Doing Good

"Doing Good" is a topical sermon by Mark Hollingsworth.

John 5:28-29; Acts 10:38

Introduction: Most everyone I know has no problem with this. They want to do good. At least they say they do. I could bring up a project of a needy family or missionary and most would respond if they could. Our heart goes out to those inhabitants of various third world countries where they are starving and dying.

But the "doing good" referred to in these passages is not talking about social concerns. It is not instructing us to seek out and help those who are in need physically, though the Bible does teach that too. There is another application for us here that we must not miss. Notice how the Bible teaches us to do good:

I. Doing Good by Salvation. (John 5:28-29)

John 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
John 5:29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

Without the illumination of the Holy Spirit a person could get a wrong message or teaching out of these two verses. It is not talking about the people who have done good deeds or who have sent a "care package" or helped feed the children in Africa. That is not the message here. It is talking about doing righteousness.

The subject here is the resurrection. Jesus is teaching about the resurrection of the saints. He said, "The time is coming when the graves shall open and the people shall come forth; they that have "DONE GOOD" unto the resurrection of life."

This are not people who have done good deeds. If that were the case than a person enter the resurrection of life (heaven) without being saved. These are people who have been saved...people who have dealt with their sin problem by accepting Christ and His righteousness and and are, therefore, righteous themselves.

• The first "Do Good" means you must be Saved.1. Romans 3:12, "There is none that doeth good."
  2. You can't save yourself. Titus 3:5, "Not by works of righteousness (good works) which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us...."
  3. "It is finished," John 19:30 is what Jesus said on the cross. Salvation was finalized with Him on the Cross.Jesus Paid It All
  Jesus paid it all,
  All to Him I owe.
  Sin hath left a crimson stain,
  He washed it white as snow."
• Salvation is Essential.You will not be able to properly do good in the two other ways without getting saved first.1. Your first purpose in life is to get saved.
  2. Verse 29 is speaking of two kinds of people who have died and will be resurrected.
  First are those who have done good in relation to righteousness therefore are saved.
  The second are those who have done evil in relation to righteousness and are unsaved.
  3. Which kind of person are you?
  4. Have you done good in this way?
  5. Have you been saved?
• Salvation brings Resurrection.
  Notice what happens after the resurrection of life:
  1. There is Resurrection of life for the saved.
  2. There is Resurrection of damnation for the unsaved.
• The Decision to "Do Good" (Accept His Righteousness) is yours.1. Some say I'll take my chances.
  2. Some say I'm going to wait a while.
  3. The Bible says don't put it off for salvation through Christ is the only entrance to eternal life in heaven.
  4. Don't make the mistake of putting it off until it's too late.

 (Acts 10:38)

Act 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

In this verse we see where Jesus went about "Doing Good." Does that mean that Jesus had to get saved? No, it means He went about saving people.

• So we are to seek to get others saved.1. Luke 19:10, "For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."
  2. "Seek and Save" is the "doing good" that we are to emulate.
• Are we doing good in this area?
• If not we are committing sin.1. James 4:17, "He that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin."
  2. "Do Good" here means to get others saved.
• Soulwinning is a command.If we disobey this command, we may stop the supply of God's blessings to our lives.

 (Acts 10:38)

The latter part of this verse says, "and healing all who were oppressed of the devil."

• So we are to do good with Godly concern and care.1. Jesus healed the sick.
  2. He made the blind eyes see.
  3. He fed the multitudes.
  4. On and on, he did many miracles.
  5. John 14:12 says, "Greater works than these shall he (the believer) do."How do we accomplish this?
• You must bathe yourself in the Bible.1. Jesus always healed with the Word. Psalm 107:20, "He sent His Word and healed them and delivered them from their destruction."
  2. It wasn't magic...it was His Word.
  3. You can't heal anyone yourself...you don't have the power to solve mental or physical or spiritual problems. But the Word of God has the power. Do you know the Word? Can you apply the healing balm to a sick person?
• You must Pray.1. Private prayer. How much time do you spend in prayer? If an emergency arose, could you get right into heaven with your prayers? Do you have access to the power of God? If you haven't been praying, you don't. If you are not "prayed up" it will take time to confess your sin first and then get to the heart of God.
  2. Intercessory prayer. Luke 22:32, "But I have prayed for these, that thy faith fail not...."
• You must live a Godly Life.1. We must be immune to the disease ourselves if we expect to help the sick.
  2. Have you ever seen a discouraged person help another discouraged person? No one gets well that way.
  3. You wouldn't go to a dentist who has a mouth full of decaying teeth, would you?
  4. It would be foolish to take cold medicine and stand out in the freezing cold rain all day, wouldn't it?
  5. You will have to live a Godly life and stay in the Bible and be prayed up, else you will be of no use in helping those who come to our door pleading for help.

 Are you doing good? Maybe you are doing good in life financially or physically or in other ways, but are you really doing good? I'm not asking are you doing great things in the world. I'm not even asking if you are good personally. I'm asking are you doing good Biblically. Are you doing good in Christ? Are you doing good with God's plan for your life? Are you doing good for eternity?

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