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Ambassador Baptist Church
1926 Babcock Blvd
Pittsburgh, PA 15209
(412)477-3210
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   You Are Here: Bridge / Galley / Pastor's Pen / Pathways Through Paul
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Pathways Through Paul Daily Devotional
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Pathways Through Paul
Daily Devotional

September 29
Click on verses for Full Scripture
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Today's Pathway:


 I Corinthians 16:1-8
  1. Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.
  2. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
  3. And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem.
  4. And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me.
  5. Now I will come unto you, when I shall pass through Macedonia: for I do pass through Macedonia.
  6. And it may be that I will abide, yea, and winter with you, that ye may bring me on my journey whithersoever I go.
  7. For I will not see you now by the way; but I trust to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit.
  8. But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost.

His Majesty's Service

 I would like to to deal with a couple more issues concerning the offering to assist the church in Jerusalem. Paul wants to see that this is taken care of, and the term used is that he has "given order". The root idea of the Greek word is "to arrange in an orderly manner", but it is normally translated "appoint" or "command", as it is in verse 1. Paul is using his apostolic authority to tell the Corinthians believers what they need to be doing. He is not only giving the methodology for taking up the collection, but also telling them that he expects them to do it. Verse 2 indicates that he expects not only the church as a whole to participate, but every individual believer to cooperate in this project, regardless of whether or not they were financially well off. We saw yesterday in Acts 11:29 that

"every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren".
We know that some very poor churches participated in this offering, for Paul writes this in II Corinthians 8:2 concerning the Macedonian believers:
"How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality."
If the Macedonians could do it, then anyone could do it, and should do it.

 In II Corinthians 8:11-14, Paul deals with this issue again. There he is explaining that he does not desire one church to be benefited and another church burdened, but rather he expects those who have to share with those who have not. He writes in that passage,

"Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have. For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened: But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality."
Apparently the Corinthians had decided to participate, but were not yet taking up the collection. Paul tells them not to worry about what they don't have, but to focus on what they do have. He then states that he does not want them to be burdened by easing the suffering of the Jerusalem believers. However, there may come a time when the church at Corinth has a need, and if they have been faithful in assisting the church in Jerusalem, then when their own need arises the Jerusalem church can reciprocate by giving to them. Paul calls this "equality". If we are faithful in our giving to others in their hour of need, God will cause others to be faithful in their giving to us when our need rises.

 In the remainder of today's passage Paul discusses his upcoming journey. He is going to stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, and then he intends to pass through Macedonia on his way to Corinth. In Corinth he will find out who the church has approved to take the offering to Jerusalem and send it with them. And, if it works out, he will travel with them. He hopes to spend the winter with the Corinthians if God allows it. At the end of verse 6 he writes that he expects them to "bring him on his journey". This means that the Corinthian church should provide for his travel needs and any other needs he might have along the way. This principle has not changed. Those with itinerant ministries should have their needs taken care of along their journey by the churches that they are ministering to.

 How well are we doing in our personal responsibilities both to other churches and to those servants of the Lord whom He brings to our church?

Pastor Mark J Montgomery

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His Majesty's Service
Home of Ambassador Baptist Church
1926 Babcock Blvd
Pittsburgh, PA 15209
(412)477-3210
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