Timothy, my coworker, and Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my fellow countrymen, greet you. I, Tertius, who wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord. Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus greet you. (Romans 16:21-23)
Maybe you are like me when I’m reading through the Bible and there are a list of names like the genealogy or at the beginning or ending of one of the epistles, you quickly glance over the names and section with the understanding that there were people involved or around and they have some hard names to pronounce. But I hope that after you read today’s boost, you will realize that every word and name in the Bible was written for a purpose and it’s all part of God’s plan for teaching and revealing more of Himself to us.
The names that were mentioned in today’s reading don’t have a lot of detail given, except for Timothy. We know that these men shared their lives with Paul as he proclaimed the Gospel. There are several accounts in the book of Acts with people of the same name, so it is possible that these men are the same ones that Paul is mentioning here. If this is true, then it gives us a wonderful picture of discipleship as we see Paul and his approach to ministry. Paul would surround himself with converts to Christianity and disciple them in the Lord for several years. Paul was all about training and discipling others so that they could make an impact for the kingdom of God.
How are you participating in the Gospel of Jesus Christ? These men came to know the Lord (probably through Paul) and they left everything to pursue the Lord. Even though we only have their names recorded in the Bible, we know their legacy lives on as we read through the book of Romans. Are you making a difference for Christ in your home, work, church and community? Is there someone that you can be discipling? When we participate in the Gospel, we can make a lasting impression in the lives of many that will affect others who will affect others for years to come.