Parting Shots
SPEAKER: Michael P. Andrus
Introduction: I preached my first message as pastor of this church (First Free in St. Louis) a year ago today (November 10, 1985). We began our study of 1 Corinthians that morning by looking at the founding of the church at Corinth, as recorded in Acts 18. Today we come to the last passage, verses 5-24 of chapter 16. If some who have been with us just the past few months wonder what happened to chapter 15 and the first part of 16, we preached on that portion back in the Spring, because the subject matter was so well suited to the Easter season.
In this final section we find the Apostle Paul addressing, as he almost always does in the conclusion to his epistles, a variety of issues of personal interest to his readers. We too readily forget that 1 Corinthians is first and foremost a letter, and only secondarily a theological treatise. I have used the title, “Parting Shots,” but that may have an unintended negative connotation. Something like “Parting Pats” might be more appropriate. Let’s read together 16:5-24:
After I go through Macedonia, I will come to you—for I will be going through Macedonia. 6 Perhaps I will stay with you for a while, or even spend the winter, so that you can help me on my journey, wherever I go. 7 For I do not want to see you now and make only a passing visit; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. 8 But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, 9 because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.
10 When Timothy comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is carrying on the work of the Lord, just as I am. 11 No one, then, should treat him with contempt. Send him on his way in peace so that he may return to me. I am expecting him along with the brothers.
12 Now about our brother Apollos: I strongly urged him to go to you with the brothers. He was quite unwilling to go now, but he will go when he has the opportunity.
13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 14 Do everything in love.
15 You know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the Lord’s people. I urge you, brothers and sisters, 16 to submit to such people and to everyone who joins in the work and labors at it. 17 I was glad when Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus arrived, because they have supplied what was lacking from you. 18 For they refreshed my spirit and yours also. Such men deserve recognition.
19 The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house. 20 All the brothers and sisters here send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.
21 I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand.
22 If anyone does not love the Lord, let that person be cursed! Come, Lord!
23 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.
My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen.
While there does seem to be something of a lack of continuity in this passage, I see three themes around which to present the Apostle’s thoughts.
Requirements for effective service (5-12)
In these first eight verses Paul rehearses his travel plans and those of his two ministerial colleagues, Timothy and Apollos. During that rehearsal he conveys to us at least four important requirements or qualities for effective service for the Lord.
Vision. “After I go through Macedonia, I will come to you—for I will be going through Macedonia.” The effective servant must have an eye on the future. The Christian who is motivated and consumed by God’s love will see needs that are not yet filled and opportunities that are not yet met. For Paul, Macedonia was just such an opportunity. He was always haunted by distant regions. He never saw a ship at anchor without wishing to board it to carry the good news to the people across the water, and he never saw a mountain range without desiring to cross it to build up the saints.
We need men and women of vision in the church today. We need them in our church. Their vision may not be the same as Paul’s, but it is nevertheless crucial to the progress of the Gospel here. The original four families who started our church had a vision for a fellowship featuring love and sound teaching. That vision has come to fruition, probably more quickly than any of them had dared to hope. But now we need more people of vision to trust God for a permanent location where we can grow and then divide. If you are a person of such vision, perhaps it’s time for you to share your vision, talk it up, and infect the rest of us with it.
Flexibility. While we ought to have vision and plan ahead, we also must be flexible. Paul says in v. 6: “ Perhaps I will stay with you for a while, or even spend the winter, so that you can help me on my journey, wherever I go.” Then he adds in verse 7, “ For I do not want to see you now and make only a passing visit; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits.“ Our plans should always be subject to the Lord’s revision. The future does not always come together as we think it will. Our original understanding of God’s will for us may be inadequate or incomplete, and we should always qualify our intentions as James advises: “If the Lord wills, we shall live and also do this or that.” (James 4:15)
The Corinthians, unfortunately, misinterpreted Paul’s flexibility as being a sign of fickleness and indecisiveness, as is reported in his second epistle to them, but he was just being realistic and humble. Flexibility is not a sign of weakness, but of strength. All his life, David Livingstone wanted to be a missionary to China. Even in old age he longed to have the opportunity to go there and minister. But God sent him to Africa instead, where he worked and eventually died while opening that great continent to mission work, much as Carey had done in India. He never went to the place where he personally wanted to go, but he served willingly, unreservedly, and fruitfully where God put him. He had a great vision for China, but because he wanted, above all else, to do the Lord’s will, he was flexible.
