1 Corinthians | Chapter 16 – Scripture Supply

1 Corinthians 15:58 – 16:4

Giving What Has Been Given

Intro

It is interesting to me that Paul chose to answer the question about giving right after he has written about the resurrection. The whole of the 15th chapter deals with what Christ has given us both now and for eternity. In Ephesians 2:4-7, Paul wrote, “God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” In the first chapter of Ephesians, Paul declared that “forgiveness of sins was in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us.”

You will recall that in the 1st chapter of this letter Paul declared that “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” Throughout this letter, Paul has sought to tell the Corinthian believers of the “riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us” and how that is the answer to what they need. God has been faithful, but what does He desire from us? Well, I believe that every Christian has three things they possess that belong to the Lord:

Vs. 1-4 Treasure (money)
Vs. 5-9 Time (opportunities)
Vs. 10-24 Talent (people)

That is the subject of this chapter, but today we will look at what the Church is in light of what God has given us, then we will delve into eight guidelines that should guide us in giving.

Vs. 58 Profit Sharing

Vs. 58: The use of the word “therefore” always implies that what the person is about to write is directly connected to what the author has already written. The question is, what does the “therefore” connect us to?

a. There is little doubt that Paul was connecting verse 58 with the whole of the chapter on the resurrection; in fact, the final words of verse 58 directly relate to this as Paul says, “knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” In other words, God is an excellent bookkeeper, and He is taking great records of the labor in the Lord we have done.
b. But I also think that Paul is linking the “therefore” with the whole point of the book, which takes us back to chapter 1:8, where we just turned and read “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” The point Paul makes is that all of our Christian experience is tied not to our faithfulness but rather to His, which is directly connected to fellowship. So what’s your point? Well, namely that, “What we do for Christ is based completely upon our realization of what we are in Christ!”

This verse connects what we are going to look at as it relates to being stewards with our treasure, time, and talent in chapter 16 to that of personal fellowship with the Lord. There are three personal characteristics of a Christian who has realized who they are in Christ based upon His faithfulness, but before we look at these three things, first notice the little word “BE” in this verse. Simply put, before the church is ever exhorted to “DO,” they are told to “BE”! Go back up one verse and read Paul’s words in verse 57: “Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” It is because of His faithful victory on our behalf that we can “BE” any of these three things! The truth is we are only “beloved brethren” because of God “who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” You see it; we are only able to be faithful stewards of our treasure, time, and talent because of His victory!

Three Personal Characteristics of Those Who Understand Their Victory Through Our Lord Jesus Christ

1. Steadfast: This word appears only three times in the Greek and it relates to our personal faithfulness. Paul’s first characteristic of a believer who understands the victory through Jesus has to do with “stick-to-it-iveness.” We can gauge our understanding of Christ’s victory on our behalf upon our own personal consistency, is what Paul is indicating. In other words, since we have victory in Jesus, we will be living like we do and not like we don’t! Is that not practical? You know what reveals our perception of our victory in Jesus, don’t you? Well, it’s trials; they are what will prove to us where we truly are living in Jesus’ victory!

2. Immovable: Now we need to realize that being “steadfast” is not the same thing as “immovable.” In fact, Paul uses two different words. This is the only place in the New Testament where this word appears, and it has to do with “faithfulness in spite of opposition.” This has to do with loyalty and remaining faithful when everyone and everything is telling you to go! To the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:24, concerning the trials and persecutions that awaited Paul’s return to Jerusalem, he said, “none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” That’s the idea behind this.

3. Always Abounding: Wow, what a phrase! It means to “run over or exceedingly” go on and on and on. Never ending, but in what? Well, “The work of the Lord”! All that Jesus was about doing we are to be about doing and never stopping doing so! The word used here for “abound” is the same Greek word used in the feeding of the 5,000 (Matt. 14:20), where we are told that they picked up 12 baskets “full of the fragments.”

