The Lazy Christian
If you have your Bible, please open it to Proverbs Chapter 6 and when you get there, mark it, and turn to 2 Thessalonians Chapter 3. A preacher attended a conference designed to help encourage and better equip pastors for their ministry. Among the speakers were many well-known and dynamic speakers. One such speaker, boldly approached the pulpit, gathered the entire crowd’s attention, and said, “the best years of my life were spent in the arms of a woman that wasn’t my wife!” The crowd was shocked! He followed up by saying, “And that woman was my mother!” The crowd burst into laughter, and he delivered the rest of his speech, which went quite well. The next week, the pastor decided he would give this humor thing a try and used that joke in his sermon. As he approached the pulpit that sunny Sunday morning, he tried to rehearse this joke in his head. It suddenly seemed a bit foggy to him. Getting to the microphone, he said loudly, “The greatest years of my life were spending in the arms of another woman that was not my wife!” The congregation inhaled half the air in the room! After standing there for almost 10 seconds in stunned silence, trying to recall the second half of the joke, the pastor finally blurred out, “…and I can’t remember who she was!”
Today marks the third of this four-part series on the state of many Christians today. We have had The Unsaved Christian, The Dead Christian, and today we have The Lazy Christian. A Lazy Christian is best described as someone who is defiantly a Christian, but they are lazy in their faith and lazy in their walk with Christ. If you really think about it, a Lazy Christian is an Oxymoron. A Pastor by the name of David Dykes said this:
“An oxymoron is the combination of contradictory words linked together. The plural of oxymoron is oxymora, so here are a few of my favorite oxymora: (1) jumbo shrimp; (2) pretty ugly; (3) working vacation (4) tight slacks; (5) Microsoft works; (6) humble Texan; and (7) Lazy Christian.”
The term “Lazy Christian” is nothing more than an Oxymoron. The two words contradict each other. How can someone who is a true, born-again Christian be lazy in their faith? How can someone who is a true, born-again Christian do nothing with their faith? Let us look now at 2 Thessalonians Chapter 3 starting in verse 6.
READ 2 THESSALONIANS 3:6-15
Here, Paul warns the Christian Thessalonians about becoming idle. In fact, he told them to stay away from the Christians who were idle so it would not rub off on them and cause them to become idle as well. Paul knew that some of the Christians there had become lazy in their faith and have stopped doing the things that they had once did and he is writing to them to encourage the ones who were still spiritually active and warn those who had become lazy. In this passage of scripture, Paul is referring to Christians needing to work to purchase their own food instead of relying on wealthy Christians, but we can still apply this to the Christians who are spiritually lazy. Meaning, they do very little or nothing to advance the Kingdom of God. They are what we call The Lazy Christian. Listen, God does not call us to idleness, He calls us to go and make His name known. Working and making money to provide for yourself and your family yes, that it is important, but it does not compare to how important it is that we tell other people about Jesus. It is nowhere near as important as telling someone about the love of Christ. Proverbs 6:6-11 says this:
“Go to the ant, O sluggard;
consider her ways and be wise.
Without having any chief,
officer, or ruler,
she prepares her bread in summer
and gathers her food in harvest.
How long will you lie there, O sluggard?
When will you arise from your sleep?
A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest,
and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
and want like an armed man.”
Here, we are called to be like an ant. It may seem a little crazy or weird at first, but the more you think about it the more it begins to make sense. Here are 5 Characteristics of an Ant:
1. An Ant is Dependable
An ant is one of the most dependable creature God made. Think about it. You can depend on an ant to do their jobs and they do it consistently. They build colonies, gather food, lay eggs, and protect one another. You can depend on an ant to do that. Are you dependable like an ant? Can your brothers and sisters in Christ depend on you to do your job? Now, I do not mean your job as far as what you do for a living or what you do to make some income. Rather, can we count on you to do your spiritual job? The job that God has called all of us to do. To spread the Gospel, things within the church that needs to be done, or using the gifts and abilities that God gave you. Can your brothers and sisters in Christ depend on you to do those things or, are you undependable and wasting what God has gifted you Colossians 3:23-25 says this:
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.”
