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TITLE: A Compassionate Itinerary
TEXT: I Corinthians 16:1-12
THEME: Compassionate ministry requires we spend time with those we serve.
OPENING
SENTENCE: A popular program on TV is called “Hells’ Kitchen.”
INTRODUCTION: On the reality TV show Chef Gordon Ramsay each year welcomes a new
batch of aspiring chefs willing to endure his childish demands and temper. Like a U.S. Army
training boot camp Ramsey barks out orders and belittles anyone within earshot. Only those who
withstand the emotional tension and abuse of Ramsay's pressure-cooker atmosphere have a
chance to earn the grand prize of a head chef position at a Las Vegas restaurant.
TRANSITION
SENTENCE: While we know that the TV show purposely creates drama for its entertainment
value, nonetheless, I believe Ramsey is illustrative of how some people view the role of a leader.
TRANSITION: That has been the notion of leadership throughout much of history. Leadership,
it would argue, believes the man in power must hold on to it no matter what. People are pawns to
be manipulated and controlled and is less interested in the well-being of those he leads.
Corruption and tyranny are common traits of this kind of leadership. This is certainly no less
true than that of the Romans who ruled with brute force and leaders were often cruel and sadistic.
We know of the Roman brutality revealed in the gladiator games where men were forced to kill
each for entertainment. We know of emperor Caligula who ordered his legions to collect shells
on the beach in order to prove that he had "conquered the sea". We know of Nero who killed his
mother and his wife. And, the cruel emperor Septimius Severus had the body of his dead
opponent Clodius Albinus laid out before him, so that he could ride over it with his horse.
If an emperor wanted to get rid of a particular senator, he would simply write him a letter,
ordering him to kill himself (or else he would send someone round to kill him). Emperor Nero
ordered a great many such suicides. The dictator Sulla during the time of the Roman republic
invented the "proscription", by which he would just announce whom he wanted dead. This would
be read out in public places and he then would reward anyone who would kill that particular
person. These are just some examples of Roman madness and Roman cruelty by its own leaders.
That is the context that Jesus and Paul lived in. They were keenly of the corruption and cruelty
of those in power. But, in that context they introduce a model for leadership that reveals what
godly leadership should look like. We learn from them that godly leaders try to improve and
empower others. Godly leadership is assertive and proactive but is always done with
compassion for of those he leads.
SAY WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO SAY: This morning I want to ask, “How does Paul provide
an example of a compassionate leader- or person?” We will lean that a compassionate leader
motivates everyone to help each other, spends time with them and works to create relationships
among those he leads for everyone’s mutual benefit.
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TEXT: I Corinthians 16:1-12
THEME: Compassionate ministry requires we spend time with those we serve.
How does Paul provide an example of a compassionate person?
I.
He gives and motivates others to give for those in need (1-4)
16 Now about the collection for the Lord’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to
do. 2 On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping
with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.3 Then,
when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your
gift to Jerusalem. 4 If it seems advisable for me to go also, they will accompany me.
A. Paul had started a fund to help impoverished believers in Jerusalem.
The collection to which Paul refers in verse 1 formed a major enterprise of his third missionary
journey. The collection served multiple purposes.
1. Significant numbers of Jewish Christians in Jerusalem were impoverished (v. 3; cf. Rom.
15:26), and Paul spent substantial energy raising funds from various Gentile churches in
Asia and Europe to help meet their needs (Acts 20:4).
2. Paul saw the collection as an opportunity to bring greater unity within the church across
Jewish and Gentile boundaries. Remember the tension between Jews and Gentiles.
3. To pay off a spiritual debt of sorts that the Gentile congregations owed their "mother
church" in Jerusalem (Rom. 15:27),
4. To demonstrate the genuineness of Gentile Christianity to skeptical Jewish Christians (cf.
Acts 24:17).
5. To be a testimony to the unsaved world and to Christians everywhere of the faith and
love of those who participated. More people might well be won to Christ, and others
would grow in their faith and give an outpouring of thanks to God (2 Cor. 9:12-15). (NIV
Com.)
B. He provides a plan for the churches to provide assistance.
As a compassionate leader Paul not only saw the need to the impoverished Jewish believers but
he also set a plan of action in place to help them. He used his influence and leadership for the
benefit of others. The plan was to encourage each church to set aside some money on Sunday of
each week that would eventually be sent to Jerusalem by a carefully selected group of men. That
is an example of good compassionate leadership. One who sees the need and acts on it. One of
the things we go weary of in politics is
C. His intimidating intellect is tempered by his compassionate leadership. Remember the
context of this passage. It follows a direct, well-argued confrontation to a church that needed
to grow up- and he calls them on it sometimes harshly. He calls them spiritual babes not
ready for the meat of the word. These are not uplifting words to the proud self-deluded
Corinthian “spirituals.” Yet all throughout the letter we see the love and compassion he had
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for them. Certainly, in this closing we his heart. He cared for the Jerusalem church and he
cares for the Corinthian church. Assertive, proactive, confrontational, leadership is not
incompatible with compassionate leadership. We see the same in Christ who could be direct
and confrontational.
