Idle=i Dull

IDLE = I DULL!

Thesis: The disease of idleness creates a life that is dull, lifeless, and unproductive. Usually idle people are the ones who have allowed everything around them to go to hell.

Main Texts:

Ecclesiastes 10:18 18 If a man is lazy, the rafters sag; if his hands are idle, the house leaks.

2 Thessalonians 3:5-15 5May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.

6In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching£ you received from us. 7For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, 8nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow. 10For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.”

11We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. 12Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat. 13And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right.

14If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of him. Do not associate with him, in order that he may feel ashamed. 15Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.

2 Thessalonians 3:5-15 The Message Because of the Master, we have great confidence in you. We know you’re doing everything we told you and will continue doing it. May the Master take you by the hand and lead you along the path of God’s love and Christ’s endurance.

Our orders—backed up by the Master, Jesus—are to refuse to have anything to do with those among you who are lazy and refuse to work the way we taught you. Don’t permit them to freeload on the rest. We showed you how to pull your weight when we were with you, so get on with it. We didn’t sit around on our hands expecting others to take care of us. In fact, we worked our fingers to the bone, up half the night moonlighting so you wouldn’t be burdened with taking care of us. And it wasn’t because we didn’t have a right to your support; we did. We simply wanted to provide an example of diligence, hoping it would prove contagious.

Don’t you remember the rule we had when we lived with you? “If you don’t work, you don’t eat.” And now we’re getting reports that a bunch of lazy good-for-nothings are taking advantage of you. This must not be tolerated. We command them to get to work immediately—no excuses, no arguments—and earn their own keep. Friends, don’t slack off in doing your duty.

If anyone refuses to obey our clear command written in this letter, don’t let him get by with it. Point out such a person and refuse to subsidize his freeloading. Maybe then he’ll think twice. But don’t treat him as an enemy. Sit him down and talk about the problem as someone who cares.

Hebrews 6:10-12 10God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. 11We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. 12We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised (NIV).

Hebrews 6:10-12 The Message I’m sure that won’t happen to you, friends. I have better things in mind for you—salvation things! God doesn’t miss anything. He knows perfectly well all the love you’ve shown him by helping needy Christians, and that you keep at it. And now I want each of you to extend that same intensity toward a full-bodied hope, and keep at it till the finish. Don’t drag your feet. Be like those who stay the course with committed faith and then get everything promised to them.

Introduction:

Tonight I want to give you some thoughts on idleness a disease of ones motivation for life. This sermon is not deep theologically but practical because it addresses the importance of motivation for life and for the Lord.

Have you ever heard the phrase before , “drag your feet”? It reminds me of a golf story, “Wife: Henry you promised you’d be home by five o’clock. Now it’s nine o’clock. Husband: Honey, listen to me. Poor ol’ Roger is dead. He just dropped over on the seventh green. Wife: Oh, that’s terrible! Husband: It really was. For the rest of the game it was hit the ball, drag Roger, hit the ball, drag Roger…! ( From An Encyclopedia of Humor).