Where The Gospel Shines

“Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren who are with them. Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.” – Romans 16:13-15

This is where the story suddenly becomes personal. Rufus is called “chosen in the Lord”—not only saved, but likely set apart for a unique role in the church. And then Paul adds a tender phrase: “his mother and mine.” Not literally his mother, but a woman who had cared for Paul with the warmth, protection, and affection of a mother. We don’t know her name, but we know her love—and sometimes, that’s all that matters. God often uses unnamed saints to shape the lives of His greatest servants.

Who was Rufus? Mark 15:21 gives us a powerful clue. When Jesus was on His way to the cross, the soldiers forced a man named Simon of Cyrene to carry it. Mark adds that he was “the father of Alexander and Rufus.” If Mark wrote his Gospel from Rome, as many scholars believe, then Rufus was known to the Roman church. That means the man Paul greets here is likely the son of the man who carried Jesus’ cross. Imagine the stories he could tell—how his father came to Jerusalem for Passover and ended up bearing the burden of the Savior, and how that moment changed their family forever. Grace often runs through families in ways we never expect.

Paul then greets Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the believers who met with them—a house church faithfully serving in the quiet corners of Rome. And he closes with Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, Olympas, and another gathering of saints. One name stands out: Nereus. History records that in AD 95, Flavius Clemens—a Roman consul—and his wife Domitilla were condemned for being Christians. Their household treasurer was named Nereus. If this is the same man, then a slave helped lead a royal family to Christ. That is the power of the gospel. It reaches slaves and emperors, households and palaces, the known and the unknown. Faithfulness matters more than fame, love is the language of the church, and every name matters to God.

Live with the quiet confidence that God sees your faithfulness, remembers your labor, and uses your life in ways you may never fully understand. Whether you feel like Rufus with a unique calling, like his mother offering quiet care, or like the unnamed believers leading small gatherings, your place in God’s story is significant. Let your home, your relationships, and your daily service become places where the gospel shines.

“The path to true greatness lies in humble service, where the heart seeks only the approval of Christ.”
—Andrew Murray