A Loving Rebuke - Study 11/10/11
A Loving Rebuke
If you have children, you will feel what Apostle Paul is feeling now at the end of this corrective and rebuking letter. Children do some funny and stupid stuff. I have had many occasions when either Jonathan or Grace would do some stupid stuff and my first reaction would be “Are you out of your mind?” Sometimes it is followed with a friendly corrective padding at the place where God had already designed the appropriate buffer/cushion. Of course they will often cry but next I am hugging and comforting them. It is only a bastard who does not get correction (Hebrew 12:7-8).
Apostle Paul has finished the “padding”. It was not an easy and comfortable one for him. Listen to Paul referring to the first Letter to the Corinthians, 4 “I wrote that letter in great anguish, with a troubled heart and many tears. I didn’t want to grieve you, but I wanted to let you know how much love I have for you” (2 Corinthians 2:4). Now that is a father’s heart. Paul has to conclude this letter which brings us to chapter 16 of 1 Corinthians.
Even in Paul’s time, there were the prosperity gospel preachers just as we have them today. 17 “You see, we are not like the many hucksters[a] who preach for personal profit. We preach the word of God with sincerity and with Christ’s authority, knowing that God is watching us” 2 Corinthian 2:17). The prosperity preachers would not speak as Paul spoke in this first letter to the Corinthians because they are after what they can get. They do not want to offend you so that you can give. Not so with Paul who would instruct the Corinthians on giving but it is for missions not for Paul. He would share his open doors for the gospel that are co-mingled with hardship.
The “hucksters” would only tell you about their open doors for making money or how to get rich and focus your attention to thinking only of here and now. Some in Corinth had been badly influenced to think so “there is no resurrection” and Paul rebuked them “Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame” (1 Corinthians 15:34).
If there is no resurrection, then we live only for here and life/church/God becomes a means of acquiring material stuff as much as we can get. People now shop around for churches that will facilitate their “breakthrough” to whatever material possession they are seeking. Not so with Paul who would say to the Corinthians and us, 13 “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. 14 Do everything in love”…and “Come, O Lord”[b]! (1 Corinthians 16:13,22) . Yes, “Come, O Lord” or “Maranatha”
Is this where you are today? “Come, O Lord”. This is the biblical and Christian worldview. We must live daily with the expectation of the soon coming of our Lord. Otherwise we would be buried in the affairs of the life of here and now which is passing by. Of course we should take care of necessary business here but we must keep in mind that we are not living just for doing only business here. So what if the business does not work out here? “Maranatha” to you. Let’s live it out and may God help us to live with this great expectation and anticipation of the soon return of our Lord.
1 Corinthians 16
1 Now about the collection for God’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. 2 On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. 3 Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem. 4 If it seems advisable for me to go also, they will accompany me.
5 After I go through Macedonia, I will come to you—for I will be going through Macedonia. 6 Perhaps I will stay with you awhile, or even spend the winter, so that you can help me on my journey, wherever I go. 7 I do not want to see you now and make only a passing visit; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. 8 But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, 9 because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.
10 If Timothy comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is carrying on the work of the Lord, just as I am. 11 No one, then, should refuse to accept him. Send him on his way in peace so that he may return to me. I am expecting him along with the brothers.
12 Now about our brother Apollos: I strongly urged him to go to you with the brothers. He was quite unwilling to go now, but he will go when he has the opportunity.
13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. 14 Do everything in love.
15 You know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints. I urge you, brothers, 16 to submit to such as these and to everyone who joins in the work, and labors at it. 17 I was glad when Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus arrived, because they have supplied what was lacking from you. 18 For they refreshed my spirit and yours also. Such men deserve recognition.
19 The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla[a] greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house. 20 All the brothers here send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.
21 I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. 22 If anyone does not love the Lord—a curse be on him. Come, O Lord[b]! 23 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. 24 My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen.[c]
Here are my observations in addition to the ones you may have:
1. Paul at the conclusion had some practical things to deal with and he gives instruction. The home base for the church then was in Jerusalem and the brothers and sisters there had been going through some hard times. Paul is organizing the Gentile churches to reach out to the Jewish brethren in Jerusalem so he tells them to start collecting for that purpose. We must be about both spiritual and material outreach. “On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made vs.2. Some have built a theology of giving solely based on this Scripture. When you read carefully, it was a one-time response to an immediate need and not to be a tradition and a “mandate” to give as some of the “hucksters” have convinced many to do these days. Yes, we are to give but like anything else we do, we must be led by the Spirit’s prompting and for God’s purposes. If you have gotten yourself in a mess with big projects and lifestyle choices, then don’t force people to give to support your bad decisions and then turn around to lay guilt trip about giving on God’s people. If you are in such a place, please come out and be free.
