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- Preaching the Living WORD through
the Written WORD - 2 Tim 4;:2 - |
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PARTNERSHIP IN THE MINISTRY 1Co 16:10-14 (04/25/12) Grace Bible Church, Gillette, Wyoming Pastor Daryl Hilbert I. TIMOTHY’S ARRIVAL AT CORINTH (10-11) A. Do not Despise Timothy’s Youth (10-11a) 1. Timothy and Erastus (a Corinthian, Rom
16:23) were sent ahead of Paul to Macedonia (Act 19:22) while Paul stayed in
Ephesus. The plan was for Timothy to visit Corinth (1Co 4:17), but not sure
when (ea.n - if 3rd
Class). However, Paul wrote to the Corinthians not to cause Timothy any
fear (aphobos - without fear).
Obviously, the Corinthians could be arrogant and very intimidating towards
others. 2. Paul affirms Timothy’s credentials as one
who “doing the Lord’s work.” Timothy was a diligent and hardworking (present
middle - erga,zomai - actively
expending energy) servant, even as Paul was. 3. The Corinthians were exhorted not to “despise”
(vs. 11a, exouthene,ō
- to disregard or treat with no account or contempt) Timothy and his
authority. This could have been because of his youth which Paul instructed
Timothy not to “let anyone look down on his youthfulness” (1Ti 4:12). It also
could be that the Corinthians did not grasp the concept of authority in the
church to which Timothy would have to stand his ground (cp. Tit 2:15). Paul
had to defend his own authority before the Corinthians (1Co 9:1-2; 2Co 10:8;
11:5; 12:11; 13:10). B. Supply Timothy’s Needs (11b) 1. Just like vs. 6, when Paul asked the
Corinthians to provide for him (“send me on my way”), he was asking the
Corinthians to provide for Timothy (“send him on his way”). 2. Timothy and the brethren with him were
eventually to meet up with Paul. Paul “expected” (ekdexomai
- emphatic expectation) to see Timothy and hear that all was done “in
peace” and in provision by the Corinthians. II. APOLLOS’ ARRIVAL AT CORINTH (12) A. Paul does not change the subject with the
phrase “but concerning” (peri de) but
reveals that the Corinthians inquired about Apollos, and Paul was answering
them. B. Not only is this an interesting verse, it
has a thought-provoking context. There were some from the church in Corinth
that were baptized by Apollos and thought they were more spiritual because
they were in Apollos’ so-called group (1Co 1:12-13; 3:4-6). Obviously Paul
and Apollos did not agree with those divisive groups, were not antagonistic
toward each other, and were themselves productive co-workers. Here Paul
called Apollos, “our brother” and had said that he “encouraged him
greatly” to visit Corinth. C. Note that it was Apollos that did not “desire”
to visit for the moment, but would visit when he had “opportunity.”
Too much cannot be made of Apollos’ decision not to visit Corinth for the
moment. However the construction is intriguing and stronger than usual. It
reads that he “was not desiring at all” (pantōs ouk ên (IAI - eimi) thelêma) to visit. This must be qualified with the
next phrase, “but he will come when he
has opportunity.” In all probability, he himself
may have been in the midst of a “wide door of effective service” and it was
not a “good time” (eukaire,ō)
to visit Corinth despite Paul’s repeated attempts. Though a godly leader
knows that he must deal with problems, he must also know that he must
continue to minister without letting those problems hinder him. III. CORINTHIANS TO ACT LIKE STRONG CHRISTIAN MEN
(13-14) A. Paul gives a strong admonition at the end
of his epistle to the Corinthians. It was both a summation of all their
problems and a statement Paul desired to say all through the epistle. It was
a statement that particularly dealt with the men of the church. It dealt with
their spiritual responsibility, their Christian character, and the true
Christian mode of ministry. 1. Be on the Alert a) First they were to “be on the alert.”
