YWCTW: Everyday People
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Sunday, DECEMBER 7, 2025
Pastor Muche Ukegbu
SCRIPTURE READING:
God uses everyday people in exceptional ways.
The people who are named:
I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchreae. 2 I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of his people and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me. 3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus. 4 They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.
Roman 16:1-4
“Greet…”
v5-15
I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— 12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.
Romans 1:11-13
Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. 20 Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21 The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. 22 News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.
Acts 13:19-22
The Christian movement grew through people not from a platform.
They have unity with diversity.
Gender:
I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchreae. 2 I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of his people and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me.
v1-2
Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.
v7
Ethnic/Cultural:
Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia.
v5
Greet Herodion, my fellow Jew.
v11
Experiential:
Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus
….Greet those in the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.
v10 &11
Economic:
Gaius, whose hospitality I and the whole church here enjoy, sends you his greetings.
Erastus, who is the city’s director of public works, and our brother Quartus send you their greetings
v23
Generational/Stage of Life:
Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too.
v13
Unity with diversity is powerful, fragile, & worth fighting for, not forcing or fabricating.
I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. 18 For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.
v17-18
They have ordinary jobs.
Gaius, whose hospitality I and the whole church here enjoy, sends you his greetings.
Erastus, who is the city’s director of public works, and our brother Quartus send you their greetings
v23
They have extraordinary lives.
Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.
Romans 16:19
Christianity is grounded in real life.
The everyday people used by God in exceptional ways are marked by Jesus & moved by the gospel.
Marked by Jesus:
in Christ Jesus or in the Lord
-“every other verse”
When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
Acts 4:13
Moved by the gospel:
Co-worker or worked hard
-“every other verse”
“What marks & moves me in life?”
The gospel that’s proclaimed:
Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, 26 but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from faith— 27 to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.
Romans 16:25-27
The gospel is not the ABCs of Christianity; it is the A to Z of Christianity.
Closing consideration:
You as you are, loving Jesus where you are, is ground zero for changing the world.
This week, create a gratitude, growth, & in need of the gospel list.
Gratitude: Identify 7 things you can presently praise God for.
Growth: Identify 1 area you need to grow in.
Gospel: Identify 2 people in your life in need of the gospel, 1 non- Christian & 1 Christian.
The people who are named:
I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchreae. 2 I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of his people and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me. 3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus. 4 They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.
Roman 16:1-4
“Greet…”
v5-15
I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— 12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.
Romans 1:11-13
Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. 20 Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21 The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. 22 News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.
Acts 13:19-22
The Christian movement grew through people not from a platform.
They have unity with diversity.
Gender:
I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchreae. 2 I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of his people and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me.
v1-2
Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.
v7
Ethnic/Cultural:
Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia.
v5
Greet Herodion, my fellow Jew.
v11
Experiential:
Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus
….Greet those in the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.
v10 &11
Economic:
Gaius, whose hospitality I and the whole church here enjoy, sends you his greetings.
Erastus, who is the city’s director of public works, and our brother Quartus send you their greetings
v23
Generational/Stage of Life:
Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too.
v13
Unity with diversity is powerful, fragile, & worth fighting for, not forcing or fabricating.
I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. 18 For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.
v17-18
They have ordinary jobs.
Gaius, whose hospitality I and the whole church here enjoy, sends you his greetings.
Erastus, who is the city’s director of public works, and our brother Quartus send you their greetings
v23
They have extraordinary lives.
Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.
Romans 16:19
Christianity is grounded in real life.
The everyday people used by God in exceptional ways are marked by Jesus & moved by the gospel.
Marked by Jesus:
in Christ Jesus or in the Lord
-“every other verse”
When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
Acts 4:13
Moved by the gospel:
Co-worker or worked hard
-“every other verse”
“What marks & moves me in life?”
The gospel that’s proclaimed:
Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, 26 but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from faith— 27 to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.
Romans 16:25-27
The gospel is not the ABCs of Christianity; it is the A to Z of Christianity.
Closing consideration:
You as you are, loving Jesus where you are, is ground zero for changing the world.
This week, create a gratitude, growth, & in need of the gospel list.
Gratitude: Identify 7 things you can presently praise God for.
Growth: Identify 1 area you need to grow in.
Gospel: Identify 2 people in your life in need of the gospel, 1 non- Christian & 1 Christian.