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A Theology of Work: 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Turn to the book of 2 Thessalonians, chapter 3.
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I'll tell you a little bit about the preaching plan over the coming months,
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! Just to kind of give you some bearing on where we are and what we're doing even this morning.
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I am taking, starting next Monday, a sabbatical, so beginning on the 15th, and I'll be gone for four weeks.
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As such, Caleb is going to come and preach on Sanctity of Human Life Sunday, which is the 21st,
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about that very topic, defending the unborn.
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And in the following three weeks, Clay Naylor is going to preach out of John 17, three weeks on the high priestly prayer.
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So I hope you'll anticipate that, that you'll be praying for them as they're getting ready to do that very thing.
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When I come back, I'm going to do 11 weeks in Exodus chapter 20,
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which is where the Ten Commandments are first received and recorded for us in the Scripture,
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to talk about antinomianism, which means without the law.
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So we need to understand as Christians what the place of the law is in our life.
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So it'll be 11 weeks of antinomianism, that the law does in fact still have a bearing on who we are,
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having been rescued by Christ.
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And so it kind of left us with these three in-between weeks.
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And we said, hmm, what should we do with three in-between weeks?
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And so last week, I decided to do just a sermon on resolutions,
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how to make resolves that are God-honoring.
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And today, I'm going to preach a sermon on work.
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Having asked last week, do you work hard?
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What most about you needs to change?
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And one of the questions I asked was, do you work hard?
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And then I asked a follow-up question to that, which was, do you rest well?
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And so this week, we're going to consider together work, work to the glory of God.
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And I've provided for you an outline on the back of your bulletin.
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If you have that with you, I'll also try to give you the points very carefully
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so that you can write them down.
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If not, and then next week, so just to give you some balance and maybe ease some anxiety
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as we're talking about work, next week, we're going to talk about rest
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and how to rest to the glory of God as well.
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And I'm eager, I'm looking forward to continuing to prep for that
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and then preaching as I'm going to take some time to do some resting.
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So that's the game plan.
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That's where we're going.
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Beyond that, as a church, we have typically done verse-by-verse exposition
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and often through larger texts of the Bible.
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So if you're new with us or if you're not and you're scratching your head
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about why we've not been doing that,
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the intention is to get back to that in the summer.
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Be praying for us.
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You're welcome to suggest a book that you may want for us to preach to.
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Right now I'm thinking 1 Corinthians and then possibly 2nd on beyond that,
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but we don't know just yet.
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So that'll be the plan beginning in the summer.
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But for this morning, 2 Thessalonians chapter 3 in our text for this morning
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is verses 6 through 15.
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Beloved, this is God's Word to us.
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It was written for His glory and our good.
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And we would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises
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and obey its commands.
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Beginning in verse 6.
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Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
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that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness
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and not in accord with the tradition that you receive from us.
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For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us,
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because we were not idle when we were with you,
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nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it.
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But with toil and labor we work night and day,
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that we might not be a burden to any of you.
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It was not because we do not have that right,
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but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate.
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For even when we were with you, we would give you this command,
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If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.
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For we hear that some among you walk in idleness,
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not busy at work, but busy bodies.
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Now such a persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ
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to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.
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As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.
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If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter,
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take note of that person and have nothing to do with him,
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that he may be ashamed.
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Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.
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And so in today's text, there are a series of exhortations about work.
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And I must say that this morning I couldn't possibly take the time
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to give you a complete doctrine of work in the Scripture.
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So it's going to be kind of sweeping,
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and we're going to pull points specifically from this text,
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but hopefully it'll get the pump primed and get you thinking about
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and studying and having a clear grasp on the biblical doctrine of work.
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But in our text today, we have these exhortations that are stated in the negative,
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by which I mean Paul saying,
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do not do such and such.
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But every negative exhortation has a reflexive, positive implication.
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So we will take the two together to better understand what Paul here is saying
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to the Thessalonian believers and in turn to us in the following six points.
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So number one,
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Paul exhort us to not be idle,
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but to work diligently.
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Do not be idle,
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but work diligently.
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Paul has a concern
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in the closing of a second letter to the Thessalonians
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that some of those in the church were being lazy.
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Why would this concern him?
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Note verse 10.
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For even when we were with you,
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we would give you this command.
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If anyone is not willing to work,
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let him not eat.
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So a rather serious matter that people not belated.
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And it's concerning enough to him
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that it has been a repeated teaching, right?
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When Paul was with the church,
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verse 10 tells us,
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the command was given,
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if anyone is not willing to work,
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let him not eat.
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Here in Paul's second letter,
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he reminds them of this command that was given to them.
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And in Paul's first letter to the church,
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he also commands the church to work.
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And here we can see why Paul
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has such a concern
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that they not be idle.
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So turn back just a couple pages
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to 1 Thessalonians chapter 4,
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and I'll show you what I mean.
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The last half of verse 11,
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Paul exhorts them to work with your hands
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as we instructed you.
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Why?
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So that you may walk properly
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before outsiders.
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So you see,
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Paul is aware
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that God created men to work.
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So those who make claim
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to worship the one true and living God
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who revealed himself in Jesus Christ
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ought to be the most diligent of workers.
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Now, how did Paul know this?
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Is Paul grasping this out of the air?
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He's not.
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Turn with me to Genesis chapter 1,
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and I will show you
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why Paul believed
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this very important doctrine to be true.
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Genesis chapter 1.
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And I want you to see three things
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from the beginning of the book of Genesis.
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Number one,
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God works.
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Genesis 1.1 says,
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In the beginning,
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God created the heavens and the earth.
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Right?
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He did so for six days.
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He worked.
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He is the creator.
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He made things out of nothing.
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And you may say,
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Well, that wasn't work.
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He spoke it into existence.
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And I agree.
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He did speak it into existence.
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But Genesis 2.2 tells us,
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And on the seventh day,
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God finished his work that he had done.
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And he rested on the seventh day
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from all his work that he had done.
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Certainly, he did that work
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with mighty, powerful words.
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Not great labor of his muscles.
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But they were strong words.
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Right?
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They were powerful, working words
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in the creation of the world.
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Not only that,
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when God finished creating the world,
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he did not stop working.
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He set for us a model in resting a day.
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But then he didn't cease working altogether.
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He didn't sit back
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and now he's just letting the world
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play itself out.
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God is still at work.
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Jesus said in John 5.17,
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My father is working until now
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and I am working.
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So Jesus, as a representative
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of his father on earth,
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also is working.
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Just as a fun side note for you,
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if you like these types of things,
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Jonathan Edwards had a theory
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about God's creation of the world
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that he called progressive creationism.
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And he suggested in it
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that God was continually
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speaking the world into existence.
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This morning, for example,
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would play out like a movie in scenes
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and God is constantly speaking
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what's happening into existence.
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We see it as a reality
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all strung together,
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but God sees it as a reality
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that has its moments
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that he is creating.
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There's no way to prove
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this kind of thing.
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And then if that makes
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your head explode, me too.
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But just as a fun aside,
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Edwards was taking this idea,
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right, my father is working
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until now that he still
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is speaking mighty words
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that are progressing creation along
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and that if he were to cease to speak,
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we would cease to be.
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So God works, number one.
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Number two, man was created
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in God's image to work.
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Genesis 2.5.
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When no bush of the field
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was yet in the land
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and no small plant of the field
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had yet sprung up,
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for the Lord God
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had not caused it to rain on the land
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and there was no man
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to work the ground.
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So God intended, right,
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from the very beginning
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that part of his creation process
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would include man.
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So man is an integral part
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of God's creation work.
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We back up to Genesis 1.
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Now, Genesis 1 is a stating
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of the creation of the world
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and Genesis 2 is a restating of it.
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So we can kind of come back and forth
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between the two
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and learn some things
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about each of the telling.
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Genesis 1.26.
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Verse 26 and following,
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Then God said,
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Let us make man in our image
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after our likeness
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and let them have dominion
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over the fish of the sea
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and over the birds of the heavens
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and over the livestock
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and over all the earth
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and over every creeping thing
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that creeps on the earth.
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So God created man
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in his own image.
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In the image of God,
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he created him male and female.
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He created them.
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And God blessed them.
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And God said to them,
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Be fruitful and multiply
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and fill the earth
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and subdue it
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and have dominion
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over the fish of the sea
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and over the birds of the heavens
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and over every living thing
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that moves on the earth.
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So God intended to give to us
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the earth under his reign
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to rule over it.
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To make it after his likeness.
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Genesis 2.15 says,
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The Lord God took the man
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and put him in the Garden of Eden
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to work it and to keep it.
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This mandate then in the world
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to protect the world
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and to progress the world around us.
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We're intended to be workers
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as bearers of God's image.
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And then third from Genesis.
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Remember, I'm trying to tie this for you.
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Paul knows these things
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as he's exhorting
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the Thessalonian believers and us.
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Thirdly, sin made work into work.
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Sin made work into work.
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Made it hard.
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Brought about great challenge in its doing.
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Genesis 3.17 and following.
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This is after the fall.
