1 Corinthians 16 - Part B

Here's what's best to me about never seem to sit still is always on the move always thinking of different projects and things and ideas is a man of vision and he communicated that to make plans is making plans to hug somebody out one offer said never saw a ship board you never saw a mountain range that he didn't want to climb over to get the gospel to people on the other side encourage Christians might live in that region. The apostle Paul lived wholeheartedly for Jesus. Nothing could stop from sharing the good news of salvation in Christ today on connect with Skip Skip shears and insightful post encouragement to keep devoting your life to Jesus and the gospel before we begin want to let you know about a resource that will nourish your soul with God's amazing truth our lives rotate around crucial moments in decisions where everything changes. We call them pivot points here.

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Please call 892 1888, or give online securely connectwithskip.com/offer. Thank you for partnering with us. Let's dive into today's teaching first coat of finish chapter 16 Skip Heitzigs and begins the study I get asked this?

What about typing what is the Bible say about type should I give in my tie.

I get that? You know that Paul never once mentioned tithing you never use the word typing want to know why tithing is not a New Testament concept is an Old Testament concept tide means 1/10 and in the Old Testament you know a lot of Christians don't understand the type event will they gave attempt in the Old Testament. Actually, if you if you tally it all up in the law. They gave 30% not 10%, 30% to the Lord. And so when people say Skip you either teach on tithing, I'm thinking you really don't want me to teach on tithing do because they gave 10% and then throughout the year more for different things. So he was a total of 30% to the Lord. I mentioned tithing is an Old Testament concept actually predates the law when Abraham gave a tie to Melchizedek in the book of Genesis is fleshed out in the law part of the covenant for the nation of Israel when it comes to the New Testament. It's different. You might start at a 10% base.

That's what I do with my family.

I start their but then there are special gifts and special offerings for special needs that we see and we want to be a part of, but the New Testament regulation is every man should give as he purposes in his heart.

Second Corinthians chapter 9, not grudgingly, nor of necessity, not because you have to, not because you're cajoled into it. For God loves. He said a cheerful giver. So you give you give cheerfully you give it to purpose in your heart so and so Mrs. how much should I give myself what you want to give either.

I don't want to give anything and don't give anything because actually if you think about it if you don't want to give it it's really better that you keep it because God loves a cheerful giver, and it is Jesus said it is more blessed to give than receive. But if you can't get your head around that your heart around that concept and give cheerfully hang onto it. God loves a cheerful giver. Now he does tell us how to do it though. He said on the first day of the week.

First day of the week. Why because the church met on the first day of the week the Saturday Sabbath was over in terms of the church practicing that, especially in Gentile areas.

People say, well, the Bible says where we had to keep the Sabbath to write the Bible says that to the Jewish nation.

I'm not part of the Jewish nation.

That's a covenant for the Jewish nation as circumcision was for the males and so was the Saturday Sabbath what the early church started meeting on Sundays pretty early on. Acts chapter 20 says the gather for worship on the first day of the week so they were doing. That way back in the book of acts and that is probably because of something happened before the church was even started.

You know what event I'm talking about the resurrection, Jesus rose on the seventh day of the week, but the first day of the week, very early in the morning on the first day of the week Jesus conquered death, and so the church began meeting on the first day of the week to celebrate the resurrection, but also Jesus rose on the first day of the week and then the Bible tells us in the Gospels that eight days later, Jesus appeared to his disciples when Thomas was present eight days later would be first day of the week. So Jesus appeared on the first day of the week sanctified that so the early church began meeting on the first day of the week so the idea of a Saturday Sabbath and keeping the Sabbath is not a New Testament obligation. Paul never said to do it. Jesus never said to do it when the early church wrote a letter in acts chapter 15 to the non-Jewish Christians up in Antioch and they gave them rules and regulations member what they said, abstain from things sacrificed to idols abstain from blood. They gave a few little regulations. Never once did they say all make sure that you keep the Sabbath day didn't do it so we can lay that on the so when Paul writes Romans. He said one man esteems one day of the week above all the rest.

One man esteems all the days unlike let each one be persuaded in his own mind, there you have it. If you say I got a worship on Saturday. By all means worship on Saturday we have a Saturday evening service.

Oh, no, no I'm not.

I'm not in the law anymore. I'm I think we had a worship Sunday the first or the week break we have couple Sunday morning services or maybe you're like me, Paul was writing about me when he gave the second part of that verse and he said one man esteems all the days alike, that's me. I think Jesus should be worshiped Saturday and Sunday and Monday all and Tuesday Wednesday Thursday and Friday every single day of the week. They're all alike to me so I don't agree. That's fine. Let each one be persuaded in his own mind.

I'm persuaded in my own mind. You're not going to change that.

