Of Faith Unexpected

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on the Sunday morning, the 25th of November, 2018 at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Our annual Congregational meeting followed the service.  Look for the video of this and our other services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Last week I mentioned that during His ministry on earth, Jesus performed many acts of healing as a sign of His power and authority from God.  We saw in one of these acts where He cleansed ten lepers, but only one of them came back to thank Him.

Today I’d like to look at another healing Jesus performed, and this one’s a little different in that it includes a bit of a surprise.  Please listen and follow along as I read from the Gospel account of the Apostle Luke, chapter 7, verses 1 through 10, and I’ll be reading from the Modern English Version of our Holy Bible…

1 When He had completed all His words in the hearing of the people, He entered Capernaum. 2 Now a centurion’s servant, who was dear to him, was sick and ready to die. 3 When he heard of Jesus, he sent the elders of the Jews to Him, asking Him to come and heal his servant. 4 When they came to Jesus, they asked Him earnestly, saying, “You should do this for him for he is worthy, 5 for he loves our nation, and he has built us a synagogue.” 6 So Jesus went with them.

When He was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying, “Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy to have You come under my roof. 7 Likewise, I did not think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 For I myself am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me. I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

9 When Jesus heard these words, He marveled at him, and turned and said to the people who followed Him, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” 10 Then those who were sent, returning to the house, found the servant well who had been sick.

--Luke 7:1-10 (MEV)

Let us pray…  Father God, Your Son Jesus, while fully God was also fully man.  And the Man Jesus marveled at just how much faith this Roman army officer showed.  Father, please help us be as faithful as this centurion.  May Jesus marvel at just how much trust we place in You and in Your great mercy and provision.  Speak to us this morning, Father, with the message You need us to hear.  Show us how best to use this wonderful gift of faith You gave us.  This we pray in the glorious name of Your Son Jesus.   Amen.


Former Oregon Senator Mark Hatfield tells of touring Calcutta, India, with Mother Teresa and visiting the so-called "House of Dying," where sick children are cared for in their last days, and the dispensary, where the poor line up by the hundreds to receive medical attention.  Watching Mother Teresa minister to these people, feeding and nursing those left by others to die, Hatfield was overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the suffering she and her co-workers face daily.  "How can you bear the load without being crushed by it?", he asked.  Mother Teresa replied, "My dear Senator, I am not called to be successful, I am called to be faithful."


We all know how selfless Mother Teresa was in serving our Lord.  I believe her response to Senator Hatfield makes two excellent points.  The first point is in the second half of her reply, that she – and we – are called to be faithful.  God gave us this wonderful gift of faith, and now it’s our job to make good use of it.  We are called to exercise that faith and make it grow until we are filled with it, full of faith, faithful.

But I think the first part of her response, the second point I want to bring out, is one we all need to understand.  God isn’t as concerned with how successful we are at applying our faith, as He is with the simple fact that we try to apply it.  Was Mother Teresa able to heal or help or even comfort all of the thousands of poor and afflicted as they suffered and awaited death?  No, but she did her very best to do so, trying as hard as she possibly could.

Sometimes we hesitate to even start a faith-based project because we don’t see any way we can possibly succeed in it.  Our Outreach Team struggled a little at first with the idea of putting on a 5K run, something none of us had any experience in managing. We figured we would be doing a great job if we could raise even as much as $5000.  Well, God rewarded our efforts and we were able to give the Workshop $10,000 that first year.  He is more concerned that we put our faith to work and try to help others – He’ll help us succeed.  And maybe in the process we can surprise Jesus a little by how much faith we have, and how we put it to use.


There’s another story of healing in our Bible where once again Jesus seemed a little surprised as it unfolded.  And once again we see extraordinary faith being put into practice, as the person being healed steps out of her comfort zone and takes a chance.  Hear what the Apostle Mark recorded for us in his Gospel account, chapter 5, verses 25 through 34…

25 Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, 26 and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. 28 For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”

29 Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. 30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?”