Those are the three characteristics of a believer who has grasped the fellowship they have through the victory we have been given in Jesus Christ. Is it any wonder why the Church is struggling with the things of the world? We have not walked in His victory!

Vs. 1-4 Eight Guidelines in Giving

What we are about to look at has been perhaps one of the greatest complaints people make against Churches in general. You’ve guessed it—it has to do with giving! Several things need to be addressed before we look at the eight guidelines for giving that Paul presents here:

God’s Giving to Us: It is important that we remember that Paul has just spoken to us about God’s giving to us as it relates to the resurrection as well as the fellowship we have in Christ. Practically speaking then, we are only talking about “profit sharing” as God has given us everything and asks us only to invest it on His behalf!
The Context: The context of the passage here before us deals not with a “tithe” but rather a “free will offering” for the suffering saints in Jerusalem (verse 3). The reason these believers were hurting was twofold:
- There had been several severe famines in the land that had wiped them out financially.
- As the Church was birthed there, most of those who got saved stayed and were unemployed. It got to the point where the disciples were busy trying to meet the physical needs that they could not meet the spiritual needs. Instead of expanding the ministry into Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the world as Jesus had instructed, they stayed home and continued to deplete their resources until, as the persecution of Stephen occurred, the church was scattered and they lost what little economic base they had as believers scattered.
Understanding Giving: Finally, we need to understand that Paul is not speaking about “tithing.” There is no such concept in the New Testament. The truth is that “tithing” or giving 10% of one’s gross income is more of an Old Testament concept than it is a New Testament principle. Paul will elaborate on this much more in his second letter to these same Corinthians as he writes to them saying, “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” In reality, God’s commandment through Moses was more of a taxation to care for the temple as well as run the nation, and when all added up amounted to around 23%. Feel better already? Well, hold on—you may not by the time we are done looking at Paul’s words here.

General Principle for Christians

The general principle for Christians is, “If you have not received anything from the Lord, then by all means do not give.” But if He has enriched your life, changed you, your home, or marriage both now and for eternity, remember that He has done so for free. In fact, there is probably no amount of money you could ever pay that would equal the value of your life! Jesus reminds us of this in Matt. 16:26 when He asks, “what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” You see, our New Testament giving is out of recognition of what He has given us. Is all this worth 10%? I don’t personally think so, do you?

Illustration of the Value of Giving

The story is told of two ladies who were discussing the issue of church and giving. When one of the gals just said what so many folks think, “Our church just costs too much, they are always in need of money!” The other lady simply responded, “Dear, we had a daughter born to us years ago and she cost us a lot of money as well.” “At first, there were all the doctor visits, then the cost of groceries and clothes.” “As she grew, so did the amount of money that left our pocketbooks—there were school dances, a car, insurance.” “Then she went to college, oh my goodness, she started dating and wanted to live off-campus, we were spending every penny and then some.” “But you know what? One day it ended as she died in her senior year, and since her funeral, we have not paid a penny.” “Now, which situation do you think I would rather have?” “Dear, as long as this church is alive, it will cost to keep it going, but if it dies for want of support, it won’t cost you a penny. And let me tell you, a living church with the most important message for all the world is worth me praying and giving everything I have to keep it alive and impacting the world!”

