Shalom, my dear friends and dear brothers and sisters. I would like you please to turn with me to the final message on the book of 1st Corinthians and we are going to look at the final verses of 1st Corinthians chapter 16 beginning with verse 10 to verse 24 hopefully you have the word of God open and I would like to read these verses for the benefit of us all and these are the concluding remarks that Shaul Paul wrote to the believers at Corinth. 1 Corinthians chapter 16 from verse 10. Paul continues to write and he says, Now if Timotheus come, see that he may be with you without fear for he worketh the work of the Lord as i also do let no man therefore despise him but conduct him forth in peace that he may come unto me for i look for him with the brethren as touching our brother apollos i greatly desire him to come unto you with the brethren but his will was not at all to come at this time but he will come when he shall have convenient time Watch and stand fast in the faith Quit you like men Be strong Let all your things be done with love I beseech you brethren You know the house of Stephanas That it is the first fruits of Achaia And that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints that ye submit yourself unto such and to every one that helpeth with us and laboreth I am glad of the coming of Stephanus and Fortunatus and Akikaius for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied.

For they have refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore acknowledge ye them that are such. The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord with the church that is in their house. All the brethren greet you. Greet ye one another with an holy kiss. The salutation of me, Paul, with mine own hand. If any man love not the Lord Yeshua HaMashiach, the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema, maranata. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. My love be with you all. In Christ Jesus, Amen. In Yeshua HaMashiach, Amen. And that is the end of the whole letter that Shaul Paul wrote to the Corinthians.

And here we have the final verses of the final chapter from verse 10 to verse 24 of 1 Corinthians chapter 16. Beloved brothers and sisters, as we are coming to the conclusion of this very interesting letter that Paul wrote to the Corinthians, We have learned so much over the study of the book of 1 Corinthians and we have been reminded throughout the study of 1 Corinthians that these Corinthian believers, according to chapter 1 and verse 2, were called saints with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord of Yeshua our Lord saints redeemed people set apart by the Lord chosen in Christ chosen in a Messiah before the foundation of the world and yet we have also learned over the study of the book of first Corinthians that the Corinthians were not living out that which they were called to live like.

In fact, they were a church, a local assembly, that sadly behaved in such a way that they could not be a testimony to those that are without, and they could not be an encouragement to those that belong to the Lord. Why? Because there was a series of problems with the Corinthian assembly which needed to be corrected. And the Apostle Shaul Paul is writing to them this long letter of 16 chapters and ministering to them that which the Lord have laid upon him for their corrective ministry. And as we are drawing now to the end of the book, let's not forget this. Though it's it's not something that we like to be reminded of but sadly when we are not walking with the Lord and it's applied to you and to me today my dear brothers and sisters and dear friends if we do not take side with the Lord against our own flesh and our own will we will never be able to be a good testimony here in this world the situation at Corinth was so sad that there were so many things that needed to be corrected there was a division among the assemblies in the city of Corinth and because of these divisions they were not a good testimony whatsoever to the world around them and Paul is writing this throughout this whole letter but you notice that as he's closing this letter he's closing this letter by reminding the Corinthians of those that serve the Lord that they should have taken an example from he will speak about Timothy he will speak about Apollos he will speak about the house of Stephanas he will speak about Aquila and Priscilla.

And he will speak about men and women from among the people of God who did give a good testimony to those that are without and were blessing as they were serving the Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah among the people of God and so although we have read of so much corrective ministry throughout the whole letter that Shaul wrote to the Corinthians yet the conclusion is when he mentioning people who really served the Lord and were an example both to the Corinthians both to other assemblies and also to you and i today they were an encouragement to Shaul Paul and they were blessing to the people of God such as Timothy apollos stephanes and his family aquila and priscilla and more and more and more as they are mentioned in other letters that Shaul Paul is writing to edify the people of God now you notice that we did say that the last chapter first Corinthians chapter 16 the apostle Paul had mentioned in this final chapter the need to be wise about stewardship about your service your life here in this world for the Lord.

