Tributaries
Romans 16
Intro: (I heard a pastor from Idaho, Bro. Dean Herring preach this text a few years ago. I didn’t take notes, but it made an incredible impact on me. I took his title and sermon thought and made his message my own. I just wanted to acknowledge that.)
Years ago, I was able to visit the Great Mississippi River in the town of Natchez.
As a boy, I was amazed at the size of that river.
· The name Mississippi was derived from the Algonquian speaking Indians who dubbed it the ‘big’ (misi) ‘water’ (sipi). The river was also referred to as the ‘Father of Waters.’
· It is 2,340 miles long.
· The Mississippi River originates in Lake Itasca in Minnesota and ends at the Gulf of Mexico.
· The Mississippi River drops a whopping 1,475 feet measuring from its source in the north of Minnesota all the way to the Gulf of Mexico.
· The Mississippi River is home to a large ecosystem of fish, birds, amphibians, and mammals. At the last available data, there is a total of 50 species of mammals, 360 species of fish, 145 species of amphibians, and 326 species of birds living in or around the river.
· Algiers Point in New Orleans marks the deepest point on the Mississippi River. This deepest point measures approximately 200-deep.
· The river’s widest point measures 11 miles across.
· The Mississippi’s River’s rate of discharge into the Gulf of Mexico is roughly 600,000 cubic feet of water per second making it the greatest river discharge in North America and the eighth greatest in the world.
· Scientists have calculated that it takes a total of 90 days for a drop of water to travel the entire length of the river.
· The river passes through 10 states.
· The Mississippi provides hydroelectric power that generates electricity for several states. It also provides water to many of these states.
But this is what is fascinating.
If you go to the headwaters of the Great Mississippi River, you will be shocked.
It is not at all what you would imagine.
It is a creek that is about 18 feet wide and 18 inches deep.
You can walk across it with your kids.
So how did the Great Mississippi River go from being 18 inches deep and 18 inches wide to a river that was 11 miles wide and 200 feet deep in some places?
How did a river that started out as a trickling brook able to become big enough to dump 600,000 cubic feet of water per second into the Gulf of Mexico?
I’ll tell you how. It had help!!!
Tonight, I want to preach about Tributaries.
So - How did the little babbling brook, way up at Lake Itasca in Minnesota, become such a mighty force of nature?
The Mississippi River basin drains over 40% of the continental United States.
The basin spans across 31 states and 2 Canadian provinces.
· Any precipitation that falls within this area eventually ends up in the Mississippi River.
· There are at least 26 major rivers that flow into the Mississippi River.
· Rivers all the way up in Saskatchewan and Alberta Canada.
· Rivers from Montana and North Dakota and as far Northeast as New York flow into it.
· Rivers from Colorado and New Mexico and Texas flow east into the Mississippi.
· Over 7,000 streams flow into the Mississippi River, not to mention the countless other unnamed watersheds and drainage points along the way.
It is due to the many, unseen and unrecognized contributions along the way.
It is due to the thousands of tributaries, both great and small, that made it what it is today.
In Romans 16, Paul was acknowledging the TRIBUTARIES in his life.
Paul was one of the greatest preachers and missionaries to walk in shoe leather.
He wrote 14 books of the Bible.
(Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, and Hebrews.)
He traveled all over Asia Minor three separate times.
First journey (Acts 13–14) – Ministered on Cyprus and in modern-day Turkey
Second journey (Acts 16–18) – Ministered in Greece, Philippi, Thessalonica, Corinth, and Ephesus
Third journey (Acts 18–21) – Revisited churches in Asia Minor and Greece
He started churches; trained pastors; wrote letters; dealt with church issues; address doctrinal error; motivated and inspired several generations of leaders in his time.
But he didn’t accomplish this alone.
Just as the Great Mississippi River had help along the way to make it what it is today, the Great Apostle Paul had help.
Guess what? You and I had help!
You and I are the collective result of all those that have poured themselves into us.
We are who we are today and where we are today because of the tributaries God put in our lives.
I. The Influence of the Words that were Spoken
For Paul, it started with Ananias in Acts 9:17.
