Rufus

Overview

Meet Rufus: A Choice Man in the Lord

Scripture has its main characters—Abraham, David, Peter, Paul—but it also has a vast supporting cast whose lives quietly testify to the grace of God. One such figure appears near the close of Paul's letter to the Romans. As Paul greets the believers by name, he extends warm affirmations to many: Prisca and Aquila "risked their necks" for him, Epaenetus is his "beloved," Mary "worked very hard," and others are called fellow workers and compatriots in Christ Romans 16:3-12. Then comes a striking phrase: "Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, also his mother, who has been a mother to me as well" Romans 16:13.

Chosen in the Lord

Why does Paul single out Rufus as "chosen"? After all, every believer is chosen. Paul makes this gloriously clear in Ephesians 1:3-6: God "chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him." Before God ever said, "Let there be light," He had already set His love on His people. Our salvation is not the product of God peering down the corridors of history to see who would believe; it is His sovereign, gracious choice. He transforms hearts of stone into hearts that love Him, and faith itself is His gift—100% the work of God. We contribute nothing.

So Paul could have called any believer in Romans 16 "chosen in the Lord." Yet the Greek word here also carries the sense of "choice"—excellent, distinguished. The New American Standard captures it well: "a choice man in the Lord." Rufus was known. His love, service, and witness were so evident that Paul could highlight him by this single word. Mark, too, identifies his father as "Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus" Mark 15:21—a detail that only makes sense if these sons were known to the early church.

From the Cross to the Church

There is a striking thread here. Simon of Cyrene was forcibly chosen—seized by Roman soldiers to carry the cross of Christ when Jesus, exhausted from the scourging, could carry it no farther. The father was compelled to bear the cross of the Savior; the son became a man who freely bore witness to that same Savior. What began as compulsion in one generation became willing, choice service in the next. The grace that touched Simon's household bore fruit in his sons.

A Pastoral Word

None of us deserves to be chosen. There is nothing in us that prompted God's selection. Yet in Christ, the sin penalty has been paid, the resurrection seals the victory, and in the waters of baptism God claims us as His own. This is amazing grace. And the God who chose us before creation continues to shape us until He brings us home—forming us, day by day, into "choice" servants whose love and witness are visible to others.

May it be said of each of us, by the grace of God, that our lives bear the marks of one chosen and being transformed. May neighbors, family, and fellow believers look at us and recognize the work of God—and say, "You remind me of Rufus."

Transcript

Would you open your Bible with me this morning to the book of Romans? 1s

Please, the 16th chapter for our study this morning, Romans the 16th chapter. 5s

When you're watching a movie, there are some characters that are just on the screen more 15s

aren't they? 22s

They can be called the main characters or principles or whatever term you want to put 23s

on them, but they seem to be on the screen more than others. 29s

Well, addition to the main characters, there's a supporting cast in a movie. 37s

Some of the supporting cast can have very, very significant roles, in fact, can appear 42s

for quite a bit of the movie. 48s

Other supporting roles, the person might just come in just briefly and then they dis appear. 51s

What do you think about the Bible? 60s

There are some main characters that immediately come to mind aren't there? 62s

Noah Abraham, Isaiah David, Peter Paul, Mary, on and on goes the list. 69s

Just main characters that you see, a very significant role. 77s

But surrounding them. 85s

Surrounding them, these main characters is that supporting cast. 88s

Those people that, as you come across them in Scripture, they might be just a little bit 93s

lesser known. 99s

This summer, Pastor Maloneck and I in the months of June, July and August, each week, 102s

we're going to take a look at one of the lesser known people in the Bible. 109s

We're going to look at people like Abigail and Enoch and Shadrack, B. Shack and Abendigo. 115s

We're going to take a look at a host of people that perhaps there hasn't been too much 122s

focus given on. 128s

We're going to look at the supporting cast. 130s

In fact, that's what we've entitled this sermon series, the supporting cast. 133s

And we're going to shine a spotlight on these lesser known individuals in Scripture. 139s

Because there is so much to know when you freeze the frame on these supporting figures, 146s

these supporting cast, when you freeze the frame, shine the spotlight and learn from them. 154s

