Our Plans & God’s Will

“Our Plans and God’s Will”
(1 Corinthians 16:5-12)
Series: Chaos & Correction (1 Corinthians)

Rev. Todd A. Linn, PhD

Henderson’s First Baptist Church, Henderson

•I invite you to take your Bibles and join me in 1 Corinthians, chapter 16 (page 776: YV).

We thank the folks who are praying for us this morning, praying in our prayer room right over here through the door.

As we turn to 1 Corinthians 16, we are reminded that the Apostle Paul is bringing his letter to a close. The body of the letter has ended and now Paul is concluding his letter as he does in most of his letters, sharing a bit about his travel plans and offering a few personal remarks. And at the first reading or two, it may be tempting to just skip over this kind of information as it may seem not as pertinent as everything else Paul has been teaching in the letter.

But of course we are reminded as the Bible says in 2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable…” All Scripture is profitable, even the parts of Scripture contained in the concluding section of a letter. One of the main teachings in this part of the letter we will read this morning is what the Bible teaches about our plans and God’s will. Listen for that as I read the passage: our plans and God’s will.

•Please stand in honor of the reading of God’s Word.

5 Now I will come to you when I pass through Macedonia (for I am passing through Macedonia).
6 And it may be that I will remain, or even spend the winter with you, that you may send me on my journey, wherever I go.
7 For I do not wish to see you now on the way; but I hope to stay a while with you, if the Lord permits.
8 But I will tarry in Ephesus until Pentecost.
9 For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.
10 And if Timothy comes, see that he may be with you without fear; for he does the work of the Lord, as I also do.
11 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.
12 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 time.

•Pray.

Introduction:

Those of you who have been attending regularly in our evening service know that for several weeks now we have been studying about how to be an “Everyday Evangelist.” We have been endeavoring to think more evangelistically during our daily routines. One helpful resource we have provided is a little handout entitled, “59 Ideas for Sharing Christ’s Love.” And this handout suggests practical things such as writing notes of encouragement and inviting friends to worship.

The very first idea for sharing Christ is to, “List all the lost people you know and pray for them daily. Ask God for His power and compassion.” And then, the suggestion says this: “Ask God to keep the lost people you know alive until you or someone can get the gospel to them.”

Ask God to keep the lost people you know alive until you are someone can get the gospel to them. That is a reminder that none of us knows when we will take our last breath. None of us knows the exact moment our hearts will stop beating. We may feel we have a sense of about how much time we have on this earth. We may study health charts and lifespans and consider the odds and so forth, but ultimately no one knows what will happen on any given day.

Many of us teach our children the simple nightly prayer to pray at the bedside: “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep, guide me Jesus through the night, and wake me with the morning light.”

It used to be more acceptable to teach the prayer I remember learning when I was small: “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep, and if I die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.”

Death is a reality and so we are especially grateful for the saving message of the Gospel. We thank God for the previous chapter of our study in 1 Corinthians; Chapter 15 and the glorious truths about the final state of glorification, eternal life and a new body!

For this reason no Christian should fear death. Christ has absorbed the sting of death and reigns victorious over death: O Death, where is your victory? O Death, where is your sting?”

And yet the uncertainty of death’s moment is a healthy reminder that ultimately God reigns sovereignly over all the events of our lives. God determines our steps. He does so in a way that does not impinge upon our free choices—including our responsibility for having made them—but He is in absolute control of absolutely everything.

This is why the Apostle Paul, in sharing his travel plans here in this passage, appends the careful little caveat at the end of verse 7, “if the Lord permits.” That little phrase is so helpful, so necessary. “If the Lord permits.”

So as I read over this passage and studied this text, that phrase guided much of my thinking: “If the Lord permits.” How do our plans accord with God’s will? Do we consider God’s will in our plans?

