1Corinthians 16
Sunday Evening Bible Study
April 9, 2000
Introduction
Paul begins a new section in his letter to the Corinthians. He’s done with the topic of spiritual gifts in the church.
1Corinthians 16 – closing words
:1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.
:2 Upon the first day of the week
Lesson
Church time
The church in Corinth was in the habit of meeting on the first day of the week. That’s Sunday.
Why does the church worship on Sunday instead of Saturday? In honor of the resurrection, which took place on Sunday.
Is it wrong to worship on Saturday? No. Is it wrong to worship on Sunday? No.
(Rom 14:5 KJV) One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
:2 let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him,
Paul was in the process of taking up a collection to help out the poor in Jerusalem.
Lesson
Giving.
1) Make up your mind ahead of time.
Paul tells the people that they should "lay by him in store", or "let each one of you put aside and save," (NAS).
Giving should be something that you’ve taken the time ahead of time to think about what you’re doing. Save for it.
Paul also wrote,
(2 Cor 9:7 NLT) You must each make up your own mind as to how much you should give. Don't give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves the person who gives cheerfully.
2) Giving should be proportional.
Paul says to do it "as you prosper". With the Old Testament concept of the tithe, the idea is that you give a tenth of your income to the Lord.
Here, the idea is that the more money you make, the more you can give. If you’re having a rough month, don’t feel like you have to give because of some "pledge" to give so much per week.
:2 that there be no gatherings when I come.
A lot of preachers would have problems with this. Paul didn’t want to have an "offering" taken when he got there. He wanted it all dealt with ahead of time.
:3 And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem.
Paul would send the money to Jerusalem with some folks from the Corinthian church.
:4 And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me.
Paul might go to Jerusalem with these folks, but he wasn’t sure.
:5 Now I will come unto you, when I shall pass through Macedonia: for I do pass through Macedonia.
See
map. To get to Corinth from Ephesus, Paul would have to travel along the coast of Asia north and around to the west through Macedonia before coming back south into the southern part of Greece known as Achaia.
:6 And it may be that I will abide, yea, and winter with you, that ye may bring me on my journey whithersoever I go.
Paul was planning on visiting the Corinthians again, after having gone north first to visit the churches in Macedonia, like Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea.
:7 For I will not see you now by the way; but I trust to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit.
He wants to stay awhile in Corinth.
:8 But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost.
:9 For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.
Lesson
Open doors.
Opportunities that God puts before you. Paul saw lots of opportunities in Ephesus and he wanted to stay awhile.
One of the ways that God will work in guiding our life is through "open doors"
(Rev 3:7-8 KJV) And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; {8} I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
When Jesus opens a door, an opportunity in our life, nobody will be able to close it until He wants it closed.
Warning – Not every "opportunity" is properly an "open door". God still wants us to use discernment and wisdom in the things that we do.
Sometimes what seems to be an "open door" is really a temptation.
Illustration
There was once man on a diet who prayed, "Lord, if you don’t want me to go get donuts, then let there not be any parking spots at the donut shop." But he had to give in to the donuts because sure enough, when he got there, there was a parking spot right in front of the door … after his twentieth time around the block .
He figured that the "open door" meant that God wanted him to go through it.
Sometimes there are just too many "doors" and if we aren’t using wisdom, we’ll simply burn out trying to go through all of them.
Illustration
When Moses had brought the people out of Egypt, they began to settle down in the desert, and Moses found out that there were a lot of "open doors" for him. Everyone wanted his attention. Everyone had a problem that they had to bring to Moses for help. So Moses would sit there from early in the morning until late at night and listen to all the people’s problems. This was a good thing to do wasn’t it?
No. Moses’ father-in-law said:
(Exo 18:18 KJV) Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.
Once we get the knack of being available to help others out, we will begin to find that there is never a lack of people who would like our help.
You can’t do everything. You need to be wise in choosing what you will be doing.
