1 Cor 15:1-24 ESV
CONCERNING THE COLLECTION FOR THE POOR – Paul Meets the Practical Needs of People
1Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. 2On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come. 3And when I arrive, I will send those whom you accredit by letter to carry your gift to Jerusalem. 4If it seems advisable that I should go also, they will accompany me.
AN UPDATE ON HIS TRAVELLING – Paul Plans But Submits to God’s Leading
5I will visit you after passing through Macedonia, for I intend to pass through Macedonia, 6and perhaps I will stay with you or even spend the winter, so that you may help me on my journey, wherever I go. 7For I do not want to see you now just in passing. I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. 8But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, 9for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.
Paul Shows Concern for His Colleagues in Ministry
10When Timothy comes, see that you put him at ease among you, for he is doing the work of the Lord, as I am. 11So let no one despise him. Help him on his way in peace, that he may return to me, for I am expecting him with the brothers.
12Now concerning our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to visit you with the other brothers, but it was not at all his will to come now. He will come when he has opportunity.
13Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 14Let all that you do be done in love.
15Now I urge you, brothers—you know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints— 16be subject to such as these, and to every fellow worker and labourer. 17I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have made up for your absence, 18for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. Give recognition to such people.
FINAL GREETINGS
19The churches of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their house, send you hearty greetings in the Lord. 20All the brothers send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.
21I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. 22If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, come! 23The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. 24My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Paul set us a good example, even in his concluding remarks for this letter.
• This last chapter is about some “housekeeping” matters and it seems unimportant until you try to appreciate the heart of Paul through what he says.
• We can see his concern for the welfare of the poor in Jerusalem, his care for those who are serving in the ministry, and his passion for the work of the Gospel.
Paul’s ending in 1 Cor 15 is appropriate. If there is the certainty of resurrection for us, then this world is transitory and will pass, maybe even sooner than we expect.
• We need therefore to be ready at any time to “pack up and go” and see the Lord.
• If everything will pass away, it would also mean we have to live in the light of “leaving everything behind” and focus on what is truly significant post-resurrection.
• 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labour is not in vain.”
• This is the only concern that makes sense in the light of eternity.
• What has been our labour in the Lord so far? What are we doing today that is for eternity?
In this concluding chapter on seemingly unimportant matters, I see the heart of Paul for the ministry that he was called to, which is what we can learn today.
1. PAUL MEETS THE PRACTICAL NEEDS OF PEOPLE (16:1-4)
The first thing Paul talks about is the taking up of a collection for the poor saints in Jerusalem and gave them some very practical advice.
• 16:2 “On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.”
• Parents, that’s how we teach our kids right? We give them a piggy bank and tell them to drop in a coin daily or every other day. We want them to learn to save up.
Paul says “put something aside and store it up as you may prosper” meaning, in keeping with your income. Not what you do not have but “according to your income”.
• So that when I come, the funds will be there and you do not need to cough up a big sum at one time, which might not be possible for many and it affects the collection.
This concern for the poor in Jerusalem was not new, we talked about it briefly when we studied Romans.
• Rom 15:25-27 which was written 1-2 years later when he finally arrived in Corinth:
“At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints. 26For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. 27For they were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings.”
• Here in 16:4, he was not sure whether he would go along - 4If it seems advisable that I should go also, they will accompany me.
• Romans tell us he has decided to go, and the representatives from the various churches where the collection has been taken will accompany him.
• We have a list of their names in Acts 20:4, likely representatives of churches in Macedonia (Thessalonica, Berea), Asia Minor (Derbe) and Achaia.
We see Paul making an effort to raise funds for the Jerusalem saints, over 1-2 years.
• He was aware and concerned, and he wants to meet their practical needs.
• Wherever he visits, he encourages the Gentle churches to take up a collection, and gives them advice on how they can best raise the funds according to their abilities.
• He might be a travelling evangelist and a passionate teacher of the Word, but also a caring brother who meets the needs of fellow saints.
LESSON: Do not be so spiritual that we are of no earthly good. Do not be so theological that we are of no practical help. That was not Paul.
It reminds me of the Parable of the Good Samaritan that Jesus shared (Luke 11).
• The priest and the Levite were “spiritual” but of no practical help to the man who was robbed. The need was obvious but they were “too spiritual”.
• The one who has mercy showed true spirituality. The truly spiritual one is of help to others, particularly those who are in need.
James expresses it this way – James 2:14-17.
14What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith, but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you tells him, “Go in peace; stay warm and well fed,” but does not provide for his physical needs, what good is that? 17So too, faith by itself, if it does not result in action, is dead.
• If we are spiritual, one who claims to “have faith”, then we will be of help to others.
• A spiritual person makes an impact. Are you one? Give it a thought. Have you been a practical help to someone? Have you been a good support to someone in need?
Paul went on to share, very naturally, his travel plans since he talked about taking the collection to Jerusalem.
2. PAUL PLANS BUT SUBMITS TO GOD’S LEADING (16:5-9)
16:7-9 “7For I do not want to see you now just in passing. I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. 8But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, 9for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.
Paul was writing from Ephesus and he planned to visit Corinth and stay with them through the winter.
