1 Corinthians Week 12 • 1 Corinthians 16

Hi, and welcome to the Willow Ridge Church weekly podcast.

This is where you can find audio for our current and past sermons.

We hope that you enjoy this week's installment,

and be sure to check back next week to hear the latest message.

Thanks for listening.

Well, good morning.

If you've got your Bibles, open them up to 1 Corinthians chapter 16

1 Corinthians 16 · chapter mention

is where we are going to be.

I woke up this morning, and it was 31 degrees outside.

But being from Augusta, it doesn't matter that it's 31 degrees outside.

It is springtime, and the Masters is happening.

So I was committed.

I don't know if y'all have noticed this, but every year,

the Sunday before the Masters, I wear a Masters shirt.

And then the Sunday of the Masters, I wear a Masters shirt.

And it reminded me this year that I need to get a long-sleeve Masters shirt

in case it's like this again.

I pulled up this morning, and Rodney was out there getting everything ready for us this morning.

He goes, I looked at you, and I thought,

there's no way Bo's wearing a short-sleeved shirt this morning.

It's below freezing outside, but I did.

So I do want to throw this out there to you, all right?

Just by the way,

if all of a sudden, by chance, you get a ticket to the Masters today,

and you don't need it, and you don't want it,

I will take that burden away from you, all right?

The Bible tells us to share each other's burdens.

I will take that on.

I'll have that for you.

I'll go there and get me a pimento cheese sandwich and be just fine.

But we'll be good.

I'll watch the rest of it at the house today.

So excited as we're wrapping up this series,

and I say wrap up this series.

We're going to be in 16 this week.

Next week for Easter, we're going to jump back into 15, all right?

We're going to jump back, and we left out some parts last week

about the resurrection that we're going to talk about,

and we're really excited with next Sunday to be in Easter,

to go through that together as a church

to celebrate the fact that the Savior, Jesus Christ, He is alive.

Now, next week, we do have a little bit different schedule.

8 a.m., we'll have an outdoor worship.

9 a.m., breakfast.

We met with the team this week that's going to be doing

and thinking about this breakfast,

and we're excited about what that's going to be like for us

just to come together as a body, as a church family,

celebrate and worship together,

but also just celebrate and fellowship together

that Jesus is alive,

and then we'll have the 10 o'clock worship in here.

And we'd love for you in that flow of your day

of whatever that's going to look like for you,

to be a part of one of those services with us,

to invite someone, bring someone with you.

Maybe that's looking for a place to worship on that Sunday morning

and to be able to be a part of that.

Hey, just a quick reminder,

we will not have our normal Sunday evening programming tonight

or next Sunday because of spring break,

so I just want to remind you of that.

So as we get into chapter 16,

and I don't know, I think most of you,

especially if you're in groups,

like you know this and you're walking through this with us in your studies,

but right now media kind of said,

hey, here's how we're going to study it each week together in groups.

And so what I had the responsibility of doing is each week

is looking at a section of Scripture kind of predetermined for me

and then going through, leaning in on the Holy Spirit to teach me

and instruct my heart what we're here to go.

And I want to be honest with you,

as we were turning toward this chapter,

I've read this chapter before,

and it's like, all right, Lord,

like it's a tendency sometimes in us

as we get to the end of these letters

to kind of see conclusion.

And a lot of time what Paul does in these last chapters

in his conclusions is like,

hey, let me give you some very specific details

that are specifically speaking to some people

that it's hard for us to kind of draw from in this.

And so this week, as I kind of know that in my mind

and diving down through there,

and what was absolutely wonderfully amazing

is what God just showed.

And so as God taught me this week,

it is my prayer and my heart

for what God's going to teach you this morning

as we walk through this together

because chapter 16 has some really good stuff.

And so we're going to read some verses

and skip to some others

and kind of work our way through here.

So let's start off in verse one,

read verses one through three.

Paul writes to the church at Corinth

and says,

now concerning the collection for the saints,

as I directed the churches of Galatia,

so you also are to do.

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.

And when I arrive,

I will send those whom you accredit by letter

to carry your gift to Jerusalem.

So let's pause here for just a second.

Now, three times in this letter in 1 Corinthians,

we see this two word phrase now concerning.

