Honoring People of God Romans 16:3 - Greet [salute] Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus: In today’s message we read Paul honors Priscilla and Aquila great women of God who were like Pastors administering small churches in their houses [the Greek text shows plural]. These people were honored by Paul because they risked their own life for the sake that Paul would continue his mission to minister to the gentile Churches. Here we see there in the time of Paul there were many women who were like Pastors of small Churches and they worked together for one purpose to build people in the Lord. They did not call themselves denominations but simply part of the Church of Christ. Paul does not only acknowledge them but also acknowledges some key people in their Churches showing their efforts of building people. The Greek word ‘aspazomai’ translated as salute / greet / honor comes from the root word ‘spao’ which means to draw, so the word means to outline or highlight the efforts that person did. Honoring does not in any way mean to worship or bow down or even kiss the hand [this was a way of worship during the time of Jesus, salve would kiss the hand of its master]. People also misunderstand the word kiss used here. The word is actually a conjugation of the word Philo which means to love. The actual Greek word for kiss is ‘kataphileo’ and is used only once (in Luke 7:45). Even Judas did not really kiss Jesus but may have given Him a hug or greeted in some way of showing affection. Any person who thinks kissing is Christian or part of Christian tradition should think again. We see neither Paul nor any Apostle nor does any disciple of Jesus in the Bible honored any dead person. In fact we come to know that they were martyred or moved out of the scene in Jerusalem by the fact that as times flies in the books of Acts they are not mentioned. After the martyrdom of Stephen (who was not an Apostle) we have among the Apostles James brother of John (44-45AD), Philip (54 AD), Peter (64 AD) and Matthew (60-70AD) we also have James the Lesser the brother of Jesus (63 AD) all these were martyred before Paul (67 AD) and the book of Acts records to the time 65 AD when Paul was taken to Rome to be martyred after 2 years. But these 2 years he had the favor of God on him and even though he was a prisoner yet could move freely thus ministered the Church of Rome during this time. In Goa (India) the Catholic are celebrating a feast where they keep out a body which they claim to be of Francis whom they call saint (in the Bible living people were call saints not dead people). It is interesting that parts of this body are in 2 different places in the world yet they are venerated at all 3 places as if that whole person is there alive. In the Bible we see even the Jews being influenced by the pagan religions use to communicate with the dead (pray) or venerate the dead and God gave them a strict Law that man should not communicate with the dead. We read King Saul broke this Law and communicated with the spirit of Samuel therefore was punished with death. When Jesus as man communicated with Moses and Elijah He did not break this Law because He transfigured to do that. I would not be able to explain transfiguration here in detail but it simply meant coming out of the flesh body and Jesus could do that only because His flesh (physical body) was without corruption (without disease for He was without sin, thus sin had not corrupted it). We also read in the books of Kings the bodies of the Patriarchs were respected and put in caves never to be disturbed, when the people did disturb them God got angry. More over Moses is to the Jews like Mary is to Catholics since they too lifted him above God and God knowing that hid his body when he died. God knew if He had not done that then they would have done what the Catholics are doing to the body of ‘St’ Francis. Let us not anger God by honoring the dead. Let us honor the living and that too honor their works in the Lord and not them as person. We all are vessels used by the Lord. When we eat something good do we praise the vessel in which it was cooked or do we praise the cook who cooked that dish? No doubt that vessel did go through the flame but when that what was in it is put on the grand dinner table and the host appreciates it this honors the vessel. We are the vessels, Christ made available the ingredients, the Holy Spirit is the cook and the Father is the Host who is going to appreciate all that is done in and through us. Let us not strive the praise of man but as people of God let us appreciate the surrender of our brethren to be used by the Lord. [Prayer Starter] Lord, You created us for a purpose and your Word says that purpose is great. Everything that You set for us is in your control and You desire man to fight to battle and crush the head of evil so that man be justified to be glorified to be a part of You at the end. Lord we pray we do not pursue the praise of man but at the same time let us not forget to encourage one another by honoring their willingness to be used for your glory... This prayer we make in Jesus’ Name, Amen. [Reference Scriptures] Romans 16:3-16 3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus: 4 Who have for my life laid down their own necks: to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. 5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Greet my wellbeloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia to Christ. 6 Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on us. 7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. 8 Greet Amplias my beloved in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbane, our helper in Christ, and Stachys my beloved. 10 Greet Apelles approved in Christ. Greet them who are of Aristobulus’ household. 11 Greet Herodion my kinsman. Greet them that are of the household of Narcissus, who are in the Lord. 12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. Greet the beloved Persis, who laboured much in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren who are with them. 15 Greet Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. 16 Greet one another with an holy kiss [love]. The churches of Christ greet you. Luke 7:45 Thou gavest me no kiss [philo]: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss [kataphileo] my feet. 2 Kings 23:17-18 17 Then he said, What title is that that I see? And the men of the city told him, It is the sepulchre of the man of God, which came from Judah, and proclaimed these things that thou hast done against the altar of Bethel. 18 And he said, Let him alone; let no man move his bones. So they let his bones alone, with the bones of the prophet that came out of Samaria. 2 Kings 23:3-9, 13-14 3 And the king stood by a pillar, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant. 4 And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the door, to bring forth out of the temple of the LORD all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the host of heaven: and he burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them unto Bethel. 5 And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven. 6 And he brought out the grove from the house of the LORD, without Jerusalem, unto the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron, and stamped it small to powder, and cast the powder thereof upon the graves of the children of the people. 7 And he brake down the houses of the sodomites, that were by the house of the LORD, where the women wove hangings for the grove. 8 And he brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense, from Geba to Beersheba, and brake down the high places of the gates that were in the entering in of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on a man’s left hand at the gate of the city. 9 Nevertheless the priests of the high places came not up to the altar of the LORD in Jerusalem, but they did eat of the unleavened bread among their brethren. 13 And the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had builded for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Zidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon, did the king defile. 14 And he brake in pieces the images, and cut down the groves, and filled their places with the bones of men.
Posted on: Mon, 24 Nov 2014 12:30:19 +0000