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- Preaching the Living WORD through
the Written WORD - 2 Tim 4;:2 - |
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THE MATTER OF COLLECTIONS 1Co 16:1-9 (04/18/12) Grace Bible Church, Gillette, Wyoming Pastor Daryl Hilbert I. CORINTHIAN PROVISION FOR THE SAINTS IN
JERUSALEM (16:1-4) A. They were to Take Collection for the
Saints (1) 1. As has been Paul’s custom to introduce a
new topic, he begins with “now concerning” (peri, de). This new topic has to do with
collection for the saints. The meaning behind “collection” (logei,a) comes from one of the more original
meanings of le,gō of laying down and collecting
(eventually le,gō came to mean speaking collected
thoughts). 2. In this case, it was the collecting of
money for other “saints” or believers who had come under hard times.
Others churches were instructed to follow the same procedures (“Galatia”). B. They were to Take Collections on the First
Day (2) 1. The expression the “first day of every
week” (mi,an sabba,tou
hekastos) does not read
“every first Sabbath.” Sabbaton does refer to the Jewish Sabbath
(Saturday), but sometimes, like here, it refers to a general seven day
“week.” So literally, this is translated, “first of every week,” meaning the
first “day” of every week (cp. Luk
18:12). A perfect example is Mat 28:1 where it says, “Now after the Sabbath (sabbatōn), as it
began to dawn toward the first day of the
week (sabbatōn).” a) This instructs us that the early church
began to meet on the first day of the week (Act 20:7) (sometimes also on the
Sabbath) out of celebration of the fact that the Lord was raised on the first
day of the week (fr. sabbaton - Mar 16:2, 9; Luk 24:1; Joh
20:1). b) The term, “Lord’s day” in Rev 1:10 does
not refer to the Day of the Lord but rather the day which Christ was
resurrected and had become the customary day of worship. The expression,
“Lord’s day” was a coined phrase for Sunday by the second century. c) 1Co 16:2 confirms that the church had
regularly met on the first day of the week (Sunday) and it was the practice
to take collections for the needs of the saints. 2. The NT principle of giving shows that the
believer is no longer under the Law in regard to the concept of tithing.
However, giving is to be done according to the principle of grace which in
many cases could be much more than a tithe. a) It was to be done in connection with an
individual’s abundance and “prospering” (euodoō - lit. good
road, i.e. prosperous journey or prosperous financial gain, extra). Paul
would not have to take a special collection because they had already been
taken over a number of weeks. b) It is to be done from a generous and
“cheerful” (hilaros - gracious, Eng. hilarity) heart, not “grudgingly”
or “under compulsion” (2Co 9:6-8). c) In 1Co 16:2, the church was to “put
aside and save” toward the grace gift to be given to the financially
burdened church in Jerusalem. d) Giving is seen in the NT as an aspect of
weekly worship. It is allows for giving at special times in special ways
individually but especially collectively as a church weekly. C. They were to Give the Collection to the
Churches in Jerusalem (3-4) 1. The purpose of the collections was to give
a “gift” (charis - grace, kindness, generous gift) of financial
aid to the church in “Jerusalem.” The city and those who lived in it,
including the Christians, were in dire straits for several years and for
numerous reasons: overpopulation, famine (Act 11:28), poverty (Rom 15:26; 2Co
8:1-5), and persecution (Act 8:1-3; 1Th 2:14). 2. Whenever Paul arrives in Corinth, he will
give instructions to whomever the Corinth church “approved” (dokima,zō - tested and approved). He would give them “letters”
of approval and explanation along with the gift to Jerusalem. 3. If possible, Paul will attempt to go and
lead such an important trip and give the love gift on his third missionary
journey. It will be a collection from various churches for over a period of a
year (Rom 15:26 cp. Act 24:17). II. CORINTHIAN PROVISION FOR PAUL AND OTHER
SERVANTS (16:5-12) A. Paul Plans to Visit Corinth (5) 1. Paul stayed in Ephesus for three years
and wrote this letter to the church in Corinth probably toward the end of
that stay (cf. 1Co 4:19). 2. His plan was to come to them after going
through Macedonia. The purpose was not only to receive their gift for the
saints in Jerusalem, but also to spend some time with them. B. Corinthians Were to Provide for Paul (6) 1. Though Paul had made plans, “perhaps”
