10/13/21 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15

Someone, here we go. Now, it's recording. So where we have, we're recording this. So it's available now on an Apple podcast. So you can subscribe to the Redemption Baptist Church of Jasper. You can find it on podcast and you can download it and listen to it as you travel along. We have a petition for Google Play. So you all that are Android users. We're still waiting for Google to give us approval to post our sermons on the podcast playlist. So you could also, if you want to find our sermons, you can find it on their website, that's Redemption of Jasper. Or just scroll down to the bottom. And you will see our sermons right now or sermons or visual recording. So, you going to see the slides and everything that It goes with it. We're going to work all that out. We going to get this thing over and we're going to start getting it where to, where it's strictly audio, and we'll put the video in a certain place. So hopefully everything is going tonight like it's supposed to. So I would encourage you. If you have not downloaded the Faith Life app on your phone. How many carriages do that? I want to encourage you because of the resources that are available for you, are Church pays for the Faith, Life platform, the Faith Life platform. We do a lot of our stuff on the face, life platform. What it allows you to do is if you sign on and you find Redemption Baptist Church and you connect with us, then you can go to faithlife TV. I know a lot of people are at home sometimes and you you can't, I mean, you missed church and you're not able to come, so you're trying to watch it on your, on your phone, but I want to encourage you to. If you've got a Roku or a smart TV, or a firestick, some of y'all know what those things are, if you don't, don't worry about it, but if you got one of those three things, the channel is call Faith, Life TV, app, download the channel. And once you're signed in through your phone or your computer, once you're signed in to faithlife, then it's going to ask for a code. The first time you try to play it, put that code in that comes across the screen, put into your follow the instructions. It'll tell you how to put that in there. And all of a sudden he's going to open up a bunch of resources for you is going to give you a courses in Old Testament. Where you if you want to study to learn how to study the Old Testament, tax is going to tell you that it's going to tell you how the New Testament came together. There's course is on there about the haluk genetic search course, is on there about how to present your face. So it's all kinds of different things to see. Even got kids movies that are encouraging to the face, to all of those kind of things were there for you. The faith live TV app is where we're broadcasting right now. So, if you're at home, and you have the Faith Life TV, all you have to do is put it on there, and then when we go live, it goes live and then you're able to watch. Our services on your TV screen and so those are the things that we are encouraged. And hopefully, it's working. And then you're the guy in front. So you don't know if the both things are working at the same time, but hopefully everything is working. So if you will in your Bibles to a second Thessalonians, that's part of our reading for this week. Second Thessalonians. We going to be in chapter 3. We going to be in chapter 3. now, as we talked about Sunday and Acts chapter 17, we see that due to all the persecution of is taking place in Phillipi, that Paul was He was this mess or he left Philip high and he was, he had to run. And let me turn this camera cuz I think it's let me adjust this. Don't you love how we can just do this on the Fly? Is that better? Yeah. Alright. So after Acts chapter 17, in Acts chapter 17, Paul after being beaten in prison, and then the Jailer it comes to know Jesus Christ because of the miraculous event that happens there in the jail cell. He is asked to leave phillipa and then he does he leaves and he goes in the thessalonica. He goes into thessalonica and a great number started turning towards the Lord but because of persecution that stirred up again, he was he had to leave under cloud of secrecy and the people were looking for him. After he had left, they found Jason who was one of the followers and they made him post bond to secure that. Nothing else would come out of everything that was happening there and that's when I get so is Palmer Down the road. The testimony of all the good works that was happening there in thessalonica had been following them away as well. So you can imagine people as their traveling alone, the road, they're talkin about the good things that are taking place. And in thessalonica, turn the air on, for us. I see some fans going

Yes. That is that hot air this blowing.