31 But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ”

32 And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. 33 But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. 34 And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”

--Mark 5:25-34 (NKJV)

This woman had suffered for 12 years.  For 12 years she had endured countless treatments, many painful in themselves, at the hands of what passed for doctors in that day.  She exhausted all her resources, and yet she was no better for it, and in fact was a little worse off now.

How many folks would have simply given up and ended it all?  How much more would they have been willing to endure?  It had to have seemed hopeless to this woman.

But she heard about Jesus, and learned He would be passing nearby.  So she took a leap of faith and tried something many would be afraid to do.  She reached out and touched the hem of His garment as He walked by, in her faith knowing that by the power in Him, that touch alone could make her well.  Like Mother Teresa, even though to most of us it would seem hopeless and futile, this woman but her faith into action and was rewarded with immediate healing.

And Jesus seemed a little surprised, didn’t He?  He turned around after feeling that healing power going out, and asked, “Who touched Me?”  His disciples were quite incredulous themselves, but for a different reason.  With the great mass of people thronging around Jesus, it might be easier to ask who didn’t touch Him.

But His question was enough to cause the woman to fear that she might have upset Jesus, maybe by taking without asking first.  So she admitted what she had done, and just like in last week’s story, Jesus responded that her faith had made her well.


Family, these two stories today tell of faith unexpected.  In both, our Lord Jesus didn’t expect to see such great faith, especially from a Roman centurion, a leader of the occupying forces.  Even the woman’s action was unexpected, putting her faith on the line just to touch Jesus’ robe.  The centurion and the woman both knew, by the strength of their faith, that Jesus could heal without even touching or seeing the one who needed healing.  Both took a chance and put that faith to work, and were rewarded.


We may not be able to surprise Jesus.  But do you think the world expects to see the strength of faith as shown by Mother Teresa?  Does the world expect us to try, even when it all seems hopeless?  If we show the world faith unexpected, might our act possibly lead some along the path that brings them to Jesus, and a faith of their own?

We are not called to succeed in our efforts, merely to be faithful and to act upon that faith.  Let’s try to surprise Jesus.  In His blessed name.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, help us answer Your call to put Your gift of faith to good use in helping others.  Forgive us, Father, when we fail to act, when we hesitate out of fear.  Please give us the courage and the strength to act on our faith and serve You.

Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, promising to turn from our sin, and asking for Your help by our faith to serve You in all we do…

Lord Jesus, You showed Your power and authority by healing so many people, and some managed to surprise You a little by how much faith they showed.  Forgive us, Lord, when we let our faith go unused.  Please help us show a faith unexpected.  Help us put our gift of faith to so much good use that it surprises not only the world, but even You.

This we pray in Your glorious name, Lord Jesus Christ, our Master and our Savior.  Amen.

Of Faith and Thankfulness

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on the Sunday morning before Thanksgiving Day, the 18th of November, 2018 at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Look for the video of this and our other services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

During His short, three year ministry on earth, Jesus performed a lot of miracles as signs of His authority and His authenticity as the Son of God.  Many of these miracles were acts of healing.  Everyone who was healed were pretty much overjoyed, but not all of them stopped long enough to say thanks.

Please listen and follow along as I read from the Modern English Version of our Holy Bible of one time when Jesus healed some lepers.  Hear the Gospel account of the Apostle Luke, chapter 17, verses 11 through 19…

11 As Jesus went to Jerusalem, He passed between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As He entered a village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood at a distance. 13 They lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”

14 When He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.

15 One of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned with a loud voice glorifying God, 16 and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.

17 Jesus said, “Were not the ten cleansed? Where are the nine? 18 Were there not any found to return and give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then He said to him, “Rise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”

--Luke 17:11-19 (MEV)

Let us pray…  Father God, You sent Your Son into our world to offer us eternal life if we would only believe in Him and follow His voice.  Thank You, Father, for this great gift!  Please help us be more thankful of all You give us.  Speak to our hearts this morning, Father.  Give us a better understanding of how our faith should give rise to a thankful attitude for all You do.  This we pray in the glorious name of Your Son Jesus.   Amen.


