A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation.
Search Daily Encouragement
(Click refresh or reload for current message)
Wednesday, May 15, 2024
"Urbanus, A Fellow Worker"
Note:
This week we
are
considering
several lesser
known Bible
characters
from a portion
of Scripture
one Bible
teacher calls
"a grocery
list of
names".
Message summary: Today consider your fellow workers in Christ's Kingdom work, genuine Christians you have known who have walked the road less traveled. Their heart's desire was to devote their lives to Jesus and to make a difference for Him in the lives of those around them. Thank God for the many people they touched, including your own!
Listen
to our message
on your audio
player.
Paul had a very close walk with the Lord and also had many people in his life. Many years ago I did a study of proper names associated with Paul beginning with his conversion in Acts and referenced in each of his epistles. Over 100 separate names are listed from the familiar, like Timothy, to the obscure like Urbanus.
It seems all too frequent that some nationally or internationally prominent Christian personality is exposed for being a fraud. In many of these leaders I had serious reservations about their ministry all along and the reports were not surprising to me. But I consider the damage it leaves behind for people whom we seek to influence, especially those who are inclined to believe this represents genuine Christians. It's great ammunition for those who claim "All Christians are hypocrites".
But then I consider the ordinary people in each church I have served or attended and those I have worked with in various ministries. Most of you would not know of them since they serve in relative obscurity, as have the vast majority of genuine Christians all through this two thousand year church age.
It's unlikely that Bible readers have paid much attention to today's text even though it's in one of the most familiar books of the Bible. I knew a man named Urban Ginther from northern Pennsylvania but I don’t know whether he was named after Urbanus. I doubt that Urbanus is listed in the book of popular names for babies! Perhaps it would be a good name for a baby born in an urban city, kind of like the name Oceanus (Latin for "ocean") given to a baby boy born on board the Mayflower as it was sailing toward the new world in 1620.
Urbanus is mentioned only once in the entire Scriptures. He wasn't one of the "major players" like Paul and other famous Bible characters. Most readers, even those who faithfully read the Bible, have probably never paused to consider his role at all. But Paul calls him a "fellow worker", which is the sum total of biographical data we have on him.
Today consider genuine Christians you know presently or those from the past who have walked the road less traveled. Their heart's desire was to devote their lives to Jesus and make a difference for Him in the lives of those around them. Thank God for the many people they touched, including your own!
Be encouraged today, Hebrews 3:13
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer:
Father, how
grateful we
are for those
who roll up
their sleeves
and get
involved in
Kingdom work.
They help
carry the
burdens of
those who are
weighed down.
They pray
people through
to salvation.
They visit the
sick and
imprisoned.
They give
generously of
their
resources.
They take a
stand for
righteousness
sake. They
endure trial
after trial
providing an
example for
those who need
to see what it
is to remain
faithful
during times
of testing.
These fellow
workers make
the journey a
little sweeter
and a lot more
enjoyable as
we travel
through to the
other side. We
give thanks
for our fellow
believers who
come alongside
us. And we
give thanks
for those
whose kinship
we feel
through these
daily
encouragement
messages.
Bless our
fellow workers
in Your name,
Lord Jesus, we
pray. Amen.
From
yesterday's
mail
regarding
hard-working
Mary, an
example for us
all:
The church janitor/custodian really hits home to me. As my mom and dad were church custodians for 27 years in our home church. It was their full-time job and raised my sister and I right beside them as we also helped them with various chores. They worked hard and did their work as unto the Lord and felt a call to the work. Yes everyone expected things to be in order but the thanks was often overlooked. Thanks for your recognition of those who do this job. (Glenn)
Very interesting since I grew up with my father as the janitor of our church and he was thought lowly of and treated that way at times by certain members. His main job when he was working, it was a pipefitter for the Reading Railroad. Sometimes that would only be for 6 months of a year. I think he only had an 8th grade education but I am not sure there. I did find an 8th grade final exam online and could not believe how much was involved with it. He was excellent doing many things for the church and parsonage. I used to help him at the church with cleaning when he would get called into work. I am not sure when that ended but eventually he worked for Firestone in Pottstown. In 1996 I was offered the Sexton job and accepted it for the same church and I was highly thought of....The Lord made sure I could do some parts of my job having to do with height that I never would have tried because of my fear of height. So Praise the Lord; Period. God Bless All. (Barry)
List
of proper
names in
Romans 16:
Phoebe,
Priscilla,
Aquila,
Epenetus,
Mary,
Andronicus,
Junias,
Ampliatus,
Urbanus,
Stachys,
Apelles,
Aristobulus
&
household,
Herodion
(relative),
Narcissus
&
household,
Tryphena,
Tryphosa,
Persis, Rufus
& his
mother,
Asyncritus,
Phlegon,
Hermes,
Patrobas,
Hermas &
brothers with
him,
Philologus,
Julia, Neures
and his
sister,
Olympas,
Timothy,
Lucius, Jason,
Sosipater,
Tertius,
Gaius,
Erastus,
Quartus
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"The
Longer I Serve
Him"
Watch
on YouTube
Bill
Gaither
Click on photo to enlarge
In considering support we are so pleased when we hear from you, our readers, that our messages are a source of teaching and encouragement to you. We also urge you to consider the mission aspect of these daily teachings that are freely available and read by many all over the world.
To
donate
directly
online click
here.
(This will
open to a page
that
designates the
offering to:
Stephen and
Brooksyne
Weber -
700001-237376
serving in
specialized
chaplaincy
(Daily
Encouragement
is our
endorsed
special
chaplaincy
ministry).
Stephen & Brooksyne
Daily Encouragement on:
Wordpress
iHeart
radioPermissions: Please feel free to pass on, reproduce and distribute any material on Daily Encouragement Net, in part or in whole, in any format, provided that you do not alter the wording in any way or charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction. It is our desire to spread this material, not protect or restrict it. We do request that you keep the contact, copyright and subscription information intact.
Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version and a variety of other versions.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
© Copyright 2024 Stephen C. & Brooksyne Weber - All Rights Reserved
Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA