Introduction

Good morning, everyone. Today, we will look at Chapter 16 of 1 Corinthians, the final chapter. Actually, 1 Corinthians teaches a very important principle, which is to love God. I've noticed that everyone has improved a lot in grasping the themes. The theme of this chapter is Let all that you do be done in love.

Love is a very wondrous word that can bring the power of God down from heaven. Some people find it strange that I once said faith can draw upon the power of God. But faith is not as great as love. Without faith, one cannot reach love, because faith is the foundation. However, this logic of faith lacks a very important element. Many who believe in the Lord stop at faith. Although there are signs and wonders, if one does not reach the place of loving God, one is accursed. He may study the scriptures very well, or even perform miracles, even move mountains, but if he has not love, it amounts to nothing.

This is why, when people come before God, God says He does not know you, which is very surprising. Whether you say you preach the gospel or have cast out demons in the name of the Lord, the Lord does not know you. The root of all the problems is whether you love God or not. You can have faith, faith that can move mountains and draw upon the power of God in the spiritual world, but that is God's doing. This word love is so profound that it can cause God not to recognise you. Early on in my walk with the Lord, I knew this saying: If anyone does not love the Lord, let that person be accursed.

If anyone does not love the Lord, let that person be accursed. Maranatha! (1 Corinthians 16:22)

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. Many people only grasp the small end of the stick. This is why many pastors in charismatic churches also cast out demons and perform miracles, but it counts for little, because love is the key to Paul's theology.

Let all that you do be done in love. (1 Corinthians 16:14)

It is the love for the Lord, not the love for people, not that carnal, sticky, greasy love, but the love for God.

I. If Anyone Does Not Love the Lord, Let That Person Be Accursed

If anyone does not love the Lord, let that person be accursed. Maranatha! (1 Corinthians 16:22)

Let me bring out the most weighty statement first. It is not If anyone does not believe in the Lord, let that person be accursed, but If anyone does not love the Lord, let that person be accursed. Everyone is stunned, not understanding why believing in Jesus leads to a curse. But that is quite normal. It is clearly stated here. Do not think that there are no curses in the New Testament era. Curses exist forever. Whoever hears the word of God and does not do it is a fool. Whoever does not carefully observe and follow God's word is cursed, but whoever carefully observes and follows God's word is blessed.

But the question arises again: does this not become works-based? That would be a misunderstanding. Works-based does not mean there are no works, but that you cannot make works the root. The root is faith, believing in God's word, so you will carefully observe and follow, love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Many years ago, I walked based on this principle. Thank God, although the curse has not been completely overcome, it is becoming less and less, because the love for God is becoming stronger and stronger. Love is the goal. The love for God is the goal.

Our brothers and sisters must be careful. Once, there was a person who did a small water delivery business who came to the church with severe depression. He could not do anything at home. Because of the love and prayer of the brothers and sisters, he was healed and came out of depression. From then on, he felt that it was a loss if he did not deliver water for a day. He did not have a love for God in his bones, but he had a lot of love for delivering water. Actually, he loved the money in the hands of the customers, which was real money. Do not think this is called cleverness, sooner or later the curse will return and put around his neck, and grow out depression again.

If you are among us but not a person who loves God, you are free to leave after all your illnesses are healed. This place is a church of love for God, built by a group of people who love God. Recently, I have been leading a few group leaders and I am touched to see how diligently they serve. Such service is not a loss. Our brothers and sisters must know which is the major and which is the minor, and must not be foolish and have brains filled with excrement. If anyone does not love the Lord, let that person be accursed; if anyone loves the Lord, let that person be blessed. People do not know that loving the Lord is a good thing. There is no one more foolish in the world than this. If you have received God's grace and do not repent, do not learn to love God, then you have really wasted it.

There was a sister who suffered a lot of persecution in the past few years. Her husband did not allow her to believe in the Lord, but her persistence touched even me. Her husband persecuted her all day long, and we did not dare to touch him, but this sister listened online, did homework, and wrote notes. This is wisdom from above. In earlier years, she was the manager of a badminton hall, responsible for serving balls and giving out rackets. Now she has been promoted to the principal of a school. This is such a smart choice. Her income is now higher than her husband's. Recently, she also shared with me how she trains her subordinates and helps them improve their performance step by step. I think it's great, there are not many people in the world as smart as her. There is also a sister who leads a group very carefully. Her job is to collect property fees, and she is ranked first in the industry. That is God's help. Human ability cannot do it. It is God who does it. So if anyone does not love the Lord, let that person be accursed; if anyone loves the Lord, let that person be blessed. Such people are truly clever.

