1 Corinthians 16:1-4 (NIV)
Now about the collection for the Lord’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. 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. Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem. If it seems advisable for me to go also, they will accompany me.
Paul shows his skills here both as an organizer and as an encourager. The subject here is an offering that he is gathering among the Churches in Europe and Asia to support Christians in Jerusalem and vicinity (Acts 24:17). Paul’s plan was to head back to Jerusalem soon, stopping by all the Churches he had planted along the way, and for those Churches to contribute generously to this cause.
Paul was much more interested in receiving gifts freely given from generous hearts than in trying to coerce giving through guilt and pressure when he arrived. The Corinthians had committed to giving to this need and had already made an initial contribution, promising to give more when Paul returned (2 Corinthians 8:10-11). The time was drawing near for Paul’s return visit, and he wanted them to have their promised generous gift ready so that no coercion would be needed.
Paul’s recommendation is very simple. On the first day of each week, the traditional gathering day for the Christians, each should set aside a portion of their increase over the previous week, sort of an additional tithe. That way, when Paul arrived, no special offerings would need to be taken; he would simply receive the large amount that had been amassed week by week, a little at a time.
The final step would be for the Church to choose trustworthy men to take the large offering to those in Jerusalem. Paul would either provide these men with letters of introduction to speed their journey, or he would go along with them himself.
Paul was not twisting arms here at all. As mentioned above, the Corinthian Christians had volunteered to give generously to the need in Jerusalem. Here he is simply giving them a method that would enable them to fulfill the promise they had made.
Father, Paul was wise enough to know that promises made on the spur of the moment could be quickly forgotten. But this promise was not only important to the Christians in Jerusalem, it was a promise that the Corinthian Christians had made to You. So, it was vital that it be kept. As noted, Paul wasn’t strong arming the Corinthians, or pressuring them emotionally. He was simply providing them a simple method to help them to keep the promise they had made to You. Help us to be as diligent in not only keeping our own promises we have made to You, but also in encouraging others to do the same. Amen.