I. INSTRUCTIONS brief background. A. Role

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1 CHURCH LADIES Romans 16:1-16 Dr. Jon McNeff, Senior Pastor February 28, 2016 Note: The following are the pastor s notes used in preaching this message. This is not a complete, word-for-word transcription of what was preached. These notes serve as a companion to the complete message, which is available by listening to the audio version. Bible quotes are primarily from NASB and ESV, respectively. SNL church lady negative portrayed in Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee busy-bodies, socialites, gathered for tea, gossip, keeping everyone in line hated blacks but prayed for missionaries to convert the poor heathen overseas Ladies you have been sold a bill of goods either a feminist who rejects everything feminine and tries to copy everything that is masculine or a church lady Not here this is a hall of fame of first century Christian women church used for first time in Romans 16:1 used five times here Romans 16:1, 4, 5, 16, 23 Paul directs his comments for these people to the new gathering of believers I. INSTRUCTIONS brief background A. Role One of the most contentious marks of contemporary society is the distortion of God intended roles of men and women God created man to be task oriented Genesis 1:28 Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth. Genesis 2:15 God put Adam in the Garden of Eden and told him to cultivate it and keep it. Then He created Eve Genesis 2:18 I will make a helper suitable for him. Woman was created as a relational support to accomplish what God had for them TOP TEN REASONS GOD CREATED EVE God knew that Adam would always be lost in the garden without Eve to give him directions. 2. God knew that Adam would one day need someone to hand him the TV remote. (Men don t want to see what is ON TV, they want to see what ELSE is on TV!) 3. God knew that Adam would never buy a new fig leaf when his seat wore out and would, therefore, need Eve to get one for Him. 4. God knew that Adam would never make a doctor s appointment for himself. 5. God knew that Adam would never remember which night was garbage night. 6. God knew that if the world was to be populated, men would never be able to handle childbearing. 7. God knew that, as Keeper of the Garden, Adam would never remember where he put his tools. 8. The Scripture account of creation indicates Adam needed someone to blame his troubles on when God caught him hiding in the garden. 9. As the Bible says, It is not good for man to be alone. 10. When God finished the creation of Adam, He stepped back, scratched His head and said, I can do better than that! Creation forms pattern for family and church 1) Family 1 Peter 2 we are all to submit to all human institutions government, employers example is Christ who submitted to government who executed him 1 Peter 2:15 this is the will of God that will silence the ignorance of foolish men. then 1 Peter 3:1, 2 In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. 2) Church 1 Timothy pastoral epistle written to young pastor Timothy 1 Timothy 3:15 says Timothy is written so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God part of that is the issue of leadership 1 Timothy 2:12 But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. teaching and authority is the domain of the elders that means no women elders reason? 1 Timothy 2:14 And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. has nothing to do with value 1

2 B. Value Galatians 3:27-28 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Submission is God s means of maintaining order to resist is like saying God made a mistake in not giving bass vocal chords male voice better?? No bass and tenor voices need alto and soprano Carly Simon father formed Simon and Schuster mother kept a 19 year old gigolo in other part of the house married to James Taylor divorced because of affairs and drugs in interview said, You can t have two bosses in a relationship. II. EXAMPLES from Romans 16 Many modern scholars liberals belittle Paul by saying that he is against women due to his stand on submission and male elders A. Deaconess Romans 16:1, 2 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea; that you receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and that you help her in whatever matter she may have need of you; for she herself has also been a helper of many, and of myself as well. Note a woman is first on Paul s list she was probably the bearer of the letter to the Romans Paul asks them to receive her in the Lord they didn t know her notice Strong commendation from Paul uses three strong words commend establish, stand near receive her strong support for a woman help her key word place at someone s disposal noun form was used in Athens the word was the formal name for patroness or protectoress i.e. someone who takes care of those who are weaker 1 And she was a woman! Lange She was a widow of consideration and wealth, who acted as one of the deaconesses of the Church, and was now about to sail to Rome upon some private business, apparently connected with a lawsuit in which she was engaged. He adds: She could not (according to Greek manners) have been mentioned as acting in the independent manner described, either if her husband had been living or if she had been unmarried. 2 She is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea general term? Probably not servant = feminine form of diakonos or deaconess comes from 1Timothy 3 qualifications for elders in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 1 Timothy 3:8 begins, Deacons likewise... then describes office of deacon then 1 Timothy 3:11 begins same way Women likewise deacon s wives? No likewise indicates a third office of women who cared for needs of the body Lange Their duties were, to take care of the sick, poor, and strangers in the female portion of the Church. This office was the more needful on account of the rigid separation of the sexes at that day, especially among the Greeks 3 These women would have been a cross between nurses (no health-care professionals), social workers, surrogate mothers, counselor, and caring friend Only two formal offices in the church women shared role of deacon with men B. Co-laborers 2000). 1 Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2 John Peter Lange et al., A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Romans (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2008), Ibid.,

