✝ Daily Encouragement (5/16/24) "Tested And Approved In Christ"
Published: Thu, 05/16/24
Updated: Thu, 05/16/24
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(Click refresh or reload for current message) Thursday, May 16, 2024 
Several
large geese
families
reside on
Donegal Creek
across the
field from our
house. We also
have neighbors
who have a
goose house
and have cared
for several
geese for the
past five
years or more.
They're pet
geese!
"Tested And Approved In Christ" 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 we urge you who are enduring a testing to remember the highest goal of life is to be "dokimon en Christo" (tested and approved in Christ). Listen to our message on your audio play "Greet Apelles, tested and approved in Christ" (Romans 16:10a).Yesterday,
following a
teacher's
meeting over
lunch
for
our Crossroads
ABF class, we
went over to
visit Ross,
one of our
fellow
teachers. Just
over three
weeks ago Ross
suffered a
stroke and is
now recovering
in a rehab
hospital. It
was a blessing
to visit him
to provide
encouragement
and prayer. He
is certainly
undergoing a
testing that
he would not
have chosen or
scheduled.
He
had a very
serious fall
about two
years ago that
required long
term intensive
therapy at a
rehab
facility, so
he and his
wife may feel
besieged by
yet another
major setback.
Today we will
consider
Apelles, a
lesser-known
Bible
character, who
is described
as one who was
tested and
approved not
by his
supervisor,
family or
friends but by
the highest
authority
given to man,
the Lord Jesus
Christ.
This
week we are
examining
several
ministry
associates of
Paul in Romans
16.
Interestingly,
it is very
unlikely that
Paul had even
been to Rome
at the writing
of this book.
Yet we have an
abbreviated
hall of fame
of faith
representing
the many
lesser-knowns
who have
contributed to
advancing the
Kingdom of God
through the
centuries. It
shouldn't come
as a surprise
that it would
also include
many of us
(being
lesser-known).
Today,
let us
consider one
of them: a man
named Apelles,
who is
mentioned only
this one time
in the entire
Bible. It must
have been nice
to be
remembered in
Paul's letter
to the Roman
church! If
Apelles had a
written copy
of the letter
and a
highlighter in
hand he surely
would have
highlighted
in yellow
this portion
though many
Bible students
may give it
little
thought. It
must have
given him
great
encouragement
to hear Paul's
commendation
in such a
positive way.
Most versions use the word "greet" and a few use the word "salute", but it's interesting to me the word for greet is "aspazomai", which means to "enfold in the arms". When Apelles heard his name spoken in Paul's letter surely his heart was warmed and a big smile crossed his face as he recalled his relationship with Paul, who even at that time was a man of great renown. It's quite possible that his cheeks turned red as he was surely a humble saint and the personal attention might have embarrassed him slightly. But let us consider today the single bit of biographical data we have on this man. The NIV uses two descriptive words "tested and approved" to translate the depth of a single Greek word "dokimos". A Greek linguistic key states the meaning as, "appoved after trial".* The word means tested, thus reliable, and therefore esteemed. "Dokimos" was used for coins and metals that had passed the quality control tests of that time. Apelles underwent testing as well although the details are not specified. Maybe he suffered great persecution. Perhaps he endured major health problems. He might have fallen into sin and now, after a time of careful examination, he was being reinstated. We're
not told the
nature of his
testing, but
at this point
he had proven
himself
faithful.
Apelles was "tested
and approved
in Christ".
What a notable
recognition
coming from
the apostle
Paul!
Today we urge all of you who are enduring a testing to remember the highest goal of life is to be "dokimon en Christo" (tested and approved in Christ). Be encouraged today, Hebrews 3:13
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber Daily
prayer:
Father, there
is great
temptation to
seek the
commendation
of those
around us so
that we might
be esteemed in
the sight of
others. But
there is no
honor or
reward in this
life that
compares with
the
commendation
that Apelles
received, to
be tested and
approved in
Christ.
Father, You
know the very
intent of our
heart through
each word we
speak and each
action we
carry out. May
we honor You
in all that we
do in the
daily
battleground
of forming
attitudes and
making
choices,
whether in
public or in
private, for
nothing is
hidden from
Your sight.
May we, above
all, be
dokimon en
Christo.
Amen. Additional study note: Mike is a longtime friend (since 1977) who for many years was a quality control engineer in a large company he worked at in northern Pennsylvania. When I lived in that area he led a long process of bringing his company into ISO 9000 compliance, a standardized form of quality control. I called him yesterday because I had a quality control question. We often think of quality control in the manufacturing process but I specifically asked him if he thought it was a growing concern in the engineering/design step. Specifically;
I notice in
the rush that
companies have
to keep coming
up with new
electric bikes
with
interesting
new features
to set them
apart from the
competition,
it seems there
is an obvious
flaw in some
of the design.
Although Mike is retired he still keeps up with quality control news. He shared an illustration from a recent incident when a Boeing aircraft door came off in flight. He told me that there are many subcontractors making component parts for a huge airplane and of course quality control is essential in every step, not just the final assembly. When investigators examined the door manufacturer they were unable to find documentation the doors had been tested which is a major deficiency in quality control standards. Consider
this in light
of being
tested and
approved in
Christ. What
are the
"records" in
our life that
we have been
tested? They
may not be in
a file cabinet
but can
you
examine
your life and
remember those
times of
testing that
made you who
you are today,
hopefully
tested and
approved?
"These
[trial,
testings] have
come so that
your faith -
of greater
worth than
gold, which
perishes by
fire - may be
proved genuine
and may result
in praise,
glory and
honor when
Jesus Christ
is revealed."
(I Peter 1:7).
Mike
and his wife
Kathy continue
to serve the
Lord in prison
ministry in
North
Carolina.
I've
never heard
anyone named
Apelles but
this is also
true of many
in the list of
proper names
in Romans 16:
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources "Though
You Slay Me"
Watch
on YouTube
Shane &
Shane A
song of
faithful
resolve in the
midst of
testing. I
dedicate it
today to our
friend Ross
and all who
are undergoing
a testing. * Linguistic Key To The Greek New Testament" by Fritz Rienecker/Cleon Rogers (this book was a gift from our friend Rick Masciantonio in the 90's when we served a church in New England. I called Rick this morning and he is faithfully serving the Lord as the pastor of the Nauset Baptist Church on Cape Cod)
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