For the Common Good Pt. 10 (Spanish)

Good afternoon Church! I’ve been in pastoral ministry now for about 13 years. And one of the most consistent deficiencies I’ve seen—not just in the church, but in relationships in general—is a diminished capacity to listen. As people we tend to hear, but we don’t always listen.

I still remember growing up, one day my mom was at a neighbor’s house and she said to me, “Javi can you please go to our house and go into the garage and get me the purse that’s on top the chair.” So, I immediately went to the garage… and I looked for the chair? When I came back, I did so, not with a purse but with the chair the purse was on top off. Which means that when my mom was speaking to me I just heard the word chair, but I didn’t actually listen to what she was telling me.

And that same dynamic plays out in adult life all the time, especially in relationships. As a pastor, I’ve heard it in marriage counseling more times than I can count: “My spouse doesn’t listen to me.”

There’s a difference between hearing and listening. Hearing is passive. Listening is intentional. Listening means we’re paying attention, giving our focus to what’s being said, processing it, and seeking to understand.

But most of the time, instead of listening to understand, we only vaguely hear. Our minds are distracted—thinking about the morning, work, responsibilities, notifications, phones, social media, and everything else competing for our attention. So when someone speaks to us, we hear sounds, we hear words, but we never form a clear train of thought.

And when listening breaks down, understanding breaks down.

And when understanding breaks down, forgetfulness follows. We forget—not because the instruction was unclear, but because we never truly internalized it. We didn’t give it our attention. We didn’t listen.

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. Dios es Quien Asigna los Roles en el Cuerpo

1 Corinthians 12:28 NBLA

Y en la iglesia, Dios ha designado primeramente, apóstoles; en segundo lugar, profetas; en tercer lugar, maestros; luego, milagros; después, dones de sanidad, ayudas, administraciones, diversas clases de lenguas.

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 NBLA

Ahora bien, Dios ha colocado a cada uno de los miembros en el cuerpo según le agradó.

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. En otras palabras, recuerden que, de principio a fin, la fuente de todo en la iglesia es Dios mismo.

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. Lo que tenemos, quiénes somos y cómo funcionamos como el cuerpo de Cristo es el resultado del diseño soberano de Dios.

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. Pablo establece que Dios ha designado en la iglesia: primero apóstoles, segundo profetas y tercero maestros.

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. La numeración—primero, segundo, tercero—no se refiere al valor. Lo más probable es que sea cronológica.

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. El valor en el cuerpo nunca se determina por la posición; se determina por el diseño de Dios.

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. La palabra apóstol simplemente significa “uno que es enviado”. En el Nuevo Testamento, se refiere específicamente a aquellos enviados por Cristo mismo para proclamar el evangelio y poner el fundamento de la iglesia.

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 NBLA

Simón Pedro, siervo y apóstol de Jesucristo, a los que han recibido una fe como la nuestra, mediante la justicia de nuestro Dios y Salvador, Jesucristo:

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. Aunque Pedro tenía autoridad en la iglesia, no se consideraba superior a los demás en la iglesia.

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

8. Los apóstoles no veían su llamado como una posición de privilegio, sino como un llamado al sacrificio.

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 NBLA

Porque pienso que Dios nos ha exhibido a nosotros los apóstoles en último lugar, como a sentenciados a muerte. Porque hemos llegado a ser un espectáculo para el mundo, tanto para los ángeles como para los hombres.

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. Hoy no tenemos apóstoles como estos, porque el fundamento ya ha sido puesto.

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

Ephesians 2:20 NBLA

Están edificados sobre el fundamento de los apóstoles y profetas, siendo Cristo Jesús mismo la piedra angular,

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. Dios designó a los apóstoles para establecer el fundamento de la iglesia, y ahora nosotros nos mantenemos sobre ese fundamento por medio de las Escrituras.

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. Un profeta, en el sentido más básico, es alguien inspirado por Dios para revelar el propósito o la voluntad de Dios.

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 NBLA

Pero el que profetiza habla a los hombres para edificación, exhortación y consolación.

12. El ministerio profético del Nuevo Testamento no se trata necesariamente de predicción o revelación; se trata más bien de fortalecer a la iglesia mediante la verdad guiada por el Espíritu aplicada a personas reales en situaciones reales.

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. Dios designa profetas no para reemplazar Su Palabra, sino para aplicar Su Palabra para el bien del cuerpo.

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. Enseñar significa guiar, impartir entendimiento, instruir mediante precepto y ejemplo, hacer clara la verdad y hacerlo de manera constante y regular.

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 NBLA

Amados, por el gran empeño que tenía en escribirles acerca de nuestra común salvación, he sentido la necesidad de escribirles exhortándolos a luchar ardientemente por la fe que de una vez para siempre fue entregada a los santos.

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

15. La Palabra establece la agenda y el papel del maestro es explicarla, aclararla, aplicarla y ayudar al pueblo de Dios a crecer en madurez.

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. El don de ayuda literalmente significa tomar algo en favor de otra persona—levantar una carga y ponerla sobre uno mismo.

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,

Acts 20:35 NBLA

“En todo les mostré que así, trabajando, deben ayudar a los débiles, y recordar las palabras del Señor Jesús, que dijo: ‘Más bienaventurado es dar que recibir.’ ”

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. El don de ayuda es el amor hecho visible a través de una presencia fiel y un sacrificio silencioso.

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. El don de administración es el don de liderazgo que provee dirección, orden y sabiduría.

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. No Todos Tienen el Mismo Rol (y eso es por Diseño)

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 NBLA

¿Acaso son todos apóstoles? ¿Acaso son todos profetas? ¿Acaso son todos maestros? ¿Acaso son todos obradores de milagros? 30 ¿Acaso tienen todos dones de sanidad? ¿Acaso hablan todos en lenguas? ¿Acaso interpretan todos?

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. El mensaje es sencillo—pero necesario: Nos necesitamos unos a otros.

God designed the church that way.

20. Cuando olvidamos nuestra necesidad mutua, el cuerpo sufre—y el diseño de Dios se ve comprometido.

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. Dios Mismo Define la Manera en que el Cuerpo Camina

1 Corinthians 12:31 NBLA

Pero deseen ardientemente los mejores dones. Y aun yo les muestro un camino más excelente.

Beloved What is this far better way?,

21. El “camino mucho mejor” al que Pablo señalará a los corintios es el camino del amor—lo cual es otra manera de decir, el camino de Dios.

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. El amor no es simplemente algo que Dios manda; es algo que Dios es.

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.