ILLUSTRATE: Hermann Hesse in his book, “Journey to the East” tells a story. In this story we
see a band of men on a mythical journey, probably also Hesse's own journey. The central figure
of the story is Leo who accompanies the party as the servant who does their menial chores, but
who also sustains them with his spirit and his song. He is a person of extraordinary presence.
All goes well on the journey until Leo disappears. Then the group falls into disarray and the
journey is abandoned. They cannot make it without the servant Leo. The narrator, one of the
party, after some years of wandering finds Leo and is taken into the Order that had sponsored
the journey. There he discovers that Leo, whom he had known first as servant, was in fact the
titular head of the Order, its guiding spirit, a great and noble leader.
APPLY: This story clearly communicates the idea that the great leader is seen as servant first,
and that simple fact is the key to his greatness. That is the very kind of leader that Paul was. His
greatness and influence as an Apostle were not gained out of a demand for respect or control but
by his loving compassion for those he led. He was a compassionate servant leader.
THEME: Compassionate ministry requires we spend time with those we serve.
How does Paul provide an example of a compassionate person?
II.
He devotes time to be with those he cares about. (5-9)
“After I go through Macedonia, I will come to you—for I will be going through
Macedonia. 6 Perhaps I will stay with you for a while, or even spend the winter, so that you can
help me on my journey, wherever I go.7 For I do not want to see you now and make only a
passing visit; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. 8 But I will stay on at
Ephesus until Pentecost, 9 because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there
are many who oppose me.”
A. Paul is planning his itinerary to visit them. At the time of this writing Paul was at Ephesus
where he had a remarkable ministry and to whom he was to later write an epistle to as well.
He still had work to do there but it is clear he wanted to see the church again.
B. His wants to spend ample time to make an impact. His letter to them reveals his concern and
the nature of their need. He wants to come to them so he could address and change some of
the problems he speaks to in the letter. If he came right away he could not devote enough
time to address the issues in a way that could have made a lasting difference.
C. He delays his visit only because of the impact he is already having in Ephesus. Exciting
things were happening in Corinth. In Acts we learn that Paul faced strong opposition but
over time a large group of followers were forming. We are told in Acts 19, “11 God did
extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had
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touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left
them.” The context lists other things he did and the impact it was have on the city of
Ephesus. You can see why he did not want to leave at that time. Yet, he wants to, and he
knows he needs, to return to Jerusalem first. He understood the importance of time spent
with them.
ILLUSTRATE: Years ago a debate came up in regard to parenting. The question was, “Is
the quality of time I spend with my family more important than the quantity?”
Most have concluded that it cannot be either or. As one person has said, “A few years ago
family experts were preaching that what's important is "quality time," not "quantity time." More
recent research shows that kids need both with their parents. In fact, the more involved parents
are with their children - and the word "more" here is used with direct reference to the concept
of quantity - the less likely they are to have social, emotional, or academic problems, use drugs
or alcohol, become involved in crime, or engage in premarital sex.
It's important to realize that it's not always possible to plan meaningful interactions between
parent and child. Such serendipitous moments can't be cooked up and crammed into a few
minutes of "quality time" every day. Many critical opportunities to teach or model moral values
may catch you off-guard and will be gone in the blink of an eye. You can't seize the moment if
you're not there to do the seizing. And that means spending lots of "quantity" time together with
your kids.
APPLY: The same is true in leadership itself. Like a caring and compassionate parent Paul
understood the need to spend time with the Corinthians, in part no doubt, due to their immaturity.
In fact, he spent more times with the Corinthians church than he did with all the other churches
combine for a total of three years. On his first journey alone he spent over 1 ½ years with them.
The others didn’t need him as much. But that is what good leaders do- they spend time with
those they care about and some, like the Corinthians, may require even more time.
THEME: Compassionate ministry requires we spend time with those we serve.
How does Paul provide an example of a compassionate person?
III.
He lays the groundwork for productive relationships. (10-12)
10 When
Timothy comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is
carrying on the work of the Lord, just as I am. 11 No one, then, should treat him with
contempt. Send him on his way in peace so that he may return to me. I am expecting him along
with the brothers. 12 Now about our brother Apollos: I strongly urged him to go to you with the
brothers. He was quite unwilling to go now, but he will go when he has the opportunity.
A. He is sending the timid Timothy to serve an intimidating congregation. It is clear from
Paul’s letter to the Corinthians that they had become a divided, proud and somewhat
obstinate church. Timothy was one of his most devoted and supportive disciples and was
fully equipped to represent Paul and the gospel to this church. But Timothy was not as
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assertive as Paul. In fact, two Paul wrote Timothy two epistles and both address this
timidity:
I Tim 4: 11-14” Command and teach these things. 12 Don’t let anyone look down on you
because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in
faith and in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to
preaching and to teaching. 14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy
when the body of elders laid their hands on you.”
II Timothy 1:5-8 “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you
through the laying on of my hands. 7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but
gives us power, love and self-discipline. 8 So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord
or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.”