Perhaps someone here has a vision of how you would like to serve in the Church. Great, pursue that vision, but if it doesn’t work out, don’t pout or quit. Be flexible.
Sensitivity to open doors. In vs. 8,9 Paul continues, “ But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost,because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.” This is not the only time the Apostle speaks of an open door for ministry. In his letter to the Colossian church (4:3) he asks the Christians there to “pray that God may open up to us a door for the Word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned.” Then in 2 Cor. 2:12 he says, “Now when I came to Troas for the Gospel of Christ and when a door was opened for me in the Lord, I had no rest for my spirit, not finding Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I went on to Macedonia.” Then again in Acts 14:27 we find Paul recounting how on his first missionary journey God had opened “a door of faith to the Gentiles.”
What is an open door, anyway? Well, every time Paul uses the term he refers to an opportunity for ministry, a chance to preach the Gospel. But how did Paul know when a door was open? That’s easy, you say, the door is open when God gives you an opportunity and removes all the roadblocks and opposition from your path.
No! That’s not what an open door is. Look at 16:9 again: “a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.” Contrary to the notion that an open door constitutes a clear path, here we are told that the opposite is true. When we have great opportunities of service there will usually also be great difficulties in the way. I don’t care what it is that you endeavor to do for the Lord—teach a Bible study, become a youth sponsor, accept a leadership position, or give sacrificially—whatever it is, you should expect opposition. G. Campbell Morgan said, “If you have no opposition in the place you serve, you’re serving in the wrong place.” I don’t know if that’s always true, but I think it is usually true.
How then can one tell if the door to a task is an open one? Try asking these questions:
1. Is the task in accord with God’s revealed will, i.e., the Scriptures?
2. Has God given you the gifts to perform the task?
3. Has God put you into a place where you have the resources (health, wealth, time, etc.) to perform the task?
4. Does it allow you to keep first things first, i.e., can you maintain your priorities?
5. What advice do you get from spiritually mature believers?
You may not always get a clear answer after asking these questions, but the main point is that one shouldn’t automatically consider every bit of opposition as a closed door. One of my former seminary profs, Dr. Charles Ryrie, had a good suggestion for his students. He said, “Men, when God calls you to do something, and then the door seems to close, better ask whose hand is on the doorknob.”
Team spirit. In verses 10-12 Paul mentions two of his colleagues in ministry, speaking of them in such a way that shows he did not consider himself an ecclesiastical superstar, but rather a member of a team. I find it curious that Paul could work well with two men as different as Timothy and Apollos. Timothy was young and somewhat timid. Apollos on the other hand, was older and was a dynamic, charismatic individual. Timothy often suffered from intimidation—lay people tended to walk all over him. Apollos was very forceful and self-assured. Timothy was tolerated in Corinth, but Apollos was the one who really incited their passions.
The Apostle has a word to say about the attitude of the church to each of these men. In respect to Timothy he says, “See to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is carrying on the work of the Lord, just as I am.“ I love the fact that Paul was able to see potential in individuals most of us would have overlooked. Timid, shy people often have tremendous ability, but we gravitate toward the extroverts, the up-front people. A man in this church who is now a college graduate and a well-respected expert in his field, shared with me recently that he was so shy as a youngster that he was put in remedial classes all through grade school and even into junior high. What a tragedy that no one was able to see that young man’s potential earlier. Paul saw young Timothy as a valuable member of a balanced team.
