The Church Engaged

Why are you here? Not in an existential sense, but why are you here, in church today? Why are you here each week?

Habit?

Duty?

1 Corinthians 16 (ESV)

1 Now 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.

In 1 Corinthians 16 Paul is addressing the final two (of six) issues about which the Corinthians had written to him.

16:1 Now concerning the collection for the saints. . .

16:12 Now concerning our brother Apollos. . .

We don’t come to church for an experience for me.

Charles Spurgeon says something similar. He says, “If I had never joined a church till I had found one that was perfect, I should never have joined one at all. And the moment I did join it, if I had found one I should have spoiled it, for it would not have been a perfect church after I had become a member of it.”

Usually people look for a church that makes them feel comfortable, not one that makes them feel challenged.

We are the church to engage on mission.

It has been said that every Christian could be compared to one of two bodies of water: the Jordan River or the Dead Sea.

The Jordan River is an active body of water, flowing from north to south. The Dead Sea, on the other hand, has no outlets. Water comes in from the north to the lowest point in the world, and it doesn’t flow back out. So the water is stagnant; it just sits there.

You’re either flowing, like the Jordan River, as God uses you to impact the lives of other people, or you are stagnant and lifeless, like the Dead Sea.

Consumers come and sit while contributors go and serve.

If we are not actively engaged in the mission of reaching the lost around us then either all of our neighbors are saved or we are not engaged on mission.

Why are we not engaged on mission with the church?

Why is it many Christians would rather consume than contribute?

- we are used to it

- products of culture

- feel inadequate

- not sure what to do

What we see in 1 Cor 16 is Paul writing closing his letter to this church and in doing so he is expecting them to engage on mission.

Even though they are not perfect

This is the end of the letter but not the end of the church.

Everyone

We engage on mission by giving to the church.

1 Now 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.

If you are wondering how ME giving could really affect the mission of the gospel:

ILLUST - What if the Church Tithed?

Christians are only giving at 2.5 percent per capita, while during the Great Depression they gave at a 3.3 percent rate.

what would happen if believers were to increase their giving to a minimum of, let’s say, 10 percent. There would be an additional $165 billion for churches to use and distribute. The global impact would be phenomenal. Here’s just a few things the Church could do with the kind of money:

– $25 billion could relieve global hunger, starvation and deaths from preventable diseases in five years. – $12 billion could eliminate illiteracy in five years. – $15 billion could solve the world’s water and sanitation issues, specifically at places in the world where 1 billion people live on less than $1 per day. – $1 billion could fully fund all overseas mission work. – $100 – $110 billion would still be left over for additional ministry expansion.

https://relevantmagazine.com/love-and-money/what-would-happen-if-church-tithed/ILLUST - What if the Church Tithed?

Give individually

each of you is to put something aside

Are we required to tithe?

The requirement of the tithe is part of the OT Law. In Christ, all of the OT Law is fulfilled and now none of the OT Law is binding for the NT believer.

Oftentimes the question is asked as a justification for giving LESS than what was prescribed in the Law rather than more.

The Law was given to 1) convict of sin by revealing our heart, 2) give an external standard for us to be able to relate to God.

With the Holy Spirit, we have internally what the Law did externally.

What does it say if we are giving less with the internal witness of the Spirit than we would if we had an external Law? Adherence to the Law was quite visible in OT - You couldn’t shove a sheep into an envelope. People knew what you were giving.

Give regularly

On the first day of every week,

Give generously

as he may prosper,

Give responsibly

And when I arrive, I will send those whom you accredit by letter to carry your gift to Jerusalem

Do you give regularly and generously to the church? Do you pray that our leaders would be able to responsibly steward the money you give in a way that makes the most ministry impact?

