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Source: https://www.sermonindex.net/speakers/jesse-fitch/good-works/
I'm not going to give a report on Russia, but I do have some remarks following up on what our brother Louis has said. Let's turn to 2 Timothy chapter 3, verses 16 and 17, 2 Timothy 3, 16 and 17. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
Before passing on to a second reading, this word, man of God, I'd like to see it apply to every young person here today. You could be a 10 or 12 year old girl, a young married couple, an older person.
I believe it very much applies to each and every believer. It would be God's desire that it be so. The second portion is Luke chapter 10, reading at verse 30, Jesus answering said, this is Luke 10 and verse 30, a certain man went down from Jericho, Jerusalem to Jericho, fell among thieves, which tripped him of his raiment, wounded him, departed leaving him half dead.
By chance there came down a certain priest that way. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, went to him, bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, set him on his own beast, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, gave them to the host, said unto him, take care of him, and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. God will bless the reading of these two portions to our hearts.
What is on my mind is good works, good works that on Salvation's Day, God gave to the believer. Good works are his works. From 1 Timothy 3 and 1, we know that if it's a good work, it can be a very difficult work.
Many times, though, our good works, we're very unconscious of them, but God is receiving glory because what we are doing, we're doing for his name's sake and in love to him and to his word and to others about us.
Our good works, according to Matthew 5, is our light in this world. In other words, it's our testimony to others. Our brother Fisher Hunter one time said, every work is as good as its motive. So I want to speak just a word on good works, their motive, and opportunities that God may open for each one in our presence to manifest forth his good works.
What we read here in Luke chapter 10, the Good Samaritan, you can see he was thoroughly prepared unto every good work. And if you tried to count how many good works that you would esteem to be a good work that this Good Samaritan did, it's quite challenging.
But for sure, he's thoroughly prepared. We don't have the excuses. They're unknown why the Levite and the priest did not attend to this man that was wounded. But we see this Good Samaritan, he was thoroughly prepared.
I believe a child that is saved can be thoroughly prepared. I can back that up with a scripture, Naaman's little maid. I believe that Naaman's little maid, her work, mind you, she was taken to captivity, far from home, far from every loved one.
It didn't change her attitude about God. I believe the little girl's life was thoroughly packed with good works. Very little said. But when she did speak a word, God was behind her, and it truly moved that general to obey a little girl's voice.
So our good works that you and I perform daily, some at school, some at the college, some on our jobs, in the home, God is behind them. He knows the destiny, the outcome of every good work. The little track of matchless pearl was given out at a home.
The folks were Lutherans. We returned to that home, four or six months later, and the woman met me at the door and said, thank you for that little paper called the matchless pearl. I send it to my son who works in Venezuela.
He taught his Sunday school class that whole track called the matchless pearl. And you and I never know the destination of a smile or a little word spoken, perhaps a track given out, perhaps a kind deed on the job.
Remember your smile might be the only gentle, kind smile some people will see in a day. Our little or greater works do count for God. In Luke chapter 2, verses 8 to 15 or so, we see these shepherds. Were they busy?
Absolutely. They had a heart care. How do we know? It was at nighttime. They were caring for the flock. Would that be an easy work for you and me to do? Probably wouldn't welcome it. But it was their work.
When God spoke to them, he had another work. They did not hesitate. They were asked to go to a certain place where a child was to be born. Who was that child? The Lord, the very Christ of God. How did they do this work?
They were prompt. They made haste to carry out such a work. I don't believe there's ever been a glory given on earth like that glory that filled the heavens with wondrous angels giving glory to God for this message that was given to them.
So, in the work of Luke 10, it was love that commenced the work. It was godly deeds that carried the work through, and it was a finished work. He said, take care until I come again, and he did. You see, his good work triggered off another good work.
And the good works that you and I do, God knows, will trigger off, generate good works in others to continue on. So God wants a good work to commence by faith, by his grace, carried through to the end, and completed, all to the glory of God.
Look at Acts chapter 8 for a moment, please. Acts chapter 8. Now, notice Philip. Would you say he was successful? Well, he certainly would not want to take the credit for being successful. It was all by the grace of God, the love of God in his heart for precious souls.
He was seeing many saved, baptized. But notice, he did not hesitate when the Lord spoke to him in verse 26. What did the Lord say to him? Arise, go. What did he do? He arose, verse 27, he went. So there you have a directive for good work to carry out.
But he's not through yet. He's given a directive to this Ethiopian eunuch. Now notice in verse 29, go near and join. So here's a man, apply to a woman, a child in our midst that is saved. Wait upon God, call upon him, and he will surprise you.
Would you ask him, Lord, make me a blessing to someone today? Do that by faith. The Lord will do that very thing. Like our dear Charlotte, we get her last name from San Antone. She'd be washing dishes, praying that very prayer.
Lord, can you take me today, and can you use me to be a help, a blessing? Do it, Lord. It's my desire. The doorbell rings. Oh, thank you, Lord. A salesman at the door. He's certainly got his ear full of the gospel of Christ.
