NEVER GROW WEARY
A. Christ as a SERVANT
ILLUSTRATION:
In Matthew 20:20-28, the mother of James and John comes to Jesus asking if He would allow her two sons to sit on his RIGHT and LEFT in His KINGDOM.
Upon hearing the mother’s request, the other DISCIPLES became very INDIGNANT toward James and John, only because they wanted those POSITIONS for themselves. But Jesus called them all together and said, “. . . whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.” He then added, “I did not come to be SERVED, but to SERVE.”
COMMENT:
Jesus exemplified the life of a SERVANT. He gave comfort to the AFFLICTED, strength to the WEAK, and hope to the HOPELESS. He healed the SICK: causing the BLIND to see, the DEAF to hear, the LAME to WALK. He fed the HUNGRY.
Jesus was a man of COMPASSION. He moved HEALINGLY among the people touching LIVES and lifting BURDENS. And as His disciples, we are to FOLLOW in His STEPS!
B. We are to be SERVANTS of people.
1. The Bible describes Christ’s followers as servants more than disciples and Christians combined.
a. To be GREAT in the Kingdom of God we must SERVE.
b. According to Matthew 25:31-46, only SERVANTS will have a PLACE in heaven.
COMMENT:
The acts of service that Jesus lists are: “Feeding the hungry, giving water to the thirsty, showing hospitality to a stranger, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and those in prison.” These are only examples of areas of SERVICE in which we need to be involved individually and as a church. Jesus- “By SERVING people in their time of NEED we are actually SERVING Him.”
2. And while SERVING others, we are NEVER to GROW WEARY.
a. Galatians 6:9- “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not grow weary.”
COMMENT:
We grow tired of many things: JOBS, RECREATION, TELEVISION, NEW HOUSE or CAR, your CHRISTMAS GIFTS—but never are we to GROW TIRED of DOING GOOD.
When we grow TIRED of DOING GOOD, then we cease PLEASING God. “We are created in Christ Jesus to do GOOD WORKS”- Ephesians 2:10b.
As long as we are PHYSICALLY able to SERVE and DO GOOD for others, then that is what God wants us to be DOING.
b. Titus 3:14- “Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives.”
MESSAGE:
I. THE IMPORTANCE OF DOING GOOD WORKS
A. Christianity is manifested by our GOOD WORKS.
1. We cannot follow the steps of Jesus for long without ENGAGING in GOOD WORKS.
COMMENT:
Jesus said that “He came to SAVE”- Luke 19:10 and “He came to SERVE”- Matt. 20:28. A METHOD He employed to SAVE people was SERVING them -- “Doing GOOD for them.” When people saw His LOVE and COMPASSION demonstrated by his GOOD WORKS, they gladly FOLLOWED Him.
2. It is through our SERVICE that causes others to want to KNOW more about our Father in heaven.
a. Matthew 5:16- “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven.”
COMMENT:
Notice that Jesus didn’t say that we “let our light shine” by QUOTING Scripture and carrying your Bible around. Nor did He say that we “let our light shine” before others by merely ATTENDING Worship every Sunday. He said, “Let your light shine by doing good deeds!”
b. Think about it! What will cause other people to PRAISE your Father?
ILLUSTRATION:
Do you really believe that POINTING out the FAULTS and WEAKNESSES in others; QUOTING SCRIPTURE: “Thou shalt not to this!” “Thou shalt not to that!” will cause
people to PRAISE God and want to LEARN more about Jesus?
How about just ATTENDING worship and doing nothing else? Do you really believe that people in this COMMUNITY can see your LIGHT shining while you are sitting in this building?
c. By DOING GOOD WORKS we are following the example of Jesus as a SERVANT and letting our LIGHTS SHINE in this DARK WORLD.
ILLUSTRATION:
The one who PRAISES God is the man or woman you HELPED when there was a NEED! The one who ASKS you about Jesus is the one who sees your deep CONCERN and CARE for his or her WELL-BEING. The one who SEES your LIGHT SHINING is the one for whom you PRAYED, CARED, and VISITED when he or she was ILL!
B. What GOOD are we to DO?
1. RESTORE OTHERS- v. 1 (READ and COMMENT)
a. This is one GOOD WORK that many NEGLECT!
COMMENT:
We are our BROTHERS’ KEEPERS. When we know that a brother or sister in Christ is caught up in some sin, we are to go to the person and make every effort to RESTORE him or her back to Jesus. If we don’t, that soul can be lost eternally!
b. Yet while RESTORING an ERRING Christian, we are to do so with GENTLENESS!
COMMENT:
Often we go to the person with a “HOLIER-THAN-THOU” attitude. We say, “Why are you doing this? You should know better than that! That is a STUPID THING to do!” We REBUKE him sharply for allowing himself to be PERSUADED by Satan, while all along he is HURTING deeply and HATES the sin. What he needs is a CONCERNED brother or sister in Christ to PATIENTLY and GENTLY help him overcome the SIN in his life.
