For the Common Good Pt. 10

Good afternoon Church! How many married people this morning? Any of you have issues with communication / Ex. remembering things / Sandra Zaiter

In my case, I love my wife deeply. I’ve been incredibly blessed with a beautiful woman of God, and I genuinely cannot picture my life without her. But one of the dynamics of my wife—and maybe she would tell you this herself—is that she can be forgetful.

There have been many times when I’ll say, “Hey babe, can you do X, Y, or Z?” For example, “Hey babe, I’ve got a shirt and one button came off—can you please take this shirt to Gloria to see if she can fix it for me?”

And what happens? I’ll come home later that day, go in the house and I see the shirt is still hanging there. So I ask, “Did you take the shirt to Gloria?” And she’ll say, “Oh… I’m sorry babe, I forgot.”

So over time, because I know she’s prone to forget, I’ve learned to repeat myself. I’ll say it the day before. “Hey can you please take this shirt to Gloria to see if she can fix it for me?” Then in the morning I’ll say, “Hey, don’t forget to take the shirt to Gloria.” Then later I might call and say, “Did you take the shirt?” And sometimes like a few days ago I just grabbed the some pants that needed to be fixed and put them on top of her purse so she literally can’t miss it.

On many occasions, her response is, “You already told me. I know. I’m not going to forget.” But church, that’s exactly why reminders exist. Instructions are repeated not because they weren’t clear—but because we are prone to hear without really listening, and we are prone to forget.

And that’s exactly what Paul is doing as he closes out 1 Corinthians 12.

He’s not introducing new ideas. He’s reaffirming truths that he has already established—because he knows how prone we are to forget what God has clearly instructed. Think about it, Scripture is full of repetition. Psalm 136 In this Psalm the Psalmist repeats the same phrase 26 times in 26V, “His steadfast love endures forever.” (Internalize / growing up - Sandra Zaiter) We need reminders again and again. (Deuteronomy)

So here in 1 Corinthians 12 once more, Paul reminds us that God is the one who appoints the members of the body. God is the one who assigns the roles. God is the one who determines the function of the church. And yes I know we’ve heard this. We’ve seen it throughout the chapter. But Paul repeats it again—Why? Because this is of extreme importance! And what we’re about to see in verses 28 through 31 is not redundancy—it’s mercy.

So, today, what I want us to see is three reminders that Paul provides to the church so that the church could function as a body. So let’s begin with the first reminder.

I. God is the One Who Appoints the Roles in the Body

1 Corinthians 12:28 NASB 2020

And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, and various kinds of tongues.

Paul begins V28 by stating that, “God has appointed in the church…” And this statement matters—it matters because it is not new. This is why I’m calling this a reminder. All throughout chapter 12, Paul has been pressing the same truth again and again: the source of everything in the church is God Himself.

Think about it! Back in V4, Paul told us that there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. Varieties of ministries, but the same Lord. Varieties of activities, but the same God who empowers them all in everyone. (God does the empowering)

In V7, he reminded us that each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit, by the Spirit for the common good. In V8-10, he lists different gifts. And then in V11, he makes it explicit: “All these (gifts) are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as He wills.” Then when Paul shifts to the body illustration, he says it again.

1 Corinthians 12:18 NASB 2020

But now God has arranged the parts, each one of them in the body, just as He desired. (In other words: God has arranged the members in the body according to His purpose - Just as he intended)

Then in V24 Paul says: “But God has so composed the body…” In V27 He says and: “Now you are the body of Christ… in other words we are the body of Christ that God has composed” And now in V28, Paul brings it home: “And God has appointed in the church…”

God empowers the gifts in the church.

God gives the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

God apportions those gifts individually, just as He wills.

God arranges the members in the body according to His purpose.

God composes the body with wisdom and intention.

And now, Paul brings it to its clearest expression: God appoints roles in the church.

1. In other words remember, from beginning to end the source of everything in the church is God Himself.

The church is not self-generated, self-governed, self-sufficient or self-directed.

Nothing in the body is accidental.

Nothing is random.

