July 21, 2024
1 Corinthians 16
“Blessed to Bless”
Service Overview: In these closing remarks from Paul, he leaves the Corinthian church with sentiments and instructions infused with love and hope in hopes that they might be strong in the faith, and bless others with both their lives and resources. God’s people are blessed in order to bless.
Memory Verse for the Week:
“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38 (NIV)
Background Insights:
- The Christians in Jerusalem were suffering from poverty. While the reason is unknown, it may have had to do with a famine, such as the one mentioned in Acts 11:28-29 when the believers in Antioch had sent help to the church in Jerusalem. (Grant R. Osborne, 1 & 2 Corinthians, 241)
- One of the most important ministries Paul had during his third journey was the gathering of a special “relief offering” for the poor believers in Jerusalem. He wanted to achieve several purposes in this offering. For one thing, the Gentiles owed material help to the Jews in return for the spiritual blessings the Jews had given them (Rom. 15:25–27). At the Jerusalem Conference years before, Paul had agreed to “remember the poor,” so he was keeping his pledge (Gal. 2:10). Paul not only preached the gospel, but he also tried to assist those who had physical and material needs. (Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Wise, 175)
- The Jerusalem church’s need was the product of a series of factors that included the famine of the late 40s, the relative poverty level in Jerusalem to begin with, the number of poor people (e.g., the widows of Acts 6:1) who flocked into the early church there, and the fact that these Jews, now turned Christians, would most likely have been cut off from the distribution of food and provisions for the needy that other Jews assiduously practiced. (Craig L. Blomberg, 1 Corinthians, 435)
- One of the most important functions of this closing chapter is to remind the Corinthians that their church belongs to a wider network of communities (note the references to Galatia, Jerusalem, Macedonia, Ephesus, and “the churches of Asia”) and that their life in Christ necessarily involves them in a mission that links them with the wider world. (Richard B. Hays, First Corinthians, 283)
- As we emerge from the tangled forest of controversy that characterized the first fifteen chapters of 1 Corinthians, we enter a peaceful clearing. Paul’s tone lightens from harsh rebuke to practical exhortations and straightforward warnings as he concludes with a few minor matters, chief of which is the proper collection for the saints (16:1-4). (Charles R. Swindoll, Insights on 1 & 2 Corinthians, 258)
What insights about giving do we glean from Paul’s final instructions to the church in Corinth?
- How giving is to be integral to one’s worship.
(v. 2 | Gen. 14:20; Lev. 27:30; Proverbs 3:9; 19:17; 2 Corinthians 9:7; Hebrews 13:16)
It is tragic when church members give only as a duty and forget that our offerings are to be “spiritual sacrifices” presented to the Lord (Phil. 4:18). Giving should be an act of worship to the resurrected and ascended Savior. (Wiersbe, Be Wise, 176)
- How giving should be both habitual and personal.
(v. 2 | Matthew 6:1-4; 6:21; 2 Corinthians 9:7; 1 Timothy 6:17-19; 1 Peter 4:10)
Paul urges the Corinthians to set aside money for this offering each week. This may refer to the weekly gathering for Sunday worship (Acts 20:7), but it also indicates thoughtful planning—setting aside the “firstfruits” of one’s earnings at the beginning of the week. This was not supposed to be a “spare change,” last-minute offering when Paul arrived. (Charles R. Swindoll, 1 & 2 Corinthians, 262)
Christians are to give out of gratitude or compassion, never out of guilt or compulsion. So, every believer should take from this that we should all give not out of obligation but with sincere dedication. (Akin, 1 Corinthians, 299)
- How giving should reflect how God has blessed each financially.
(v. 2 | Mark 12:41-44; Luke 6:38; Acts 20:35; 2 Corinthians 9:6-15; Philippians 4:19)
[According to 2 Cor. 8-9, financial] stewardship with integrity, then, is marked by voluntary, faithful giving, proportionate to what one has, in submission to godly pastors who silence the critics by handling the money faithfully. It is motivated by exemplary love for God and others, and is completely free from selfish greed and covetousness. All giving must be measured by those noble standards. (John MacArthur, 2 Corinthians, 309-310)
- How those who steward what’s given should be trustworthy.
(v. 3 | Ex. 18:21; Mat. 20:25-28; Luke 16:11; 1 Corinthians 4:2; 1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:7)
In several solid and practical ways, Paul gives us a model that shows how Christians should be financially faithful to the church and how the church should be forensically faithful in managing what is given. (Akin, 298)
Money is to be handled honestly. The various churches involved in this special offering appointed delegates to help Paul manage it and take it safely to Jerusalem. It is unfortunate when Christian ministries lose their testimony because they mismanage funds entrusted to them. Every ministry ought to be businesslike in its financial affairs. Paul was very careful not to allow anything to happen that would give his enemies opportunity to accuse him of stealing funds (2 Cor. 8:20–21). (Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Wise, 177)
Conclusion… What practical steps can we adopt in order to reflect a biblical model of giving?