I’ve often said that 75% of God’s will for our lives is contained in God’s Word, the Bible. And I think this little passage has much to teach us about God’s will in our lives. Note with me three main truths. First:

I. God’s will involves Submission (5-7)

That is, submission on our part. We gladly submit our plans to the will of God.

I say gladly submit because if we get our theology right, we know that God is always good and always does what is right. That doesn’t mean that we’ll always understand God’s ways, but we know we can trust God’s will. He always does what is right.

So knowing that God works—Ephesians 1:11— He works, “all things according to the counsel of His will,” we gladly submit to the God who works all things perfectly for His glory and for our good.

So in verses 5-7, Paul says, “Here are my plans, but God can change my plans.” Paul submits his will to the will of God. Look at it again beginning in verse 5:

Paul will be making his way from Ephesus to Corinth. He will be passing through Macedonia. And he says in verse 6, “And it may be that I will remain, or even spend the winter with you, that you may send me on my journey, wherever I go.”

So Paul plans to visit the Corinthian church. He’s making plans to see them and he hopes to spend the winter with them, after which the church will send him on his way with more missional resources and even funds as he travels to the next place. Paul was a church planting machine, always endeavoring to share the Gospel in places where it had not yet been heard.

At the same time, however, Paul was interested in not merely getting a church started, getting folks saved, but also in seeing that the church thrives, seeing Christians mature, helping them grow spiritually. That is clear in the way he writes the first part of verse 7:

7 For I do not wish to see you now on the way; but I hope to stay a while with you…

Paul says, “I don’t wish to merely stop by,” you know just a hurried visit, the way we sort of stop by someone’s home and leave the car running as we go to the front door. “I can’t stay long, my family’s in the car. I just came by to say hello.” There’s much good in a quick visit to be sure, and there are times when we will make those visits. And yet a quick visit cannot be a deeply meaningful visit. Quality time involves quantity time.

I remember one evening visiting a dear member in my former church. He was in and out of the hospital on numerous occasions in the latter years of his life. I would visit him a good bit, driving to the hospital there in Louisville and seeing him whenever I had opportunity. And he was always grateful for the visits. And one time when I was pressed for time, needing to finish some business or other he said, “Come back when you can stay awhile.” I’ve always remembered that request, “Come back when you can stay awhile.”

Paul hopes for a meaningful visit. He hopes to “come back when he can stay awhile.” And of course we see in this desire of Paul’s a deep love and affection for the Corinthian believers. He is interested in their spiritual well-being, how they are getting along, how they are growing in the Lord.

This letter we have been studying demonstrates that the Corinthians needed to grow a good bit. There were divisions and there was discord. The church ignored matters of church discipline and many were abusing their spiritual gifts. Many focused on themselves instead of focusing on their brothers and sisters. Positive change can take time in a church and Paul recognizes the need for sustained patience and love and the importance of persevering in the things of God.

In his helpful commentary, Craig Blomberg writes:

Ours is an age in which the average length of a pastorate is shrinking rather than growing, and in which youth pastors have a short average stay in ministering to an age group that needs long-term modeling the most. Surely we need to recover an emphasis on “hanging in there” in ministry with the same group of fellow believers, through thick and thin and over the long haul. Similarly, church members must resist the inclination to “church hop” when things get tough and should recommit themselves to staying and working in difficult situations for positive resolutions of problems.

This was Paul’s desire, true discipleship. So he says, “Look, when I come I don’t want to come and leave the engine running. I want to stay awhile and grow together with you.” Evangelism includes discipleship. We don’t merely lead people to the Lord. We stay with them and teach them and mentor them and grow them in and through the local church.

So Paul hopes to stay awhile with the Corinthians. But again note: God’s will involves submission. Paul doesn’t know for certain that he will see them. Again, verse 7:

7 For I do not wish to see you now on the way; but I hope to stay a while with you, if the Lord permits.

Paul knows that God can change his plans. God can change our plans. Why don’t you say that right now, say, “God can change my plans.” God can change my plans.