In 1636, amid the darkness of the Thirty Years' War, a German pastor, Martin Rinkart, is said to have buried five thousand of his parishioners in one year - an average of fifteen a day.  His parish was ravaged by war, death, and economic disaster.  In the heart of that darkness, with the cries of fear outside his window, he sat down and wrote this table grace for his children:

Now thank we all our God
With heart and hands and voices;
Who wondrous things had done,
In whom His world rejoices.
Who, from our mother's arms,
Hath led us on our way
With countless gifts of love
And still is ours today.

Here was a man who knew that true thanksgiving comes from the love of God, not from outward circumstances.


What does being thankful mean to us?  If there is one place we can look for how-to examples, it’s the book of Psalms in our Holy Bible.  Two that quickly came to my mind are both of unknown authorship, but some attribute both to David.  The first comes from Psalm 95, verses 1 through 3…

1 Oh come, let us sing to the Lord!
Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving;
Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.
3 For the Lord is the great God,
And the great King above all gods.

--Psalm 95:1-3 (NKJV)

Sing to the Lord and shout joyfully, for He is indeed our Rock and our salvation.  Let us give thanks just to come into His presence!

When do we come into God’s presence?  Not just when we walk through those doors, into what some refer to as “God’s house”.  When we accept Jesus as Lord, then one person of God lives within us – His Holy Spirit.  By our faith, we are God’s house.  Effectively then, we are in God’s presence every single second, and especially when we stop to pray.  So according to the psalmist, we should always be thankful to God; after all, He is great and He is good.


The second example is much like the first.  In Psalm 100 we are instructed to…

1 Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all the earth!
2 Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before His presence with singing.
3 Know that the Lord, He is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
5 For the Lord is good;
His mercy is everlasting,
And His truth endures to all generations.

--Psalm 100 (NKJV)

Again, we are to enter into His presence with thanksgiving and praise, making a joyful shout.  We are His, He made us, we are nothing without Him.

Notice that we are also to serve the Lord as part of our thanksgiving.  And to serve Him with gladness at that!  We should be happy to serve our Lord – we should view it as a great opportunity for us to do so.


Jesus healed ten lepers, but it didn’t happen immediately.  He told them to go show the priests that they had been cleansed of their disease so they could rejoin the synagogue and the community.  As they went to do as He commanded, the healing took place.

I can only imagine they were overjoyed when they noticed they were now clean.  Leprosy was pretty much the worst affliction a Jew could suffer, because it made them an outcast among their kind.  They could not worship in the temple, nor even live in their communities any longer.  So being cleansed, being healed, would make all the difference in the world to them.

Yet only one of the ten returned to Jesus to thank Him and to glorify God for what had been given him.  Only one, and a Samaritan at that, one already treated poorly by the Jews even when healthy.  This one man showed gratitude for being healed.  Jesus said his faith had made him well.

Our Lord tied faith and thankfulness together.  Because of our faith, we are granted salvation.  And for that we should truly be thankful.  But God gives us so much more than our salvation.  He gives us things both great and small.

We already saw that we should always be thankful because we are always in God’s presence.  But the Apostle Paul tells us there’s another reason to always be thankful.  He tells us to rejoice always, to pray without ceasing, and to give thanks for everything.  Not just the really great things, like our salvation, but for every single thing.  Why?  Because it is the will of God through Christ Jesus for us to do.  It is God’s will that we give Him thanks for all His provisions, for all His mercies, for all He has done and continues to do.  We often ask what is God’s will.  It is that our faith give rise to constant thankfulness.  We should have an attitude of gratitude to God for what He has done through His Son Jesus, and for what He does on our behalf every day we live.

This Thanksgiving Day, and every day, give thanks to God.  Thank Him for our faith.  Thank Him for our life.  Thank Him for His Son and for His Holy Spirit living within us.  In everything give thanks.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, help us always be grateful for Your many blessings.  Forgive us, Father, when we fail to give You the glory.  Forgive us when we don’t stop to give You thanks.  Please help us see and acknowledge all You do for us.  Help us be ever thankful.

Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, promising to turn from our sin, and asking for Your help by our faith to serve You in all we do…

Lord Jesus, You showed Your power and authority by healing so many people, yet not all took the time to thank You for it.  Forgive us, Lord, when we don’t recognize Your hand at work in our life.  Please help us see all that You and our Father God do for us.  Let our gift of faith always give rise to a thankful attitude.

This we pray in Your glorious name, Lord Jesus Christ, our Master and our Savior.  Amen.

Of Faith and Riches

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 11th of November, 2018 at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Look for the video of this and our other services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

When we think about the Apostle Paul, we don’t generally associate him with great wealth or riches.  By all accounts, he gave up everything in service to our Lord.  In fact, during his lengthy stays in prison and under house arrest, he only got by through the kindness and generosity of the churches he had helped establish, primarily the church in Philippi.  But physical wealth and monetary riches aren’t the only kind.  Paul was certainly wealthy indeed in spiritual riches.

Please listen and follow along to some of the instructions Paul gave his young protégé and friend, from chapter 6 of his 1st letter to Timothy, verses 6 through 12 and 17 through 19, and I’ll be reading from the Modern English Version of our Holy Bible…

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain that we can carry nothing out. 8 If we have food and clothing, we shall be content with these things. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and harmful lusts, which drown men in ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is the root of all evil. While coveting after money, some have strayed from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

11 But you, O man of God, escape these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith. Lay hold on eternal life, to which you are called and have professed a good profession before many witnesses.

17 Command those who are rich in this world that they not be conceited, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who richly gives us all things to enjoy. 18 Command that they do good, that they be rich in good works, generous, willing to share, 19 and laying up in store for themselves a good foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of eternal life.

--1 Timothy 6:6-12, 17-19 (MEV)

Let us pray…  Father God, You give us so much.  Please help us be content with what we have, with what You give us.  Speak to us this morning, Father, with the message You need us to hear.  Give us a better understanding of how our faith and our service to You help pave our way toward eternal life with You.  This we pray in the glorious name of Your Son and our Christ, Jesus.   Amen.


How rich is rich?  According to a survey of people who ought to know, as reported in the November 11th, 1991 issue of USA Today, the answer is anywhere from $1 million to $5 million in assets. Investment managers Neuberger & Bergman sponsored the survey of people who stand to give or receive inheritances with median household assets of $500,000.  Paradoxically, 55% of those whose assets ranged from $1 million to $5 million didn't consider themselves to be wealthy.


Do you remember the story from the Gospel account of Matthew of the rich young man who asked Jesus what he needed to do to gain eternal life?  Jesus told him to keep God’s commandments.  The young man responded he’d done that all his life.  Jesus said, “Then go and sell all your possessions, give the money to the poor, and follow Me”.  The young man turned away, sad and despondent, because he had many possessions and he couldn’t bear to part with them.  His worldly riches were more important to him than any spiritual wealth he might accumulate.

Now the interesting thing is, if we look at what that young man might have possessed in his day and compare it to what most of us have today, we would be seen as far richer than he, as measured by earthly possessions.  Even by today’s standards, we in America are wealthy indeed when compared to most of the people of the world.  Just having enough food to eat and clean water to drink each day is nothing but a dream to millions.  Which is dearer to us: our worldly possessions, or what we may be storing away in heaven?


Jesus used parables – word pictures, if you will – when trying to explain subjects or ideas that are difficult for us to grasp, such as when He tried to tell us what heaven is like.  In the Gospel account of the Apostle Matthew, chapter 13, verses 45 and 46, Jesus said…

45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, 46 who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it."

--Matthew 13:45-46 (NKJV)

What awaits us in heaven is so precious, so beautiful, so desirable, that we should be willing to give up all our worldly possessions for it, just as the merchant sold all he had just to get that one pearl.  Worldly riches cannot even compare in splendor or worth to heavenly riches.


