The Lord's Day and the Lord's Treasury Text: 1 Corinthians 16:1-4
Introduction: Gospel Economics
We come now to the end of this magnificent letter, and as is Paul's custom, he moves from the glorious heights of doctrine, in this case the resurrection, to the nuts and bolts of Christian living. And what is the very first topic he addresses after establishing the certainty of Christ's victory over the grave? Money. Specifically, the collection for the saints. This is not an awkward transition. This is not Paul shifting gears from the spiritual to the mundane. For the apostle, there is no such division. Our doctrine determines our practice, and our view of the empty tomb will directly affect our view of our full wallets. If Christ is not raised, our faith is futile, we are still in our sins, and we might as well eat and drink for tomorrow we die. But because Christ is raised, everything changes. Death has lost its sting, the future is secure, and our labor in the Lord is not in vain. This includes our financial labor. Our money is either resurrection money or it is dead money.
The modern church is often embarrassed to talk about money. We get squeamish. We either treat it like a necessary but distasteful evil required to keep the lights on, or we fall into the opposite ditch of the prosperity charlatans who treat God like a cosmic slot machine. Both are profound errors because both misunderstand the nature of God's economy. God's economy is not like man's economy. Man's economy is based on scarcity, fear, and self preservation. God's economy is based on resurrection abundance, faith, and self-giving love. It is an economy of grace.
In these four short verses, Paul lays out for us a theology of giving that is deeply practical, profoundly theological, and entirely centered on the life of the covenant community. He shows us that our giving is not a random act of kindness, but a structured, weekly act of worship. It is not a bill we pay, but a tribute we bring. It is not a response to a crisis, but the regular rhythm of a grateful heart. This collection for the saints in Jerusalem was more than just poor relief; it was a visible demonstration of the unity between Jew and Gentile in the body of Christ. It was a financial sermon, preaching that the middle wall of partition had been broken down not just in theory, but in the checkbook.
So let us not shy away from this. Let us see that how we handle our money is a direct reflection of what we believe about God, His Son, His church, and His world. This is not about fundraising. This is about discipleship.
The Text
Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also. On the first day of every week each one of you is to set something aside, saving whatever he has prospered, so that no collections be made when I come. And when I arrive, whomever you may approve, I will send them with letters to carry your gracious gift to Jerusalem, and if it is fitting for me to go also, they will go with me.
(1 Corinthians 16:1-4 LSB)
A Universal and Orderly Practice (v. 1)
We begin with the apostle's directive in verse 1:
"Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also." (1 Corinthians 16:1)
Paul begins with "Now concerning," which indicates he is answering a question the Corinthians had asked him. They were not in the dark about this; they were participants in a wider, apostolic plan. Notice the first thing he does is universalize the practice. This isn't a special request for the Corinthians because they were a wealthy port city. This is the same instruction he gave to the churches in Galatia. This is simply what churches do. Christian generosity is not a boutique option for the spiritually elite; it is standard operating procedure for all who name the name of Christ.
The collection is "for the saints." This is a crucial point. The primary financial responsibility of the church is for the household of faith. As Paul says elsewhere, "So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith" (Gal. 6:10). This does not mean we are callous to the needs of the world. Individual Christians should be the most generous people on the planet to all their neighbors. But the corporate treasury of the church, the collected offerings of the saints, has a specific, covenantal purpose. It is family money. This particular collection was for the suffering church in Jerusalem, the mother church, which was facing famine and persecution. It was a tangible way for the Gentile branches to honor and support the Jewish root from which they grew.
And this is not a suggestion. The word "directed" is a command. Paul is exercising his apostolic authority. The life of the church is not a free-for-all. It is to be ordered, structured, and obedient to the Word of God delivered through His apostles. This includes the financial life of the church. How we give is not a matter of personal preference any more than what we believe about the Trinity is. It is a matter of obedience.
The Liturgy of Giving (v. 2)
Verse 2 is packed with practical theology. It tells us when, who, and how we are to give.
"On the first day of every week each one of you is to set something aside, saving whatever he has prospered, so that no collections be made when I come." (1 Corinthians 16:2)
First, the timing: "On the first day of every week." This is monumental. The Jewish Sabbath was the seventh day, a memorial of the old creation. But here, just a few decades after the resurrection, the central rhythm of the church's life has already shifted to the first day of the week. Why? Because this is the Lord's Day, the day Christ rose from the dead, inaugurating the new creation. Our week does not end with a Sabbath rest; it begins from it. We work out of our rest in the finished work of Christ. The Lord's Day is the anchor of our week, and our giving is an integral part of our Lord's Day worship. It is a central act of covenant renewal. We gather on Sunday not just to hear a sermon and sing some songs, but to present ourselves, and our substance, to our risen King.
