My Family’s Worship in Rome

My family and I recently visited Italy and were in Rome on a Sunday. From what little information we were able to find about the Lord’s church, there did not appear to be an English-speaking service, so we had our own worship in the apartment where we were staying.

Singing and the Lord’s Supper

We sang, “Be Still and Know that I am God,” “Create in Me a Clean Heart,” and “Jesus Let Us Come to Know You.”

For the Lord’s Supper we read a passage that Paul had written from Rome: “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Phil. 2:5-8).¹

At the close of the Lord's Supper we sang, “He Paid a Debt He Did Not Owe.”

The Bible Lesson:

Rome is not mentioned in the OT. But during the four centuries between the close of OT history and the beginning of NT history, Rome had grown from a tiny village to a city to a kingdom to a Republic to an Empire. When the NT record opens, Rome is the dominating world power. 

The first explicit reference to Rome in the NT is Acts 2:10, where Jewish “visitors from Rome” were present in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost. When Christians were then forced to leave Jerusalem, taking the gospel with them (Acts 8:4), it is probable that the message of Christ was taken back to Rome, as Paul later writes to the “saints” living there (Rom. 1:7; 16:1-16). The NT records the names of at least 44 Christians who lived in Rome or at least spent time in Rome,² along with many others who are unnamed.

The book of Acts closes with Paul having been confined to house arrest in Rome for two whole years (Acts 28:16-31). During this time he wrote Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. It appears that Paul was released, made subsequent travels, was imprisoned again in Rome, and then composed his final apostolic manuscript, the epistle we know as 2 Timothy. 

Not long before his death, with only Luke remaining with him, Paul penned these words from Rome: 

“As for you [Timothy], always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (2 Tim. 4:5). At the end of his life Paul’s chief concern was for the continuance of the Lord’s work. All Christians are servants in God’s kingdom and therefore each of us has a ministry to fulfill. 

“For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim. 4:6-7). Paul had no regrets about having given his life to Christ and spending the rest of it, despite the many challenges, to personal faithfulness and the relentless sharing of the gospel message. May we do the same.

“Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing” (2 Tim. 4:8). The heavenly reward Paul anticipated is still available to us. Let’s keep our commitment to stay together as a family throughout this life and into eternity.

“Do your best to come to me soon. For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica ...” (2 Tim. 4:9-10a). We can’t always depend on other people. Inevitably there will be those who disappoint us and let us down. But this should never affect our dedication and service to the Lord.

“Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia” (2 Tim. 4:9b). Others left Paul for what appears to have been more noble reasons. Let’s be thankful there are other brothers and sisters in the church who are busy doing the Lord’s work.

“Luke alone is with me” (2 Tim. 4:11a). Paul had a true companion, brother, and friend in Luke. Loyalty, especially among those in Christ, is a true blessing. Let’s be like Luke.

“Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry” (2 Tim. 4:11b). This statement is somewhat ironic because several years earlier Paul did not think very highly of John Mark, causing a rift in his long-time partnership with Barnabas (Acts 15:37-40). With these words, however, we see what can happen when an apparent failure is given a second chance and when one is humble enough to forgive and encourage.

Singing and Prayer

We sang, “Blessed Assurance Jesus is Mine,” and “When We All Get to Heaven.” Then we prayed.

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ The electronic version of the Bible I have on my phone is the ESV.

     ² Paul (Acts 28:14-31; 2 Tim. 1:17 ), Timothy (Phil. 1:1; 2:19; Col. 1:1; Philem. 1; 2 Tim. 4:9, 13, 21), Luke (Col. 4:14a; Philem. 24; 2 Tim. 4:11), Tychicus (Eph. 6:21; Col. 4:7; 2 Tim. 4:12), Onesimus (Col. 4:9; Philem. 10), Aristarchus (Col. 4:10a; Philem. 24), John Mark (Col. 4:10b; Philem. 24; 1 Pet. 5:13b), Jesus Justus (Col. 4:11), Epaphras (Col. 4:12; Philem. 23), Demas (Col. 4:14b; Philem. 24), Epaphroditus (Phil. 2:25; 2 Tim. 4:18), Eubulus (2 Tim. 4:21), Pudens, Linus, and Claudia (2 Tim. 4:21), Peter (1 Pet. 5:13a), Silvanus (1 Pet. 5:12), Phoebe (Rom. 16:1), Priscilla and Aquila (Acts 18:2; Rom. 16:3), Epaenetus (Rom. 16:5), Mary (Rom. 16:6), Andronicus and Junia (Rom. 16:7), Ampliatus (Rom. 16:8), Urbanus and Stachys (Rom. 16:9), Apelles and Aristobulus’ family (Rom. 16:10), Herodion and Narcissus’ family (Rom. 16:11), Tryphaena, Tryphosa, and Persis (Rom. 16:12), Rufus, his mother (Rom. 16:13) and Alexander (Mark 15:21), Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, and Hermas (Rom. 16:14), Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas (Rom. 16:15).

Related Posts: My Family's Worship in Corinth, My Recent Visit to the Bible Lands

 

Image credit: Photo taken at St. Peter’s Square in Rome.