Doing Good - Why Doing Good Matters So Much, Part 1

When you think of someone doing good deeds. What comes your mind is giving a gift to sing a kind words. Maybe even community service.

I mean all that's really good, but there's more. In fact, there is a power not quoted in good deeds but in doing good in the Bible talks about an amazing power that happens when we do good.

I can't wait to tell you about today. Welcome to this Edition of Living on the Edge with shipping Living on the Edges of international discipleship industry featuring the Bible to this program chip launches a series he calls doing good. What happens when Christians live like Christians over the course of the next several programs will learn why doing good is way more than just an eyesight becoming intentional with personal actions of doing good changes the world around us.

One person, one family, one neighborhood at a time. You have a Bible open another Titus chapter 2. Let's join chip for part one of his message. Like doing good matters so much. Doing good is powerful, doing good changes the course of people's lives in as we do good to other people. I don't know about you, but it does something inside of us as well and doing good is positive. It's powerful.

It's rewarding and in fact, the Bible commands us to do good, but I think were living in a day where doing good has kinda fallen on hard times. There's a couple extremes that keep us from doing good the way God wants us to. People say will if it's by grace that you're saved in no why do good, God loves me anyway right then religious people get really upset about that for good reason.

And so they try and correct it with the other extreme and the other extreme is then will if you really want God to love you than they make it conditional and you need to stop doing these five things and start doing the seven things in and on these days.

You always have to do these things and so you get legalism over here and you get sorta like grace that doesn't have any impact in so all the way back in the early church. These two extremes were troubling and they begin to discredit Christianity and so there's a whole book I write a whole book New Testament written just to help you and me understand what doing good. Looks like the why of doing good. The one of doing good in the how to do good and what it does for us. What it does for God and what it does for other people. I put some teaching notes if you want to pull those out how to get a little overview of what it means to do good and as we do. That's one of those words. It has a broad meeting, Webster says. Doing good is the opposite of bad or poor or evil. Someone who is good has favorable character. The word always has a sense of moral purity and doing good or being good. Some synonyms are its productive wholesome it enhances it blesses it encourages, it helps and improves. It provides minutes. Good the Bible's definition says it's acts designed specifically to benefit others. When we do good works there acts that are designed specifically to benefit other people and reveal the characteristics of God. The apostle Paul.

Apparently we don't have lots of details, but he and a young pastor were doing ministry on this island island of Crete a number of people come to Christ and there was a number of smaller cities on this island and the churches started popping up and there were followers, many of them probably just house churches and some of them were growing and so the churches began to grow, but this island of Crete a couple thousand years ago. They were known for their moral laxness. They were known for their corruption and so the church is beginning to give birth in it for this amazing message about forgiveness and grace, but they're getting pulled back to their old culture. At the same time a group of people who say hey we can fix that they start making up a bunch of rules and false teachers come in and so Paul writes a very brief letter three short little chapters to this young pastor.

He says now we were there and I want you to go back and finish the job and then he writes an entire book on this issue of doing good what it looks like why do you do it. Notice the three problems were in the church and as I read these. They seem to be the three problems in the church today.

Number one believers lives don't match their beliefs. Believers conducts are discrediting their message and these false teachers are ruining families are destroying the church so fewer non-Christian and you went to Crete and you met many of the Christians there you would say. They say they love God and he live this holy life, but boy they don't ordinate they were saying you you you should really investigate what it means to be a follower of Jesus, God's come to the planet is forgiven, your sins were following him. They say will you know when we read about Jesus. We hear about him. We look at your life. This doesn't the Nata sounds a bit like America. In fact, we have the highest percentage of people ever in America by the last Gallup report to say I have no spiritual affiliation. We we have a generation of people there disillusioned with the church and organized religion sound, not against God. I'm not even against Jesus but today what when I've been in church situations and I meet religious people and those who claim to profess being followers. The disconnect is so deep I don't trust it at all. I had good parents but they were Christians.

I never open this book until I was 18 years old and so my parents did what their parents did. They went to a church like their parents took them to and so I went to church like that by the time I was 15. What I saw was hypocrisy. People who didn't take this seriously.

They didn't live it. They didn't expect me to limit they said one thing live in a different way.