And he mentioned three things in this final chapter this last chapter deals with three areas of stewardship for the people of God the Corinthians needed to hear from the Apostle Paul answers to their questions and so they asked him this question when they sent to him a letter according to 1 Corinthians chapter 7 and verse 1 Paul said now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me 1st Corinthians chapter 7 and verse 1 they wrote him they asked question and they sought to have an answer so Paul answered them in this epistle to all the questions that they had and even more he testified concerning their conduct in their local assembly so in this final chapter of first corinthian chapter 16 he's saying now concerning the collection and from here on he dealt with three important areas in the life of God's people it is stewardship a steward is a servant a servant is a person that he's serving his master you remember that the Lord Yeshua the Messiah said to his disciples that.

They you are my servants and because you are my servants i reveal to you things and you are called to serve the servant is not greater than his master and therefore the servants are to serve God and to serve God's people and that's why Paul is emphasizing stewardship here and in this whole 16 chapter he speaks about the stewardship with respect to money chapter 16 verses 1 to 4 secondly the stewardship with respect to opportunities into in service for the Lord. This is chapter 16, verses 5 to 9. And finally, this is the conclusion in this message, is the stewardship in relationship to people, to other brothers and sisters, to other individuals among the people of God.

And how much help we need from the Lord to help us to know how to relate to each other many times sadly when believers fight and argue and and divide it it is not serving the Lord it is not stewardship it is a poor stewardship and that's what happened in the. Among the Corinthians that they had all sort of poor behavior with one another i beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment this is found in first Corinthians chapter 1 verse verse 10 for it has been declared unto me of you brethren by them which are of the house of cloths that there are contentions among you verse 11 so this is exactly why stewardship is very very important humility and attitude of submissiveness willing to take the second place and the third place and not to be seeking one own will at all time it is so important to understand that so after in the first nine verses of first Corinthians chapter 16 Paul dealt with the stewardship of money and the stewardship of opportunities in service now he finally presents before the Corinthians the wonderful people who.

Were stewards who were servants of the Lord that served him and served the Lord Jesus the Messiah among the assembly and so notice in verses 10 to 24 these are the final verses first Corinthians 16 verses 10 to 24 Paul points to the stewardship of people who serve with the apostle Paul Paul Shaul Paul was the kind of a man that was always a friend maker he was always seeking to make friends with others he always was a builder he was a builder because it is essential to be a builder among the people of God. I have to read a verse that is found in the book of Exodus where Moses is the one that received from God an instruction concerning the kind of a heart that the person ought to have if he or she are going to have a right attitude in service for the Lord.

One must have the right kind of a heart a right kind of an attitude in fact it is called a wise heart. In Hebrew it says lev chacham chacham lev and in Exodus 35 and verse 10 we read and i would like you to listen to this verse my dear friend Exodus 35 and verse 10 Moses was writing to Israel and the Lord gave him this instruction he said and every wise-hearted among you namely among Israel shall come and make all that the Lord has commended in other words a wise-hearted in Hebrew it says not only not only a wise head a person that have wisdom in his head But the wisdom in his heart is to love God, to love his people, and to seek to serve his people.

Just as God created a world in grace, so the wise of heart is able to build up the sanctuary of God. Love builds up. A wise-hearted person simply means that his or her maturity, humility, and to have a right, ordered affection, such heart of wisdom does not depend on how smart one is, what sort of education one had. But a person such as this is a person that is emotionally comprehend a situation and willing to allow his heart to discern the situation and have a motive to build up for the kingdom of God. That's what we need so much with respect to the assembly of the believers in every local assembly at Corinth but elsewhere any local congregation local kehila local assembly local group of believers need to have that wise-hearted heart and that's why God said to Moses in verse 10 every wise hearted among you among Israel shall come and shall make all that the Lord has commended and the Lord commended us to be builders to edify the body of the Messiah the body of Christ so notice now in these verses how Shaul Paul is pointing to he is servants that where we can say along with Moses words to the nation of Israel a wise-hearted person chacham live is wisdom that is in the heart that come from God in love for God's people in love for the Lord's work and the Lord's people so he began in verses 10 and 11 to speak about Timothy he work as the work of the Lord notice that a few things the apostle Paul is mentioning about Timothy.

