Friends are friends forever...

That Michael W. Smith song came to mind the other morning as I was reading Romans 16. You remember the song? The chorus begins:

And friends are friends forever
If the Lord’s the Lord of them….

What triggered that thought? I became aware of the many friends the Apostle Paul had developed through his missionary journeys, as he led people to Christ, and as he grew the church in those early days. Just look at the names of those to whom Paul gave greetings and shared loving words.

There is Phoebe from Cenchrea. Priscilla and Aquila that Paul called his co-workers in ministry. Paul mentioned they risked their lives for him. He also mentioned his dear friend Epenetus, the first person from the province of Asia to become a follower of Christ.

And then it was Mary, Andronicus and Junia, who shared prison time with Paul. The Apostle also sent his warm greetings to Ampliatus, Urganus, and Stachys.

Look at these others.

“Greet Apelles, a good man whom Christ approves. And give my greetings to the believers from the household of Aristobulus. Greet Herodion, my fellow Jew. Greet the Lord’s people from the household of Narcissus. Give my greetings to Tryphena and Tryphosa, the Lord’s workers, and to dear Persis, who has worked so hard for the Lord. Greet Rufus, whom the Lord picked out to be his very own; and also his dear mother, who has been a mother to me.

[blockquote author=”Romans 16:10-15 NLT” link=”” target=”_blank”]Give my greetings to Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers and sisters who meet with them. Give my greetings to Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and to Olympas and all the believers who meet with them.[/blockquote]

With a few exceptions, these people named by Paul aren’t prominent in our New Testament accounts. We don’t know much about them. But Paul knew them. And he loved them. And he commended and encouraged them by his greetings and his words.

I especially liked what he said about Appeles. “A good man whom Christ approves.” Wow. Wouldn’t you like that to be said of you by someone like Paul? I sure would.

So what’s the point here? Paul lived the way the Lord Jesus directs all of us to live. To love God…and to love people.

When asked about the greatest commandments in the law of Moses, Jesus had a ready answer.

[blockquote author=”Matthew 22:37-39″ link=”” target=”_blank”]Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. ’This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'[/blockquote]

To encourage the saints. To remember them in prayer. To commend them for their good works and their selfless service to our Lord Jesus. That was the Apostle Paul’s pattern. It is a good one for each of us to follow.

And, one more thing…Victor, I thank my God every time I think of you. Your faithfulness and your friendship is a blessing and an encouragement.