Eight Guidelines in Giving

Universal Practice: “As I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also:” (vs. 1b) Paul was not teaching one set of guidelines to one church and another set for someone else. Everywhere Paul planted a church, he taught them the principle that Jesus did in Matt. 10:8, “Freely you have received, freely give.” Giving is an essential part of our life in Christ and, in fact, it can determine what your life in Christ truly is all about! To the credit of these Corinthians, they were asking the question about it to begin with, which shows that they had an attitude of gratitude seen in their desire to support the work of the Lord.
Act of Worship: “On the first day of the week:” (vs. 2a) This is one of the first indications that the Church had begun to worship on Sunday and not to keep the Jewish tradition of the Sabbath. Why Sunday? Well, it was in celebration of the resurrection, and Paul rightly places giving in the arena of worship. It is Sundays where we gather together to celebrate what Jesus has given to us—what greater way to demonstrate our devotion to His giving to us than to give back to the degree we appreciate His gift for the furtherance of His work!
Regular & Consistent: “On the first day of the week:” (vs. 2a) This same verse also reveals that our giving ought to be consistent as the next words speak of laying something aside. Simply put, it was to be spontaneous but not haphazard, so they were to think on what the Lord had done for them and set aside what they treasured for Him.
Personal: “Let each one of you:” (vs. 2b) Anyone who had personally benefited from God’s gift to us was privileged to participate from a heart of worship. No person was left out of the opportunity to be a blessing and further God’s work in people’s lives! What is cool is when you realize that it is not the proportion but rather the heart of appreciation that the Lord sees. Take Jesus’ words in Mark 12:42-44 where He commented on the “poor widow who came and threw in two mites (one penny).” As He said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.” There may be very wealthy folks who, in pure dollar amounts, give more in one Sunday than others do in a year, but one is out of abundance, the other sacrificially.
Save to Give: “Lay something aside, storing up:” (vs. 2c) The idea that I get here is that our treasure ought to be invested instead of spent. If we wish to purchase something, we ought to lay aside and store up. Here, Paul exhorts these Corinthian believers to do the same with what God has given them. This also would eliminate being taken advantage of by emotional appeals from those well-meaning church leaders who want you to give and do so by way of manipulation.
Give Proportionately: “As he may prosper:” (vs. 2d) Simply put, we ought to give in the way that He has given to us. If He has blessed you greatly, then give it away! Giving is based upon personal awareness of His giving to you! Jesus said in Luke 6:38, “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” Isn’t it great that the exact amount is left up to you and your appreciation of the Lord’s work in your life? Makes us evaluate just how much we appreciate His gifts to us, doesn’t it?
No Pressure or Gimmicks: “That there be no collections when I come:” (vs. 2e) No professional fundraisers, thermometers, or gimmicks. We all ought to be moved by appreciation of His grace, not by disgrace. When we did this building and most of the churches in town thought we were crazy because we did not hire for a percentage someone to manipulate you all into giving, we believed that those understanding what Christ has given them will always out-give those who are beaten to give out of compulsion.
Trustworthy Hands: “Place the funds into the hands of those you know and trust” (vs. 3-4): That is Paul’s final word here on giving—make sure that those whom you entrust the Lord’s funds have the Lord’s interests and kingdom in mind and not their own!

Conclusion

I believe that if we all took to heart the words given by Paul here, the Church would never need to ask for a penny. In fact, they would be as Moses in Exodus 36:6-7 as we are told that “the people were restrained from bringing, for the material they had was sufficient for all the work to be done; indeed too much.” How about it—shall we put to test these eight guidelines and see what the Lord will do?

1 Corinthians 16:5-12

Abounding in the Work of the Lord

Intro

Going back to the 15th chapter and the final verse, Paul spoke to the Corinthians and us about our state of being, living in the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (verse 57). We are told of the personal characteristics that would be visible to us if we were so living in that victory: “steadfast, immovable, always abounding,” but it is what these personal traits will be seen in that is the focus of this section: “The work of the Lord.” Man, that is a huge phrase, is it not? Just what is the work of the Lord, and how could we possibly be engaged in something so broad as this? Well, thankfully, Jesus Himself, after His resurrection, spoke to His disciples on just what the work of the Lord was. In Matthew 28:19-20, we are told two things that make up the work of the Lord:

Vs. 19 Enlightening: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” That is what Jesus was always about doing: enlightening darkened hearts with the light of His love. Evangelism is His work, as He said He came to seek and save that which was lost. So, too, then it is our work, as Jesus instituted this at our commissioning.
Vs. 20 Establishing: “Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” I’m so thankful that Jesus’ work does not end at our enlightenment but continues to our establishment. Jesus continues to teach us and build us up in our relationship with Him. In many ways, I feel that this is the more difficult work as we are under constant pressure to think that He is not with us, even to the end of the age. So we are to be about establishing those He has enlightened.