2. Notice Paul’s travel plans vs. 5-8. He would like to visit the Corinthians but only “if the Lord permits” vs.7. We want to be so exact these days that any little upset of our plans we get so disappointed with God and blame him and all around us. Hello to you and me. Can we give God room to have His way in our lives? Let’s learn from Paul. Listen to Apostle James’ counsel. “Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. 17 Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins” James 4:13-17.
3. Nothing will stop Paul from preaching the good news especially, when the door has been opened by God. “I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, 9 because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me” vs.8-9. We must have the same mindset. Yes, there will be opposition but we must proceed because God is with us and the gospel is His will for mankind. Has God opened some doors for you? We have to look out for them.
4. Paul mentions a couple of people in his closing. First is young Timothy who he plans to send to the Corinthians vs.10-11. He says, please do not intimidate him. We need to make sure that the younger people are comfortable around us to discuss things of God and be who they are. The young are equally filled with the Holy Spirit like Timothy. Next is Apollos vs.12. He was the eloquent teacher in 1 Corinthians 1. Paul is relaying his message. “I am not ready to come to you at this time”. I believe he was being guided by the Holy Spirit. Sometimes we need to step back and let people sort out themselves with the Lord.
5. The next group of people have paid some serious price for the gospel and Paul mentions them. “The household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints” vs.15. The KJV puts it this way, “they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints”. May you and I be described in such fashion that we have been “addicted” to the work of Christ and not “addicted to shopping, or alcohol or any other vice” that reflects the emptiness inside. I believe the same description applies to Fortunatus and Achaicus.
6. Here are the model couple of the New Testament – “Aquila and Priscilla[a] greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house” vs.19. They are in this together. Let’s make God’s work our family business. Everything we do in the family and outside is to be God’s work. From a House church leader, he said, “I am far from convinced that house church is primarily about what happens in our homes. Rather it is about what happens in our lives – 24/7 living in the presence of God and providing evidence to the world around us that God is ready to touch and to bless them”. I believe that was the case for Aquila and Priscilla. They nurtured even Apollos in the faith (Acts 18) and helped start the Corinthian Church and now they live in Ephesus. Of course a meeting place is not limited to the home (my preference) and some have chosen the cathedrals as long as God is in the place.
7. It is very interesting here who Apostle Paul identifies as “cursed” in the new era of Christ coming, dying, resurrecting and ascending to heaven. “If anyone does not love the Lord—a curse be on him. Come, O Lord” vs.22. It means that the one that does not know and believe in Jesus is cursed meaning he or she is condemned forever and separated from God. Notice how far this is from some of the present day preachers (hucksters) who use their “tithe message” to pronounce curse on God’s people based on Malachi 3:9-11. The only one going to hell is the one who has refused to believe in Jesus. Do you love the Lord Jesus?
Apostle Paul ends with the most passionate of all closings. “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. 24 My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen” Can we end all our rebukes and tough love in this manner. The goal is always restoration and not destruction. Yes, God’s grace is sufficient for the people we love even when they are not doing and living the right way right now. May they know that we love them. Can you say that to your “wayward” teenager today, husband, wife or any other relationship that is really hurting you right now? Remember that Paul never stopped seeing the Corinthians as “Saints of God” and as brothers and sister in Christ. Let’s err on the side of grace.
Father, I thank you for your great love for me. I thank you for the many times of rebuke and discipline you have brought my way. I thank you for the people you have used to rebuke and discipline me. Lord, help me to “come back to my sense” and to “stop sinning” in any area of conviction in my life. Lord, help me to employ “tough love” and to be gracious to others who need your rebuke and correction knowing that your grace is sufficient for them. Above all, help me to 13 “Be on your (my)guard; stand firm in the faith; be a man(woman) of courage; be strong. 14 Do everything in love” vs.13 Amen.
