Greet One Another

ICEBREAKER
Would you rather talk to the cashier at check out or not talk to the cashier at check out?

Would you rather say hi to everyone you pass or ignore them and keep going?

Today we’re talking about “Greet one another.” The reality is we all want to be seen and embraced. Yet many people just want to get things done and not have to talk to everyone. On the other hand, some people tend to favor acknowledging only those who are like them, who are more popular, or prominent. But, the truth is God calls Christians to see and embrace one another with generosity and without partiality.

FROM THE TRUTH
Read or review Romans 16:3-16 and discuss these questions recalling what you heard during Sunday’s message.
Some of the people listed would be what we might call key leaders in the church or, on social media, “Influencers.” Can you remember anything about these individuals? What stands out or is interesting to you about them?

LEADER NOTES: 

• vs3 - Priscilla and Aquilla - Prisca formal, Priscilla nickname. Jews who were expelled from Rome and lived in Corinth when Paul met them (Acts 18:2). They were tentmakers who became Christians. They lived, worked, and traveled with Paul and went on to lead churches in three cities—Corinth, Ephesus, and Rome—and then to become the Bishop of Asia Minor. Great models of the Christian faith helping Paul, mentoring Apollos, they kept their spiritual bearings as citizens of God’s Kingdom first even while moving from one country to another. 
• vs5 - Epenetus - Lived in Ephesus, was the first Christian convert in the province of Asiana (the western half of modern-day Turkey), eventually became the leader of the church in modern-day Spain and is honored as a Bishop and Saint in the Greek Orthodox Church. 
• vs7 - Andronicus and Junia - Probably husband and wife, but possibly brother and sister or father and daughter. Became Christians before Paul, led many people to Jesus. Andronicus became leader of the church in modern-day Croatia and Serbia and is honored as a Bishop and Saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church. Junia is Joanna of Luke 8:1-3 (Hebrew name: “iōanna”, Latin name: “iounia”, like Hebrew: Saul and Latin: Paul). 
• vs9 - Urbanus - one of the seventy disciples, later became leader of the church in northern Greece. Stachys - one of the seventy disciples, later became the leader and Bishop of the Byzantine church in Constantinople in modern-day Turkey. 
• vs10 - Apelles - one of the seventy disciples, became a leader of the church in Heraclea, Greece. Aristobulus - the brother of Barnabas, went on to become a missionary to Britain and was the founder of all Christianity in Britain. 
• vs13 - Rufus - quite possibly the same Rufus of Mark 15:21 whose father, Simon the Cyrene, was forced to carry the cross of Jesus. 
• vs14 - Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas - also among the seventy disciples who also went on to become church leaders in different cities.

Some of the people listed were just regular common people. Can you remember anything about these individuals? What stands out or is interesting to you about them?

LEADER NOTES: 

• vs6 - Mary - How many women are named Mary? All we know is that this Mary was one of the Christians in Rome.
• vs8 - Ampliatus - possibly a slave, though the Eastern Orthodox Church thinks he might have been one of the seventy disciples. 
• vs11 - Herodion - just another Jewish Christian that Paul knew. “The household of Narcissus” - Common name among both slaves and freedmen meaning “daffodil.” The Narcissus of Rom. 16:11 headed a household, perhaps including slaves and/or associated freedmen, which included some Christians. The most famous Narcissus was a freedman who served as an advisor to Emperor Claudius (A.D. 41–54). He committed suicide shortly after Nero’s became emperor in 54 AD. It might be possible that this is the man whose household Paul is greeting. Notice Paul is naming the man who committed suicide. He doesn’t sidestep it or avoid his name. He acknowledges him, and the pain and shame that followed for his family. Paul sees them and greets them.
• vs12 - Tryphena and Tryphosa - sisters, Roman Christians who served the church diligently. Persis - another Roman Christian who worked hard in the church. 
• vs15 - Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister (probably forgot her name), and Olympas - More regular Roman Christians. 

​What was meant by “a holy kiss”? (You might recall what was said about its connection to 1 Corinthians 12:9.

FROM THE TAKEAWAY
​Paul’s greetings demonstrated that he could, first, see each one of the people he named for who they are whether they were Jewish or Greek or Roman, or male or female, or slave or freedmen, an early disciple or a convert, and so on. Because Paul also teaches in Colossians 3:11 that in Christ, there is “no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.” So should we see or not see? Should we be color-minded or color-blinded? Or should we be both?

Paul’s greetings also demonstrated that he could embrace each one of the people he named without showing favoritism or partiality. Have you experienced someone showing favoritism that excluded you? Do you see Christians showing partiality in the church? What can we do to ensure that we don’t?

Lastly, Paul’s greetings demonstrated that he could commend each one of the people he named. How does it feel to you when someone notices what you’ve done and commends you for it? How good are you at commending others?

FINAL QUESTION
How does living this “one another” make us irresistible people?

PRAYER
First, take some time to ask people to identify prayer needs related to the discussion about encouraging one another. Second, take some time to ask for additional prayer requests. Then close your time together in prayer.​