1 Corinthians 16:15-18

"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— be subject to such as these, and to every fellow worker and laborer. I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have made up for your absence, for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. Give recognition to such men."

Biblical leadership looks very different from the corporate model. The top down structure of the business world elevates the leader to a position of superiority. And if he lords it over his underlings, that's just his right. But in the church, the business pyramid is flipped on its head. The leader is the servant of all. He is to lift those he leads up before the Lord.

Paul tells the Corinthians to subject themselves to their leaders. And yet, there seems to be no condemnation of Apollos for not doing what Paul wanted him to do. Believers are supposed to subject themselves to their leaders. But their leaders are not to demand submission.

What does the servant / servant-leader relationship look like then?

• There is no superiority or inferiority. No person's position, wealth, or influence make him better than any other person.
  
• Spiritual leaders are to lead by serving. And their service is very valuable both to other leaders and to the church at large.
• Believers are to voluntarily put themselves under the direction of their spiritual leadership. But they are not to blindly follow their leaders. Those under leadership are still responsible to think and make decisions for themselves, before God.

1 Corinthians 16:12-14

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

Paul had a strong opinion about what Apollos should be doing. He believed Apollos should go minister to the Corinthians. But Apollos wanted to continue ministering where he was. Knowing that the Corinthian believers were going to be without the benefit of Apollos' help, Paul urged them to stand firm in the faith and in love.

God gifts the church with preachers and teachers to lead His people toward a closer walk with Him. When a church is struggling, no man no matter how gifted, is the answer. But God can use a man to direct His people toward Himself. The pastor is to be directing God's people to follow him in watchfulness, to be firm in the faith, to be strong, and to act in love.

1 Corinthians 16:10-11

"When Timothy comes, see that you put him at ease among you, for he is doing the work of the Lord, as I am. 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."

Timothy was to be put at ease by the Corinthians. The NASB translates the phrase "without cause to be afraid." I doubt that this was a fear for his life or safety. This is more like the apprehension you feel when visiting someone for the first time when you really want them to like you. Timothy, no doubt, wanted to start relationships that would be used to minister to the Corinthian believers. So Paul tells the Corinthians to recognize Timothy's desire to serve the Lord and to accept him and help him in that. Timothy was to be honored, not held in contempt.

As one often on the receiving end of this type of situation, I certainly find it easier to serve the Lord when people warmly welcome us. The cold barriers that people put up to protect themselves more often damage than protect.

1 Corinthians 16:5-9

"I will visit you after passing through Macedonia, for I intend to pass through Macedonia, and perhaps I will stay with you or even spend the winter, so that you may help me on my journey, wherever I go. For I do not want to see you now just in passing. I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries."

I need to be content to say the same type of thing. Being a missionary, raising support, I have been asked from the beginning, "when do you plan to be there?" I've always hated that question. It's frustratingly difficult to give a difinitive answer. The question is asked in almost every church we visit and is a constant reminder of the uncertainty of our schedule. Usually I say we want to be in Romania by . . . or it will depend on . . .

I don't have to know when God will have us where in Romania. I will make plans and have intensions. But I must always remember that God has something for me everywhere He puts me, and He is to be trusted even if He doesn't follow my plan.

1 Corinthians 16:1-4

"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. If it seems advisable that I should go also, they will accompany me."

Beginning to wrap his letter up, Paul moves from the subject of the resurrection to some final, practical considerations. The first of these is a voluntary collection of funds for the struggling saints in Jerusalem. The believers in Corinth were instructed (probably because they asked about it) to systematically prepare a gift that could be delivered to the believers in Jerusalem. The Corinthians were to gather everything together and have it ready to go to Jerusalem before Paul arrived at Corinth. The gift was to be delivered by trustworthy believers of Corinth. Paul had not yet decided if he would accompany them on the journey to Jerusale or have them go on without him.

There are several potential lessons in these directions for those who have oversight over fellow believers' giving.

• Do not resort to emotional or heavy handed tactics when collecting money. Paul wanted everything taken care of before he arrived. Perhaps this was so that people did not feel pressured to give by an apostle.
• The farther a spiritual leader can be from the actual control and handling of the funds, the better. Paul was considering going to Jerusalem, but he was not going to take the collection himself. Whether or not he went, several trustworthy laymen were to make the delivery.
• Each believer was to personally decide what God would have him give. There is no call for a certain amount. They were simply to set "something aside . . . as he may prosper." While percentages are helpful guides, the important thing is that we are giving and that we are sensitive to what God wants us to give.

1 Corinthians 15:58

"Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain."

Because of the confidence that Christians can have about what lies ahead, our lives should be resolute. We should have an immovably fixed persistence to our lifestyle. We should be driven to serve the Lord. The text says we should be "abounding in the work of the Lord." The word translated abounding conveys the idea of an abundance. We do not merely meet expectations, fulfilling the minimum required to get by. We exceed what anyone might expect of us. We push forward with an insatiable drive to serve the one who freed us from all fear because we want to bring Him glory. And He is most clearly glorified by our worship spreading to others. When we worshipfully serve the Lord, the Holy Spirit uses our efforts to bring others to meet the Savior.

1 Corinthians 15:54-57

"When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Death marches relentlessly forward upon the human race. We can evade it temporarily, but at the time appointed, this life will end for all of us. And for those without confidence about what lies ahead, death has a terrible sting. It strikes wide, deep, and long. Death conquers and conquers and conquers still. But it's victory is not universal.

Those who know Christ as their savior will experience no sting in death. For them "death is swallowed up in victory." They have nothing to fear: sin (the sting of death) has been paid for by Christ's death and the law (the deadly force of sin) has been satisfied by Christ's obedience in life. While it is true that some who are trusting in Christ still fear the unknowns of death, Christians can at least be certain that since Jesus was not defeated in death, we will not be either. Don't fear what you don't know. Rejoice in what is certain.

1 Corinthians 15:50-53

"I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality."

We cannot in our current form experience the fullness of blessing that God has in store for us. Physical bodies are temporal, limited, and decaying. Spiritual, heavenly blessings are unending, unending, and so far beyond us that they can only be fully enjoyed in spiritual bodies.

Not every Christian must die to experience these blessings. Some will be transformed without death at Christ's return. It will happen in an instant. The day will seem like any other, then mortal to immortal, dieing to incorruptible.

This truth is encouraging on a couple of levels.

1. We will eventually be freed from the pains of decay that we are progressively subjected to as we grow older.
2. We will enjoy a fuller, deeper fellowship with God.
3. We will be freed from the corruption of temptation to sin.
4. Whether or not we experience death, we "must" experience this new life.