So by the time I was about 15 or 16 I said I'm done with God I'm done with church I'm done. I mean, we didn't use the Bible much but I thought it can be to good either. All because people's lives didn't reflect what the very words of Jesus, and so notices assignment this young pastor honey. I do not envy him, although in some ways I think of cutting out the same job. Straighten out the mess, teach sound doctrine confront air and transform cities by doing good. He says when faith is real and legitimate people live it out. The good that they do they solve the biggest problems in people's lives. They love people that no one cares about and literally the gospel and the messages validated by the purity of people's lives and the concern they have for others. By doing good.

And so the issue then an issue now is kind of the same. If in fact were completely forgiven. Have a new standing with God and are saved by grace. Why is it really matter if you do good or not. And since I think it's really fallen on hard times because I think in some ways, even those of us that are really seeking to walk with God.

I think there's sort of an unconscious lease. This is my confession doing good is important is like icing on the cake. If you do good. You know great job. It's really not required and what you get to see his first look at the structure of this book chapter 1 is about doing good in the church. Chapter 2 is about doing good in relationships and he'll give five specific relationships and define what good looks like chapter 3 talks to all Christians and says when you go to work when you when you go to work out when you coach Little League team.

This is what it looks like in the everyday workaday world. This is what it looks like to do good in the world. And so the entire book is about doing good and you'll see that he gives Titus three specific assignments. Let's just look at chapter 1, I just want to do an overview Paul says he's an apostle. It's the longest introduction to any of his epistles. He says I'm an apostle of a bondservant. This is from the commandment of God and and he's basically saying look all my authority is invested in this young guy can what he has to say comes from God through me. So you better listen and if you've been involved ever in a turnaround or big problem in an organization. You'll ball team a franchise or even a church if things are going badly and you want to change and where you start everything rises and falls with leadership is a chapter 1 is about. We've got to get good leaders in the church so noticing your notes. I just put a highlight. He says I want you to appoint elders leaders and all these different little churches and by the way, here's what a good leader is these blameless in his marriage and family, blameless in character, hospitable, and in case you missed it.

Lover of what is good and then you get sort of these moral qualities that are self-controlled, upright, holy discipline, theologically sound and able to guard the truth and if you want to fix an organization you can't just get good leaders in place. What you do you get rid of the bad ones sources. These false teachers rebuke him confront them. Look at the words. This is not good.

There deceivers here talkers ruining whole families there dishonest that they promote the values and the morality of Crete instead of Christ and this will come as a shock. Are you ready as we study this little bit later. There's people actually using the name of Jesus and saying spiritual things to get rich is that shocking or what I mean is not even TV yet and he says address that and then notice the summary after he says you gotta deal with these false teachers. He says they profess to know God. Their words but by their deeds, their actions, they deny him. He says they're detestable there disobedient and look at that last line there unfit for doing any. Here's our word. Good thing it's all I want you to know is he sees can address the issue of doing good with the leaders first. Chapter 2 opens up. He says okay Titus it's one thing to do with leadership. Now here's what want to do. I want you to teach people what good looks like in every relationship that so here here's a start. Start with the people that should know the most tell the older man. This is what good looks like in relationships tell the older women. This is what good luck.

Looks like tell the younger women, younger men. In fact tell the slaves because every relationship is a reflection of Christ and the validity of who he is and what he said or it discredits him and then after he gives this right in the center. The second assignment of of teaching what is good. We had a theology of doing good. He says for the grace of God that appeared and that offer salvation to all people. It this same grace that saves you. It teaches us to say no to all ungodliness and worldly passions, negative and positive to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age and then sort of this clause that gives perspective. While we are waiting for the blessed hope of the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ and in sort of disqualifying clause.

Not only is Jesus called God here in our great Savior, but it gives his mission, who gave himself to redeem us from or out of all wickedness to becoming his very own people, and then notice what kind of people we are eager or zealous to do what is good and so the summary is these are the things that you have to teach the third area in this entire book is so what's it look like to do good in the world and I hope you're getting the idea that doing good is more than sort like a little list of good little deeds and try to be a nice little good person is talking about a mindset and a thought life and a relational aspect where you are literally allowing the spirit of God to produce a life of Christ and begins to play out in how you live, how you think and how you relate inside the church and outside the church. In so doing good out of the world. He says remind God's people to. Here's what good looks like submit to authorities.