So those kind of things started taking place to Paul was encouraged to write a letter. That was third 1st Thessalonians, Paul mentions about the coming of the Lord. He mentioned this, what they call the Perugia and the parousia is the coming of the Lord. That is the Greek term for the coming and and then some other information to reach to him. So he turn around and you wrote 2nd Thessalonians very quickly. After he heard about something and what we're going to do is we're going to address some of those things that he corrected the church home in. The reason why we're going to go over this. It's because I believe it is very relevant in the culture, in which we are living. I mean this message right here and not necessarily speaks to us individually, but man, we know people that it is going to speak to and the best thing you and I can do is begin to prepare our hearts with the gospel as we begin to share this with other people as well. So we're going to look at a very difficult text. Very difficult to understand and we're going to seek to understand God's guidance in this. So join with me, if you will, and we're going to ask God to help us. God is through this message tonight. And so that we can find what God is teaching Us in this and seek to apply to into our life. Father. We come more we thank you so much for the great blessing that we have to gather together in in this place in this place where you have set us apart and you want us to proclaim the gospel in this place and more. We pray, that that is what we do from the children who are here learning stories. Of missions and gospel communities Florida to our youth and how you were preparing them for the future and Lord, how you are using the words to speak to us daily and Lord. I pray that you help us find the meaning of the text here tonight. The application which we could seek to have it planted into a hard. So they will bring about the transformation that you desire to see in our life. Lord. I pray that you will lead us to the truth, and the truth will set us free or God. I pray that all the distractions, the busyness of life and everything or you will put it all on pause and last sit at your feet, and listen to you because this is your word is a spoken over rice. I got to ask you to speak your hearts in the name of Jesus. Amen. As we're getting into this. I want to remind you a great biblical tool that you can use in seeking to find application in your daily reading is called specca. Right specca, y'all heard of that before. It is the process that I used as I'm reading the Bible. I'm going to go over at Walmart. I'm going to keep going over to you get so crazy that you get you going to go. Hey, brother. I got it. So s. This means is there a sin? I need to compare. Sometimes, we're reading the text. It's going to confront us with a sin that we have in our life, and we need to address that since we need to go to God and we need to confess. No, remember confession is saying, God, you're right. I'm wrong. Your word is true. And and I am wrong. That's what confession is repentance. Means a change in the way that I look at seeing so I don't want it in my life. Like I used to. I want to move away from sin. I want to, I don't want it in my life. I want to look at it the way God looks at sin. And that's what repentance is. It's not just saying. I'm sorry, just to get a pass or Mulligan, so I can go try it again. That's not what repentance is. So, as we confess that seeing we ask for forgiveness. We're a part of repentance. That's what that is. So, Spectra is seeing and then pee, is promise. Is there a promise in Scripture that we need to grab a hold of sometimes, God promises us things and we need to hold on to these promises. As we are struggling going through life. Is there an example to follow? So this are a Santa classes are promised to obtain. Is there a example to follow and you know, I like to add that one. Is it a is there? An example I need to avoid Vegas? Sometimes he was a bad example in scripture. If you just because it's there doesn't mean that we need to follow it. Right? So, identify that behavior that you see is good or bad and then ask God to help you model at Behavior or avoid that behavior. Is there a command? I need to obey? Sometimes as you approach the tax, you will see a flat-out command. You will see one here tonight. I'll flat out come in. What do we need to do? God is telling us to do something. So it,, man, we need to obey is their knowledge that we need to obtain. Is there something that we're learning in the text more, that, that, that makes us understand more about us, understand more about a relationship or the church or something. Is there something there that I need to obtain a pain to my life. And that's what the, what is the application? What it. That's the, so, what's okay. So, so you've learned something. So, what are you going to do? What are you going to do about those things? So, as we go through the text, only courage, you always look at the scripture in waves of transformation. We want God's word into our heart and we want that transforming us. So we're going to begin 2nd Thessalonians, chapter 3. 2nd Thessalonians chapter 3. We're going to begin with her 6. I don't know if y'all read this this week, but as I read it, you know, and as I was reading it and then I watch the news, I was like, whoa boy, is this is not speak to our society today. So join with me. If you will, we'll read it together, but we command you, we being Timothy Silas. And Timothy Silas, and Paul, but we command you brethren in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Now, what does that mean in the name of our Lord? Jesus Christ. Whenever you hear that whenever you hear me, some of y'all have heard me praying. I'll say in the name of Jesus. I pray. What does that mean? Is that a Hocus Pocus word that we can throw out there the name of Jesus and all of a sudden, God who is, you know, have Hazard who you listening to us, or perhaps he's kind of tentatively listening, or maybe he's just kind of eavesdropping in our conversation, then all the sudden, we say, in the name of Jesus and he goes, I got to straighten up. No, it's not what it means. It's not magic. It's not like abracadabra. In the name of Jesus. What does that mean? That means by his character? By his by is by everything he is. So when you hear me, pray in the name of Jesus, that means as I come to you, God based on everything. Jesus has done for me. That's why you hear. A lot of people especially made. When, when I pray, I'm saying, in the name of Jesus. Why am I saying that? It's not because of my marriage. It's not because of what I've done or anything I deserve. But because of what Jesus Christ has done it because of who he is and what he has done for me and who what he is, made me, everything that he is, is why I am prey. And when Paul says, by the name of Jesus. This means his authority. His role is Persona his character, everything about him. That's pretty serious. Right? Lord, Jesus Christ. That you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us. Now some of your translations may use idleness. Send me your translations may use that. And why do they use that? It is because it's a very unique word in the Greek text. Very seldom in. Let me go ahead and say this very seldom that is a part to idleness they can but very seldom does this word apply to that? It applies more to disorderly unproductive unruly a lot of times. In the Greek. It's used by officers who have broken ranks or in disobedience in our moving away, from the command that the general has given to them and they're kind of walking disorderly. They're walking out of Step. This is the word I believe is where Paul is grabbing a hold of now, doesn't mean I don't miss. Absolutely, I will look at that in just a second, but it also means that the church or the people in the church or not walking as they ought to walk. So, he says for us to withdraw from every brother. Does that mean that we are are to not associate with people. Is that what the Texas applying here? It seems kind of.