The Greek word for “alert” is grêgore,ō
(fr. egei,rō
- I raise up) and literally means to arise from sleep and be watchful
(cp. Mat 26:40). Figuratively it means to ever be watchful over spiritual
lives and in spiritual things. They were to be on the alert: (1) For the Lord’s coming (Mat 24:42) (2) In prayer (Col 4:2) (3) In holy living (1Th 5:6) (4) For the devil (1Pe 5:8) (5) For false teaching of “wolves” (Act
20:28-31) b) Paul gave this as a command (present
active imperative) to the Corinthians and not as a suggestion. Had they been
spiritually alert they would not have allowed false teaching or thinking to
enter the church. 2. Stand Firm in the Faith a) As another command, they were to stand
firm in the faith. To “stand firm” (stêkō
- from perfect tense of histêmi - having stood and
continue to stand) literally meant an immoveable stance. Figuratively it
means to stand immovable in duty and faith, to persevere. They were to stand
firm: (1) In proper freedom in Christ (Gal 5:1). (2) In a worthy manner of conduct (Phil 1:27). (3) Persevere in the Christian life (Phil 4:1;
1Th 3:8). (4) To the spiritual things they were taught
(2Th 2:15). b) They were not to allow a pseudo idea of
freedom in Christ cause them to abandon sound teaching and wise living in the
community of believers. Furthermore they were to stand firm in doctrine and
be immovable in in their Christian faith (1Co 15:1, 58) 3. Act Like Men a) The Greek word andri,zō
(fr. anêr -
man) means to come to manhood, be a man, behave like a man, become brave
and courageous. It is translated from the LXX as “be courageous” (Deut 31:6,
7, 31; Jos 1:6-9, 18; 10:25; 2Sa 10:12; 1Ch 19:13; 22:13). b) It means to “act like men” in the
sense that men are to be the courageous ones that stand between danger and
their loved ones. Here it has reference to spiritual manhood, spiritual
courage, and spiritual maturity. c) Men act out Christian manhood when they
are alert to spiritual danger for themselves and for others, when they stand
firm in the faith no matter what opposition they may face or if they have to
stand alone, and when they obey God and His Word regardless what others are
saying around them. They wait on the Lord and find their courage in Him (Psa
27:14; 30:25). d) The Corinthian men, aside from being
self-centered, had no problem fighting themselves, but when it came to
fighting the enemies of truth they had no spiritual backbone. No wonder Paul
had to tell the women to stop their outbursts during worship because their
husbands lacked the courage to do so. Paul had to tell these women in the
church that if they wanted to learn anything, they were to ask their own
husbands at home and remain silent at church (1Co 14:34-35). e) Paul commanded them to act like men and
not like immature children in their thinking, (1Co 14:20), actions, or
doctrine (Eph 4:14). 4. Be Strong a) In addition to acting like courageous
spiritual men, Paul commanded them to be “strong” (krataio,ō
- passive - become strong). Eph 1:19 contains four Greek words that give
different aspects of strength or power: “power” (dunamis)
is produce of a strong effect; “working” (ene,rgeia)
is operative energy or activity; “strength” (kra,tos)
possession of force or strength; and “might” (ischu,s)
is the ability or attribute of strength. To be strong means to possess the
spiritual force or strength to live as Christian men. Often the terms “be
strong and courageous” go together (Psa 27:14; 30:25; 2Sa 10:12) b) To be spiritually strong they would have
to: (1) Trust in the Lord’s might (Psa 89:13). (2) Seek the Lord and His strength (Psa 105:4;
Neh 6:9; cp. Eph 6:10). (3) Be strengthened by the Holy Spirit in the
inner man (Eph 3:16; cp. Phil 4:13). c) The Corinthians were to have inner
strength which would enable them to exercise strength in the Christian life. 5. Do all in Love a) The final command was to let everything “be
done” (present imperative - ginomai - you
must keep on doing )
“in love” (en agape - self-sacrificial love). b) If they would possess all of these things
(vs. 13), but not exercise love, then they have failed to be the complete and
mature Christian man. c) Though they were a spiritual gifted
church, they lacked love and their church and their ministry suffered for it
(1Co 13:1-8). d) Without love, they reconciled no one from
divisions, guarded no one from false teaching, and protected no one from the
love feast infractions. |
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