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God says to Adam,
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Because you have listened
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to the voice of your wife
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and have eaten of the tree
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of which I commanded you,
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you shall not eat of it.
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Cursed is the ground because of you.
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In pain you shall eat of it
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all the days of your life.
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Thorns and thistles
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shall bring forth for you.
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And you shall eat the plants
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of the field.
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By the sweat of your face
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you shall eat bread
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till you return to the ground.
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For out of it you are taken.
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For you are dust.
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And to dust you shall return.
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So we see that work
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was intended to happen
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but it was this joyful,
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this resting in the garden
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and working.
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And sin made that
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immensely difficult.
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Right?
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Weeds come forth.
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If you have ever tried to garden,
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it is not an easy thing
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to keep weeds out of your garden.
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This is a result of sin.
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You can curse the ground for sin
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when you're trying to garden.
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And this work has become work.
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Right?
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It's become this challenging
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and difficult thing
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that we undertake.
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So we have a God who works
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and as image bearers of God
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redeemed by the blood of His Son,
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we work.
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We work under the curse
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but we work that our God
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would be known.
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So it does not matter what you do.
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Whether you are a school teacher,
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a nurse,
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an accountant,
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a truck driver,
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a construction worker,
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a social service provider,
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a salesman,
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a fast food employee,
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a student,
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a housewife,
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a missionary,
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or a pastor,
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God intends for you
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to bear His image
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in the way you do what you do.
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Beloved,
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we ought to be the very best of workers.
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Our employers ought to be so pleased
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to have us on their team
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and lament the day
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that we move on to different work.
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In all of our working,
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we ought to seek the betterment
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of the world in which we live.
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Like,
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as if,
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we are pushing back
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the effects of the curse.
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And we are to do this
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to the glory of God.
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Paul wrote in Colossians 3,
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verse 23,
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whatever you do,
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work heartily,
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that is to say,
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with all of yourself,
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with every part of your being.
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Work heartily
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as for the Lord
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and not for men.
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You can do the most mundane
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of things
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to the glory of God.
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Verse 24,
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Paul goes on to say
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in Colossians 3,
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knowing
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that from the Lord
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you will receive
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the inheritance
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as your reward.
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You are serving
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the Lord
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Christ.
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And it doesn't matter
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in what thing
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you do this.
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Martin Luther famously said,
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a milkmaid
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can milk cows
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to the glory
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of God.
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Your work
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is not insignificant
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and your work
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rightly done
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has heavenly
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reward.
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Richard Baxter,
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who was a Puritan
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pastor,
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and if you want
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to read about
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work and work ethic,
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the Puritans
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are wonderful,
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wonderful people
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to read.
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He said,
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and this is on the front
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of your bulletin,
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be laborious
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and diligent
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in your callings.
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He means your work,
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wherever God has placed
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you to do work.
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And if you cheerfully
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serve God
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in the labor
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of your hands
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with a heavenly
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and obedient mind,
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it will be as
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acceptable to him
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as if you had spent
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all that time
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in more
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spiritual
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exercises.
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So,
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Paul exhorts us
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in 2 Thessalonians
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chapter 3
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to not be idle,
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but to work
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diligently.
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Secondly,
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do not reject
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apostolic teaching
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and example,
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but be doers
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of the Word.
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Now,
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you may see
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why I gave you notes.
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Do not reject
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apostolic teaching
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and example,
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but be doers
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of the Word.
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The Lord God
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has spoken
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by the pens
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and the lives
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of the apostles,
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and we ought
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to be very careful
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not to reject
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their teaching.
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Some in the Thessalonian
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church were doing
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this very thing.
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Paul says
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in verse 6,
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we should keep
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away from any
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brother who
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is walking
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in idleness
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and,
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what,
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not in accord
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with the tradition
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that you received
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from us.
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And then in verse 7,
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he says that we
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ought to imitate
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them.
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Paul,
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Silvanus,
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and Timothy
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set an example
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for the Thessalonian
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believers
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and for us.
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In verse 9,
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Paul says
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that they had
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a right
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to be paid
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for their work,
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but that they
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earned
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their own way.
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Why?
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To give you
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in ourselves
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an example
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to imitate.
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Paul,
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as an apostle,
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was commissioned
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by Jesus
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himself
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to preach
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and set
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in writing
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doctrines
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for the church.
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We do well
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when we take up
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and read
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and obey.
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So,
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do not reject
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apostolic teaching
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and example.
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Be doers
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of the word.
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This is a weighty
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thing that's been
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given to us.
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Third,
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do not be
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a freeloader,
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but pay
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your own way.