And when we see that,

what Paul is going to do

is answer a question

that has been given to them

by the church at Corinth.

And so if this is your first Sunday here,

I'm gonna take you all the way back to January, all right?

So Paul gets report from a church at Corinth

that he's been a part of in leadership and planning,

and that there's some issues

and some problems that are there.

Some people come to him and say,

this is what's taking place,

but then he's also been getting letters from them.

And while this is written

as 1 Corinthians in our scripture,

we believe that this is actually the second letter

that Paul has written

and that Paul in total writes three.

And so this is one of those

where we hear this from Paul now concerning,

so he's going to answer a question

that they've posed to him.

So they know that there's this collection,

they know that there's this offering,

but they're looking at him

and what are they supposed to do with it?

We'll just kind of give you a little bit of background.

This offering is for the church at Jerusalem

who has got a problem

that they need help taking care of.

And the problem, and I use that word problem,

not that they're upset that they have to work through this,

but it's become a crisis for them

and that there's such a need for money

at the church of Jerusalem

because there's a high percentage

of the people who were there

who were in poverty.

And so the church is trying to rise above

and push through and be a light

to care for those who find themselves

in this situation.

And so what Paul has done

is he's reached out to other churches

and said, no, no, no,

let's make sure that we walk alongside them with this.

That this is not a church at Jerusalem problem,

but this is a church problem

that we're all going to step in and take care of.

And so we see from here

that he's addressed it to the church at Galatia,

which you'll see is the Galatians letter that he writes,

and also to the church at Corinth

and possibly even other churches.

So why are we focusing on this this morning?

Why is this for us today

more than just an instruction from Paul

of what they're to do

with part or sum of their offering?

And I believe that these instructions

are important to us today.

So very important for us as a church today

and also important for us as the church today.

It's an important message for every church,

every congregation all over the world,

because what it reminds us of

and what it points us to

is what I want to refer to

as gospel-centered partnerships.

That we as the church

are called not to live our lives isolated.

And we've been talking a lot about that, right?

Like we can't isolate ourself from the world.

We're to be missionaries

and lights into the world.

But then also for us as a body

that we're not to just say,

well, it's Willow Ridge

and it's Willow Ridge alone.

We can't live in an isolated mindset

of just thinking about

we have to take care of

what happens in these walls

and who cares what happens to anyone else.

And instead what we work to,

what we move toward,

what we begin to pray for

is for God to open the doors

for gospel-centered partnerships.

Now, Paul's dealt with

the importance of unity in this church.

That's what he began to start it off

at the very beginning of this letter.

He said, there's some of you

who say, I follow Paul.

There's some of you who say,

I follow Cephas,

I follow Apollos,

or I follow Jesus.

And he pointed them to

the importance of the unity

amongst the body,

that we are a family.

And we're going to get to that

in a minute.

But also,

the importance of the unity,

not just of the local church,

individual churches to have their unity,

but that we as a church

have that unity mindset.

That we're all understand

that we're working

for the good of the kingdom.

That a win for Radius

is a win for Willow Ridge

because it's a win

for the community of God,

the kingdom of God.

That a win for First Prez

is a win for Willow Ridge,

even though we're different denominations,

because it's a win

for the kingdom of God.

And that we have to have

that mindset.

Right?

In just a little while,

I'll go home

and I'll cut on golf.

And you know what those golfers

aren't doing

as they line up

to hit their golf ball?

They're not saying,

man, I hope that other guy

hits it better than me.

You know?

There's a sense of competition

that's there

and that's good

and that's fun.

But when it comes to the church,

we're all working to the same goal.

We're brothers and sisters in Christ.

I heard a pastor say one time,

and he was talking to a,

it was a large church

and I was there and listening

and he said this.

He said,

if you think it's just going to be us

in heaven,

heaven's going to be

a major disappointment.

Right?

To think outside of that.

And that's what Paul

is pointing them to.

Now as far as our local body,

right?

It's important that we care for,

that we commit to,

that we're a part of this together

as an individual family,

but also that we support,

love and care for

and partner with others as well.

And that's our heart

and that's what we want to see

to be your heart as well.

