THE PURPOSE OF GOOD DEEDS

 

Last week we saw Purpose Of Our Creation and Recreation(BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH FOR WORKS). This week let us meditate on Purpose of Good Deeds, taken from the Book,"Disciplines Of Godly Woman"

1. FOR THE SAKE OF THE CHURCH.

GALATIANS 6:10, "So then, as often as we have the chance, we should do good to everyone, and especially to those who belong to our family in the faith."

• Of course, we can't neglect to care for those outside the faith, but our family-that is, the family of God-comes first.
• Good deeds are important to God because they nurture and care for the needs of His family here on earth.
• God's purpose for good deeds, however, goes beyond His own family.

2. FOR THE SAKE OF THE WORLD.

Leviticus 19:9-10, “When you harvest your fields, do not cut the grain at the edges of the fields, and do not go back to cut the heads of grain that were left. Do not go back through your vineyard to gather the grapes that were missed or to pick up the grapes that have fallen; leave them for poor people and foreigners. I am the Lord your God."

• The Old Testament speaks again and again of the responsibility of God's people to help the poor.
• "Gleaning", the practice of allowing people to gather leftover crops from fields farmers had harvested, was one of the provisions established by the Israelites to provide food for the poor.
• But the Scriptures are clear from Genesis to Revelation that more important than man's physical need is his need of God Himself.

3.FOR THE SAKE OF POOR.

ISAIAH 58:7, "Share your food with the hungry and open your homes to the homeless poor. Give clothes to those who have nothing to wear, and do not refuse to help your own relatives."

JAMES 1:27, "What God the Father considers to be pure and genuine religion is this: to take care of orphans and widows in their suffering and to keep oneself from being corrupted by the world."

• A person's spiritual need is greater than physical needs.
• Although material needs are not unimportant.
• Let us strive to be Cheerful Giver.

4. FOR THE SAKE OF THE GOSPEL.

MATTHEW 4:4, "But Jesus answered, “The scripture says, ‘Human beings cannot live on bread alone, but need every word that God speaks.’”

JOHN 6:35, "And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst."

• There are people all around us who need the Gospel demonstrated to them through good deeds that are done out of hearts changed by the Gospel.
• Our friends, coworkers, and neighbours(even the difficult ones) need the Bread of Life, the Lord Jesus Christ.
• Our good deeds are meant to be a means to this end-to make the Gospel known.

5. FOR MY SAKE.

 1 Peter 2:20, "For what credit is there if you endure the beatings you deserve for having done wrong? But if you endure suffering even when you have done right, God will bless you for it."

1Peter 3:13-14, "Who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good?  But even if you should suffer for doing what is right, how happy you are! Do not be afraid of anyone, and do not worry."

• God has called us to be a people who do good even in the face of adversity.

• God is at work in us and through us-through good deeds-sometimes in the face of adversity.

• Now is not the time to "sit down"

• It is a time to work. "As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me; night is coming when no one can work. -John 9:4"

6. FOR GOD'S GLORY

1 PETER 2:12, "Your conduct among the heathen should be so good that when they accuse you of being evildoers, they will have to recognize your good deeds and so praise God on the Day of his coming."

• Have you ever heard unbelievers give their excuse for avoiding church:"There are too many hypocrites in the church!"

• That's because all too often our deeds don't glorify God.

• If the good news isn't clothed in good deeds motivated by love and gratitude, our action probably would not in the end bring glory to the God.