And he says in first Corinthians 16 and verse 10 he mentioning about Timothy he says now if Timothy come see that he may be with you without fear for he work as the work of the Lord as i also do verse 11 let no man therefore despise him but conduct him forth in shalom in peace that he may come unto me for i look for him with the brethren Paul loved Timothy he was used by the Lord to lead Timothy to come to know Yeshua Jesus the Messiah is his Messiah Lord and Savior and therefore notice he's mentioning a few things about Timothy in verses 10 and 11 number one we learned about Timothy that Timothy had a godly home we learned it from second Timothy chapter 1 in verse 5 concerning Timothy and Paul mentioning here when Timothy come see that he may be with you without fear for he worketh the work of the Lord as i also do so apparently Timothy came from a home of believing home Jewish mother and non-Jewish father Greek father and apparently Timothy we.

Read about his grandmother and his mother in second Timothy chapter one and i want to read this for you in verse 5 when i call to remember the unfeigned faith that is in thee Paul said to Timothy which dwelleth in thy grandmother lois and in thy mother eunuch and i am persuaded that in thee also apparently Timothy came from a godly grandmother and and mother and he according to the book of Timothy Paul call him in first Timothy chapter 1 and verse 2 he called him my son Timothy was the son in the faith of Shaul Paul and Timothy came from a godly home he was called the son but his calling was called to assist Shaul Paul in the ministry that's why Paul is mentioning here in 1 Corinthians chapter 16, and he's giving an instruction to the Corinthians to receive him, and that when they receive him, that they will receive him in such a way that he will have no fear, not to be afraid among them, and simply to minister unto the saints.

There at Corinth so if Timothy's if he will come see that he may be with you without fear apparently Timothy was timid so he's encouraging the Corinthians to receive him that he will be with them without fear for he worketh the work of the Lord even or even or as i also do Paul did the work of the Lord and he looks at Timothy he says Timothy did the work of the Lord apparently Timothy has served the Lord and therefore Paul encouraging the corinthian to receive him and not only to receive him also that he will have no fear among them that he will be appreciated and recognized and to be without fear in the midst of them and also let no man therefore despise him verse 11 but conduct him forth in peace that he may come unto me for I look for him with the brethren so apparently what Paul asked the Corinthian to do to receive Timothy and ultimately to send him away in peace in shalom that he will sense their love and their care.

For them according to first Timothy chapter 4 and verse 12 we read about Timothy let no man despise thy youth Paul said to Timothy in other words he says a but be thou an example to the believers in word in conversation in love in spirit in faith in purity Timothy don't allow anyone to despise you to despise your youth but be an example to the believers as you minister the word as you walk among them in your behavior in your love towards them in having a proper attitude and then also in your faith and in your pure life as you live for the Lord as an example to the believers so notice that Paul is mentioning Timothy to encourage the believers at Corinth that when Timothy will come that they will receive him and treat him well and be and allow him to be used in their midst because Timothy notice he is serving the Lord just like the apostle Shaul Paul for he workers the work of the Lord wonderful commendation about Timothy from the apostle Shaul Paul as he.

Writes to the Corinthians secondly you notice this whole portion is dealing with people he is dealing with people and it is important for us to learn how to deal with one another with people so he mentioned Timothy as Paul used to serve with Timothy together he must have sent him to minister elsewhere and now Timothy was going to come through Corinth and then he wanted the Corinthian to send him to Himes because Paul was waiting for Timothy to come to be with him and with the brethren then in verses 12 13 and 14 he is now speaking about another man and he's speaking about apollos and apollos Paul desired him to come unto himself Paul apparently was blessed by apollos and so we read in verse 12 13 and 14 first Corinthians 16 verse 12 is touching our brother Apollos, I greatly desired him to come unto you with the brethren, but his will was not at all to come at this time, but he will come when he shall have convenient time.

