Fell Asleep at the Wheel?
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Laziness a deadly sin
Laziness a deadly sin
36 Then He said to them, “But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.
46 Then He said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.”
Luke
Last week We talked about the Church being asleep This week we will Look at what a Active Christian looks Like and what it doesnt
2 Thessalonians 3
1 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, 2 and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith.
3 But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. 4 And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you.
5 Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.
6 But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; 8 nor did we eat anyone’s bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, 9 not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us.
10 For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. 11 For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. 12 Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.
13 But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good. 14 And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
16 Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all.
17 The salutation of Paul with my own hand, which is a sign in every epistle; so I write.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
The Bible warns of the deadliness of laziness. As one man put it: “the lazy brain is the devil’s workshop”. Our lazy days are Satan’s busy days. He loves a sitting target – a sitting duck. Laziness is a deadly sin.
When it comes to laziness Americans are possibly the world leader. We’re known as the land of the long weekend, of strikes, sickness and false claims. Where even early retirement has become an idol because anything is better than working, even nothing.
I. Laziness—A Blind Spot
No we are not talking about the blindspot the movie Michal Oar we are talking about a blind spot in our spiritual life
• Do you struggle with laziness?
• I suppose if you are lazy you don’t struggle with it do you?
• Because the whole point of laziness is that it’s what you’re not doing.
• It’s what’s called a sin of omission.
• It’s what you’re not doing rather than what you are doing.
• So, if gluttony is chasing all the wrong things in life, laziness is more about failing to chase the right things.
• Where pride, anger, envy, lust, impurity and gluttony are seen in what you do, laziness is seen in what you don’t do.
• This is why laziness is such an easy sin to fall into.
• All you have to do to do it, is … do nothing.
• It’s always harder to be aware of something you’re not doing, than the things you are doing.
• When we come to confess our sins, we’re more likely to confess the bad things we’ve done than all the good things we’ve left undone.
• Laziness is like falling asleep at the wheel.
• You don’t even know you’ve done it but it’s just as deadly.
• It’s not what you did: speeding, overtaking, whatever.
• It’s what you didn’t do – you didn’t stay awake.
• If there’s one thing Jesus kept telling his disciples, and the Bible keeps telling us: its stay awake, be alert.
II. Busy Bodies vs. not Busybodies
1 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, 2 and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith.
3 But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. 4 And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you.
5 Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.
6 But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; 8 nor did we eat anyone’s bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, 9 not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us.
10 For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. 11 For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. 12 Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.
13 But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good. 14 And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
16 Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all.
17 The salutation of Paul with my own hand, which is a sign in every epistle; so I write.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
The Text show a bunch of Christians who are in huge danger of falling asleep at the wheel.
• Paul’s been reminding the Thessalonians about the great hope they have as Christians, about the need to live with their focus on heaven ahead, looking forward to a time when everything will be put right.
• But here’s the problem: focusing on heaven ahead doesn’t mean you just sit around waiting for it.
• It means you get busy with heavenly priorities.
• It means you realize all the things God wants you doing as you wait.
• In verse 11 of , it seems some of the Thessalonian Christians have decided that they can just sit back, and take it easy.
• There’s a little song they use do at Pre-School: ‘It’s nice to get up in the morning, it’s nice to get up in the morning, it’s nice to get up in the morning, but it’s nicer to stay in bed”.
• That’s the theme song for some of the Thessalonians.
• As Christians we’re called to share with each other and serve one another, and to care for one another when we’re in need.
• We saw this when we look at the deadly sin of envy—we should always be wanting the best for each other and that’s going to mean showing love in practical ways.
• But there are always some people who say, “Terrific, I can just sit back and take it easy, I don’t have to work, I’ll just drop round on my friends from church every night for dinner.”
• Paul’s not talking here about people who can’t get work though, he’s talking about people who won’t work.
• And Paul commands the Thessalonians to keep away from those people (v 6).
• Paul set an example of hard work: and they ought to follow it.
• He says in verse 10 “if a man will not work, he shall not eat”.
• And he tells them to stop being idle (v 11).
• They’re not busy; they’re busybodies, using their time to drop into other people’s business.
