Alright, 2 Thessalonians chapter
3. We're going to begin our lesson
in verse 6 this morning. The title of the lesson is The
Sin of Laziness. In these verses that we're going
to look at this morning, Paul calls laziness disorderly, being
disorderly, being outside of God's order of things. You see
that in verse 11. He says, Working not at all. Now, let
me make this very clear. Paul's not talking here about,
in God's words, not talking about someone who's sick or they're,
you know, injured, unable to work. They got laid off because
the plant's closed or something like that. Paul's talking about
people who won't work. They refuse to. They're able,
but they just won't. That's what he means, working
not at all. In working to earn your keep,
is God's order. And if you refuse to follow God's
order, you're being disorderly. Disorderly conduct is frowned
upon in society. You know, we arrest somebody
for that. This is talking to God's children. Not working is
being disorderly. Disorderly conduct. If you think
about it, man working predates the fall. When Adam was in the
garden, what did God tell him to do? You work in this garden,
you dress it. Even before the fall, Adam worked. Now, it was a joy to Adam at
that time, because there was no sin, but he did work. Several
years ago, in the 15 minutes we have before Bible school,
before the children go back to their classes, John Chapman brought
a lesson to the children on working. So outstanding. Henry had it
printed up. I looked for my copy of it this
week and I couldn't find it. But I remember John making this
statement. He said, Heaven's not going to
be a long vacation. We're going to work. We're not
going to be floating around in a cloud playing a harp. We're
going to work like Adam worked in the garden. The difference
between then and now is then that work will be joy. There
won't be thorns and thistles and problems. But look back in
Genesis chapter three. Then even after the fall, God
made it clear to Adam that his order was for man to work to
earn his keep. In Genesis 3 verse 17, And unto Adam he said, Because
thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten
of the tree which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not
eat of it, cursed is the ground for thy sake. In sorrow shalt
thou eat of it all the days of thy life. Thorns also and thistles
shall bring forth to thee, and thou shalt eat the herb of the
field. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou
return unto the ground. For out of it wast thou taken,
for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." Now, the
only way you're going to eat in this world is to work. And
it's going to be hard work, the sweat of your face. Well, how
long do I have to work? Until you die. to the dust from
which you're made. Ralph Brown recently retired.
He told me he's working harder than ever. It doesn't matter
if you retire. You're going to be working. If
you're going to eat, you're going to work. Now, I want you to listen
to me, especially you young people. I want you to listen to me. Happiness. Everybody is so concerned about
being happy in this life. Happiness is not found in being
idle. I know we go on vacation. It's
good. Be idle, you know, lay around,
recharge your batteries, enjoy the sun, the beach and things.
But confine that to that week of vacation. Happiness is not
found in doing that all the time. Happiness is found in being productive.
Happiness is found in contributing to supporting your family, contributing
to society, contributing to support the church, because that's God's
order. Roy doesn't retire because he
enjoys being productive. He enjoys helping people. It's
just that's happiness. And it's that way because working
is God's way. God's people are not beggars. God's people work to supply their
own food and they work to help others who are in need so they
don't have to beg. There's someone here that gets
laid off and out of work. You're not going hungry. We're
going to feed you. We're going to see the electricity
stays on, the heat stays on until you can find a job. God will
give you one. David said, I've been young and now I'm old. Yet
have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging
bread. And his seed don't beg bread because they get up in
the morning and go to work. And if something happens and they
can't work, the rest of the family is out there working so we can
help out. That's why they're not begging
bread. God's people are not beggars. And anyone who refuses to work,
I'm talking about makes a habit of not working, they're out of
God's order. And what you're saying is, no
God, I won't do what you said, I've got a better way than God.