Annanias came with words of AFFECTION.
The Bible says that Ananias entered into the house, and putting his hands on him, said, “Brother Saul.”
Imagine what went through Paul’s mind!
Imagine how he felt at that moment.
Imagine the soothing, calming effect that must have had on Paul, sitting blind in that house for 3 days.
Then it was followed by the words of Barnabas in Acts 9:27-30.
Barnabas came with words of ACCEPTANCE.
Imagine if those two men had not spoken to Paul and for Paul.
They were tributaries.
Paul was an enemy of the church.
Paul arrested and killed members of the church.
Paul had official, sanctioned authority to wreak havoc in the church.
But God put tributaries in his life from day one to help him achieve God’s purpose.
Ananias spoke words of COMFORT to Saul.
Barnabas spoke words of CONFIRMATION for Saul.
Ananias communicated GOD’S PLAN to Saul.
Barnabas communicated to GOD’S PEOPLE for Saul.
Ananias welcomed Saul to God’s family.
Barnabas welcomed Saul to the church family.
Do you remember the people that God put in your life when you first God saved?
Do you remember the ones that loved you and welcomed you and encouraged you?
Thank God for those tributaries!
II. The Interceding of the Widows that were Supplicating
One of the greatest, most powerful and influential tributaries in my life are the widows.
They will never know what their prayers for me and my family mean to me.
I don’t even want to know where I’d be today if it weren’t for those godly saints that intercede on my behalf.
Their prayers that are offered up in the quietness of their homes in the early morning hours are priceless!
Their intercession for me in their affliction and infirmities are more powerful than they can ever imagine.
· Romans 15:30 Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;
III. The Investment of the Workers that were Serving
In Romans 16, Paul named many of the workers that had invested in his life.
· Vs. 1 …Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church…
· Vs. 2 …she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also. SUCCOURER – to assist with resources.
· Vs. 3 …Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus:
· Vs. 6 Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on us.
· Vs. 9 Salute Urbane, our helper in Christ,
· Vs. 12 …Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord…Persis, which laboured much in the Lord.
· Vs. 21 …Timotheus my workfellow…
Many of Paul’s TRIBUTARIES were workers; fellow laborers; servants of God that he loved and recognized.
Never forget that fact that regardless of what God allows you to accomplish for Him, you HAD HELP!
IV. The Intervention of the Warriors that were Sacrificing
Paul acknowledged Aquilla and Priscilla in verse 4 that “laid down their own necks.”
They saw Paul under attack, and they stepped up and offered assistance.
They fought the battles together.
They risked it all together.
They put their life on the lines together.
They contributed to Paul’s ministry by sharing in his battles and in his tribulations.
· 3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus:
· 4 Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.
But here is the key difference:
Paul fought his battles out of duty to God.
Aquilla and Priscilla fought their battles out of duty to Paul.
They didn’t HAVE to fight those battles.
They didn’t HAVE to risk it all.
But they laid down their own necks for PAUL’S life.
Paul wasn’t the only one that thanked these TRIBUTARIES.
Paul wrote in verse 4 that all the churches of the Gentiles were indebted to them for their involvement in the war.
Never underestimate the impact of those that fought with you, shoulder to shoulder in the ministry.
Never dismiss the ones that stood with you and behind you when you were fighting the battles.
Never minimize the love and devotion of those that helped you through the dark times.
Going through hard times with God’s people has impacted my life.
Watching their faithfulness.
Watching their love for God
Conclusion: I’ve got final thoughts for you to ponder:
A. Your RECOGNITION of the TRIBUTARIES
Have you thanked the tributaries in your life?
Do they know how much you appreciate them?
Do they have any idea what an impact they’ve had in your life?
You are where you are today because of their input into your life.
Let them know!
B. Your RECIPROCATION of the TRIBUTARIES
Have you taken what others have poured into you, and poured it into someone else?
What kind of tributary are you?
Who are you pouring yourself into?
Who are you investing in?
Whose life and ministry are you contributing to?
Can you name those that will be greater and have more impact as a direct result of your investment in them?
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