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I can think
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of all kinds
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of application
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in a group
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of college students.
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Do not be
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a freeloader,
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but pay
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your own way.
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Paul exhorts
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that anyone
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who is able
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to work
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ought
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to work.
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Now,
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just to be clear,
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your schooling
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can be work.
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You are
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in a place
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preparing,
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working
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for the next
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thing you're doing.
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But,
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verse 8 states,
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we did not
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eat anyone's bread
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without paying
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for it.
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And,
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verse 10,
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if anyone is not
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willing to work,
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let him not eat.
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And,
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in verse 11,
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the idle person
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is commanded
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and encouraged
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to do their work
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quietly
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and to earn
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their own
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living.
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And,
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in verse 12,
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the one who is
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earning their own
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living is encouraged
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to not grow weary
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in doing good.
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Not grow weary
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of doing this
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good thing
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of earning
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your own
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way.
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Now,
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Paul's concern
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at this point
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is not for the one
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who is unable
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to work.
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There are many
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varied reasons
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that a person
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may be unable
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to work
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and we won't
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get into those
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reasons.
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His concern
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is not for those
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people.
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His concern
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is for those
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who can work
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but won't.
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In 2 Corinthians
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chapter 8
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verses 1
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through 5,
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Paul commends
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the generosity
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of the Macedonian
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churches.
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Listen to
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verse 1
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following
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2 Corinthians 8.
21:08
We want you
21:09
to know,
21:10
brothers,
21:10
about the grace
21:10
of God
21:11
that has been
21:11
given among
21:12
the churches
21:12
of Macedonia.
21:14
For in a severe
21:15
test of affliction,
21:16
their abundance
21:17
of joy
21:18
and their extreme
21:18
poverty
21:19
have overflowed
21:21
in a wealth
21:22
of generosity
21:22
on their part.
21:23
So we have
21:24
the Macedonian
21:25
churches
21:26
who are impoverished
21:27
giving generously.
21:30
Verse 3,
21:30
And this,
21:44
not as we expected,
21:45
but they gave
21:45
themselves first
21:46
to the Lord
21:47
and then by the
21:47
will of God
21:48
to us.
21:49
And so what
21:50
Paul is referring
21:50
to is the great
21:52
deal of suffering
21:53
that was going
21:53
on in Jerusalem,
21:54
the persecution
21:55
that had already
21:56
come upon Christians
21:57
there.
21:58
They were losing
21:58
homes.
21:59
They were jailed.
22:00
people unable
22:01
to work
22:02
were being provided
22:04
for by churches
22:05
in the region.
22:06
And the Macedonian
22:07
churches,
22:08
even out of their
22:09
poverty,
22:10
gave with great
22:11
generosity for this.
22:13
The point I'm making
22:14
is that Paul
22:15
is not talking
22:16
about those
22:17
unable to work.
22:19
He's talking
22:20
about those
22:21
who can
22:22
but won't.
22:25
There's a general
22:26
reality built
22:27
into the fabric
22:28
of our world
22:29
that our provision
22:31
comes through
22:33
work.
22:34
And if we
22:35
enable someone
22:36
by giving them
22:37
a handout
22:37
who can work
22:38
for themselves,
22:41
we're not
22:41
helping them.
22:43
A couple of
22:44
examples.
22:44
Proverbs 12.11
22:45
says,
22:46
whoever works
22:46
his land
22:47
will have
22:47
plenty of bread,
22:48
but he who
22:49
follows worthless
22:50
pursuits
22:50
lacks sense.
22:53
Proverbs 13.4,
22:54
the soul
22:55
of the sluggard
22:56
craves
22:57
and gets
22:57
nothing
22:58
while the soul
22:59
of the diligent
23:00
is richly
23:01
supplied.
23:03
So,
23:04
do not be a
23:05
freeloader,
23:06
but as long
23:07
as you can
23:08
and you're able
23:09
to do so,
23:10
pay your own
23:11
way.
23:13
Number four,
23:15
do not be
23:15
burdensome,
23:16
but be generous.
23:18
Do not be
23:19
burdensome,
23:20
but be generous.
23:21
Now,
23:22
this point
23:22
is closely
23:23
related to
23:24
the previous
23:24
one.
23:26
We could say,
23:27
do not be
23:28
a burdensome
23:29
freeloader,
23:30
but here I
23:32
want to add
23:32
the positive
23:33
exhortation
23:34
to be generous.
23:36
Work diligently
23:37
to earn a
23:39
living for
23:40
yourself,
23:41
but also
23:42
to give
23:43
and to give
23:44
well to
23:45
meet the
23:46
needs of
23:47
those who
23:48
cannot.
