Be Strong

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 says, "Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Act like men. Be strong. And do everything with love." In this post we'll focus on the fourth command.

4. Be strong

Paul told the Corinthians to grow up (act like men) and now he tells them to get strong. Paul here isn’t referring to growing strong physically, rather growing strong spiritually. Paul is saying: Become strong in your spirit so that you can resist the urges of your sinful nature. Throughout his letter Paul mentions that the Corinthians are still controlled by their sinful nature (3:3), that they lack self-control (7:5) and that they need to stop sinning (15:34). Paul says the answer to these problems is to grow strong in spirit. 

In the book of Galatians we read of the battle between our flesh (that part of us that desires to indulge sin) and our spirit (that part of us that desires to please God). Galatians 5:17 says “The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other...”  

Well how do we become strong spiritually so that when we're tempted our spirit overpowers our flesh and not the other way around? Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 9:25, “Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” Paul is saying here that athletes become strong by going into strict training. And this is the same way that we become strong spiritually - by going into strict spiritual training. 

I would encourage each and every one of you to write out on paper (or on your computer or phone) your spiritual training plan. And I would encourage you to include in your training plan these three things: 

1. Bible reading 

2. Prayer 

Let me explain this real quick. As you spend time with Jesus through Bible reading and prayer, you become strong spiritually. Isaiah 40:30-31 says, “Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength...” You see, we become strong spiritually as we spend time with the Lord. Psalm 27:14 says “Wait on the Lord...And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!” As we read our Bibles and pray we become strong in spirit.

3. Fasting 

Why fasting? Because if you can say no to food, you can say no to temptation. This is why Jesus instructed us to fast. Denying your flesh food prepares you to deny your flesh sin. The same resisting muscles you use to say no to lunch or dinner (or whatever it is you are fasting) are the same muscles you’ll use to say no to temptation. 

Develop a plan that works for you in order to become strong in spirit, so you can resist temptation. 

Act Like Men (Be Mature)

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 says, "Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Act like men. Be strong. And do everything with love." In this post we'll focus on the third command.

3. Act like men (Be mature)

Ladies, this doesn’t exclude you. Paul here is telling the Corinthians (both men and women) to grow up spiritually and become mature. Because spiritually speaking - the Corinthians were acting like babies.

This is why...

• In 1 Corinthians 3:1-2 Paul wrote, “Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people [that is: as I would to spiritually mature Christians]. I had to talk....as though you were infants in the Christian life. 2 I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger.” 
• In 1 Corinthians 4:14 Paul refers to the Corinthians as his spiritual children and in 4:21 asks them if they needed a spiritual spanking? 
• In 1 Corinthians 14:20 Paul admonishes them “Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults.” 

Do you see now why Paul ends his letter by telling the Corinthians to grow up (spiritually speaking)? God wanted the Christians at Corinth to grow up spiritually, and he wants the same for you and me. In 1 Corinthians 3:6 Paul wrote “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.” Paul is saying: God wants to grow your faith! And that’s true of us too. So let me ask you...

• Are you more kind this year than last? 
• Are you more patient this year than last? 
• Are you more of a servant? 
• Are you more generous? 
• Do you have a better understanding of Scripture this year than last? 
• Have you invited more people to church? 
• Have you participated in more semesters of growth group? 

Now don’t be too tough on yourself - it’s about direction, not perfection. But are you growing? At the same time, don’t be too easy on yourself either. If you can’t answer “yes” to any of those questions, God is saying to you “Act like men”, that is: Grow up! You aren’t supposed to stay stagnant in your faith. Like a tree, the roots of your faith are supposed to grow deeper (and your branches higher).

How do we grow up spiritually? 1 Peter 2:2 says “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation...” Friends - it’s impossible to grow up spiritually apart from reading your Bible. 2 Peter 3:18 says “...grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” How do you do that? By reading your Bible! Here's how this works...As you read the Bible you become aware of the areas in which you need to grow up.

• Maybe you have trouble getting along with others. Well as you read 1 Corinthians 1-4 God is going to challenge you to grow up in regards to quarreling with other believers. 
• Maybe you're doing something right now the Bible calls immoral. Well as you read 1 Corinthians 5-6 God is going to challenge you to grow up in regards to holy living. 
• Maybe you're not taking into account how your decisions affect others. Well as you read 1 Corinthians 8-10 God is going to challenge you to grow up in regards to selfishness. 

But you'll never know where you need to grow up apart from reading the Word of God. Through the Bible God speaks to us, telling us where we need to become mature. If you don't have a Bible reading plan I would encourage you to visit www.youversion.com on your smartphone or computer, where you will find a variety of Bible reading plans. Get in the Word and God will show you where you need to grow. 

Stand Firm in the Faith

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 says, "Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Act like men. Be strong. And do everything with love." In this post we'll focus on the second command.