Now that's being disorderly. And that kind of attitude and
behavior ought not be known in God's church. However, this is
still necessary instruction for God's church. And there are several
reasons for that. That fleshly sin of laziness
is in our flesh. And secondly, it's necessary
because believers are sheep. Sheep are kind, and they're gentle,
and they're generous, and it can be easy to take advantage
of sheep. It's hard not to give to somebody. You see somebody, you know, on
the corner or whatever, and they say they're hungry. You know
they're scamming you. I mean, you know it. And it's
still hard not to give it to them. It's just hard. Look at
Acts chapter 2. The early church was famous for
this. For helping each other out during
hard times. And they would go to extremes
to do it. Acts chapter 2 verse 44. And all that believed were together
and had all things common and sold their possessions and goods
and parted them to all men as every man had need. And they,
continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread
from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and
singleness of heart. Look over to chapter 4, verse
34. Neither was there any among them
that laughed, for as many as were possessors of lands or houses
sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,
and laid them down at the apostles' and distribution was made unto
every man according as he had need." God's people are famous
for giving, to help one another out, giving sacrificially. And
God's Word gives us instruction on how to handle this matter
of someone being disorderly in the church when the need may
arise. Now, I would not encourage anyone
to read this passage of Scripture So we can find out how we can
have us some church discipline. That's not the right attitude.
It's not the reason to read this scripture. The reason we studied
this passage is so that I can see what my attitude about work
and work ethic ought to be. So let's look here beginning
in verse six. Now we command you, brethren,
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves
from every brother that walketh disorderly and not after the
tradition which he received of us. Now, the commandment of our
Lord is to work in this world, to work to supply our need, to
work to supply the needs of others. This is God's commandment. Now,
simply the authority of the Savior giving this commandment ought
to give us a heart of obedience. This is the commandment of our
Savior. But also, when we consider the
love and the generosity of our Savior, that ought to give us
a heart of obedience to his commandment as well, shouldn't it? Now, the
commandment of God is not to work for the bread of life. That's
his commandment, isn't it? His commandment is rest in Christ,
believe in Christ, who did all the work of salvation for his
people, and he gives that to his people freely. Well, out
of a spirit of gratitude, I'll work to earn Heiner's bread.
If Christ is going to give me the bread of life freely, I can
work. now to go get some Heiner's bread,
because he's given me the bread of life freely. And when Paul
was in Thessalonica, he preached this. He said, you already received
this of us. We taught this to you when we
were there. And I'm to teach the same thing.
And you parents, you're all to teach the same thing to your
children. Teach your children to have a work ethic. I'm telling
you, it's so important. You parents who are raising boys,
remember this. You're raising men. These boys
are going to be men someday or heads of homes. Well, start now
giving them the tools to be able to do that. Teach your boys to
have a work ethic. Now, let your boys be children. Let a boy go play in Little League
and basketball. I'm not saying make them work
all the time and beat the life out of them. Let them be boys
now. They're not mature enough to be men yet. But you can start
teaching them to have a work ethic. Give them chores, do things,
so they'll have a work ethic. So when they grow up, they've
got a work ethic to go support their wife and their children.
If you can think this far ahead, someday, Lord willing, you'll
have grandchildren. From what I hear, you're going
to love them. Purely out of a selfish motive,
teach your son to supply your grandchildren. You know, you're
coming in the future. And when you've got daughters,
raise them to have a work ethic now. If God's merciful and He
lets them be a stay-at-home mother, what a blessing. But now they're
going to need a work ethic. I mean, a work ethic. Who works
harder than a mother? And in today's world, more than
likely, she's going to have to go work outside the home too,
at least part-time. She's going to need a work ethic
because she's going to have care of the children. She's still
going to have a large portion of the care of the home. You know, she's going to need
a work ethic. Teaching my generation has been
very poor at this. Teaching our children to have
a work ethic. We just give them everything
and they don't realize you've got work to get this stuff. So,
it's incumbent upon us to teach these things. And Paul says if
someone doesn't do this, withdraw yourself from them. Now, we'll
come back to that here at the end of the lesson. But Paul reminds
the church here at Thessalonica that he set the example in this
matter of working. Look at verse 7. For yourselves
know how ye ought to follow us, for we behave not ourselves disorderly
among you, neither did we any man's bread for naught. But we
wrought with labor and travail night and day, that we might
not be chargeable to any of you." Now look over Acts chapter 18. There were several places where
Paul was there preaching and he worked to support himself
during the day and he preached at night. After these things Paul departed
from Athens, and came to Corinth, and found a certain Jew named
Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife
Priscilla, because the Claudians had commanded all Jews to depart
from Rome, and came unto them. And because he was of the same
craft, he abode with them, and wrought, for by their occupation
they were tentmakers. Paul learned the craft of tentmakers,
and he was there with them And he worked to earn money to supply
his need. Look over in verse 20. This is
the example that Paul set. This is when he's talking to
the Ephesian elders. In verse 33. He said, I've coveted
no man's silver or gold or apparel. Yea, you yourselves know that
these hands have ministered unto my necessities and to them that
were with me. He means he worked with his hands
to support his needs. Now look at 1 Thessalonians chapter
2. Paul did the same thing in Thessalonica
when he was there. In verse 9 he says, For ye remember,
brethren, our labor and travail, for laboring night and day, because
we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto
you the gospel of God. Paul did not eat his bread for
nothing, for free. He worked and paid full price
to buy it. And he paid for it with the money
he got from secular work. And he did that to set the example
of not being disorderly. If you look at verse 9 in our
text, I'll show you what a powerful example this is that the Apostle
Paul set for us. Not because we have not power,
but to make ourselves an example unto you to follow us. Paul had
the right He had the power to command the church to support
him financially, because pastors are supported by the church.
