The apostle Paul, in his second letter to the church at Thessalonica, exhorted them to continue in good works which they were doing there. He said, "But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing" (2 Thess. 3:13). What were these good works that Paul exhorted them to continue in? We get a idea from 1 Thess. 1:8, "For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak anything." What a wonderful thing to be able to say about any congregation of the Lord's people! Yet this should be the goal of every congregation of the Lord's people.
How often have we seen a good work started with much enthusiasm, only to see the same good work wither and die simply because the brethren had lost enthusiasm for that work. That was the problem that Paul warned the church at Thessalonica about. They were facing growing persecutions because of the faithful Christian life they were living and Paul did not want them to give up their good works in that and surrounding areas of the country.
We here at the Marshfield congregation have several good works going on: mission work; Sunday and Wednesday Bible classes; Vacation Bible School; Thursday morning ladies Bible class; Tuesday evening Bible class at Bob and Kay's; benevolence program and many other good works that go on behind the scene! But we can never sit back and think we are doing enough for the Lord. How can we ever repay God for His grace and great love? Of course we can never repay God for all He has done and continues to do for us! Jesus said it best in Luke 17:10, "So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which ,vas our duty to do." Let us not grow weary in well doing but always abound in the Lord's work! Always remember you can never outgive or outwork God!