2. Stand firm in the faith

Here Paul tells the Corinthians they must be adamant and resolute in their determination to live their lives for Jesus. The Corinthian church was doing a number of things wrong, which is one of the reasons Paul wrote to them. Here at the end of his letter he exhorts them to stand firm in the faith, which is the opposite of what they were doing. 

I think Paul's advice to the Corinthians is most appropriate for us who live today. We live in a culture that embraces a worldview and values that are blatantly anti-Christian. As a result when you go to work you may find yourself in the minority. And maybe you've been tempted to compromise what you believe or to keep quiet so everyone doesn't start making fun of you. Paul's advice to you? Stand firm in the faith! You might think this is impossible, but it's not! 2 Corinthians 1:21 says, “...it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ.” That is - God will help you! 

Let me give you three motivations for standing firm. 

1. The Lord is coming soon. 

James 5:8 says, “You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.” Friends - there is nothing keeping Jesus from returning this very minute. Keeping the imminent return of Christ in mind will motivate us to stand firm in the faith. 

2. Your determination will be rewarded. 

Jesus said in Luke 21:19, “Stand firm, and you will win life.” That is, if you don’t give up, your reward will be life eternal. Remember friends “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9) 

3. Others are standing firm with you. 

The apostle Peter wrote in 1 Peter 5:9, “Resist him [Satan], standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” It's discouraging to think you're all alone, but the truth is, you're not. Christians all around the world are fighting the same battle. 

I love Ephesians 6:14. It simply says "Stand firm then.." The Christian life is not for the weak of heart. It takes good old fashion determination! Jesus said in Matthew 24:12-13 that in the last days, “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” So stand firm! Keep your spiritual fervor in serving the Lord (Romans 12:11). Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess (Hebrews 10:23). Stand firm! Let nothing move you (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Be on Guard

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 says, "Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Act like men. Be strong. And do everything with love." In this post we'll focus on the first command.

1. Be on Guard

Paul was telling the Corinthians that they had a spiritual nemesis, named Satan, that they must guard themselves against.

After all...

• Who was working to cause the division Paul wrote about in chapters 1-4? 
• Who was encouraging the immorality Paul wrote about in chapters 5-6? 
• Who was working overtime to split up the marriages Paul referenced in chapter 7? 
• Who encouraged the selfish behavior Paul condemned in chapters 8-10? 
• Who enticed Christians to defy God’s divine order that Paul wrote about in chapter 11? 
• Who was celebrating as the young Christians at Corinth misused the spiritual gifts that Paul wrote about in chapters 12-14? 
• Who was behind the false doctrine that there was no resurrection of the dead that Paul wrote about in chapter 15? 

The answer is Satan! So Paul instructed the Corinthians to be on guard. Well, the same devil who was out to trip up the Corinthians, is out to destroy us as well. The apostle Peter put it this way in 1 Peter 5:8, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” When he says be alert and of sober mind, that's just another way of saying be on guard.

Now I want you to imagine you're in a war. How helpful do you think it would be if you knew your enemy's strategy and plan of attack? That would be helpful right?

Well spiritually speaking, we're at war. Ephesians 6:12 says "For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places." But we don't need to freak out because God has given us our enemy's strategy and plan of attack. It's found in 1 John 2:15-17 which says, “Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.” 

When Satan tries to trip you up, he will attempt to appeal to you in one of these three areas. 

1. A craving for physical pleasure ( the lust of the flesh). This is called hedonism which says: pleasure will make you happy. 

2. A craving for everything we see (the lust of the eyes). This is called materialism which says: possessions will make you happy. 

3. Pride in our achievements and possessions (the pride of life). This is called secularism which says: position will make me happy. 

Paul said in 2 Corinthians 2:11, “For we are not unaware of his [Satan's] schemes”. Now you can say this too. And you can use this knowledge to "Be on guard..." 

Offering Basics: Part 5 of 5

An offering should be given proportionately.

1 Corinthians 16:2 says “On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income...” Paul is telling the Corinthians that how much they give in the offering for the Christians in Jerusalem ought to be determined by how much they make. Those who make a little may only be able to give a little, while those who make a lot will obviously be able to give more.

In Luke 21:1-4 we read that “While Jesus was in the Temple, he watched the rich people dropping their gifts in the collection box. Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins. “I tell you the truth,” Jesus said, “this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them. For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has.”

Jesus’ point? Generous giving is proportionate. You may have little and therefore giving little - but if you only have little, the little you give is actually a lot! If you are truly strapped financially, giving $5 to the Christmas Offering might be really generous FOR YOU (proportionally speaking). On the other hand, if you are truly wealthy, even giving $5,000 might not be generous FOR YOU (proportionally speaking). Let me ask you this: FOR YOU, and in light of your particular unique financial situation, what does generous look like? That’s what I’d encourage you to give in the Christmas Offering. Have you been given little? Give accordingly. Have you been given much? Give accordingly. I think the principle behind Luke 12:48 applies here. Jesus said “When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.”