One of the important factors in a team ministry is to have sensitivity toward the Lord’s leading in the lives of other members of the team, and this is demonstrated in the remarks about Apollos in v. 12. Paul thought Apollos ought to return to Corinth with Timothy and the others, and he encouraged him greatly to do so. But Apollos was convinced that the Lord wanted him to stay in Ephesus for a while longer. So, Paul respected those convictions. Instead of taking a potshot at Apollos’ obstinacy, Paul assures the church that he will come when he has opportunity.
These four qualities—vision, flexibility, sensitivity to open doors, and team spirit—are qualities that make for effective servants, whether on the Elder Board, in a home Bible Study, in youth work, or whatever area of service God has called you to. I commend them to you.
Now in v. 13 Paul abruptly changes course. From talking about his personal travel plans and those of his colleagues, he moves to a series of four almost staccato exhortations. I have called them
Principles for godly ilving (13)
Wm. Barclay suggests that these four imperatives have a military background and are like a commander’s orders to his soldiers: “As a sentinel, be ever on the alert. When under attack, stand fast in the faith and don’t yield an inch. In time of battle, play a hero’s part. Like a well-equipped and well-trained soldier, be strong to fight for your king.”[i]
Be alert. The term, “be alert,” or “be on your guard,” is used some 22 times in the NT, usually in reference to the Christian being spiritually awake, as opposed to being indifferent and listless. The Corinthians seemed often to be in a spiritual and moral stupor, and sometimes even in a physical stupor, as when they became drunk at the Lord’s Table. (1 Cor. 11:21)
If you examine the Scriptures, you will find that there are at least four different things for which we need to be alert. First, we are to be on the alert against Satan. 1 Peter 5:8,9 says, “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith.” Second, we must be on the alert for temptation. Jesus said in Mark 14:38: “Keep watching and praying that you may not come into temptation.”
Third, we must be alert for false teachers. Paul warns in 2 Tim. 4:3-5, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things.” Fourth, we are to be alert for the Lord’s return. The two great motives we have for living faithfully for Christ are remembering what He did for us on the cross and looking forward to His coming again. As Matt. 24:42 puts it, “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.”
Stand firm. The Corinthians, like many of the Ephesians, were being “carried about by every wind of doctrine.” They were afraid to take a stand on anything. The relativism of the age had taken its toll. Human philosophy had been mixed with God’s Word, undermining its authority. To them Paul writes, “Stand firm in the faith.” The faith here is not faith as an act of trusting, but rather the faith as the content of the gospel.
Unfortunately, the Church has often gone to the extremes of either complete relativism or extreme dogmatism in doctrine. What we need is firmness on the essentials but tolerance on the non-essentials. Here Paul is calling for firmness on the essentials. When it comes to the inerrancy of Scripture, the deity of Christ, the vicarious atonement, the person and work of the Holy Spirit, the Second Coming, there is no room for wishy-washiness or apology or compromise.
Be mature. Paul next exhorts, “be courageous,” or as the NASB puts it, “act like men.” A better way to put it might be, “Act like an adult.” The Corinthians certainly needed to grow up. Back in chapter 3 the Apostle had sadly acknowledged that he had been unable to talk to them “as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to babes in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it.” Later, in the chapter on the sensational gifts of the spirit he had once again had to chide them on their childishness: “Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be babes, but in your thinking be mature.” (14:20).
How does one reach maturity? By longing for the pure milk of the Word. Growth comes from the spiritual and moral nourishment in the Bible, as it is put into practice in our lives.
Be strong. The word Paul uses here is passive in voice, meaning “be strengthened.” We cannot strengthen ourselves; that is the Lord’s work. Our part is to submit ourselves to Him. Only a strong spirit can successfully battle and overcome the flesh. Again, that is where the Corinthians were weak. “For you are still fleshly,” Paul had told them in chapter 3, “for since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?”
