The Great Itinerant

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Acts 10:38

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good…

The text is an exquisite miniature of Christ. There are not many touches, but they are the strokes of a master's pencil. The portrait cannot be mistaken for anyone else. Alexander, Caesar, Napoleon went about destroying. Prophets who professed to have been sent of God have compassed sea and land to make proselytes, but the good which they accomplished none could see. What Peter here draws in words, God's grace drew, in some measure, in lines of real life in the case of Howard and some other followers of Jesus; still, in the highest and fullest sense, these words are applicable to none but the Master. His is the model, and theirs the humble copy. He did good, and good only: but the best of men, being men at the best, sow mingled seed.

I. CONSIDER HIM.

1. His object. "He went about," but His travel was no listless motion, no purposeless wandering. O man of God, have a purpose, and devote thy whole life to it! Be not an arrow shot at random, but choose thy target. Christ's object was "doing good:" This was —

(1) His eternal purpose. Long before man was formed Jesus was set upon doing good. He did good among the angels, for the heavenly harps owe all their music to His presence. Among the devils there was no room for positive good; but even there restraining goodness bound them down in iron bands, lest their mischief should grow too rampant. On earth, however, was the widest scope for goodness in its largest sense; for that goodness which descends to sin-stricken mortals, to set them upon the throne of glory.

(2) His practical object. His presence in the manger did good, as it cheered both rich magi and poor shepherd with the knowledge that God had come down to men. His childhood did good, for it has become the mirror of childhood's obedience to this day. Ye know how His after life was one practical carrying out of this solitary object.

(3) His official prerogative. He received the name of Jesus, "For He shall save His people from their sins." He was named "Christ," because the Spirit of the Lord was upon Him, etc. Mention any name you please, and you will see that it is incumbent upon Him, ex officio, to go about doing good. Shepherd, Husband, Friend, Lion, Lamb.

(4) His actual performance. He did good in all senses — physically and spiritually.

2. His mode.

(1) He went about. Personally. He might have sent out His apostles to do good in His stead; but when He sent them out, it was not as proxies, but as heralds, "whither He Himself would come." The evangelists constantly tell us that He touched the leper with His own finger, that He visited the bedside of the sick, etc. I would that much more of benevolence were performed by men themselves. Why should you not go and give away your guinea lovingly and tenderly? It will be better than letting somebody else pare it down to fifteen shillings, and giving it away coldly and officially. So much depends upon the way of doing good. The look, the word, the prayer, the tear, will often be more valuable to the widow than that half-crown which you have given her. The Saviour's very presence did good, apart from the blessings which He bestowed.

(2) He went about with incessant activity. He did not only the good which was round about Him, which was brought to Him, but He "went about." He could not be satisfied to be still. Scarcely a village or a hamlet which had not been gladdened by the sight of Him. Oh! the creeping, crawling manner in which some people serve the Lord!

(3) He went out of His way to do good. You must not be content to do good in the regular circle of your movements. Break through the bounds of propriety every now and then, and do an odd thing. That was a quaint expedient of those who brake up the roof to let down a palsied man that Jesus might heal him.

(4) He went far in doing good. The district of Palestine was not very large, but He went to the limit of it. He was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. But He went to the verge of it. And I admire the Lord's going about not simply for the miles He travelled, but for the space of character over which He passed. It is nothing wonderful that He went as far as Tyre and Sidon, but it is much that He went as far as publicans and sinners. A minister once announced to his congregation, "I am going on a mission to the heathen." The good people thought their minister was going to leave them, and felt sad at the bare idea of losing him. "But," he added, "I shall not be out of town." If you want men who have gone far in sin, great foreigners in that respect, you need not leave London.

(5) No doubt Christ's perseverance is intended, for when rejected in one place, He goes to another.

(6) The unity of His purpose is also hinted at. He does not go about with two aims.

(7) And the success is here intended. He went about, and not only tried to do good, but He did it.

3. His motive.

(1) He did good partly because He could not help it. It was His nature to do good. All the good things which God has made are diffusive. There is light; the clouds; air; fire.

(2) His grand motive no doubt is the display of the Divine attributes. He is the manifestation of Godhead. Poor troubled sinner, cannot He glorify God in you? You need pardon: you will be an illustrious instance of God's grace if He should ever save you.

II. CONSIDER OURSELVES.

1. As to the past. There are some in all callings who either do positive harm, or at any rate cannot imagine that they are doing any good. Let them repent themselves. But you who are saved, have you done all the good you could?

2. As to the future. The old question comes up, if any man says today, "I am resolved to go about doing good" — is he able to do it? And again, the reply comes, we must first be good, or else we cannot do good. The only way to be good is to seek to the good Master. Then whatsoever our hand findeth to do, let us do it. Let us not ask for greater abilities. If we can get them let us do so; but meanwhile let us use what we have. Go, thou housewife, to thy house, and from the lowest chamber to the top go thou about doing good. Go, thou teacher, to thy little school, and let thine example tell, and there is range enough for thee. You domestic servants, the kitchen is sphere enough for you.

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