Have you seen that Allstate commercial?
A young man walks up to his girlfriend’s house, wearing a bright blue Duke shirt. He knocks. The door swings open — and immediately, you can tell... something’s wrong.
The family inside? Die-hard UNC fans. There’s Carolina gear on every wall, every shelf — it’s like Chapel Hill exploded in their living room. They just stare at him. Speechless. Horrified. He looks at their faces... realizes his mistake... and just quietly turns around and walks away.
It’s a funny ad — but it hits on something real, doesn’t it?
We take rivalry seriously. Way too seriously.
Now... can I just admit something to you? I’ve never fully understood rivalry.
My sister was a Duke fan for years. Why? Because my dad was a Duke fan. Then... she went to UNC.
When Duke played? She’d lock herself in her room to watch in peace. She didn’t want to hear anyone else’s opinions. Didn’t want to see anyone’s reactions. Just her, the game, and all the stress of divided loyalties.
And I just thought… all this tension? Over basketball teams?
Listen — I get it. It’s fun. It’s tradition. But can we just ask the question:
Why do we let such small things get in the way of the big ones?
Because it’s not just sports.
It’s church. It’s relationships. It’s politics. It’s pride.
And before you know it, you’ve got a room full of Christians who claim to love the same Jesus but can’t even speak to one another.
This is what rivalry, comparison, ego — what the flesh — does.
It fractures us.
But God? God is calling us to something entirely different.
We’ve been in this series where we’re talking about meditating on the Word of God — about letting God’s voice become the loudest voice in our lives.
And one of the first things that happens when that transformation begins...
Is that we start to see people differently.
We stop sizing people up.
We stop defining people by their past, or their background, or their opinions.
And we start seeing them through the lens of Jesus.
We start realizing... we’re not enemies. We’re not rivals.
We’re family.
We’re all on the same team.
Not a team defined by logo or label or jersey color — but by the cross.
Not a team formed by strategy — but by grace.
A team that looks nothing like this world’s divisions — and everything like heaven’s embrace.
So here’s the heart of it:
When we center ourselves around the Word of God, it doesn’t just change me. It unites us.
It creates harmony.
It calls us back to one another.
It reminds us:
We’re on the same team.
One team. One family. One mission.
Let’s practice it right now — turn to someone next to you, look them in the eye, and say:
“We’re on the same team.”
(…pause…)
Because we are.
And if we forget that — if we let rivalry, pride, or hurt divide us — we’re not just breaking community.
We’re stepping off the field.
Let’s not do that.
Let’s press in.
Let’s remember who we are — and whose we are.
Romans 16 gives us a picture of what God’s team actually looks like.
And let me tell you — it’s surprising.
Because this team? It’s not made up of people who look the same, talk the same, vote the same, or think the same.
It’s not a polished lineup of religious professionals.
It’s people from every background, every walk of life, every gift set, every corner of the empire.
Not united by jersey.
United by Jesus.
Now I get it — it might seem strange to spend this much time in what feels like a biblical roll call.
At first glance, Romans 16 looks like the part you skip during your quiet time. It’s almost like the book of Numbers wandered into the New Testament.
But look again.
This “list” isn’t filler.
It’s not a footnote.
It’s a snapshot of a real, living, breathing church family — full of stories, scars, miracles, and mission.
And it’s beautiful.
In the first 24 verses, Paul greets 33 different people — by name.
And every name… tells a story.
He starts with Phoebe.
She’s the one likely carrying the letter — the Book of Romans — to the believers in Rome. Think about that. God entrusted one of the most theologically rich, world-shaping letters in history… to a Gentile woman.
She was probably a wealthy business leader. Her name is associated with the goddess Artemis — and yet, here she is… trusted, respected, and named first.
And what’s amazing? She didn’t change her name.
It didn’t matter to the early church that her name had pagan roots.
Because in Jesus, she had a new identity. A better story. A deeper belonging.
Next, we meet Andronicus and Junia — most likely a husband-and-wife team.
Jewish believers. Paul calls them his “kinsmen.”
And he says they were in Christ before he was — meaning they may have come to faith all the way back at Pentecost.
Think about that: while Paul was still persecuting the church, these two were already following Jesus. Already building the team.
Then there’s this — Paul greets the households of Aristobulus and Narcissus.
And what that probably means… is that he’s greeting the slaves in those households.
