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I. THE DUTY OF A CHRISTIAN TO DO GOOD; to lay himself out to do good to every one within his reach.

1. This arises from the very nature of the Christian character. Gratitude to Christ leads him to copy the Saviour, "who went about doing good."

2. The duty of laying ourselves out to do good arises from our Christian calling. When the Holy Spirit of God makes a difference between sinners who are living in ungodliness and walking after the vanity of their minds, why does He make that difference? God calls forth His people to be witnesses for Him, in such a manner that those who are blind to His glory in creation, and who neglect His glory in revelation, cannot refuse to acknowledge it when it is evidenced and reflected from the people that He has called by His grace. When God's people go forth doing good, when they manifest self-denial, when they are willing to "spend and be spent," in order to contribute to the temporal necessities or to the spiritual welfare of their fellow-creatures, there is something in these actions which tells upon the heart that is closed to all other means of receiving the knowledge of God's glory and salvation.

II. THE OBJECT OF CHRISTIAN BENEFICENCE. When a Christian does good, or tries to abound in any good work, it must not be from

(1)  personal vanity,

(2)  a desire of human applause,

(3)  for worldly recompense.His sole inducement must be the love of Christ; his one object the glory of God; his whole desire to advance the temporal and spiritual good of mankind.

III. THE CHRISTIAN'S ENCOURAGEMENT to lay himself out to do good unto all men, without looking for anything again. "They cannot recompense thee; but," etc.

(W. Cadman, M. A.)

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KJV: Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee.

WEB: He also said to the one who had invited him, "When you make a dinner or a supper, don't call your friends, nor your brothers, nor your kinsmen, nor rich neighbors, or perhaps they might also return the favor, and pay you back.