Look at 1 Corinthians chapter 9. I know you all know this,
but let's read it from God's Word. Pastors are supported by the
local church. Missionaries are supported by
the church. 1 Corinthians 9 verse 7. Who goeth to warfare any time
in his own charges? Who planteth a vineyard, and
eateth not of the fruit thereof? Or who feedeth the flock, and
eateth not of the milk of the flock? Now say I these things
as a man, or sayeth not the law the same also? For it is written
in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox
that treadeth out the corn. Does God take care for an oxen?
Or sayeth he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes no doubt
this is written, that he that ploweth should plow in hope,
and he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his If
we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if
we should reap your carnal, carnal things? Of course not. And you
all do that so well. I appreciate it. You support
me and you support missionaries. You support the gospel. But you've
got to work to do it. You've got to work to be able
to do that. And the pastors to be supported
by the church. However, The pastor is to be
a hard-working man and to set the example of a work ethic,
to set the example in giving. You know, the church supports
me, but now I give every month. I give to set the example of
giving, but also so I have the joy of giving. You know, I can't
stand up here and tell you God's word says to work and to give.
If I don't work and give, you wouldn't listen to that. And
so Paul set that example for the church at Thessalonica. And
here's another good example for us. Paul had the right to expect
the church to support him financially. But Paul gave up his rights for
the good of the church. Now, I know we've got our rights.
Americans are well versed in that. I've got my rights. A lot
of times we claim rights we don't even really have. I've got my
rights. We're just dead set on that. Well, that's true. We've
got our rights. You've got your rights. but you're
still free to give up those rights for the good of the whole. Just
remember that. Paul sets the example in that
too. Now verse 10, he says, even when we were with you, this we
commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. Now this is how serious this
matter is. If a man doesn't work, don't lay meat. If you don't
go work his job, don't give him food to eat. Now, remember, I
want to make this so clear. This is talking about someone
who refuses to work. It's not talking about somebody
who's sick or they're injured or they're laid off. This is
somebody who refuses to work. Don't let them in. That's pretty
serious, isn't it? Starve somebody to death? Starve
them out? I know the man. He's got a wife
and three children. He refuses to work. Just refuses. Plenty of jobs. And he quits
them all. It's not that he gets fired. It's not that he gets
laid off. He quits every one of them. Shockingly, his family
became homeless and hungry. Of course they did. This pastor
friend of mine tried to help that family out. He found a man
a job. He gave them money to pay their
utilities and buy food and things, you know, and help them find
a place to live. He quit his job. He found him
another one. He quit that job. Eventually, this friend of mine,
he wouldn't give him money anymore. He'd go get that mother and the
children, bring them to his house and he'd feed them. But he would
not let that man, that husband, come eat because he refused to
work. And you don't do something like
that because you're holier than thou or better than somebody
else. You're doing this for their good. So they'll be motivated
to work. The need to eat. is pretty good
motivation to get up in the morning and show up on time to go to
work. Look at Proverbs 16. God told Adam, you're going to
eat by the sweat of your brow, by the sweat of your face. In
Proverbs 16, look at verse 26. He that laboreth,
laboreth for himself, for his mouth craveth it of him. His
hunger demands you go to work so you've got the money to go
to Kroger's and buy food. And that's why we would do something
like that. If a man doesn't work, don't
let him eat so he'll learn to go to work. Now, verse 11, Paul
says, For we hear that there are some which walk among you
disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. Now, someone
might think, you know, Going to work out in the world, that's
not very holy. That's not very religious, you
know, so I'm going to quit doing that so I can stay at home and
read my Bible and meditate and pray and that way I'll be holy. Now friend, that is simply using
religion as an excuse to be lazy. That's all that is. Some people
in the early church fell into this trap. They thought, well,
I'm saved by grace. I'm God's free man. Well, I don't
have to go to work and do what a boss tells me. You know, I
don't have to listen to my master and do what he tells me to do. No. No. That's contrary to Scripture. That's contrary to God's way.
