The Apostle Paul dedicates the last chapter of the most important theological work in the history of the world to personal greetings. It’s high theology followed by human relationships in Christ. Pastor Paul opens with an illustration from the new film “Jimmy” (2026) in honor of Veterans’ Day, the wonderful life of James Stewart, and his example of fulfilling Prov. 22:1 toward his God, his wife, his film career, and his country. He then dives into the names-heavy passage of Romans 16:1-16 by highlighting four main points: “Relate: The Importance of Names”; “Congregate: The Importance of Churches”; “Appreciate: The Importance of Encouragement”; and “Delegate: The Importance of Collaboration”. He ends by applying his four main points to our relationship with Jesus Christ: relate to Him by name (Rom. 10:13; John 10:3); congregate with Him daily in Word, prayer, and fellowship (Matt. 4:4; 1 Thes. 5:17-18); appreciate the Lord every hour by always giving thanks (Eph. 5:20); and delegate our burdens to Him because He cares for us (1 Pet. 5:7).