Paul wrote a 2nd letter to Timothy, from prison, as his time on earth was drawing to a close.  He knew his end was near, but he didn’t want his young friend to grieve for him.  In chapter 4 of this 2nd letter to Timothy, verses 6 through 8, Paul wrote…

6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

--2 Timothy 4:6-8 (NKJV)

His life was being poured out as a drink offering to God, but his faith remained constant, strong, and true.  For he knew that his crown of righteousness, the crown Jesus will give him, was waiting for him in heaven.

And a crown awaits each of us, too.  All manner of riches are there for us, when Jesus welcomes us home with the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”  Of course, that all depends on our remaining faithful, like Paul.  And, also like Paul, on our being good servants.

The world treasures wealth and possessions – things.  The world measures a person by how much they have, how much they are worth.  God measures a person by what is in their heart.  He places value on what we believe, and what we do with our belief.  His balance sheet compares what He has given us with what we have returned to Him, and I don’t mean just with our Sunday offerings but with how we spend our time as well as our resources.

Do we share our many blessings with others in their times of need?  Do we feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, visit the ill and the prisoners?  Or do we cave in to the world and place greater value on earthly possessions than on our promised rewards in heaven?

God sees our hearts, and we will be judged.  When Jesus stands before us, let us be seen in His eyes as completely poured out as an offering to God.  May our riches be counted only in heaven.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, help us be content with all You give us in this life, and help us share what You give with others who are not as blessed as us.  Forgive us, Father, when we value our possessions more than what You promise us in heaven.  Forgive us when we fail to lay up a good foundation in paradise, preferring instead to hoard things of this life.  Please help us see the truth of heaven.  Help us more clearly understand the difference between physical wealth and spiritual riches.   Please show us what You expect of us and how we might better serve You.

Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, promising to turn from our sin, and asking for Your help by our faith to serve You in all we do…

Lord Jesus, You tried to tell us that the things of this world have no measure in riches when compared to what we will receive in heaven if we just keep our faith, continue to believe and be true to You, and serve our Father God as You direct us.  Forgive us, Lord, when it pains us to share our earthly wealth with others who have less.  Please help us, Jesus, to see how a far greater reward awaits us when we do God’s will.  Help us be more giving, of our resources, of our time, of our love.

This we pray in Your glorious name, Lord Jesus Christ, our Master and our Savior.  Amen.

Of Faith and Works

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 4th of November, 2018 at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Look for the video of this and our other services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

James was a half-brother of Jesus – same mother, different father.  You’d think if anyone would know Jesus and would have keen insight into what He taught and what He expects of us as followers, it would be James.  So it’s important that we understand what James tells us, as well as what Jesus teaches and says.

Please listen and follow along to a very significant passage from James’ letter to the early church, chapter 2, verses 14 through 18, and I’ll be reading from the Modern English Version of our Holy Bible…

14 What does it profit, my brothers, if a man says he has faith but has no works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and lacking daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” and yet you give them nothing that the body needs, what does it profit? 17 So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.

18 But a man may say, “You have faith and I have works.”

Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

--James 2:14-18 (MEV)

Let us pray…  Father God, You gave us this wonderful gift of faith, and it’s up to us to put it to good use.  Speak to us this morning, Father, with the message You need us to hear.  Give us a better understanding of how our faith leads us to work in service to You.  This we pray in the glorious name of Your Son and our Christ, Jesus.   Amen.


William Booth, in the October 1992 issue of the magazine Christianity Today, wrote an article titled, “The Founder's Messages to Soldiers”.  In the article, Mr. Booth stated:

“Faith and works should travel side by side, step answering to step, like the legs of men walking. First faith, and then works; and then faith again, and then works again -- until they can scarcely distinguish which is the one and which is the other."


I think Mr. Booth draws a very good picture of faith in action:  it’s just like walking.  We can’t walk if we don’t use both legs.  If we only use one or the other, it’s more hopping than walking, and quite tiring, too.

And so it is with our faith.  If we rely on faith alone, or on good deeds alone, we’ll just be hopping through life.  We have to apply them both, we have to include good deeds to put our faith into action.  Otherwise, as James points out, our faith is dead.  Walking with faith and works in step with each other is one great way to exercise our faith.