23:49
Please,
23:50
by all
23:51
means,
23:51
go and
23:52
make lots
23:53
and lots
23:53
and lots
23:54
of money
23:54
and spend
23:55
it on
23:56
the kingdom
23:57
of God.
23:58
We need,
23:59
in the church,
23:59
people who
23:59
will do
24:00
this work.
24:02
The negative
24:03
part of
24:04
the exhortation
24:05
is found
24:05
in verse
24:06
8.
24:07
In their
24:07
setting example,
24:09
they intended
24:09
that we might
24:10
not be a
24:11
burden
24:12
to any
24:13
of you,
24:13
so do
24:13
not be
24:14
burdensome.
24:16
To establish
24:17
the positive
24:18
part of the
24:19
exhortation,
24:20
we need to
24:20
step outside
24:21
of our
24:22
text a
24:22
bit and
24:23
look at
24:24
some of
24:24
Paul's
24:25
other
24:25
teachings.
24:26
So,
24:26
it's
24:26
implied
24:27
there.
24:27
We don't
24:27
want to
24:28
be a
24:28
burden
24:28
to any
24:28
of you.
24:29
We could
24:30
then give
24:31
instead,
24:31
but let's
24:31
look at
24:32
some other
24:32
places where
24:32
Paul teaches
24:33
this.
24:34
So,
24:34
Acts
24:34
chapter 20,
24:36
verse 34
24:37
and 35,
24:39
Paul is
24:39
saying his
24:40
farewell to
24:41
the Ephesian
24:41
elders and
24:42
says,
24:43
you
24:45
yourselves
24:45
know that
24:46
these
24:46
hands
24:47
ministered
24:48
to my
24:48
necessities
24:49
and to
24:50
those who
24:51
were with
24:51
me.
24:52
Paul was
24:52
a maker
24:53
of tents,
24:53
so he
24:54
did this
24:54
along his
24:55
missionary
24:56
journeying.
24:58
Verse 35,
24:58
in all
24:59
these
24:59
things,
25:00
I have
25:01
shown you
25:01
that by
25:01
working
25:02
hard in
25:03
this way,
25:04
we must
25:04
help the
25:05
weak and
25:05
remember the
25:06
words of
25:06
the Lord
25:07
Jesus,
25:07
how he
25:08
himself
25:09
said,
25:10
it is
25:10
more
25:10
blessed
25:10
to give
25:11
than to
25:12
receive.
25:14
Another
25:14
place,
25:15
in Ephesians
25:16
4,
25:17
28,
25:18
Paul
25:18
exhorts,
25:20
let the
25:20
thief no
25:20
longer
25:21
steal,
25:22
but rather
25:23
let him
25:24
labor.
25:25
Now,
25:26
there's a
25:26
lot of
25:26
conjecture
25:27
about who
25:28
is specifically
25:29
being referred
25:30
to here,
25:31
the general
25:32
thief,
25:33
but many
25:34
understand,
25:35
believe,
25:36
that who
25:36
Paul is
25:36
addressing
25:37
are those
25:38
within the
25:39
church that
25:40
were being
25:41
idle and
25:41
receiving benefit
25:42
from the
25:43
church financially,
25:44
but they
25:44
could work.
25:45
They were
25:45
getting welfare
25:48
checked from
25:49
the church,
25:49
but they
25:50
could offer
25:51
something to
25:51
God's
25:52
society.
25:53
So let the
25:53
thief no
25:54
longer steal,
25:54
but rather
25:55
let him
25:55
labor,
25:56
doing honest
25:57
work with
25:57
his own
25:57
hands,
25:58
and I
25:59
love the
25:59
why,
26:00
so that
26:00
he may
26:01
have
26:02
something
26:02
to share
26:03
with anyone
26:04
in need.
26:06
So Paul
26:07
exhorts here,
26:08
the Thessalonian
26:09
believers and
26:09
us,
26:11
to not be
26:11
burdensome,
26:12
but to be
26:13
generous.
26:16
Fifth,
26:16
do not be
26:20
a busybody,
26:21
but build
26:23
up others.
26:25
Do not
26:26
be a busybody,
26:26
but build
26:27
up others.
26:30
Not
26:31
busying
26:31
themselves
26:32
with work,
26:33
some of the
26:34
Thessalonians
26:35
were becoming
26:35
meddlesome.
26:38
Verse 11
26:38
states,
26:39
for we hear
26:39
that some
26:40
among you
26:40
walk in
26:41
idleness.
26:42
It's a way
26:43
of life
26:43
for you.
