The word weary in our text means
discouraged, faint hearted, losing heart, losing your grip. Now, because
of this thing called the flesh, it's easy to lose heart. It's easy to be discouraged. If you want to find something
in yourself or in others to be discouraged about, it won't be
hard to find, will it? Discouragement. Weariness in well doing. Losing heart. feeling as if there's no point
in giving effort anymore. It's fruitless. That's what it
is to feel weary in well-doing. Now, let me give you some scriptures
that I hope will be a word in season to him that is weary. When you feel like you're losing
or at least not making any progress at all. Remember this scripture
from second Corinthians, chapter two, verse 14. Now, thanks be
unto God. Which always. Causes us. To try. In Christ. And you hear what that says.
It says, no matter what the circumstance, no matter what I feel, I'm always
caused to triumph in Christ. Isn't that a blessing? I don't
know how many times, that's all I've had to hold on to, because
it didn't feel like things were that way. I certainly don't feel
like I'm triumphing, but God's Word says, I always triumph in
Christ. Turn with me for a moment to
2 Corinthians chapter 4. Verse 1, Therefore, seeing we
have this ministry, and he's talking about the ministry of
the New Testament, the ministry of the covenant of grace, salvation
in Christ, seeing we have this ministry, as we've received mercy,
we faint not. That's the same word translated.
We don't lose heart. We don't become weary. Seeing
we have this ministry, this ministry of the gospel, free grace, as
we've received mercy. Oh, thank God for mercy. What
if it was merit? There wouldn't be any hope for
any of us. But seeing we have this ministry
as we've received mercy, we faint not. Look down at verse 16 of
this same chapter. For which cause? We faint not. We don't become weary. We don't
become discouraged. But though our outward man perish,
yet the inward man is renewed day by day. Now, let's back back
up to verse seven and see what led him to make that statement
that we don't lose heart. We don't faint. We don't grow
weary. He says in verse seven, but we have. This treasure. The gospel. Christ dwelling in
my heart. The forgiveness of sins. Complete justification. Complete sanctification. I mean,
you want to talk about a treasure. The Lord Jesus Christ. What a
treasure. I am thy shield and thy exceeding
great reward. We have this treasure. in earthen
vessels, jars of clay, that the excellency of the power may be
of God and not of us. And we're troubled on every side,
yet not distressed. We are perplexed, can't give
a reason, but not in despair, persecuted. but not forsaken,
cast down, but not destroyed, always bearing about in the body
the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might
be made manifest in our body. For we which live are always
delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus
might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So then death worketh
in us, but life in you. We Having the same spirit of
faith, according as it's written, I believed, and therefore have
I spoken, we also believe, and therefore speak, knowing that
he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus,
and shall present us with you. For all things are for your sakes,
that the abundant grace might, through the thanksgiving of many,
redound to the glory of God, for the which cause we never
lose heart." But though our outward man perish, yet the inward man
is renewed day by day. Turn back to Luke chapter 18. And he spake a parable unto them
to this end, that men ought always to pray And not to faint, that's
the word, not to grow weary, not to grow discouraged, not
to lose heart. And what a blessed promise this
is. He spake this parable to this
end, that men ought always to pray and not to faint, not to
grow weary, saying, there was in a city a judge which feared
not God, neither regarded man. And there was a widow in that
city, and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of my adversary. And he would not for a while,
but afterwards, he said within himself, Though I fear not God
nor regard man, yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge
her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord's
given this for my encouragement, for you're continually come.
Don't lose heart. Don't faint. The Lord has given
us this assurance. Keep asking him. Verse six. And the Lord said, Hear what
the unjust judge saith, and shall not God avenge his own elect,
which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with
him? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless,
when the Son of Man cometh, shall he find faith on earth? Turn
with me for a moment to Hebrews chapter 12. Hebrews chapter 12, verse 3. For consider him that endured
such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest you be
wearied and faint in your minds. Let me remind you something.
You've not resisted unto blood striving against sin, and you've
forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children.
My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint
when thou art rebuked of him, for whom the Lord loveth, he
chasteneth, and scourges every son whom he receives. Now, I'm
not looking for chastening. But I want to be somebody the
Lord loves, don't you? So don't lose heart. Whom the Lord loveth,
he chasteneth, and he scourges every son he receiveth. So don't
become discouraged in the practice of well-doing. Now, it is easy
for numerous reasons to be weary in well-doing, but don't do it. This is a command, be not weary
in well doing. Now, what is meant by well doing?
