Most of All, Be Loving



1 Corinthians 16:1-24
1Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. 2 On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come. 3 And when I arrive, I will send those whom you accredit by letter to carry your gift to Jerusalem. 4 If it seems advisable that I should go also, they will accompany me. 5 I will visit you after passing through Macedonia, for I intend to pass through Macedonia, 6 and perhaps I will stay with you or even spend the winter, so that you may help me on my journey, wherever I go. 7 For I do not want to see you now just in passing. I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. 8 But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, 9 for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.
10 When Timothy comes, see that you put him at ease among you, for he is doing the work of the Lord, as I am. 11 So let no one despise him. Help him on his way in peace, that he may return to me, for I am expecting him with the brothers. 12 Now concerning our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to visit you with the other brothers, but it was not at all his will to come now. He will come when he has opportunity. 13 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done in love. 15 Now I urge you, brothers—you know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints— 16 be subject to such as these, and to every fellow worker and laborer. 17 I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have made up for your absence, 18 for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. Give recognition to such people. 19 The churches of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their house, send you hearty greetings in the Lord. 20 All the brothers send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss. 21 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. 22 If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, come! 23 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. 24 My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.

As is the case with almost all of Paul’s Epistles, he closes with some personal greetings and comments. Clearly, the church in Corinth is close to Paul’s heart and while he took the time to admonish them where necessary, we see here that his heart is full of love for them. Those admonishments came from a place of love and concern for the new church and their faith in the Lord Jesus. There’s room for both in a mature Christian relationship.

The pivotal verses in this chapter are, for me, 13 and 14. “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.” In these brief words we find a summation of the entire letter and some tremendous marching orders.

1.      Be watchful 
2.      Be firm in the faith 
3.      Be mature 
4.      Be strong
5.      Be loving


I’ve taken liberties with #3. “… act like men” clearly isn’t a literal command to the women of the world, but instead a directive to be a mature Christian rather than remaining in spiritual infancy; and perhaps an admonition to stand up for your faith as well. Strong and brave are not words we often associate with our faith, but perhaps they should be. Maybe if more of us were brave, there would be more witnessing happening.

As I think back over our study of this book, I am aware that 1 Corinthians has more to say about navigating our current culture than many of Paul’s other letters. We are incredibly similar to the Corinthians in what we face on a daily basis and Paul addresses most of those challenges. In the end, if we can be watchful, firm, mature, strong, and most of all loving, we will find our lives more deeply embedded in God’s ways than our own.

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