Ah, but what resources do we have to engage in this twofold “work of the Lord”? Well, we have been given each of us those three things that do not belong to us:

Treasure
Time
Talent

Our biggest battle in doing the work of the Lord is in our failure to better manage these three things, and as we saw last week Paul gave us “eight guidelines in giving.” This week, we shall tackle “time management” as well as look at “how to handle talent”!

Vs. 5-9 His Majesty’s Time Management

Someone once said that, “Tomorrow is the excuse of the lazy and the refuge of the incompetent.” There is no doubt that as far as effective time management is concerned, “The greatest time wasted is the time getting started,” so here we shall look at six biblical principles to time management. Paul would write to the church in Ephesus in 5:15-16 that we should “be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days,” yet what fascinates me is that Paul did not plan years in advance—in fact, everything he did falls into the category of his words in verse 7, “if the Lord permits.”

a. Vs. 5a Flexibility:

“Now I will come to you when I pass through Macedonia.” This verse speaks to two very interesting things:

1. It reveals the fact that Paul was gifted with great vision; he was consistent and committed. As such, Paul was a planner, looking forward to the next opportunity; he had a sense of expectancy with his vision.
2. It also reveals that even as a “visionary,” Paul had to maintain flexibility. You see, as Paul wrote these words with vision, the truth was that he had to change his plans to visit them twice before he ever came to them.

So then, the first principle of biblical time management is the balance between great vision and flexibility. A person who manages their time between vision and remaining flexible if things necessitate change will always be ready! It is marvelous to read the uncertainty of these verses as he writes, “it may be, wherever I may go, I hope to stay a while.” Yet with that said, Paul maintained vision and didn’t waste a moment of his time. Paul recognized that his time was not his own; it belonged to the Lord, who could alter his plans at any moment, and that he would need to be flexible enough to go with the flow!

b. Vs. 5b-6a Focus:

“(For I am passing through Macedonia). And it may be that I will remain, or even spend the winter with you.” The second principle is focus, which can be seen in Paul’s short-range planning and not long-range ones. Things were “bite-sized” with attainable goals that could be measured to see if he was on the right track or needed to readjust his plans. I’m always taken aback by someone who will say that in 5 to 10 years they will be _________ and yet they have no idea how to get there! It is great to have goals, but if we have not remained focused on today, we will never be able to reach tomorrow!

c. Vs. 6b-7a Function:

“And it may be that I will remain, or even spend the winter with you…but I hope to stay a while with you, if the Lord permits.” The idea here is that biblical time management centers around understanding that you are not self-employed but rather work for the “Good Shepherd.” So we need to realize that “our” plans must not be set in concrete; we are under His authority, and He has the right to upset our plans any time He chooses.

d. Vs. 6c Faith:

“You may send me on my journey, wherever I go.” Paul may not have always known where he was going, but he always knew he was going! The truth is, God rarely gives us everything before He sends us out, and instead He chooses to provide for us as He guides us. As we step forward in faith, He will provide us with His power and provision. Biblical time management is a venture in faith, as we can see countless times in the scriptures, both old and new, where God sent His servants out without their knowing where they were going and how they were going to get there. The truth is, this type of guidance is by design as He is more interested in you than He is in using you, and the most important thing as you entrust your time is not where you are going but rather Who you are going with!

e. Vs. 8 Facts:

