WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM SOME LAZY LESSONS

                   WHAT THE SCRIPTURES TEACH US ABOUT LAZINESS

 

Intro.

 

1. God has always intended for man to be engaged in meaningful labor, Gen. 2:15; Col. 3:23; 1 Ths. 4:10-11; 2 Ths. 3:10; 1 Tim. 5:8 – Diligence, as unto Lord, honestly, to provide for self & others.

 

2. Lazy: “Not eager or willing to work or exert oneself, slothful…slow & heavy; sluggish.”

 

3. Are we lazy? At our secular jobs? At our spiritual work? (Rom. 12:11)

 

 

 

I. JESUS WAS NOT A LAZY PERSON.

 

A. He Understood the Work Given Him, Jno. 4: 34-35 (Lk. 19:10).

 

1. Understanding it, He urged seizing it!

 

2. cf. Servant, Mk. 10:45.

 

B. He Was Driven To Do His Work, Jno. 9:4.

 

1. Couldn’t meet crowds, instruct apostles, confront many enemies, etc. & be lazy!

 

2. Gospel of Mark (action) – “Straightway.”

 

3. He was compelled to do what had to be done:

 

a. Didn’t wait until He “felt like working.”

 

b. Until “everything was just right.”

 

4. These excuses breed complacency, procrastination & laziness!

 

 

 

II. LAZY LESSONS.

 

A. Prov. 6:6-11: Can Keep from being Lazy by Watching and Learning how Others Work.

 

1. v. 6 – Cf. the industry of the ant.

 

a. v. 7 – Self-starter (No prodding needed).

 

b. v. 8 – Uses time wisely for future needs.

 

2. v. 9-10 – Sluggard stays in bed too long!

 

3. v. 11 – Leads to poverty & want.

 

4. Spiritually: Learn spiritual work by watching those who do it! Phil. 4:9

 

a. Self-starters, using time wisely (Eph. 5:16). 1 Cor. 9:25-27

 

b. Don’t lie down on the job – Deprived of spiritual. blessings! 1 Tim. 4:12

 

B. Prov. 19:15: Idleness Breeds Laziness.

 

1. Many get used to not working – like it!

 

2. Without exertion & labor, hunger comes.

 

3. Spiritually: Can condition ourselves to be satisfied with idleness!

 

a. Exercise yourself, 1 Tim. 4:7.

 

b. Don’t be content….Grow! Heb. 5:12-14

 

c. Develop eagerness! Jno. 9:4 (Rom. 13:11; Eph. 5:14).

 

C. Prov. 12:24: The Lazy Man will Always be Controlled by Others.

 

1. With little effort to provide for himself & his own, he becomes subject to the control of others.

 

2. Spiritually: Laziness makes us susceptible to being controlled spiritually:

 

a. False teachers, Jude 3 (1 Jno. 4:1).

 

b. Other’s convictions – Just following w/o resolve, faith & grounding!

 

c. By sin, 2 Ths. 3:11; 1 Tim. 5:13.

 

d. Be diligent! 2 Tim. 2:15

 

D. Prov. 18:9: Laziness Wastes One’s Life and Opportunities.

 

1. Prov. 24:30-34 (Field, vineyard) Advantages were neglected & squandered!

 

2. How many lives destroyed by laziness!

 

3. Spiritually: We must be good stewards of the blessings we have been given!

 

a. Trustworthiness, 1 Cor. 4:2.

 

b. Lk. 16:1-2, 9-12 – Having been entrusted with the gospel & salvation, we must dispense it in a worthy fashion.

 

E. Prov. 21:25: Laziness Produces Nothing Beneficial, While Industry Brings Results.

 

1. Lazy man sits around dreaming of gold & silver, but gets nothing! (get rich quick schemes, etc.). The industrious person gets busy & does what is needed.

 

2. Spiritually: We must get busy to improve our spiritual condition!

 

a. Personally, 1 Pet. 2:1-2 (2 Tim. 2:15) – Knowledge, teaching, exhorter, etc.

 

b. Church growth, Acts 8:4.

