The Point of Doing Good

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The Point of Doing Good

Galatians 6:9–10 ESV
9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
Galatians 6:9–10 (ESV)
(ESV)
9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
My Perfect Church
By Drew Dyck
“In his new book, Uncomfortable, Brett McCracken describes his dream church. It's basically hipster heaven: atop the "minimalist, environmentally sustainable (LEED-certified), with nods to classic church aesthetics" church building McCracken envisions a rooftop garden with prayer spaces. McCracken's point in describing his dream church is actually to point out the absurdity of a consumerist approach to Christian community. But it got me thinking ... what would my dream church look like?
Well, I'm not as picky about aesthetics, but I do place a premium on comfort. So my dream church would include leather, La-Z-Boys in the sanctuary. They could automatically recline for the sermon. That would be a nice touch. Of course even lounging on in a La-Z-Boy is no fun if you're hungry. Most churches provide subpar coffee with a few stale snacks. Not in my dream church. We'd have a full breakfast buffet with one of those guys in a white chef hat cooking made-to-order omelets. To me, nothing says Christian community quite like a fresh Southwest omelet with fresh squeezed orange juice and a side of bacon.
Now I'm ready to worship! “

What would your dream church look like?

When I ask this question, do you picture a certain kind of style of preaching? Do you envision high quality music? Is the setting in a traditional old church building or a new modern structure?
The Bible teaches us that God’s dream church is a place where people are holy and without blemish. In God’s view, the perfect church not only worships God, but the people build one another up and are concerned about those who are away from God. In the perfect church, people love God with all their heart, mind, soul and strength and their neighbor as themselves. In a perfect church, people are being and doing good in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
In a previous message we looked at with an emphasis on the picture of doing good.

God wants us to do good.

One of the purposes of our salvation was to turn our lives around in such a way that we would become people who do good.
Ephesians 2:8–10 ESV
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
(ESV) —8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
The early church was taught to do good. One of Paul’s missionary journeys was to help the Christians in Jerusalem deal with a famine.
The early church was taught to do good. One of Paul’s missionary journeys was to help the Christians in Jerusalem deal with a famine.
10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
As we saw previously, the first century church helped people and was known for her good works.

The Point Of Good Works

This week we want to look at the point of good works.
I am not going to talk to you about why we should do good works. I am not going to answer the question, “What’s the point?”
Instead, we are going to look at the point where we intersect with a need. There is a point where we personally encounter a need. That intersection is the point where good works takes place.
Let’s look at our text to see this.
Galatians 6:10 ESV
10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
Gal 6:10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
The word “opportunity” is a word that is sometimes translated as “time.”
The word “opportunity” is a word that is sometimes translated as “time.”
The time that is in mind here is a specific time. It might be a moment in time or it might be an event.
The word “kairos” is used in to describe the “time” Moses was born. In it speaks of a time of persecution. It is often used to describe a season. The fig tree that Jesus cursed was not in season; it wasn’t its time.
Jesus said, “My time has not yet come.” This “time” included his trial, death, burial and resurrection. That salvation event was the time.
We live in a sinful, broken world. People have hurts, habits and hang-ups that create real problems and needs in their lives. In our sinful and broken world, we are also affected by what other people do. Their snide remarks, backbiting, gossip, greed, abusive behavior, and poor decisions may hurt us, or people we love.
We also find people who are hurting emotionally, financially, spiritually, physically or relationally. When they walk into our lives, we have a time, we have an opportunity, we have that point where their darkness comes into the light God has placed in our hearts.
In our missions conference that is coming in October you will here the stories of how God brought opportunities, special times of decision, a special point when people had these choices to make.
When Richard Berry was here, he started the homeless shelter in his church because a non-Christian friend called him as a pastor and asked if he could find him a place to sleep. He was thrown out of his home and had no place to go. Here was the point, the time of opportunity. Richard seized the moment and the ministry began. As I understand it, Tim Hunt, the pastor of the Hope Evangelical Free Church in Solon, was approached by someone in his church for the need to give women who had fallen on hard times a safe place to live. The church responded and now has a vital ministry to women in place. Ken Hawley’s story is unknown to me. He works with youth in prison. I am sure at some point the need has placed before him and by the grace of God he responded. You will hear his story as well.

