Good Works for Necessary Uses Titus 3:14 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

According to Titus 3:14 we need to learn to maintain good works for necessary uses so that we aren’t unfruitful.  Notice these characteristics of the good works about which Paul wrote:

Good works are necessary – “necessary uses” – there can be a lot of unnecessary work in churches – what we must be doing are those things that are necessary and we don’t want to leave anything that is necessary undone – it may surprise you just how much work is required in a well run local church – all of these are absolutely necessary: cleaning, maintenance of the building, maintenance of the equipment, maintenance of the vehicles, maintenance of the lawn and landscaping, proper receiving of and accounting for the money, proper management of the sound, proper compliance with the policies… preaching and teaching of the Bible, training, youth ministries, activities, nursery – these must all be done with the utmost care and proficiency … prayer is of great importance.

Good works must be learned – “learn” – so it is not good to throw someone into a job without a clear understanding of what the job is and without the training, expectations, and review to properly carry it out – it helps to learn why these good works are important and how they contribute to the effectiveness of the ministry and the benefit of the believers – the more a person understands his work the better he can accomplish it.

Good works must be maintained – “maintain” – you don’t give a job to someone to do and expect them to slack off over time or to quit before they have finished the work – the job must be maintained – maintain it in good working order – improve it if possible – great care should be taken that the job is done to the best of your ability and to the satisfaction of the Lord.

Conclusion: When the necessary works of the ministry are learned and maintained then the good works will be profitable [Titus 3:8] no matter how menial the tasks may seem to you – profitable to the work of the ministry now [souls saved, people trained and put into the ministry, missionaries sent out] – and profitable to you personally at the judgment seat of Christ.