ILLUSTRATION:
One of my Bible professors tells about a young Bible student who came to his office terribly DISTURBED about something. After a few minutes of small talk he finally said, “I’ve been DATING this girl for a couple of months that I am extremely ATTRACTIVE to. I’ve had her in my APARTMENT a few times and have passionately KISSED but never did we go too FAR—that is until last WEEKEND.”
As he was telling the story, the professor said that TEARS welled up in his eyes and had a BREAK in his voice. Then LOWERING his head in SHAME, he wanted to say more but couldn’t.
The professor asked, “Do I need to PREACH you a SERMON on the UNGODLINESS of IMMORALITY?” He shook his head “NO.” “Do I need to read from Galatians 4 to show you the ETERNAL CONSEQUENCES of such PRACTICE?”
The young man replied, “You don’t have to READ to me from the Bible to help me REALIZE how WRONG this sin is. I’m LIVING with it.”
COMMENT:
This young man was PENITENT for what he had done. He didn’t need somebody to RIP him to SHREDS with the Bible to let him know how WRONG sin is. He was PAINFULLY aware of it! What he needed was someone to GENTLY RESTORE him, to PRAY for him, and to be there to STRENGTHEN him and HELP him overcome that TEMPTATION in his life.
2. BEAR WITH OTHERS- v. 2 (READ and COMMENT)
a. “BURDEN”- a load that is just too HEAVY to BEAR ALONE.
ILLUSTRATION:
There are many Christians who are laden down with BURDENS. There are those STRUGGLING with SIN, those who are faced with DIFFICULT TRIALS and HARDSHIPS, those deeply DEPRESSED and DISCOURAGED—feeling UNLOVED and FORSAKEN.
As FAMILY in Christ, we are to BEAR one another’s BURDENS -- RELIEVING the HURT, STRENGTHENING the WEAK, CARING for the HELPLESS.
b. By doing this, Paul said that “we FULFILL the LAW of Christ.”
COMMENT:
This is the central teaching of Jesus. It is a MANIFESTATION of our LOVE for people who are HURTING. If we AREN’T helping the HURTING, then we AREN’T following Christ.
3. SERVE OTHERS- v. 10 (READ and COMMENT)
COMMENT:
This passage clearly teaches that when the OPPORTUNITY arises, we are to SERVE others (DO GOOD) whether they are Christians or non-Christians.
Jesus didn’t SERVE His disciples only. He didn’t even LIMIT His help to Godly Jews. He served SAMARITANS, GENTILES, and even people of a very UNGODLY BACKGROUND. Jesus was simply a SERVANT of people. And we should be also.
II. GROWING WEARY FROM DOING GOOD
A. This is a real DANGER!
1. A lot of GOOD WORKS, MINISTRIES, and PERSONAL DEEDS have been stopped because people have simply GROWN TIRED of them.
ILLUSTRATION:
A lot of church PROGRAMS and MINISTRIES that have been DISBAND weren’t done so because of a lack of EFFICIENCY, but a lack of ZEAL on the part of those working in them.
When a MINISTRY is first IMPLEMENTED everyone is so EXCITED about it. They SACRIFICE their TIME, TALENTS, and MONEY to insure the SUCCESS of it.
For the first few months the PROGRAM achieves exactly what the church hoped. But then those INVOLVED in the work gradually begin to LOSE interest. Many GROW TIRED and QUIT, leaving only a few to CARRY it on. Eventually, they too, with the WORK LOAD and PRESSURES, grow TIRED and QUIT.
In time the ELDERS decide to do away with the WORK that was once very EFFECTIVE, because people GREW WEARY of DOING GOOD.
2. This applies to many GOOD THINGS we do:
a. Sunday School
b. Worship Attendance
c. Involvement in church ministry
d. Bible Study
f. Caring for the needs of others
g. Visiting the sick
B. Common causes of WEARINESS from DOING GOOD
1. MONOTONY and DRUDGERY
a. If a WORK isn’t as EXCITING as we like, we GROW TIRED easily.
b. All GOOD WORKS aren’t EXCITING.
ILLUSTRATION:
It’s not EXCITING to CLEAN the house, COOK the meals, DO the LAUNDRY and IRONING for a person who is sick in bed.
It’s not EXCITING to BABY-SIT for a couple who are having MARITAL PROBLEMS and need time ALONE to WORK it out.
It’s not EXCITING to spend your LEISURE time helping a friend REPAIR his car!
It’s not EXCITING to “wash the filthy feet of 12 men knowing that one of them is planning to put you to death.” But Jesus wasn’t a SERVANT because of FUN and EXCITEMENT. He loved people and wanted to help them with their NEEDS. He never GREW TIRED of DOING GOOD.
2. Lack of RESULTS
a. This is especially true in the work of the church.
ILLUSTRATION:
A person who tries to bring SOULS to Jesus but seems to convert no one, may GROW TIRED of reaching out to others because of no apparent GOOD that he or she is doing.
