Monday, September 29, 2008
Good Works and the Good Work
Titus 2:11-3:8
9/27/08 D. Marion Clark
Introduction
I had the privilege of being at the hospital with Miriam and with James and Diane earlier in the day of John’s death. I asked Miriam if she there was any particular scripture she would like read. It so happened that she and John had been reading Titus and especially had been heartened by the passage that has been read today. My eyes lit up when she mentioned this passage. I had first preached on it nearly 30 years ago while in seminary for my preaching class. It makes for a great three-point sermon based on what it says about good works, and it struck me while reading it again by John’s bed, how descriptive it was of John himself. Let me take us through it.
Text
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
Let me comment on the term “good works.” There are good people who work. There are people who do work well. And then there are people who do work that is for the good of others. The work directly benefits other people. It might be to hold the door open for someone whose arms are full; it might be at great cost to come to the aid of someone in need. Whatever the case, it is a good work.
The Apostle Paul is saying that the very good work of Jesus Christ – that work of dying on the cross so as to redeem people from sin – Christ did that work to produce people who are zealous to do good works. They don’t begrudgingly help their neighbor out. They are quite pleased to have the opportunity to help. It’s positive motivation for them.
Consider the next phrase: 15 Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you. Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work…
At my sister’s wedding many years ago, the wedding director gathered us ushers in the narthex and instructed us on how to take the ladies’ arms as they came in and usher them down the aisle. Just as she finished, a young lady walked in and then right by us into the sanctuary. The director looked at us with one of those “Well?” expressions. We had been trained to do good work. We were even desirous to do good work. But we weren’t ready. The opportunity came before we expected it and we missed it.
Paul is looking for people who are ready for good works. They take the opportunity when it comes. They are alert to the needs of those around them. They pay attention to others. They look for needs to fill. And then they themselves are prepared. They are mentally and emotionally up for the task. They are not ever ready with excuses for why they can’t help. “I’m too tired.” “I’ve got my own troubles.” “I don’t have the time.” “Someone else could do a better job.”
So, we have people who are zealous to do good works and ready to do them when the opportunity comes. There is one more trait: The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works.
This is an interesting phrase: “be careful to devote themselves to good works.” Essentially, Paul is saying to be devoted to being devoted to doing good works. Evidently he wants this matter of doing good for others to be something to which we give our full attention. One can be zealous for good works in the sense of doing good with a cheerful attitude. “Someone needs help? Sure, I’ll be glad to help.” You take it to another level when you are ready to do good. “I see that person needs help. I’ll go over.” But this instruction takes us further. We understand how important it is to do good and devote ourselves to doing good works well. We don’t get into the business of doing good works in a half-hearted way. We do it right. We are careful to give the attention needed. This is serious business.
This is the kind of Christian character that describes John Padusis. Don’t you agree? Aren’t most of you here because you admired this man’s zeal to serve his Lord through good works? Can you not attest that he took the opportunity to help others? There was a reason why he served as an elder in one church and then a deacon in another. We saw in him a Christian who was careful to be devoted to doing good works.
Now the irony here is that all of what I’ve said so far as nothing to do with why this passage meant so much to John and Miriam, who, by the way, most of you would say fits the bill here as well. What then did they focus on? These lines:
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people…
13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us…
4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
It was this hope of eternal life that heartened them. If you are going to understand the life of John Padusis, then know that earning the privilege to see his Savior was not the motivation for his good works. John did not do good works to earn acceptance by God. John’s last days were not spent hoping that he had done enough good to get into heaven. No, John’s hope was already made sure by the good work of his Savior Jesus Christ. Hear what John heard.
“…when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy…”
Do you understand what a blessing, what a relief such a statement is to a sinner’s ears? You don’t get into heaven by piling up enough good works to offset your sins. There’s no performance standard that you have got to maintain in hopes that it might be good enough when the time comes to make your case. You make it through the work of Jesus Christ, and you receive this work as a pure work of mercy. Again, you have got to hear with the ears of John. Compared to us John was a good man; indeed, better than most of us. But before his holy God, he knew he was nothing more than a sinner. And so to hear of this mercy, to know that the goodness and loving kindness of God was shown to him through his Savior dying for his sins was blessing indeed.
Consider what else he heard: “…by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior…”
He heard that not only had he been forgiven of his sins, he had been washed clean. His heart had been renewed by the Holy Spirit, who had been poured into him through his Savior. God had not merely made it possible for John to be saved. He didn’t say, “I’ve done my part, now you finish your end of the bargain.” No, he came into John. He gave him the ears to hear the gospel; he washed him; he renewed him. And he stayed with him, as he is with him now.
Are you able to follow? John rejoiced in the good work that had been done for him on the cross. He rejoiced in the good work that God was doing presently in his life. But what really excited him was the good work still to be accomplished – receiving his inheritance. You may not have known this, but John was the heir of incredible, glorious riches; riches that he would receive not when his benefactor died, but when he died. Eternal life in glory. That’s not a bad deal, especially when the terms laid did not entail the burden of doing enough goods works, but simply to receive, to trust, to believe in the good work of his Savior.