Aristobulus may have been the grandson of Herod the Great. Narcissus was a powerful Roman official who was executed by Nero.
Here’s what’s crazy: when these men died, many of their household slaves would’ve been transferred into Caesar’s household.
So these believers? They’re now slaves in Caesar’s palace.
And yet Paul names them. Honors them. Says, “You’re on the team.”
Can you imagine? Followers of Jesus embedded in the heart of imperial Rome — not leading rebellions, not storming the gates — but serving quietly, loving faithfully, changing eternity from the inside out.
And then there’s Erastus.
He was a city official — probably the treasurer or manager of Corinth.
One of the most powerful civic leaders in the region. And yet, here he is — working side by side with regular people.
No platform. No ego. Just humble gospel service.
And we actually have archaeological evidence of him — his name is literally carved into the pavement of ancient Corinth.
So what do we do with all this?
We realize: the early church wasn’t just diverse — it was radically so.
Multi-ethnic. Multi-class. Multi-gender. Multi-lingual.
Men and women. Jews and Gentiles. Slaves and civic leaders.
All worshiping together. All greeting one another. All sharing one name.
And that name… is Jesus.
The gospel broke down every dividing wall.
Every cultural, political, racial, and socioeconomic barrier.
And it built something the world had never seen before:
One new humanity. One new family. One new team.
Not a team of clones.
Not a team of insiders.
A team where the only thing everyone had in common…
was grace.
That’s the team God is building.
That’s the church.
And that’s what we get to be part of.
You cannot read Romans 16 and come away thinking the church is a solo sport.
You just can’t.
This chapter isn’t about spiritual superheroes doing individual missions for God. It’s not a bunch of Lone Rangers writing blog posts about their personal quiet times.
This is family.
This is team.
This is a deeply connected, Spirit-formed community — bound together in love, suffering, and shared mission.
And Paul? He doesn’t just list names.
He tells stories — sometimes with just a phrase. A line of honor. A moment of holy memory.
He writes:
“[Priscilla and Aquila]… my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their necks for my life.” (Romans 16:4)
That’s loyalty.
That’s sacrifice.
That’s “I’ve got your back no matter what” kind of friendship.
They didn’t just host a small group. They put their lives on the line.
Then there’s Mary:
“[Mary]… worked very hard for you.” (v.6)
She wasn’t just showing up.
She was pouring herself out.
No spotlight. No stage. Just faithful, exhausting service to the people of God.
Next: Tryphena and Tryphosa.
“Greet those workers in the Lord…” (v.12)
Maybe sisters. Maybe twins.
Clearly united in gospel labor — side by side. Shoulder to shoulder.
Then Persis:
“Greet the beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord.” (v.12)
Beloved. Tireless. Steady.
She’s not just on the team — she embodies the heart of it.
And this one always gets me:
“Greet Rufus’s mother, who has been a mother to me as well.” (v.13)
Can you feel that?
Paul — the church planter, theologian, apostle — didn’t just find coworkers.
He found family.
She cooked for him.
Prayed for him.
Treated him like a son.
Do you see the picture?
This isn’t some formal directory or ministry org chart.
These are people who opened their homes, risked their lives, shared meals, shared tears, shared joy.
This is what happens when the gospel takes root in real relationships.
It creates something so much deeper than casual Sunday attendance.
The gospel doesn’t just save individuals — it builds a team.
A Jesus-centered, Spirit-filled, others-focused family.
Not perfect. But real. Bound together not by common hobbies — but by the cross.
Let me ask you:
Who do you go to battle with in prayer?
Who do you walk with when the road gets long?
Who knows you well enough to call out your gifts — or your blind spots?
And maybe the harder question…
If the church is a team… are you actually in the game?
Or are you just sitting in the stands?
Showing up, watching others serve, clapping when it’s good — but never fully joining?
There is something better than spiritual independence.
There is something more beautiful than a curated, convenient Christian life.
It’s this.
A church where people work hard, love deeply, and carry each other toward Jesus.
That’s what Romans 16 invites us into.
Not just belief in Jesus — but belonging to His people.
Sports and battle — they’re often talked about together, and for good reason.
Coach Knute Rockne said it best:
“Like a battlefield, the attitude of the team can determine the outcome.”
When you read Romans 16, after Paul celebrates this beautiful, diverse team of gospel coworkers, he takes a sharp turn.
Because here’s the truth: Unity is fragile.