If you have children, you will feel what Apostle Paul is feeling now at the end of this corrective and rebuking letter. Children do some funny and stupid stuff. I have had many occasions when either Jonathan or Grace would do some stupid stuff and my first reaction would be “Are you out of your mind?” Sometimes it is followed with a friendly corrective padding at the place where God had already designed the appropriate buffer/cushion. Of course they will often cry but next I am hugging and comforting them. It is only a bastard who does not get correction (Hebrew 12:7-8).
Apostle Paul has finished the “padding”. It was not an easy and comfortable one for him. Listen to Paul referring to the first Letter to the Corinthians, 4 “I wrote that letter in great anguish, with a troubled heart and many tears. I didn’t want to grieve you, but I wanted to let you know how much love I have for you” (2 Corinthians 2:4). Now that is a father’s heart. Paul has to conclude this letter which brings us to chapter 16 of 1 Corinthians.
Even in Paul’s time, there were the prosperity gospel preachers just as we have them today. 17 “You see, we are not like the many hucksters[a] who preach for personal profit. We preach the word of God with sincerity and with Christ’s authority, knowing that God is watching us” 2 Corinthian 2:17). The prosperity preachers would not speak as Paul spoke in this first letter to the Corinthians because they are after what they can get. They do not want to offend you so that you can give. Not so with Paul who would instruct the Corinthians on giving but it is for missions not for Paul. He would share his open doors for the gospel that are co-mingled with hardship.
The “hucksters” would only tell you about their open doors for making money or how to get rich and focus your attention to thinking only of here and now. Some in Corinth had been badly influenced to think so “there is no resurrection” and Paul rebuked them “Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame” (1 Corinthians 15:34).
If there is no resurrection, then we live only for here and life/church/God becomes a means of acquiring material stuff as much as we can get. People now shop around for churches that will facilitate their “breakthrough” to whatever material possession they are seeking. Not so with Paul who would say to the Corinthians and us, 13 “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. 14 Do everything in love”…and “Come, O Lord”[b]! (1 Corinthians 16:13,22) . Yes, “Come, O Lord” or “Maranatha”
Is this where you are today? “Come, O Lord”. This is the biblical and Christian worldview. We must live daily with the expectation of the soon coming of our Lord. Otherwise we would be buried in the affairs of the life of here and now which is passing by. Of course we should take care of necessary business here but we must keep in mind that we are not living just for doing only business here. So what if the business does not work out here? “Maranatha” to you. Let’s live it out and may God help us to live with this great expectation and anticipation of the soon return of our Lord.
1 Corinthians 16
1 Now about the collection for God’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. 2 On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. 3 Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem. 4 If it seems advisable for me to go also, they will accompany me.
5 After I go through Macedonia, I will come to you—for I will be going through Macedonia. 6 Perhaps I will stay with you awhile, or even spend the winter, so that you can help me on my journey, wherever I go. 7 I do not want to see you now and make only a passing visit; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. 8 But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, 9 because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.
10 If Timothy comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is carrying on the work of the Lord, just as I am. 11 No one, then, should refuse to accept him. Send him on his way in peace so that he may return to me. I am expecting him along with the brothers.
12 Now about our brother Apollos: I strongly urged him to go to you with the brothers. He was quite unwilling to go now, but he will go when he has the opportunity.
13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. 14 Do everything in love.
15 You know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints. I urge you, brothers, 16 to submit to such as these and to everyone who joins in the work, and labors at it. 17 I was glad when Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus arrived, because they have supplied what was lacking from you. 18 For they refreshed my spirit and yours also. Such men deserve recognition.
19 The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla[a] greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house. 20 All the brothers here send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.
21 I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. 22 If anyone does not love the Lord—a curse be on him. Come, O Lord[b]! 23 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. 24 My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen.[c]
Here are my observations in addition to the ones you may have:
1. Paul at the conclusion had some practical things to deal with and he gives instruction. The home base for the church then was in Jerusalem and the brothers and sisters there had been going through some hard times. Paul is organizing the Gentile churches to reach out to the Jewish brethren in Jerusalem so he tells them to start collecting for that purpose. We must be about both spiritual and material outreach. “On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made vs.2. Some have built a theology of giving solely based on this Scripture. When you read carefully, it was a one-time response to an immediate need and not to be a tradition and a “mandate” to give as some of the “hucksters” have convinced many to do these days. Yes, we are to give but like anything else we do, we must be led by the Spirit’s prompting and for God’s purposes. If you have gotten yourself in a mess with big projects and lifestyle choices, then don’t force people to give to support your bad decisions and then turn around to lay guilt trip about giving on God’s people. If you are in such a place, please come out and be free.