Well, let's go back to Galatians chapter six and we'll look at
the context and we'll look at a few other scriptures that deal
with this thing of well doing. He says in verse one, Brethren.
If a man be overtaken. In a fault. overcome by some
sin. Can you see where that would
happen to you? Do you see how easily that could happen to you? Do you see how it will happen
if God doesn't prevent it? You see that? Now, if a man be
overtaken in a fault, you which are spiritual restore such a
one. In the spirit of meekness, humility,
considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. If you're tempted
the way that fellow is, what's going to happen? You're going
to fall like he does. You will. There's no question
about it. You and I have never one time
stood before temptation. That's why we pray, Lord, don't
let me get tempted. I don't want to be tempted because I know
what happens if I am. So put a hedge about me. Deliver
me from that. Now that's my attitude toward
that brother who has been overtaken. Understand that I will be worse,
considering yourself, lest you also be tempted. Bear ye one
another's burdens. Put up with one another. And
so fulfill the law of Christ. For if a man thinks himself to
be something, when he's nothing, he deceives himself. They'll
become weary in this. But let every man, verse four,
prove his own work and then shall have rejoicing in himself alone
and not in another. You can see what the Lord's done
in you. For every man shall bear his own burden. Everyone should
carry his own load is what that's saying. Verse six, let him that's
taught in the word communicate. unto him that teacheth in all
good things." This is talking about the support of the ministry.
Be not deceived. God is not mocked. For whatsoever
a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his
flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption. But he that soweth
to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting, and let
us not be weary in well-doing. For in due season We shall reap,
that's a promise. In due season, in God's season,
in God's time, we shall reap if we don't quit, if we faint
not, if we don't lose heart. Now, you're going to find this
interesting. Where do you think the first
time well-doing is mentioned in scripture? Does anybody know? The first time it's mentioned.
The first time it's mentioned is in Genesis chapter 4, where
God says to Cain, if you do well, won't you be accepted? And what
this is a reference to is bringing the right sacrifice. Don't be
weary in bringing the right sacrifice. What that means is, every time
I come into God's presence, I come pleading only the name of the
Lord Jesus Christ. Nothing else. And I'm not to
become weary in that. Don't let it become old and stale. At all times, come pleading the
blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. No other thing to plead. And
if that ever becomes mechanical, If it ever becomes formal, you
just do it because you know it's the right thing to do. And it
doesn't come from the heart. We've grown weary in well-doing. What I thought about in growing
weary in well-doing, I thought about the children of Israel
with the manna. Can you imagine how amazed they were when that
manna came down from heaven and they gathered that up and they
ate angel's food? And it was good. It tasted like
wafers and honey. And it was good. But over time,
they said, we don't have anything to eat. When the man had come
down, we don't have anything to eat. And as far as this manna
goes, our souls loathe this light bread, this insubstantial bread. Oh, it's so sad when grace is
a doctrine instead of amazing grace. How sweet the sound that
saved a wretch like me. Don't grow weary. in coming,
pleading only the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Turn with
me to Matthew 25. Here we read some about well-doing. Beginning in verse 14. For the kingdom of heaven is
as a man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants
and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents,
to another two, and to another one, to every man according to
his several ability, and straightway took his journey. Then he that
had received the five talents went and traded with the same,
and made them other five talents. And likewise he that received
two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one
went and digged in the earth and hid his Lord's money. After
a long time, the Lord of those servants cometh and reckoneth
with them. And so he that had received five
towns came and brought other five towns, saying, Lord, thou
deliverest them to be five towns. Behold, I've gained beside them
five towns more. His Lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Thou has been faithful over a
few things, I will make thee ruler over many things. Enter thou into the joy of thy
Lord. And he also that had received
two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliverest them to be two
talents. Behold, I've gained two other talents besides them.
His Lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant. Thou has been faithful over a
few things. I will make thee ruler over many things. Enter
thou into the joy of thy Lord. Well done. Now. What I want to hear. From this,
what I want to hear more than anything else, as a matter of
fact, I believe it would be worth a life of misery just to hear
him say to me, Well done, thou good and faithful servant. That's what I want to hear more
than any. I want to hear that because I
love my Lord. I want him to be pleased with
me and I want to hear him say to me, well done. Now, here's
here's here's a blessed thing to think about. Number one, if
Christ hears well done, which, you know, he will, I will too,
because his life is my life before God. His righteousness is my
righteousness before God. His well-doing is my well-doing
before God. And if He did well, I did too,
because I'm united to Him. And I'm going to hear Him say
to me, well done, thou good and faithful servant. In this passage
of Scripture, it's not really talking about that only, though.