3 Romans 16:3-4 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus mentioned five other times in New Testament sometimes called Priscilla she is mentioned first four of the six times with Aquila indicates she may have been the more influential one Possible member of a famous family there is a Catacomb of Priscilla in Rome today burying place of the ancient Roman Acilian family man named Acilius Glabrio is buried there consul of Rome in 91 A.D. highest office Rome could offer him one of the first great Romans to become a Christian when slaves gained their freedom in Rome they were given the name of one of the prominent families as their own name one of the most common names in the Acilian family was Prisca furthermore, Acilian was sometimes written as Aquillius similar to Aquila two fascinating possibilities: 1) Indicates very strongly that both Prisca and Aquila were freed slaves who were given the names of the Acilian family 2) Also indicates they could have had a great influence on the conversion of Acilius Glabrio whose name survives today 3) If true, this means that the model of Christian love and ministry of this couple was used to destroy the barriers of race, rank, wealth, and birth 4 So this couple was probable freed slaves she played many roles: 1) Gracious hostess Acts 18:3 kicked out of Rome with husband settled in Corinth when Paul arrived he found them tentmakers new city and home hosts a co-worker of husband in your home hospitable Home is the first church it s where parents model the love of Christ for the church and where children are taught in living color the truths of the Bible you can tell parents view of church watch their kids! Teach respect for church and pastors morality eternal values home is the teaching lab for your kids! But a Christian home should also have an open door but the model of a Christian home is increasingly needed majority of people today don t have the model of a Christian home seeing laughter, sharing, acceptance, love is unique experience friends of parents and kids may have never experienced this Anne and I always felt we would rather have kids friends come to our home rather than go to others because we never really knew what they might see in those homes 2) Worked with husband Acts 18:3 he stayed with them and they were working, for by trade they were tent-makers. many women work alongside husbands in same job doing books setting up appointments reminds us of Proverbs 31 Indicates she didn t jump out ahead of her husband Mom was more gifted than Dad in many ways artist musician writer never got out in front 3) Co-teacher Acts 18:24-26 man named Apollos comes to Ephesus from Alexandria intellectual center had library of 500,000 volumes eloquent Ph.D. in Old Testament Acts 18:26 But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. took him aside decisive action by husband-wife team explained ektithemi expound, explain put out of to be placed in the elements, exposed, abandoned 5 used in Acts 7:21 after Moses had been set outside of his father s home, Pharaoh s daughter took him in lit. They exposed the incomplete nature of his Ph.D. She was no dummy! There are enormous opportunities for women to learn study teach in church today children teenagers college women young mothers professionals first thing I did at first church is train two women to counsel both Bible Study Fellowship grads! Knew theology 4 William Barclay, ed., The Letter to the Romans, The Daily Study Bible Series (Philadelphia: The Westminster John Knox Press, 1975), James Swanson, Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Greek (New Testament) (Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997). 3