And that is why John Padusis was a man of good works. When you are filled with joy for the mercy your Lord has shown to you, then you want to be about the business of showing mercy yourself. When you have been the recipient of the greatest Good Work, then you can’t help but want to do some good works. And though he was saved when he was yet a sinner, know that John Padusis, when he appeared before his Savior, heard the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
9/27/08 D. Marion Clark
Introduction
I had the privilege of being at the hospital with Miriam and with James and Diane earlier in the day of John’s death. I asked Miriam if she there was any particular scripture she would like read. It so happened that she and John had been reading Titus and especially had been heartened by the passage that has been read today. My eyes lit up when she mentioned this passage. I had first preached on it nearly 30 years ago while in seminary for my preaching class. It makes for a great three-point sermon based on what it says about good works, and it struck me while reading it again by John’s bed, how descriptive it was of John himself. Let me take us through it.
Text
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
Let me comment on the term “good works.” There are good people who work. There are people who do work well. And then there are people who do work that is for the good of others. The work directly benefits other people. It might be to hold the door open for someone whose arms are full; it might be at great cost to come to the aid of someone in need. Whatever the case, it is a good work.
The Apostle Paul is saying that the very good work of Jesus Christ – that work of dying on the cross so as to redeem people from sin – Christ did that work to produce people who are zealous to do good works. They don’t begrudgingly help their neighbor out. They are quite pleased to have the opportunity to help. It’s positive motivation for them.
Consider the next phrase: 15 Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you. Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work…
At my sister’s wedding many years ago, the wedding director gathered us ushers in the narthex and instructed us on how to take the ladies’ arms as they came in and usher them down the aisle. Just as she finished, a young lady walked in and then right by us into the sanctuary. The director looked at us with one of those “Well?” expressions. We had been trained to do good work. We were even desirous to do good work. But we weren’t ready. The opportunity came before we expected it and we missed it.
Paul is looking for people who are ready for good works. They take the opportunity when it comes. They are alert to the needs of those around them. They pay attention to others. They look for needs to fill. And then they themselves are prepared. They are mentally and emotionally up for the task. They are not ever ready with excuses for why they can’t help. “I’m too tired.” “I’ve got my own troubles.” “I don’t have the time.” “Someone else could do a better job.”
So, we have people who are zealous to do good works and ready to do them when the opportunity comes. There is one more trait: The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works.
This is an interesting phrase: “be careful to devote themselves to good works.” Essentially, Paul is saying to be devoted to being devoted to doing good works. Evidently he wants this matter of doing good for others to be something to which we give our full attention. One can be zealous for good works in the sense of doing good with a cheerful attitude. “Someone needs help? Sure, I’ll be glad to help.” You take it to another level when you are ready to do good. “I see that person needs help. I’ll go over.” But this instruction takes us further. We understand how important it is to do good and devote ourselves to doing good works well. We don’t get into the business of doing good works in a half-hearted way. We do it right. We are careful to give the attention needed. This is serious business.
This is the kind of Christian character that describes John Padusis. Don’t you agree? Aren’t most of you here because you admired this man’s zeal to serve his Lord through good works? Can you not attest that he took the opportunity to help others? There was a reason why he served as an elder in one church and then a deacon in another. We saw in him a Christian who was careful to be devoted to doing good works.
Now the irony here is that all of what I’ve said so far as nothing to do with why this passage meant so much to John and Miriam, who, by the way, most of you would say fits the bill here as well. What then did they focus on? These lines:
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people…
13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us…
4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
It was this hope of eternal life that heartened them. If you are going to understand the life of John Padusis, then know that earning the privilege to see his Savior was not the motivation for his good works. John did not do good works to earn acceptance by God. John’s last days were not spent hoping that he had done enough good to get into heaven. No, John’s hope was already made sure by the good work of his Savior Jesus Christ. Hear what John heard.
“…when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy…”
Do you understand what a blessing, what a relief such a statement is to a sinner’s ears? You don’t get into heaven by piling up enough good works to offset your sins. There’s no performance standard that you have got to maintain in hopes that it might be good enough when the time comes to make your case. You make it through the work of Jesus Christ, and you receive this work as a pure work of mercy. Again, you have got to hear with the ears of John. Compared to us John was a good man; indeed, better than most of us. But before his holy God, he knew he was nothing more than a sinner. And so to hear of this mercy, to know that the goodness and loving kindness of God was shown to him through his Savior dying for his sins was blessing indeed.
Consider what else he heard: “…by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior…”
He heard that not only had he been forgiven of his sins, he had been washed clean. His heart had been renewed by the Holy Spirit, who had been poured into him through his Savior. God had not merely made it possible for John to be saved. He didn’t say, “I’ve done my part, now you finish your end of the bargain.” No, he came into John. He gave him the ears to hear the gospel; he washed him; he renewed him. And he stayed with him, as he is with him now.
Are you able to follow? John rejoiced in the good work that had been done for him on the cross. He rejoiced in the good work that God was doing presently in his life. But what really excited him was the good work still to be accomplished – receiving his inheritance. You may not have known this, but John was the heir of incredible, glorious riches; riches that he would receive not when his benefactor died, but when he died. Eternal life in glory. That’s not a bad deal, especially when the terms laid did not entail the burden of doing enough goods works, but simply to receive, to trust, to believe in the good work of his Savior.
And that is why John Padusis was a man of good works. When you are filled with joy for the mercy your Lord has shown to you, then you want to be about the business of showing mercy yourself. When you have been the recipient of the greatest Good Work, then you can’t help but want to do some good works. And though he was saved when he was yet a sinner, know that John Padusis, when he appeared before his Savior, heard the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
