Shalom, my dear brothers and sisters and dear friends. We are thankful to the Lord for the privilege that we have to be under the sound of the word and we are studying together beloved brothers and sisters and dear friends in the book of 1st Corinthians. We have arrived to the final chapter 1st Corinthians chapter 16 and I would like you please to turn with me to the 16th chapter of the book of 1 Corinthians. I would like to read for this portion of our study together the first nine verses of 1 Corinthians chapter 16. Please follow me as I am reading. Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.

Upon the first day of the week, let every one of you lay by him in store as God has prospered him, that there be no gathering when I come. And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem. And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me. Now I will come unto you when I shall pass through Macedonia, for I do pass through Macedonia, and it may be that I will abide yea and winter with you that ye may bring me on my journey whithersoever I go for I will not see you now by the way but I trust to tarry a while with you if the Lord permit but I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost for a gray door and effectual is open unto me and there are many adversaries.

And I will stop here, beloved brothers and sisters, with the first nine verses of the 16th chapter of 1 Corinthians. Now this 16th chapter brings the conclusion, The whole letter that Shaul Paul wrote to the Corinthian believers. Now you will notice, beloved brothers and sisters, that in this concluding chapter, the Apostle Paul brings us back to practical behavior and conduct as we are here in this world. To remind you, we just concluded with the study of 1 Corinthians chapter 15, where the apostle Shaul Paul dealt as he was communicating with the Corinthian believers concerning the resurrection of the dead, of those believers that have gone to be with the Lord, their soul is in the presence of the Lord, their body is in the grave.

And so the apostle Paul dealt with very, very important doctrinal truths that are found throughout God's Word of the resurrection of the people of God. In every dispensation, wherever those who have trusted the Lord and follow after Him, they will be resurrected into eternal life to be with the Lord forever. And their body is the body that is sleeping in the ground, but their soul and their spirit are immortal and the believers are in the presence of the Lord while their bodies are here on earth and the day of resurrection will come their bodies will be resurrected and changed and united to the soul and spirit and together spirit, soul and body of the believers This regenerated people of God will be with the Lord in heaven.

We also have mentioned the fact that also the unbeliever's body will be resurrected from the dead. And they will be reunited with their soul and spirit. But they will be resurrected at the end of the messianic age, at the end of the thousand years reign of the Mashiach. And there will be a standing spirit, soul, and body in the great white throne judgment before the Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah, who is the judge. And he will sadly have to cast them into the eternal lake of fire. That is a sad judgment that Revelation chapter 20 presents this before us. But now we are arriving to the 16th and final chapter of the letter that the Apostle Shaul Paul wrote to the Corinthians.

I want you to notice, beloved brothers and sisters, that Paul is responding to a letter that he received from the Corinthians. And you notice he began in chapter 16 and verse 1, now concerning the collection. If you will go back to chapter 7 and verse 1, there Shaul already said to them in chapter 7 and verse 1, if you remember, beloved brothers and sisters, he says, Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me. apparently the Corinthians sent him a letter and they asked questions. How to handle this? Or how to handle that? What about the gifts that the Lord had given to us? What about the resurrection? And many, many questions.

Here they asked a question concerning the collection for the saints. These are the Jewish saints in the city of Jerusalem, the city of Jerusalem. In chapter 8 of 1st Corinthian and there in verse 1 Paul said now concerning things offered unto idols are they to eat them or not are they to purchase them or not and he expounded in our study we have already looked over a response that Shaul Paul wrote to them concerning things that have been offered unto idols in chapter 12 and verse 1 shaul paul responded concerning the thing that has to do with spiritual gifts so in chapter 12 and verse 1 we read now concerning spiritual gifts and there in chapter 12 13 and 14 shaul paul answered to the question that the corinthian and asking about the spiritual gifts and spirituality in the lives of the brothers and sisters in the city of Corinth, and how they needed to use the spiritual gifts that the Lord had given to them in a godly way, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit of God, in humility and in love, as the 13th chapter was the chapter of the agapeo, the chapter that dealt with the manner whereby gifts are to be used in love as they are serving God and God's people.

