1 Corinthians 16:5-9 - Homiletics

God's will the rule, and spiritual usefulness the end of life.

"Now I will come unto you when I shall pass through Macedonia," etc. Two remarks are suggested.

I. GOD 'S WILL SHOULD BE THE RULE OF LIFE . "But I trust to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit." The text tells us that Paul had made a plan to visit the Corinthians, to "tarry a while" with them, and to spend the winter with them, after he had passed through Macedonia, and tarrying, at Ephesus until the Pentecost; but see, he rests this plan (no doubt dear to his heart) on the Lord's will—"if the Lord permit."

1. There is a belief implied here. The great truth implied in this expression of Paul's is that God is in the history of individual man. He is not merely in the great material universe, in angelic hierarchies, in human empires, communities, Churches, families, but in the individual man himself. He is not too absorbed in the vast for this, not too great for this. Paul believed that God was interested in him personally, and that he arranged for him personally. There is something sublime, bracing, and ennobling in the thought that God knows me, cares for me, arranges for me.

2. There is an acquiescence implied here. "If the Lord permit." This means, "I have no will of my own." As if he had said personally, "Consulting merely my own will, I should like to winter with you, my Corinthian friends, but I subordinate my will to the will of my God. I feel myself in his hands, and am ready to act in everything according to his arrangements."

II. SPIRITUAL USEFULNESS SHOULD BE THE AIM OF LIFE . "But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost. For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries." Three remarks are here suggested.

1. That wherever the gospel signally triumphs, great opposition may be anticipated. Paul was now at Ephesus, where he had laboured for a considerable time, and with such signal success that a deep and widespread opposition was excited, even to passion (see Acts 19:9-20 ). It has ever been so: wherever there has been a great revival of religion there has been unusual opposition. The latent enmity of the serpent is ever roused by the dissemination of spiritual light. Christ kindled a fire upon the earth.

2. That opposition to the gospel often affords specially favourable opportunities for the labour of the evangelist. "For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries." Religious excitement is ever more favourable to the spread of religion than religious monotony. You stand a better chance of converting an earnest sceptic than a traditional religionist. Excitement opens a "door."

3. That the true evangelist will be stimulated in his labours rather than discouraged by opposition. Instead of quitting Ephesus, where there were so many adversaries, Paul says, "I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost." Little souls are dismayed by difficulties, great souls are roused to action by them. Difficulties awaken their courage, stimulate their activities, and marshal their faculties for battle.