Paul is encouraging and asking the Christians in the Ancient City of Colossae to work for God. He tells them that there is coming a day when they will be rewarded for their work and efforts to advance the Kingdom of God, but those who do wrong will be paid back for that also. Folks, a Christian must be dependable. Working heartily makes you dependable. Being active within the church makes you dependable. Being a servant and serving others makes you dependable. Like an ant, we must become dependable, especially in the faith.
2. An Ant is a Hard Worker
An ant must be a hard worker. Look at everything an ant must do. They must build the colony, find, and collect food, tend to the eggs laid by the queen ant, they have a lot of work to do. Day after day, week after week, ants must continually work hard. Like ants, we must also be hard workers both physically and spiritually. 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 says this:
“And to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.”
We must all be hard workers. Not some of us. Not just the pastor. Not just the deacons. Not just the music minister or department heads, but we must all be hard workers in the faith. We are all called to spread the Gospel. Like ants, we must be hard workers. Notice how when ants work, they do not complain. They do not complain, argue, try to get someone else to do it, or just not do it, but instead they do the work and do it to the best of their ability because everyone else depends on them. The colonies' survival depends on each ant doing their job and doing it to the best of their ability. Like an ant colony, a church's survival depends on each member doing their job to the best of their ability. Without complaining. Without arguing. Without trying to pass it off to someone else. We must become hard workers in the faith. Like Moses, David, Paul, and John the Baptist. Even Jesus Himself spent His time here on Earth being a hard worker in the faith. If Jesus felt the need to do it, we should also.
3. An Ant is Cooperative
An ant must be cooperative. He must be able and willing to work together. In a colony, each ant must do their job and work with the other ants for the whole colony to prosper. The colonies' success and future are completely dependent on each ant working and working together. This goes for the same thing in a church. 1 Corinthians 12:12-14 says this:
“For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many.”
Like an ant colony, the church is made up of many, but they are one. Also like an ant colony, a church's success and future are dependent on each member working and working together. That is how important church unity is. In a colony, if all the ants are not working together the colony will fail. Likewise, if all the church members are not working together the church will fail. An ant`s sole purpose is to better and advance the colony and our sole purpose should be to better and advance the Kingdom of God. An ant must be cooperative. We must also be cooperative and able to work with one another. A church cannot properly function as we should if the congregation cannot work together. We must have one purpose, one goal, and one mission. A church that has that will be impossible to stop. We were designed and created to work together as one body of Christ. Like ants, we must be cooperative.
4. An Ant is Diligent
Not only is an ant a hard worker and cooperative, but they are also diligent. Diligence can be described as steady, earnest, and energetic. Ants steadily and earnestly work together and work hard. They steadily go to work despite how they feel. Despite the weather. Despite how long it has been since they have had a day off. Despite what they are going through, they steadily go to work, and they work hard along with the other ants. We should also be doing the same thing. In most cases, our worst days are better than the best days of some people in other countries. 1 Corinthians 15:58 says this:
“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”
Here, Paul is encouraging the Christians in the city of Corinth to be steadfast in their work for the Lord. He is encouraging them to stand strong despite what obstacles or opposition they may face. Listen, not everyone is going to be open to the Gospel. People will turn you down, mock you, and turn away from you. We were never called to save people; we are called to plant the seed. Jesus does the saving; we are supposed to do the planting. Be steadfast. Be diligent. A colony depends on each ant being diligent in their job. When they face obstacles and hardship, instead of giving up or giving in, they keep going. What if we began to do the same thing? What if we quit giving up because things got hard and doubled down and worked harder? One of the last things said by Jesus on that cross was Him asking for forgiveness for others. Even when Jesus was about to die, He continued to work in the name of the Father. Even when things get hard, be diligent and spread the Gospel.