So as we kick off that series today, then, what supporting cast member should we lift 166s

up today? 173s

Well, how about Rufus? 174s

Rufus. 182s

We come across Rufus in the 16th chapter of the great great book of Romans. 184s

When Paul comes to the end of this book, he is expressing his love for individuals. 191s

He's bringing his greetings here. 197s

He's wanting those greetings to be passed along. 200s

And there's quite a few people that are listed in this 16th chapter of Romans. 203s

Quite a few is the list exhaustive by no means. 209s

But nonetheless, there are still quite a few people. 214s

Listen to what he says, for example, verse 3, 219s

greet Prisca and Aquila who work with me in Christ Jesus, 223s

and to risk their necks for my life. 229s

He wants this greeting to be extended. 235s

He's saying that this husband and wife team, they had risked their necks for Paul. 238s

They had put their own lives on the line. 244s

It's a greeting born out of love. 248s

He goes on in the very next verse, verse 5, greet also the church in their house, 252s

greet my beloved Epinatus who was the first convert in Asia for Christ. 258s

Notice the reference, my beloved, my beloved. 266s

Going on, verse 6, greet Mary who has worked very hard among you. 271s

So he lifts up this couple that risks their necks. 279s

He lifts up one. He says, my beloved, he lifts up Mary and says, 282s

she worked very hard. 288s

And as you continue to go down the list, you see these greetings and these expressions of love here 291s

that are given by Paul. He says, for example, they were my compatriots. 299s

Or they were my coworker, approved in Christ. They're workers in the Lord. 304s

It's just wonderful, intimate, beautiful chapter of this expression of love for these individuals. 310s

Risternecks, beloved, worked very hard, compatriots, co-worker, approved in Christ, workers in the Lord. 320s

Then you come down to Rufus. 330s

And in particular, his mother. 334s

Look at the second part of verse 13 with me, please. 339s

And greet his mother, greet Rufus's mother, a mother to me. 344s

Also, what a beautiful phrase that is. 351s

Now, the Apostle Paul is not saying that he and Rufus were brothers by birth. 357s

No, he's not saying that. But what he's saying is that the mother of Rufus had given 363s

whether on an occasion or repeated occasions, some expression of love that he says, 370s

that's just like a mother's love. Just like a mother's love. 378s

We don't know what it was, but we know that it deeply touched the Apostle Paul 383s

to where he would say of Rufus's mother that she was a mother to him also. 389s

How beautiful. And then in the first part of verse 13, it's specifically addresses, Rufus. 400s

Greet Rufus chosen in the Lord, chosen in the Lord. 410s

As you reflect on the various things that Paul is saying to these people, 424s

as you go down the list in chapter 16, beautiful, beautiful statements that are made in this 430s

reading and references that the Apostle Paul is such an affirming manner is referencing these people. 439s

But if you had a choice between Rufus and Rufus, one who had risked their neck or beloved or 448s

worked very hard or a compatriot or a co-worker, approved in Christ, worker in the Lord, or even 456s

like a mother. And you had a choice between one of those and chosen in the Lord. 464s

There's a real appeal, isn't there, to how Rufus is referenced as one chosen in the Lord. 477s

Why Rufus? Why Rufus in this list that Paul gives, why was Rufus the one that was singled out 496s

and Paul said chosen in the Lord? Why him? Because as we see from the witness of scripture, 506s

all believers are chosen, all believers are chosen. Let me show it to you. 517s

In Ephesians 1, chapter, the Apostle Paul writing under the inspiration of the Spirit says this, 527s

beginning in verse 3 of chapter 1 of Ephesians. He says this, 534s

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every 541s

spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. In Christ Jesus, in relationship with him, you lack nothing. 552s

This is one of my favorite portions of scripture. It is a burst of praise by the Apostle Paul. 561s

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every 567s

spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. And then he says this, just as he chose us in Christ 573s

before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him. In love, 584s

just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before 593s

him in love. Believer that means before God ever said, let there be before God ever created a thing, 601s

before He ever said, let there be light before He ever said anything with regard to creation. 613s