Our struggle

This is a real struggle for us. We are light in this world of darkness. Jesus has placed his light in us so that the world may see God.
Matthew 5:14–16 ESV
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
(ESV) —14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
The light that we have according to this picture is the good works that we do for other people. It’s not what happens on Sunday, but what happens on Monday that is the true measure of our spiritual walk.
The light that we have according to this picture is the good works that we do for other people. It’s not what happens on Sunday, but what happens on Monday that is the true measure of our spiritual walk.
Yet we struggle.
We struggle because we are unaware of the needs around us.
People are walking by with real needs every day and we don’t see them. Back in the 70’s there was a song about someone who didn’t stop to help a man who was hurt on the highway because the person had to get to church in time.
We struggle because we are aware of the needs, but have fear.
This may be fear of doing the wrong thing; fear of having the person leech off us; fear of anger; or fear of being rejected.
We struggle because of the emotional cost of involvement with needy people.
It’s not easy. My brother works with people released from prison. He has had stuff stolen from him and has been involved with manipulative, lying, cheating and stealing people. Not all are that way, but the ones who were made it difficult. We are tempted to give up when we have that kind of emotional toll.
We also struggle because we have problems. We have enough problems of our own that we don’t want to take on anyone else’s.
God wants us to good to all people. This is not a suggestion, it is what he set out to do in us before the foundation of the world. He ordained before the foundation of the world that we would do good works.

Jesus

When we look closely at Jesus’ life, we discover that doing good was what he did.
Acts 10:36–38 ESV
36 As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), 37 you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.
(ESV) —36 As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), 37 you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.
Notice that he helped with the physical and the spiritual. Though healing all who were oppressed by the devil was a good work, Peter, one of his disciples, sees the good works as a separate act on Jesus’ part. He did good and…
Notice that he helped with the physical and the spiritual. Though healing all who were oppressed by the devil was a good work, Peter, one of his disciples, sees the good works as a separate act on Jesus’ part. He did good and…
Jesus enters the city of Nain. He encounters a funeral procession. A widow had lost her only son and they were taking him to bury him. Here was the point where the person and the need intersected. He raised that young man from the dead.
We have heard stories of his healing. We also know that he would eat with those branded as sinners. He stood up for the woman caught in adultery against those who didn’t really care about her sin, only about putting Jesus on the spot.
He is preaching and the day is almost over. Over 5000 men, not counting women or children, are hungry. He has compassion and feeds those hungry people.
It’s significant to me that Peter, who knew Jesus real well, summarized his life and ministry in this way…”He went about doing good…”
Jesus did good because he was anointed by God with the Holy Spirit and with power. When he did this, God was with him.
38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

Working through the stuggle

What does it mean to be anointed by the Holy Spirit?
When we trust Christ, God puts the Holy Spirit in our hearts. If you are a Christian, God’s Holy Spirit is in you. He is working in your life.
Have you ever had a scripture verse come to mind when you are facing some issue? The Holy Spirit is bringing that verse to your brain. Have you ever recalled something from a message or a conversation from another Christian or a line from a book? The Holy Spirit is speaking to you at that moment.
This next week you will face people with needs. You will hear their story and you will remember this message. The Holy Spirit will be speaking to you to at least consider what you can do to help meet that need.
I had a call from a Christian man a number of years ago. He knew of a family in town that needed oil. He saw the need and wanted to meet it. The Deacon’s worked with him to meet that need.
Freda Bradstreet was somewhat homebound in her later years. Yet, every time I visited an elderly person in town, they had already received a call from Freda. Invite them to a special event? Freda had let them know about it from her kitchen table. She had decided that her own limitations would not stop her from reaching out and encouraging other people.
Someone brought a pizza and drink to the men working on the front of the church. It was spontaneous and yet it was a good and encouraging work.
When you walk into work tomorrow, ask yourself this question, “What could I do to make life better for those who are around me?”
The Corporate Chaplains of America sent this in an email. “Who’s sitting beside you at work? A single-parent mom struggling to pay the bills? A dad fighting cancer? A son drowning in addiction? Too many people are carrying their heavy burdens alone because they don’t have anyone they can trust. Where can they turn in times of need?”
Their answer might be to a chaplain. God’s answer is for you to be that chaplain, that encourager, that person who really cares.
God places a higher value on how we treat one another than he does on how a building looks or good or bad the music is or how polished the preacher or teacher might be. He wants us to imitate Jesus by loving God first and others second. He wants us to respond to the promptings of the Holy Spirit when he nudges us to get involved and do good for the glory of God.
So let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
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