“But I will tarry in Ephesus until Pentecost.” What is not immediately apparent in this verse is the reason beyond the necessity of staying in Ephesus until Pentecost. You see, during the winter months, the Aegean Sea was virtually impossible to sail upon because of the great storms that would come upon this area. Paul simply included this into his time management as he considered his plans. We all too often, I’m afraid, have a “Murphy’s Law” mentality when it comes to our time and accomplishing the things we want: “If it jams, force it; if it breaks, it needed to be replaced anyway!” It is always a wise thing to face up to certain facts and just place them into your plans while still giving the Lord the opportunity to change them!

f. Vs. 9 Form:

“For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.” This perhaps is the most difficult thing to understand as it relates to biblical time management, and that is how to determine if “what you want to invest your time in is what He wants you to invest it in.” What is interesting is that in this verse Paul gives us two things that will determine this:

1. Opportunity: “A great and effective door has opened to me”: The truth be told is that had Paul wanted to leave Ephesus, he could have traveled by land, but there was something that compelled him to not go but rather stay. Looking at this “great and effective door” that had been opened to Paul is quite revealing. In Acts 16, only a few years earlier, this same door was shut as the Lord had “forbidden (Paul) by the Holy Spirit to preach the word” there. Then in the 18th chapter of Acts, he was only able to spend one day there. Prior to Paul having any effect on this great city, Apollos preached there and was shown a more excellent way by the husband-and-wife friends of Paul, Aquila and Priscilla. The result of this was that Apollos was “showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.” As that was happening in Ephesus, Paul was going through trials that drove him more into the Lord’s arms, being placed in prison at Philippi, being kicked out of Thessalonica, and being laughed at in Athens. It appears to me in looking at my own spiritual development that God’s open door always includes brokenness before you can open it. So these two things are required prior to being there is a “great and effective door is open to us”:
- The place needs to be made ready for us
- We need to be made ready for the place
2. Opposition: “And there are many adversaries”: Wow, what an amazing statement in light of Paul’s words concerning Ephesus being a “great and effective door.” Truth be told, Satan’s greatest opposition always signals the Lord’s greatest work! G. Campbell Morgan, commenting on this verse, said, “If you have no opposition in the place you serve, you’re serving in the wrong place.” If we are looking for a place to spend our time, then we ought to be looking for a place with problems. Think of it this way: you don’t have a chance to win if you don’t have an opponent, and Satan fights the hardest where he is most sure of defeat.

Vs. 10-12 His Majesty’s Talent Scout

From how to manage our time to how to manage talent. One of the most difficult aspects of ministry is how to best utilize people’s talents in a way that gets the most for God’s kingdom. If anyone has ever coached a sport, then you will realize that team unity is much more important than individual talent! Here Paul speaks of two very different types of people who need to be encouraged in vastly different ways so that their talents can best be utilized for His kingdom. It has been said that people fall into two categories in God’s kingdom: “projects and products,” but even more so, people need to be brought out and built up.

Vs. 10-11 Timothy: The Quiet, Unassuming Young Man

First you have Timothy, a quiet, unassuming young man who was very teachable yet perhaps a little unsure of himself. To this kind of person, they need some nurturing to get the best out of their talents, and Paul suggests five ways in which this can happen:

a. Reassure: “See that he may be with you without fear”: One version renders this “be sure to make him feel welcome among you.” These Corinthians were hardcore and liked to debate and compare one teacher to another, something that would have a negative effect on a non-pushy younger Timothy. The best way to get this guy going in his talents would be to make him feel at home and wanted.
b. Receive: “For he does the work of the Lord, as I also do”: Timothy may have been young, but as far as Paul was concerned, he put this young fellow on the same level as himself in doing the work of the Lord. These Corinthians need to get beyond their respecter of persons mentality and receive this guy’s talents as coming from the Lord. I’m afraid this is all too common of a problem, as we Christians tend to flock to “big name” speakers instead of realizing there is only One Great Teacher!
c. Reach out: “Therefore let no one despise him”: One version puts it this way: “No one should look down on him.” Timothy needed not to be put down but rather reached out to and encouraged to get the most out of his talents for God’s kingdom. Timothy was the kind of fellow, as I said, who needed nurturing as he was young and had a laid-back personality.
d. Respond: “Send him on his journey in peace”: Listen to this guy, Paul is saying. “Hear the content of what he is saying and not the inexperience of his age.” Timothy had come to be a blessing, and at the very least he should be treated with an ear to hear and appreciation for his willing sacrifice.
e. Ready: “That he may come to me; for I am waiting for him with the brethren”: This verse indicates that Paul saw Timothy as valuable and so did “the brethren.” As such, they had the great opportunity to steady Timothy in order to get the most out of his talents. Don’t force a guy like this to struggle but rather give them something to go on instead of hassling them and telling them what they are not.

