Laziness
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
In the scriptures, the word lazy [18], slothful [1], or sluggard [2], is used 21 times. Out of those 21 times, Solomon uses them nineteen times, Jesus once and Paul once. Solomon being a wise king and ruler over the people became a good judge of the character of his servants and others. This is no doubt why he used the word more than anyone in scripture.
Lazy- unwilling to work or exert energy, showing a lack of effort or care
Sluggard- slow moving
Slothful- always fatigued, lazy
In the King James Version, the word for “lazy” is “slothful.” A sloth is a slow-moving, tree-dwelling mammal that hangs, with back down, from branches and feeds on fruit and vegetation. [I always think of the sloth Sid on IceAge, Manny always had to make him hurry up to stay with the crowd]. The sloth is so lazy it hangs by its claws for days at a time. It does nothing but eat and sleep, so it is considered the laziest of all creatures.
But the lazy person, the human “sloth” is not only the laziest, but the worst of all of God’s creatures. See the animal sloth God created that way, but God created man to have fellowship with Him and to have dominion over and subdue His creation. Laziness is a choice man makes, and Laziness is a SIN with consequences!
18 Because of laziness the building decays, And through idleness of hands the house leaks.
25 The desire of the lazy man kills him, For his hands refuse to labor.
1. The Cost of Laziness;
1. The Cost of Laziness;
Laziness hurts relationships- Too often people who are workaholics are lazy when it comes to nurturing personal relationships [spouses, children, family, God].
Excuses are: I’ve had a hard day, I’ll do it tomorrow, Let me rest a few minutes, I’m watching the news, Can’t you help them with homework, etc...
19 The way of the lazy man is like a hedge of thorns, But the way of the upright is a highway.
This means lazy people always have excuses, or thorns, that prevent them from doing what they should, but the upright get things done.
Most marriage problems are the result of laziness. Too often we don’t make the effort to cultivate our relationships. This not only hurts the husband/wife relationship but it also affects the children.
4 The lazy man will not plow because of winter; He will beg during harvest and have nothing.
If we don’t plow in season [cultivate, plant seed and water] when we have opportunity, the day will come when we will look at our relationships and find nothing.
Laziness weakens our walk with God- If we are too tired to nurture our family relationships, I can guarantee you we are neglecting our relationship with God.
36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.”
37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.
38 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.”
39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”
40 Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour?
41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
42 Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.”
43 And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy.
44 So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.
45 Then He came to His disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.
46 Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.”
Jesus needed these men’s prayers and support more than any other time in His life and they didn’t deliver. They had good intentions [willing spirit] but laziness overcame them [weak flesh].
4 The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing; But the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.
Everybody wants something for nothing, but the things of value in life come through hard work. Most importantly our spiritual growth!
2. The Cure for Laziness is a Choice;
2. The Cure for Laziness is a Choice;
Identify areas of Laziness in your life; family, God, finances, etc...
The best way to identify them is to ask God to reveal them to you.
24 “Teach me, and I will hold my tongue; Cause me to understand wherein I have erred.
Ask Forgiveness- Laziness is a sin of choice so we need to ask forgiveness from God first and then from those whom we have neglected in our relationships.
13 He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.
Work on doing better today- Since laziness is a choice, we have to choose now to make changes. Procrastination only makes things worse!
Procrastination- the action of delaying, postponing or putting off, making excuses.
Fill in the blank: “One of these days I’m gonna _______________________.”
13 The lazy man says, “There is a lion outside! I shall be slain in the streets!”
16 The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes Than seven men who can answer sensibly.
What is the most used word by a procrastinator/lazy person? Tomorrow
Tomorrow, Tomorrow, I love you tomorrow, you’re always a day away!
14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
4 He who observes the wind will not sow, And he who regards the clouds will not reap.
If you wait for perfect conditions/tomorrow you will never get anything done. If your looking for just the right time/tomorrow, it may never come.
Close;
30 I walked by the field of a lazy person, the vineyard of one with no common sense.
31 I saw that it was overgrown with nettles. It was covered with weeds, and its walls were broken down.
32 Then, as I looked and thought about it, I learned this lesson:
33 A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—
34 then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.