• His absence from Corinth seemed to have caused some unhappiness, mentioned earlier in 1 Cor 4.
• 4:18-19 “18Some are arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. 19But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power.”
Paul plans his trip but adds, “if the Lord permits” (16:7) and “if the Lord wills” (4:19).
• He was fully aware that while man plans, God directs his steps. The Lord decides.
Paul expressed his desires and intentions to go to Corinth but as to the WHEN and HOW he was not sure. We plan and let God leads; He decides and we submit.
• Paul did not presume to know everything about his trips, and neither should we.
• Even though Paul has many supernatural encounters with Christ and angels speaking to him, he does not presume to know everything about God’s plan. Neither should we.
James 4:13-16 13Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit” — 14yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” 16As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.”
• Don’t be presumptuous and live as if we know it all. Submit to God’s sovereignty.
Paul adds that he will stay in Ephesus longer because a “wide door for effective work” has been opened for him. There was given to him an opportunity for ministry.
• We can read a glimpse of this context in Acts 19 where Paul faced fierce opposition.
• The irony is, we have an OPEN DOOR and yet MANY ADVERSARIES.
• We always presume that when God opens a door, it must be smooth and easy, good and successful. But God wants him to fight the “beasts at Ephesus” (15:32).
LESSON: Do not presume to know God’s plan. Submit to His sovereign will. His thoughts and His ways can be very different.
3. PAUL CARES FOR THOSE IN MINISTRY (16:10-18)
Again we see Paul making references to people in ministry, his common practice.
• We just covered Romans and there he named 24 people and many others.
• Paul knew his colleagues in ministry and was aware of their whereabouts and situations.
10When Timothy comes, see that you put him at ease among you, for he is doing the work of the Lord, as I am. 11So let no one despise him. Help him on his way in peace, that he may return to me, for I am expecting him with the brothers.
• Paul needed to add a word for Timothy likely because he was younger and less experienced and did not have the same status as Paul.
• If some in Corinth were against Paul, then they would think no better of Timothy.
• Paul wanted to pave the way for him and urged the church to receive Timothy with love and respect.
And he went on to name a few more workers - Apollos who felt the time was not right for him to go but will do so when he has the opportunity.
• Paul respected that. They were not competitors but co-workers in the ministry.
• Also mentioned were those from the household of Stephanas – the first converts in Achaia, meaning they were spiritually older.
• They have been devoted to the service of the saints. Respect them, Paul says, and also the other fellow workers and labourers (16:16).
Special mention was given to the 3 who came to visit Paul – Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus – who “refreshed my spirit” as well as the Corinthians.
• They are edifiers. They edify the saints and the Body of Christ.
• Appreciate those who have refreshed your spirit and inspired you in ministry. They are doing a good thing.
Paul summed it all up beautifully: “Give recognition to such people.” (16:18b)
• We want to honour those who have devoted themselves to “the service of the saints” (16:15) and committed themselves to edify the Body of Christ.
• Paul set us that example and we are to do the same.
• Do we know their names? Are we aware of what they have been doing?
Last weekend Karen Baptist Church had a massive Jubilee Service. I just attend and enjoy the occasion but many people have been working tirelessly for it.
One of their pastor, Pastor Winsome, wrote a reflection on FB (28.11.22):
This is dedicated to my brothers and sisters who are often hidden and unnamed, but they’re always appreciated.
While most of us have our best Sunday wear on, our eyebrows drawn and our lipsticks seen from miles away — they are often dishevelled, shirts stuck to their back with perspiration and hands covered with grease from the food they’re preparing or with dust and rubbish they’ve been clearing.
After the busyness of stuffing my face for fear of food running out, I went to throw away my plates and saw a sister bent over a huge pot, scrubbing it. She probably had not eaten. And there were also others like her in the kitchen and in the vicinity clearing up.
While we primped and posed for pictures, there were those who had no pictures of themselves on both days of the Jubilee because they were too busy running themselves ragged from serving others and ensuring everything went smoothly.
Here’s to you, brothers and sisters. I don’t know all your names, not all your faces are familiar to me but you are all soldiers known unto Christ Jesus our LORD.
May we keep on loving, serving and praying.
Well said and well done. There are many unsung and unnamed, hidden and unseen servants of God, doing the work of God faithfully and tirelessly.
• God sees and remembers them. We praise God for them and honour them.
• Let us be one too. Not watching the proceedings on the sideline but being a part of the work.
LESSON: Be an inspiration and encouragement to those in ministry. “Refresh the spirit” of your fellow servants of God. Be an edifier for Christ.
We learn from Paul today. The servant-heart of Paul meets the practical needs of the people, he plans but submits to God to show him the way, and he cares for his colleagues and everyone in ministry.
Prayer:
We thank you for the ministry of Paul and the lessons we learned. We praise you for the faithful servants who have devoted their lives to serving you and the church down through the centuries, including ours. Every one of them matters to you and also to us as a church. Help us be faithful servants for this generation and fulfil the work you have entrusted to us. This we pray in Jesus’ name, AMEN!
You can hear this audio sermon with slides at https://youtu.be/nTEpQ4pzcLw
Earlier sermons are available at https://tinyurl.com/KTCC-EnglishService
