Day 29 - Honor God’s Servants and Send False Servants Packing!
1 Corinthians 16:1-24
Scripture Passage: 1 Corinthians 16:1-24
Focal Verses: Be alert, stand firm in the faith, be courageous, be strong. Do everything in love. ~ 1 Corinthians 16:13 (CSB)
Paul is wrapping up his letter to the Corinthians in chapter 16. You’d think that, like most closings used in letters, there’d be little to glean, but when it comes to a man like Paul, every word is an opportunity to teach and instruct. Because of that, I want to mine as much from these remaining verses as I can without confusing things with clever forensic analogies and the like. Like Paul, I’m going to speak plainly here. I’m going to say it like it is. And hopefully, give you something to mull over in your own life and outlook within your own local church.
As we’ve discussed, the church of Corinth had quite a few big issues they were dealing with. Marital infidelity and sexual sin in general. Arguments among the congregants over the direction of church leadership. Confusion and doubt about the resurrection of Christ and the future possibilities of the future resurrection of the saints. And biggest of all, a self-serving spirit among them that kept them focused more on themselves than others.
As I studied 1 Corinthians personally, one thing became rather apparent: wolves in sheep’s clothing have infiltrated this church. Wolves bearing false doctrine and seeking to lead the flock astray. I can personally trace, without need of fancy commentaries or Greek word studies, almost all the issues within the church at Corinth to these various false teachers and false doctrines.
So, in the final chapter of this book, Paul does something interesting. He highlights the steadfastness and dependability of several members of the Corinthian church (Stephanus, Fortunatus, and Achaichus…all from the region of Achaia in which Corinth is the capital) who have been enormous assets to Paul on his missionary journeys. He’s pointing the finger here, in a positive way, essentially saying, “You know these people. These are the examples of people you should be following. That you should be honoring. They are truly God’s servants and won’t lead you astray like the rest.
In essence, Paul is saying, here are your leaders. Honor them. Support them. Take care of their needs. But most of all, listen to what they have to say. Imitate them as they imitate me as I imitate Christ.
He goes on to tell them to protect Timothy when he comes to visit, as well as Apollos.
In a New Testament book that spends a great deal of real estate laying out proper protocols of the ecclesia (Greek word for church), Paul is closing out the letter by focusing on these people. Instructing the Corinthians to provide for these leaders’ needs. Offering them support. Encourage them in the same way they have encouraged Paul.
What about you? Do you honor those who serve Christ? I’m not talking about lifting them up on pedestals. I certainly would never suggest following so-called ‘celebrity’ pastors simply because of their celebrity status. What I’m talking about are those simple day-to-day issues every elder, pastor, minister needs help with. Lending a non-judgmental ear to listen to. Praying for them. Letting them no just how much you appreciate them. Sharing how a sermon touched you (you have no idea how much encouragement that can be for a pastor who might feel as though his congregation is apathetic and not growing in their faith).
But not just emotionally honoring them. Scripture is clear. A pastor/minister deserves not having to worry about medical bills or where they’re going to get the money to pay their mortgage this month. They should be able to focus on the spiritual needs of the congregation, which would require that congregation to take care of their pastor’s physical needs to do that more effectively.
Maybe that minister and his wife need to have a date night, but there’s no one to watch the kids. Help them out. Honor them. Protect them and nurture them. Pastors are people just like you. They have the same fears. The same worries. The same doubts. They just can’t show it as openly as the rest of us. Do what you can to ensure those fears, worries, and doubts are dealt with without the minister having to reach out and ask. Try to anticipate their needs and do it. Encourage others in your church to do it likewise.
You might be asking, “Kent, with all this talk about taking care of our church leadership, why did you choose the focal verse you did? What does ‘being alert, standing firm in the faith, being courageous, or being strong’ have to do with any of this?
Easy. And difficult. Because it has to do with a very strange (and seemingly unchristian-like verse toward the very end at verse 22: “If anyone does not love the Lord, a curse be on him.”
What? Did Paul just curse someone? Was he wishing those who did not love the Lord to go to Hell?
Absolutely not! Here, I will go a little deeper and say the word translated as ‘cursed’ here is anathema. Most of us know what anathema is as we still use it in English today. An anathema is something to be shunned. Something to be ostracized. Within the context of 1 Corinthians and Paul’s refutation of all the false teachers who have cropped up throughout the book, it’s obvious what he means here. Those ‘who do not love the Lord’ are the false teachers. The meaning, then, is simply shun and cast out the false teachers from your church.
We are to honor true servants of Christ, but should not tolerate those who come to us in a spirit of deceit to lead us astray.
That’s why the focal verse is what it is. We’re to be alert to know false teachers when we hear them. We’re to stand firm, be strong, and courageous in our faith. We are to discern what is biblical and what is not and rid ourselves of those who would do us spiritual harm.
Honor you pastors, ministers, elders, deacons, and anyone else who truly serve Christ. Be wise enough and strong enough to follow your convictions when any of those people start preaching a gospel other than the one true Gospel.
We’re commanded to love our enemies, but that doesn’t mean we have to remain in their company. It doesn’t mean we have to tolerate their lies or continue to honor them. Remember, it is okay to question those spiritual leaders around us. Anyone who gets defensive about those kinds of things you should be wary of.
So, here it is. The conclusion of the first letter to the Corinthians. Honor the servants of Christ. Give those who serve themselves in ministry the boot.
Father God, thank you for Paul and his amazing ministry that literally changed the world. Help us, Lord, to all be ministers as bold and compassionate and passionate as he was. Help us to honor those who serve you in any way we can. Help us to get involved in their ministries like Stephanus, Fortunatus, and Achaichus. And help us to have the wisdom and courage to cast out those who would lead us astray.