• Lazy people become real vultures, not just feeding on their brothers food but feeding on their brothers lives – through deadly gossip.
• In the end, it’s a reflection of Paul’s gospel priorities, because being a Christian isn’t about taking, it’s always about giving – like Jesus gave to us.
• Being a Christian isn’t about being served; it’s about serving, because of what Jesus did for us.
• Which is why Paul goes on to say that we should ‘never tire of doing what is right’ (v 13).
• He’s saying: get busy with what is right.
• I’m sure most of us would think we’re busy people.
• That we’re earning our keep, that we’re not the lazy people Paul’s talking about here.
The call here isn’t just to be busy, is it?
• It’s to be busy doing what is right.
• You might be the busiest person in the world but be an absolute sloth in God’s Kingdom.
• Jesus told a parable about someone like that.
• A master gives his servant a large sum of money to look after but the servant does nothing with it – he buries it in the ground.
• And so, he’s rebuked: ‘you wicked lazy servant’.
• Jesus’ question is: what sort of servant are you? Faithful?
• What are you doing with what God’s given you?
• God’s Word is calling us to be busy people with a purpose.
• Doing what’s right.
• This issue is just as relevant today as 2000 years back when the ink was still wet on this letter to the Thessalonians.
• Sadly, there are still freeloading Christians today.
• Maybe you’re one of them.
• There are always things to be done for God’s kingdom, but maybe you take advantage of the generosity of others – who bring pot luck meals and you never do, and who clean up around the church and you never do, who set up the church every week but you never do, who make meals for others but you never do, who are busy out there telling the gospel and inviting friends to church but you never do.
• Maybe you’re not doing what you could be doing for God and you need to repent of that.
• Laziness is all about the distance between what you are doing and what you should be doing, between who you are and who God’s calling you to be.
• For Paul the Christian life is a serious business.
• There’s definitely no room for busybodies.
III. Run the Race to Win it
1 Cor 9:24-27
24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
WE should do everything with such intensity for the Lord with a Passion as if this was our last opportunity as it very well may be!
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23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.
11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Hebrews
1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.
Heb 12When Vincent Foster commited Suicide in 93 Clinton Said It would be wrong to define a life like Vincent foster in only how it ended
When Vincent Foster commited Suicide in 93 Clinton Said It would be wrong to define a life like Vincent foster in only how it ended
But this is exactly how he will be remembered how he finished the Race’
Hebrews and in Romans shows us its not that we participated but that we finished and we finished well
There are too many participation trophies no one has a desire to work for anything anymore this is what is warned about.
in 1968 at the Olympics one hour after the marathon winner had won the race a injured limping but determined John Stephen Akhwari limped across the finish line and said My county did not send me to travel 7000 moles to start this race my county sent me to Finish it.
Christ walked limping having been beaten dragging His Cross He laid upon it He embraced it He clung to it He said it is Finished so that your Sin my Sin could be washed by His blood He finished it Well
So it is with God He did not Send you to start this race He wants you to Finish it finish it Well
The race can be filled with pain Joy excitement sometimes sadness, Get off that couch Get out of Bed Finish the Race Serve with a Passion Reach the World For The Kingdom A little sacrifice for the greatest sacrifice that was given for your Life!
Let us Pray:
Lord Jesus may we have the strength to finish the race some of us are busy some of us are tired some of us are broken Lord give us the strength and endurance to finish the race to finish the race Well. That you may say Well done my good and faithful servant
Maybe you have known the Lord all your life maybe you have been a christian so long that you almost take it for-granted that you have forgotten the race in which you run. I pray that you would reconnect with Jesus Today tell him That you want to finish WEll in a way in to Win
Maybe you say what race is Pastor
How can I join the Race the race towards Heaven
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”
Romans 10:
Lord Jesus I know that I am a sinner Lord I am so sorry for the selfishness in my life Lord I ask that you would forgive me of my Sin That I believe that you went to the cross willing lay to lay down your life so that my sin could be taken by your blood. That you rose again to life in the third day I am willing to sacrifice my desires because you sacrificed everything for me. Lord Jesus would you come into my heart and change me that I may die to myself but live for you and the Kingdom of God for all my days in your precious name Jesus Amen