Vs. 12 Apollos: The Stronger Personality

Oh, but how different Paul’s approach was for Apollos, as Paul offers four ways to get the most out of a stronger personality:

a. Reason: “Apollos, I strongly urged him to come to you with the brethren”: One version puts it this way: “I begged him much.” Paul saw Apollos as a fellow who did not need as much nurturing but rather needed to be able to come to his own conclusions even if they differed from what Paul thought was best. So Paul saw Apollos as a person who would best respond if he took the low road and did not try to lord it over Apollos.
b. Respect: “But he was quite unwilling to come at this time”: Paul may not have agreed with Apollos’ decision, but he most certainly respected it. Jesus told his young followers in Matt. 23:8, “One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren.” The Lord is the Head of the Church; it is He who sends one man here and another there, even if his here is not out there!
c. Recognize: “However, he will come”: Paul may have disagreed with Apollos on this issue, but he never doubted for a moment Apollos’ motives, nor his desire to do the right thing when the Lord was directing him.
d. Relate: “When he has a convenient time”: Paul was the consummate team player and saw Apollos as being on the same team and side as he was—the side of the Lord. It was all about furthering the Lord’s work, and the best way to do this with a guy like Apollos was to allow him to be led by the Lord and not butt heads with him.

Next week we will finish this great letter and look at Paul’s final exhortations to this church in need of Christ!

1 Corinthians 16:13-24

In the Service of Saints

Intro

We come now to the close of Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, a letter in which he wrote of their need for Christ. Need for Christ, I thought you said he wrote to believers? Well, he did, but we are just as in need of Jesus now that we have come to trust Him as we were prior to our relationship with Him. In fact, it is our failure to realize this truth that is our most dangerous adversary and the very reason why Paul wrote this letter as well as the one that follows it. Oh, along the way, Paul answered seven questions that the Corinthian believers wanted to know, but in each case, Paul brought them back to the simplicity of knowing the Lord. Over the last several weeks, Paul became extremely practical, dealing with those three things we all possess to do the work of the Lord: “Treasure, time, and talent” and how to be better stewards of those things for the purpose of enlightening and establishing all around us. Here, as we close this letter, Paul has some final words that pertain to our lives in Christ and how to live them for the glory of God. Again, his words are placed within the context of the close of a letter, but he nonetheless has some great counsel for us.

Vs. 13-18 Velvet Steel

One of the many friends of Abraham Lincoln was once asked to describe the personality of this great president, and he used two words that are opposites but yet gave a vivid description, “Velvet Steel!” Softness with great strength—it is this description that I believe best describes what Paul encourages the Corinthians to become in Christ. Throughout the letter, Paul had corrected them in being too soft when it came to truth and too rigid when it came to loving one another! Boy, does that not seem like an accurate description of me at times?