Go near, join thyself. Did he hesitate when the Lord first spoke to him? Did he not say, Lord, we're so busy? Cannot you call on John or Peter? Maybe they're not so busy at this time. No. His ear was, what is the Lord's will?
What does he want me to do? Well, how did he react to this? Go near, join yourself. He's never seen the man, never conversed with him. How did he react? He ran. God's good works to be manifested in you and me demand our responsibility in return to God.
To act, he ran thither. He listened. And then he came forth with a very wise question. Understand us what thou readest. So in carrying out good works, we need that prayer in our hearts constantly. Lord, give me wisdom.
Because you know the Lord is going to use you in your little sphere of life. If you read on down how further guidance is given. So we need divine guidance in the carrying out of good works. Now, I followed up on Louis with several thoughts in mind.
One contact. I told you about Naaman. It was one contact, a little girl's voice. With Russia, one contact with me. What did my son just say to me? 13-year-old boy. Russians are coming to our city. I heard something of the report David Elves gave.
There was a man or lady, I forget which, from the north here that heard the gospel, was saved, went back to their hometown in Mexico. And they realized the message they're telling others around them is so vital.
People are listening. And so a note is sent off, I believe it's to David Elves. Would you come down here and help? Listening to one voice, he obeyed that voice. What do we have today? Not only the good work of following up on one contact, but others listening.
Others became involved. And look at the land of Mexico today. A very difficult work. Would you like to be in the shoes of those brethren? Sometimes they're in very dangerous situations. But the work is progressing.
It is a difficult work. One time, a brother, Larry Perkins, and I were in the city of Tobolsk. We knocked at the wrong door. Oh, excuse me. Very sorry. We have not come to the right place. God can take your mistakes and use them for his glory.
The woman said, no, you haven't come to the wrong place. You come in here. There was a 20-year-old boy. Drove off in the night to a pond where the water drained out, broke his neck. Sergei, his name.
Due time, that boy, bedridden already for four years, now for nearly 24 years, came to know the Savior in a unique way, was baptized and in fellowship. Just because of a mistake that God turned into a blessing.
Some of us have read a little booklet called A Message to Garcia. Have you read it? Written in 1899. There was a man located in the mountains of Cuba during the Spanish-American War. The editor of a newspaper, he had an important message for this important man, Garcia.
He found a war hero colonel by the name of Rowan. He said, take this message to Garcia. Rowan took the message, sealed it in an oil skin, strapped it over his heart. Four days later, he entered into the jungle of Cuba.
Three weeks later, he came out on the far side. His mission accomplished. The directive, go. Through difficult jungle area, he entered. He found his man. He gave him the message. The New York editor was so impressed.
In his newspaper, without a title, he just made a note to this caption. The next day, hundreds of phone calls were flowing in. I want 100 copies. I want 1 ,000 copies of that article. The director of all the Russian railroad system said, I want 100 ,000 copies of that.
I want every man on the railroad in Russia to read that message. There was a Japanese general in New York at the time. I want 1 million copies of the message to Garcia. Why? Someone that would be given a directive, little or great, that'll carry through with it.
We call good works. That will complete the work, finished. Some here today are perhaps directors or men who are over others in a position at work. You have those under you who are responsible. Would you like a message by this woman to do what he did?
A good work given to you of God. Would you like that kind of a person working on the job? Wholehearted business. What is it you want me to do? Well, look, this guy over here, he's doing nothing. Why not give it to him?
Or, excuse me, but I really am busy, like the Levite. Or others, they're not. Why not them? Or when should I go? No questions asked. Lord, is this what you want me to do? By thy grace, I will do it. That's why the message to Garcia took such an interest to think that you and I serve the greatest of masters.
Can we take a job, a responsibility, a small task, do it, carry it through, let it be complete? Touch on this story of David. What was the desire of King David? When almost in defeat, the ranks of the Philistines about him, oh, that I had a drink from the waters, the well of the waters of Bethlehem.
Three men, Shobi, Maker, Azariah. They heard the desire of their master. They didn't question that. Would you want to be one of those three men? They broke through the ranks. They went to the well at Bethlehem.
They brought that water that David so longed for. Then they broke through the ranks to get back home to David. Takes courage. Sometimes in our little good works, Lord might give us to do. But like the Lord Jesus Christ himself, the Father sent him with such a mission.
Think of all the trials, difficulties he passed through here below. But his heart's desire to please his Father. And love to him. From Luke 2, wished you not that I must be about my father's business, to the time he said, it is finished.
So on the job, home, school, wherever you are, young one, older one, God can mightily use a man, woman, or child if what we do is heartily as unto him. That's Colossians 3 .17. May God give us each one grace to continue in a spirit of prayer and love to God, busy about our daily task.
Be careful, that's the kind of person God will give a particular work to do. So busy, that's the one God will say, come, do this for me. And that you and I might have at the end of life's journey, well done, thou good and faithful servant.
I like the song number 87. Perhaps we could stand to sing it. I bow me to thy will, O God, and all thy ways adore. And every day I live, I seek to please thee more and more. Stand pleased to sing 87 verses 1, 3, and 5.