You believe her, had been elected by him. God didn't look down the holes of history and say, 621s

well, now there is someone who in the future is going to believe in me, therefore I will elect them. 632s

No, God simply believe her, elected you. You were chosen, you were elected. And God 637s

transformed your heart of stone, your heart of rebellion against God because that's how all of us are born, 647s

wanting absolutely nothing to do with God. God transformed your heart into a lover of him. 655s

God transformed you so you fell in love with the Lord Jesus Christ. God gave you the gift of faith. 666s

That gift of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, that gift is 100% the work of God. We contribute nothing to it. 674s

It's not like God says, well, I'll do 99.9% of the work, but that other little bit, now, 687s

that's left up to you, no, no. Believe her, you believe because you were elected before God created. 695s

You were elected to be a believer and God has transformed your heart. 706s

Going back into verse 4 again, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world 716s

to be holy and blameless before him in love, then he goes on to say, he destined us for adoption 723s

as his children through Jesus Christ. According to the good pleasure of his will, 735s

in other words, it delighted him, believe her, to choose you. To the praise of his glorious grace 743s

that he freely bestowed on us in the beloved, beloved is capitalized, beloved is referring 750s

to the Lord Jesus Christ. Powerful words here, it's a beautiful picture that you were chosen, 758s

that you were destined. Will all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are equally chosen? 766s

So any of the believers in Romans the 16th chapter, Paul could have said the same thing. 781s

Paul could have said the same thing, they're chosen in the Lord, every believer is equally chosen. 789s

So why roof is? Why roof is? Why does Paul writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit? 798s

Why does Paul say of roof is? roof is chosen in the Lord. His name was Simon. 808s

And when you look at the New Testament, there are nine different Simon's. 829s

There's Simon Peter. There's Simon the brother of Jesus. There's Simon, the Pharisee. There's Simon, 836s

the Zeleth. There's Simon the lepros, Simon the sorcerer, Simon the Tanner. That's eight. 845s

There's one more. There's a ninth Simon in the New Testament. 855s

And his name was Simon of Cyrene. Cyrene was a place in Africa. It's modern day Libya. 860s

And there in Cyrene was a Jewish population. And Simon of Cyrene was part of that Jewish population. 874s

He made the travel from Cyrene to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. 883s

The Passover, of course. That celebration recalled that great event recorded in the Old Testament. 893s

We're God freed his people from the oppressive hand of the Pharaoh. 900s

freed them from Egypt, propelling them to the promised land. God putting on display his power. 906s

And there was an act of judgment that God was doing in that land. And God told his people to take 916s

the lambs to sacrifice them to put the blood on the door post and the lintal and the Lord would 924s

pass over all of the houses that had the blood on it. And there would be no harm to his people. 929s

The people then were commanded every year to celebrate the Passover. 937s

And so what Simon of Cyrene had done is he came from his home in Africa. 944s

He came to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. 954s

It was during this time that the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified. 962s

And Simon was passing by. The Bible tells us in Matthew and in Mark that 971s

he was compelled to carry the cross of Christ. In Luke it says that he was seized to carry the cross of Christ. 983s

See Jesus had just gone through the scourging. Scourging was absolutely terrible. In fact, 995s

many people simply didn't even survive the scourging to get to the crucifixion. They died during the scourging. 1001s

Jesus, true God and true man. And so Jesus, he ate, he got tired, he needed rest. 1009s

As true human and true God, he was sinless. But that doesn't minimize the fact that 1021s

he would feel exhaustion. He would feel pain. And so as he came out of that scourging, 1029s

he was unable to carry his cross. There's a very, very good possibility 1037s

that the carrying of the cross wasn't just the cross beam, but it was the entire cross that Jesus 1046s

would have to carry them through the street. So you're talking then 200 pounds. 1052s

Well Jesus is gosted. He's just gone through the scourging. He can't carry that. 1061s

And so Simon of Syreen, he was compelled, 1069s

forcibly chosen to carry the cross of Christ. The soldiers had the authority to do that. 1076s