4 C. Worker Romans 16:6 Greet Mary who has worked hard for you. Romans 16:12 Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, workers in the Lord. Twin sisters names mean dainty and delicate same word used to describe all three kopian to toil to the point of exhaustion doesn t matter that they were dainty and delicate they were hard workers! 6 In New Testament kopian is used to describe evangelism and missionary work (Matthew 9:37) helping the weak (Acts 20:35) working to build the church (1 Corinthians 3:9) ministry to the saints (1 Corinthians 16:16) working together with God so that the ministry will not be discredited even in great affliction and distress (1 Corinthians 6:1-10) holding fast to the word of God (Philippians 2:16) admonishing and teaching people to bring them to maturity in Christ (Colossians 1:28-29) giving biblical instruction (1 Thessalonians 5:12) none of these refers to physical labor 1 Timothy 4:2 is the only place where the word refers to physical labor and that is using the labor of a farmer as an illustration of the hard work of ministry These three women spent themselves in evangelizing, teaching, caring, counseling, discipling, and building up the church! Nothing in Scripture says this is the domain of men only! D. Courageous Romans 16:7 Greet Andronicus and Junias, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners, who are outstanding among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. Andronicus and Junias some regard Junias as a male name but it is a feminine noun probably the wife or sister of Andronicus two characteristics: She went to jail with Paul prison is always in context of religious prisoner this woman had courage! Known among the apostles Junias was willing to follow Paul to prison Lady Jane Grey was cousin of young Edward VI who became King of England when his father, Henry VIII died Edward nominated Mary to be Queen in his will, but the Privy Council changed sides at the insistence of Mary to imprison and then execute Lady Jane issue was Protestantism Foxe s Book of Martyrs Good people, I am come hither to die, and by a law I am condemned to the same. The fact against the queen's highness was unlawful, and the consenting thereunto by me: but, touching the procurement and desire thereof by me, or on my behalf, I do wash my hands thereof in the innocency before God, and the face of you, good Christian people, this day: (and therewith she wrung her hands, wherein she had her book. Then said she), I pray you all, good Christian people, to bear me witness, that I die a good Christian woman, and that I do look to be saved by no other mean, but only by the mercy of God in the blood of His only Son Jesus Christ: and I confess that when I did know the Word of God, I neglected the same, loved myself and the world, and therefore this plague and punishment is happily and worthily happened unto me for my sins; and yet I thank God, that of His goodness He hath thus given me a time and a respite to repent. And now, good people, while I am alive, I pray you assist me with your prayers. 7 The church needs women of courage husbands need to see wives that are women of courage not ones who follow emotions and whims of Oprah E. Faithful Persis the Beloved has worked hard in the Lord past tense has some history older? example Titus 2:3-5 Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored. 6 William Barclay, ed., The Letter to the Romans, The Daily Study Bible Series (Philadelphia: The Westminster John Knox Press, 1975), John Foxe, Foxe s Book of Martyrs,

5 F. Mothers Saved the best for last Romans 16:13 Greet Rufus, a choice man in the Lord, also his mother and mine. son of Simon of Cyrene carried Jesus cross his mom s role extended beyond her sons Rufus and Alexander to Paul never mentions his mom or dad died? Considered him dead when he converted? Satan has devised intense attack against motherhood freed women from unwanted pregnancy through abortion torn down the natural barriers between women and men eviscerated the patriarchal model of the home as demeaning to women But the role of mother is envisioned by God as a co-equal role by God to share in the domestication of children and propagate the furtherance of culture and values most important thing you can do! Mothers give life! Care for needs shape personalities discover talents nurture relationships love them forever! Jaycee Dugard kidnapped at 12 in Tahoe held for next 18 years in Antioch finally released in A Stolen Life On the threshold of the room I was frozen for a minute, I couldn't move. I just stared wide-eyed at the door. Finally, I took a deep breath and I made myself walk through the door. And there she was! I knew it was her instantly. For the longest time I couldn't remember what she looked like. I would try to draw her, but her face wouldn't come to mind. Sometimes different aspects of each of my daughters reminded me so much of my mom, but I couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was because I had forgotten what she looked like. But there she stood, with arms wide open. I walked to her and she was smiling and crying and she put her arms around me and I felt so safe and whole again. Even now just writing about it brings tears to my eyes. I told her she smelled the same, she said it was smoke, but it was more than that I remembered her scent, like I remembered from when I was young. It was the same; she was my mom and she was holding me. The whole experience felt surreal. 8 QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION 1. How does the role of women in the Bible differ from the expectations of our society? 2. What is the instruction for women in 1Timothy 2:12? What are the reasons given for this in verses 13-14? 3. How did Prisca co-labor with her husband in Romans 16:2-4? 4. What do we know about Junias in Romans 16:7? 5. Describe the role of both older and younger women according to Titus 2: Which of the women in Romans 16 do you most identify with? Why? 8 Jaycee Dugard, A Stolen Life: A Memoir (New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 2011),