A Great Door

1 Corinthians 16:9 NIV

because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.

N.1 - Paul’s optimism

The apostle Paul concludes his letter to the Corinthians by looking to the future.

It was a truly challenging letter for Paul; he had to confront internal divisions, quarrels between brothers, personal attacks on his ministry, doctrinal confusion, immorality, rebellion, and so on.

Yet despite all the trials and difficulties the apostle had to address in this letter, he is optimistic about the future that awaits him: "A great door has been opened to me."

Application. I understand that 2025 has certainly not been an easy year: it has likely brought with it many challenges of various kinds, problems of varying nature and intensity.

However, we do not want these burdens to hinder us this evening from declaring with Paul: A great door has been opened to me.

The turmoil, defeats, disappointments and struggles of 2025 cannot and must not take away the optimism of faith in God:

Psalm 27:13–14 NIV

I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

N.2 - Paul’s responsability

Paul states not only that the door is open, but that it is a wide, “great door”. The image of the door serves to communicate that Paul has a great opportunity for him to evangelize the city of Ephesus.

Yet, if Paul doesn't choose to pass through that open door, nothing will happen for him.

We all know that if I open the door to my house but the guest doesn't enter, even though I open the door completely, it is the guest's responsibility to enter.

Application. 2026 is the great door that God has opened for you, and you must pass through it. How many open doors has God given us, how many opportunities we have that we don't want to waste!

Let's not be like Noah's generation, who refused to pass through the door of the ark.

Let us not be like the older brother in the parable of the prodigal son who decided to stay outside his father's house, decided not to pass through the door, decided to miss the opportunity to rejoice and be happy for his newfound brother.

N.3 - Paul remains in Ephesus

When Paul wrote this epistle, he was in Ephesus. The door the apostle speaks of was an opportunity to remain in Ephesus, not to leave Ephesus.

So Paul decides to pass through this door, to stay in Ephesus and seize this precious opportunity, even though the apostle would encounter many enemies.

Application. All this makes no sense! In fact, the doors we want to pass through are doors that lead us out of our problems, doors that ease our pain, doors that allow us to embrace new friendships, new loves, etc.

In reality, those are not doors, but emergency exits.

In reality, the Lord wants to encourage us to stay, to pass through this great door to remain, to fight in 2026 in the place where God has called you to serve Him.

Don't run away! Don't take the emergency exit: in this new year, cross the door that God has opened before you!

Conclusion

God will honor Paul: in Ephesus, the apostle will serve the Lord for over two and a half years.