DO ALL THE GOOD YOU CAN
Text: Galatians 6:9-10
9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
I. WE BECOME WEARY, DISCOURAGED.
A. We don’t see immediate or continuing response.
B. We fear what we have done was in vain (Galatians 4:11).
C. We get too busy doing too many things: family, work, ministry, school, etc.
D. We come close to giving up. Usually we don’t intend to quit, we’re just going to take a break for a while, but somehow we just never seem to get started up again.
WE MUST ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER TO KEEP ON DOING GOOD THINGS.
II. WE LOSE SIGHT OF THE HARVEST.
A. We fail to pray for the harvest.
B. We take our eyes off the goal. We get distracted for a time.
C. We grow impatient for the proper time of the harvest.
WE MUST KEEP OUR SIGHT ON THE NEED TO KEEP ON DOING GOOD THINGS.
III. WE LET OPPORTUNITIES PASS.
A. “Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart (2 Corinthians 4:1).
B. We depend on past accomplishments to build some sort of credit for us.
C. Jesus went about doing good (Acts 10:38). We sometimes say, “Last month, last year, five years ago I did such and such a good thing.” But the question is, “What good thing are we doing right now?”
WE MUST BE SENSITIVE AND READY FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO DO GOOD THINGS.
IV. WE FORGET TO DO GOOD THINGS.
A. “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased” (Hebrews 13:16). Why do we forget to do good things? One reason is that we don’t read our Bibles. There are many good things that this chapter alone reminds us to do. I think God knows that we’ll forget, so He reminds us of these things over and over in the Bible. Trouble is it’s often like the notes we write to ourselves to remind us of this or that, but we don’t read them.
B. “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25). We
become less involved, disconnected, isolated, cut off.
C. “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” (Galatians 6:7-8).
“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously” (2 Corinthians 9:6).
We forget the principle which applies equally in the material or the spiritual applications; that is that we will reap according to what we sow in quality and quantity.
D. The enemy is constantly sowing bad seed (Matthew 13:24-30). Sometimes we sow bad seed ourselves. Cares of the world grow up around the good seed and choke it so that it can’t mature (Luke 8:14).
E. “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things” (Philippians 4:8).
“For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings up evil things out of the evil stored up in him (Matthew 12:34b-35).
We forget about the high-tech computer principle – GIGO.
GIGO: Garbage In – Garbage Out.
Why not change the application of this acronym to:
GIGO: Good In – Good Out.
WE MUST NOT FORGET TO KEEP ON DOING GOOD THINGS.
V. WE BECOME RESENTFUL, BITTER.
A. “But I tell you who hear Me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you (Luke 6:27-28). Why?
B. “See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many” (Hebrews 12:15).
C. “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has
something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift (Matthew 5:23-24).
(Mom and her sister, Doris.)
D. We can easily become resentful, bitter, unforgiving, unkind, when we have our minds set on
the wrong things. “Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that sinful nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires (Romans 8:5).
Don’t get stuck in Romans 7:18-20 (3:10-18).
Move on to maturity in Romans 8:1-17.
WE MUST PUT OFF RESENTMENT AND BITTERNESS
IN ORDER TO KEEP ON DOING GOOD THINGS.
VI. WE CLAIM GRACE TO ESCAPE THE NEED FOR GOOD WORKS.
A. “For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace (Romans 6:14).
We like to pick out verses and use them out of context to lend support to our excuses.
B. Ephesians 2:8-10.
C. “But someone will say, ‘You have faith; I have deeds.’ Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do” (James 2:18). James 2:14-16 teaches that faith results in good works, faith is demonstrated and proven by action.
WE MUST REALIZE THAT WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH TO KEEP ON DOING GOOD THINGS.
VII. WE WERE CREATED TO KEEP ON DOING GOOD THINGS.
A. We were created for and commanded to do good works.
1. “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).
2. “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).
3. “(Jesus Christ) who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good”
(Titus 2:14).
“Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good…and I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good
(Titus 3:1,8).
4. “Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share (1 Timothy 6:18).
B. How do we get started again?
1. The Word of God (2 Timothy 2:20-21; 2:15; 3:16-17).
2. Romans 12 is a good chapter, among many other passages, to study and memorize to remind us of the good things to keep on doing.
3. The Believer’s Covenant.
4. We must continually encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 4:18; 5:11).
5. We must set our minds on what the Holy Spirit of Christ desires (Romans 8:5).
C. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).
LET US REMEMBER THAT WE WERE CREATED TO KEEP ON DOING GOOD THINGS.
LET US NOT BECOME WEARY IN DOING GOOD, FOR AT THE PROPER TIME WE
WILL REAP A HARVEST IF WE DO NOT GIVE UP.
LET US KEEP ON DOING GOOD THINGS, IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST. AMEN.