26:44
Not busy
26:45
at work,
26:46
but busy
26:47
bodies.
26:48
The original
26:49
language could be
26:50
translated,
26:51
not busy,
26:52
but busy
26:53
bodies.
26:53
I think the
26:54
ESV translators
26:54
are trying to
26:55
help us
26:55
understand what
26:56
they're supposed
26:56
to be busy
26:57
with, right?
26:58
In the context,
26:59
they're supposed
26:59
to be busy
26:59
with work
27:01
rather than
27:02
with other
27:03
things.
27:04
But in the
27:05
Greek,
27:05
not busy,
27:06
but busy
27:06
bodies,
27:07
and it's a
27:08
play on words,
27:09
and Paul is
27:10
clever and likes
27:11
to do these
27:11
types of things.
27:12
So he's
27:13
saying,
27:14
not ergo
27:15
zomenos,
27:16
but peri
27:17
ergo zomenos.
27:18
That's what he's
27:19
saying to them.
27:19
He's playing
27:20
with two words
27:20
that are
27:21
similar,
27:22
but twisted
27:23
on them.
27:24
So you're
27:24
not being
27:25
busy.
27:25
Rather than
27:26
that,
27:26
you're being
27:27
busy bodies.
27:28
These busy
27:29
bodies were
27:29
becoming
27:30
troublesome.
27:31
They were
27:31
not building
27:32
up the
27:32
church,
27:33
but busying
27:34
themselves
27:35
in other
27:36
people's
27:36
business.
27:38
In 1
27:39
Timothy 5,
27:40
Paul instructs
27:41
Timothy not
27:41
to enroll
27:42
young widows
27:43
in the
27:44
financial care
27:45
of the
27:45
church.
27:45
And I
27:45
kind of
27:46
love that
27:46
it's
27:47
anyone
27:47
under 60.
27:48
So the
27:50
young widows
27:50
should not
27:50
be enrolled
27:51
in the
27:51
financial care
27:51
of the
27:52
church
27:52
because,
27:53
he says
27:53
in 1
27:54
Timothy 5,
27:55
13,
27:56
they learn
27:57
to be
27:57
idlers,
27:58
going about
27:59
from house
27:59
to house,
28:00
and not
28:01
only idlers,
28:02
but also
28:02
gossips and
28:03
busy bodies,
28:04
saying what
28:05
they should
28:05
not.
28:06
He's
28:06
saying if
28:07
you free
28:07
up their
28:08
time by
28:09
providing for
28:10
them,
28:11
rather than
28:12
them being
28:12
remarried,
28:13
having a
28:14
livelihood in
28:14
that way,
28:15
you free up
28:15
all their
28:16
time by
28:16
just writing
28:17
the checks
28:18
for their
28:19
bills for
28:19
them.
28:20
This is what
28:20
they're learning
28:21
how to do.
28:21
We're seeing
28:21
this as a
28:22
pattern of
28:22
a thing
28:23
that's happening.
28:24
Ladies,
28:24
this is not an
28:25
indictment on
28:25
you particularly.
28:26
This is for
28:27
all of us.
28:28
Don't be
28:29
idle because
28:31
you're going to
28:31
become a
28:33
busybody.
28:35
So,
28:36
work.
28:36
make yourself
28:38
too busy to
28:39
trouble yourself
28:40
with the
28:41
matters that
28:41
are not
28:41
yours to
28:42
be troubled
28:42
with.
28:44
I have
28:45
seen time
28:46
and time
28:47
again in
28:48
this fellowship
28:49
people with
28:50
way too
28:51
much time
28:52
on their
28:52
hands causing
28:54
so much
28:55
trouble.
28:56
If you're
28:57
having a
28:58
difficult time
28:59
busying
28:59
yourself,
29:00
let me
29:01
know.
29:01
I have
29:03
work that
29:04
you can
29:04
be busy
29:04
with.
29:07
People will
29:08
come to me
29:08
with troubles
29:09
and I say,
29:10
what do you
29:10
want me to
29:11
do about
29:11
that?
29:12
And I have
29:12
no answer
29:12
for that
29:13
kind of
29:13
thing,
29:13
but they
29:14
just want
29:14
to share
29:14
this is
29:15
what's
29:15
going on.
29:16
Okay,
29:16
well let's
29:17
pray for
29:17
this person
29:17
and if
29:18
you think
29:19
you have
29:19
a responsibility
29:20
you can
29:21
act.
29:21
I don't
29:22
think you
29:22
do though.
29:23
We need
29:24
to be
29:24
busier
29:25
very often.
29:28
We are
29:28
meant to
29:28
build each
29:29
other up,
29:30
not tear
29:31
each other
29:32
down.
