1 Corinthians 16:19-24 ~ 20150719 ~ Pastor Rodney Zedicher ~ Ephraim Church of the Bible ~ www.ephraimbible.org

07/19 1 Corinthians 16:19-24 The Love and Grace of Jesus; Audio available at: http://www.ephraimbible.org/Sermons/20150719_1cor16_19-24.mp3


1 Corinthians 16 [SBLGNT]

19 Ἀσπάζονται ὑμᾶς αἱ ἐκκλησίαι τῆς Ἀσίας. ἀσπάζεται ὑμᾶς ἐν κυρίῳ πολλὰ Ἀκύλας καὶ Πρίσκα σὺν τῇ κατ’ οἶκον αὐτῶν ἐκκλησίᾳ. 20 ἀσπάζονται ὑμᾶς οἱ ἀδελφοὶ πάντες. ἀσπάσασθε ἀλλήλους ἐν φιλήματι ἁγίῳ. 21 Ὁ ἀσπασμὸς τῇ ἐμῇ χειρὶ Παύλου. 22 εἴ τις οὐ φιλεῖ τὸν κύριον, ἤτω ἀνάθεμα. Μαράνα θά. 23 ἡ χάρις τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ μεθ’ ὑμῶν. 24 ἡ ἀγάπη μου μετὰ πάντων ὑμῶν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ.


1 Corinthians 16 [ESV2011]

13 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done in love.

15 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— 16 be subject to such as these, and to every fellow worker and laborer. 17 I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have made up for your absence, 18 for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. Give recognition to such people.

19 The churches of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their house, send you hearty greetings in the Lord. 20 All the brothers send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss. 21 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. 22 If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, come! 23 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. 24 My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Greetings

Paul is giving final greetings to the Corinthian church. He passes along personal greetings from three different groups, he admonishes them to greet one another, and he gives them his own greeting. This word 'greeting' means to embrace, to salute, to wish well, to welcome, to receive joyfully. Literally it means to draw to oneself. This is a personal relational concept. If a friend is traveling to a place where you once lived, you might ask them to say hello to your friends there or to give them a hug for you.

The first greeting is from the churches of Asia. This would include the churches in Pergamum, Thyatira; Sardis, Smyrna; Philadelphia, Laodicea; Colossae; and the church in Ephesus, where he is writing from. With the exception of Ephesus, the majority of the believers in these other churches had likely never been to or met anyone in the church in Corinth. But their faith in Jesus had made them brothers and sisters. There is a fellowship, a camaraderie even among Jesus followers who have never met one another. United by a common love for the Lord, they find themselves in a close knit family, many of whom they will never meet this side of eternity. Paul began this letter by addressing 'the church of God in Corinth, ...those called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (1:2). Here he is sending a brotherly greeting from many of these fellow saints in Asia.

He also sends greetings from Aquila and Prisca and the church in their house. Unlike many in Asia, Aquila and Prisca knew personally those in the church in Corinth. In Acts 18, when Paul first came to Corinth, he met this couple, who had recently relocated to Corinth because they had been evicted from Rome. They shared the same tent making trade with Paul. After 18 months, they left with Paul and traveled to Ephesus. It was in Ephesus that they met Apollos, and it was Priscilla and Aquila who took Apollos aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. Apollos was then sent off to Achaia and taught the believers in Corinth. So there was a close connection and relationship between the Corinthians believers and Priscilla and Aquila. Paul says in his greeting in Romans 16:3-4 that Prisca and Aquila are fellow-workers who risked their necks for his life. Aquila and Prisca, now living in Ephesus, used their home to host the believers. They must have had some wealth, to be able to have a home suitable for hosting the gatherings of the church. The church that met in their home also sent sent much greetings in the Lord. It is the Lord Jesus who unites believers and brings them into relationship with himself and with one another.

The third greeting comes from 'all the brothers'. This is a greeting from Paul's co-workers, which would include Apollos and Timothy, among others.

