Hi First Presbyterian Church,

It's time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! This Sunday is Pentecost! Not only will we be celebrating the gift of the Holy Spirit who was revealed to us on the Day of Pentecost, but we will also be welcoming four young people into our congregation by their profession of faith in Christ. I hope you will be there for worship!

Our scripture text for Pentecost, as it is every year, is Acts 2:1-21. In my sermon I will be focusing on why it is that the apostle Peter emphasizes that God’s power is poured out on men and women. Because of the sermon I’m preparing, I’ve been reflecting this week on the calling that God places on all people in the church, regardless of who they are. Do you know about Junia?

I’ve known about Junia for a while, but I just discovered that in the Eastern Orthodox Church, her feast day is this Friday, May 17. She is mentioned in Paul’s letter to the Romans 16:7, “Greet Andronicus and Junia, my relatives who were in prison with me; they are prominent among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.” Notice what Paul is saying. He calls Junia an apostle, and not just an apostle but “prominent among the apostles!” Sometimes, people assume “apostle” simply refers to one of Jesus’ twelve disciples. But that isn’t true. There were many apostles in the New Testament including James the half-brother of Jesus (Galatians 1:19), Barnabas and Paul (Acts 14:14), Epaphroditus (Philippians 2:25), and Andronicus and Junia (Romans 16:7). “Apostle” comes from a Greek word that simply means “one who is sent.” In early Christianity, apostles were highly regarded leaders in the church.

For centuries, however, Junia was unknown to the church, because people within the church, generations after the time of Jesus, were offended by the fact that a woman could be an apostle; so they changed her name to Junias - the male version of the same name. The only problem is: if this person’s name was “Junias” it would be the only known example of that name. “Junia,” on the other hand, was a known female name. Furthermore, early Christian theologians acknowledged Junia as a female apostle. In the fourth century AD, John Chrysostom, the archbishop of Constantinople, was commenting on Romans 16:7 and wrote, “To be an apostle is something great. But to be outstanding among the apostles – just consider what high praise this is! They were outstanding on the basis of their works and virtuous actions. Indeed, how great the wisdom of this woman, that she was even deemed worthy of the title of apostle!”

There were women apostles in first century AD, because… of course there were! God pours out the Holy Spirit on all who are in Christ! “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).

In Christ, you are also God’s chosen instrument to bring salvation and life into the world! What is the Holy Spirit wanting to do with your life?

Peace to you,

Pastor Aaron