Be ready to do whatever is good, a slander no one be peaceable and considerate show true humility to all men, and then he gives the reason that were to do good to all mobile explore that a bit more when we get to that chapter and then he gives a theology of not doing good but becoming good is he doesn't want to confuse you so much you do not get saved by good works, but what is going to say is is by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the spirit. It's by God's mercies that you are saved and he's gonna make this big point doing good doesn't get you right with God, but those who are right with God always end up doing good because of who lives inside of them. With that if you still have your Bibles open the other thing I did is I started to trace some themes through the book as I want you to get this idea that good has to do with who you are sort of the ungodliness in a moral capacity and look at chapter 1 and an oncologist. I'm just zooming so you don't have to follow too closely almost lean back and listen to all these words that are repeated about so this is what good looks like verse one. It's a knowledge of the truth stop speaking of salvation that leads to godliness, you might circle that word that it's about being godly or godlike. And then when he talks to leaders listen to these words about what it means to be good in terms of your character be blameless. Verse five. Skip down to lines be blameless.

Don't be overbearing, don't be quick-tempered, don't be given to much wine. Don't be violent. Don't be pursuing dishonest gain all those of the opposite of being good and then the opposite of being good of these creations are liars and evil brutes and lazy gluttons. Nothing is pure. By contrast, notice leaders are to love what is good and it's just the opposite. At the end of chapter. False teachers are unfit for doing anything good.

All I want you to see is he is pounding this home in chapter 2. Get the same character qualities notice an older man is the temperate worthy of respect, self-controlled, sound in faith, endurance, those are all character issues and to be reverent and then to not slander to not be addicted to much wine.

When he speaks of the older women in character issues teach the younger me self-controlled and pure and to be kind. He says then slaves don't talk back. Don't steal show respect be trusted. Don't be ungodly and then as you look here, he goes all the way through and says teach them what is good.

Be an example verse six.

By doing what is good a people last verse in the chapter that are eager to do what is good and finally we get to chapter 3 and he says there to be people who are ready can imagine this. It's like right on the tip of eager and ready to do whatever is good in every circumstance with every person with every event. This what he says is what we need to teach all of God's people to do. By contrast, are not argumentative. They don't quarrel don't slander their obedient have you got the idea that may be doing good is more than just icing on the cake and trying hard to build better moral person. It has to do with your relationship with yourself in integrity.

It has to do with how you relate to every person in your home, a roommate, your family, your kids, your neighborhood and where you work. It has everything to do then with your specific actions to become an agent like Christ that solve the deepest relational and hurting and needs of people around you, this book is about doing good and it describes what happens when Christians live like Christians the transformation that happens through us and the transformation that happens deep inside of us.

Now with that.

Here's what I want to do. You'll notice that there's three assignments.

There's one about the leaders there's one to teach about relationships and the third one here is about God's people. But the question why does good, really, really matter. The thesis of his argument is chapter 2 verses 11 through 14 not uncommon and kinda ancient literature where you can have bookends and you talk about issues here. You talk about issues here and often the core of what you want to say is right in the middle of the book itself to take the remainder of our time and build the case for what he says.

Chapter 211 through 14 of why doing good matters so much so I'm on the back page ready. If you have a parent you might pull it out. Some get a little work to do and hear what you can find is therefore specific reasons why doing good doesn't just matter. It matters so much. Reason number one. Doing good reveals God's passion for people. In fact, you might even put above passion, his grace filled passion is loving. Passion is the idea but verse 11 says for the grace of God has appeared, that offer salvation to all people.

When he says the grace of God has appeared, that word appeared. We get our word for each epiphany in the grace of God. The reference here is to his incarnation. His perfect life is love his resurrection all that Jesus is and all that Jesus did cancel what the apostle Paul saying is look, you cretins are you like kidding me.