And there’s an enemy out there who wants to break the team apart.
Being on the same team means we don’t fight with each other —
we fight for each other.
We fight against what divides us: ego, comparison, false teaching, pride, selfish ambition.
Paul knows this danger well.
He warns about it here in Romans 16 —
and again and again in his letters to Timothy:
“Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits…”
(2 Timothy 2:3-4)
We’re not just teammates.
We’re soldiers.
Locked arm-in-arm.
Shoulder to shoulder.
Because the strength of one depends on the commitment of all.
Let me tell you a story you might remember — the 2004 USA Men’s Olympic Basketball Team.
They had Hall of Fame talent:
LeBron James.
Dwyane Wade.
Tim Duncan.
Allen Iverson.
Carmelo Anthony.
On paper? They should’ve crushed it.
But instead?
They lost three games —
the most losses any US team ever had at the Olympics —
and settled for bronze.
What went wrong?
Not talent. Not skill.
The problem was ego.
Isolation.
No chemistry.
Everyone was playing their own game.
No shared mission.
No unity.
The church can fall into the same trap.
We’ve got gifts.
We’ve got passion.
But without unity —
without love —
without a shared vision rooted in Jesus —
We lose.
We fracture.
We become spectators.
Or worse… rivals.
Here’s the incredible reality of God’s family:
You’re closer in spirit to a believer across the world
than to some members of your own biological family who don’t believe.
In Christ, we share a tribal bond —
a connection deeper than bloodlines, culture, or language.
We belong to the same King.
We carry the same mission.
We’re on the same team.
Paul reminds us:
The enemy wants to fracture the team — so we stay alert and anchored in truth.
How?
By saturating ourselves in God’s Word.
Unity isn’t found in personality, style, or agreement on everything.
It’s found in truth.
In Jesus.
In Scripture.
This is why meditating on God’s Word isn’t just a personal thing —
it’s essential for community.
Romans 16 shows us what God’s team should look like:
Diverse. Humble. Others-focused.
All united under one name — Jesus.
And being on that team means we fight:
Not with each other…
But against everything that would divide us.
Paul closes his letter in Romans 16 with a powerful benediction:
“Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ...
To the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.” (Romans 16:25–27)
Pause and think about that.
Paul just named over 30 co-laborers — friends, family, servants, leaders — all those people who made the church what it was.
But he doesn’t end the letter by celebrating the team.
He ends it by worshiping Jesus.
Why?
Because no matter how gifted the team is —
no matter how diverse, passionate, committed —
There’s only one Hero.
The team is beautiful.
But it’s His team.
We serve.
But He gets the glory.
Francis Schaeffer said it this way:
“No one plays the hero in the church but Christ.”
That is the core truth at the center of our unity.
It’s not about each other.
It’s about Christ.
The reason we fight for harmony,
the reason we serve one another,
the reason we live transformed lives —
It’s because we have been rescued.
We have been redeemed.
We have been called by Jesus.
And so everything we do —
every act of love, every step toward unity —
it’s an outpouring of worship to Him.
So as you think about Romans 16 — this amazing team, this picture of the church —
Remember: The only true Hero is Jesus.
And He is the one who holds the whole team together.
Here’s the good news for you today:
You are not alone.
You are not isolated.
You are not forgotten.
You’re part of something so much bigger than yourself —
A Spirit-filled, Jesus-centered team
That stretches across continents, cultures, and centuries.
What if Romans 16 isn’t just some old list of names?
What if it’s a preview of what our church could look like?
A family of people who love deeply, serve sacrificially, and work side by side.
People who risk for each other.
Pray for each other.
Know each other.
A community where the diversity of our stories
Becomes the very strength of our testimony.
Here’s the call:
Stay on the team.
Don’t drift.
Don’t isolate.
Don’t spectate from the sidelines.
Stay on the team.
Stay rooted in the Word.
Stay committed to the mission.
Stay in step with your brothers and sisters.
Because in a world full of rivalry, division, and loneliness...
This team — this gospel-formed, Spirit-empowered, Word-centered church —
Is God’s plan for healing the world.
What if we really lived like this team was real?
What if we looked more like Romans 16 —
and less like spiritual free agents?
People would see something different.
They’d see Jesus.
And they’d want in.
One team.
One family.
One mission.
One name above every name.
May we live as one —
for the glory of the only One.
Phone: (828) 202-9143
Email: hello@mcboone.com