Word of Salvation – Vol.51 No.2 – January 2006

 

Doing Good to All

 

A Sermon by Rev Reinier Noppers on Galatians 6:9-10

Scripture Readings:  Matthew 21:18-19; Galatians 6:1-10

 

Congregation.

One of the most devastating charges that could ever be made against any church is that we are introverted, considerate only of ourselves, meeting only our own needs, without thought or regard for anyone else.

In fact, to live and work with a selfish attitude is also a great danger to a real and genuine faith: a vigorous and spiritual church life! It is a mockery of the name we bear: an insult to Him who gave all for us so selflessly, who gave Himself so sacrificially.

And even worse, when we look only after ourselves, we lose the power to mould the hearts and lives of men and women and children who without Christ are eternally damned! For if we do not care, if we are not practical in our serving Christ, why should anyone want to know Him through us?

Therefore, we must constantly ask ourselves the question: is our church associated with middle-class respectability, with no room for the poor, the sick, the blind and the maimed?

Do we exist merely to lull ourselves with our fat pay checks, lush limousines, and well appointed homes into an intellectual and spiritual slumber with promises of a vague heaven after this life, whilst in the meantime we bust our guts to inherit every conceivable possession here on earth?

Or, to use the words of Galatians 6: Are we growing weary in doing good?

We all know that doing good takes time, and effort, and money: it is often a lot of hard work doing the same old thing. And the tendency is often there to think, is it all worth it?

Tell me, does church life seem boring, or routine to you? Do you find that being a Christian is often about doing the same old thing, week in, week out, monotonous and dull? Have you lost that excitement, that wonder, that sense of awe that comes from knowing you are doing the Lord's work, regardless what that might involve?

Does it often seem as if we do things, get involved, organise programmes, help people, and at the end of the day there is nothing to show for it?

Do you get frustrated when you try to help people, and they refuse to cooperate? When they just need more and more, and there seems to be no end to it? When they just take advantage of you or are lazy or wasteful? Or, those you help whine and complain instead of being grateful and thankful?

Or do you find you tend to say to yourself: all these activities simply take too much time away from my work, my leisure time, my family?

Perhaps you want to cry out with Asaph what he says in Psalm 73:12-14: "This is what the wicked are like - always carefree, they increase in wealth. Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence. All day long I have been plagued; I have been punished every morning."

If that is the case, no wonder it is so tempting to simply give up: just float through life, enjoy each other's company, be a nice comfortable little social club that meets on Sundays, and wait till Jesus comes back.

But that doesn't fit with the gospel. That does not fit with our calling as God's people!

It is clear from this passage that God expects all of His people to be involved in doing good. Paul is writing to men and women, adults and young people and children, leaders and followers, teachers and students. All of those are the saints in Galatia: just as every single one of us is a part of the congregation here!

And beware if you think that you can pay God off with your offerings: as if putting the money in the bag means we've done our bit and its now up to the deacons or some special missionary to do the rest! For, as the previous verses state with forceful directness: "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life."

Whatever we do shows who controls us; shows what we really believe and whom we really serve!

Do you really want to be the body of Christ? Is it your desire to sow to please the Spirit? Then we must see the needs around us with our eyes; we must hear the cries of the needy with our ears, and we must reach out with hands that truly help in every practical way!

For this is our witness: just as much, and sometimes even more than the words we bring! Does the love of God really live in our midst? Do we really love our neighbour as much as we love God? Are people with needs, both physical and spiritual, able to come here and see that Jesus truly is Lord over all of our life?

When we hear about people being persecuted for believing in Jesus in some far away country, how do we respond? Do we think, it's too far away, what difference can I make, glad it's not me? Or is the opportunity to do good welcomed with open arms and a generous wallet?

When we see the burdens that so many people around us carry from day to day, pain and suffering, family break-ups, child abuse and violence, do we try to shut our eyes in horror or close our eyes in prayer for them?

You know, we can either look at all the needs of this world, throw our hands up in despair, and give up; or we can ask God to use us, our time, our talents and our wealth to help those around us, to do good to all people! In fact, without such a response we simply do not reflect a healthy Christianity.

Take the picture of the fig tree in Matthew 21. A tree produces leaves for itself, but fruit for others! In fact, a fig tree bears fruit before it gets all its leaves! So if the leaves are there, the fruit should already be in abundance! If there are leaves but no fruit, then the tree is a fraud! A congregation with facilities, buildings, and people is a tree with leaves: but how we help each other and our community is our fruit! And if we have leaves but no fruit, then in a sense we are the frauds!

Jesus comes to us and he looks for fruit! Will He find it? There are leaves aplenty here! Is there fruit?

He says in Matthew 25, I was hungry ... I was thirsty ... I was a stranger ... I needed clothes ... I was sick ... I was in prison ... .

Do we have food to give to our Lord? Would you give a drink to Jesus if he stood at your door? Would you ask Him in and welcome Him to stay the night?

What about giving Him some clothes to wear, looking after him if he was sick, visiting him if he were in prison?

If it were Jesus, would you do it? Jesus says, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."

As a matter of fact, when we do good, we simply follow the example of Christ. Jesus "went around doing good" (Acts 10:38).