Nothing is the result of human preference or spiritual ambition.

2. What we have, who we are, and how we function as the body of Christ is the result of God’s sovereign design.

And that’s why Paul can say, without hesitation, “And God has appointed in the church…”

And here in V28 Paul is not being repetitive by accident—he’s doing this on purpose. Now notice what Paul does next. He moves from talking about gifts to talking about roles.

3. Paul establishes that God has appointed in the church: first apostles, second prophets and third teachers

What Paul is doing here is showing us that God sovereignly appoints people in the church to serve in different ways for the good of the body. And it’s important to say this clearly: In using numbers Paul is not ranking people by levels of importance.

To read this list as a hierarchy would contradict everything Paul has argued so far in chapter 12. The entire chapter has been about dismantling pride, comparison, and competition. So, here in V28 Paul is not seeking to rebuild what he just tore down.

4. The numbering—first, second, third—is not about value. It is most likely chronological,

meaning that:

God first appointed apostles, who laid the foundation of the church

Then prophets, particularly active in the early expansion of the church

Then teachers, who instruct and ground the church in truth (Main ministry at function today)

Paul is describing how God established and continues to sustain the life of the church, not who matters most.

5. Value in the body is never determined by position—it is determined by God’s design.

Here’s the reminder Paul is pressing on us:

Every role in the church exists because God appointed it—not because someone claims it.

This truth should:

Eradicate pride

It should Heal insecurity

And it should produce humility and gratitude in the body

So now, Paul proceeds with those foundational roles—apostles, prophets, and teachers. Those responsible of the ministry of the Word. And what I want us to do is briefly take these one by one—not to elevate them, but to understand how God has used different people in different ways to serve His church. So let’s begin with the first one:

1. Apostles:

6. The word apostle simply means “one who is sent.” In the New Testament, it refers specifically to those sent by Christ Himself to proclaim the gospel and lay the foundation of the church.

So, Paul is not using the word apostle loosely here. When he says, “first apostles,” he is referring to apostles in the foundational sense. When Paul speaks of apostles in this passage, he is referring to a unique, non-repeatable group—what we might call Apostles with a capital “A.” Scripture gives us clear markers for this role:

Biblical qualifications of an apostle:

They were eyewitnesses of the risen Christ (Acts 1:21–22; 1 Corinthians 9:1)

Their ministry was confirmed by the other apostles.

They were personally commissioned by Christ (Matthew 10; Galatians 1:1)

Their ministry was authenticated by signs and wonders (2 Corinthians 12:12)

They carried foundational authority for the church (Ephesians 2:20)

Now, it’s important to understand something about the authority of the apostles. This authority was functional, not positional. It was never about value or worth. When Peter writes his second letter, he introduces himself this way:

2 Peter 1:1 NASB 2020

Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, (writing to whom) To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:

Think about that. Peter—an apostle—says to ordinary believers, your faith is the same kind as mine. Not a lesser faith. Not a second-tier faith. The same faith, grounded in the same righteousness of Christ.

7. While Peter held authority in the church, he did not see himself as superior to others in the church.

That’s because biblical leadership is always described as servant leadership.

8. The apostles did not view their calling as a position of privilege, but as a calling of sacrifice.

Paul makes this unmistakably clear when he speaks about his own apostleship. In 1 Corinthians 4:9, Paul describes the apostolic ministry as one marked by suffering, humility, and hardship—put on display, not exalted.

1 Corinthians 4:9 NASB 2020

For I think, God has exhibited us, the apostles, last of all as men condemned to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to mankind.

So Paul can speak with authority—not because of personality, not because of power, but because God appointed him, Christ sent him, and his ministry was confirmed by the church. But that authority never elevated him above the body. It actually bound him more deeply to it.

Now, Why Don’t Have Apostles Like These Today?