That we rally for,

we support to,

we point people toward

even other congregations

because it's what God has.

And I think the beauty

of what God provides us in churches

is the difference in churches.

Right?

If you walk into Lexington Baptist

right down the road

and you walk into Willow Ridge

and you walk into New Spring,

I bet you're going to see

three different things

happening in front of you,

but all worshiping the same Jesus.

Right?

And that's the importance

of what we begin to see

and what we begin to understand.

It's always the reminder for me

that Willow Ridge Church is here

because Red Bank Baptist Church

believed in partnerships.

The church that I pass every morning

on my way here,

just a few miles right down the road,

believed enough in gospel partnerships

that in the 1970s,

they said,

let's plant Agape Baptist Church

that would become Willow Ridge Church.

And it's what we've wanted

to continue on and push forward.

And in that,

we feel like we as a congregation,

we as leaders,

we as a body together

have responded well with that.

A few weeks or months ago

when the war in Ukraine broke out,

instantly we heard of brothers

and sisters in Christ

in Ukraine who were having to flee.

And we heard of brothers

and sisters in Christ in Europe

who were receiving them.

And God opened up an opportunity

for us through one of our church members

to partner with the church in Moldova

to care for them.

And you guys responded to that

graciously through that.

Coming up in the next couple weeks,

we will contribute our portion

of the Annie Armstrong Easter offering

as a part of being

a South Carolina Baptist church

on top of what we give

to a cooperative giving.

We'll give that as well.

And that 100% of all funds

that will be given

will be going to works being done

all over North America

to plant churches,

to engage unreached people groups

with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

You know,

when we think of unreached people groups,

we often think of faraway places

and people who speak different languages.

But what we're finding more and more

that in the United States,

right in where we call home

of where we believe

you can see a church

on every street corner

that there are unreached people groups,

unengaged people groups

right in the context of our home.

And we've said as a denomination,

that's not okay.

And we're going to push forward with that

to plant churches

so that men, women, and children

can have an opportunity

to see, hear, and respond

to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

And that's important for us.

This summer,

not only will we do our VBS here,

and yes,

you will get to see

a lot of people

step out of their comfort zones.

And I would argue

that I've seen Joel Berger act before

and it is fantastic, all right?

So you will want to be here

for that, absolutely.

But not only will we do our VBS here,

who needs volunteers for us

as we reach out into our community,

but the beauty of what we're doing

is we won't do one VBS this year.

We're actually doing two VBSs this year.

We'll do our VBS right here

and then we'll pack up all that we can

and we'll take it all the way

to West Jordan, Utah

to do the VBS

with Hope Valley Church

that's there

so that men and women and children

can have an opportunity

to see, hear, and respond

to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Because when it's all said and done,

it's about what we do for the kingdom,

not what we do for a man,

not what we do for a church,

and definitely not what we do

for ourselves.

But it's what we do for the kingdom

and what we do for Jesus.

And so as Paul points them to this,

it's from the very beginning,

it's churches partnering together

to work forward in the gospel.

But also something he points them to

is intentional giving.

We'll look back at verse two.

Paul says,

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.

Paul gives a pattern

and a plan here

so that the church at Corinth

can think and can act

intentionally about how they give.

Not just as a church,

but as individual families within there.

And I want to challenge you with this.

That you and I as believers,

that we think intentionally

about what we give,

we think intentionally

about what we provide

in the offering

and the tithe,

that we think intentionally

and that we make it

a part of who we are

and that we make it

a part of our life

and we hate this word,

but there's beauty in it

that it becomes part

of our routine

and worship

of what God does

to stir our hearts

and affections toward him.

I heard a pastor say one time

that when you don't think this way

about giving,

what you end up doing

is throwing pocket change at Jesus.

Well, what do I have in the moment?

Well, here, this is it.

Right?

But we see what Paul says

on the first day of every week.

Each of you is to put aside something

and store it up

as he may prosper

so that there will be

no collecting when I come.

Paul says,

I want you to be

intentional about this.

I want you to think about this.

I want you to pray about this.

I want you to be committed about this.

I want this to be in line

with your income.

I want you to understand

the blessing

of what God's going to do in this

and I want it to be built

into who you are

in your relationship

with Jesus Christ.

