Good Works Must Be Seen

Introduction

Greetings…

In the Bible we commonly come across the term “Good Work” or “Good Works;” in fact we find this phrase 25 times or more depending on the translation you use.

This term is biblically reserved for the works done that are approved by God or “spiritually minded works” whether done by the spiritually minded or not.

For the next several “third Sunday lessons” we are going to go through these passages and determine what we must know and understand concerning these “good works.”

Considering everyone here already understands “good works” are those things God wants us to do, I wanted us to begin this series by way of reminder that “Good Works Must Be Seen.”

With that in mind let’s examine our lesson today.

They Are Visible

God Through Us.

When we obey God and do his will (Matthew 7:21) what we are doing is “demonstrating” the good works of God through our lives.

Jesus declared this very reality in John 10:32 we he told Jews…

John 10:32 ESV

32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?”

These good works God is working through our obedience is that which is not to be done in the shadows and behind closed doors but is to be a beacon of light for all to see or as Jesus would declare…

A Light To The World.

The works we were created for (Ephesians 2:10) are not to hidden, nor shown just to family and friends, but to everyone we come in contact with.

Matthew 5:14–16 ESV

14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

If we are letting God work through us by way of his word and thus being a light to the world that God may be glorified through, then the good works we do will be…

Conspicuous.

The word “conspicuous” means “obvious to the eye or mind.”

Paul stated to Timothy in 1 Timothy 5:25…

1 Timothy 5:25 ESV

25 So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden.

1 Timothy 5:25 NASB

25 Likewise also, deeds that are good are quite evident, and those which are otherwise cannot be concealed.

Summary

There can be no doubt that there are certain aspects of Christianity we are to perform privately (Matthew 6:6), but when it comes to the “good works of God” we must let our light so shine that it is obvious to others who we belong to and to whom we serve.

Conclusion

I’m reminded what Neal A. Maxwell once stated, “Small lights have a way of being seen in a dark world.” 1

Not everyone’s light will be as bright as the other in this blackened and extremely dark world we live in the smallest of lights are noticed.

Let your light shine that others may see, seek, and find the light of God through your good works.

Invitation

Isaiah 59:1–2 ESV

1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.

Philippians 2:6–7 ESV

6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

Romans 10:17 ESV

17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Hebrews 11:6 ESV

6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Acts 17:30 ESV

30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,

Matthew 10:32 NKJV

32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.

2 Thessalonians 1:8 ESV

8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

1 Corinthians 15:1–4 ESV

1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

Romans 6:3–5 ESV

3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.

1 John 1:7 ESV

7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

Endnotes

Quote from this website: https://healingbrave.com/blogs/all/quotes-let-your-light-shine