Leading us to that direction and you're going to see Paul come back later and say, well he's going to Define this little bit more. But as we come to this text, let's begin to understand what Paul wants us to do. He does not want us to be walking as the disloyal or walking asses disorderly or walking, with the other ones. Because that's typically, what will happen is that you will have people come in, and they're going to tell you, it's okay to go in this direction. It's okay, too loud. This stuff into your life. It's okay to let these things happen, and then we tend to go in that direction. And so Paul saying wait, I don't want you walking with him. I want you walking with the way that I have taught you watch what he says in verse 7 for you yourselves. Here. It is for you yourselves. Y'all hear how he's in phatic. You yourselves know this how you all to follow us? For we were not disorderly among you nor did we ones bread free of charge but work with labor toil 9in that we might not be a burden to any of you not because we do not have authority but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow up for even when we were with you. We commanded you this If anyone will not work. Neither, shall he eat? We hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly matter, not working at all. But her busy bodies. Now, it's now if you see why this text jumped off the page, to me this week, people are quitting jobs left and right. I'm walking away from the workforce and they're thinking the government or someone else is going to support them. Now. I believe there is a ray that we get. There is an Avenue that we can run down here and we can talk about this here because I don't believe that is a good biblical model to follow. However, I also believe that there was a lot of things that we have allowed into the Christian Life that causes us to walk disorderly that causes us. Nothing to be not to be a good example for those to follow and because of that you and I we are losing our position or our influence on inviting people to the table. Let me explain something to you just a little bit because in our culture we can lose some of this. Table Fellowship in the first century was huge. In fact, if you want to go back to the Old Testament and you want to look at table Fellowship, even the word table meant reconciliation, the semantic word in which they get the word table means that the two enemies are two strangers or two. It's strange friends are now sitting down breaking bread together and they are sitting there. And what was once estranged is now being reconciled and those two are sharing their life with one another. Now, ask this went into the New Testament. Did y'all noticed, where did Jesus implement the Last Supper on the table?