29:33
So,
29:34
do not
29:34
be a
29:35
busy
29:35
body,
29:36
but build
29:37
up others.
29:39
And
29:39
sixth,
29:41
do not
29:42
tolerate
29:42
what
29:43
dishonors
29:43
God,
29:44
but
29:45
admonish
29:46
the
29:46
idol.
29:47
Do not
29:48
tolerate
29:48
what
29:49
dishonors
29:49
God,
29:51
but
29:52
admonish
29:52
the
29:52
idol.
29:53
And
29:53
this is
29:53
Paul's
29:54
primary
29:55
exhortation
29:56
in this
29:56
text.
29:57
It's
29:57
really the
29:57
big picture
29:58
of what
29:58
he's
29:58
trying to
29:59
say
29:59
here to
30:00
the
30:00
Thessalonians
30:01
believers.
30:02
He is
30:02
concerned
30:03
that those
30:03
who claim
30:04
to follow
30:04
Christ
30:05
are not
30:05
living in
30:06
a way
30:06
that is
30:07
honoring
30:07
to him
30:08
and he
30:08
takes
30:09
this
30:09
matter
30:09
very
30:10
seriously.
30:12
So,
30:12
a couple
30:13
of verses
30:13
kind of
30:14
in cap
30:15
our text.
30:16
Verse 6
30:17
and then
30:17
verses 14
30:18
and 15.
30:19
Verse 6
30:19
he says,
30:20
Now we
30:20
command you
30:20
brothers
30:21
in the
30:21
name of
30:21
our
30:21
Lord
30:21
Jesus
30:22
Christ
30:22
that you
30:23
keep
30:23
away
30:24
from
30:24
any
30:24
brother
30:24
who
30:25
is
30:25
walking
30:25
in
30:25
idleness
30:26
and not
30:26
in
30:26
accord
30:27
with
30:27
the
30:27
tradition
30:27
that you
30:28
received
30:28
from us.
30:29
So,
30:29
here's a
30:30
person
30:30
not
30:30
obeying
30:31
the
30:31
command.
30:32
Keep
30:33
away
30:33
from
30:33
them.
30:34
In
30:34
verse 14
30:35
and 15,
30:35
if anyone
30:36
does not
30:36
obey what
30:37
we say
30:37
in this
30:37
letter,
30:38
again,
30:38
not
30:39
obeying
30:39
the
30:39
command,
30:40
take
30:40
note
30:40
of
30:41
that
30:41
person
30:41
and
30:42
have
30:42
nothing
30:42
to do
30:43
with
30:43
him
30:43
that
30:43
he
30:43
may
30:44
be
30:44
ashamed.
30:45
Do
30:45
not
30:46
regard
30:46
him
30:46
as
30:47
an
30:47
enemy,
30:48
but
30:48
warn
30:48
him
30:49
as
30:50
a
30:50
brother.
30:51
And
30:51
the
30:51
church
30:52
should
30:53
discipline
30:53
the
30:54
idol
30:54
for
30:55
the
30:55
sake
30:56
of the
30:56
!
30:56
the
30:57
church
30:58
in the
30:58
world.
30:59
Out
31:00
of
31:00
fear
31:01
that
31:01
someone
31:02
here
31:02
does
31:02
not
31:03
know
31:03
what
31:04
proper
31:04
discipline
31:05
looks
31:05
like.
31:06
Maybe
31:07
church
31:07
discipline
31:08
is a
31:08
distant
31:09
concept
31:10
for you.
31:10
It's
31:10
likely
31:11
in our
31:11
current
31:12
church
31:12
culture
31:12
that it
31:13
is.
31:14
Or
31:14
possibly
31:15
you've
31:16
been part
31:16
of a
31:16
church
31:16
that's
31:17
really
31:17
tried
31:18
but
31:18
handled
31:18
it
31:19
so
31:19
poorly.
31:21
I
31:21
want
31:21
to
31:21
talk
31:22
you
31:22
through
31:22
the
31:23
proper
31:23
process
31:24
of
31:24
church
31:25
discipline
31:25
which is
31:26
found in
31:26
Matthew
31:27
chapter
31:27
18
31:28
verses
31:29
15
31:29
through
31:29
17
31:29
so
31:30
please
31:30
join
31:30
me
31:30
there.
31:36
Here's
31:36
a
31:36
Paul's
31:37
exhortation
31:37
do not
31:38
tolerate
31:39
what
31:39
dishonors
31:39
God
31:39
but
31:40
admonish
31:40
the
31:41
idol.