And then he. Continued to mention there in verse 13 and 14, watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like man be strong let all your things be done with love so in verses 12 and 13 and 14 he speaking about apollos he wanted that apollos would come to the Corinthians and encourage them but apollos apparently did not see it fit to come now he had the Lord led him to do something else to go elsewhere so in verses 12 13 and 14 we find out that apollos wanted to come but his will was not to come at that time and so he will come when he will have a convenient time whenever it will be suitable for him to come but in the meanwhile notice what Paul is saying to the Corinthians and he's giving them beloved brothers and sisters some instructions concerning to continue on and to live their life in such a way some that were attached to him so Paul is mentioning here he will come later on but in the meanwhile don't be discouraged.

And he gives them some instruction in verses 13 and 14. Number one, watch. In other words, be awake. Don't fall asleep. Be awake spiritually. Number two, stand fast. The word for stand fast is that continue on steadfastly. Don't be discouraged. Don't be dismayed. Continue on to stand fast in the things of the Lord. And then he tells them in the same verses there, verse 13 he says stand fast in the faith and then quit you like men mean act like not like children like mature men don't behave as children like he mentioned this already in first Corinthians chapter one and two and so on and three how they were behaving like children really like children they were fighting with one another that's why he told them that he he cannot give them meat he has to give them he says you are carnal he said i cannot feed you with meat i have to feed you with milk and and i brethren i could not speak unto you as unto spiritual but as unto carnal even as unto babies in Christ babies in the Messiah i have fed you with milk and not with meet why for hitherto you were unable you were not able to hear it neither yet now are you able for you are yet carnal so Paul is saying to them in verses 13 and 14 he's saying to the believers.

At Corinth he says watch in other words be aware stand fast in the faith continue on faithfully stands fast in the faith and then he said act like a mature people act like mature men and not immature child and also at the end of verse 13 he said and be strong and you remember in Ephesians 6 verse 10 be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Paul said to the Ephesians here he is saying to the Corinthians be strong this is not physically strong but spiritually strong be strong continue on watch stand fast in the faith stop to be children be like men and be strong and then in verse 14 he continued there and he's telling them let all your things be done with love beloved brothers and sisters this is exactly what Paul mentioned in first corinthian chapter 13 about love and there he's mentioning that a love is so important for the believers to practice love suffer long love is kind love envious not love does not want its own will love does not puff up.

It does not behave itself unseemingly love seeketh not her own and love is not easily provoked and love does not think evil love rejoices not in iniquity but love rejoices in the truth it beareth all things, believeth all things hope for all things and doeth all things love never fails and so in 1 Corinthians 16 verse 14 Paul is encouraging the Corinthians to let all things be done in love. In 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 14, Paul said, For the love of Christ constrains us, because we thus judge that if one dies for all, then we're all dead. In other words he says for the love of the Messiah is constraining us because we thus judge that if one died for all then we all positionally are dead with him we identify with the Lord Jesus the Messiah therefore he gives them this instruction in verses 12 13 and 14 apollos he desired to come to you but not yet he has other plan but he's planning to come to you but until he's coming to you apparently they were attached to apollos until he's going to arrive to you you watch you stand fast you quit to be like children be like men be strong in the Lord and let your things whatever you do be done in love one towards another beautiful encouragement the apostle Paul provides the Corinthians in these last final words in the 16th chapter then notice he is now moving along from speaking about Timothy speaking about apollos and now he's writing about Stephanas and his household in verses 15, 16, 17, and 18.