In verses 13-14, Paul gives them five attitudes of a Christ-centered heart that are heart issues that will be seen in our everyday lives. These five things are the secrets to a powerful Christian life as well as a victorious Church and how we are to treat one another:

Vs. 13a “Watch”: The word in the Greek is used 22 times, and in its classic usage, it just means to “be awake.” Paul used it several times to encourage believers to wake up spiritually and stop being indifferent when it came to practicing their walk with the Lord. These Corinthians had been encouraged by Paul throughout this letter to wake up from their indifference towards the truth of God’s word. Folks, we are in a battle, and if you fall asleep during the fighting, it is certain that we will become a casualty of the war. Practically speaking, we cannot afford to take a vacation from our vocation as it relates to our walk with the Lord; we need to be ever watchful as we live our Christian lives. The New Testament lists six things that we are to be on the watch for—four of them are negative, and two of them are positive:
- 1 Peter 5:8 Satan: “Be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”
- Mark 14:38 Temptation: “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
- Revelation 3:2 Apathy: “Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.”
- 2 Timothy 4:3-5 False Teachers: “They will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things.”
- Ephesians 6:18 Prayer: “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.”
- Matthew 24:42 The Lord’s Return: “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.”
Vs. 13b “Stand fast in the faith”: This word appears only eight times in the New Testament, and it has to do with stability and being able to stand without being moved. But just what are we to be steadfast in? Well, Paul tells us: “in the faith.” The context here points not to faith as it relates to trusting in Jesus but rather as it relates to “truth.” It is what Paul spoke of to the Church in Thessalonica where he encouraged them to “stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.” Simply put, Paul says to this Church that they need to be in the Word, taking everything to the scriptures, and applying its truths to our lives.
Vs. 13c “Be brave”: Here is an interesting word in the Greek, as you will note in some of your versions, it is rendered “acquit yourselves like men,” literally “play the man.” The idea here in the Greek is that of maturity and being in self-control. It is as if Paul says, “act like men, not like boys, when it comes to your passions”! The interesting thing to me in this is the exhortation to grow and how that relates to the concept of being brave! You see, it takes courage to be transparent and honest about oneself and make a change to grow up into the fullness that is in Christ. There is nothing in all my personal Christian experience more frustrating than the lack of my own maturity in Him.
Vs. 13d “Be strong”: The Greek word is often used in the New Testament to denote spiritual growth, but the tense of the verb makes it literally mean, “be continually strengthened.” In scripture, there is a difference as to how we are to be strong than how we look at strength from a worldly perspective. In the world, we think of strength as being derived from building ourselves up through self-confidence. Yet in scripture, our strength is derived from the opposite, as we are told by Paul that “For when I am weak, then I am strong.” It is when we recognize our complete dependence upon the Lord that we will be strong in the “power of His might” (Ephesians 6:10).
Vs. 14 “Let all that you do be done with love”: Finally, Paul tells them to cover every one of these other qualities in “love,” for without them we could tend to be hard or harsh. Peter wrote in 1 Peter 4:8, “Above all things have fervent love for one another, for ‘love will cover a multitude of sins.’” It is this love in action that takes the steel of the above four things and covers it with velvet. There is no self-righteous superiority, only a firm resolve to be like the Lord, balancing truth with love.

So, what are the “Five Secrets to a Powerful Christian Life”?

Be awake (by recognizing your need)
Be in the Word (by trusting in His truth)
Be brave (by recognizing your failures)
Be strong (by recognizing your weakness)
Be loving (by receiving His love)

In verses 15-18, as if to illustrate these five secrets in men that the Corinthians knew well, Paul mentions three fellows who lived by them:

Stephanas: Paul says that it was the “firstfruits of Achaia,” which is Greece around Athens and Corinth, so it is thought that he was one of the few that received the Lord when Paul preached in the midst of the Areopagus and we are told that “some men joined him and believed.” We do know that in 1:16 Paul baptized him and his household.
Fortunatus & Achaicus: We do not know anything beyond what is written here, but it is supposed that these two were freed slaves and friends of Stephanas.