There was Judas, who was sitting there at the table? And Jesus washed his feet and Jesus offered him stuff from the table. So this is huge. And is you get into the New Testament? You see? That is the church began to gather together. I know they were Baptists because everybody brought a covered dish, right? That's what it was all about. It was about sharing the meals together, but you had some that was taken advantage of this song that was taking advantage of the system. Knowing that others would take care of them if they went to him and knowing that these kind of things was taking place. So there was this honesty taking there. Now now we're going to go there in just a second but I think we is the church. We need to look at it in light of who we are members there seeing that. We need to come fast. Is there a promise that we need to obtain or hold on to? Is there example, we need to follow. I believe that we have began to slip off the trail. Just a little bit and get a little bit disorderly in our walk and we are losing our influence. When it comes to inviting people, to the table. Are y'all with me on that? I think there's something you and I need to reflect upon because Paul, Paul gave it to get example to follow. And he says don't you and listen what he told the church at Cecil and I don't you know that I was there. You guys are reserved me. You watch the way that I Live Now, I don't want you to lick your hands. This is a rhetorical question. But how many of us are living our life that we would be willing to look at someone else and say, live your life like I do. It's pretty strong, isn't it? And this is where this is, where Paul is, this is where he spending his days. But there's people there that the church is starting to act a little bit disorderly and there's people who are getting involved in the church who are taking advantage of the system and this is where he's going to have, I believe it's like a dual sword as it cuts. One way. It's going to come back and cut the other way. Not only is the church acting inappropriately and something but also the people are taking advantage of the church and their good generosity to others. So, you watching Paul, not only just lay it down, not up, not just explicitly here in this text. But beforehand, he told the people leave from this particular lifestyle, get away, from that particular lifestyle. See. Back in that day. When you were Roman citizen. There were hundreds of gods for you to follow. There's hundreds of festivals that you could per ticket by participating in forever. Just about every season just about every day. There was another guy just celebrating another fees to have, you know, when the Romans felt like they would indulge themselves so much in food Mini at some of y'all may know this, they wouldn't lay down while they eat. This is where the influence came. Where the Jews begin to lay down and set up that they wouldn't they wanted to lay down. They realize that they could eat a little bit more laying down. And what they would do if they would lay down and they would Gorge themselves with food until they made themselves. Throw up.

And they would get up from the table, go outside and throw up and that would be an offering to the gods and then they would come back and lay down and eat more.

This was their lifestyle. This is what people were experiencing. Now. What you understand as the gospel is penetrating, this kind of culture. Paul's like, wait a minute, can't go to those things. You can't participate in those kind of things.

You can't do this. This stuff is bad. You the all of these kind of things are going to lead, you back down those past where you were in Christ, has rescued you from that,. So I don't want you going to stay and I want you to follow,. I kept myself busy. As I was with you, I didn't consider myself to be privileged in your, in your place. So I work with my hands, Paul saying that I got you. You saw me when I wasn't teaching, I was I was working with my hands. I wasn't participating in all the stuff I was going around, but, you know, I didn't want to take stuff off your table. I wanted to contribute to you to what was taking place together. So, pause, giving us this beautiful picture for for the church that can be seen today. And I believe we're not too far from seeing something like this today.

Yes, sir.

Yes, people taking advantage of the church.

Both.

That's a very good question.

Well.

Yeah, I mean it is pretty clear. Paul is telling the people here. There is a judgment to be made and remember when Jesus tells us not to judge. He goes on to talk about by the same method. You are judged. You were judging others. You will be judged by. So, I don't know about you guys. But here we are. We're all going to be judged, according to this. This is the standard of Truth and which you and I everyone on this Earth will be judged by the word of God. So go ahead.