Paul wrote to the Corinthians because they ran on the road of pursuing miracles and lost the greater end of the stick. Today, even if you think with your heel, you know that 10,000 is greater than 1,000, and 1,000 is greater than 100. If you don't know this, you have to go to kindergarten. People are just stupid and do not know that loving God is the greatest. The Corinthians blindly followed, now Peter, now Apollos, now Paul, and lost the love for God. As a result, they were accursed, and some were eventually written off. Some people eat the Holy Communion as if they were eating at a buffet, not love but greed, and even say that the communion wafer is so much smaller than the bread that Jesus Christ kept during the Last Supper in the Upper Room, and that it is too stingy. In fact, they are all greedy and selfish, without a love for God. If they do not die, who will?

Paul left for a short while, and many people became like this. If they do not have a love for God in their bones, they are accursed. Today, our brothers and sisters must understand that your method may be wrong, but the love for God must not be missing. Just like the method I used to establish the church was very absurd, but there was really a love for God in my bones. Thank God, He guided us step by step until we founded Chinese Mingding Destiny.

Love is the greatest. This time everyone must understand that your pain is my pain and your problem is my problem, but I can do nothing but rely on God to serve everyone. It is a love for God that has brought us to today. Many small pastors among us have also been raised up, because they imitate me. It is a love for God and many people have received grace when they come among us. I often say that everyone owes me a favour, but I do not ask for your repayment, but you must repay God and love God. You cannot be without a brain, and your brain must not grow like a heel, stiff and hard. Some people say that I speak too harshly, that I insult people without using dirty words. If you do not love God, you are accursed. Can my words be pleasant to hear?

II. Offerings Should Be Given with Love

Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside, storing it up as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come. And when I arrive, I will send those whom you accredit by letter to carry your gift to Jerusalem. If it seems advisable that I should go also, they will accompany me. (1 Corinthians 16:1-4)

This is a very miraculous thing. Paul had misgivings about the group of people in the Jerusalem church, absolutely not against individuals, but in order to prevent them from confusing the true gospel, he wanted to maintain the purity of the gospel. But Paul knew very well that this gospel came from Jerusalem, and the Jerusalem church was still a root. He still owed them a gospel debt, just like we owe people for the gospel we receive today. So he wanted to send the donation to Jerusalem, because the Jerusalem church was made so poor by Peter and James that the Christians and saints in Jerusalem were very poor. So Paul raised donations in the Gentile churches. This was a donation to be donated to the saints, not a tithe, but a donation in addition to the tithe.

Although those people were not doing very well, they also needed God's love. As a result, Paul brought the donation there and was arrested in Jerusalem. He was imprisoned in Israel for two years and in Rome for several years. That was done with a love for God. Paul certainly knew that doing so was worthwhile, not a loss. Giving offerings is not called tithing. Offerings beyond tithes are to be given with love. The Corinthians were stunned when they heard this, you Paul are very interesting. You wrote a lot to us, and you have opinions on James and Peter in Jerusalem, but how can you now donate money to Jerusalem?

Offerings are given with love, because they cannot bear to see the saints in Jerusalem living in dire straits. It is not because they are poor that they should be cursed. He has opinions on them because he wants to maintain the word of God, the pure gospel. Having a love for God is still very important. Paul understood this logic very well. So he told the people of the Corinthian church not to think that he had opinions on them. The people of the Corinthian church had even more opinions, and they began to hate the people of Jerusalem. That is not okay. They still have to give offerings with love.

What we do today is not because people are good enough that we love them, but because they are too rotten and need God's love too much. In fact, my heart is very soft, which is why I cry. Seeing people struggling, I can't help but want them to receive the benefits of this gospel with me. Some brothers and sisters deliberately came to test me, to see if I was willing to pay the price, asking what would happen if they needed me to serve them every day. As a result, they did not have time to spend. The person being served did not have time, but the person serving had time. Where can you reason with this? If you call me every day, I can definitely answer it. If you have bad habits, I will definitely correct you. For the love of God, I have to correct you. Do not come and test me.

