Helps

Helps

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
(1 Corinthians 12:28).

For several years June and I and friends produced a children’s Christian magazine called Helps. We based the name of the magazine on a character called Help in John Bunyan’s book Pilgrim’s Progress. In the book it was Help who said to Christian, “Give me your hand” and pulled him out of the Slough of Despond.

In 1 Corinthians chapter 12 Paul lists foundational and extraordinary gifts given to the body of Christ. In the same list he includes helps. The word means to provide assistance. It seems such a simple and ordinary action, yet the apostle places it amongst the ministries which build and maintain the body of Christ. Luke chose a similar word in Acts 27:17 when the sailors used helps or cables to strengthen the hull of the ship when it was in danger. It described a nautical term called “frapping”, and it means to hold something together tightly. It is an excellent illustration of the ability of those brothers and sisters in Christ who work tirelessly to encourage all the people of God, especially in times of crisis.

The dignity and value of helps are brought home to us when we see them demonstrated in the Lord Jesus. In Hebrews 4:15-16, we are told, “We do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” The Lord Jesus sits on the Throne of Grace as the Helper. In Hebrews 13:6, the writer quotes from Psalm 118:6 – “The Lord is my Helper.” It has the sense of ‘standing by our side’. Paul witnessed it first when he heard Stephen, before he was stoned to death, describing Jesus standing at the right hand of God and alongside His faithful servant. And Paul experienced it himself. He remembers a time when everyone forsook him, but then wrote “The Lord stood by me” (2 Timothy 4:17).

The Lord Jesus refers in John 14 to the Holy Spirit as “another Helper”. He describes someone just like Himself, “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth” (verses 16-17). It is through this Helper that the Lord is in us.

We see this ministry of help in Jehovah in the Old Testament. And in the New Testament we see it is a ministry which occupies the Lord Jesus in heaven and the Holy Spirit on earth. Some believers are given by God that wonderful gift of being helps. But the Lord Jesus also encourages every one of us, as members of His body, to help one another. He teaches us to be sensitive to the needs of others and to draw alongside when needed. He helps us to act in love. These actions are often simple, and expressed by a hand on the shoulder, a word of encouragement, a visit, a letter, an email, a telephone call, a gift and, of course, in prayer. He makes us into a people who are always outward looking, understanding, kindly and seeking the welfare of others. He teaches us to follow His example and to go about doing good (Acts 10:38). He aims to make us like Himself.