If I'm not going to change your keeping of the Saturday Sabbath have added have fun but can we all agree that whether it Saturday or Sunday or Monday or Friday, or Thursday at 2 AM that God and the Lord Jesus. They are worthy to be worshiped. So let's worship him and not get hung up about what day you worship him, but that you worship him so I better move on so I can finish this up so first day of the week and the notice and also in verse two. It was to be done by every one in the church, not just a few. Let each one of you lay something aside so the rich and the poor, the slave and the free everyone should participate in financial giving.

And then they should give in proportion to what they have.

As far as amount storing up as he may prosper, and then I like this last part, so there's no collections when I come.

He just didn't want the heartache of having to make it a big deal. He just wanted to write the leadership get it all done in advance to not make a big deal of it, have it all done by the time he got there and when I come, whomever you approve by your letters I will send it to bear your gift to Jerusalem, but if it is fitting that I go also. They will go with me.

Notice the care and handling money.

The Paul the apostle Paul deadens that judges make sure that you put in a sealed envelope and give it to me knows that you know what, I'm not even handle it you get people that you designate as responsible and that they can take it they can go and if it's fitting that I go all go as well which Paul ended up doing. He went to Jerusalem shall be arrested in Jerusalem, but she did end up going to Jerusalem so Paul is not shy about talking about finances. Paul is not shy about taking and offering, but here's the difference. He never solicited money for himself. He never said you know, our ministries really suffering this month and if you could just see fit before God to give us your seed faith offering just right to me. Paul the apostle, Main Street offices at all. The address you need but didn't do that. He never solicited money for himself, but he did have no problem soliciting money for others brother needs when he writes to the Philippians. He's gonna say I'm really grateful that you guys are stepping up to the plate and sending your resources for me.

Not that I speak in terms of want but I want fruit to abound in your account but I'm grateful that you are doing it, but he never push that issue for himself, but if it's fitting verse four that I go they will go with me now.

He said I will come to you when I passed through Macedonia, for I am passing through Macedonia, but it may be that I will remain or even spend the winter with you that you may send me on my journey wherever I go. I can't wait to meet Paul. He's a fascinating fellow. He died at a relatively young age. He only made it to 58 and he was then beheaded, he would have a Going if he could have, but here's what's fascinating to me about book EE never seem to sit still.

He's always on the move. Always thinking of different projects and things and ideas is a man of vision and he communicated that vision and he made plans and is making plans here at somebody out one author said Paul never saw a ship that he didn't want to board. He never saw a mountain range that he didn't want to climb over to get the gospel to people on the other side and to encourage Christians who might live in that region.

Always on the move packed full of vision and always going to places no one else wanted to go to. I think of Paul McCallum, a Star Trek missionary is that is my term is a Star Trek missionary you know I gonna write because he wanted to go where no man would boldly go before he wanted to boldly go where no man would go has gone before. He just went into these regions where the gospel had been preached, but believed in the transforming power of the word of God and in anyone for so he said, come to Macedonia for an passing through Macedonia. Although he didn't end up going through Macedonia to Corinth, he ended up going to Corinth and then through Macedonia so eventually he'll do that, but it will be in reverse. Not quite as he planned.

So with that in mind. Watch this with you that you may send me on my journey wherever I go over seven for I do not wish to see you now.

On the way, which he will end up doing, but I hope to stay a while with you if the Lord permits so look at the balancer. Paul was very practical. Paul didn't have any problem making plans in the will of God and look at him, you know I am in a passive Missouri I'm to come and visit you so he was very practical, but he was also very flexible. If you're that kind of a person who likes to check all the boxes and everything plan good good but blessed are the flexible, they shall not be broken. Paul was very practical, but Paul was also very flexible and he realize I may make plans. I may have an agenda I may see this and believe this to be the will of God. But you know what it may or may not work out and I'm good with that because Paul believed I'm gonna write the script. But God has editing rights over my script.

He may have a whole different scene that he is written that he wants to drop into my script that I didn't plan for so be it.

So I'm to give the Lord that permission so he would say I'm a do this on to do that if the Lord permits that's all we had a live where to live with the caveat if the Lord permits if the Lord wills member what James said in chapter 46, come now, you who say today or tomorrow within a going to such and such a city and spend a year there and buy and sell and make a profit whereas you don't know what's going to happen tomorrow for what is your life. It is even a vapor that appears for a short time then vanishes away. Rather, he said you ought to say if the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.

I don't even know if the Lord wants me to live tomorrow, let alone do this or that, but if it's the Lord's will. Great.

But you know what some of you might not be alive tomorrow on earth, but if that's the case, should be alive in heaven. So make your plans but please give got elbowroom because he's going to take it anyway.

So, be flexible, be practical, be flexible. I remember I was at a pastors conference in Q&A the question-and-answer somebody asked me about my week in my preparation eyes.