Second, the participants: "each one of you." Giving is not just for the rich. It is for every single member of the covenant community. The widow with her two mites was praised by Jesus not for the amount she gave, but because she gave all that she had. This principle ensures that everyone has the dignity of participating in the work of the kingdom. No one is a mere recipient; everyone is a contributor. This demolishes any class distinctions within the church. On the first day of the week, before the Lord, every man stands on level ground with his offering in his hand.
Third, the method: "is to set something aside, saving whatever he has prospered." This is proportional giving. It is not a flat tax. It is not even the Old Testament tithe, which was a more complex system of multiple tithes that functioned as their income tax, welfare system, and festival fund. The principle here is simple: as God has prospered you, so you should give. If you have a lean week, you give from a little. If you have a bountiful week, you give from your abundance. This requires forethought. It is not an impulsive grab for whatever is in your pocket when the plate comes by. It is a planned, deliberate, weekly setting aside of the Lord's portion from the top. It is the "firstfruits" principle. We honor God first, before we pay our bills or spend on ourselves, acknowledging that He is the source of all our prosperity.
The goal is that "no collections be made when I come." Paul didn't want to show up and have to pass the hat in a high-pressure fundraising campaign. He wanted the giving to be the regular, joyful, and systematic worship of the people, so that when the need arose, the resources were already there, gathered in the Lord's treasury. This is fiscal sanity. Faithful, weekly giving is what builds a healthy church treasury, enabling the deacons to do their work of mercy and ministry without panic.
Accountability and Fellowship (v. 3-4)
Finally, Paul addresses the practical matters of transporting the gift, and in doing so, he teaches us about accountability and fellowship.
"And when I arrive, whomever you may approve, I will send them with letters to carry your gracious gift to Jerusalem, and if it is fitting for me to go also, they will go with me." (1 Corinthians 16:3-4)
Notice the accountability structure. Paul does not say, "Just give the money to me, and I'll take care of it." No, he says, "whomever you may approve." The congregation was to select their own trusted representatives to travel with the gift. Paul would then accredit them with letters of introduction. This is financial transparency. The people who gave the money had a say in how it was handled and delivered. This builds trust and protects the ministers of the gospel from any hint of scandal. We should have the same standards of accountability in the church today.
The gift is called a "gracious gift." The Greek word is charis, the same word for grace. Our giving is a response to God's grace. We give because we have been given to. And our giving becomes a means of grace to others. This is the gospel economy in action. Grace received results in grace given, which is then received by others as grace. It is a beautiful, self-perpetuating cycle of generosity.
Paul even says that if it is fitting, he will go with their representatives. This was not just about sending a check. It was about sending people. The gift was an embodiment of their fellowship. By sending their own men, the Corinthian church was personally present in Jerusalem. It cemented the bond of love and unity between these disparate parts of the body of Christ. Our giving should do the same. It should connect us to the missionaries we support and the saints we help. It is not an impersonal transaction; it is a vital expression of our oneness in Christ.
Conclusion: The Resurrection and Your Wallet
So what does this mean for us? It means that our financial lives are to be brought under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. And the central, organizing principle for this is the Lord's Day. Your week should be oriented around the worship of the Triune God, and your budget should be oriented around your worship.
The first day of the week is when we celebrate the resurrection, the ultimate victory of God's economy of grace over the world's economy of death. And so, on that day, we bring our tribute. We bring a proportion of what God has given us as a tangible declaration that He is our King and we are His loyal subjects. We are not our own; we have been bought with a price. Our money is not our own; it is a tool for the advancement of His kingdom.
This is not a burden; it is a glorious liberty. When you give first to the Lord, you are dethroning mammon from your heart. You are declaring your independence from the fear and anxiety that drives the world's financial systems. You are saying, "My trust is not in my 401k, but in the God who raised Jesus from the dead." This is what it means to live a resurrection-shaped life.
Therefore, let us not be haphazard in our giving. Let us be systematic. Let us be proportional. Let us be cheerful. And let us do it every Lord's Day, as a central act of our worship. Let us bring our tithes and offerings into the storehouse, so that there may be food in God's house. And let us see if He will not open the windows of heaven and pour out for us a blessing until there is no more need. Not because we have manipulated Him, but because we have joyfully obeyed Him, and He is a Father who loves to give good gifts to His children.