God's way is, you go to work when it's work time, and when
you're there, you be the best employee they've got. Just be
the best one. That's God's way. And if you're
not working, not only are you disorderly, Paul says, you're
busy bodies. Now, the human mind, is an active
thing. I mean, you just can't make your
mind not think and be still. I wake up in the middle of the
night, and I don't even realize when I woke up, and I'm just
thinking. And I cannot go to sleep. I can't shut my mind off. You can't shut it off. And if
you're not working with your hands, you're not working with
your mind, you're going to be working your tongue. You know,
when a person doesn't work, they don't have anything else to do,
they've got a lot of time on their hands, you know what they're
going to do? They're going to be a busybody. They're going
to tell everybody else who is working how to do everything
they're doing. A busybody. Jan's grandmother,
years ago, warned her. She said, now, Frank's retired.
You've got to watch him. You've got to watch him. He's going
to start telling you how to run that home you've been running
for 45 years. You don't need somebody. And
he's going to do it. He's got nothing else to do.
So he's going to start telling you how to do everything you already
know how to do. A busybody. That's exactly what Paul's saying.
So occupy yourself with work so you're in God's order and
you're not nuisance to others. Now look at verse 12. Here's
how a believer, what he should do in this world. Now them that
are such we command and we exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ that
with quietness they work and eat their own bread. Now believers
commanded to do this and we're also encouraged to do it for
our own happiness. And like I said earlier, everybody's
interested in happiness in this world. Well, God's word tells
us how to be happy. You'll be a whole lot happier
if you cultivate these three things. The first one is quietness. The word means not meddling,
not meddling in the affairs of others. You've got enough to
do to manage your own affairs, much less tell everybody else
how to manage theirs. Just be quiet. Don't meddle in
other people's affairs. But this word quietness also
means contentment. Cultivate contentment. Don't
always be comparing what you have with what others have. If
you're trying to keep up with the Joneses, you're not going
to be happy. It's going to be easy to find
somebody that's got more. They've got something you'd like
to have, you don't have. Cultivate contentment. You'll
be a whole lot happier if you're content with what God gave you.
And if you think about that, How sinful is it not to be content
with what God gave us? Well, I'd be content with what
God gave us. You'd be a whole lot happier. Secondly, cultivate
this. Work. With quietness, work. Just cultivate a good work ethic.
Go to work and do your job well. Do it well. You know, there's
honor in working. There really is an honor. There's
honor in having a good work ethic. Especially men. Boy, you want
a good work ethic, or you want a good reputation, have a good
work ethic. People respect you. They really
will. There's real satisfaction in a job well done. You know,
you just do a job halfway, you know you did it halfway. You
just, there's no satisfaction in that. But a job well done,
there's satisfaction in that. There's satisfaction in working
to support your family. There really is. And raising
your family and teaching them. I mean, it's hard work, but there's
satisfaction in that. In the next verse, Paul tells
us, don't be weary in well-doing. You know what he means when he's
talking about well-doing? What's he talking about in the
context here? He's talking about working to
support your family and raise your family and, you know, support
the gospel. Cultivate a good work ethic.
