Help Me in Helps Text: I Corinthians 12:25-31
25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. 28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.
In vs. 28 the greek definition for the word ’helps’ is rendering practical aid and support.
We are to care for one another, but also we are to suffer with one another as one suffers as well as rejoice with one another when one rejoices! We are the body of Christ; but members individually. Now God appointed different individuals to work His works in different ways. Some apostles, other’s prophets, also teachers, some to have miracles, other’s healings, other’s helps, other’s administrations, some tongues and some to interpret. We all have gifting!
In Matthew 20:28...the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.
Do we fully understand our gifting? Properly not. Are you born fully gifted? No, it’s something we learn by studying and doing!
Look at Exodus 17: 8-13 Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. 9 And Moses said to Joshua, “Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.” 10 So Joshua did as Moses said to him, and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses’ hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. 13 So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
Moses needed help, and two men made a decision to help. They didn’t wait until they felt lead they just saw the need and helped. (There are always so many needs!)
I think you would agree with me in saying that all gifts need each other, and especially the gift of helps!
The gift of helps points everyone in the right direction! One could have the gift of miracles, but without helps the person needing a miracle might not be found in a crowd for prayer.
There are 5 basic levels of Spiritual authority in the local church. #1. Submission unto Christ. #2. Submission unto your local pastor; the shepherd God placed there. #3. To department heads and all delegated authority. #4. Unto the body of Christ. #5. Finally, submit to yourselves!
The ministry of helps is vital in the church because he or she gets everyone else in position.
The ministry of helps gets the sound ready, plays songs before service to invite God’s presence in, gets the air or heat on and off, turns on and off the lights, directs a crowd, helps with prayer at the altar, brings water, catches people, ushers take up offerings, park cars, they will fix something when it goes wrong, fill the water for baptisms, serve communion, directing traffic, helps a mom with a crying baby, shows new families where to take their children for Sunday school, keeps the tithe envelops filled inside each pew,Opens front door of the church at the close of the service, gets first aide kit when needed, has cough drops, lost and found, over giving out welcome packets, welcoming all new comers, gives out handkerchiefs when needed, stops any confusion, fights, loud shouting, or talking while service is held, remembering first names and so much more!
Nothing will really work right or orderly with out the ministry of helps!
The ministry of helps is to be like a lamp, salt, and a city set on a hill!( These Illustrutions are found in Matthew 5 where Jesus speaks about being like salt, light and a light set on a hill.)
Matthew 14:13-21When Jesus heard it; He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself. But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities. 14 And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. 15 When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food.” 16 But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” 17 And they said to Him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.” 18 He said, “Bring them here to Me.” 19 Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes. 20 So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained. 21 Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
Did Jesus get all this done on His own? Thinking about Matthew 14:13-21- How did the ministry of helps operate in this situation?
5,000 thousand men besides women and children! Do you think Jesus needed help?
What would have happened if there had been no ministry of helps? (There would have been no miracle- at least not in the numbers we read about here!)
Every person in this building can be involved in some way in the ministry of helps! Who has been praying about or thinking about taking a post?
H-having
E-enough
L-loving
p-people
S-serving others
A Sad Story that can be changed:
Once upon a time, there was a church staff looking for volunteers to teach preschoolers, children and youth. Some adults said, " I don’t want to leave the sweet fellowship and study in my adult class." But the drug pusher on the street said, "Not even the threat of jail will keep me from working with your children."
Some adults said, " I could never give the time required to plan and to go to teachers’ meetings." But the pusher, the porno dealer, and the movie producer said, " We will stay open whatever hours are necessary each and everyday to win the minds of your children."
Some adults said, " I’m unsuited, untrained, unable to work with pre-school children, or with the youth." But the movie producer said, " We’ll study, servey and spend millions to produce whatever turns kids on"
So...the adults stayed in their classes and enjoyed the sweet fellowship and absorbed the good Bible study. They could go out of town often on the weekends and were often unavailable to do what was good on Wednesday or Sundays.
When Sunday came, the children went to their classes, and no one was there except the weary staff going from one room to another trying to assure them that someone would surely come to teach them some Sunday soon. But no one ever came. The young children soon quit coming, and were instead listening to those who had special interests in the things they did and instilled into their minds that which would bring them into bondage to the lifestyle they promoted.
Yes, it is a sad story, but without the ministry of helps this is exactly what is happening to thousands of churches that are closing their doors forever because they missed a whole genration of souls!