Lesson
Adversaries
Sometimes we think that a situation can only be an "open door" if it’s something that’s easy for us to do.
Not so. Ephesus was a getting more and more difficult to Paul. He would eventually be forced to flee the city for his life.
Difficult times don’t mean that God is closing the door.
:10 Now if Timotheus come, see that he may be with you without fear: for he worketh the work of the Lord, as I also do.
:11 Let no man therefore despise him: but conduct him forth in peace, that he may come unto me: for I look for him with the brethren.
:12 As touching our brother Apollos, I greatly desired him to come unto you with the brethren: but his will was not at all to come at this time; but he will come when he shall have convenient time.
This must have been a blow to the faction in the church that called themselves the "followers of Apollos". He apparently didn’t seem too thrilled to visit them.
:13 Watch ye
Be on the lookout for the problems ahead.
:13 stand fast in the faith
stand fast – steko – to stand firm; to persevere, to persist; to keep one's standing
Don’t let circumstances, or the enemy, knock you over.
:13 quit you like men
quit – andrizomai – to make a man of or make brave; to show one's self a man, be brave
It doesn’t mean to quit. It means to act like a man.
Illustration
Differences between men and women
MATURITY:
Women mature much faster than men. Most 17-year old females can function as adults. Most 17-year old males are still trading baseball cards and giving each other wedgies after gym class.
HANDWRITING:
To their credit, men do not decorate their penmanship. They just chicken- scratch. Women use scented, colored stationary and they dot their "i’s" with circles and hearts. Women use ridiculously large loops in their "p’s" and "g’s". It is a royal pain to read a note from a woman. Even when she’s breaking up with you, she’ll put a smiley face at the end of the note.
BATHROOMS:
A man has six items in his bathroom—a toothbrush, toothpaste, shaving cream, razor, a bar of Dial soap, and a towel from a Holiday Inn. The average number of items in the typical woman’s bathroom is 43. A man would not be able to identify most of these items.
CATS:
Women love cats. Men say they love cats, but when women aren’t looking, men kick cats.
DRESSING UP:
A woman will dress up to: go shopping, water the plants, empty the garbage, answer the phone, read a book, get the mail. A man will dress up for: weddings and funerals.
CAMERAS:
Men take photography very seriously. They’ll shell out $4000 for state of the art equipment, and build dark rooms and take photography classes. Women purchase Kodak Instant Cameras.
GARAGES:
Women use garages to park their cars and store their lawnmowers. Men use garages for many things. They hang license plates in garages, they watch TV in garages, and they build lopsided benches in garages.
TIME:
When a woman says she’ll be ready to go out in five more minutes, she’s using the same meaning of time as when a man says the football game’s just got five minutes left. Neither of them is counting time outs, commercials, or replays.
Is that what Paul means by acting like a man? J Sorry, no.
Grow up. What’s my definition of growing up?
(1 Cor 13:4-7 NLT) Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud {5} or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. {6} It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. {7} Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
:13 be strong.
be strong – krataioo – to strengthen, make strong; to be made strong, to increase in strength, to grow strong
Pump it up.
:14 Let all your things be done with charity.
Agape
love. See 1Cor. 13:15 I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia
firstfruits – the first converts of Achaia, the area that Corinth was a part of.
:15 and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)
A great thing to be addicted to.
:16 That ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth.
Be willing to follow those who are "addicted" to ministry. Make sure that those are your leaders.
:17 I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus: for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied.
:18 For they have refreshed my spirit and yours: therefore acknowledge ye them that are such.
:19 The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.
:20 All the brethren greet you. Greet ye one another with an holy kiss.
:21 The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand.
Most of Paul’s letters were dictated to a scribe. He would sometimes write a small portion in his own handwriting to show that it was really him.
:22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.
Anathema – "accursed", a thing devoted to destruction
Maranatha – "Our Lord, come!"
:23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
:24 My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Despite some tough words, Paul does love them.