Absolutely. Absolutely. In Jesus goes on to say, you know, in that same conversation. He says, you know, don't throw your pearls to the swine and don't, you know, he called people dogs. So in the same paragraph and what she says don't judge now, you know, he's not talking about literally dogs and pigs, right? He's talking about people who act like dogs and people who act like picked, right? So, in in what Jesus is telling us, if you begin to add a standard to this right here, that's where Jesus is saying, you're stepping out of line. But if I'm going to live according to this, then I can. And if I say, this is the way, I'm going to live. I'm going to help you. I'm going to get that spectur that log out of my eye. Before I start to help you, with the spec on yours. You see what I'm saying? The word of God is our God. So Rafi was asking the question, you know, are these people inside or outside the church? And how do we know when we should be helping those? And it is a is a very good question. And I'm telling you, even today in our culture where we are right here in Walker County. There are a lot of people taking advantage of the system. They know that the church will give out money. So they will live disorderly. Knowing that somebody is going to give them money or somebody's going to give them food or somebody's going to give them something because everybody's got a story, right? I'm not trying to be heartless, but that's the truth. Now and then we get to the end. We'll try to pars that a little bit better. Rafi. But unfortunately, there are some within the church that are acting the same way. Now, I don't know when it comes to idleness. When it comes to disorderly, let's step off and let's talk about some things as well. How is a Christian supposed to act? How are we supposed to act? What are we supposed to be doing? Now? You're going to hear me, say this over and over and over again, but I believe, if you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you should be spending time and it's word. You need to be getting his word into your heart because I believe we have a living God that's alive and I believe God will guide you. God will lead you. And you need to know your Shepherd in your, you will know the voice of your Shepherd by listening to me, getting to know him. So if you spend your time listening to other things, that's who you're listening to and and we got to be. I just want to caution you get, if you if you're spending more time. Listen to somebody else in your listening to God. And how do you know that? You're really what God is telling you to do and what he's telling you not to do. I think that's where a big problem lies. Now we're with Believers. I don't know what to do there. Just follow along, just kind of living like just doing what we're going to do and then when it all comes out in the end, we'll find out.

Will your your little bit stronger than I am?

Agree, I agree.

Amen to that. Amen to that.

Well, I think there's also Rafi at what I was trying to say is I I believe there are some people out there that believe ignorance is bliss. And as long as they don't have to know, they don't have to do. Right? Because it hears hears the alternative of that thing. What we're saying Rafi is that God expects us to do certain things.

Let's take what we have it right here on the wall. This take Matthew 28. Writer Jesus. One of the last things he told the church to do is make disciples how good it. We've been doing at that roll right there. Seriously, how many of us have been really devoting Our Lives to making disciples?

Disciples followers. The disciple is a learner, a follower of Christ. How are we doing on that? Well, I can tell you how we're doing, because you can look at the statistics where we're going. We're not even reaching our children anymore. You see what I'm saying? Our children are walking away from the faith.

if, if we're not doing If we're not following the example, if we're not putting priorities in our life. And I don't think we have too many young parents in here. But I want to caution you young parents. If you put more priority on sporting events, then you do on spiritual events. You were telling your kids that this has more value than this other thing. If you put more emphasis on recreational activities, I know it makes us uncomfortable. But this is what it means to walk disorderly, but y'all not agree with that. This is what it means. If we put more emphasis in our recreational activities. Then we do in our spiritual activities. Then that is the message that we're communicating to the people, not just to our families. Our neighbors are Community around us, which I do not agree with that statement. Here's the other side that that's wrong. They were flat-out rebelling against God. Man, brother. I'm going to let you preach you. You preach a little bit hard or not, it.

Cool, man. That it is Elias.

Yeah.