Let me read these. Verses, beloved brothers and sisters. Paul says, I beseech you, brethren, you know the house of Stephanas, that it is a firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints that ye submit yourselves unto such and to everyone that helpeth with us and laboreth i'm glad of the coming of stephanus and for to natus and achaicus he says for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied for they have refreshed my spirit and you therefore acknowledge ye them that are such here he's mentioning specifically Stephanos and his household it really is beautiful you notice in first Corinthians chapter one the first chapter we read in verse 16 these these words and I baptize also the household of Stephanos beside I know not whether I baptize any other apparently when Shaul Paul was in Corinth he immersed Stephanos and his house and he saw their commitment to the Lord their devotedness to the Lord Jesus the Messiah and he was so thankful for such servants of the Lord.

And so apparently the first to be won to the Messiah in a care was the household of stephanos and his household and he and his household were addicted themselves for the ministry of the saints imagine they became it's like addiction to something you know sadly some are addicted to drugs some are addicted to alcohol some are addicted to all sort of things that are no good for them but here's a family here's a man and his family and his household who addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints they wanted so badly to host and to serve the people of God. Praise God for such a people.

I know from a personal experience of such a family that addicted themselves for the ministry of the saints. What a blessing they are for the people of God to host them, to care for them, to serve them, to minister to them. And they're doing it as unto the Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah. What a blessing it is and what a wonderful testimony they are as they serve God's people and what a blessing it is to the people of God and also to the Lord himself who gave himself who became a servant and he gave himself he was the Hebrew servants of Exodus chapter 21 he was the one that is called the servant of Jehovah eved Adonai in the prophecy of Isaiah that the God called him behold my servant shall deal prudently and Yeshua became the supreme example as a servant but praise God for various individuals that God have raised to desire to serve the Lord and to serve the people of the Lord And so listen to what we read.

In verse 15, we read of Stephanos and his house. It says, I beseech you, brethren, to know the house of Stephanos. In other words, to know him. To recognize him, to acknowledge him. And apparently he was the first to be one to Christ, to the Messiah in Achaia and secondly we read in verse 15 that he and his family have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints we read in verse 15b he is the first fruit of Achaia and then that they notice have addicted themselves for the ministry of the saints they serve God's people, and by doing so, they serve the Lord Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah.

Then you notice what Paul, Shaul, continued to say about Stephanas and his family, that the believers at Corinth need to recognize such a man and such a godly behavior that they are to submit to such a godly individual. So in verse 16, Paul is mentioning to the Corinthians, And ye submit yourself unto such, and to everyone that helpeth with us, and laboreth. In other words, to submit. Submit to such a godly individuals, because they are serving the Lord, they are serving God's people, they are godly example, and therefore they are called to submit to Stephanus and such as like Stephanus. There is a verse in Hebrews chapter 13 and verse 17 which says, Obey them that have a rule over you, and submit yourself, for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy and not with grief, for that is unprofitable for you.

So the author who wrote to the Hebrew believers also encouraged them to submit to the godly that are in the midst of the assembly that serve the Lord and serve the people of the Lord. Such a commendation, beloved brothers and sisters. What an amazing commendation to hear about Stephanus. In Titus, we read also, beloved brothers and sisters, concerning submissiveness, to submit. It's something that is very unusual for us. We always have this resisting will. We don't want to submit. Even in a husband and wife relationship, we read in Ephesians 5, why be subject to your own husband? And then it's also said to submit to one another in the Lord.

Titus was told in chapter 3 and verse 1, put them in mind to be subject, to submit to principalities and to powers and to obey magistrates, to be ready in every good work. In other words, to submit to the authority that be as well. That is the call for the people of God to do, beloved brothers and sisters. So we did read of the fact that Paul is showing that Stephanas and his household were the first to be won to the Messiah in the province of Achaia. Secondly, they were addicting themselves to the ministry of the saints. Thirdly, the believers at Corinth were encouraged to submit to such a godly example, and it's always for their own benefit.