In ancient day a Roman soldier could turn to a person and say carry my bag for one mile. 1088s

And there was a legal obligation for that person to carry that soldier's bag for a mile. 1093s

Never when Jesus said, if you're compelled to carry something for a mile, 1099s

carry it for another mile. Can you imagine the witness said was made? 1107s

When a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ is compelled to carry a bag for the Roman soldier 1112s

and they come to the end of the mile. And instead of putting down the bag because the legal 1118s

requirement had been met, the Christian turns to the Roman soldier and says, I'll go ahead and 1123s

carry it another mile for you. Can you imagine the shock of the Roman soldier? Jesus had do that 1129s

because it's a way to love. It's a way to witness. Here, the soldiers, the soldiers, 1135s

forcibly chose Simon of Syreen to carry the cross of Jesus. 1144s

Simon had two boys, two boys. And in Mark, the 15th chapter, we read this. 1157s

They compelled the passerby who was coming in from the country to carry his cross. 1169s

It was Simon of Syreen, the father of Alexander and Rufus, the father of Alexander 1176s

and Rufus. The one who was forcibly chosen to carry the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ had a son 1195s

that the apostle Paul referred to as chosen in the Lord. 1214s

One forcibly chosen to carry the cross of Christ, his son, Rufus, is called by Paul in the 1225s

world. That word in the 16th chapter of Romans, it means choice. Extraordinary, excellent. 1243s

That's why I love the translation in the new American standard version because it gets right at the meeting. 1257s

In the new American standard version, it translates that beginning of verse 13, it says, 1265s

greet Rufus, a choice man in the Lord, a choice man in the Lord. People would have known 1270s

Rufus' father and people would have known Rufus. Mark would never have mentioned Rufus' name 1286s

in the 15th chapter when he's referring to Simon of Syreen and then he says, he had to sons, 1298s

Alexander and Rufus. Mark never would have mentioned Rufus if the people didn't know 1305s

Rufus. People knew exactly who Rufus was. He was a man of choice. 1313s

In other words, expressed from Rufus was this love and service that was known, expressed from Rufus, 1323s

was this excellence. People knew who Rufus was because they had experienced his love. 1336s

They had heard his witness. He was a witness to the Lord at Jesus Christ 1343s

and people knew who Rufus was. One who lived his faith in Word and deed, a man of choice. 1349s

Here was one, Rufus. Chosen before God ever created, chosen for salvation and formed by God 1366s

into one who is a choice servant of Him. None of us, none of us, 1384s

deserved to be chosen by the Lord for salvation. There's nothing that we can do 1401s

that God would say. Now there is one. There's nothing that we can do. In fact, before we were ever 1411s

born, we were elect God chose us. That's grace. God sent his son, the Lord Jesus Christ, 1421s

to the cross, paid our sin penalty. Jesus raised from the dead, the sacrifice for sin being accepted, 1433s

reconciliation with God, affected, were claimed in the waters of baptism. God takes the 1443s

victory and applies it to us. God transforms our hearts into followers of Him. Oh, the absolute grace 1452s

of God, there's nothing, nothing we could do to earn our being chosen. We were chosen 1465s

before God said, let there be light. Amazing grace. May by the grace of God, 1475s

may it be said of each one of us, their choice, their choice. In other words, by the grace of God, 1490s

may people see in us that love and service that brings glory to God. See God is constantly 1506s

at work and us constantly transforming us to be more and more like Jesus Christ. And that will 1517s

never end until the day that the Lord takes us home to heavenly glory. God is continually 1522s

transforming us into people of choice. May we be, may we be that person by God's grace, 1530s

where our love and our witness is known by others. In other words, may people turn to us and say, 1544s

you're a man, a woman, a boy, a girl, where I see where God has worked in your life and is 1566s

working in your life, bringing forth that person of choice. Chosen for all of eternity and that 1574s

person of choice that serves God as long as we have breath. May people turn to us and say, 1588s

that's who it is, that's who it is. You know who you remind me of, 1603s

you remind me of Rufus. Rufus. 1611s