“Do Not Be Idle” 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13
1. Jesus is coming - am I ready?"
• It’s the most important question that must be answered
• The answer is either yes I am, I am not sure, an absolute no.
• To be ready, of course, requires salvation. Do I know Jesus Christ as my personal Savior? "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life" (John 5:24). Have you crossed? Have you said I do I believe,
• Those who have salvation say, We believe in God the Father, We believe in Jesus Christ, We believe in the Holy Spirit, and He’s given us new life, We believe in the Crucifixion, We believed the conquered death, We believe in the Resurrection, and He’s coming back!
2. Do Not Be Idle
• Thessalonians accepted the call to be a Disciple but their life’s we’re complacent
• They accepted “the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,” they were the beloved” but they lived in “idleness”
• They accepted the idea to image Jesus but Paul writes they imaged idleness and busybody. “11For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work.
• “ Paul tells Thessalonians, “7For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us”
3. Discipleship has Terms and Conditions Do Not Be Idle
• Did the folks in our text know the terms and conditions of the faith they had embraced?
• Have these folks really “took up a cross and followed Jesus”
• Peter wrote, “because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. The terms and conditions are to suffer
• Those that are following the terms and conditions of discipleship do not walk in darkness “Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
4. Thessalonians really thought Jesus is coming so they didn’t need to do anything Do Not be Idle
• They thought he was coming soon — like any time. they thought the return was today
• They might not have time to clear the breakfast dishes.
• They thought just quit everything and they will just slip out into the glorious new kingdom.
• So Paul addresses the folks and says, you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work. Anyone unwilling to work should not eat.
5. Finally Do Not Be Idle
• Proverbs says, and drowsiness (Idleness) shall clothe a man with rags.
• Do not Be Idle Follow Christ’s Teachings Jesus invited Simon and Andrew “Follow me,” and the writer reports that “immediately they left their nets and followed him.”
• Jesus didn’t just say “follow me” He warned them , "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
• There is a Cross, a hardship, there’s suffering, uncomfortableness, sacrifice, servanthood, geten up when you don’t want to. 25For whoever wants to save his life will lose it
• Wesley said, ““Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.” Some say weley did not quote this
• Wesley also said and maybe we should to “Lord, I am no longer my own, but Yours. Put me to what You will, rank me with whom You will. Let be employed by You or laid aside for You, exalted for You or brought low by You. Let me have all things, let me have nothing, I freely and heartily yield all things to Your pleasure and disposal. And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, You are mine and I am Yours. So be it. Amen.
• Do not Be Idle, Jesus is coming be ready, accept the call, accept the terms and conditions, Do and do believe!
Recall the Apostles Creed:
• I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, Born of the Virgin Mary, Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell; The third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; The Holy catholic Church, the Communion of Saints; The Forgiveness of sins; The Resurrection of the body, And the Life everlasting. Amen.