 

F. Prov. 22:13: If You Don’t Want to Work, any Excuse is Good Enough!

 

1. Spiritually: Don’t look for excuses not to work for the Lord! Acts 24:25

 

 

 

Conclusion

 

God has given us meaningful work in the kingdom – must not be lazy toward our work, 1 Cor. 15:58.

 

“WHAT WILL THIS NEW YEAR MEAN TO YOU?”

WHAT  ABOUT  THE  “NEW  YEAR?”

Intro.

1. Life and time to live it are blessings from God. And, we all make plans for the future.

2.  Yet, no one can see the future except God, Isa. 42:9 (46:10).

3.  That is why God must be the first consideration in every plan for our future, Psa. 39:4-8

1) WHAT WILL YOU HEAR THIS YEAR? Matt. 13:9-15

2) WILL YOUR SIGHT BE CLEAR THIS YEAR? Matt. 6:22-23; 7:1-5

3) WHO WILL BE DEAR TO YOU THIS YEAR?

a.  God? Matt. 22:37

b.  God’s people? 1 Ths. 2:8 (cf. Col. 1:7)

c.  Your spiritual work and service to the Lord? Acts 20:24 (1 Ths. 1:3)

d.  Your family? Eph. 5:25, 28-29; 6:1-4

e.  Your faith? Heb. 11:1, 6

4) WILL YOU FEAR GOD THIS YEAR? Matt. 10:28 (Eccl. 12:13)

5) WILL YOU GET IN GEAR THIS YEAR? Rom. 13:10; 12:11

a.  Diligently hold fast our confidence, Heb. 3:14; 4:11.

b.  Growing in Christ, Heb. 5:12.

6) WILL SOME JEER AT YOU THIS YEAR? Lk. 6:26

a.  Because you are faithful to the Lord and refuse to join them in sin? 1 Pet. 4:4

b.  Because you hold fast the pattern of sound words? 2 Tim. 1:13

7) WILL YOU BE HERE THIS YEAR? Psa. 39:4-6

(God knows your future, but you don’t, Jas. 4:14-15)

a.  Will you be at our assemblies to worship and be edified? Acts 2:42

b.  Will you be here to be an example of godliness? 1 Tim. 4:12; 2 Tim. 2:22

8) WILL YOU BE NEAR THIS YEAR? Lk. 15:1

a.  Near the cross? 1 Cor. 2:2; Gal. 6:14

b.  Near your family?

(1)  In the flesh, 1 Tim. 5:4; Eph. 6:1-4.

(2)  In the Lord, Gal. 6:1-2. To patiently rescue, comfort, exhort,  hold up, pray, learn and teach…

c.  Near the throne of grace? Heb. 4:16; 10:21-23

(1)  For mercy and grace to help in times of need.

(2)  For full assurance and the cleansing that secures our faith.

9) WILL YOU BE IN THE REAR THIS YEAR?

a.  Lagging behind in spirit and negligent in service? Rom. 12:11

b.  Hiding from your opportunities and responsibilities in the kingdom? cf. 1 Sam. 10:21-22

c.  Aggressively and faithfully taking the battle to the enemy? Eph. 6:10-13

10) WILL YOU SEAR YOUR CONSCIENCE THIS YEAR? 1 Tim. 4:1-2

a.  Conscience is a great gift from God, Gen. 1:26-27.

b.  Conscience is an early warning system that, when properly calibrated, helps us live with genuine integrity, godly sincerity and faith, cf. 2 Cor. 1:12.

c.  Train our consciences with God’s word, cf. Prov. 3:1-6.

11) WILL YOU SHED A TEAR THIS YEAR?

a.  Tears of sorrow for sin, Lk. 7:36-38, 47-50.

b.  Tears of compassion for others, Col. 3:12; Matt. 9:36 (Jno. 4:35)

Conclusion

1.  God has given you freewill to make of this year be what you want it to be (Josh. 24:15).

2.  By God’s longsuffering and goodness we have been given this moment to live for Him, to work for Him and to prepare for our future with Him, 2 Pet. 3:9.

3.  The Lord will return and He reveal the counsel (purposes) of our hearts, 1 Cor. 4:5.