This sermon continues the list of various gifts in the church. We cover deeds of power, gifts of healing, assistance, forms of leadership, and various kinds of tongues. Some of these were discussed in previous verses as well.

The words translated “forms of assistance” denotes various ways that help can be given. We explain that God using someone often doesn’t appear to be spiritually profound in the eyes of others, but such help is God using a member of the body of Christ to meet needs.

The timely help God sends through ordinary Christians shows His wise oversight of the His church. There is another word listed here which means “to pilot or give guidance.”

In lists such as these in 1 Corinthians 12 there are obviously supernatural works and others which seem more natural. The truth is that God giving gifts and using people is the work of the Spirit and need not be spectacular to be profoundly beneficial to the church.

Verses 29-30 contain a series of rhetorical questions with the implied answers “no.” The gifts needed in the body to function together for God’s glory are diverse and no one has all of them. We need each other. Verse 31 has an issue about how the Greek is to be understood which I explain. This verse then brings us to chapter 14 about agape love.