He's talking about that servant trading one with five and gaining
five more and two and gaining two more. And he said to him
through their trading, well done, thou good and faithful servant.
Now, the point is. God gives us the grace. To gain. It's all his work. And yet he
rewards us as if we did it when we know it was him, if you do
well, Don't you know it's only the grace of God that enabled
you to do well? And you know it's Him in you, and you really
believe that. And yet, He says to you, well
done. And you know, like I was talking
last Sunday night, the Lord sees perfection in what a believer
does. We don't see it, but He does. Remember Sarah. Sarah, the Lord, she hears the
Lord telling Abraham, you're going to have a son. She laughs
incredulous. She doesn't believe. She said,
how could that be? How can I have pleasure? Me being
old and after the manner of women and my Lord being old also, how
could it happen? And she she she laughed. And
then the Lord said, why did Sarah laugh? And she said she lied
right to the Lord and said, I didn't laugh. And yet, when the New
Testament speaks of her, It says, by faith, Sarah received strength
to conceive seed and was heard. Now, what the Lord says about
us and what we say about ourselves, two totally different things.
And there's some people who are going to hear every believer.
You don't think you've done well. You really don't. As a matter
of fact, you're disgusted with yourself. But you're going to
hear the Lord say, well done. Don't we serve a gracious master?
Now, let's go on reading in verse 24. Then he which had received the
one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an
hard man. Now, this fellow shows what he
thinks about his Lord. You're an austere, harsh man. reaping where thou hast not sown,
and gathering where thou hast not strawed. And I was afraid,
and I went and hid thy talons in the earth. Lo, here thou hast
that is thine." I knew you were sovereign and I couldn't do anything,
so I just hid it and here we are. His Lord answered and said
unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant." He's going to come
to him on the ground. Thou knewest that I reaped what
I sowed not, and gathered what I have not strewn. Thou therefore
oughtest to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at
my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore
the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall
have abundance. But from him that hath not shall
be taken away even that which he hath. And you cast that unprofitable
servant into outer darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing."
of teeth. No well-doing proved that man
to not be real, didn't it? Turn with me for a moment to
2 Thessalonians chapter 3. Well-doing. Somebody says, what
is well-doing? Well, it's doing anything for
the sake of Christ. Anything for His sake. I think that's
the best definition of well-doing. You do something for Christ's
sake. Not to earn a reward, not to be saved, not because you're
afraid of what will happen if you don't, but you do it for
Christ's sake. You do it because you love Him.
You do it because you want to honor Him. You want to be a good
husband, for Christ's sake, to honor Him. You want to be a good
wife, for Christ's sake. You want to be a good parent,
for Christ's sake. You want to be a good employee,
for Christ's sake. You want to honor Him in all
things. That's what it is to do good.
You want to honor Him. You love Him. You're grateful
to Him. And you want to honor Him. You want to do good. You want to be involved in well-doing,
whatever all that means. Now, look here in 2 Thessalonians
3. Verse 13. But ye, brethren, here is the
admonition again, be not weary in well-doing. Now, what was
he talking about? Verse 6. Now, we command you, brethren,
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves
from every brother that walketh disorderly, in a way contrary
to the gospel, and not after the tradition which you have
received of us. For yourselves know how you ought to follow
us." Paul said, follow me as I follow Christ. For we behave
not ourselves disorderly among you, and he's talking about irresponsibility
here. Neither did we eat any man's bread for naught, but we
wrought with labor and travail, night and day, that we might
not be chargeable to any of you. Not because we had not power,
but to make ourselves an example unto you to follow us. For even
when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would
not work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some
which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus
Christ that with quietness they work and eat their own bread.
But ye brethren, be not weary in well doing. Turn to the book
of James. James says in verse eight. If you fulfill The royal law,
according to the scripture, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
You do well now. I've not fulfilled that royal
law, but the Lord Jesus Christ did. But I know I want. I want to love my brother. I
want to love my brother. You know. Love to the brethren. This is the commandment of Christ.