It's built into your worship.

It's built into the very fabric

of discipleship

and who you are

that we think intentionally

about our giving

and that we go forward with that.

Well, Paul continues on

and he gives some more instructions,

but I want you to jump down

to verse 13 and 14.

In a form of almost transition,

Paul gives these two verses.

He says,

He says,

I read a commentary this week

that said these two verses

condense all the correction

that Paul had previously given

the church down into two sentences.

All that Paul's worked through,

Paul basically breaks down

and condenses into these two verses,

into these two sentences

as he's walked through

these major issues

that they're going through.

He's walked through the unity

of the division that they face.

He's walked through pastoral worship

and idolizing leaders in the church.

He's walked through with them

as they live in a culture

of pagan sexuality.

He walks through sexual immorality

and what it creates

and what it causes

in the life of an individual.

He walks through a sticky matter

of lawsuits amongst believers

in the church

where one believer sues another

and so the other believer

sues the other believer back.

He walks through God's standard

and God's purpose of marriage.

He walks through food

and idolatry

and how they're to face these

and what you and I can draw from that.

He walks through the concept

for them of socially,

the head coverings that they face

or that they have

and the division

that they're having to face

within the church.

He talks about the Lord's Supper

with them

and how they're abusing it

and what a disgrace it is

and how they're to use

their spiritual gifts within there.

I mean there's all of these factors

and some that I've left out

and just summarizing them

to you this morning.

There's all of these factors

that are there

and in each single one of them

Paul walks through

how they're to respond

through the gospel,

through the leading of the Holy Spirit

in love with this

but then he's going to summarize them

and it doesn't matter

if you're in Lexington

or Corinth

of what it means

to be a follower

of Jesus Christ.

What it looks like

to live your life

and to pursue this

and the first thing

that he says to them

is be watchful.

Be watchful.

And this means

to be alert

or to be ready.

Right?