Christian Unity

Then Paul exhorts them to greet one another with a holy kiss. A holy kiss was an appropriate greeting for holy people, or saints. Culturally the kiss was a way to show honor and respect, a way to demonstrate friendship and reconciliation. In that culture it was a kiss on the cheek, a way of greeting that is still practiced in middle eastern countries today. We might bring this into our culture as a holy handshake or a brotherly embrace.

This would have been a difficult command for the Corinthians to obey. Most of this letter is addressing divisions in the church, divisions of a party spirit over this or that teacher, divisions on issues of morality, divisions over issues of conscience, division between those of different social status and wealth, divisions over what was culturally appropriate behavior, divisions over what gifts marked them out as more spiritual, even doctrinal divisions over such a central issue as the resurrection. Paul says, regardless of race, regardless of ethnic background, regardless of social status or class boundaries, regardless of what party you belonged to, regardless of gifting, you are to warmly and affectionately greet one another.

This is a practical expression of good theology. Paul preached Christ crucified for sinners. So whether wise or foolish, whether powerful or weak, whether of noble birth or of lower class, despised, or nothing, all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. All together deserve death, and all alike need a rescuer who will pay the price for sin and bring them into a right relationship with God. At the cross, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal.3:28); “Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all” (Col.3:11). As Paul said in chapter 12

1 Corinthians 12:13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body— Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

There is one body, and it has many members. Whatever lines we may have divided along before, we are now one in Christ. We have received the same Spirit and we have been made one in Christ.

Colossians 1:20 and through [the Son] to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

Paul's Signature and the Pseudapigrapha

Paul then gives them his own greeting.

1 Corinthians 16:21 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand.

If we had the original letter to look at, we would notice a change in the handwriting in these last lines. Most letter writing was done as dictation to a trained writer or amanuensis. We find this at the end of Paul's letter to the Romans:

Romans 16:22 I Tertius, who wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord.

Tertius served as Paul's writer for his letter to the Romans. But the final greetings were in the distinctive personal handwriting of the apostle, and by this he gave his approval to the final draft of the letter. Paul said to the Galatian churches:

Galatians 6:11 See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand.

Already, deceivers had attempted to lead the believers astray, even writing letters in the name of Paul. Paul writes to the Thessalonians:

2 Thessalonians 2:1 Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, 2 not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.

He closes that letter with

2 Thessalonians 3:17 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is the sign of genuineness in every letter of mine; it is the way I write.

You have probably heard some of the nonsense about writings being removed from our New Testament at a council by a Roman emperor. There are other writings in existence from the early centuries, claiming to be Scripture. They are known as pseudapigrapha, a term that means false writing, because they were heretical writings that falsely claimed to be written by an apostle or an important person in order to gain a wide acceptance. The church recognized these as forgeries attempting to lead astray, and the church never accepted these. The church didn't need the help of an emperor to discern the genuine from the false. Paul warns the church to be on guard against these forgeries, and he takes the practical measure of giving them a sign of genuineness in his own hand.

Love Jesus or Go To Hell

Paul's personal greeting at first seems a bit shocking.

1 Corinthians 16:22 If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, come!

He uses the word 'anathema'. In Romans 9:3 he says that if possible, he would wish himself to be accursed if that could bring about the salvation of his fellow Jews. In 1 Corinthians 12:3 he says that no one who has God's Spirit can call Jesus accursed. To the Galatians he says:

Galatians 1:7 ...there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

Here he says 'if anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed.' Love is the greatest command.

Mark 12:29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Love for God is the greatest command. Love is the more excellent way.

1 Corinthians 13:1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is the more excellent way, and love is what the Corinthian church lacked. They were divisive. They were proud. They thought themselves better than others. They did not love enough to discipline a wayward brother. They loved gain and pleasure more than they loved other people. They cherished their own rights over the eternal well-being of other believers. Paul warns them to flee from sexual immorality (6:18). He reminds them

1 Corinthians 6:19 ...You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

He says that although I have rights, and

1 Corinthians 9:19 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. ...22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.

