Introduction: Romans 16 is filled with a bunch of personal greetings before a final goodbye at the end. But Paul wrote it, the Spirit inspired it and we have it. So, there is something for us to learn. First, we will meet Phoebe. 1 I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea, 2 that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also. Phoebe: • She was a gentile named after the greek god . • Her name was a of the saving power of the one true God. Commend: • He wants them to stand alongside her to her. • Many believe she was the one this letter to Rome. Our Sister: • She is a sister in and thus a sister to us all. • There is a spiritual family that we all share in Christ, equal as brothers and sisters. • This means that we all submit to the same heavenly , we all share the same faith in His and are all indwelt by the same . Servant: • Diakonon is where we get the word for . It means servant. • Like not all messengers are , not all servants are . • Alone, this passage doesn’t defend or deny that women can hold the of Deacon. • We can say that women served and were to the work of the Lord. • A true humble servant of God, male or female, would never demand a . Saint: • In Christ we are all saints, for our intended purpose. • We must find our intended place before God as , before other saints in the and our place of in the Body. Helper: • Standing for others, she was a protector and provider for the of others. • There are no Christians. We need each other.