Now, beloved brothers and sisters, in the final chapter, 1 Corinthians chapter 16, This chapter deals with three areas of the stewardship of God's people. In other words, what Paul is doing here, he is responding to the question that the Corinthian asks him, and he gives them instruction concerning responsibility and stewardship.

how to handle things in our life, in our day-by-day living, such as money, such as opportunities to serve the Lord, and such as people, people in general, whether it is unbelievers in sharing them the gospel, or whether it is people who are part and part of the body of Messiah, how to treat one another how to handle one another in this ministry i would like specifically to deal with the first nine verses of first corinthians chapter 16 which deal with number one money and what paul have instructed the corinthians to do and number two opportunities to serve god and to serve god's people which paul have given instruction to the corinthians so the chapter has

24 verses and in these 24 verses shaul paul responding to the concerning things that they wrote to him the corinthians wrote to to the apostle paul and so in verses 1 to 4 he deal with the questions concerning the collection funds money to raise for the Lord's work secondly opportunities to serve the Lord verses 5 to 9 and finally verses 10 to 24 he is showing Corinthians how one ought to handle and relate to people to others believers and a part of the body of Christ and in general in the service of the Lord so in verses 1 to 4 the apostle Paul is collecting money for the saints and for the work of the

Lord in general and so you notice in verse 1 Paul had on his heart the need to relieve the Jewish believers who became poor in the city of Jerusalem and that's why verse 1 notice that it says now concerning the collection for the saints as I have given order to the churches of Galatia even so do ye and as we go further down to verse 3 you will notice what he's saying to the Corinthians and when I come Whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem.

So the saints that he has in mind, in verse 1 of 1 Corinthians chapter 16, are the saints, the Jewish believers, in the city of Jerusalem, and they have been so much on his heart, beloved brothers and sisters. Let me remind you that when the Apostle Paul went to the city of Jerusalem to present himself before the assembly in the city of Jerusalem and to show what the Lord was using him to do among the Gentiles, he went to the city of Jerusalem, and as you know, in the city of Jerusalem, basically the believers, they were all Jewish believers in Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah. they were the early church that's where the church the assembly was born the assembly was born we might say with hundred percent jewish believers in act chapter 2 when the 120 jewish believers in yeshua the messiah were in the upper room in jerusalem and the holy spirit of god came upon them and and rested on them and the church was born the assembly the ecclesia was born they were these jewish believers who came to know and to faith in the lord yeshua jesus the messiah and they became the foundation of the assembly that was including of course the mother of the lord miriam his brethren as well and we do read in act chapter 1 we read that In verse 13, and when they were come in, they went into an upper room where there were both Peter and James and John and Andrew and Philip and Thomas and Barthalmai and Matthew and James, this is Yaakov, and the son of Alphaeus and Simon, Zelotus and Judas, the brother of James.

and all continue with one accord and in prayer and supplication with the woman and Miriam, the mother of Jesus, of Yeshua, and his brethren. According to verse 15, we do read of Acts chapter 1, And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and he said, And the number of the name together were about 120. And he said, Men and brethren. They were selecting there this new one that will be an apostle by the name of Matityahu to replace Judas or Yehuda Ishkrayot, which committed suicide, killed himself, and he not part of the apostles.

And so the assembly in the city of Jerusalem were assembly of Jewish believers who came to faith in the lord jesus the messiah and they beloved brothers and sisters because of their faith in yeshua in jesus the messiah they became poor and they became very much in need they paid a great price to remind you that the new dispensation or new era has begun now god is going to reach out to the gentiles as well and the gospel was going to be spread around the world and god is now was forming what we know today as the assembly the ecclesia the body of christ the body of messiah to remind you beloved brothers and sisters

that the lord jesus the messiah before he went to heaven after his death burial and resurrection he gave a command to the apostles in galilee and they of course returned to jerusalem but in the land of israel he said go therefore matthew chapter 28 and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son of the holy spirit teaching them to observe all things whatsoever i have commanded you and lo i am with you all the way even unto the end of the age or the end of the world amen and so now the gospel was going to go forth to all people all nations and a new dispensation this

is a greek come from the greek word oikonomia a new economy where jewish and gentile believers will be united together in one body and that is what we know today as the church the assembly the ecclesia well when the apostle Shaul Paul went to Jerusalem and they told the believers in Jerusalem the apostle what the Lord have done through him among the Gentiles in the book of Acts we read it in Acts chapter 15 how there was the council in Jerusalem and Paul went there and Then he shared what the Lord had done.

And so they really, these Jewish believers in Jerusalem, who are now seeing that there is a united assembly, Jews and Gentiles united together in one body, but they didn't want Shaul Paul to neglect to remember his Jewish brethren that became poor because of the fact that they have trusted in the Messiah, Yeshua, And because trusting in him and uniting to other Gentile believers in one body, they suffered. And they suffered physically, they suffered, we might say, financially, they suffered in many ways, and many of them became very poor. And to remind you, beloved brothers and sisters and dear friends, in the early days of the assembly in the city of Jerusalem, These Jewish believers came to a point that they even had to sell their possession in order to provide some of the possession for the poor and the needy in the land of Israel, in the city of Jerusalem and the surrounding.