Then fourthly, we learned that Stephanus refresh Paul in verse 17, I'm glad of the coming of Stephanus, and for Tunatus, and Akakus, for that which was lacking on your part, they have supplies. In other words, They came to Shaul Paul. They supplied to the needs of the apostle Paul. But notice what he said about Stephanas and those that come with him, that they have refreshed my spirit. Beloved brothers and sisters, how needful is refreshment, the refreshing of the spirit of the people of God. Imagine Paul was entirely continuing to serve the Lord, serve the people of God, minister, and how much he needed such an encouragement from others, such as Stephanas and his family, and such as Timothy, to godly brethren that were willing to serve, and they refreshed my spirit, Paul said, and he continued, and yours as well, in verse 18.

Imagine, beloved brothers and sisters, how much need we have for such a man, such a woman, such a family, such individuals that want to serve the Lord. They refresh the spirit of Paul. They refresh the spirit of the assembly, the believers. That is what is needful so much among the people of God, to refresh the saints, to refresh the people of God. And in ministry, this is what we are called to do is to refresh the spirit and the soul of the believers who are oftentimes getting discouraged and disappointed and how important it is to refresh the spirits of the saints. And so again, I'm reading verse 17 and 18.

I'm glad of the coming of Stephanas and for to Natus and Achaicus, for that which was lacking on your part have they supplied. They came to provide for us what was lacking, that you would have liked to bring it for us. They brought it for us on your behalf, for they have refreshed both my spirit, and he continued to say, and yours. Therefore, acknowledge them that are such. Boy, how, beloved brothers and sisters and dear friends, how much it is so needful for us to be refreshed and may God raise more brothers and sisters that will refresh the heart of the people of God. We could say that Stephanas and that Timothy were exactly the kind of men that God have raised among the people of Israel in the days of old, of which he said in Exodus chapter 35 concerning these people every wise-hearted among you come and make all that the Lord has commended in other words build the tabernacle build the house of the Lord build the people of God refresh the hearts of the saints even refresh the heart of God as the behavior of such a men and women believers how do we say they satisfy the heart of the Lord in their way that they behave what a joy they give to our Lord and Savior Yeshua Jesus the Messiah so what an amazing lesson we learn from Timothy who worked the work of the Lord from apollos who Paul desired to send to the Corinthians and he's the one that they wanted him to come and he delayed his coming but yet he was the one that he was encouraging them to watch to stand fast to not to be children.

And to be strong in the Lord and for stephanus and his household who were addicting themselves for the work of the ministry and for the ministry of the saints the believers in the Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah and Paul does not stop here because in verses 19 and 20 of first corinthian chapter 16 Paul is now mentioning aquila and priscilla husband and wife who work together to serve the Lord it had been said that their names are mentioned quite a few times in the and the new covenant and their name mentioned so many times as aquila and priscilla aquila and priscilla and they were serving the Lord as well in act chapter 18 we do read in the beginning of the chapter after these things Paul departed from athens and came to Corinth you see that here he comes to Corinth and what did he find there he found a certain Jew sent by the name of Aquila born in Pontius Italy and he lately came from Italy with his wife Priscilla so the husband is Aquila his wife is Priscilla.

And then they were apparently came to Corinth Jewish a couple that they were believers in Yeshua and apparently when Claudius have commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome Well, all the Jews, he didn't care whether they were Jewish people who didn't yet believe in the Messiah, Jesus, or Jews who did believe in the Messiah. Well, Quilla and Priscilla was chastened from Rome as well. They came to Corinth, and what's happening? Because Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome, and they came unto them, and because he was of the same craft, he abode with them and wrought by their occupation. They were tent makers.

