Reflections: Good Works (2023)
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Get to it!
Get to it!
Ekklesia - the body of believers, the universal church and the local church. We hear of missionaries and ministries from all over the world and the states that cry out for help for they are doing good works. We even support some don’t we?
Our series Passage (Php4:8-9)
8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.
Christians are to be active, both locally and globally. (1Cor1:2)
2 To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:
In every place. God is the God of all and wants to touch all and how all are reached is through the Ekklesia.
We get together, we meet together to encourage, to exhort each other to good works (Heb10:24-25)
24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
What can we say about good works? (Eph2:10)
God created you for Good work to work with Him!
10 No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.
These things, good works, are worthy of being reflected on. So let’s look at:
Purpose of Good Works
Nature of Good Works
Results of Good Works
I. Purpose of Good Works
I. Purpose of Good Works
We are not saved by Good Works (Eph2:8-9)
Good works cannot buy us, earn us entry into heaven it is only by grace
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
God saves us by His mercy not our works (Tit3:4-7)
4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,
6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
I think you get the idea of it and it is reinforced by the scripture
We are saved to Good Works (Eph2:10)
In other words, because of our great salvation we have in Christ Jesus it should result in good works in serving Him.
Remember we were created for good works
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
We are to be zealous in good works (Tit2:11-14)
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,
13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
Our theme this year is
Expect, Experience, Engage.
So in turn we should be ready for every good work
Be ready for every good work (Tit3:1)
1 Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work,
Be careful to keep up, maintain good works (Tit3:8)
8 The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.
Be prepared to learn and maintain good works (Tit3:14)
14 And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.
Be ready, be careful, be prepared, be doing good works
Be doing good works
Why do you think we should be doing good works?
Good works bring glory to God (Mt5:14-16; 1Pt2:12)
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;
15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
Or add to that
12 Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.
We are to trained in good works and for good works by
Christ’s example of good works (Lk6:40)
40 “A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher.
Good works demonstrate our faith (Jm2:14-17, 20, 26)
14 What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food,
16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.
then look down a few more verses
20 But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?
26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
Good works help make others more receptive to the gospel message(1Pt2:12)
12 Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.
that people when they see your good works may glorify God!
Good works help meet the dire or urgent needs of people (Tit3:14)
14 And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful.
So good works are important and we should not take them lightly. When we have an understanding and appreciation of good works we can then move to the nature of the good works we should do.
II. Nature of Good Works
II. Nature of Good Works
Care for Widows and orphans (Jm1:27)
Scripture is clear on that, in fact says it is pure and undefiled religion
27 Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
We have good role models (Act9:36-39)
in scripture, Jesus of course, but how about this one
36 Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated in Greek is called Dorcas); this woman was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity which she continually did.
37 And it happened at that time that she fell sick and died; and when they had washed her body, they laid it in an upper room.
38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, imploring him, “Do not delay in coming to us.”
39 So Peter arose and went with them. When he arrived, they brought him into the upper room; and all the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing all the tunics and garments that Dorcas used to make while she was with them.
So are we practicing pure and undefiled religion? Act20:35)
How about adding some more
35 “In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
Paul spoke of his works so as to help the weak (1The5:14)
14 We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
To encourage the fainthearted;
Helping to restore the wayward. (Gal6:1-2)
1 Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.
Let us fulfill the law of Christ, love (Lk9:2, 10:9-13)
So widows, orphans, weak, wayward, how about the sick?
2 And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform healing.
Or there is
9 and heal those in it who are sick, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’
we can help introduce people to the kingdom of God when we minister to the sick.
it is even commanded to pray for them.
Prayer, confession (Jm5:14-16)
14 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;
16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.
Then there is the good works of hospitality (Heb13:2; Rom12:9-13)
2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.
Or another one I love
9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor;
11 not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, 13 contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.
There are other good works we could get into but time is limited take note of
Good works to prisoners: Heb13:3, 10:34, Php4:14
3 Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body.
Good works in sharing our wealth: 1Tim6:17-19; Heb13:16 - spiritual sacrifice pleasing to God
16 And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
We have ability, we have opportunity and we have command to do good works and God has equipped us to do them, one more passage This morning to consider
35 ‘For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in;
36 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38 ‘And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You?
39 ‘When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 “The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’
In doing good works there is much we do, accomplish and give glory to God, reflect on those things:
When we feed the hungry; we feed Christ
When we give drink to thirsty; we give to Christ
When we show hospitality to stranger; we show it to Christ
When we clothe the naked, we clothe Christ
When we visit the sick or imprisoned; we visit Christ
We have pondered good works this morning but the best work is the eternal work of coming into Christ or leading someone to Christ
(Sharing the gospel picture here)
(LEAD TO INVITATION) -use baptism picture already saved
(song) (Prayer) (Exit)