Now, to remind you, if you remember, that as we read in the earlier chapters of the book of Acts, we do read, I'll just read a few verses in chapter 4, where we do read that those early believers, how they had to preach the message of the gospel, they had many things in common, and they were faithful there to continue on together, beloved brothers and sisters, And this was such a wonderful testimony in the beginning of the assembly there in the city of Jerusalem. We do read, for example, in chapter 4, the apostles were let go. And then they continued to preach in boldness. And they went to their own company in chapter 4 and verse 23, when there were those that were in prison.

And then we do read that they were praying and so on. And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart, in chapter 4, verse 32, and of one soul, neither said any of them that ought of the things which they possessed was his own. And they had all things in common, and with a great power gave the apostle witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And a great grace was upon them all, neither was there any among them that lacked. For as many as were possessors of land or houses, they sold them, and they brought the prices of the things that they were sold, and they laid them down at the apostles' feet.

And distribution was made unto every man according as he had need. And Joseph, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, which is being interpreted as the son of consolation, he was a levy from the tribe of levy and of the country of cyprus having land he sold it and he brought the money and he laid it at the apostles feet it's amazing how they were relating to each other meeting the needs because now they were more poor in jerusalem and in the land of israel and the Jewish believers in Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah, had a need. And so, chapter 5 of the book of Acts, Ananias and Sapphira also sold their possession.

But they did not say the truth and that's why they died physically because they were lying to the Holy Spirit of God. Yet nevertheless, the Hebrew Christian or the Messianic Jewish believers became poor. And when Paul came to the city of Jerusalem to speak to the apostles, you notice what they told him.

According to Galatians chapter 2 and verses 9 and 10, Paul said that they requested from him to remember his brethren his jewish brethren we do read in galatians chapter 2 and verse 9 and when james and cephas and john who were seemed to be pillars perceive of the grace that was given unto me and they gave me and barnabas the right hand of fellowship that we should go unto the gentiles and they and they unto the circumcision so paul and barnabas went to the gentiles james yaakov cephas peter and john went to the jewish people and what they did he said in verse 10 only they would that we should remember the poor the same

which i also was forward to do in other words they asked him shaul paul do not forget your poor brethren in the land of israel the jewish believers in jerusalem and the surrounding because they paid a great price in order to become followers of yeshua preach the gospel and to the gentile world specifically the apostles begin in jerusalem and then judaea samaria and to the uttermost part of the earth and the message of god through all the nations of the world so paul don't forget the jewish believers who became poor in the land of Israel and Paul said I really made it a point to which I also was forward to do and as we

do read a little bit later on in the book of Romans and in Romans chapter 15 the apostle Paul reminded the Romans of the burden that he had and that he wanted them as well to remember that in Romans chapter 15 we read in verse 25 at the end of the gospel Paul said but now I go to Jerusalem to minister to the saints, listen to this beloved brothers and sisters, he never forgot his Jewish people and also the Jewish saints the early believers and he never forgot, he says I'm going now to Jerusalem to the poor saints which are in Jerusalem It has pleased them verily, and their debtors they are, for if the

Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things.

And then verse 28, when therefore I have performed this, I have sealed to them this fruit, I will come to you into Spain. So Paul says, look, I have done so, I long to fulfill the request of the apostles, not to forget the early Jewish believers in Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah, because they became poor, and I realized the need to minister to these Jewish believers. And you notice what he says in Romans chapter 15, it has pleased them verily, and their debtors they are, for if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them carnal things. And now, why does he say that, that the Gentiles benefited from the spiritual things of Israel?

Well, simply because this. Because through the Jewish people, the Word of God came to the world. Through the Jewish people, the Messiah came to this world. Through the Jewish people, the Scripture came. The written Word of God came. Through the Jewish people, blessing came, the apostles and so on.

salvation is of the jews yeshua jesus the messiah said in john chapter 4 so not to neglect the jewish people is important and that's why the people of macedonia and the people of achaia and so he commended also the corinthians he said if if notice the gentiles have been partakers made partake of their spiritual things their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things and this is such an amazing principle not to forget the Jewish people and in the context of course of our chapter not to forget the Jewish believers in the land of Israel and to seek to encourage them and to meet them in the practical way in supporting them as

they became poor for the sake of the lord jesus the messiah and for the sake of the gospel so in these verses you will notice beloved brothers and sisters that paul is now in the first four verses he is dealing with the funds that were raised for that particular purpose to provide and to meet the need of the jewish people so he reminded the corinthians and he expressed the fact that this is needful and he gave them instructions in first corinthians chapter 16 in the first four verses so notice these beloved brothers and sisters what the apostle paul instructing the corinthians to do in 1 Corinthians chapter 16.