Beloved,

9. We don’t have apostles like these today, because the foundation has already been laid.

In Ephesians 2:20 Paul tells us that the church was:

Ephesians 2:20 NASB 2020

built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone,

The truth is that we don’t keep laying foundations once the foundation is set. And church, right now—as we’re studying 1 Corinthians—we are benefiting from the apostolic ministry. We are actually looking to build on the foundation Paul established thousands of years ago. (Apostolic ministry is still at work today through the Scriptures)

Now, this doesn’t mean there is no apostolic-type work today. There is a sense in which people still carry out apostolic ministry today (apostle - messenger):

Missionaries sent to unreached places

Church planters establishing gospel work where none exists

That’s different from claiming the office of an apostle. So when someone today claims the title “apostle” and asserts special authority over the church, that’s not Biblical apostolic ministry— at best that’s confusing and at worst that’s deception.

They do not meet the Biblical qualifications, and they are not laying a new foundation. So, here’s what Paul wants the church to remember:

10. God appointed the apostles to establish the foundation of the church, and we now stand on that foundation through Scripture.

That truth:

Should anchor us in God’s authority

That truth should protect the church from spiritual abuse

That truth should keep Christ and not personalities—at the center

We don’t need new apostles with new authority today, because God has already given us a sure foundation—and His name is Jesus Christ. Now, after saying that God appointed apostles first, Paul proceeds with, “prophets.”

2. Prophets

What Does Paul Mean by “Prophets?”

11. A prophet, in the most basic sense, is someone inspired by God to reveal God’s purpose or will.

But notice something important. Earlier in the chapter, Paul spoke about prophecy. Here, he speaks about prophets. That distinction matters. It seems clear from the context that:

All prophets prophesy

But not all who prophesy are prophets

In other words, the gift of prophecy can be given by the Spirit in a specific moment, to a specific person, for a specific purpose. God may sovereignly use someone to speak prophetically in a gathering—and that does not automatically make that person a prophet.

That gift may never manifest again.

But when Paul refers to prophets, he is talking about a more regular, recognized role—people whom God consistently enables to serve the church in this way. So prophecy can be occasional. Prophets can be more consistent.

Just like with apostles, it’s important to clarify what Paul is not saying.

New Testament prophets:

Do not deliver new Biblical revelation

Do not add to Scripture

Do not carry foundational authority like Old Testament prophets

That foundation has already been laid. This is why Scripture itself becomes the final authority—not prophetic impressions, words, or experiences. Remember that Paul defines the function of New Testament prophecy in Ch14.

In 1 Corinthians 14:3, Paul says that prophecy is given:

1 Corinthians 14:3 NASB 2020

But the one who prophesies speaks to people for edification, exhortation, and consolation.

12. New Testament prophetic ministry is not necessarily about prediction or revelation—it is more about strengthening the church through Spirit-led truth applied to real people in real situations.

Prophets help the church:

See clearly

Stay grounded

Be encouraged

Be exhorted toward faithfulness

Always under the authority of Scripture. No prophet today stands above the Word. No prophet today speaks new revelation from God. Here’s the reminder Paul is reinforcing:

13. God appoints prophets not to replace His Word, but to apply His Word for the good of the body.

When prophetic ministry stays within those God-given boundaries, it strengthens the church instead of dividing it. Now, after mentioning apostles and prophets—Paul moves to a role that continues to shape the church week after week:

3. Teachers

A teacher, quite simply, is someone who teaches. In the church, that means someone who instructs God’s people in the doctrine and way of life of Christianity.

14. To teach means to guide, to impart understanding, to instruct by precept and example, to make truth clear, and to do so consistently and regularly.

Here’s what’s important to see:

The ministry of the apostles was foundational.

The ministry of the prophets applies and exhorts.

And the ministry of teachers builds upon that foundation over time.

Teachers don’t lay a new foundation—and they don’t bring new revelation. They build, strengthen, and form the church on what has already been given.

Jude 3 NASB 2020

Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all time handed down to the saints.

That’s why this is the ministry most of us experience today. Biblical teaching always starts with Scripture.

15. The Word sets the agenda and the teacher’s role is to explain it, clarify it, apply it, and help God’s people grow in maturity.

