| It wouldn't be easy to count how many friends you may have, would it? Some are close friends or relatives. Some are casual acquaintances. Others are from your place of employment. Still others may have moved out of your circle as the years have come and gone. But we all need friends and fellowship. Paul must have had a remarkable gift of friendship. He mentioned well over 100 friends in his epistles. What we have here today is a sample. Our reading is a long list of difficult names but look closely at what Paul said about each couple or person. Phoebe was a deaconess in the church at Cenchrea and had been a great help to Paul. He entrusted the manuscript of the epistle to her safe keeping. What a lot we owe her. It will be wonderful to see her and thank her in heaven. When did Priscilla and Aquila risk their lives for Paul? How big was their home in Rome where the church met? Were there other churches in Rome, too? Here is the name (v.5) of the first convert in Asia! What a record! Did Paul's relatives (v.7) pray him into the kingdom? There are several whom Paul said that they had worked hard for the sake of Christ and the church. (vv.6, 12). Tryphena and Tryphosa were possibly twin sisters. The only record we have concerning them is their work for Christ. There must be thousands like them, women who had served Christ in their local church, unnoticed by the world. All our churches should thank God for their faithfulness. They may not have been recognized on earth but they will be greatly rewarded in Heaven. The words "work hard" which Paul used concerning these women are very interesting for they tell us a great deal about their service. The picture given to us is one of extreme prolonged effort, not just a few minutes' work here and there. Sacrificial and faithful service is the kind God blesses. A VERSE TO REMEMBER: "Your labour is not in vain in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 15:58) | 
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