And I'm reading verse 1 once again concerning the collection. Notice the collection for the saints. So from this we understand it is for the saints that are the Jewish saints in the city of Jerusalem. In fact, at the end of verse 3 he says, I will bring your liberality unto Jerusalem. He says, for I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. So he's saying in verse 1, he's appealing to them the need to collect funds for the Jewish believers in the city of Jerusalem and in the land of Israel. And now, beloved brothers and sisters, he gives them instruction. And I think it is so beautiful to see there is a principle that we learn here from what the Apostle Paul instructing the Corinthians in the second verse.

Notice he says, upon the first day of the week, let every one of you lay by him in store, as God has prospered him, that there be no gathering when I come. Notice the instruction that he's giving to them. First of all, he is giving the instruction that this giving or this collection ought to be on the first day of the week. Now notice that on the first day of the week. Why on the first day of the week? Because the believers began to gather together on the first day of the week. The Shabbat ended, and the first day of the week began at evening, after sundown.

And they were gathering on the first day of the week, which means Saturday night after sundown in the evening. And they were meeting there to begin to be occupied with the person of the Lord, to worship Him, sing to Him, to study His Word, to pray together. And if you remember in Acts chapter 2 and verse 42 we read, And they continued steadfastly in the Apostle doctrine and in fellowship, in breaking of bread and in prayer. So they began to do this once the Shabbat came out. And the Shabbat comes out always on the Saturday Shabbat sundown. After the sun is down around 6 p.m., changes of course from winter to summer.

But the first day of the week always began at the evening. Not in the morning, but at the evening. The first day of the week was immediately when the sun went down on that Saturday, that Shabbat. And the evening began with the first day of the week. It started already in the evening. Now, why it is important to mention this, that it is in the evening. There is no written verse today, Thou shalt do it that certain time that was given to Israel with respect to the Shabbat day. Israel had to keep the Shabbat day. It was part of the law that was given to the nation of Israel.

But believers in this present-day dispensation are called to remember the law, to gather together. And you can see that the instruction apparently that was given to the Corinthians here, 1st Corinthians chapter 16 that it was on the first day of the week because apparently by the time that the apostle Paul was writing this letter sometime around 59 AD the assembly was already some 27 28 or 30 years of age and there is a structure that was already given to the believers in the first century. It's appearing for us here to see that they were gathering together on the first day of the week. And just to remind you, beloved brothers and sisters, that they were gathering usually on Saturday evening, which is biblically the first day of the week.

How do we know it? Notice that. I'm just going to read a few verses. We read in John chapter 20 where after the death and burial and resurrection of our lord jesus the messiah we do read in act chapter 20 and there we read verse 19 notice that acts 20 and verse 19 we do read and the same day at evening notice it is always an evening at evening at least that's the the jewish believers have kept gathered together on the first day of the week on the same day at evening being the first day of the week when the doors were shut where the disciples assembled together for the fear of the jews this is the jewish leaders because the disciples were jewish as well came jesus and he stood in the midst and said unto them shalom aleichem peace be unto you So, it is clearly that they gathered together on the first day of the week, Shabbat have ended, the first day of the week began after sundown on Saturday evening, after sundown, the first day of the week, biblically speaking, and they were meeting together immediately there to gather together to be occupied with the Lord.

the lord's table they remembered the lord in his death and they also learned from the word of god they worshiped god they sang song they were studying the word of god they were praying together it was a fascinating experience when the early assembly were gathering together and it is ought to be fascinating experience for us in our life today when to gather with the believers to be occupied with the Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah. Notice in verse 26 of John 19, after eight days, again, his disciples were within, and Thomas with them, then came Jesus. Yeshua, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst of them, said, Peace be unto you.

In Hebrew, Shalom Aleichem. And you notice, beloved brothers and sisters, that the first day of the week was an evening meeting when they were gathering together, as we have already read it in verse 19. Now, this principle has continued on throughout the early days, and as we move along to Acts chapter 20, and there in Troas, we also read how when the saints came together, Paul, Shaul, came to minister to them. We read in verse 7. I'll read from verse 6, Acts 20 and verse 6. And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread. We came unto them to throw us in five days where we abode for seven days.

And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them ready to depart on the morrow and continue his speech until midnight. And there were many lights in the upper chamber. You notice again it is an evening meeting going to continue after the sundown on Saturday night which is the first day of the week, biblically speaking. He was preaching to them after sundown, 6, 7 o'clock.