You're taking the face. I love brother. That's the way it is, and I'm hoping Dad may be a message like this was sturrus, and I'm hoping that God is leading. You to say something to us to wake us up. Seriously, we need to wake up.

Yeah.

Disorderly, if you're getting off the path.

Yeah.

You know, Paul would have had a lot easier life if he would have just kind of went with the flow, you know, he would have taken a lot less beatings. He wouldn't have been imprisoned. He wouldn't have been shipped off to see the emperor. He wouldn't have been beheaded. But the man said, no, this is what I'm going to walk and I'm going to I'm willing to take, whatever comes down this way. I'm going to go down this way. And you know what now and days. Man, there is so much stuff that is begging for attention. So many things around us that are baggy for us to pay attention to it. Look over here. Look over here, spend a little time over here, spend some time here. Spend time here. And, and I want, tell you church. If we do not stay focused. We will get off the path, and we are not setting a good example to follow. Okay, so that maybe that's where some of us need to start tonight. Instead of pointing her finger to somebody outside the church and say, shame on you, maybe where we we need to start tonight. So, you know what? Maybe I have not been a good example for others to follow in right now. God, I come to you and ask you for forgiveness. I confess these things to you, God and I do not want to continue down that way. I want to get back on your path and I want to do it, right? So maybe there's some of us tonight that need to do this. Because why, eternity is at stake folks,

If this is true, if the Bible is true, then there will be a judgment coming and this is serious.

Now, what do we do for those who come in and begin to disrupt begin to? Let's, let's be very clear. There's several ways that this can happen in in our day and age. It in and where we are today, I don't want to, you know, bring too much Spotlight on certain other churches, but there are some churches that refuse to read from the Bible. Because they believe the Bible is defensive. So they they won't even walk up and they won't even speak from the Bible. They speak from talk popular talk. They'll use the philosophy of the world and they'll try to entertain people. They'll tell people. This is how you have a better Line. This is how you become a better you and they'll tell you all kinds of stuff like that. But you're being disingenuous, if there was a good, you there would be no need for a savior.

Yo, Willy. Y'all good. This is something that we have to understand. We need to repent of what we have been doing. We need to turn from our sinfulness, and we need to place our faith and trust in Jesus Christ, and we need to give our life to him and follow him. So that's what we need to do. And some other ways churches have become entertainment driven. It's all about the show.

And I don't I don't go to a lot of those. I've been to a few. I've been to a few conferences. I've been to a few things but I understood going into them that it was about the show. It's about the performance of what you can see in a lot of people, that's where they're going today. I was talking to somebody just this past week. I was talking to somebody on the phone. I was talking to him about the the differences of the the modern-day preacher from where they were years ago. And unfortunately, I've been able to see just a little bit of it, you know now and days if you want to watch a good preacher, you turn on the television, right? I mean, right now we have archived sermons of Adrian Rogers. He's pretty good. He's really good. How about Charles Stanley? You know, he's got 24/7. He's on the TV or on the radio and he's polished. I mean, he has a great presentation very in-depth in his teaching. You know, I sat under David Platt for it when I was going through Seminary and and I listened to him how he had a team of pastors or a team of people that would help him develop. I've listened to others guys, who who talk about these kind of things. So you have this product out there. Now that your congregation is getting addicted to The all of this great preaching. And then they come to the church and their Pastor is okay.

You know, so what do they want to do it? They rather listen to this kind of stuff. So they spend five six seven different times a week. Go into this guy that they'll never meet. They'll never know and they'll never have a part of their didn't now. Listen to what I'm saying. There's nothing wrong with that because on my phone I listen to other sermons to but at the same time, I'm not in their Fellowship. I'm trying to. I try to learn from them, but I'm in this fellowship with you guys, as well. Don't encourage you. I would encourage you. And that in, this is why I'm challenging you is and I really think it's detrimental. Did y'all hear what I just said, I really think it hurt your spiritual walk. If you're watching too much preachers, and you're not spending enough time in this world.

