Comings and goings in 1 Corinthians 16

1 Corinthians chapter 16. I hope in some way I can continue on from Brother Scott's message. It must be all right-handed preachers on this platform.

I'm going to change it. 1 Corinthians chapter 16. We'll read these 23 verses together.

1 Corinthians chapter 16. And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me. Now I will come unto you, when I shall pass through Macedonia.

For I do pass through Macedonia, and it may be that I will abide, yea, in winter with you, that ye may bring me on my journey, whithersoever I go. For I will not see you now by the way, but trust to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit. And I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost.

For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries. Now if Timotheus come, see that he may be with you without fear. For he worketh the work of the Lord, as I also do.

That no man therefore despise him, but conduct him forth in peace. That he may come unto me, for I look for him with the brethren. As touching our brother Apollos, I greatly desired him to come unto you with the brethren.

But his will was not at all to come at this time. But he will come when he shall have a convenient time. Watch ye.

Stand fast in the faith. Quick ye like men. Be strong.

Let all your things be done with charity. I beseech you, brethren, ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia. And that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints.

That ye submit yourselves to such, and to every one that helpeth with us in labouring. I am glad of the coming of Stephanas, and Fortunatus, and Achaicus. For that which was lacking on your part they have supplied.

For they have refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore acknowledge ye them that are such. The churches of Asia salute you.

Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord. With the church that is in their house. All the brethren greet you or salute you.

Greet, salute one another with a holy kiss. The salutation of me call with mine own hand. If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema.

Maranatha, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. My love be with you all, in Christ Jesus. Amen.

And the Apostle comes to the conclusion of this great epistle. I think that there's a possibility that last chapters are often neglected chapters. And so I would like, with the help of God, to spend a little time on this last chapter.

The concluding chapter of this great epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Christian assembly. If we were to basically sum up this chapter, we would see quite quickly that it's a chapter of comings and goings. You'll read that the Apostle Paul, he wants to come to Corinth on his way to Jerusalem.

You'll find that he encourages Timothy to come. And he encourages Apollos to come. He speaks about Stephanus and Fortunatus and Achaicus, how they came to him.

And finally he speaks about the Lord coming. And it's a chapter of coming. People that are coming and going.

Concluding with the Lord coming and we going. What a day that will be. It seems to start in rather an odd way.

You remember, of course, that when you come to chapter 15 of this epistle, the Apostle is dealt with the subject of resurrection, concluding in that momentous occasion when we are transformed and taken out of this world. Concluding with a statement to be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. And then suddenly he speaks about the collection of the saints.

I thought it was a rather odd place to suddenly talk about the collection of the saints. Why would he do that? Well, against the background of exhorting the saints of Corinth to stand fast and to be unmovable and to always abound in their labour in the Lord, knowing it's not in vain. He's then going to take up his pen and write this final chapter and lay before the saints certain Christians who are labouring in the Lord.

He speaks about himself. He speaks about carrying this gift with others. He speaks about Timothy and how he was labouring and Apollos and how he was working.

Write down this chapter. Christian after Christian after Christian. He sets before the assembly at Corinth as examples of those who are labouring steadfast in the Lord, unmovable.

Now, when I read this chapter, I shrink when I think of such saints. What could we do? I know Timothy and I know Apollos. And I think of the great work of Aquila and Priscilla and these three men that came to support the Apostle Paul and the great Apostle himself as he resolutely stood steadfast amidst hostile persecution at Ephesus.

That's where he's writing this letter from. And he's in the midst of this hostility. But he says about a great door that's been opened for him.

And if you go back to the book of the Acts and just see the hostility that he endured at Ephesus, it's remarkable that he stood so firm, unmovable as he laboured in the Gospel and to support the saints. I look down this chapter and I think to myself, well, I'm way, way out of league here. I wonder whether that's why he starts with a collection.

He says, upon the first day of the week, let each one of you lay by him in store. I want to encourage your hearts this afternoon, beloved saints, for us to understand that there is something for every Christian to do. There is not a Christian in this hall this afternoon that cannot accomplish something for God.

And so he speaks here and he embraces all the saints. It goes beyond the word that we find in our translation here, let every one of you. The word really is let each one of you.

Everyone can kind of sometimes embrace a generic numberless people. But he's bringing it down to the feet of every individual in the assembly at Corinth. And he says, I want you to know this, there's something that every one of you can accomplish.

