse both her and her work. She's a key representative of the church at Cenchrea. Help her out in whatever she asks. She deserves anything you can do for her. She's helped many a person, including me. Say hello to Priscilla and Aquila, who have worked hand in hand with me in serving Jesus. They once put their lives on the line for me. And I'm not the only one grateful to them. All the non-Jewish gatherings of believers also owe them plenty, to say nothing of the church that meets in their house. Hello to my dear friend Epenetus. He was the very first follower of Jesus in the province of Asia.Hello to Mary. What a worker she has turned out to be!Hello to my cousins Andronicus and Junias. We once shared a jail cell. They were believers in Christ before I was. Both of them are outstanding leaders. Hello to Ampliatus, my good friend in the family of God. Hello to Urbanus, our companion in Christ's work, and my good friend Stachys. Hello to Apelles, a tried-and-true veteran in following Christ. Hello to the family of Aristobulus. Hello to my cousin Herodion. Hello to those who belong to the Lord from the family of Narcissus. Hello to Tryphena and Tryphosa, such diligent women in serving the Master. Hello to Persis, a dear friend and hard worker in Christ. Hello to Rufus (a good choice by the Master!) and his mother. She has also been a dear mother to me. Hello to Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and also to all of their families. Hello to Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the followers of Jesus who live with them. Holy embraces all around! All the churches of Christ send their warmest greetings!"

Allow me to join this passage up with a couple of things from Jesus.

"Who are my mother and my brothers? Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

If Christ, the very image of God, can say this to the very ordinary people in that room, how much more can we say this to one another?

"No one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields."

This is the power out of which Paul writes his great epistle. When we read the letter, we enter into family relationship with Paul, who is giving his love to us. This is the center out of which we must speak to one another in the assembly. Come into the circle, brothers and sisters.