More Than Just Greetings

Alba 7-31-2022

MORE THAN JUST GREETINGS

Romans 16:1-16

Jeff Strite, minister with the Church of Christ at Logansport in Logansport, Indiana tells a story about how the way we greet one another makes a difference.

Here is how he told the story: Years ago, I was preaching in a congregation where a previous minister was a problem. He’d retired there, and the church had made him an Elder. They shouldn’t have.

This man had a terrible anger problem and several times at board meetings – if he couldn’t get his way, he’d throw a fit in and angrily leave the room.

Now... at one point he got so mad at me, he blew at me in church. The next Monday was the church board meeting and his Eldership was up for renewal and he didn’t get renewed. He blamed me for it.

For the next 6 months or so he refused to come back to church. Then – one day - I got word that he intended to come to church the following Sunday.

But he wasn’t coming back to be part of worship. He was coming back to find a way to embarrass me, and he (and some of his friends) intended to make sure everyone knew it.

Now, frankly I liked the guy. I didn’t want to hurt him. He’d been a preacher for a number of years at that congregation and I felt bad that he was behaving as he was. But I couldn’t let him get away with what he wanted to do.

So, I prayed to God, and I asked Him what I should do. And into my mind came a Scripture: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Luke 6:31

I thought to myself – what do I want this man to do for me? Well, I wanted him to shake my hand. So, that Sunday, this man and his little entourage made their way to sit down about two thirds of the way back on my left, and I made my way towards them.

They saw me coming and – as one body – they got up and moved over to the other side of the sanctuary. What was I to do? Well, I followed them. I swear I’d have followed them all the way out to the parking lot, because I was going to shake this man’s hand.

But they didn’t move from their new spot. I extended my hand, said the man’s name, and said “I’m so glad you’re here in church this morning.”

I knew he wasn’t happy, but he reached up and took my hand and shook it. And that put a stop that to a situation that could have hurt the church. He still didn’t like me, but it’s hard to hate someone who’s… gone out of their way to shake your hand and try to make you feel welcome.

Jeff Strite gave that man more than just a greeting. He gave, what we often call, the warm hand of fellowship. And it made a difference.

When the apostle Paul wrote his letter to the Christians in Rome, some of it was very direct. He wanted them to know and be reminded of what Jesus had done for them. And he warns them of false teachers who would cause them trouble.

But he also shares a warmth of feeling toward them, especially as he closes his letter to them. He greets many of the church people by name. But it is more than just a greeting. It expresses love and encouragement to the people there.

As you look at Romans 16:1-16 you see a reference to 29 people according to my count. Some are familiar, some unknown to us, but all were important to the church in Rome.

Now I know they didn't have church buildings then, but as you read this chapter you can almost visualize yourself walking in through the open door of the church at Rome, wandering down the aisle and meeting the various members.

People whose lives have been totally transformed by the Gospel of Christ. People who are serving the Lord with all their heart.

One thing you’re going to notice is that you will meet a lot of people here who are women, the ladies. If you know anything about the Jewish or even the Roman culture of that time, you’ll remember that females were, by and large, under-appreciated.

In fact Jewish men had a prayer that went this way:

"Blessed are you, LORD our God, King of the Universe, for not having made me a Gentile." "Blessed are you, LORD our God, King of the Universe, for not having made me a slave." “Blessed are you, LORD our God, King of the Universe, for not having made me a woman."