5. An Ant is Prepared
An ant must prepare ahead of time. They must prepare their food for the winter in the summer. They know that there will be little or no food to find in the winter so they must prepare ahead of time if they want to make it through the winter. An ant must be prepared. Without preparation, the colony will die. We as Christians must be prepared also. Galatians 6:9 says this:
“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”
Here, Paul is writing to encourage the early Christians to keep pushing on even when they were tired, and it seemed like nothing they were doing was working. Keep pushing forward. The results will come if we can just keep going. It may seem pointless now. You may want to give up. We may not have the amount of people here that we would like, but if we can keep going and not give up and keep putting in the work, in due season the harvest will be ready, and the results will come. We must do the work now if we want that harvest to come. A harvest will not be ready to be gathered if we do not work on it now. No work equals no results. An ant prepares in advance for what is about to come in the future. If we want this place to grow. If we want these pews to be full. If we want this altar to be filled. If we want the baptistry to be used on a regular basis. If we want the money issues to disappear. If we want all of that, then we must prepare now for it. We must put the work in now to prepare for a bright future.
Those are a few characteristics of ants that we as Christians should follow. We should be prepared. We should be diligent in our work. We should be cooperative and work hard. We should be dependable, but the question is, are we? Are we those things? Look back at the beginning of verse 6.
“Go to the ant, O sluggard;
consider her ways and be wise.”
Are you like an ant or are you like a sluggard? A sluggard is the opposite of an ant. An ant works hard every day, but a sluggard is lazy and does nothing. Here are 5 Characteristics of a Sluggard:
1. A Sluggard Will Not Start Things
A sluggard will not start things. It is against their character. Starting things means that the sluggard must show some initiative. Initiative means the power or opportunity to act or take charge before others do. A sluggard does not take the initiative to do anything. They see a terrific opportunity in front of them and all that they must do is act on it, but they sit back and wait for someone else to do it. A sluggard talks of great ideas and great plans, but they do nothing about it. Proverbs 14:23 says this:
“In all toil there is profit,
but mere talk tends only to poverty.”
This verse is saying that when you actually do something, there is a profit or reward for it, but just talking about it gets you nothing. I mean can you imagine if Jesus just talked about dying on the cross to save us from our sins instead of actually doing it? There would be no salvation for us today. Jesus talked about it and then He followed through with it with action. Many Christians today meet this characteristic of a sluggard. They will not start anything, but rather they would sit back and let someone else do it. Listen folks, if God calls you to do something or if He lays something on your heart, you do it. It is not for someone else to do, it is for you to do. Take initiative. Do not wait for someone else to do it when you are the one who was commanded to do it. A sluggard is all talk. They talk about important things, but they do nothing to obtain those important things. Do not be like a sluggard. Take some initiative and take action.
2. A Sluggard is Lazy
All the characteristics of a sluggard can be simplified into that one word; lazy. A sluggard is lazy. We just looked at how a sluggard will not start anything, and it is because they are lazy. A sluggard will also not face hard tasks. Anything that gives the sluggard opposition will cause them to stumble and give up. Not only will a sluggard not start things, they also will not finish things either. Proverbs 26:15 says this:
“The sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth.”
The sluggard started the process but could not finish the process. His laziness holds him back. A sluggard uses excuses to justify either their inaction or them stopping from doing something. A sluggard cannot see things through. Many Christians today do not see things through. They do not finish. Folks, it does not matter how you start but it matters how you finish. Look at Paul for example. He started out as a deeply religious man who went around having Christians killed but look at how Paul finished. He led many to the Lord. He took the Gospel to those who had never heard of Jesus before. He wrote most of the New Testament. Paul finished well. We must finish well. We must be spiritually active. Listen folks, you can be the most active person to ever walk the planet and still be lazy. You can go workout for hours, then run a marathon, get home, and do stuff around the house until it is time to go to bed. You can do all that and be extremely active and busy and still be lazy in your faith if you are not working for God and advancing His kingdom.
3. A Sluggard Will Not Become a Leader
Leading people is way outside of the park for a sluggard. A sluggard`s laziness causes them to have no true influence. Think about what leadership requires of someone. It requires diligence, sacrifice, long hours, pain, and perseverance. Those qualities are the opposite of a sluggard. That requires too much commitment for a sluggard to do it. One of the biggest issues in the Church of America today is a lack of leadership in churches. Me and Brother Larry were talking yesterday about how there are 9 churches in the Tuskegee-Lee Baptist Association without a pastor. 9 churches either with an Interim Pastor or nobody at all and the sad thing is, there are few people left who are willing to step up to the plate. Listen folks, it is not just the pastor's job to be a leader in the church. It is for all. Proverbs 12:24 says this:
“The hand of the diligent will rule,
while the slothful will be put to forced labor.”