Pastors too often shy away from speaking about giving to the church

“What is significant here is the very matter-of-fact way the issue is taken up. On a weekly basis they should set money aside, as the Lord has prospered them. No pressure, no gimmicks, no emotion. A need had to be met, and the Corinthians were capable of playing a role in it. In a day of highly visible campaigns for money on every side, there is something to be said for the more consistent, purposeful approach outlined here.”

— Fee, Gordon D. 1987. The First Epistle to the Corinthians. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

We are committed to live a life Jesus-first in every way — including our finances. What’s your next step?

We engage on mission by giving to the church.

We engage on mission by supporting leaders and leading in serving.

Paul names a few leaders in the early church and notes how the church should interact with them.

Supporting Leaders

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,

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.

Paul is urging the Corinthians to support and help Timothy, Paul’s protege.

I am no better than you - in fact, I need you - you have gifts of the Spirit we need to accomplish the mission God has called us to.

I am no better than you. I am no more important than you. I simply have a different role - a role which leaves me with a greater accountability for how I lead and us and teach us from God’s Word.

James 3:1 (ESV)

1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.

James is not saying that people should run away from being teachers and leaders in the church. He is saying to do so only for the right reasons and with maturity.

The church needs Jesus-first leaders, less concerned with personal pride while making their own name known and more concerned with God’s glory and making Jesus known.

Leading in Serving

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.

These three men were not focused on what they could get from the church at Corinth but what they could DO to serve the church at Corinth.

We engage on mission by standing boldly and loving humbly.

13 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done in love.

Standing Boldly

13 Be watchful

Wake up!!

Be on your guard.

For what? Cultural threats to our faith.

Not just from those “out there” but from allowing the cultural threats to change our hearts.

Fee (1987: 827) argues that Paul enjoins the Corinthians “to watch out for corrosive influences and the enemy.”

ILLUST - ever try to stay awake when you are really tired? If you don’t it can have disastrous consequences.

Me falling asleep at the light while driving Christine to the hospital to deliver our daughter.

stand firm in the faith

Instead of falling asleep we are to stand firm.

in THE faith

Not attack but stand firm.

This has the feeling of Paul’s charge to the Ephesians in the face of spiritual warfare.

Ephesians 6:10–20 (ESV)

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

1 Peter 5:8 (ESV)

8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

act like men, be strong

This is not an exhortation only to males. It is instead a call to be strong.

ILLUST - guys chests swell when they tell stories of danger, bravery, and heroism

Act like men and not boys in the church

It has more to do with maturity than it does gender.

We are to stand firm against the infiltration of the ungodly influence of our world.

Deuteronomy 31:6 (ESV)

6 Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

2 Samuel 10:12 (ESV)

12 Be of good courage, and let us be courageous for our people, and for the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what seems good to him.”

Psalm 27:14 (ESV)

14 Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

1 Samuel 4:9 (ESV)

9 Take courage, and be men, O Philistines, lest you become slaves to the Hebrews as they have been to you; be men and fight.”

The church advances the kingdom less when it boldly challenges those outside the church in an effort to change culture than when it changes the hearts of those INSIDE the church to be less influenced by worldly culture.

We must be willing to boldly stand for THE faith in the face of whatever our culture holds.

We must also be willing to boldly change our own thinking and heart if or when it does not align with God’s Word.

The church is really good at calling out the sins of the world and really poor at calling out to God in repentance for her own sins.

Loving humbly

Let all that you do be done in love.

Here Paul is wrapping up his letter with his main exhortation for the Corinthians - love - not mushy emotional feelings, but a strong love that moves toward humble action.

When you think of someone that is not a believer and living a lifestyle opposed to God’s Word, what do you feel? anger? disgust? or compassion?

The church will lose the mission if she does not stand boldly and love humbly.

If we do not stand boldly for the faith ‘once for all delivered to the saints’ then we have no truth to offer.

If we do not love our neighbors with a humility that points to Jesus first, then we have no way to offer the truth.

Communion:

The core of the faith that we must hold to boldly is that fact that Jesus Christ died in our place as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

23 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. 24 My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.