The world was dark in the world with love without hope and like light burst and the light became was the very son of God, fully man and fully God, born of a virgin, he lived the perfect life. He offered his life. He rose from the dead, and there's hope the grace of God, the hope of all mankind has come any offers, the forgiveness of sin and salvation right relationship and what is telling them is that your good works either affirm that or deny that what you do what I do. The reason that I turned away from Christianity and the Bible and all religion was what I experienced in church shining brightly is what God calls us to do. He says you need and I need in order to shine the light on what is true. Let your light so shine your actions, your good works, let it so illuminate the people could see your good works and glorify your father who is in heaven. Listening to Chip's message by doing good matters so much from his series, doing good, what happens when Christians live like Christians will be right back with his application before he is.

I hope you'll take a second to go online or Share and encourage others to join us for the series to Chip's teaching through the book of Titus and he explains why doing good is so much more than just a nice idea. The active doing good is a catalyst that transforms both you and the world around you for the better Jesus did good by breaking down barriers, healing hurts and reviving hope. These are example is simple, but it's not easy for a limited time. All the doing good resources are discounted, including the small group video study that order your copy or to send it to a friend. Just visit us online at http://livingontheedge.org Special offers or give us a call at 1-888-333-6003 will trip get our churchgoing both in person and online is all over the map right now. One of the disturbing trends we've seen, though, is that a lot of people just stop doing church altogether, which means isolation is increasing and Christian Fellowship is decreasing or what's Living on the Edge doing to encourage people to stay engaged with each other one day that is a great question and there's a reason that we put this series on at this time in our nations history.

Peter would write to a group of Christians that were undergoing intense persecution very, very difficult time for believers. They were maligned. Life was very, very difficult, and he writes to them and says live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day that he visits. You know, the fact of the matter is, is our words or arguments are positions are posting on Facebook or Instagram are not necessarily going to change the world very much but acts of kindness, acts of love, especially to those who would think that you don't care. We are calling the church in the season to do good to love our neighbor as ourselves and were reminding everyone that when Jesus said who is your neighbor. It's the person who's in proximity to you regardless of what they look like, what color they are, what their view is, and political issues when we as God's children love our neighbor when we do good. We make a difference. I'm imagining in my minds eye. Thousands of groups of Christians gathering together in small groups studying what it looks like to do good and then coming up with plans where you do good in neighborhoods in your community and in workplaces in ways where critics are silenced God's name is glorified in change really begins to happen. Let me encourage you be a part of one of those groups do good. Make a difference. God promises he will use it. Thanks.

Trip one of the best ways to begin is to gather a handful of friends and go through this series together. Chip opens each session he does the teaching and then I'll get you started in your discussion for leaders. We have loads of free video training@livingontheedge.org to build your skills and confidence. All that to say we're doing everything we know to help you do life in community around the truth of God's word for limited time, you will find all of our small group resources discounted along with this series doing good when you order the study guides free online streaming is included. DVDs are available and will ship it all free. Just go to LivingontheEdge.org or tap special offers and find the study you think would be most helpful and meet as a family or with a few friends and see what God will do in you and then through you to do good as we close today's program I want to invite you to go on a very exciting journey with me. In fact, if you have never gone to our website go to LivingontheEdge.org. The title of the series is doing good and download the message notes. I put a picture of the whole book of Titus craft out in the notes how it all fits together, especially for those of you that might lead a small group or really want to study this book because here's what I've seen the book of Titus is the greatest treatment in the New Testament about the value and the importance of doing good.

I I have to tell you I was actually shocked at how much that I learned so let me encourage you to go on this journey with us and begin thinking about when and how do you do good. How do you do good in your home. How you do good work you do good the coffee shop. How you do good where you work out. How would your neighbor say that you do good not to earn your salvation, but to demonstrate the reality and the power and the glory of God. Here's what I meant to tell you when you do good, God is honored and the light shines on the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Assignment for today.

Do one specific good deed to someone. Let's see what happens just before we close. I want to say thank you to those who make this program possible through your generous financial support. Your gifts help us create programs purchase airtime and develop additional resources to help Christians live like Christians you've been blessed by the ministry of Living on the Edge. Would you consider sending a gift today. You can call us at 1-888-333-6003. Give online at http://livingontheedge.org or tap the donate button on the chipping map will be sure to join us next time. When Chip continues his series doing good.

What happens when Christians live like Christians tell them this is Dave really saying thanks for listening to this addition of living on the