They were gathering together and Paul was continuing to pray in his speech until midnight maybe three four five hours they were together there or six hours they were together and then there were many lights in the upper chamber obviously it was an evening meeting where they were gathering together and if certain men by the name of Eutychus even fell asleep he was so tired and then Paul raised him and he brought him up to remember to break bread and how wonderful to see that this is took a place in the early days now scripture shows us beloved brothers and sisters at least eight times in the new covenant in the new testament the first day

of the week is mentioned in relationship to the resurrection of the messiah you know the lord jesus the messiah he rose at the end of the shabbat on saturday night just when the shabbat ended as it was dawning towards the first day of the week that was an evening again notice that matthew 28 1 in the end of the shabbat and it began to dawn towards the first day of the week the shabbat is always ending in the evening after sundown came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher and he was no longer there in Mark chapter 16 and verse 2 very early in the morning the first day of the week

they came unto the sepulcher at the rising of the sun so he was no longer there because he rose already the evening before the first day of the week which is Saturday evening after shutdown which is biblically the first day of the week in Mark chapter 16 and verse 9 we read and when jesus was risen early first of the week he appeared first to mary magdala and out of whom he gave seven demons in luke 24 verse 1 and upon the first of the week very early in the morning they came into the sepulchre bringing the spices which they had prepared and certain others wisdom now he was no longer in the tomb was

empty john 20 verse 1 first of the week came miriam magdalene early when it was yet dark unto the sepulcher and she sees the stone already rolled away from the sepulcher john 20 verse 19 we just read when the first day of the week at evening when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled together from the fear of the jews came yeshua and he stood in the midst and he says unto them shalom aleichem peace be unto you.

Acts chapter 20, verse 7, which we read, and upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow, but he continued to preach until midnight. And then here is the final time that we read the first day of the week.

Upon the first day of the week, let every one of you and lay by him in store as god has prospered him that there be no gathering when i come this is so interesting beloved brothers and sisters as we read these first two verses of first corinthians chapter 16 now let me just mention before we move along to the next verses in the word of god the days always begin in the evening in fact when creation it took place according to Genesis chapter 1 we always read the order of the concluding of the day of creation we read in Genesis 1 verse 5 and God called the light day and the darkness he called night

and the evening and the morning was the first day verse 8 and the evening and the morning was the second day verse 13 and the evening and the morning was the third day verse 19 and the evening and the morning was the fourth day verse 23 and the evening and the morning was the fifth day verse 31 and the evening and the morning was the sixth day it's always evening first and that's when the gathering of the saints was in the especially in the context of the jewish believers in the land of israel after they ended the shabbat day they were as jewish people they were with their families some of them they needed to

learn to understand that now they are on a different ground they are on the ground of the new covenant the brit and therefore the binding of the shabbat day that was given to israel the nation was not binding upon them any longer but as Jews among their own people in the land of Israel the Shabbat in the Shabbat where in general there was no manner of work being done but they came to remember Yeshua the Messiah Jesus the Messiah on the first day of the week now just to further establish this before we move along according to exodus chapter 12 and verse 18 the lord said to israel in their first month on the 14th

day of the month of at even notice once again at evening ye shall eat unleavened bread until the one and twentieth day of the month at evening in other words the passover began always on the 14th day of the month at even always in the evening and ending at the evening once the evening ended sundown then the new day began immediately after that in leviticus chapter 23 and verse 5 we read in the 14th day of the first month at even it is the lord passover so we understand that when yeshua celebrated the passover with his disciples it was an evening meeting and that's where he's introduced the lord's supper the lord's table during the

passover it was that's why the disciples met together later on in the evenings on the first day of the week which is saturday after sundown when sunday the first day of the week began according to leviticus chapter 23 and verse 32 god gives this instruction to israel it shall be unto you a shabbat of rest and he shall afflict your souls this is in connection with the day of atonement in the ninth day of that month from even unto even shall you celebrate your shabbat so it is very clear beloved brothers and sisters that in the early days the first day of the week when the disciples gathered together it was an evening meeting but

it was after saturday after shabbat after sundown the evening there began was already the first day of the week biblically speaking now over the generation around the world in among the believers they have met together already the following day in the morning you know that's why in various assemblies and churches around the world the believers gathered on the following morning to meet the Lord on but it's still within the first day of the week so this is important just to see how the early believers met together and yet it was the first day of the week because the first day of the week speaks of the resurrection of our lord yeshua the messiah it's a

new beginning a new beginning on a new ground and the first day of the week was a day to remember the messiah and his death bear and resurrection the shabbat day was the the only command that god had given that is not carried through to the church age why because it was not given to the church it was given to God's earthly people Israel it was a sign of the covenant between God and his earthly people Israel the church was commended by God to be holy and the Jewish people were to set this day apart for god because god have instructed his earthly people israel and no one could violate this from among the people