(tugcha,nō - meet up with unexpected circumstances) those plans would change, especially
since they involved the Lord’s work. 2. His plan was to “stay with them” (paramenō
- remain alongside) or even “spend the winter” (parcheima,zō - alongside a storm or winter). The fact that he was not completely
sure does not mean he was double-minded. Rather he was wise in knowing that
circumstances, needs, and critical situations arise and alter the best laid
plans. 3. His purpose for telling them was so that
the Corinth church would be ready to provide for him and his ministry. This
is the meaning of the phrase, “send me on my way” (pro,pempō - send before - furnish provisions) to essentially whereever he “may go.” 4. Provision for the ministry is not a new
concept. The OT shows that such provision was the norm. a) Before the giving of the Law, Abraham paid
a tithe to Melchizedek (Gen 14:18-20). b) The Lord asked Israel to contribute toward
the building of the Tabernacle (Exo 25:1-2; 35:5, 21). c) A tenth of Israel’s giving went to the
“sons of Levi” and the priesthood (Num 18:21; Mal 3:8-10). d) Israel was to honor the Lord with their
wealth (Pro 3:9-10). e) Paul wrote that support of the
preaching/elder was a biblical concept (1Ti 5:17-18 cf. Deu 25:4). C. Paul Planned, But the Lord Directed His
Steps (7) a) Paul explained his desire for a lengthy
stay was that he wanted it to be more than a mere visit or “passing” (paraodos
- along the way). He desired to remain with them for some “time” (chronos
- unit or span of time, Eng. chronology). Paul wanted time with them to
teach, reteach, correct, exhort, and encourage them in especially the things
he wrote in his epistle. b) This was prefaced by the phrase, “if
the Lord permits.” It is the Greek word epitre,psō which literally means “turn upon.” It is the idea that the Lord
always has the prerogative to turn man upon God’s path and off man’s own.
This does not mean that man is not supposed to plan. Man should plan with
biblical principles and ministry desires. However, he must always be ready to
allow God’s final authority and the right for God to direct him in a different
direction. This principle is taught in Pro 16:9, “The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs
his steps.” Why doesn’t the Lord reveal His plans
for us in advance? Because the believer glorifies God by following Him,
obeying Him, and walking by faith. D. Paul Will Remain in Ephesus because of
Ministry Opportunities (8-9) 1. For the time being, Paul would remain in
Ephesus until “Pentecost” (pentê,konta - lit. fifty, 50 days after Passover). Paul was not running wildly or
randomly but had boundaries for his ministry opportunities. 2. What was a major criterion for Paul’s
ministry? The answer was a “wide door for effective service” (9). A
“door” is a pathway to ministry opportunity. A “wide” (me,gas) door is huge ministry opportunities.
“Effective” (energês - efficient energy that accomplishes its purpose)
ministry is ministry where the Lord is changing hearts in a major way. This
ministry “opened” (perfect participle - anoi,gō - have been and continue to be opened) to Paul. 3. As is the case with ministry
opportunities and effective service, there will always be “adversaries”
(anti,keimai - those with hostile opposition , name
for Antichrist, 2Th 2:4)
to attempt to thwart the Lord’s work. They are described as “many.”
These human adversaries could be the “wild beasts at Ephesus” that Paul
fought with (1Co 15:32). III. OBSERVATIONS AND APPLICATIONS A. Paul’s desire was to teach every believer
everything about God’s Word in every amount of time he had with them. This
should be a heart and we should make the most of every opportunity to witness
and disciple one another. B. Paul was not a present day money-monger
always asking for money. Rather he was an apostle teaching churches to
fulfill their entire Christian duties to the Lord. C. We must be willing to plan for ministry,
do ardent labor for the ministry, but be ready to follow the Lord into any
ministry, including new ministry, all for the sake of ministry for the Lord.
The visionless must gain vision, the inflexible must stretch to flexibility,
and the leaders must learn to follow the Leader. D. We must learn to have “thura-vision” (thura
- door, eyes that see ministry opportunities) and “therion-vision” (therion
-beast, eyes that are alert for adversaries). |
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