Jump Start # 3078

Romans 16:5 “Also greet the church that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus my beloved, who is the first convert to Christ from Asia.”

Firsts are important. Guys remember their first car. Girls remember their first date. Your first trip to Disney, your child’s first step, your first day at a new job, your first homerun, we remember those times. The first time you saw your name in a book, that was special. Some remember the first time they stood behind a pulpit. Biblically, the first man was Adam. The first high priest was Aaron. The first king of Israel was Saul. The first temple was named after Solomon. We tend to remember the firsts. It seems that Paul did as well.

Here in our verse is Epaenetus. Three things we know about him. First, he was a disciple of Jesus. Second, he was loved by Paul. Third, he was the first Christian from Asia. Another Bible first! There are some things we can learn from ole’ Epaenetus.

First, he was the first. He was not only the first Christian in his family, the first in his neighborhood, he was the first on the continent of Asia. His choice to follow Jesus was not something that was encouraged by his environment. He didn’t have a family that taught him the ways of the Lord. He did not grow up with kids from church. He didn’t go to summer camps that taught the Bible. No VBS for Epaenetus. He didn’t see his dad giving talks in church. He didn’t have an older brother that prayed before the congregation. Nope. Epaenetus was the first.

It takes courage to be the first. I baptized a young man recently who also was a first. He was not the first in Asia, but the first in his family. Many of our readers walked a similar path. It’s hard when one is the first. It’s a bit scary. Often the reaction at home is not kind. Some have had to face being cast out of the family. Some have had to find another place to live. In a pagan world of Asia, Epaenetus would have a neighborhood, community and culture that was against him. Idols and temples were in the DNA of pagans. Ephaenetus heard the Gospel of Christ and he knew enough to become obedient. He was baptized and started a journey with Jesus.

For many, even today, going against family is too much. They would rather remain in their sins and worship in error than go against the way they were raised. Their tie to the family is stronger than their love for the Lord.

Second, Epaenetus must have excelled as a Christian. How can one say that? He is listed here in Romans 16. I do not believe Paul named every single member of that church. He was naming those who worked hard, who risked their necks, who were outstanding among the apostles, who were fellow workers, who are approved in Christ and those who were beloved. Epaenetus is among those names. He is beloved by Paul. How easy for this first convert of Asia to lay low, fly under the radar, not bring any attention to himself, but he didn’t. He was beloved. One gets that way by helping others. One becomes beloved because he serves. One is beloved because he demonstrates a heart of compassion. Those are all risky choices, especially if you are the first.

Third, whatever happened to Epaenetus? Did he return home and lead others to Christ? Did he establish congregations in the community he was from? Did he preach? Did he die a martyr? Did he stay with it until the Lord called him home? This is the only time his name appears in Scriptures. Will we see him in Heaven? I hope so.

More important than this, is you story. Are you considered beloved by the church you are a part of? Are you making a difference to those around you? Are you shinning your light for Jesus? How will your story end? Will you stay with it until Jesus calls you home? Will we see you in Heaven? Those are the thoughts that we need to focus on.

The first…someday someone will be the last.

Roger