There are many PREACHERS who leave the PULPIT because they PREACH their HEARTS out, but no one seems to LISTEN!
There are a countless number of Bible Class Teachers who quit TEACHING, elders who quit SHEPHERDING, ministry team member who quit SERVING, church members who quit WORSHIPPING, all due to a lack of RESULTS.
b. Yet, even if there seems to be no apparent results, we aren’t to grow weary of DOING GOOD.
COMMENT:
Where would the church be today if God had given up on His people due to a lack of results?
3. Lack of APPRECIATION
a. Probably nothing is more DISHEARTENING to one who does GOOD for another, than to have no APPRECIATION shown by the person you HELPED.
COMMENT:
When you EXPEND your TIME and ENERGY helping a person do some WORK around his house. When you GIVE a person some MONEY to ASSIST with a particular NEED. When you WORK hard to DO GOOD for another and there is no APPRECIATION or GRATITUDE shown, it sometimes makes you FEEL not wanting to HELP anybody.
b. But even if there is no APPRECIATION shown for doing GOOD for others, we are not to GROW WEARY of DOING GOOD.
ILLUSTRATION:
When Jesus HEALED the 10 LEPERS (Luke 17), only one of them came back to THANK Jesus and GIVE God the GLORY. The other 9 went on their way without making a single GESTURE to Jesus for their GRATITUDE.
Jesus was very displeased with the NINE. He could have said, “I’ve had it! I go around DOING GOOD for others, and what is the THANKS I get? Not anymore! I’m sick and tired of being taken ADVANTAGE of!”
Although only a FEW of all the THOUSANDS of people that Jesus helped during His MINISTRY showed any kind of APPRECIATION toward Him, He never QUIT helping others.
III. REWARDS FROM DOING GOOD
A. Paul- “At the proper time, we will reap a HARVEST if do not GIVE UP.”
1. As long as we remain steadfast in DOING GOOD, we will RECEIVE BENEFITS.
a. This is the law of Nature.
b. v. 7- “A man reaps what he sows.”
2. It is improbable to DO GOOD unto others without having GOOD returned.
COMMENT:
This is the law of RECIPROCITY. People will often RECIPROCATE the ACTION that one bestows on them.
ILLUSTRATION:
If you are UNKIND and RUDE to another, more than likely you’ll receive the same ACTION in return.
On the other hand, if you GREET a person with a SMILE and KIND WORD, that person will usually RECIPROCATE.
B. What are the REWARDS we will receive for:
1. RESTORING the ERRING
a. In our GENTLE PERSISTENCE helping a brother or sister STRUGGLING with sin, we may be able to SAVE that person from ETERNAL DESTRUCTION.
b. James 5:19-20 (READ and COMMENT)
2. BEARING OTHERS’ BURDENS
COMMENT:
What a JOY it is to have a part in HELPING others with their BURDENS—to see them GROW in the FAITH, to overcome HARDSHIP and TRIALS, to GET on their FEET again, all because you took time to HELP them with their DIFFICULTIES.
3. SERVING OTHERS
COMMENT:
The REWARDS in SERVING others are INNUMERABLE. However, the one who receives the greater BENEFIT from SERVING is not the one being SERVED, but the SERVANT. I believe that’s why Jesus said, “The SERVANT is the GREATEST in the KINGDOM.”
CONCLUSION:
A. The will of God for each of us is to have a SERVANT HEART!
ILLUSTRATION:
Ron Willingham in his book Life Is What You Make It, tells a story that took place about 30 years ago about a member of the Central Church of Christ in Amarillo, TX named Giles Tate who had a SERVANT’S HEART.
One day while going home from work, Giles saw two children playing in a VACANT LOT. They were DIRTY, RAGGED, and HUNGRY-LOOKING. He stopped his car and asked where they lived. They pointed to an old ABANDONED school bus standing near the ALLEY. They told Giles that they lived there with their father who was very sick.
Our brother in Christ went in to see what he could do for the children’s father. The bus was in terrible CONDITION. The WINDOWS were broken out and CARDBOARD was substituted. Beds were made of old, DECAYING seats, newspapers and weeds. It was a PATHETIC sight.
The children’s father was too WEAK to stand. Thinking him near death, Giles took him to the hospital. There it was DETERMINED that the man had TUBERCULOSIS. He was put into a HOSPITAL ROOM and QUARANTINED. Giles, this great servant of Jesus, told the HOSPITAL that he would pay for all of the man’s MEDICAL EXPENSES.
He didn’t forget the man but continued to VISIT him. Since he couldn’t go into the ROOM, he stood outside and talked through the WINDOW screen. The man asked Giles to bring his Bible and read to him. Giles did every single day.
The very day the man was RELEASED he wanted to be BAPTIZED into Christ. While getting ready to be baptized he told the preacher, “Over the years I heard a lot about Jesus Christ and how He cared about people. But never had I seen Him living in anyone like I did Giles who CARED so deeply for me and my children.”
HOW HAVE YOU BEEN SERVING?
