Jesus loves you

Study 10 PHOEBE: SHINING FOR JESUS (Scripture Portion: Romans 16: 1-2) This lady is mentioned in Romans chapter 16, which is a fascinating chapter containing some names which are very difficult to pronounce! Her name means, “The shining one”, and she certainly appears to have lived up to it. Not all those of whom Paul wrote were like Phoebe; for example, look up Romans 16:17 and Philippians 4:2! Some people can be a hindrance in the church; but others, like Phoebe –- what a blessing they can be! There are two things to notice: 1 . PAUL ’ S COMMAND TO THE CHURCH Paul was writing to the church in Rome, and see what he said in verses 1 and 2a. Phoebe almost certainly carried with her a letter of commendation from Paul, in which he asked the Christians in Rome to receive her. He mentioned three ways in which they were to do this, for there are different ways of receiving a person! All this is very practical in its application to ourselves. Here is a picture of what is required in our

Study 9 MNASON: A MATURE DISCIPLE (Scripture Portion: Acts 21: 15-16) Mnason was evidently a native of Cyprus, and he lived near Jerusalem. He was a Hellenistic Jew, which means that he was a Jew by descent but he was born on Gentile soil and spoke the Greek language. The fact that he is described as “an early disciple” indicates that he was one of the early followers of our Lord, and this in turn suggests that he was getting on in years. This “old gentleman”, as Matthew Henry calls him, was evidently given to hospitality, for Paul, Luke and the other members of their party lodged with him on their way to Jerusalem. There are three things which arise out of this brief description we are given of Mnason. 1 . How great a thing it is to be a disciple of our Lord Jesus Christ . When it says that Mnason was “a disciple” it simply means that he was a Christian, a believer in our Lord. It is Luke’s way of saying that he was a born-again man –- and yet we may make a distinction here, for i