And that is to put it into the word of God. I want to lift this off the page further than the collection, the monetary collection that he's going to speak about. What is it that we can accomplish for God as Christians? We can pray just to pray for others.

I think it's rather appropriate here that he has ordered the Christians to put aside on the first day of the week. You see, on the first day of the week, it was a day that God always had in mind, right from the beginning of the creation of this world. In fact, the creation of this world began on the first day of the week.

And God always had this day in mind, the day of the resurrection of his son, the day that his son would ascend and the Holy Spirit would descend, the day that the disciples would gather together to break bread, the day that he would institute the collection for all the churches. This is the day that was in the mind of God from the beginning of time. You know, on the day that we remember that the Lord Jesus gave everything for us, he reminds the saints, what can we give back? He brings to us a principle in these first few verses.

Now concerning the collection of the saints, he says, upon the first day of the week, let every one of you lay by him in store as God has prospered him. Darby in his translation would render this, let every one of you, let each one of you put by at home as God has prospered him. My mind was taken back to the building of the tabernacle.

You remember when you come to Exodus chapter 35 and Moses has got the people of God before him and he's exhorting them as to what to bring and he gives those great instructions as to what's needed for the construction of the tabernacle and it tells us in Exodus chapter 35, I think verse 20, that all the people departed from the presence of Moses and then they came. Whoever's heart was stirred up, whoever had a willing heart to bring to the work of God. Brothers and sisters, on the first day of the week, as we contemplate moving out to the Lord's supper, as we contemplate moving out to remember one who gave his all for us, what could I give back? What could I do to contribute to the work of God? Now we know that in 1 Corinthians chapter 11, he's already spoken about the necessity to examine oneself, to be appropriate, to take those emblems.

But he says here that we're to put by in store, that we might bring to the work of God. Something that the apostle was trying to preserve here was that there would be no great specific commercial appeals when he just turned up. I think there's another lesson in that for us.

I'm very thankful that when we gather together on the first day of the week and we take those emblems and we remember the blessed person of the Lord Jesus Christ, whether it be a box at the door or whether it be a bag that follows the emblems, we can just quietly, independently, before God, give something back to the work of the Lord or contribute to the work of the Lord. You see, what sometimes is done today is that pressure is put on. Big appeals are made.

And folk as a result of this feel forced to give something to the work of God. And it really wasn't generated out of a sincere heart. In the privacy of one's own home, before God himself, determining what I'm going to give back, something that I'm going to give back, as I have been prospered by God.

Well, if we take this beyond just a monetary sense and just ask ourselves the question this afternoon in view of Calvary, is there something that I can give back? Is there something I can contribute to the work of God? And I think of all that he's done for me, just privately in my own home, just considering before the Lord. And so the apostle here was preserving pressure being put on the saints in a public way to force them into doing something which was not sincere or not genuine. When he comes to verse 3, he speaks about taking this gift that they would collect.

Or I would suggest that because this is a weekly thing, there was a collection being made, of course, for the four saints in Jerusalem, but this was going to be something that they would continue in the assemblies. This was something for all the assemblies to do. And the first day of the week, the week there is in plural.

And so it's going to be something that's going to be accomplished every week, every Lord's Day. That's why we would have a bag or a collection on a Lord's Day morning, determining privately what I'm going to give into the work of God and coming on the first day of the week and putting in something to help with the, to contribute to the work of God. And that goes on week after week.

The apostle here, he speaks about carrying a portion of this to the four saints in Jerusalem. When I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, then will I send to bring your liberality to Jerusalem. I'm stopped at this verse for a moment.

I want to think about this. What do you think it would be to carry a gift to Jerusalem? I suppose we might consider that to be a reasonably menial task, just to accompany the apostle, to take this gift up to Jerusalem to these four saints. I found it challenging to note that the word that the apostle uses here, approved.

When I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, then will I send to bring your liberality. And if it be me, I go also that he will go with them. Approved.

The apostle Paul didn't want just any Christian to accompany him to Jerusalem with this gift. He wanted those who would be marked out by the Corinthian assembly, as those who had been tried and tested and come out approved. I suggest that he wouldn't have wanted the man from chapter five.

