Written ~ 08-23-2024
Read 1 Corinthians Chapter Sixteen
1 Corinthians 16
So here we have the final chapter of 1 Corinthians. Paul is giving the Corinth church some final instructions and answering their question about collecting money for the people in Jerusalem.
This first letter written to the church in Corinth has some strong reprimand for the way the believers were living. He did have some accolades, but for the most part, this letter was to get the believers in Corinth back on tract. We can see a lot of ourselves in this letter, that’s why it is so important to read it, study it and apply it to our own lives.
Paul starts this last chapter by answering a question the believers have asked about collecting money for the people in Jerusalem…
1 Corinthians 16:1-4…
1 “Now regarding your question about the money being collected for God’s people in Jerusalem. You should follow the same procedure I gave to the churches in Galatia. 2 On the first day of each week, you should each put aside a portion of the money you have earned. Don’t wait until I get there and then try to collect it all at once. 3 When I come, I will write letters of recommendation for the messengers you choose to deliver your gift to Jerusalem. 4 And if it seems appropriate for me to go along, they can travel with me.”
It’s possible the church in Corinth was not as diligent in collecting money for the people of Jerusalem as Paul would have liked. Maybe that’s why they questioned the money collection. Maybe they felt it was too much of a burden on their own congregates to ask for money when they were struggling themselves. But Paul gives the recommendation to collect money each week so the believers wouldn’t have to come up such a large sum when it was time to send the money to Jerusalem. The believers in Jerusalem must have fallen on really difficult times if Paul was encouraging the believers in Corinth to help where they could. That goes for us today. When we see need, we should step up and help.
Paul was still making his way to Corinth, so he wanted to make sure the believers greeted Timothy warmly and graciously. Apollos would try to come later as well.
1 Corinthians 16:5-9…
5 “I am coming to visit you after I have been to Macedonia, for I am planning to travel through Macedonia. 6 Perhaps I will stay awhile with you, possibly all winter, and then you can send me on my way to my next destination. 7 This time I don’t want to make just a short visit and then go right on. I want to come and stay awhile, if the Lord will let me. 8 In the meantime, I will be staying here at Ephesus until the Festival of Pentecost. 9 There is a wide-open door for a great work here, although many oppose me.”
So, if Paul was staying in Ephesus through the Festival of Pentecost, which is celebrated sometime around late spring, then planned to travel all through Macedonia, it was going to be several months before he planned to be in Corinth. We know this because he said he’d like to stay with them for the whole winter. Paul was incredible wasn’t he? His mission was to preach the Good News. To encourage believers. To strengthen the churches foundation on Christ. And he travelled a lot of time on foot to visit these various places. Think about it, do we even have the courage to walk across the street and share the Gospel message with our neighbors, or to share the Good News with unsaved family members? Paul challenges us in many different ways, doesn’t he?
1 Corinthians 16:13-14…
13 “Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. 14 And do everything with love.”
This is a great reminder from Paul, we need to be on guard so the temptation of sin does not succeed in turning our eyes off of Jesus. We must be courageous to take the Gospel message out to everyone we come in contact with! Our faith must remain strong. Then of course, we cannot do anything without love. There is so much in the world today that can throw us off track. Even though Paul was speaking to the Corinthian church in this letter, I believe he knew his message would spread farther and wider than just this one church. And because it did reach further and wider, we get to receive guidance, encouragement and very precise instruction from this apostle who lived so long ago.
We need to be faithful to the Word of God. We need to be on guard and stand firm in our faith. I don’t believe God ever meant for us to stand firm all by ourselves, that’s why as believers in Jesus Christ we need to encourage one another. We need to lift each other up, we need to draw strength from each other. That way our courage can grow.
We learned from 1 Corinthians chapter 13 that the greatest gift, the greatest command we have been given is to love one another. What we also learned is that sometimes it can be difficult to love. When we witness the evil, hateful, hurtful things people do to each other, not only in the world but also in the church, it makes it hard to love! But that’s what God is asking of us. We are to love. Where do we find that kind of supernatural love? Within us. Why? Because the Holy Spirit resides within our hearts, minds and souls.
Paul’s final greetings to the Corinthians believers gives a shout out to Aquila and Priscilla (who we meet in Acts 18) and all the other believers in the province of Asia. It must have been very encouraging to know that other believers were sending their greetings as well, it had to give them strength knowing there were others out there spreading the Gospel message just as they were.
Then in verse 16:21, we have this short interjection from Paul…
21 “HERE IS MY GREETING IN MY OWN HANDWRITING—PAUL.”
Back in Romans 16:22, in the closing remarks of that letter we have the greeting which says, “I, Tertius, the one writing this letter for Paul, send my greetings, too, as one of the Lord’s followers.” I have heard some pastors explain that it is possible Paul’s eyesight was not that good or maybe he had some type of infirmity that wouldn’t allow him to write very well, that’s why he dictated his letters; nothing is ever confirmed in his letters. But I have always leaned to the idea that since Paul’s words in verse 16:21 are written in giant letters that his eyesight may have been failing. Just a fun thought…
Anyway…
We can summarize the Book of 1 Corinthians with verse 16:13…
- Be On Guard
- Stand Firm
- Be Courageous
- Be Strong
- LOVE
Father, help me to be on guard, I want to stand firm in my faith and my trust in You. Sometimes I do not feel courageous, but knowing Your Holy Spirit resides within me helps me know You are right here with me. Sometimes I do not feel strong, but I know You are holding me up. Continue to fill me with Your love, show me how to love and pour Your love through me.
~AMEN~