Offerings are given with love. In fact, not just offerings, but everything you do should be done with a love for the Lord. Today, put your hand on your chest. Do you have a love for the Lord? If not, then it's bad. To describe you in one word, it's foolish. Why should people live in a curse, why should they be accursed? If this happened to me, I would have to treat it as my own. Your business is my business, your pain is my pain, but my ability is limited, what I can do is limited, so I rely on God to serve. I can do nothing but rely on God to serve, so believing in the Lord gives me abundant joy in the Lord.

I bear the pain of childbirth for many brothers and sisters again, which is no exaggeration. Some people say, isn't this asking for trouble? But I live well. Although I am tired, I am willing, all because of the love of God. Do not think that after loving God, you can go sightseeing and think that is called joy. Thank God, I do not have too many hobbies. I only have one hobby, which is to like to serve. I am not interested in other things. All cities are the same, all rural areas are similar, and I really do not think sightseeing is of much interest. Food is not of much interest either. It is just like that after eating it, and you get sick if you eat too much. I really thank God that He gave me such a disposition to love God. I do not know if it is innate or if I became smart later, but in short, I know that I must love God. I love God so much that I really do not know how to live without God.

III. Visit You with Love, and Let You Send Me Off with Love

I will visit you after passing through Macedonia, for I intend to pass through Macedonia, and perhaps I will stay with you for a while, or even spend the winter, so that you may help me on my journey, wherever I go. For I do not want to see you now just in passing. I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. (1 Corinthians 16:5-7)

Paul was not putting on an act, nor was he just passing by to take a look, and then just leaving after a quick glance. He was really concerned about the brothers and sisters of the Corinthian church. He hoped to spend some time in that place so that they could return to the truth of God again, and visit them with love. Passing by is a very annoying thing. Are you going to urinate or defecate? You must have God's love inside. The people of the Corinthian church have not grown well over the years, and they are talking nonsense all day long. Now they bring out Cephas, now they bring out Apollos, and Paul's heart is pierced with holes. Paul was concerned about the Corinthians. Although the Corinthian church was not born of him, nor was it raised by him, in Jesus, Paul obtained the most wonderful way, which is love. It is difficult for people to have joy without love, and it is also difficult to receive blessings, and that is the difference. Many people say that believing in Jesus gives eternal life, but when they get to Jesus, Jesus says He does not know you. You feel wronged, because you clearly believe in Jesus, but Jesus says that you know him, but he does not know you.

Thank God, loving God is the smartest choice. He would visit the Corinthians with love, and also ask them to send Paul off with love, which is a very close relationship. What Paul did was very miraculous, unlike some of our brothers and sisters who are very hypocritical. They say they do not want to trouble others, but that is not trouble, it is a relationship of loving each other, so Paul did this very cleverly. Paul would continue to walk and bring God's love to every place he set foot on. Let every place he set foot on be able to see God's glory and God's presence, and let the people of that land be able to receive the benefits of this gospel.

But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost. For a great and effective door has been opened to me, and there are many adversaries. (1 Corinthians 16:8-9)

Do not ever think that loving God will be without opposition; there are many who oppose loving God. But loving God can open the doors of heaven. Paul not only worried about the Corinthians but also about the Ephesians. So when he was ministering in Ephesus, God, because of the love from heaven within him, opened a large and effective door for Paul in Ephesus. This is love. Love can not only draw upon heavenly resources and treasures but also allow us to bring the power from God's throne to earth. Everyone must know that when we are filled with love from God, the gospel and sharing you do with others will be different because you are filled with love from God.

When you see people's problems, you will feel the same way they do. They will feel distressed because of their problems, and you will feel the same distress. Some worry that their little hearts cannot bear it because God is in you. When you do this, God will open a large and effective door before you. God's power, Jesus Christ's power of resurrection from the dead, will be upon you because God is love. Do not ever think that dealing with the flesh is not God's love. Many people think indulgence towards children is God's love, treating indulgence of the flesh as love. That large and effective door will not open for you, and you will find that your ministry is ineffective. If you have many pursuits and you set God aside when you pursue those things, then God will also set you aside, and that large and effective door will also be closed to you.

Everyone must know that this large and effective door has already been opened for us because I have personally seen that these little pastors among us are filled with love from God. Seeing people's problems and difficulties, because they are filled with love from God, although they feel distressed inside, they will bring these people from selfishness, pain, and despair to God's presence. I do not want to bring you to my presence because I live well without you, but I want to bring you to God's presence to receive the benefits of Jesus Christ with me. Because of this, Chinese Mingding Destiny will become a blessing to many people in this generation, and many will be released and receive grace through us. This is the most powerful aspect of Chinese Mingding Destiny, which is being filled with love from God. Do not underestimate me scolding you or often pointing out your faults, or that my words are a little unkind, but God bears witness to this.