Teachers help the church:

Understand truth

Develop discernment

Grow in wisdom

Learn how to live faithfully in light of the gospel

I was reminded of this recently when I attended an intensive on expository preaching in Jacksonville. We spent several days sitting under the teaching of a pastor who was walking us through how to handle Scripture faithfully.

He wasn’t giving us new revelation.

He wasn’t inventing new doctrine.

He was taking what God has already revealed in His Word and showing us how to understand it, handle it, and apply it well.

That’s what teaching does. It’s not just information—it’s formation. Not just content—but clarity. And church, this is why teachers are such a gift to the body.

Without the apostles, we would have no foundation.

Without the prophets, we would lack exhortation and encouragement.

But without teachers, the church would lack depth, stability, maturity and growth.

Teachers help ensure that the body is not just excited—but grounded. God appoints teachers so that the truth once delivered to the saints continues to shape the life of the church. The church grows healthy not when it chases new things, but when it is faithfully teaching the Word of God.

After establishing these roles that God has appointed in the church—apostles, prophets, and teachers—Paul reminds us that God also gives other gifts of the Spirit for the life of the body. He mentions miracles and gifts of healings—gifts we’ve already addressed earlier in the chapter—so we won’t revisit them here. But it’s worth noticing something important.

Just as Paul distinguishes between prophecy and prophets, he does not do the same with miracles or healings. Paul does not speak of miracle workers or healers as offices in the church. These are gifts given by God to the body as He wills—not permanent roles held by individuals.

But then Paul adds two gifts that are often overlooked: helps and administrations.

4. The Gift of Helps

The word Paul uses for helps is the Greek word antílēmpsis.

16. The gift of helps literally means to take hold of something on behalf of someone else—to lift a burden and place it on yourself.

This is the gift of stepping in quietly, faithfully, and sacrificially to support the work of others. This gift It’s not flashy. It’s not public. It doesn’t draw attention. But it is essential.

This gift is often seen in those who serve behind the scenes—those who support, carry, sustain, and strengthen the body in ways that may never be noticed from a platform.

Paul uses this same word in Acts 20:35 when he exhorts the Ephesian elders, saying, “By working hard in this way we must help the weak,” reminding them of the words of the Lord Jesus, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

We also see this gift embodied in Epaphroditus. Paul describes him as a fellow worker and fellow soldier—one who risked his life to minister to Paul’s needs and to complete what was lacking in the Philippians’ service to him. Whatever other gifts Epaphroditus had, he clearly possessed the gift of helps—and he exercised it faithfully. And church, this gift may not be glamorous, but it is invaluable.

Let me give you a picture of what this gift looks like in real life.

We have a brother in our church named Moses. And recently, I found out that he was intentionally looking for ways to help the mothers in our church. He has children of his own, but he decided to gather several of the kids from church and take them to the movies.

Now, that may not seem like a big thing at first—but think about what that means. For a mother who is exhausted, carrying responsibility day after day, here comes someone who willingly steps in and says, “Let me carry that for you.” That’s the gift of helps.

I saw the same thing during rehearsals when we were planning for Easter a couple of years ago. My wife was coordinating parts of the event, and there were children involved—some rehearsing, others easily distracted. Moses showed up to every rehearsal and said, “I’ll take care of the kids. I’ll help.”

And he did. Consistently. Faithfully. Without attention. Without recognition. That’s antílēmpsis. That’s lifting a burden and placing it on yourself for the sake of someone else. And church, that kind of service may never be seen from a platform—but it is deeply seen by God.

17. The gift of helps is love made visible through faithful presence and quiet sacrifice.

And right alongside this gift of helps, Paul also mentions another often overlooked gift—administrations—which reminds us that God not only supplies compassion in the body, but also wisdom and order.

5. The Gift of Administrations

The word Paul uses is kubernēsis, a term that literally means to steer, guide, or pilot a ship. It’s the word used in Acts 27:11 to describe a ship’s pilot—the one responsible for keeping the vessel on course and moving it toward its destination. That image is helpful.