2. Notice Paul’s travel plans vs. 5-8. He would like to visit the Corinthians but only “if the Lord permits” vs.7. We want to be so exact these days that any little upset of our plans we get so disappointed with God and blame him and all around us. Hello to you and me. Can we give God room to have His way in our lives? Let’s learn from Paul. Listen to Apostle James’ counsel. “Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. 17 Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins” James 4:13-17.
3. Nothing will stop Paul from preaching the good news especially, when the door has been opened by God. “I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, 9 because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me” vs.8-9. We must have the same mindset. Yes, there will be opposition but we must proceed because God is with us and the gospel is His will for mankind. Has God opened some doors for you? We have to look out for them.
4. Paul mentions a couple of people in his closing. First is young Timothy who he plans to send to the Corinthians vs.10-11. He says, please do not intimidate him. We need to make sure that the younger people are comfortable around us to discuss things of God and be who they are. The young are equally filled with the Holy Spirit like Timothy. Next is Apollos vs.12. He was the eloquent teacher in 1 Corinthians 1. Paul is relaying his message. “I am not ready to come to you at this time”. I believe he was being guided by the Holy Spirit. Sometimes we need to step back and let people sort out themselves with the Lord.
5. The next group of people have paid some serious price for the gospel and Paul mentions them. “The household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints” vs.15. The KJV puts it this way, “they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints”. May you and I be described in such fashion that we have been “addicted” to the work of Christ and not “addicted to shopping, or alcohol or any other vice” that reflects the emptiness inside. I believe the same description applies to Fortunatus and Achaicus.
6. Here are the model couple of the New Testament – “Aquila and Priscilla[a] greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house” vs.19. They are in this together. Let’s make God’s work our family business. Everything we do in the family and outside is to be God’s work. From a House church leader, he said, “I am far from convinced that house church is primarily about what happens in our homes. Rather it is about what happens in our lives – 24/7 living in the presence of God and providing evidence to the world around us that God is ready to touch and to bless them”. I believe that was the case for Aquila and Priscilla. They nurtured even Apollos in the faith (Acts 18) and helped start the Corinthian Church and now they live in Ephesus. Of course a meeting place is not limited to the home (my preference) and some have chosen the cathedrals as long as God is in the place.
7. It is very interesting here who Apostle Paul identifies as “cursed” in the new era of Christ coming, dying, resurrecting and ascending to heaven. “If anyone does not love the Lord—a curse be on him. Come, O Lord” vs.22. It means that the one that does not know and believe in Jesus is cursed meaning he or she is condemned forever and separated from God. Notice how far this is from some of the present day preachers (hucksters) who use their “tithe message” to pronounce curse on God’s people based on Malachi 3:9-11. The only one going to hell is the one who has refused to believe in Jesus. Do you love the Lord Jesus?
Apostle Paul ends with the most passionate of all closings. “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. 24 My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen” Can we end all our rebukes and tough love in this manner. The goal is always restoration and not destruction. Yes, God’s grace is sufficient for the people we love even when they are not doing and living the right way right now. May they know that we love them. Can you say that to your “wayward” teenager today, husband, wife or any other relationship that is really hurting you right now? Remember that Paul never stopped seeing the Corinthians as “Saints of God” and as brothers and sister in Christ. Let’s err on the side of grace.
Father, I thank you for your great love for me. I thank you for the many times of rebuke and discipline you have brought my way. I thank you for the people you have used to rebuke and discipline me. Lord, help me to “come back to my sense” and to “stop sinning” in any area of conviction in my life. Lord, help me to employ “tough love” and to be gracious to others who need your rebuke and correction knowing that your grace is sufficient for them. Above all, help me to 13 “Be on your (my)guard; stand firm in the faith; be a man(woman) of courage; be strong. 14 Do everything in love” vs.13 Amen.
Comments