of israel because god hallowed this day to himself again we read in exodus 20 and verse 8 we read remember the shabbat day to keep it holy Six days shalt thou labor and do no work but the seventh day is the Shabbat of the Lord thy God and in it thou shalt not do any work thou nor thy son nor thy daughter nor thy servant nor thy maidservant nor thy cattle nor thy stranger that is within thy gate 4 verse 11 of Exodus chapter 20 In six days the Lord made heaven and earth the sea and all that is in it and rested the seventh day wherefore the lord blessed the shabbat day and hallowed

it and therefore he gave this command it is a sign of the covenant the shabbat day is the sign of the covenant not between the church and god but between israel and god according to Exodus 31 verses 12 to 17 and therefore now in this present day dispensation in which we live in today we are not putting down the Shabbat day we are not saying it is a bad day no it is a holy day that was given to Israel but for us as believers in this present day dispensation we are as believers Jewish and Gentile believers are not under the binding it's not a law but it is a guidance from the word of

God to come to be around the Lord Yeshua the Messiah on the first day of the week because he rose on the first day of the week and it placed us under the ground of his resurrection this is important to mention as we are studying together this final chapter now concerning the collection for the saints as i have given order to the churches in galatia even so you do 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 gathering when I come.

Now, verse 2, we learn another important principle, that giving ought to be personally, and that giving ought to be systematically, and that giving ought to be proportionally.

In other words, verse 2 teaches us notice what paul is saying in first corinthians chapter 16 and verse 2 upon the first day of the week let every one of you notice this expression every one of you in other words it has to be a personal exercise before the lord individual exercise it is a personal decision in one's heart and it is important to see that everyone is to recognize the need to give to the work of the lord in the context of course is to give towards the poor saints in the city of jerusalem which paul was going to carry this gift to them but every local person in the local assembly giving should

be a personal thing and that's why the word every one of you secondly notice that in verse 2 Paul said lay by him in store lay by him in store giving is to be systematically in other words make a decision as before the Lord what one is giving and to lay it by and to provide this on the first day of the week personally to provide it as there is a collection for the lord's work and for the saints of god and in the context here for the poor in jerusalem to collect and to lay in store every first day of the week because the saints were gathering together on the first day of the

week they came to remember the lord on the first day of the week yeshua jesus the messiah in remembrance of him they came to give worship and praise the lord in the first day of the week they came to remember his death bear and resurrection on the first day of the week they came to learn from the word of god to hear ministry of the word of god they came to pray together on the first day of the week and therefore they are to systematically lay by him in store but then thirdly you notice that giving is to be a proportionally notice that i'm reading again upon the first day of the week let every

one of you number one secondly lay by him in store and thirdly as god had prospered him here we learn that as god prospered one one is to give in a proportion to what the Lord had provided this brother or this sister.

This is so beautiful because God prospers some more and some less and therefore grace giving to give out of the heart as the Lord prosper. Some that the Lord prosper more may give more. Some that the Lord prosper less may give less but the point is that giving is to be personally giving is to be systematically and giving is to be proportionally in second corinthians chapter 8 we do read it's so beautiful to see that apostle paul said moreover brethren we do you to wit of the grace of god that god bestowed on the churches of Macedonia how that in a great trial of affliction and abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality for to their power I bear record yea and beyond their power they were willing of themselves praying us with much in treaty that we would receive the gift and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints you see he's connecting this with the ministering to the saints of the saints in Jerusalem and the saints that are in need he says and this they did not as we hoped but first gave their own to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God, insomuch that we desire Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also.

Therefore, as he abound in everything, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence and in your love to us see that he abound in this grace also i speak not by commandment but by occasion of the forwardness of others and to prove the sincerity of your love that ye know the grace of our lord jesus christ that though he was rich yet for your sakes he became poor that through his poverty ye might be rich Paul was writing to them concerning their giving and how wonderful it was a grace giving in chapter 9 Paul continued to speak of their grace giving and he said to them every man notice that in verse 7

every man according as he purpose in his heart so let him give not gradually or of necessity for God loves a cheerful giver and God is able to make all grace abound towards you that he always having all sufficiency in all things may abound to every good work so Paul is emphasizing the fact that giving out to be proportionally giving out to be personally and giving out to be systematically in verse 2 of 1st Corinthians chapter 16 and now beloved brothers and sisters verse 3 and 4 the collecting the giving that he collected he will planning to be taken and to be brought to the saints which are in the city of jerusalem so he's

saying to the corinthians in verse 3 and 4 when i come whosoever ye shall approve by your letters then will i send to bring your liberality unto jerusalem and if it be meet that i go also they shall go with me in other words when i come to receive all what you have collected over the time for the saints which are in jerusalem when i come i will also if need be i will bring with them your liberality unto the saints which are in jerusalem notice he used the word i will bring your liberality in other words it was not by force the giving that they were to give was to give out of the