I think it's detrimental to your growth. I think it is because then you become addicted to the point. When God has something specifically to say to you, through his word, he wants to share this to you. So thinking of disorderly, how's our church doing nowadays?

Is there? No wonder? Why a lot of people are peeling off and go into the entertainment driven churches.

Yeah, with me, I don't want to talk. You know, like I said, I don't go to those places. I don't go there because I understand the product that they're trying to sell. I don't go there. I want to be I want to get into this and I want to find out what God says to me here in Jasper while reading his word in the how that's going to be manifested through me right here in Jasper. That's where I want to be. And I hope that's where you don't want to be because I believe God got to work for Redemption. Baptist Church right here in Jasper that he could change the world right here. I don't have to go be entertained about it. Do with me.

Amen, bro.

Hey, man.

Yeah. Yeah.

Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. You're speaking the truth. There's this one. I'm going to, I won't mention his name, but there's a guy in Alabama. He's a pastor of a church right here in Alabama. He were on a very popular Baptist platform as far as, you know, reaching the masses. In fact, he was well-known. I'm not going to use the names of the company and the Evangelist said he work with because you will figure out who I'm talkin about. I'm but he walked away from all of that. He walked away from the lights to smoke and all that kind of stuff. And he walked away. In fact, this what I'm saying. This is what he told me. He developed. He and another guy developed. Y'all hear what I'm saying. He told me this, I tried to get a meeting with this guy and because my name is Jim Collins, he wouldn't meet with me because there's another Jim Collins, who wrote a book called good to great. And he knows that Jim Collins, and he did not want that Jim Collins back into his life. So it took me a while to get a meeting with this guy, right? So I'm sit down with you and I'm talking with he's giving me. His story is giving me all the stuff that kind of stuff in the sweep sweeping this way. You tell me, he said he and another guy developed a way that you can move the people from the seats to the altar. They developed it. In life, we bought it.

A strong in it. They bought it. They implemented everything that they do. They Implement that, cuz it's about manipulation. It's about getting the decisions and he was weeping. Here's my, I do not want to be a part of that anymore. I am so sorry for what I've done to the kingdom of God.

Y'all hear me. This is a guy in Alabama. That is now pastoring. A church and he is No Nonsense. When it comes to, this is what the Bible teaches us to do in, this is what we got to do it this way. We got to do and it's not a popular message. It's not bad. Once again. That's the question. How's the church doing? How we doing when it comes to understanding are we walking the way God is called us to wall? How we doing? As far as evangelizing, how we doing as far as study, how we doing is Fajr prayer. I'm not saying all this kind of stuff to Canna make you feel bad or ashamed. I'm just asking the question how we doing? Because if we're off the path and we got to spend some time in prayer as we shut the booking and let's go and get on her knees before God and say, God man. We've messed this up. Yes, but no. I know what you're going to say. Yeah. Okay, give it to me, Rafi.

I think we're doing better.

Okay.