And that’s okay, because he has information we do not have. He knows things we don’t know. That’s why many of us thought we wanted one thing and we asked God for it over and over again, and we’re like, “Man, God isn’t hearing my prayers.” And then later on you realize what would have happened to you if God had given you what you asked for and you’re like, “Thank You, God, for keeping me from that!! Thank you so much for saving me that trouble!!”

God can change my plans so I will submit my will to His will.

Hear the warning of James in James 4:13-15:

13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”;
14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”

If the Lord wills, we shall live. James 4:15, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”

As you plan your week, as you plan your future, remember that God can change your plans so you must submit your will to His will. And that’s okay because He knows what is best for you. Trust Him with your future and you cannot go wrong. Genesis 18:25 teaches that the Judge of all the earth always does what is right.

Don’t get frustrated when you can’t see His hand. Remember when you can’t trace God’s hand, you can trust God’s heart. He knows what He is doing. Be at peace using this phrase, “If the Lord permits.” If the Lord permits.

Listen to Ray Stedman:

The Lord may interject illnesses, accidents, a change of plan, a sudden catastrophe, a sudden demand upon you, and there must be some readiness to acknowledge that you are under authority. This is what the apostle makes very clear. He is not a robot being told to go here, and go there. He is an agent free to make plans, and he does so, but he also recognizes that God has the right to check the square that says ‘none of the above,’ and send him in a different direction.

So God’s will involves submission. The next two truths are much shorter. Number two:

II. God’s will invites Opposition (8-9)

Here is a reminder that God’s will often involves difficulty and even persecution. It is a lie that Christians will never suffer tribulation.

Jesus says in John 16:33, “In this world you will have tribulation.” It’s a guarantee. Life in this fallen world means times of tribulation. But Jesus adds, “But be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Praise God.

But God’s will often includes—indeed even invites—opposition. The Gospel itself invites opposition. The Gospel rebukes man for his pride, breaking him down, humbling him to repent of his self-righteousness.

God’s will often invites opposition. Look at verses 8 and 9:

8 But I will tarry in Ephesus until Pentecost.
9 For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

Verse 9 is really interesting. Paul says two things there: 1) a great and effective door has opened to me—that is, the door is wide open to effective gospel sharing. And, Paul says number 2) and there are many adversaries.

An open door and opposition often go hand-in-hand. An open door for the Gospel and opposition to the Gospel usually go together. You know this is true nearly every time you attempt to share Christ. The door is open and you begin to share and then opposition comes. Someone else comes up and derails the conversation or the phone rings or something like that. Always remember that spiritual warfare takes on many forms. Satan’s modus operandi, his “m.o.” is to oppose the Gospel.

So God’s will often invites opposition. It’s important to really get that point, because we may wrongly conclude that persecution or opposition means we’re not doing something right or that God has abandoned us. No, God’s will often includes opposition and at times invites opposition.

And I like the fact that Paul is in no way deterred by this opposition. The sense of verses 8 and 9 together is like this, “Before I come to see you, I’m going to spend awhile here in Ephesus. I’m going to wait until Pentecost and here’s why I’m in no big hurry to come right now: because a great and effective door has opened to me, and—and here’s another reason I need to stick around: there are many who oppose me.”

Now I don’t think this means the Apostle Paul particularly liked opposition and persecution! But I do think that we see the depth of his faith here in the will of God. He knows it’s not unusual for Christians to encounter opposition and suffer persecution.

God’s will includes submission and invites opposition. Thirdly, this passage teaches us that:

III. God’s will includes Cooperation (10-12)

In the last three verses of our passage—verses 10-12—we see how God works out His will through a variety of people and personalities. Verse 10:

10 And if Timothy comes, see that he may be with you without fear; for he does the work of the Lord, as I also do.

The word “if” there in verse 10 is a conjunction better translated, “When.” Most of the translations put it that way because Timothy is, in fact, coming. So Paul says, “When Timothy comes, here’s how to receive him.”