Sadly, the Corinthians thought they were strong. Paul speaks sarcastically in chapter 4, “We apostles are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are prudent in Christ; we are weak, but you are so strong.” Anytime a person thinks he is strong, he had better take heed lest he fall. That was the message the Apostle gave them in chapter 10. At one time in his ministry Paul had faced that very danger. He had been “caught up into Paradise, and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak…. And because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me—to keep me from exalting myself.” True spiritual strength comes from self-sacrifice, self-denial, self-discipline, humility, and trust in God.
The third section of our text today, verses 14-20, is introduced by the exhortation: “Let all that you do be done in love.” And following that exhortation the Apostle gives at least five marks of love in the Christian fellowship.
Marks of love in the Christian fellowship
Serving one another. This mark is given to us by way of example, as Paul recalls fondly the household of Stephanas, who were his first converts in the province where Corinth was located. He gives them one of the finest commendations found anywhere in the Bible: “They have devoted themselves for ministry to the saints.” Literally it reads, “they have addicted themselves to serving the saints.”
John MacArthur has observed that drug addiction has three primary characteristics. First, it involves a strong habit, an overpowering desire and compulsion to take a given drug. Second, it involves a growing tolerance to the drug, so that to maintain the desired effect, larger doses must be taken. The third characteristic is dependence, the state in which the addicted person must have the drug to function.
Because of its association with narcotic drugs, the term “addiction” today has an unfavorable connotation, but it is appropriate to the type of service Paul is talking about here. The apostle himself was addicted to the Lord’s work and strongly encouraged all believers to be like him. Paul did the Lord’s work habitually, out of a powerful, driving compulsion. The more he ministered, the more he felt compelled to minister. His tolerance for godly work caused him never to be satisfied with what he was doing, much less with what he had done.
As far as we know Stephanas was not a pastor but a layman. We are not even told that he had an elected office in the church. He was just a layman who knew what it means to “let all that you do be done in love.” And that didn’t characterize just Stephanas, but also his whole household. Parents, children learn love in the home, and they learn the lack of love also.
Submission to leaders. The main sentence in verses 15-16 reads, “I urge you, brothers and sisters,to submit to such people and to everyone who joins in the work and labors at it.” He’s talking here about respect and submission, not only to elected leaders, but also to all those who faithfully do the Lord’s work.
Proper submission is a key theme of Spirit-filled living. All believers are to submit to each other. (Eph. 5:21) Wives are to submit to their husbands. (Eph. 5:22) Children are to submit to their parents. (Eph. 6:1-3) Believers are to submit to government laws and ordinances. (Rom. 13:1, 1 Pet. 2:13) Younger men are to submit to older men. (1 Peter 5:5a) Apparently, our primary concern should not be about whom we should be over but whom we should be under. Humility will prevent the submitting person from becoming burdened, and the person submitted to from becoming overbearing. “All of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5b)
Speaking of those who belong to Him, Jesus said, “Whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Matt. 20:26-28) In our relationship to other believers, a primary concern should be finding a godly man or woman who is addicted to the Lord’s work and then making that person our pattern for Christian living. The writer of Hebrews says, “Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.” (Heb. 13:7)
Friendship. Verse 17 reads, “ I was glad when Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus arrived, because they have supplied what was lacking from you. For they have refreshed my spirit and yours.” Apparently when the financial support for Paul’s ministry was in arrears, these three men made up the difference. But even more meaningful is the fact that they refreshed his spirit. One of the finest compliments we can be paid is for our Christian friends to say that we are refreshing to be around.
Let me ask you, “When you enter a room is there more joy, peace, and love than before you arrived? When you leave, is the atmosphere and attitude better or worse? Do you refresh your fellow-believers or drag them down?” One of the things that came across last Sunday in Gary Jost’s farewell is that he was a refreshing friend. There are others. I always feel my spirit refreshed when I have been around the Chalfants, the Beckemeiers, the Handermans, and the Gerlts, to name just a few.
Friendship is a mark of love in the Christian fellowship.