A few weeks ago

I called Grayson

and I was headed

on the way home

to get him

and I said

hey buddy

I don't have a lot of time

so be looking for me

so that when I pull

into the driveway

right

you can run right out

and we can go

and he was like

alright, alright, alright, alright, alright

and so I got there

and I got in the driveway

right

and there was

no Grayson coming out the door

right

no Grayson

and so I go inside

and he was in the living room

he was like

well I was listening for you

right

I was listening for you

but I needed you

to be looking for me

I needed you

to be looking for me

and when you see me

I needed you

to be ready

to respond

right

that's the feeling

that Paul gives here

be watchful

be ready

the question I have

for this morning

is for what

for what

what do we need

to be looking for

what do we need

to be ready for

like if I called you today

and said

be ready

and you said

for what

and I said

oh you'll see

right

like

no, no, no, no

that's not what I want

no

is this good

is this bad

like lead me somewhere

Beau

Paul says

be watchful

the question is

for what

well Paul doesn't

say here

but throughout

the New Testament

there are three

things consistently

that the writers

including Paul

talk about

in context

of be watchful

and I think

all of these

are important

the first thing

that we see

throughout the New Testament

to be watchful for

to be ready for

is the Lord's return

is the Lord's return

regardless of

how you think

the end of times

is going to play out

Jesus is coming back

and we as the church

are called

to be watchful

and ready for that

the peace that we get

when it

in scripture

when Paul writes

and he says

as we wait

for the returning

of the Lord

that waiting

is not kicked back

on a hammock

with our feet

propped up

and our eyes

closed resting

that be waitful

that Paul uses

there for us

what we understand

it's an active waiting

it's an anticipation

it's the picture

of a guard

on top of a guard tower

doing a job

as he watches

and as he waits

for the return

of the Lord

I want to ask you

are you waiting

for Jesus

are you excited

about his return

right

I think all too often

when we think

of the return

of Christ

it's painted

in a picture

of what to be

scared of

but it's for us

as believers

it's what to be

excited for

right

and I love to use

the picture

the illustration

in my mind

of what this looks like

to think of a little kid

right at the top

of the stairs

on Christmas morning

waiting

waiting

waiting

when I was

little

my parents

would wake us up

and then they would

go downstairs

to set up

the video camera

right

so they could

press play

so they could

capture our response

and I remember

as a little kid

it felt like

they were doing

brain surgery

down there

you know

like

y'all couldn't

have done this

earlier

like why are we

just now doing

this dad

right

like could you

not have

taken care of

this right

so they're

getting the

video camera

set up

and sitting

there

on the edge

of the steps

it's like

I can't wait

I want it

to happen

right now

and is that

how we're

waiting for

Jesus

Paul says

be watchful

be ready

but then

also

and Peter

talks about

this in

first Peter

we're also

to be watchful

of the enemy

right

the enemy's

not good

that's why

he's the

enemy

Christ

tells us

that Satan

comes to

steal

kill

and destroy

and that

we need

to be on

the lookout

for him

right

there's

things in

this world

Satan

in this

world

wants to

attack

and to

destroy

when we

are in

Christ

he cannot

remove us

from him

he can't

take that

away from

us

but what

he can

seek to

destroy

is your

life

is your

marriage

is your

family

is your

relationships

and at

any point

in time

and at

any moment

and when

there's

the smallest

crack of

weakness

of what's

there

the enemy

wants to

pounce

on that

and destroy

that

and so

Peter

reminds us

and Paul

in here

of be

watchful

of the

enemy

this isn't

crazy

super

spirituality

this is

the understanding

that Satan

wants to

destroy

all that

is good

in your

life

and be

watchful

don't be

caught

and then

connected

with that

what we

see throughout

all of

scripture

is be

watchful

of corrosive

influences

right

and that

Satan

is subtle

and what

he does

is he

pushes you

toward

your sinful

bents

by bringing

things into

your life

right

like let me

ask you this

I heard a

worship leader

say this

he said

in your

life

seek to

pursue

the things

that stir

your heart

for Jesus

and if

you

find

there

things

in your

life

that

do

not

stir

your

heart

toward

Jesus

then

start

to

begin

to

figure

out

how

you

can

remove

them

from

your

life

and so

I just

want to

ask you

this

morning

in the

things

that

influence

you

there

are

things

that

are

going

to

draw

you

closer

there's

things

that are

going

to

bring

you

in

and

there

are

things

that are

going

to

push

you

away

and

they're

going

to

push

you

toward

the

sinful

bents

of your

life

that

Christ

has

saved

you

from

and

in

that

what

are

you

pursuing

be

watchful

right

being

watchful

supposed

to

do

but

when

it

comes

to

being

watchful

are

you

prepared

do

you

have

a

saving

relationship

with

Jesus

do

you

wake

up

in

the

morning

seeking

to

serve

him

do

you

understand

that

every

day

is

a

gift

of

God

for

you

and

I

to

worship

him

and

serve

him

more

do