And he wouldn't have wanted bickering saints from chapter six taking one another to court. And I dare say that when it comes to chapters eight to ten, and there are these saints that some don't care about how the others may feel on this certain matter of eating meat sacrificed to idols. He wanted those whose testimony had been marked out.

I felt challenged as I asked myself the question, if I had been in the Corinthian assembly, would I be counted among the approved? Such a menial task to carry this gift up to Jerusalem. But what was at stake here, brothers and sisters, was the very testimony of the assembly itself. What would be carried into Jerusalem was not only a monetary gift, but was the testimony of the assembly of Corinth.

And so the apostle Paul, he wants those that have been approved. In fact, it's the same word that he uses in chapter three. The fire shall try every man's work.

It shall test, it shall examine, it shall scrutinize every man's work. He uses it again in chapter 11, verse 28. Let every man examine himself.

There it is again. In 2 Corinthians chapter 8, he speaks presumably about Timothy, and he says that we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved diligent. Proved diligent.

There it is again. And he wanted those to carry this gift with him who had been tested and tried to be found approved. I wonder whether he speaks about a few of these in the chapter.

Stephanos and his household. Fortunatus, Achaicus. He then in this next few verses speaks about his intention to travel with these saints and go to Jerusalem.

Come via the assembly at Corinth. Possibly winter with them and go on his way. I want to just read to you from verse 4 or verse 5. Now I will come unto you.

Verse 6, I will abide and winter with you. Verse 7, I will not see you. Now by the way, verse 8, I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost.

It may seem strange as we read these words together that the apostle seemed to exercise his will so freely. I want to speak about that for a moment maybe just in relation to understanding something of the will of God. When it comes to understanding the will of God, we are to make plans in our life.

Christians are not stagnant creatures that just wait for a piece of paper to float down from heaven and there is the will of God in terms of something that may be accomplished that day or next week or where I ought to go, who I ought to marry, what university course I must embark on, what job I must get, what town I must move to, what house I must live in. We are to make plans. But I would suggest maybe five points for us to consider when we are making our plans.

First of all, we try to keep this slogan before us. We make our plans in the fear of God but we leave them subject to the will of God. The apostle Paul made plans himself sometimes that didn't work out.

In fact, if you were to go into the next book you would understand from chapters 1, chapter 2, chapter 7 that his plans to go to Corinth at that time never came to fruition. You remember on another occasion he's writing to the Romans and he says that often times I purpose to come unto you but I was hindered. I don't think that the apostle sat at his study desk with his feet up and his cup of tea thinking I must go to Rome someday but not today.

No, I suggest that what he means by this is he wanted to go to Rome, he purposed to go to Rome, he planned to go to Rome, he went to go to Rome but he was stopped. In Acts chapter 16, the Spirit of God, they are saved to go into Bithynia and the Spirit of God changed their plans. And so I find it remarkable to start with that even the great apostle at times didn't know the will of God.

He went, I'm going to go to Rome, maybe he packed his bags, I'm going to go next week on Thursday and next week on Thursday came and he went, he went to go but he was hindered. We sometimes think that because of these men and their apostolic authority that they must have known every detail of life from the Lord. No brothers and sisters much like us, they were wholly dependent on God to guide them.

But the five points I want to bring out is this, to understand something of the will of God we must always first pray, speak to God about it. To understand the will of God we must read his word. Whatever God, whichever way the Spirit of God will guide me, it will always be in keeping with what the word of God will teach me.

I was thinking about that particularly in relation to what our brother Scott has brought before us. Keeping to the word of God. We were in a little town on one occasion and certain things took place in that town and I was asked to do something, to go somewhere and I had to write back to these people, very nice that they were and genuine and sincere in their invitation just to say to them that that conflicts with what I read in the word of God.

And I cannot do that because the word of God would prevent me. And I could not conclude that that would be the Spirit of God leading me to do such a thing because the word of God speaks against that. So I must read the word of God and know that whatever decision I'm faced with, if it's of God it's not going to be outside the confines of this book.

Thirdly, God does deal with us in circumstances and we must recognize that. The Apostle Paul himself, as I have mentioned to you this afternoon, he understood that God could close doors and open doors and he was alert to circumstances in his life that would be a guide to him. And you would know as you speak to saints this afternoon, those of us who are younger would speak to older saints, certain circumstances in life have guided them.

