“In my view, people are never closer to living out the teachings of
Christ than when they are adding value to someone else’s life. And
people who are far from God are rarely more impacted than when they see
21st-Century Christ-followers behaving as Christ behaved.”
~Bill Hybels
Title of my Message: The Power of Doing Good
(Titus
3:8) “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. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.”
(Titus 3:1) “Remind the people to be ready to do whatever is good.”
(Titus
3:14) “(Christ-followers) must learn to devote themselves to doing
what is good, in order that they may not live unproductive lives.”
Three Important Questions
1. Why should I do good?
Doing good is God’s destiny for me.
(Ephesians
2:10) “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do
good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
2. Where should I do good?
Do good wherever I am.
(Luke
10:25-37) On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus.
“Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” He
answered: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all
your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ ; and,
‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ "
“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
In
reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when
he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes,
beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be
going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the
other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him,
passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came
where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went
to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine.
Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care
of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the
innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will
reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’”
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who
fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The
one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
3. How should I do good?
Do good however the Spirit leads me.
(Matthew
9:35-38) Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in
their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing
every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion
on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a
shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but
the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send
out workers into his harvest field.”
For more information on the vision of Freedom Church, please visit our website at www.freedom-church.org.