A. Reflect on how God is prioritized in your finances.
(Leviticus 27:30; Proverbs 3:9; Malachi 3:8; Matthew 6:1-4; 6:19-21; 1 Timothy 6:17-19)
According to Jesus, our money does not just reflect our hearts; our hearts follow our money. One of the most effective ways to fuel affection for God is to give your resources in obedience to God. (David Platt, Follow Me, 148)
God owns it all and [you] are stewards of His resources… Because you are stewards of the resources God has entrusted to you, every financial decision you make is actually a spiritual decision. For many, that’s a revolutionary concept. How you manage your finances is a pretty good barometer for the condition of your spiritual life. (Dennis Rainey, Preparing for Marriage, 195, 198)
It has been said that money can buy us anything but happiness and take us everywhere but heaven. It is both a cause of evil, for those pursuing it with passion, and an effect of evil for those who acquire it by unlawful means. (Charles R. Swindoll, Insights on 1 & 2 Corinthians, 264)
B. Develop a habit of worship in giving.
(Psalm 37:21; Proverbs 3:9; Malachi 3:10; 1 Corinthians 16:2; Hebrews 13:16)
Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt. 6:21), so take some time to evaluate where your treasure is actually going. Where do you invest your finances? What percent of your monthly income goes to necessities? What percent toward luxuries? Toward frivolities? Are you giving regularly to your local church’s ministry or withholding even that? Beyond your local church, do you give to other God-honoring ministries? Carefully think through these questions and, if necessary, make some changes in your giving patterns. (Charles R. Swindoll, Insights on 1 & 2 Corinthians, 266)
Paul’s simple instructions about giving still apply today. We tend to think of generosity as spontaneous giving. Often, it is. But generosity can also be demonstrated by the commitment to give regularly to those needs that are ongoing. (Grant R. Osborne, 1 & 2 Corinthians, 241)
C. Give in proportion to what God has given you.
(Deut. 8:18; Psalm 24:1; Ecclesiastes 5:10; Mark 12:41-44; 2 Corinthians 9:10; James 1:17)
Paul made it clear in 2 Corinthians 8—9 that Christian giving is a grace, the outflow of the grace of God in our lives and not the result of promotion or pressure. An open heart cannot maintain a closed hand. If we appreciate the grace of God extended to us, we will want to express that grace by sharing with others. (Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Wise, 177)
God doesn’t look at just what we give. He also looks at what we keep. (Randy Alcorn, The Treasure Principle, 63)
Gospel Connection…
As Jesus has blessed us, we are to bless others through the work of his hands and feet on earth, his church.
(Prov. 3:9-10; 11:24-25; 22:9; Mal. 3:10; Luke 6:38; 12:33-34; Acts 4:32-35; 2 Cor. 9:7)
In its purest form, worship is not about getting; it is about giving. You can give without worshiping, but you cannot worship without giving. It needs to be said that worship is not primarily about getting something from God but giving something to God. When you worship, you give your voice in exaltation as you praise the character of God. You give your ear in concentration as you listen to the Word of God. You give your mind in meditation as you think about the things of God. You give your heart in adoration as you bask in the love of God. Surely we should also bring our offerings in commemoration as we remember the goodness of God. (Daniel L. Akin, Exalting Jesus in 1 Corinthians, 301)
Spiritual Challenge Questions…
Reflect on these questions in your time with the Lord this week, or discuss with a Christian family member or Life Group.
- Why is giving so important for the individual Christian? Why is giving so important in corporate worship?
- What should be the motivation behind all our giving?
- Why is the offering plate the best place to give at least the firstfruits of your gift to God?
- Why was it important to the early church that the offering discussed be given and collected on the first day of the week?
- What policies and procedures does your church have in place to guarantee that offerings are handled with integrity?
Quotes to note…
Unfortunately, many pastors are afraid to mention giving too often, lest the congregation think that the “church just wants our money.” Such fears are misplaced theologically and often reflect our cowardice in the face of the reigning idols of our day. To speak about our need to give is to emphasize that we are God’s people through whom God glorifies Himself. The Corinthians’ participation in the collection was not “for the church,” but evidence that they were the church. (Scott Hafemann, Second Corinthians, NIV Application Commentary, 381)
In light of God’s promises, believers who refuse to give obediently don’t have a money problem – they have a trust problem. (Rod Rogers, Pastor Driven Stewardship, 88)
Christian giving is to be marked by self-sacrifice and self-forgetfulness, not by self-congratulation. (John Stott, The Message of the Sermon on the Mount, 131)
How believers handle their money is inextricably related to the depth of their worship. Whether we put money in the offering plate or not, weekly worship should remind us of our continual stewardship of the possessions that Lord has entrusted to us. If we do not give properly we cannot worship properly. (John MacArthur, 1 Corinthians, 453-454)
I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God’s hands, that I still possess. (Martin Luther, Christian Reader, v. 35, n. 2)
We should never ever apologize for standing firm in the faith and standing for truth and being strong, but we must remember that our tone is extremely important. If truth is not offered in love, even the greatest defense of the faith in the world will fall on deaf ears. (Daniel L. Akin, Exalting Jesus in 1 Corinthians, 306)
The plain fact is that the overall standard of living of most Western Christians, even by contemporary global standards, is so much superior to that of believers in most other eras and cultures that our excuses for not helping the millions of Christian needy, to say nothing of the other poor people in the world, ring exceedingly hollow. We may continue to disagree on the best ways to provide that help, but generous giving must remain a priority. (Craig L. Blomberg, 1 Corinthians, 437)
By turning the Corinthians’ attention toward the desperate needs of the church in Jerusalem and by calling on them to contribute to the cooperative efforts of other churches in the larger body of Christ, Paul seeks to correct their long-standing habit of selfishness. (Charles R. Swindoll, Insights on 1 & 2 Corinthians, 262)
Partial obedience is really only disobedience made to look acceptable. (Bill Arnold, 1 and 2 Samuel, 220)