It wasn't outside the confines of this book. They were praying to the Lord about a certain matter and God used circumstances to guide them. So be alert to circumstances.

Something else I want to say in knowing the will of God, particularly in the things of secondary importance, if I can put it like that, in our lives that we don't have direct commands for. Will it be breaking fellowship with my brothers and sisters? We have the Word of God taught to us. Elders in a local assembly are there for a reason to uphold the Word of God, to see that it's taught.

Is what I'm going to do going to conflict in my fellowship with my local assembly? Finally, God will give you a peace. Sometimes we would just encourage you to just take this. If you don't know, don't go.

I think God will give you a peace about a matter. The Word of God, circumstances, fellowship, prayer, the peace of God. But now look with me, it says in verse 4, if it be me.

Verse 5, it may be. Verse 7, I trust. Verse 7, if the Lord permit.

He was a man, completely dependent upon God to guide him. And we ought to have that attitude. If Timothy come, see that he may be with you without fear.

But he worked at the work of the Lord. Let no man therefore despise him, but conduct him forth in peace. Rather interesting.

Timothy is spoken of by the Apostle numbers of times as we know. He's spoken of in 2nd, in 1st Timothy chapter 4, as a young man. Now 1st Timothy was written approximately 8-10 years after Paul penned this letter.

If 8-10 years in the future he would be referred to as a young man and historians would tell us that when you put dates together, it would seem to be that by the time you get to 1st Timothy, he was maybe around 40 years old. So he could likely have been about 30 at this point. He's writing concerning a young man.

And he says about this young man that as he comes among you, let him be without fear. Now brothers, I want to just maybe bring a word of exhortation. I'm conscious that I'm still a young man.

Timothy was given great responsibility by the Apostle. In fact, I've often marveled at that responsibility that he was given at Ephesus. That he would have the charge laid upon him to see that the assembly at Ephesus would keep to the word of God in relation to what it is to be gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus.

To uphold that testament. To see that the behavior in the house of God was as the mind of God. It can be a fearful thing being a young person.

Let's not make it any more difficult for a young person to flourish in the things of God. It can be daunting seeing older brothers and sisters long on the road. They were encouraged not to despise Timothy.

He would come among them. He would bring the word of God to them. He was being used at this point in a mighty way.

He was clearly a fairly timid kind of young man. And it would have been daunting for him to go to an assembly like Corinth. And so Paul wrote to them and encouraged them.

Don't despise this young man. Don't hinder him in his ministry. Cause him to move on.

Conduct him forth in peace. Help him to flourish in the things of God. Encourage his heart.

Don't look down on him. I've been thinking about that verse in the Proverbs. Only by pride cometh contention.

So often problems that arise among us are a result of pride. Wasn't it a thrill to hear of that young man that Brother Scott was talking about? To hear of someone who could be so useful to the Lord. May we encourage that.

Timothy, he encouraged them to conduct him forth. Timothy is mentioned a number of times in the word of God. First in Acts chapter 16.

Where it says he is well reported of by the brethren. In Lystra and Iconium. Antium.

In Acts chapter 16. Sorry, in Derbe. Presumably he was from Derbe.

The apostle Paul in chapter 15 in the book of the Acts had been into Derbe and he was preaching the gospel. And we would presume that that's when Timothy was saved. He's spoken of as a son, a beloved son by the apostles.

So a son in the faith. So we would assume that Timothy was saved under the preaching of the apostle. But now he's well reported of when the apostle comes back.

What a thrill it must have been to the heart of the apostle. To return to Derbe and to hear that now in neighbouring cities this man was well reported of. He had a good testimony.

Again I ask myself what kind of testimony would be noised abroad concerning myself? I must challenge myself in the presence of God. What would be said? You read of Timothy as he goes on. He was there for the establishment of the assembly at Corinth of course in Acts chapter 18.

Romans chapter 16 he's spoken of as a work fellow. A true work fellow. Someone who was yoked together with the apostle.

An older man and a younger man together. What a blessing it must have been for Timothy. What an encouragement it must have been for the apostle.

As these two men, an older man and a younger man. An older man with the experience. A younger man with his zeal.

Yoked together in the work of God. I'm very thankful where we can see older men and younger men. And older sisters.

And younger sisters. Working together. In fact I didn't come here to speak about this today.

Maybe you should have stuck to my original message. But I did intend originally to speak about older men and younger men. And older sisters and younger sisters.