18. The gift of administration is the gift of leadership that provides direction, order, and wisdom.

It’s the ability to see where the church is going and to help guide it there faithfully. In the Greek version of the Old Testament, this term is frequently associated with wisdom. In Proverbs, it’s translated as counsel. In Ezekiel, wise men are compared to skilled pilots. The idea is not control, but wise guidance.

Those with the gift of administration are able to:

Make sound, practical decisions

Apply biblical truth wisely to real situations

Organize and coordinate people and resources

Mobilize and direct others toward a shared goal

This gift doesn’t replace teaching or prophecy—it supports and strengthens them by providing structure and direction. And church, this gift is vital. Without it, good intentions drift, vision stalls and ministry loses focus.

So whether through helps that carry burdens, or administrations that provide direction, Paul reminds us that God supplies everything the body needs—not just truth and passion, but wisdom and order as well. This brings us to the second reminder Paul gives the church:

II. Not Everyone has the Same Role (And that’s by design)

Last Sunday, I shared an illustration about building a desk. The instructions clearly said it required two people—but I ignored that part. I tried to do it myself, struggled through it, and ended up damaging it. Well, this past week, I found myself in a very similar situation.

I’ve been redecorating the entrance of the church, so I bought some furniture that came in boxes and needed to be assembled. This time, I didn’t need help assembling it—but the box clearly said that it should be carried by two people. And once again, I ignored the instruction.

I managed to bring up the first three pieces without any issues. But when I got to the fourth one—tired, worn out, and stubborn—it slipped out of my hands, fell to the ground, and cracked one of the shelves. A visible puncture. Real damage. And as I stood there looking at it, it hit me: I just preached about this last week. I forgot.

And church, that’s exactly what Paul is doing here. He’s reminding the Corinthians—again—of something he’s already said throughout chapter 12. Why? Because we forget. And when we forget, we try to do things on our own.

So Paul asks a series of rhetorical questions—questions that in the Greek can only be answered one way:

1 Corinthians 12:29–30 NASB 2020

All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they? All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they?

And the answer every single time is no. Paul is saying the same thing he’s already said—but in a different way.

The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you.” The head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you.” Why? Because interdependence is God’s design. The problem isn’t that we need each other. The problem is that we forget we need each other.

So we stop asking for help. We stop relying on the body. We start functioning independently. And just like that piece of furniture, when we ignore God’s design, damage follows.

Apostles can’t do it alone.

Prophets can’t do it alone.

Teachers can’t do it alone.

Those who serve, lead, help, or administrate can’t do it alone. And Paul even makes the point: What good is a tongue if there’s no one to interpret? Church,

19. The message is simple—but necessary: We need one another.

God designed the church that way.

20. When we forget our need for one another, the body suffers—and God’s design is compromised.

Up to this point in the chapter, Paul has stressed two things again and again: God is sovereign in the distribution of gifts, and believers are called to be content and faithful with what God has given them.

But now, Paul takes us deeper. He moves from function to foundation. From gifts to motivation.

III. God Himself Defines the Way the Body Walks

1 Corinthians 12:31 NASB 2020

But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And yet, I am going to show you a far better way.

Beloved What is this far better way?,

21. The “far better way” the Paul will point the Corinthians to is the way of love—which is another way of saying, the way of God.

What good is prophecy without love?

What good is speaking in tongues without love?

What good are gifts—any gifts—if they are exercised apart from the character of God?

Paul has already told the Corinthians that they did not lack any spiritual gift. They were gifted. They were active. They were impressive. But there was one thing missing. They lacked love.

And because they lacked love, their gifts—meant to build the body—were tearing it apart.

So in chapter 13, Paul is going to take an entire chapter to unpack the nature of love, because

22. Love is not merely something God commands—it is something God is.

And what Paul is saying is this:

If the church is going to function the way God designed it to, then it must walk in the way God Himself defines.

So I want to encourage you—be here next week. Because next week, we’re going to look at the foundation beneath every gift, every role, and every act of service in the Christian life. We’re going to look at the way of love—the way we are called to live as believers, and the way God calls His church to walk together.