IV. Receive Timothy with Love

Every section Paul wrote revolves around the theme of Let all that you do be done with love, which is truly earnest and sincere.

Now if Timothy comes, see that he may be with you without fear; for he does the work of the Lord, as I also do. Therefore let no one despise him. But send him on his journey in peace, that he may come to me; for I am waiting for him with the brethren. (1 Corinthians 16:10-11)

Timothy was not with Paul, and Paul wanted to write to Timothy to have him go to Corinth to minister to the people there. Although Timothy was a little weak inside, he had a heart for God in his bones, and he followed the same path as Paul. Timothy's speech was a bit weak, and when he spoke, it was as if he was inviting people to bully him, unlike Paul, whose speech was fierce, and even the words he wrote in letters were harsh enough. Timothy's speech was a bit like a Cantonese speaker speaking Mandarin, not as forceful as my speech.

The scripture mentions that when Timothy comes to Corinth, the Corinthians should take heed because these Corinthians did not have the love of God. If there was love from God, Corinth would not have fallen into such a corrupt state, so Paul instructed the Corinthians to take heed and let Timothy be with them without fear. Because without love, people will have a very wicked energy that takes pleasure in bullying others. Why is there bullying in schools? It is because many children are happy to bully others; that is their entertainment, and they bully the weak when they encounter them.

If a church does not have the love of God, you will see many wicked things in the church after you arrive. Some time ago, a sister said that she had once received a pastor at her home, and the pastor rummaged through her house looking for valuable things. I told her never to receive such people into her home again. This sister said that she would not let such a thing happen again, and she had already learned a lesson from that experience. Do not receive me into your home either. I will not go to your house, nor do I want to rummage through your house for valuable things. If Timothy encountered such people, would he be taken to brand stores to help them buy this and that? The Timothy whom Paul trained should still only know how to love and not be strong and still be a bit weak.

Thank God, we must have wisdom and understanding and, at the same time, have love from God, Amen? If everyone can love God more because of my sharing, receive more blessings and grace from God, and be raised up by God to minister to those in need, then I will be content before God. This generation needs people who minister like Paul so much. I wish that the brothers and sisters among us could be raised up to become the Jesus of this generation, the Paul of this generation, the Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph of this generation, both prosperous and able to bless others. When the angels in heaven hear that we have such a heart, they will applaud and praise us. Receiving people like Timothy will definitely not result in Timothy rummaging through their house for valuable things.

V. Act Like Men, Be Strong in Love

Those who love God will have a broad mind. Without love from God in them, they will have a narrow mind, will cause disputes, and will not be able to act like men.

Now concerning our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to come to you with the brethren, but he was quite unwilling to come at this time; however, he will come when he has a convenient opportunity. (1 Corinthians 16:12)

Did everyone read what Apollos did in Corinth? He led everyone in Bible study and became the prince of Bible study. Some people are called the prince of computers; he is not the prince of renovation or the prince of computers but the prince of Bible study, explaining the Bible from beginning to end with scripture interpreting scripture very well for the Corinthians. But after Cephas Peter arrived in Corinth, many people ran to Peter's side because he was a great disciple and apostle who had followed Jesus. Then Apollos felt hurt because he was too narrow-minded. Later, there was a group of people in Corinth who belonged to Apollos, as well as those who belonged to Peter and Paul. The wound Apollos received in Corinth was not a gunshot wound but a sword wound because he had never competed with others in the Mount Hua Sword Competition due to his narrow mind.

Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. (1 Corinthians 16:13)

Do not be like Apollos, although I said this, the implication is not to engage in these trivial, scheming matters because they are useless. You must be watchful and stand firm in the truth of love. Paul advised Apollos to go to Corinth to remove the divisions between him and the brothers and sisters. Among us, there are also those who are so narrow-minded like a peanut, unable to accommodate anything. Paul was not judging that Apollos did not have the love of God but advised him to go to Corinth, but Apollos did not go. There will always be an opportunity to make a break with those who cause chaos, not a Mount Hua Sword Competition, a break to determine the number one in the world, but a break in the love of Jesus Christ. Paul was so great that he not only tolerated people like Apollos but also tolerated Peter and James. Although he could not tolerate things in the truth, in the love of God, he tolerated everyone. Thank God, this is the example we follow.