He said, this is my commandment that you love one another as
I have loved you. Love to my brethren is the evidence
of salvation. By this shall all men know you're
my disciples, by your love one to another. Love is the fruit
of the indwelling spirit. The fruit of the spirit is love. Love is the crowning grace. Now
abideth faith, hope, charity, these three. But the greatest
of these is charity. Love is the evidence of his love
to us. We love him because why? He first
loved us, and love is as love does. So I want to be filled
in well-doing in this. Turn with me to 2 Peter chapter
1. I just looked where the Bible
speaks of well-doing. I like this one. I like them
all. 2 Peter chapter 1, beginning in
verse Sixteen. For we have not followed cunningly
devised fables when we made known unto you the power and coming
of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty,
for he received from God the Father honor and glory when there
came such a voice to him from the excellent glory. This is
my beloved son in whom I'm well pleased. And this voice which
came from heaven, we heard when we were with him in the Holy
Mounts. We also have a more sure word of prophecy, wherein to
you do well. There it is. You do well that
you take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place
into the day's dawn and the day star arise in your hearts. Now,
here's what well doing is. Well doing is believing what
God says. It's taking heed to what he says,
it's receiving You do well to take heed to what
God says. Believe what He says. Believe
the gospel. Now, let's go back to our text
now. I know I'm going to a lot of scriptures, but we're going
to wind this thing up now. He says in Galatians chapter
6, verse 9, And let us, me and you, Let us
not be weary in well-doing, in believing the gospel, believing
the scriptures, in love, in good works, in everything associated
with the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us not be weary in
well-doing for, here's the promise, in due season at God's time we
shall reap If we faint not, if we don't. And that word faint
not is the same word be weary. If we don't faint. Now, the fact
that we reap tells us that there's some sowing we're to do. You
know, he said you reap what you sow. And, you know, in this thing
of following the Lord Jesus Christ, I want to say this right. All I get is sheer grace. Everything he gives is a gracious
boom. I don't reap what I sow in that
sense. I reap what he gives me. Grace. You know that. Pure grace. That's true. And you can't look
at that apart from this. And that being said, you're going
to get out of it what you personally put into it. That's so. He that sows sparingly,
shall reap also sparingly, and he that soweth bountifully shall
also reap bountifully. You reap what you sow. Now, let me show you this in
the scripture. Turn to Luke chapter six. Here's a glorious chapter on
sowing and reaping. Beginning in verse Twenty seven. But I say unto you, which hear.
Love your enemies. Do good to them which hate you. Bless them that curse you. And pray for them which despitefully
use you. And unto him that smiteth thee
on the one cheek, offer also the other. And him that taketh
away thy cloak, forbid not to take thy coat also. Give to every
man that asketh of thee, and of him that taketh away thy goods,
ask them not again. And as you would that men should
do to you, do ye also to them likewise. For if you love them
which love you, what thank have you? For sinners also love those
that love them. And if you do good to them which
do good to you, what thank have you? For sinners also do even
the same. And if you lend to them of whom you hope to receive,
what thank have you? For sinners also lend to sinners
to receive as much again. But love your enemies, and do
good, and lend, hoping for nothing again. And your reward shall
be great, and you shall be children of the highest, for he is kind
unto the unthankful. and to the evil. Be ye therefore
merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Now here's some
sowing and reaping. Judge not, and you shall not
be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not
be condemned. Forgive, and you shall be forgiven. Give, And it shall be given unto
you good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running
over shall men give unto your bosom. For with the same measure
that you meet, withal it shall be measured to you again." Now,
you sow. And in due season, in the Lord's
time, you shall reap the Lord Jesus Christ is never served
in vain. Never. You know, if I give myself
to the ministry in faithfulness, he'll bless it. And if I don't,
he won't. But if I do, he will bless it. If I give myself to being his
servant in whatever way he opens up, he will bless it in due time
upon this condition that I don't quit. Be not weary in well-doing. Be not weary in bringing the
right sacrifice. That's the first time it's mentioned.
You come only in the name of Christ. Don't ever become weary
of that. Be not weary in giving yourself to well-doing. Don't be discouraged. You look
inside, you'll be discouraged. I guarantee you. You look within
yourself. I got something up in my closet, and it's one of
those things where it's... How does it say, Lynn, do you
remember? Look to yourself, and you'll be... Depressed look to others you'll
be discouraged look to him and you'll always be encouraged.
It's something like that, but it's very true Be not weary in
well-doing This is God's Word to us for in due season we shall
reap If we faint not What a glorious master we serve Let's pray together