The question was how do you keep yourself from distractions and I so well, that's a good question, but it's not always possible, and there are some distractions that are from the Lord, and you don't want one every keep yourself from those so you can make your plans and set your time aside and sequester your study time and prayer time at prep time but know that the Lord might distract you with something and he has the right to do that. So I'm to do this. I hope to stay a while. If the Lord permits but I will Terry verse eight in Ephesus until Pentecost.

Paul did end up spending a total of three years in Ephesus. It was very fruitful.

It was very effective.

He went into the synagogue, they kicked him out of the synagogue.

Eventually he rented public building of the school of Tyrannosaurus and for two years. He had meetings there and it was so powerful it says the all of Asia. Both great and small, heard the word of the Lord. So it's spread from Ephesus. It became headquarters to him for those three years and I've been mentioning on Sunday that two people from nearby Colossae path for us and Philemon went to Ephesus they heard Paul preaching in Ephesus. They were converted. They went back and started a church in Colossae so he says I'm in a hang out here ominous stay in Ephesus until Pentecost there certain things. It just get my attention. This is one of them.

He mentions Pentecost which is a Jewish feast is now writing to Jews. He's writing to Gentiles and Corinth largely that okay Pentecost, but Paul was Jewish and his calendar. His reference for time his iPad and iPhone were all adjusted to a Jewish calendar. That's how he Time so they probably had heard of Pentecost, but he didn't seem to care if they had or hadn't. He's going by the calendar.

He grew up with and Pentecost happens at the beginning of June. The end of May so his plan is to hang out in Ephesus until them, and here's why he's gonna stay in Ephesus before he comes their way uses for verse 94 a great and effective door has been opened to me. God has given me great opportunity here.

That's what that means a great and effective door door is always a metaphor for an opportunity has been opened to me. We weave and use that terminology will the Lord opened the door.

That's where we get it so that the door of opportunity has opened. I've gone through that door. I'm hanging out in this room of opportunity known as Ephesus. It's a great and effective door has been open to me notices to.

It's interesting that he combines it, and there are many adversaries.

Okay so let's talk first of all, about the opportunity the opportunity for Paul began on his second missionary journey on the second missionary journey. He went to Ephesus he had not done that on his first ghost Ephesus and he thinks oh goodness, this is fertile ground. This is ripe soil so he makes it. As I mentioned his headquarters for a while and then longer in a total as I mentioned, of three years. He stays in Ephesus, so it was great opportunity. The word of the Lord spread throughout the province.

The Roman province of Asia minor, great opportunity, but also great opposition touched on the last week was a guy named Demetrius Silversmith the organized religious system of the worship of Diana had its headquarters in Ephesus and uproar happened in Ephesus, the enemies came out of the woodwork hated Paul hated his message created this huge demonstration in a 24,000 seat theater in Ephesus. I stood in that theater and the people they gathered for two hours shouted out against Paul. Great is Diana of the Ephesians. Great is Diana of the Ephesians. It was like the Ephesian cheerleaders squad was out in full and they have their post called, headed by Demetrius and somebody else named Alexander who was Jewish. They came against Paul. So Paul said Pam and hang out here because there is great opportunity and because there's great opposition. It's interesting that Paul didn't see opposition as a deterrent to the opportunity. Most people would go man things are getting heated up here must not be God's will for me to be here. Why do you think that will because of its God's will.

It's going to be easy. Where did you get that idea, not from the Bible, certainly not from Paul's ministry to Paul. It was like you know what things are heating up. I pushed one of Satan's hot buttons. I'm going to hang around while it's getting fun. Listen young pastor if you're looking for a place to start a church look for a place that has opposition not for a place of these you will feel led to go to Hawaii or Colorado about Albuquerque, how about wherever you might get blowback or opposition buckle your seatbelt but it's good to be fun. The rights fun and when Satan's minions get all upset. It's kind of fun to watch the honest review I enjoy it so great in effect, door has been open to me and there are many adversaries that Skip the message from the series expound first Karen, you skipped until you can keep encouraging messages like this coming your way as you help connect others to God's truth. The apostle Paul boldly proclaim the gospel everywhere. He had the opportunity and our mission to do the same.

That's why we make these Bible teachings available on the year and online and you can join in this vital work to connect many more people around the world with the good news of Jesus. Here's how you can give a gift today to do just that and keep these messages that you love coming to you and others you can give online@connectwithskip.com/donate. That's connect with.com/donate or call 800-922-1888, 800-9222. Thank you tomorrow Skip Heitzig shares you can treasure all your brothers and sisters in the body of Christ. Here's one of the dangers of a larger is that sometimes shy people come the largest churches because they believe that blend into the woodwork and not be noticed. That's a danger is see them. Don't let them get away