Brothers and sisters, be strong, be men, let your hearts be filled with the love of God so that we can all tolerate people's weaknesses. No one is without weakness, yet no matter how weak people are, we do not judge them but minister to them. This is Paul's gospel, and it is also the most powerful aspect of Chinese Mingding Destiny. No matter how weak you are, as long as you are willing to walk with us, you are the people we want to minister to. As long as you are willing to be ministered to by us, we will minister to you. Blessed are those who minister to God and those in need in the love of Jesus Christ because their hearts are like those of men, with a strength in their bones, and they can stand firm in the truth. Love is the most excellent way. If you have such a heart, you are a man, a strong person. No matter how others wrong you, you still love them with love from God.

VI. Respect the Household of Stephanas

I urge you, brethren—you know the household of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the ministry of the saints—that you also submit to such, and to everyone who works and labors with us. I am glad about the coming of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, for what was lacking on your part they supplied. For they refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore acknowledge such men. (1 Corinthians 16:15-18)

Respect means that you should emulate them. There is something very magical in this world, which is that even those corrupt officials think that those who never engage in corruption are very amazing. Those who cannot live out the love of God also feel that people like Paul are truly amazing. Similarly, they also feel that the household of Stephanas is very amazing, and Paul specially reminded them that the household of Stephanas was from their place. As a result, the household of Stephanas, along with Fortunatus and Achaicus, all came to Paul, narrating the situation of the Corinthian church to Paul, not reporting on them to Paul. These people all minister to the saints, and they have dedicated their lives to God. Because of this, Paul was very happy because the Corinthians really owed Paul, causing Paul great sadness.

But Paul did not care about this debt. Instead, these few people, Stephanas, made up for the Corinthians' debt, which was the lack of love for God. Paul did not need them, but he really needed these people to have a heart that loved God. If I say you owe me a favor, it is not that I want you to repay the favor but that I want you to have more love for God. Some people come to me from afar to say that they want to treat me to Din Tai Fung. I do not lack Din Tai Fung dumplings; and even ginseng fruit and peaches, I do not lack. What I lack is the brothers and sisters' heart to serve God and love God, which is seeing the needs of the brothers and sisters and having a response.

A person who indulges in eating, drinking, and having fun cannot serve God because once he indulges in enjoyment, he has no heart to love God. Such people should love the world more and get a little more curse. When the curse ferments and bears fruit, they can slowly eat it. As for us, we do not have much interest in eating, drinking, and having fun. Anyone who likes eating, drinking, and having fun does not need to be a pastor here, nor can they be one. They can go to Morocco, Japan, or Spain, but what we seek is to share in the benefits of this gospel with the brothers and sisters because the brothers and sisters are severely suppressed by the devil in the spiritual world.

The scripture says that they have devoted themselves to the ministry of the saints. Such people, and all who work and labor with us, you should respect, you should emulate, and you should honor them. These people are truly high-end and joyful, and the path they walk is full of God's glory. In the end, we brothers and sisters who love God will stand together before God to receive rewards, which will be such a beautiful scene. When we stand together, with the Lord Jesus standing in the center position, and we take a photo together, that will be extremely wonderful.

VII. Greet One Another with a Holy Kiss

The churches in Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house. All the brethren greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. (1 Corinthians 16:19-20)

Love in Jesus Christ is called holiness, not being greasy, partnering to do business, making money, or attracting money; showing all your abilities, which is also known as the legendary money-attracting magic. Be holy. I want to advise those among us who are lazy to do legitimate things, not to partner in the micro-business industry, with the pastor being the head of the micro-business, leading a group of micro-business general agents and various levels of managers. Nor should we all play Ponzi schemes, and in the end, just be surnamed Ponzi, all belonging to the old Ponzi family, which is chaotic.

Today, we must be holy in Jesus Christ and greet one another. We bear the same yoke, run the same path, and have the same vision and the same dream. We have seen through the things of the world, and the things of the world can no longer entangle us. Looking to the Lord Jesus, may we receive glorious praise before Him on the day of His glorious coming. Amen! We have now finished speaking about the entire Book of 1 Corinthians. Loving God is incomparably good, Amen!
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