abundance of their hearts as we have read in 2nd Corinthians 8 and in 2nd Corinthians chapter 9 Paul mentioned this in verses 3 and 4 that when I come he's going to come to the city of Corinth he's going to take all what they have collected and he's going to take with letters to take along with them letters he will send some approved individuals to go and to bring the funds to the poor saints in Jerusalem and then if it will be possible and needful the Apostle Paul would go along with them now that in verses 1 to 4 Shaul Paul spoke about the collection for the saints this became a pattern throughout all the

local assemblies the first day of the week is a time where they were gathered together to remember the Lord Jesus, the Lord Yeshua the Messiah in His death, burial and resurrection to praise Him, to acknowledge Him to learn from the Word of God to pray but also to have the collection for the work of the Lord and the Apostle Paul was so thankful for their willingness to support both himself and the Lord's work but also the saints in the city of Jerusalem.

Now, in the next verses, beloved brothers and sisters, verses 5 to 9, Paul now is sharing with them about opportunities. How important is to use opportunities in ministering to God's people? And so you notice that in verses 5 to 9, Paul is sharing with the Corinthians the opportunities that the Lord had given unto him. And by saying this, he's encouraging all believers to use opportunities, open doors to serve the Lord and to minister the gospel, to establish the saints, to edify God's people, to shepherd the sheep. and notice what Paul is saying this first of all about himself in verse 5 Paul planned to come to Corinth to remind you that he had a vision in his mind in his heart notice he's planning to come to Corinth so we read in verse 5 now I will come unto you when I shall pass through Macedonia for I do pass through Macedonia, so he's planning, although he trusts the Lord, but he still make a plan, and it is healthy for us to make plans in our lives as to what we intend to do, but always to trust that the Lord will be the one that will instruct the believers.

In chapter 11, In verse 34, we read, the second part, and the rest will I set in order when I come. He already said, I'm going to set in order when I'm coming. I'm going to come to you. I'm planning to come to you. And here in chapter 16 and verse 5, he's mentioning this. Now, I will come unto you, and when I shall pass through Macedonia, for I do pass through Macedonia. So he's sharing with them his plans. I'm planning to come. But I'm planning to go through Macedonia before I will arrive to you. So, Paul planned to do God's work, but he always wanted God's will to do God's service.

And so while he's planning, notice he says in verse 6, Paul planned to winter at Corinth. And so he said in verse six, he said, and it may be that I will abide, yea, and winter with you, that ye may bring me on my journey whithersoever I go. So, Paul wants to do God's will, although he's planning, he's very orderly, he's very precise, he has plans, and it's so good for us, beloved brothers and sisters, to have plans in the Lord's work, because if we want to do the Lord's work, it must be in the Lord's way, and plan is right, but to wait on the Lord as he leads us through a plan.

because plan may change but it is healthy to have a plan and Paul shows us here that he planned to come to Corinth he planned to winter in Corinth but notice what we read in verse 7 the Lord may change Paul's plan in verse 7 Paul says notice that for I will not see you now by the way but I trust to tarry a while with you and notice at the end of verse 7 if the Lord permit this is such an important statement if the Lord permit so we have a plan Paul had a plan but he leaned on the Lord to see whether he will guide him James said this in James chapter

4 and notice what James said in verse 13 on he says go to now ye that say today or tomorrow we will go into such a city and continue there a year and buy and sell and get gain wherewith ye know not what shall be on the morrow for what is your life it is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away for that ye ought to say if the Lord will we shall live and do this or that in other words james like shaul paul said if the lord permit if the lord will another we can plan for something but we always have to bear in mind that the

lord may change man proposes but god may dispose of it and therefore it is healthy to trust in the lord and to let him in opportunities that he opened before us it's always important to use an opportunity but to do the lord's work in the lord's way and so he spoke earlier in the first four verses about money about collection but now in verses five to nine of first corinthians 16 paul is speaking about opportunities to use for service in the to serve the lord to serve the lord's people but always to bear in mind although we may make plans if the lord will you and i know very well that we have to have

plans today even if you need to fly to another country you have to have a flight the day the time when you fly out when you land when people will meet you on the other side well you have no choice you have to make plans you have to arrive a few hours to the airport and you have to realize that you need to set up time to in order to prepare for a trip for a visit same thing if you drive or if you go on a ship it is common sense but the lord may change our plan and things might come differently but always as both Paul, Shaul Paul and Yaakov James, if the

Lord will, if the Lord permit.