Paul warns 'flee from idolatry' (10:14). He warns that we cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons and that we dare not provoke the Lord to jealousy (10:21-22). He says:

1 Corinthians 10:31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.

Love for God seeks to bring glory to God and to seek the good of others as higher than ones own good.

Here he does not use the great word 'agape'. Here he uses what is in some contexts synonymous, what is in other contexts a lesser word 'phileo', the word for friendship love, for warm affection. At the end of the gospel of John, after Peter said that he was willing to die with Jesus and then after he denied even knowing Jesus three times, the risen Lord came to Peter and asked 'Simon do you love me sacrificially more than these?' Peter said 'yes Lord, you know that I love you affectionately. Jesus said to him a second time 'Simon, do you love me sacrificially?' Peter replied 'yes, Lord, you know that I love you affectionately'. Jesus said to him a third time 'Simon, do you love me affectionately? Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time 'do you love me affectionately?'. Peter responded 'Lord you know everything. You know that I love you affectionately'.

We aspire to love the Lord our God selflessly, sacrificially, with all our heart and soul and mind and strength. But we so often fall short. Peter was made excruciatingly aware of his own shortcomings. But he had a strong affection for Jesus. Paul says here, 'If you don't have a strong affection for Jesus, you will go to hell'. In chapter 15 he warned them of the danger of not standing firm in the gospel, of not holding fast to it, of believing in vain. This is a strong wake up call. If we do not have a love and affection for Christ that begins to overrule our other desires, then we may be accursed.

Maranatha!

1 Corinthians 16:22 If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, come!

Paul pronounces an anathema, then Paul says 'Maranatha!'. Maranatha is an Aramaic word that means 'come Lord!' Throughout this letter Paul has reminded the Corinthians that God is the ultimate judge, and we will all stand before him on that day. This is an exclamation, a prayer full of hope. Maranatha! The Lord is coming and he is the great judge, he will bring justice, but his coming is salvation to all who are trusting in him.

John 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

The Psalmist warns:

Psalm 2:12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

The coming of Jesus is both a curse and a blessing. It is a curse to those who have rejected him, to those who are perishing, but it brings abundant blessing to those who are trusting in him, to those who are being saved by him.

Grace of the Lord Jesus

1 Corinthians 16:23 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.

Paul reminds them of grace. His prayer is that the grace of the Lord Jesus would be with them. Grace is God's undeserved favor and kindness. Grace by definition is unearned and freely given. The fact that we are not accursed, the fact that the coming of the Lord is something we long for, the fact that we have a strong affection for Jesus, all this is evidence of God's rich and powerful grace. God gives us what we don't deserve. God extends his transforming grace to his enemies, and it changes us. The gospel is a message of grace. It has nothing to do with earning or deserving. It is simply and totally God's freedom to give good gifts to those who could never earn it.

Usually, we think of grace as coming from God the Father. But here Paul specifically says that this is the grace that comes from the Lord Jesus. Jesus is continually giving us his grace.

Paul prays for the believers in Corinth that the grace of Jesus would be with them. As a believer we need his grace with us every moment. We are never done with grace. We never outgrow his grace. We never come to a point when we begin to deserve. We never earn. We are eternally dependent on his grace. We are forever those who receive. Salvation and the Christian life are all of grace.

Love

1 Corinthians 16:24 My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Paul's closing word to them is a reminder of his love for them. This is a church that he loves. These are people he cares deeply for. He has confronted sin, he has corrected error, he has challenged their thinking, he has commanded them to run from sin and pursue holiness. He has rebuked and even insulted and shamed the Corinthians. But throughout he has affirmed his love for them. All this is seeking their good. He is laboring for their eternal joy. He loves them. His love is with them in Christ Jesus. It is all because of Jesus. His love for them is an expression of the grace of Jesus. We love because he first loved us. The final word is Jesus.


Pastor Rodney Zedicher ~ Ephraim Church of the Bible ~ www.ephraimbible.org