B. He is preparing them so they will treat him well. Just as Paul had addressed this issue with
Timothy he now directs his attention to the Corinthian church. Paul knew they could easily
steamroll this young servant of God but, using his on authority an influence, he encourages
them to treat Timothy well when he comes to represent Paul.
C. He also prepares them for the coming of the more forceful Apollos.
As another indication of his compassionate concern for the church he is sending one of the men
who the church already knew well. We know that Apollos had a strong influence in the
Corinthian church- so much so that he had a group of faithful followers who exalted him even
above Paul and he was the poster boy for one of the divisions within the church. As Paul said in
I Corinthians 1:12, “What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I
follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.”
We learn something of Apollos in Acts 18:24, 27 “Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of
Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the
Scriptures…When Apollos want to go to Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him and
wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who
by grace had believed.”
Paul no doubt wanted Apollos to go to Corinth to support what he had just told the Corinthians in
this letter. In I Corinthians 1: 5 he writes, “What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only
servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task.6 I
planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7 So neither the one who
plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.”
The point is Paul is concerned for this immature church and in his compassion for them he is
sending people to them that can get them back on track. Timothy could speak to them with a
gentle heart and Apollos can correct them on the destructive division. The compassionate leader
understands the people you use to guide others must fit the audience.
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ILLUSTRATE: In a 2011 Leadership Journal article, Gordon MacDonald shares the moving
story about his friends Dr. Paul and Edith Rees. When the Rees's were in their 90s, MacDonald
asked if they still fought after 60-plus years of marriage.
"O, sure we do," Dr. Rees responded. "Yesterday morning was a case in point. Edith and I were
in our car, and she was driving. She failed to stop at a stop sign, and it scared me half to death."
"So what did you do?" MacDonald asked.
"Well, I've loved Edith for all these years, and I have learned how to say hard things to her. But I
must be careful because when Edith was a little girl, her father always spoke to her harshly. And
today when she hears a manly voice speak in anger—even my voice—she is deeply, deeply
hurt."
"But, Paul," MacDonald said, "Edith is 90-years-old. Are you telling me that she remembers a
harsh voice that many years ago?"
"She remembers that voice more than ever," Rees said.
MacDonald asked, "So how do you handle that driving situation from the other day?"
"Ah," he said, "I simply said, 'Edith, darling, after we've had our nap this afternoon, I want to
discuss a thought I have for you. And when the nap was over I did. I was calm; she was ready to
listen, and we solved our little problem."
MacDonald concluded: "These are the words of a man who has learned that conflict is necessary,
can be productive, but must be managed with wisdom and grace. By the time I reach 90, I hope
to be just like him." (Gordon MacDonald, "When Bad Things Happen to Good
Relationships," Leadership Journal (Winter, 2011)
APPLY: So it should be for us. In showing compassion we must understand the nature of the
group we are serving. We need great wisdom for some groups.
THEME: Compassionate ministry requires we spend time with those we serve.
SAY WHAT YOU HAVE SAID: This morning we asked, “How does Paul provide an example
of a compassionate leader- or person?” We learned that a compassionate leader motivates
everyone to help each other, spends time with them and works to create relationships among
those he leads for everyone’s mutual benefit.
TIE INTO OPENING SENTENCE: The rare times I watch a TV show likes “Hell’s Kitchen” I
am reminded that while it makes for great drama for those who are into such things it does not
make for good leadership. I question Ramsey’s leadership style.
APPLY TO SPECIFIC AUDIENCE:
1. Good leaders care about those they serve but they act on their concern. Certainly,
demeaning those we care for does not show compassion.
2. There are times we need to be assertive and direct- just like Paul was. The two are not
incompatible. Caring deeply for someone sometimes requires confrontation but it must
be motivated by love.
3. All of us are called to compassionate. Paul and Jesus only provide for us a model of what
that might look like.
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HAYMAKER: Dialing the wrong phone number can be awkward, embarrassing, and sometimes
downright frustrating. When a young man forgot to notify his grandmother of a change in his cell
phone number before Thanksgiving, however, the result was touching. Wanda Dench texted a
number that had originally been her grandson's, inviting him over for a Thanksgiving
meal. Instead of her grandson, the text went to 17 year-old Jamal Hinton. The two figured out the
mistake quickly, but Hinton asked if it was possible to "still get a plate." In grandmotherly
fashion, Dench responded, "Of course you can. That's what grandmas do." The story went viral
online, perhaps as a hint of joy during such a bitter election season. When asked about the
encounter after Thanksgiving, the young man said, "I'm thankful for all the nice people in the
world. I never met her … and she welcomed me into her house, so that shows me how great of a
person she is."
If the church takes its mission to love its neighbors seriously, a few words in this story could be
easily replaced. "Of course you can. That's what [Christians] do. … I'm thankful for all the
[Christians] in the world. I've never met her … and she welcomed me into her house, so that
shows me [the love of God inside of her]." (Ethan Adams, PreachingToday.com; source:
"Woman Shares Thanksgiving with Teen She Accidentally Invited," Yahoo News, 11-25-16)
THEME: Compassionate ministry requires we spend time with those we serve.
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