Offering Basics: Part 4 of 5

Every single believer should practice the giving of offerings.

Look at what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 16:2, "On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up..." Success to Paul was having everyone participate.

When we train our growth group facilitators, we tell them that success in the weekly meeting is achieved when each person in the group participates in the discussion. We don't expect everyone to talk the same amount. We know that some will talk a lot and some will only talk a little. But success is when everyone participates. If one or two people do all the talking, there may not have been any awkward moments of silence, but the meeting wasn't a success because the goal is to get everyone to participate.

You know - this verse (v.2) has really made me rethink how to determine whether or not we’ve had a successful special Christmas offering or not. We have a goal that we’re shooting for ($20,000), but real success is more than just reaching the goal - it’s reaching the goal in the right way. We win when “each one of you” participates. Some will contribute a lot and some will contribute a little. But we win when everyone participates. In Matthew 6:3 Jesus talked about “...when you give to the needy...” Not if you give to the needy, but when you give to the needy. Through our Christmas offering you can put that verse into practice. To give an offering click here. 

Offering Basics: Part 3 of 5

An offering should be saved up systematically. 

Paul told the Corinthians in v.2 “On the first day of every week [that is: on Sunday when you gather for worship], each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.” NIV Paul is telling the Corinthians to systematically save some money each week to give in the special offering. 

When the 2013 tornado devastated Moore OK did you have anything saved up that you could give to Convoy of Hope, Samaritans Purse or World Vision? Or when the 2013 typhoon devastated the Philippines did you have anything saved up so you could help? When the special annual Christmas Offering rolled around this year were you prepared to give? 

How can you be prepared to give when the opportunity to give an offering presents itself? By saving it up systematically! 

Offering Basics: Part 2 of 5

Giving an offering helps us develop a capitol C church mentality.

In 1 Corinthians 16:1-4 Paul wanted the Corinthians to know that their little congregation was just one church among many, that collectively make up the body of Christ. Paul didn’t want them to have the mindset that they were all there was. So he led them in the giving of an offering for the Christians in Jerusalem who were in need. The offering was meant to help those in Jerusalem, but was also intended to help the church develop a spiritually mature “capital C” church mentality. Let me illustrate what I mean by “capital C” church...

Last year we gave $2,500 out of our Christmas Offering to a church plant only a couple miles away, right here in Springfield. Some Christians have the mentality - why would you do that? What if people go to that church instead of New Day? Well that might not be a win for the “little c” church (New Day), but it would be a win for the “capital C” church (the church at large) so we would celebrate that someone came to faith in Christ - regardless of where it took place.

Paul didn’t want the Corinthians to think only of themselves. And I don’t want that for our church either! When a church thinks only of itself, it has a “little c” mentality. That is - a spiritually immature mentality. The church that only thinks of itself has forgotten that Jesus wants the gospel message to spread from Jerusalem, to Judea, to Samaria and then to the uttermost parts of the earth. That is - Jesus wants his message of hope and forgiveness spread throughout the world. So as a matter of obedience to Jesus, we HAVE to get involved in what God is doing in other churches around the state, in New England, in other parts of the country and around the globe. And this is precisely what we accomplish through our missions giving all year long, and through our special annual Christmas offering from Thanksgiving through the end of the year. 

Offering Basics: Part 1 of 5

An offering is different than the tithe. 

          

1. The tithe was 10%. The offering was any amount given above and beyond the tithe. Here’s an example...In the book of Ezra, when the Temple needed to be rebuilt (because it had been destroyed by Israel’s enemies) the Israelites were asked to give freewill offerings (Ezra 1:4,6; 3:5; 7:16; 8:28). These offerings were not substitutes for their tithe, they were to be given above and beyond their tithe. The Israelites were to tithe first to their local church, then give a free will offering, if they had the means, as they felt led, above and beyond the tithe.

2. The tithe was mandatory, an offering was not (unless God prompted them to give one). When it came to offerings the Israelites could give or not give as they felt led by God, but not so with the tithe. The tithe was required whether they felt like returning it or not.

3. The Israelites could not designate their tithe. The tithe belonged to God so only he could designate its use, and he said the tithe was earmarked for funding the local church. But an offering was different. The offering didn't come out of the 10% that belonged to God, but out of the 90% God let them steward. That belonged to God too, but God allowed some freedom in how it was used. They were free to designate an offering, but not the tithe.

4. An offering was given, whereas the tithe was returned. The tithe belonged to God, so when the Israelites gave their tithes, they were returning to God what was already his. But whatever they gave above and beyond the tithe, that was considered true giving, because that wasn’t required.

5. The tithe was consistent. The offering was sporadic. Every time an Israelite got paid, they would tithe. But they didn’t give an offering every time they got paid. They only gave an offering as the need for one appeared. 

A tithe and an offering are two separate things. And Paul's teaching here should be understood to be instructions on giving an offering.