Those who put in the work and work hard will lead. It is natural. People follow those who are out working beside them. People will not follow someone who is lazy. Look at Jesus for example. He said to come and follow Him. What did Jesus do? He went to work. He ministered to others. He loved others. He was out on the front lines working, not sitting back while others did it. It is easy to follow Jesus because He did the very things that He told us to do. Sometimes in order to lead, you must serve. Sometimes the best form of leadership is serving. Jesus was a leader, and He spent His entire time here on Earth serving others. A sluggard will not lead. Do not be like a sluggard. Lead the charge. Be different. Be a leader.
4. A Sluggard is Self-Deceived
A sluggard deceives himself. A sluggard believes the lies and excuses he tells other people. A sluggard believes himself to be wise. Proverbs 26:16 says this:
“The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes
than seven men who can answer sensibly.”
A sluggard thinks he is smart. Just ask him, he will tell you all about it. They will make and craft up these excuses to avoid doing something and they will convince you that it is legitimate. Proverbs 21:5-6 says this:
“The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,
but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.
The getting of treasures by a lying tongue
is a fleeting vapor and a snare of death.”
A sluggard believes that the best thing to do is quick fixes to things instead of steadily working for something. They are big into the lottery, gambling, or poker as a main way of getting money. Quick, cheap fixes. They would rather have an easy and smooth life than work for anything. The people who feel entitled. Many Christians today are deceiving themselves. They are making up and believing excuses instead of getting to work. Do not be like a sluggard. Do not look for quick, easy fixes to things but rather steadily work for something like an ant.
5. A Sluggard is a Nuisance to Others
A sluggard is aggravating to everyone. A sluggard is unwilling to work hard while everyone is working their fingers to the bone. He has nothing to offer others and most of the time, they get in the way of those who are doing something. In high school, when it came time for group projects there was always one person in the group who did none of the work but got all the credit. They were nothing more than a distraction, a discouragement, and a headache to the other group members who were working. That is the exact same thing as what a sluggard does. They get in the way of the work and the process and are nothing more than a distraction, a discouragement, and a headache. Proverbs 10:26 says this:
“Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
so is the sluggard to those who send him.”
Vinegar and smoke aggravate and irritate the teeth and eyes and likewise, a sluggard aggravates and irritates those around him because he will not do anything productive and cannot be relied on. An ant is more focused on others where a sluggard is more focused on self. A sluggard is more focused on what they want and wanting to stay comfortable instead of focusing on what is best for others and for everyone. Sadly, many Christians in America today have become like this. A sluggard that is a nuisance to others. They are more focused on what they want instead of what is best for the church. More focused on being comfortable than serving God. They would rather stand in the way of people who are doing what they are called to do by God instead of joining them and helping the effort. I beg you to not be a sluggard. Join the effort to advance the Kingdom of God even it is not necessarily what you like or agree with.
Listen folks, there are a lot of Christians today who have fallen into that idleness stage mentioned by Paul back in 2 Thessalonians. A lot of Christians today can be characterized as The Lazy Christian. I said it earlier, but nothing is as important as sharing the Gospel. Nothing else can compare to that. Everything else is about things that begin and end here on Earth, but sharing the Gospel with someone can determine their eternity. It could determine if they spend eternity in Heaven or Hell. I am going to ask you this and I want you to be honest with yourself. Are you a Lazy Christian? Are you a Lazy Christian? If so, what are you going to do about it? I beg you to not continue to live in idleness in your faith. What about Central Baptist? Are we a Lazy Church? Are we doing our job as a church or are we a church full of sluggards? As we come to this invitation time, examine yourself, examine this church, and see what God would have you do, and then do it. Go all in for Christ because Christ went all in for you.
Let us pray.
