Stewardship and Mission

I don't know how often it falls on you to speak about money to other people.

What I can tell you is that most pastors don't like it, and with heavy heart that they have to tell people that they are not giving enough.

Uh, of course, in certain cultures, you don't speak about your sexual performance and about money or how much you earn.

It's just considered inappropriate.

It's easy to come to a conclusion that it's part of the ministry to talk about stewardship, and so Paul needs to talk about it as well.

But if you do that, you don't get the whole story, what is it all about.

As you will see in this chapter, chapter eight and nine, Paul is walking on, uh, eggshells.

He wants to make sure that by the time he arrives in Corinth, that the church will have put aside the amount of money they are going to contribute for the impoverished church in Jerusalem and other churches in Judea.

Terry, can we read First Corinthians 16:1-4? First Corinthians 16:1-4, so that you get the context.

He already spoke to them in his first letter, but then because of the agony that has come between him and the church, this was somehow dropped, and now he decides that he needs to revisit that.

So First Corinthians 16:1-4.

"Now concerning the collection for the saints, you should follow the directions I gave to the churches of Galatia.

On the first day of every week, each of you is to put aside and save whatever extra you earn, so that collections need not be taken when I come.

And when I arrive, I will send any whom you approve with letters to take your gift to Jerusalem.

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

Okay.

Now concerning the collection for the saints, these are the instructions, and it's not only for you.

I gave them also to the churches in Galatia.

On the first day of the week...

Why first day of the week? Because first day of the week was the payday in Roman Empire.

All right? Any Bible dictionary will have something under the Lord's day saying something that the early Christians did the collection, uh, on Sunday as a memorial of Christ's resurrection.

Sorry, guys.

It's none of it here.

First day of the week is the payday in Roman Empire.

And so Paul says, "If you want to make a meaningful contribution for the poor people in Judea, in Jerusalem, it will not happen when you start looking for money when the collection basket comes along." Then you just give what you have [laughs] in your back pocket, and that's not meaningful help.