But it's a tremendous thing. You know by the time you come to 1 1 Corinthians chapter 4. He speaks of him as being a beloved son. Faithful in the Lord.

One who will bring in to the remembrance of the saints the word of God. He will teach in every place as the apostle did. But you know it wasn't always like that with Timothy.

When he started. If you come to the 19th chapter of the book of the Acts you'll find that Paul speaks about him and another man as being ministers to the apostle. So I want to just bring a word of caution to those of us who are younger.

Let's be prepared to play second fiddle. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. We've much to learn.

We have a long way to go. This man was prepared just to minister to the apostle. But eventually he became so useful to many assemblies.

To many saints. He speaks about Apollos. Again seven distinct times.

He speaks about Apollos. In the scriptures. Actually he's referred to 11 times.

Seven in particular. I don't want to look at Apollos at this moment. But verse 13.

Watch ye stand fast in the faith. Let quickly like men be strong. He's the apostle now and he's urging the assembly on.

Keep awake. Keep stationary. Stand fast.

Two feet on the ground. Keep leadership. These things that are so necessary in assembly testimony.

The assembly. Now this is not just the elders. But this is the assembly being exhorted here in this closing chapter.

Keep awake. Be alert. Be sensitive to those possible dangers.

We've heard about that already. Keep both feet on the ground and keep leadership. Keep zealous.

Be strong. But. Remember this.

If it's not in the bond of charity. It will be pointless. Useless.

And ineffective. Let all be. Let all your things.

Be done. In. Love and charity.

He then speaks about Stephanas. What a wonderful household this must have been. Is it possible brothers and sisters that whole households can serve the Lord? Yes.

Is it possible that whole households can still be saved? Yes. And here he speaks about the household of Stephanas. I'm glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus.

For they provided, they supplied that which was lacking. I don't think that would have been necessarily just a physical thing for the apostle. Because he speaks about his spirit being refreshed.

He looked at this assembly and he's had to write this letter. The past 15 chapters he's covered so many subjects. And there have been so many low points.

So many things that have grieved his heart. But there were some highlights in this assembly too. These three men are singled out.

Coming from Corinth. Refreshing the apostle. Isn't it tremendous brothers and sisters to see in an assembly even in an assembly that may be going astray that there are those who still want to be obedient to the word of God.

I think we ought to remember that. This is not going to contradict in any way what my brother has already taught you this afternoon. He spoke about saluting one another.

And then avoiding those that teach things contrary to the doctrine that we have learned. The apostle in Romans of course speaks about individuals. He speaks about it again in the Thessalonian epistle which my brother referred to.

And in various other places in the word of God. About marking out and being wary of and avoiding and withdrawing from certain individuals that were going against the word of God. But you know what I fear? I fear that sometimes we cut ourselves off or we cut assemblies off maybe just a bit too quickly.

Look at what he says in verse number 19. The churches of Asia put their arms around you. When I read that in my little study I have to confess to you this afternoon I got down on my knees before God and I had to confess that they would not have been my words or my choice of words concerning the assembly of Corinth.

I might have written the assemblies of Asia I told them to avoid you. But he said the assemblies of Asia they put their arms around you. Why? He wanted nothing more than this assembly to be recovered for God.

Yes, individuals he's spoken of as that's been covered. But he exhorted the assemblies of Asia and Aquila and Priscilla with the church that is in their house and all the brethren that were with him. They greet you.

They salute you. They put their arms around you. He wanted nothing more than the recovery of this assembly.

Is that what we want in our day? Do we genuinely want to see assemblies flourish and assemblies recovered for God? Or are we too quick just to cut up like this and divide and to the apostle with all of his heart he wanted that assembly of Corinth recovered. May that be our spirit too. He concludes the Lord is coming.

Anathema. Maranatha. One is a Greek word and the other is an Aramaic word in that order.

I'm very thankful for those books that can tell me what these words mean. Just with this authorized version I would have been stuck. I wouldn't have known what Maranatha meant for sure.

But it means the Lord's coming. The Lord is coming. And all the work is accomplished.

And every Christian has lived before God and concluded their pathway. Whether they've gone on to glory or whether we're still alive. The Lord's coming.

And our life here will be terminated. What will be our testimony? May God help us to live lives for his glory according to his word.