So here is a tent making couple who came to Corinth and they were believers and they were ministering to the saints. What a testimony we find out about Aquila and Priscilla. Great testimony we find about them. And so we read about them here in 1 Corinthians 16. And in these verses that we are reading here before us, beloved brothers and sisters, with verse 19, in fact, in the earlier verses of the 16th chapter, we find out how the instruction was given concerning the support, the gift for the saints in Jerusalem. And then we find out how the Apostle Paul gave instruction about stewardship and what an example aquila and priscilla were they were the ones that came to Corinth and they were ministering to the saints in Corinth and notice what Paul says about them he's saying about them as a husband and wife notice he's mentioning this in verse 19 the churches of Asia salute you aquila and priscilla salute you much in the Lord with the church that is in their house so apparently they use their house to be a local assembly of of the believers and they are now saluting the believers at Corinth and as they were saluting them they were saluting them along with all the other believers that were gathering together in their house where the apostle Paul was there's a verse in Roman chapter 16 that says this greet priscilla and aquila here's the reverse my helpers in Christ Jesus apparently they were helpers of the apostle Paul and so they were serving the Lord.

Together with the Apostle Paul also in Corinth and when Paul wrote to the Romans he is a saint to greet Priscilla and Aquila because they were helpers of the Lord Jesus the Messiah with the Apostle Paul what a commendation to be a helpers to the Apostle Paul and to the service of the Lord to the saints of God and therefore he said to them now in verse 20 all the brethren greet you greet ye one another with a holy kiss it's a very interesting expression that is mentioned quite a few times in the new covenant that holy kiss is mentioned a few times and it simply means the kiss of affection holy means set apart and kiss is a kiss of affection and that is mentioned a few times in the end of various epistles that are found in the word of God in Roman 16 Paul mentioned to the Romans salute one another with an holy kiss there's the churches of Christ salute you the churches of the Messiah salute you so you notice that expression holy kiss a kiss of affection.

And love for the brethren and Paul is using this expression as an expression of love among the believers in the Lord Jesus the Messiah in the second epistle of Corinthians chapter 13 and there at the end of the chapter verse 12 Paul wrote to the Corinthian in his second letter and he said greet one another with a holy kiss again the holy kiss is a kiss of setting apart of love and affection towards the believers and that is mentioned a few times beloved brothers and sisters in the epistles that the apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian believers this is a very encouraging closing of a letter in 1 Thessalonians 5 and verse 26 he says Paul to the Thessalonians greet all the brethren with an holy kiss 1 Thessalonians 5 and verse 26 so this expression of an holy kiss is mentioned in a few of the letters that the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians, to the Romans, to the Thessalonians and that simply means an expression of.

Affection towards the believers after all we be brethren we have to have love and concern for one another and the holy key speaks of affection and love towards the believers of the assembly now in conclusion beloved brothers and sisters as we conclude first corinthian and specifically the final chapter chapter 16 in verses 21 to 24 the apostle Paul close this letter with a closing remarks he's mentioning a few things in his closing remarks in verse 21 he's saying to the Corinthians that he wrote this letter with his very own hands the salutation of me Paul with mine own hands apparently a time because of his eyesight he needed help from others but this letter he wrote with his own hands beloved brothers and sisters and he's mentioning this to the believers at Corinth secondly in verse 22 he used the word anathema of those that do not love the Lord the word anathema it's a curse and it is in Hebrew it is called cherem cherem it's anathema is it's really a a strong word he said if any man love not.

The Lord Jesus Christ let him be anathema let him be cherem cherem and and you notice these brothers and sisters this anathema is an expression that speaks of those that oppose the Lord and they will ultimately be accursed by God sadly 1st Corinthians chapter 12 and verse 3 wherefore I give unto you to understand that no man speak by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed no one who is led by the Holy Spirit of God can ever call Yeshua herim accursed anathema and that no man can say that Yeshua is Lord but by the holy Spirit of God the only one that can say that the Lord Jesus is Lord that Yeshua the Messiah is Lord because the Spirit of God revealed it unto him or unto her but no one can ever call Yeshua a curse anathema and be led by the Spirit of God because the Spirit of God will only lead the person to call Yeshua the blessed Messiah the blessed son of God and therefore it is a very strong word that is mentioned here in the word anathema.