This is an important lesson to learn as we read in this verse 7. In Hebrew, it says, Im Yiten Adonai.

It's so beautiful because it's an expression that is still used today if the lord will allow me to do that it is according to his plan and his will beloved brothers and sisters now in verses 8 and 9 paul continue and paul tarried in ephesus until the feast of weeks the feast of shavuot a pentecost and so we read in verse 8 but i will peterian ephesus until pentecost until shavuot why because paul wanted to go to celebrate the feast of shavuot the feast of weeks again to remind you although he was a believer in the lord jesus the messiah he was part of the assembly but he as a jewish person certain things were

precious to him he's not been under the law he taught it he will write to the letter to the romans and he will instruct that we are the law pointed to the messiah the messiah came and he fulfilled the law and but yet the apostle shaul paul is a jewish person that has a custom and so he says notice i am going to go to wait in ephesus until pentecost and eventually of course Paul did go to Jerusalem, according to Acts chapter 14, we read in verse 27, there we read concerning when they were come and they gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God has done with them, and how he had opened

doors of faith unto the Gentiles, And he was speaking now, of course, concerning the time of the fact that the Lord had opened the door and ultimately he had gone to be at the Feast of Pentecost in the city of Jerusalem.

You will find it mentioned in Acts chapter 13 as well. And beloved brothers and sisters, the Apostle Paul sought to minister to the saints and to go to travel and to go ultimately to bring the gifts that the believers of the nations have provided for the Jewish saints in the city of Jerusalem. The verse in Acts chapter 24, we read in verse 17, Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation and an offering he brought them eventually to the saints in the city of Jerusalem.

now in verse 9 beloved brothers and sisters we do read and with this we will conclude for this meeting 1 Corinthians 16 and verse 9 ultimately the Lord opened doors and again for the apostle Paul many many doors were opened by the Lord and he sought an opportunity to enter through these doors although he had much opposition and so we read in verse 9 and a great door and effect surely is open unto me but then notice what he said and there are many adversaries there were many who opposed Shaul Paul although doors were open but he had much opposition beloved brothers and sisters as the apostle Paul served the Lord isn't it amazing we

do read in Philippians chapter 3 in verse 17 listen to these verses brethren be followers together of me and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example for many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping that they are enemies of the cross of Christ whose end is destruction whose God is their belly whose glory is in their shame whose mind earthly thinks in other words Paul said follow me but there are enemies of the gospel and there are those that are seeking to harm the gospel the work of the lord and therefore to be aware of the fact that there are always those who

oppose the work of the lord yet to trust the lord to help us to enter through doors that he is open for his people.

It was Nehemiah. Nehemiah, when he, in burden for Israel, and in burden for the city of Jerusalem, he wanted to come to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls. And we do read in Nehemiah, the book of Nehemiah, chapter 4, in verse 10 and 11, and Judah said, the strength of the bearers of the burdens is decayed and there is much rubbish so that we are not able to build a wall and our adversary said they shall not know neither see till we come in the midst among them and slay them and cause the work to cease adversaries came against the building of the work of the walls in the work of the Lord in the land of Israel, in the city of Jerusalem, in the day of Ezra and Nehemiah and Zerubavel, there were always adversaries, whether it is in Israel's history, those who opposed the Jewish people and the people of Israel who sought to harm them, or whether it is in a church age in which we live in today, there are always adversaries.

There are always adversaries, beloved brothers and sisters, and Paul said in verse 9 of 1 Corinthians 16, for a great door and effectually is open unto me. Then he adds, and there are many adversaries. Beloved brothers and sisters, we have to bear this in mind, that if you're going to do the Lord's work, there will be always opposition to the Lord's work. And therefore, one need to wait on the Lord, to do the Lord's work in the Lord's way, and the Lord is the guide that will guide his people to do his work. The Lord Jesus, the Messiah himself, experienced opposition. God's servants themselves in the first century experienced opposition.

Paul himself has experienced opposition, and if you and I are going to do the Lord's work today, we will experience opposition as well but the Lord said and I will close with this in John chapter 16 before Yeshua the Messiah have gone to suffer on the cross to die he said to them in verse 33 this thing I have spoken unto you that in me ye might have peace shalom in a world ye shall have tribulation but be of good cheer I have overcome the world Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah overcome the world and as we follow him he will enable us to continue on and to build to build for the kingdom of God to be a blessing to God's people and to be edifiers although there will be opposition as we enter through the doors that the Lord is opening unto us.

And so, beloved brothers and sisters and dear friends, may the Lord encourage us all to continue on to enter through the doors and in spite of opposition, to serve the Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah, and His people as we share God's Word among God's people. Well, the Lord bless you. Until the next time, we say shalom, shalom.