What is more important is to see how they served the needs of others, as we are given three specific ways in which they applied these five secrets of a powerful Christian life:

Vs. 15b “They have devoted themselves to the ministry of the saints”: The word “devoted themselves” is rendered in different translations as “appointed or addicted.” As far as Christian service was concerned, Paul describes these three as fellows who did not need to be appointed but rather just went out and did the job of serving others. Why? Well, it seems as though they were addicted to Jesus! In today’s world, addiction is a horrible word, as folks are addicted to all sorts of things that ruin their lives and the lives of those around them. But the truth is we are all addicts—the only question is what we are addicted to? I’m told that there are three characteristics to addiction:
- Strong habit and an overwhelming desire that we have to partake.
- A growing tolerance so that we have to partake in greater and greater amounts to be effective.
- Complete dependence in order to function.
Vs. 17b “What was lacking on your part they supplied”: Second, we are told that they were on constant lookout to supply that which was lacking. These three came up after folks, looking to give what was in short supply. It did not matter what was in short supply; they did not care. If what was in short supply was someone to provide some treasure, well, they raised their hands first and said, “Let me, let me!” Oh, but if what was needed was time, “Well, they jumped up and said, here I am, choose me!” Why, even if what was called upon needed some talent, they responded, “I’ve got just what you’re looking for!” These three were “ready, willing, and available” and furthermore did not wait to be called upon!
Vs. 18a “For they refreshed my spirit and yours”: Finally, Paul says that these three always left whoever they had been around refreshed in their innermost being. These guys “left a trail” when they went to help, and it was one that was scented with the fragrance of Christ. I remind you that these three had not been to seminary, no, they had just been with Jesus.

Oh, does this not just make you want what these three had and these five secrets of the Christian life?

Vs. 19-24 To Know Him is to Love Him

In verses 19-20, Paul concludes with his final greetings and exhortations, which he tells us were in his own hand, which tells us that Paul dictated this letter and that he wrote the closing in big letters as he was nearly blind. The greetings include two different types of churches:

The churches of Asia greet you: This most likely has to do with that rented hall where Paul taught in Ephesus some five hours a day, six days a week, where hundreds would gather to hear the teaching of the Word. The spin-off of this ministry of Paul was lots of other churches started through Asia as the teaching of God’s Word impacted the whole region.
Aquila and Priscilla greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house: Here we have the little house church of probably 15 to 30 believers. It seems that wherever Aquila and his wife Priscilla went, they started a home study fellowship. Even more amazing to me is to see that they were ready to uproot their business to be of service to the Lord, especially as it related to Paul. It takes people like these to be servants of the Lord to establish God’s work in a community. In an era where most folks want to attend a church based upon having their needs met, these two saw their responsibility to help meet needs!

Verse 20: Perhaps today we would say, “greet one another with a holy hug,” but then the practice was to kiss on the cheek three times, ending on the cheek you started with. But what does this exhortation speak to us about? Well, it tells me that Paul wanted to encourage this church to be affectionate towards one another. I think that Jesus’ Church ought to be the kind of place that we were told in the TV sitcom Cheers where “everyone knows your name.”

In verses 21-22, so important is what Paul is about to say that he wants the Corinthian Church to know that he himself is writing it, and the two key words he writes are in Aramaic. The first thing to notice here is that Paul uses the word for “love” that means “kindly affection.” It is the root of the word “Philadelphia” or brotherly love. Next, the word “accursed” means to be “cut off” or damned. Finally, the words “O Lord come” can be rendered “Our Lord is at hand.” So, one could render this passage of scripture by saying, “If anyone does not have affection for the Lord, he is cut off, but the Lord is right next to him in love!” You may be cut off because you have not yet received His love for you, but it doesn’t have to be that way—He is right there next to you, desiring to embrace you with His arms that were stretched out for you!

In verses 23-24, how can you be sure this is what Paul was trying to convey? Well, look at the final two verses, and you will see that Paul closes with “grace and love,” both of which are only found in Jesus. Paul had two great loves, and the second came from the first: Jesus and people. Hey, Christian, what are your great loves? Jesus spoke to His disciples concerning these same two loves in Matthew 22:37-40: “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind…. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”