Let him be accursed if anyone do not love the Lord eventually he or she will be accursed simply because they will die in their sins because of the rejection of the offer of salvation through the Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah now notice another thing that we read in Romans chapter 9 and how the Apostle Paul, who loved his brethren, the Jewish people, and he was praying, and he was saying to the Roman believers in Romans 9, verses 1, 2, and 3, I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, that I have a great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart, for I could wish that I myself were accursed, anathema, cherem, from the Messiah, from Christ, for my brethren, my kinsmen, according to the flesh.

In other words, he was willing to suffer loss for his brethren, the people of Israel, the Jewish people, according to the flesh. And Paul loved his own brethren, and he was willing to be accursed. Now, of course, he would not be, because he is a believer. He belonged to the Lord, Yeshua. His sins are forgiven. But for those who reject the Messiah, they will be ultimately judged, and they will be accursed. That's why he says, if any man or any person love not the Lord Jesus Christ, love not the Lord Yeshua the Messiah, let him be anathema. In other words, if you don't, if one does not love the Lord, why?

Why let him be anathema? Because when one does not love the Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah, who is the promised Redeemer, who is the Savior of the world, who gave himself for one sin and sins, well, what is left? One who dies without sins forgiven will be accursed and judged for time and for eternity. Refusing the offer of salvation that came through Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah. And that's why Paul is so strong by saying what he's saying here, beloved brothers and sisters. This is such a strong word that Apostle Paul is mentioning here in this verse 22. And so Paul does not stop there, but in the end of verse 22, he says, Maranatha, Maranatha.

And Maranatha is simply an Aramic word, Maranatha, and Maranatha is a Greek word that simply means our Lord come, may our Lord come. That expression, Maranatha, is a beautiful expression that he's wishing for the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, to come and to take his rightful place here in this world, take his people to be with him in glory. What a wonderful word. Let the Lord come and it reminds us of Revelation chapter 22 and verse 20. He which testifies these things says, surely I come quickly, even so, come Lord Jesus, come Lord Jesus, come Lord Yeshua. In other words, Paul is concluding with the word Maranatha, Lord Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah, come, come to take your place here in this world.

So, beloved brothers and sisters, Paul concludes this whole 16th chapter, in verse 23 and 24, in the whole book of 1 Corinthians, by saying, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you, my love be with you all, in Christ Jesus, Amen. So he's saying the grace of our Lord Yeshua ha-Mashiach be with you and my love be with you all in Mashiach Yeshua Amen in Christ Jesus Amen Paul loved the believers at Corinth even though he was strong with them and he was very much critical you might say but the critical message to the Corinthians was done for them out of love from his heart there is a verse that is written in Proverbs chapter 27 and verse 6 where king Solomon wrote to the people of Israel saying faithful are the wounds of a friend but the kisses of an enemies are deceitful so faithful are the wounds of a friend and even though he seems to kind of wound them give them strong words to seemingly as if he wounding them and hurting them but they were faithful wounds faithful words that ultimately were for their blessing but he says Solomon said but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful what an amazing amazing a letter Paul wrote to the Corinthians he loved them.

My love be with you all in Christ Jesus in the Mashiach Yeshua and he closed the epistle with the word Amen and we can say beloved brothers and sisters as we conclude the study of the whole letter first corinthian chapter from chapter 1 to chapter 16 we can say Amen with this letter together because this letter is written not only for the Corinthians but for you and i today may the Lord help us to appreciate what the apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians and may we also learn to be faithful and also to be the kind of a steward that is using opportunities to serve the Lord's people because the Lord's people need encouragement every day as you and i need these encouragement as well.

My love be with you all in Christ Jesus, in Messiah Yeshua. Amen. The Apostle Paul closed this letter, the first letter to the Corinthians. Well, God bless you, my dear friend. We thank the Lord for His goodness, and we thank the Lord for His provision and enablement to study together the Word of God. And so, until Till the next time, God bless you. Shalom, shalom.