And third, cultivate this. Eat your own bread. That means
live within your means. Live within your means. So, you
know, if you live within your means, something comes up, you
know, you've got the means to supply it. You live within your
means, you can give to others. Don't make working to get more
and more and more and more and more and more your life's ambition. You won't be happy. And we looked
at this last week. If you do that, you won't have
time for God. Seek ye first the kingdom of God. Now all these
things will be added to you. Look at 1 Timothy chapter 6. Solomon said, labor not to be
rich. Don't make that your goal, trying
to be rich. Look at 1 Timothy 6 verse 6. But godliness with contentment
is great gain. We brought nothing into this
world and it's certain we can carry nothing out. And having
food and raiment, let us be therewith content. But they that will be
rich fall into temptation and snare, and into many foolish
and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
For the love of money is the root of all evil, which, while
some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced
themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God,
flee these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness,
faith, love, patience, and meekness. Follow after those things while
you're doing a good job. And if a man won't work, don't
let him eat. Now, Scripture's awful plain
on that, isn't it? But on the other hand, don't get so cynical
and so hard that you quit giving to the poor and quit helping
people out. Look at verse 13. But ye, brethren,
be not weary in well-doing. Don't let a bad experience take
away the joy of giving, just like laziness can take away the
joy of working. Don't let a bad experience make
you quit. And don't get weary doing good. Now, well-doing is
simply working to support your family. You know, it's with quietness
eating your own bread. working so you can help others.
When you're on the job, be the salt of the earth. Be thankful
to have a job and act like you're thankful to have it. In the past
three weeks, three or four men here have been talking to me
about work and they all say, I'm thankful to have a job. But
boy, they can put you through the wringer. I'm thankful to
have it. And that's the attitude. I'm thankful to have this job. There's aggravation every job. I don't care what your occupation
is, every job has thorns and thistles. But don't forget to
be thankful. Be thankful God's given you a
job. He's given you the ability to
go there. This is God's supply to us. Be thankful. And don't
quit doing good when the going gets tough. Now, verse 14, Paul
says that if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note
that man and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
Now, come back to this matter of withdrawing yourself. Withdrawing
yourself from those who are disorderly. Now, withdraw yourself, it means
letting know that you don't approve of this laziness. Letting know
you don't approve that this disorderly conduct is wrong. And you withdraw
yourself so you don't encourage him in this lazy behavior. You
know, if you keep buying him groceries and paying the bills
and things, you're just going to encourage him and enable him
to keep doing this. But now look at Matthew chapter
18. Be awful careful about this.
This is a matter that requires much prayer and wisdom. Just
be awful careful about this. Matthew 18 verse 15. Moreover, if thy brother shall
trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee
and him alone. If he shall hear thee, thou hast
gained thy brother. That's when you withdraw yourself.
Now, don't do that in a mean way. See what Paul's teaching
here? You're not doing this in a mean
way. This is your brother, your brother. As Brother Scott Richardson
says, he's either your brother in Christ or he's your brother
in Adam. Either way, he's your brother.
So this applies to everybody that you know. The instruction
of scripture is you don't do this in a mean way or a harsh
way. You do it lovingly. Not because you're better than
him, because you're not. You've got the same flesh, you've got
the same nature. This is done in love. For this reason, to
bring about a change of behavior. When you discipline your children,
you don't have to be mean to them. You don't have to teach
them to bring about good behavior. This is the exact same way. Look
what Paul says in verse 15. Yet, count him not as an enemy,
but admonishing as a brother. Don't consider him a reprobate.
Don't consider him an enemy. You consider him a brother who
is to be lovingly warned and lovingly handled. Now, verse
16. Now the Lord of peace himself
give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all. The salutation of Paul with mine
own hand, which is the token in every epistle, so I write. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
be with you all. Now isn't that a good salutation?
What a salutation. What a prayer for each other.
Paul prays for peace. That we have peace. That we have
peace. That we enjoy peace with God. That our Savior purchased for
us with His own blood. He made peace for us with the
blood of His cross. And the only way that we'll enjoy
peace is this. Knowing our sin is gone. Knowing
our sin is put away under the blood of Christ He's the only
way we'll ever have peace. And then, Paul prays, the Lord
be with y'all. If the Lord's with us, everything
else is alright. If He'll just be with us, if
I just have a sense of His presence, even the shadow of the valley
of death, it's alright. Even that time of trouble and
trial and heartache, it's alright, as long as I have His presence.
If I've got everything else in the whole wide world and don't
have His presence, all I've got's draws. If we've got His presence,
it'll be all right. What's better? Is there anything
better than having the Lord present with you? That's a good prayer. The Lord be with you. If He's
with you, it'll be all right. Even at work. Even at work, it'll
be all right. All right. I want the Lord to
bless that too.