you

have

a

saving

relationship

with

Jesus

and

are

you

growing

in

that

relationship

with

Jesus

the

only

of

this

world

is

growth

and

maturity

in

the

Holy

Spirit

as

he

grows

us

that's

it

that's

it

it's

not

out

there

in

who

I

am

and

in

my

toughness

but

it's

pressing

forward

but

then

Paul

also

says

not

only

does

he

say

be

watchful

but

he

says

stand

firm

in

faith

stand

firm

in

faith

with

maturity

comes

standing

firm

this

world

and

this

life

take

shots

at

your

faith

and

will

seek

to

move

you

and

Paul

says

the

picture

that

we

get

is

to

stand

firm

in

Ephesians

4

14

Paul

gives

the

illustration

of

what

this

world

wants

to

do

what

the

theology

and

the

doctrine

and

the

teachings

of

this

world

want

to

do

is

to

move

you

away

from

your

faith

and

to

be

like

a

child

that

is

tossed

to

and

fro

in

the

waves

right

you

think

being out

there

at the

beach

being a

little

kid

right

and

the

storm

that's

going to

come

the

next

day

creates

a

little

bit

bigger

wave

and

it's

a little

bit

more

fun

right

when

we

were

little

we

used

to

play

the

game

we

would

get

out

there

and

the

waves

would

crash

on

us

and

the

goal

was

to

plant

a

foot

and

then

not

move

that

foot

right

and

so

you're

pivoting

all

over

the

place

right

the

waves

are

coming

in

and

you're

moving

and

you're

doing

all

of

this

but

for

me

my

foot

would

slide

sometimes

and

I

look at

my

cousin

and

say

no

I

didn't

move

you

know

that's

it

the

competitive

nature

coming

out

in

me

and

Paul

says

that

when

your

faith

isn't

grounded

though

you're

like

that

small

child

being

tossed

aside

aside

aside

and

so

what

we

have

to

do

is

as

we

mature

we

stand

firm

until

one

day

you're

the

dad

in

the

ocean

you're

the

mom

in

the

ocean

and

you've

got

and

you

can

hold

them

and

you

can

secure

them

why

because

of

who

you

are

in

standing

firm

so

this

next

one's

kind

of

tied

to

this

Paul

says

act

like

men

be

strong

literal

translation

for this

of what

we see

is Paul's

talking about

mature

courage

this

isn't a

gender

thing

that

Paul's

saying

he's

saying

have

mature

courage

don't

be

like

a

child

be

an

adult

and

be

strong

you

know

often

times

in

our

mind

we

confuse

foolishness

with

courage

right

as

a

boy

I

did

a

lot

of

foolish

things

that

I

would

have

told

you

I

was

being

courageous

and

now

42

year

old

Bo

looks

back

at

12

year

old

Bo

and

you're

like

uh

man

you

were

just

being

foolish

right

and

so

Paul

says

that

in

this

life

as

you

mature

just

earlier

he

said

you know

when I

was a

child

I

did

things

like

a

child

would

do

but

now

that

I'm

a

man

that's

not

talking

about

Paul's

physical

growth

what

Paul

is

talking

about

is

his

spiritual

growth

and

so

he's

been

telling

the

church

this

whole

time

you're

going

to

live

in

Corinth

you're

going

to live

in a

sexualized

culture

you're

going to be

surrounded

by

idolatry

people

are going

to attack

you

because

of your

faith

it's

going to

be easy

for you

to go

as the

crowd

goes

act like

men

be strong

and

I

want

to

tell

you

what

courage

is

courage

is

fighting

for

unity

when

everyone

else

wants

to

divide

courage

is

going

to

another

brother

or

sister

in

Christ

and

saying

I'm

sorry

courage

is

pursuing

God's

standard

when

the

world

tells

you

to

pursue

their

standard

and

if

you

don't

there's

consequence

but

I

think

the

theme

that

we've

been

seeing

week

in

and

week

out

and

that

we'll

celebrate

next

Sunday

even

if

you were

to

ask

me

what

courage

in

our

faith

looks

like

it's

laying

down

your

rights

for

the

salvation

of

others

church

that's

courage

it's

what

Jesus

embodied

on

his

walk

to

the

cross

the

courage

of

God

and

it's

what

Paul

is

continually

reminding

the

church

of

don't

you

understand

church

he

writes

your

rights

don't

matter

in

someone

else's

salvation

and

so lay

him

down

and

church

I

want

to

tell

you

this

morning

that's

courage

and

then

he

says

in

all

of

this

let

all

of

this

be

done

in

love

the

agape

love

the

selfless

love

that

God

has

shown

us

and

that

we

are

called

to

share

with

others

that's

what

it

means

we

don't

think

of

our

self

first

we

respond

to

the

grace

of

God

love

and

last

I

want

to

read

this

verse

first

corinthians

1620

he

says

all

the

brothers

send

you

greetings

greet

one

another

with

a

holy

kiss

we're

going

to

start

a

new

greeting

policy

at

willow

rich

church

i'm

just

kidding

right

let's

talk a

little

bit

of

culture

here

okay

i

don't

know

how

your

family

greets

each

other

when

you

come

home

but

every

family

has

got

their

way

that

they

greet

each

other

right

everybody's

got

that

feel

when

you

walk

back

in

the

mama's

house

after

a

long

time

everybody

knows

that

greeting

when

your

teenagers

come

home

and

you're

sitting

there

on

the

couch

waiting

for

them

to

get

home

at

curfew

everybody

knows

the

greeting

your

kids

who

are

anxiously

waiting

on

you

to

return

back

from

them

right

everybody

knows

what

that's

like

well

during

the

time