Hebrews 13:16 “But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”
This word, “communicate” connotes a close brotherly relationship in which we share both our righteous thoughts and material blessings with one another. We were just told that we are to “offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name” (Hebrews 13:15). Peter exhorts us to have “compassion one of another, love as brethren” (I Peter 3:8); that is, stand alongside and encourage and help our Brethren in both the good times and in the exceedingly difficult times; that is, love and treat each other as if we were natural brothers and sisters. Paul tells us that “He” that “hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever” (II Corinthains 9:9). It appears here that we are being exhorted “to do good” things for and with each other and to “communicate” both by speaking encouragement and by sharing with and helping others who are in need. Paul also used the word “communicate” for benevolent giving when he wrote, “Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.” (Philippians 4:15). Thus, we are exhorted “to do good”; that is, “do good” things in worshipful obedience to our Lord which includes doing “good” things with and for each other. The Gaderian man did “good” things and “communicated” when he obeyed the Lord and offered “the sacrifice of praise to God” by going “home” to his “friends” and telling “them how great things the Lord hath done for” him “and hath had compassion on” him (Mark 5:19). The Philippian Brethren did “good” things when they “communicated with” Paul by giving him offerings to help him in his service to the Lord. In our busy and often complex lives, let us “forget not” “to do good and to communicate”!