Yeah. Yeah, I agree with you. I think, I think, you know, we're heading someone in the right direction. I still think that we need to stay focused so easy for us to get off the path and get off in the weeds and all this kind of thing. So, I appreciate the kind words that you said. Now, let's get back to where Paul is actually addressing some issues as well, because it seems to be there's this mindset. That is long as we have those who are willing to give, there's no need for me to give Or to give an effort. As long as things are going to be provided for with me. Then it's no need for me to have to go out and earn something. We're going to see this in just a minute. So Paul is going to really address this but I want it kind of hit something right here because are we setting a good example here in the church? Y'all heard me Sunday, talk about the 80-20 rule. Y'all remember that 80% of the people. Do what? 20% of the work. 20% of the people do 80% of the work. Y'all remember me saying that? And you remember me saying, you are the 20 know who you are if you didn't know that rule than you are of the 80%. So Before we start pointing our fingers outside the church and start talking about people who take advantage of the system. Let's look at some of the things that we do in the church. How we doing contributing bringing everything to the table? How we doing is everybody really working hard? Bring what you can to the table when I'm talking about table and talk about what we're doing right now. How we doing? You might be saying, I don't know what to do. I'm not going to stand in front of everybody and speak. Now, you're not going to have many opportunities to do what I do. And that's a particular calling and in which God lays upon people, but you do have a Bible in your head. Do have a table at your house and eventually people get around that table. How are you doing about sharing the gospel with someone else? How are you doing about ministering to others in your community? How are you doing when it comes to the services here at the church. How many of us are active in working within the body of the church? Or do we have people that are coming in, knowing that everything is going to be taken care of? So they don't have to do anything. You see the point? We can't start pointing the finger at somebody else without before we have to start evaluating ourselves, right? Let's ask a question when you pronounce for those on Facebook. How are you doing in Facebook? I don't know what, church you go to. I don't know where you are. And you walked the, how are you contributing to? What are you bringing to the table and just taking advantage of the system? What if what we had here was based on what you were doing?

And I don't want to be so hard and blunt, but eventually we got to ask the question. Why aren't we being effective? Why aren't why? Why is the church not being effective in the? I believe? It's no one. We moved away from his word. We've lost the power and prayer. In our life. We're not filled with the spirit, like we used to be and we got off on too much of what we think rather than what God wants to do. I think that's the number one reason, but also I think it was a corporate responsibility that we're just not following, God has told us to do things and we're just not doing it. We're going disorderly. So think about those sites. What is Godly need to do? I'm not trying to shame you. I'm just want you to bless you because I know when you get involved with what God wants to do all of a sudden you get you become a a lot. I want you to think about the body and Paul uses it, we're going to get into this and Corinthians. Paul said the body the church is like the body. And not, everybody can be, you know, the ears and the nose and the smelly toes, and thank goodness. We all can't be those things, right? And and I'm going to stop there.

I'm stopping there, but you know, there's but you guys know that no matter. Even with my little toe as small as it can be boy. If I bang my little toe on the on the dresser or on the bed, it will put me on the floor. Right? And it's a little toe. A lot of times when I'm out walking, when I'm running. Yes. And times I do run to the front of the line for a meal run to the store, run to Walmart. Y'all got my point right? Run my mouth. My little toe a lot of times when I'm doing stuff like that. My little daughter doesn't really contribute. Your car. I don't think about the little toe, but when it's hurt, it puts me on the ground, right? It hobbles. Me. We are all part of the body. I'm trying to think about that when you're not contributing when you're not healthy. When you've got sin in your life. It is affecting the whole body. Would you want what portion of your body to have a deadly disease in it? And you're just going to go home?

Are we okay with that?

I hope not. So let's examine yourself. Now. Let's get to the part of the tags for a pulse, really, going to begin to hit in this day and age when I feel we're dealing with the generation of entitlement. You owe me, right?

Look up, jump down the first 10. And Paul used his example is, I didn't take advantage of you. In fact, I work the whole time. I was with you in verse 10 for even when we were with you. We command you this, if anyone will not work. Neither shall they eat? For we hear that there are some who walk among you and disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busy bodies. Now, those who are such, we command and exhort through our Lord, Jesus Christ. Now, you speaking of authority that they work in quietness and eat their own bread. Paul said get a job. Get it be a good Steward. Be a good example. Earn a living. Don't sit back and act. Like everybody owes you something. Get out in earn it. Put your feet forward. Put your hands to the word. Why? You might be asking this question. Why? Why do I have to work? Go to Genesis and find out why we have to work? Because it's in right, we tried to to rebelled against God, we try to do things and then all of a sudden to judgment comes down, then now we are cast out of the garden. Now, we have to worry about sweat of our brows. God has done this to us. So why? But so that you and I will learn to be simple and life and into work hard to obtain certain things to get honor.