He healed the disabled - the lame, the deaf, the blind. He embraced outcasts - lepers, prostitutes, tax-collectors. He made time for widows, orphans, and children. He took the side of the poor, the little guy, and the underdog against those who were rich, powerful, and influential. He fed the hungry. He befriended the lonely. He went out of His way to minister to the sick.

He not only had compassion on the crowds, but He also taught them, encouraged them, and showed them the Father in His every action! Every time we do good, we who are Christians are simply following in the steps of the Master.

So put this into practical terms: when someone in this church calls you up, and asks you to cook a meal for someone in this church, will you grumble and complain, or serve your Lord joyfully? Should that same person ask you to provide accommodation for a stranger, will you think of an excuse why you cannot do so? If you are asked about your giving, will you get all red and flustered, or hot under the collar as you protest: It's no business of yours!

Or will you rejoice at the opportunity to serve, with your God-given wealth and time, your Lord who gave His life for you?

Look at doing good as a privilege! Keep reminding yourself that it is a privilege to serve the Lord, and say to yourself: God has chosen me to be His servant in this world! What an amazing wonder! Remember that this is our task: and no mention is made of the response of those on the receiving end of our doing good! Use every opportunity God gives you, for every moment is a precious gift from God! Not one is to be wasted.

We as God's church have a huge responsibility! From the beginning, the church of God has sought to alleviate the woes of life, to be a help and a shield to those who are without, to carry those who are weary and burdened, and to assist without thought of reward those whose plight is clear and whose need is obvious!

God's grace has a very practical purpose: we are called to love the Lord with our whole heart, soul, mind and strength, and to love our neighbour as ourselves!

Every day we are given opportunity by God to do good, to reach out, to help others, to pool our resources and make an impact in this world for Jesus Christ!

In fact, now is the season for sowing! The season for reaping the harvest will come later: in God's own good time! Which farmer would refuse to sow because he suspected some seed might not grow? And which farmer expects an instant result?

So ask yourself: do you carry your share of the load? Are you a real and genuine and fruit-bearing part of the family of God?

The sayings are simple yet so true: No man is an island! Every man is my neighbour. And yes, in all this, the Apostle makes clear that charity begins at home - no more so than in the church of God.

As 1 John 3:16 states with utmost clarity: "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth."

Notice, too, that this matter of looking after the family of God is left to the end: because if we start there, we might be tempted to think we've got it all together and end there as well!

As God's people, we must seek to help the homeless, but not ignore our own needy! We need to do what we can for the kids on the streets, but make sure our own children are never neglected! And just as we look after our own families, and make sure they are provided for, we also need to look after this church family, and make sure it is provided for in every area!

When you are asked to serve as a deacon, an elder, or on the property committee, consider it a privilege! In service to God, be willing to work with the youth of the church in Cadets, Calvinettes (or GEMS), or Youth Group! When you asked, do not hesitate if the Sunday School needs more teachers, or the cry is for more Catechism teachers!

Put your name down to help out in the creche, join in a Bible Study, or start a new one - get involved! This is your body we are talking about, after all!

If you know someone who is sick, visit them! If you hear of a need, don't wait to be asked, but provide a meal, phone up someone who is lonely or struggling: take the time to sit with them and pray with them!

Which begs the question: how well do you know the people in this church? How well do you know their struggles, their emotional burdens, their physical ailments, their financial difficulties?

That person sitting in front of you, behind you: next to you?

In fact, if you don't know anyone who needs help, I'd suggest you are walking around with your head in the sand!

Regardless of our situation or our circumstances, Paul's advice to us is this: "Let us not become weary in doing good." Keep on helping, keep on ministering, keep on serving, keep on doing the Lord's work. Or, as Winston Churchill, in the very last speech he ever gave, barely able to speak, put it, "Never give up. Never give up. Never give up."

Never give up doing good works! We have received from the Lord the wonderful gift of grace: we should live according to that grace! Indeed, our salvation is not given to us to do with what we want, but to live and do what God wants!

In fact, it is significant that in this letter to the Galatians, in which Paul so roundly condemns salvation by works, that he concludes by challenging us, without any conditions, to continue in such good works!

What is our calling as Christians? It is "doing good." Each one of us is called to keep on doing good. That is what Christian life and service are all about.

And yes: there is also a reward! Paul says, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."

 

The crown of everlasting life awaits: for both you and those you serve!!

When we let our light shine before men, they will see our good deeds and praise our Father in heaven, as Jesus said in Matthew 5:16! Or, as the apostle Peter says, "Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us."

Can you think of anything more wonderful than this? That people are attracted to our God because we love each other and them? That people glorify God because we took the time to care? But that should not surprise us. For in this world filled with greed and selfishness and hate and abuse, in a world desperate for love, when they find such unconditional love in the church their whole world is turned upside down!

Then they see the true nature of man, and the genuine love of God in Jesus Christ! And what happens? The church grows and God's name is praised!

What a reward!

At the same time we store up treasure in heaven. One day God will say to you, to me, and to all of us who have not grown weary in doing good: well done, good and faithful servant! Come share in your master's happiness.

Is there anything else you want, you need, or anything more wonderful than that?

Therefore, in thankfulness to God, do good to all, especially those in the faith around you. Don't leave it till tomorrow, but begin today.

You will reap what you sow. Be faithful to Christ, your Saviour. Sow in the Spirit, and reap the glorious harvest of eternal life!!!

Amen.