Today is the Sunday after Reformation Day, and since I included a quote from Martin Luther before Reformation Day, I thought I’d include one after.  Luther said:  "The true, living faith, which the Holy Spirit instills into the heart, simply cannot be idle."  Our faith, that beautiful gift from God, if it is alive, cannot remain idle, at least not for very long.

And truly, I believe our faith yearns to be active.  It tugs at us to go out and do good stuff for Jesus.  And it rewards us when we do, with that warm feeling inside that nothing else can bring.

I’m afraid, though, in our current culture, in our present modern age, we too easily take our faith for granted.  Now I’m speaking in general here, of our society as a whole and even many who profess Jesus as Lord.  As Christians today, our primary concern is to worship God and to believe in Jesus as the Son of God.  We too often tend to isolate ourselves, wrap ourselves up in our own troubles and woes, ignoring the plight of others around us.  When someone seeks our help we say, “Sorry, I can’t help you right now, but I’ll pray for you.”

Prayer is good, and we should pray for others, but as James says, if we give them nothing they need, then what have we really done for them?  What does it profit?  We’re just hopping around on one leg.  And you know, the thing about hopping… it really tires us out quickly.


The early church had much different priorities than we do today.  They were persecuted, hunted down, imprisoned, beaten, even executed.  They needed help, and had little resource to call on.  So in most cases, they had to help one another.

The Apostle Paul understood James’ concern.  In his letter to the Galatians, chapter 6, verses 9 and 10, Paul tells us all…

9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

--Galatians 6:9-10 (NKJV)

When we get a chance, when the opportunity presents itself, let us do good.  And Paul directed this good work to benefit all people, but especially to benefit the household of faith, the brotherhood of believers – our fellow Christians.

Paul says we should not grow weary doing good.  I don’t think he’s talking about getting tired.  Being tired is an effect on the body, when we’re physically spent and our muscles ache.  Being weary, as I see it, is as much about our spirit as our body.  It’s as much a spiritual exhaustion as physical.  We may get tired doing good for others, but we shouldn’t allow ourselves to be weary.  We can keep our spirits refreshed by the assurance of great rewards awaiting us.

The greatest of those rewards is our very salvation.  We looked at that just a little while ago, in our responsive reading that came from the 25th chapter of the Gospel account of the Apostle Matthew [vs. 31-46].  In verse 40 Jesus says…

40 “‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’”

--Matthew 25:40b (NKJV)

The hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, the prisoner…  Jesus sees how we treat them as our treatment of Him!  I know we’ve all heard this passage before, but did it really sink in?  The beggar on the street, the person who comes to our door asking for help, the guy sitting in jail, the terminally ill…  we need to look at them and see Jesus!  We need to treat them the same way we would treat our Lord and Master, the Son of God!  Because that is how He will look at our actions, or inactions.  He knows our heart, He knows our faith - He wants to see what we’ve done with it!


May we not let our faith sit idle for too long.  Let’ not hop around on one leg.  We here at Pilgrim are very good at putting our faith to work, but we can always do more.  After all, the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few.  There’s plenty to do, and too few to do it.

Faith and works, works and faith, side by side, one leg and then the other.  Let’s show our faith by our works.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, You have given us this gift of faith.  Forgive us, Father, when we fail to hold onto our faith and don’t put it to work for You.  Forgive us when we fail to show our faith to others by doing good, so that they too might seek Your wonderful gift.  Please help us be better servants.  Help us more clearly understand what You expect of us and how we might better put our faith to work.

Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, promising to turn from our sin, and asking for Your help by our faith to serve You in all we do…

Lord Jesus, You warn us that we will be judged by what we have done and not done in this life.  We Christians, Lord, are expected to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, take in the stranger, clothe the naked, visit the sick, come to the prisoner.  Please help us, Jesus, to meet these expectations.  Help us put and keep our faith in action doing good for all.

This we pray in Your glorious name, Lord Jesus Christ, our Master and our Savior.  Amen.