“See that he may be with you without fear,” Paul says, “For he does the work of the Lord, as I also do.” Paul says, “He’s the same as I.” We work together. Timothy and Paul and all the Corinthians. Paul continues in verse 11 about Timothy:

11 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.

And the idea is that Timothy is coming. He too will stay awhile. When he does, receive him by encouraging him. Then, “send him on his journey,” a phrase that includes the giving of supplies and funds to Timothy as he embarks on the next missionary journey.

There’s something about Timothy that might cause the Corinthians to sort of look down their noses upon him. We know from Paul’s personal letters to Timothy that he comes across as something of a quiet, unassuming minister. Paul writes to him in:

1 Timothy 4:12, “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”
2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

So Paul tells the Corinthians, “Receive Timothy as you would receive me.” And Paul calls attention to the greatest evidence of Timothy’s capabilities in verse 10 where he says, “for he does the work of the Lord, as I also do.” He does the work of the Lord.

Paul doesn’t say, “Timothy’s coming so let me give you his successful resume now. He’s a gifted speaker, a great orator, a charismatic visionary leader.” He says, “When Timothy comes, encourage him. He has a tendency to be a bit timid at times, but he does the work of the Lord, as I also do.”

God uses a variety of people from a variety of backgrounds with a variety of personalities to build His church. It’s like Paul said earlier in the letter, 1 Corinthians 3, “one plants, another waters, but God gives the increase (cf 1 Corinthians 3:6).”

12 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 time.

We really don’t know what all is going on here except what we read in verse 12. Apollos, about whom we read in those earlier chapters (see 1 Corinthians 1:12 ; 1 Corinthians 3:4, and 1 Corinthians 4:6 ), was urged by Paul to visit the Corinthians, but he was unwilling to do so.

In fact, Paul says, “He was quite unwilling to come at this time.” So Paul is like, “Apollos, you need to go,” and Apollos is like, “No, now is not the time.” So Paul adds, “However, he will come when he has a convenient time.”

So there is this cooperative spirit among the Apostle Paul, Apollos, Timothy, and the Corinthians. God uses a variety of people from a variety of backgrounds and a variety of personalities to build His church.

And we see the Lord’s will here again in this verse. The phrase in verse 12, “He was quite unwilling” in the original is more literally, “It was not entirely the will.” So it may be we should read verse 12 with reference to God’s will, but then, Apollos and Paul both understood how their will accorded with God’s will.

Our Plans and God’s Will. God’s will involves submission. God’s will invites opposition. And God’s will includes cooperation.

Conclusion:

Some time ago I heard a tragic story about a very old man who was on his deathbed in the hospital. The old man was not a believer and was expected to die in just a couple of days. A young minister had been summoned to go and visit him. So the young minister in his mid-20s drove to the hospital one evening and witnessed to the man who was in his 90s. And the young minister warned the old man that he could well slip into eternal hell at any moment and pressed him to repent and receive Christ as his Lord and Savior. The old man’s heart became soft as the Holy Spirit had been working on him. And he gladly received the good news of the Gospel, repented of his sin, gave His heart to Jesus Christ, and was gloriously saved. The young minister prayed with the old man before leaving, thanking God for the opportunity to visit the old man before his certain death to come in just a day or two. And that evening the young man pulled away from that hospital to head home.

So here was a man in his 90s expected to die in 1 to 2 days and here was a young man in his mid-20s with his whole life before him. And on the way home that evening, the young minister was struck by another vehicle and died tragically. And that old man in his 90s expected to die in a day or two, recovered from his illness and went on living a few more years.

Who knows the ways of God? Who knows how many more days any of us really has? Whatever our plans, God has the right and the authority to alter them in an instant. What then, could be more important, than living for Him and submitting to Him?

•Let’s pray.

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