Hospitality. Verse 19 reads, “The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house.” You know, Priscilla and Aquila lived in at least three different cities, according to the New Testament—Corinth, Ephesus, and Rome—and in all three places they had a church in their house. They had a heightened sense of the stewardship that God expects of the gifts He gives us, including our homes. Perhaps some of you will remember from our introductory message a year ago from Acts 18 that it was in their house that the Apostle stayed during his very first ministry in Corinth. In fact, it seems likely that he stayed with them for a year and a half. They were fellow-tentmakers, highly respected by Paul, and valuable to his ministry.
When Christians traveled from place to place in NT times they could expect, almost without exception, to be entertained with great care and love by fellow Christians. There were no strangers among believers. Hospitality was second nature, a matter of course, a natural outgrowth of their love for Christ and for all who belonged to Him. In fact, the early Christians had to be warned not to extend their hospitality too far, for some false teachers were taking advantage of it. Today it is hardly likely that believers would have to be warned not to be too hospitable. Yet this is to be one of the key marks of love in the Christian fellowship.
Affection. Verse 20 says, “All the brothers and sisters here send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.” It’s a good thing Gary has already moved out of town.[ii] I’ve kidded him so much about his kissing and hugging; he’d probably stand right up in the service and say, “See, it’s biblical!” Well, he’s right. It is biblical. In fact, this command is also given at the end of Romans, 2 Corinthians, 1 Thessalonians, and 1 Peter. Here it is mentioned because Paul sees the custom as a proper corrective to all the cliquishness and bickering that characterized the church at Corinth.
Why has this lovely custom of kissing the brethren all but passed from the church? First, it faded because it was liable to abuse, and to misinterpretation by heathen slanderers. Second, it faded because the church became less of a fellowship. In the little house churches, where friend met with friend and all were closely bound together, it was the most natural thing in the world; but when the little fellowship turned into a vast congregation, and the houses gave way to cathedrals, the intimacy was lost and the holy kiss went with it.
The kiss, of course, is not the important thing; the love and intimacy that it symbolizes are what is important. Some will feel comfortable kissing their brothers and sisters in Christ, and some won’t. But if we don’t, let’s be sure that the reason is not that we have insufficient love in our hearts. A warm, affectionate two-handed handshake or an arm around the shoulder can express the same feelings. Affection is one of the marks of love in the Christian fellowship.
Final greetings
“ I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand.“ Though his eyesight was undoubtedly poor, preventing him from doing much writing, the Apostle often picked up the pen from his secretary and signed his own name to assure authenticity.
He then concludes with a stern warning and an affectionate affirmation of love. The warning is against anyone who does not love the Lord. Interestingly, the Greek word used for love here is not “agape,” but “phileo,” the term for brotherly love or tender affection. If a person does not have even this minimal affection for the Lord Jesus Christ, he thereby demonstrates that he does not belong to Him, and therefore he does not belong in the fellowship of God’s people. Paul says, “Let him be accursed.” The Greek word for accursed is “anathema.” And the next word is “maranatha,” which means, “the Lord is at hand,” or “our Lord, come.”
Anathema. Maranatha. One is a word of cursing, the other of blessing. One speaks of judgment, the other of deliverance. One is the dire consequence of not loving the Lord. The other is the great hope of the believer who does.
The final words confirm upon the brothers and sisters both the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of the Apostle Paul. Both are important, you know. People need the grace of God, for without it they are hopeless. But people need our love too, for we have been commissioned to show the love of God abroad in our hearts.
It is my sincere hope that the study we have done together of the book of 1 Corinthians has been profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness. And may all of us know for sure that the Gospel is the power of God for salvation to all who believe.
DATE: November 10, 1985
Tags:
Vision
Flexibility
Open doors
Hospitality
Holy kiss
[i] William Barclay, The Letters to the Corinthians, 166.
[ii] Gary Josh was the leader of the five families who founded First Evangelical Free Church in St. Louis in 1983. He and his wife Velma moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana just two years later for a new job. He passed away October 30, 1989 at the age of 51. Our young church held his memorial service at the facilities of Kirk of the Hills Presbyterian Church. Velma returned to St. Louis and was still a valued member of the church as late as 2026.