31:41
This
31:41
is
31:41
how
31:42
we
31:42
do
31:42
that.
31:43
Jesus
31:44
instructs
31:44
us
31:44
how
31:45
it
31:45
is
31:45
that
31:45
we're
31:45
meant
31:46
to
31:46
discipline
31:47
one
31:48
another
31:48
in
31:49
the
31:49
church
31:49
for
31:49
the
31:49
sake
31:50
of
31:50
holiness
31:51
and
31:51
it's
31:51
a
31:52
multi
31:52
step
31:52
process
31:53
it's
31:53
a
31:54
four
31:54
step
31:55
process
31:55
in
31:56
fact.
31:57
So
31:57
beginning
31:57
in
31:58
verse
31:58
15
31:59
Jesus
32:00
says
32:00
if
32:00
your
32:01
brother
32:02
sins
32:02
against
32:02
you
32:03
now
32:03
I
32:04
believe
32:04
that
32:05
that
32:05
he's
32:06
he's
32:07
referring
32:07
to
32:08
both
32:08
sins
32:08
that
32:09
are
32:09
directly
32:09
against
32:10
you
32:11
right
32:11
it
32:11
would
32:11
be
32:11
my
32:12
responsibility
32:12
to
32:13
handle
32:13
somebody's
32:14
sin
32:14
against
32:15
me
32:16
somebody
32:16
gets
32:16
angry
32:16
with
32:16
me
32:17
and
32:17
yells
32:17
at
32:17
me
32:17
that
32:18
I
32:18
should
32:18
be
32:18
the
32:18
one
32:19
that
32:19
goes
32:19
to
32:19
them
32:19
and
32:20
is
32:20
restorative
32:20
and
32:20
corrective
32:21
but
32:21
I
32:22
also
32:22
think
32:22
that
32:22
includes
32:22
in
32:23
a
32:23
broader
32:23
sense
32:24
those
32:25
sins
32:25
that
32:25
are
32:25
just
32:26
egregious
32:26
to
32:26
the
32:26
Lord
32:27
right
32:27
that
32:27
we
32:27
are
32:28
we're
32:28
brothers
32:28
we're
32:29
part
32:29
of
32:29
this
32:29
family
32:29
fellowship
32:30
and
32:31
if
32:31
there
32:31
are
32:31
things
32:31
that
32:31
are
32:31
happening
32:32
in
32:32
somebody's
32:33
life
32:33
that
32:34
are
32:34
tearing
32:35
at
32:35
my
32:36
witness
32:36
then
32:37
that's
32:37
a
32:37
sin
32:37
against
32:38
me
32:39
you
32:40
could
32:40
disagree
32:40
with
32:40
me
32:41
on
32:41
that
32:41
point
32:41
but
32:42
I
32:42
do
32:42
think
32:42
that
32:43
Jesus
32:43
means
32:44
to
32:44
include
32:44
those
32:51
with
32:51
the
32:51
particular
32:52
situation
32:52
so
32:53
if
32:53
your
32:53
brother
32:53
sins
32:54
against
32:54
you
32:55
step
32:56
one
32:56
go
32:57
and
32:57
tell
32:57
him
32:58
his
32:58
fault
32:58
between
32:59
you
32:59
and
32:59
him
33:00
alone
33:01
if
33:02
he
33:02
listens
33:02
to
33:02
you
33:03
you
33:03
have
33:03
gained
33:04
your
33:04
brother
33:04
right
33:05
so
33:05
this
33:06
step
33:07
in
33:07
discipline
33:07
in a
33:08
healthy
33:08
church
33:09
happens
33:09
all
33:09
the
33:10
time
33:10
all
33:11
the
33:11
time
33:12
we're
33:12
going
33:12
to
33:13
one
33:13
another
33:13
we're
33:14
helping
33:14
each
33:14
other
33:15
check
33:15
our
33:15
own
33:16
blind
33:16
spots
33:17
so
33:17
often
33:17
we
33:18
don't
33:18
see
33:18
our
33:18
own
33:19
!
33:20
so
33:20
in
33:20
our
33:20
text
33:21
today
33:21
maybe
33:22
you've
33:23
found
33:23
yourself
33:23
being
33:24
a bit
33:24
lackadaisical
33:25
and
33:26
maybe
33:26
that's
33:27
because
33:27
somebody
33:27
pointed
33:28
it
33:28
out
33:28
somebody
33:29
said
33:29
hey
33:30
man
33:31
we're
33:31
working
33:31
together
33:32
and
33:32
I
33:33
just
33:33
think
33:33
that
33:33
you're
33:33
stealing
33:34
from
33:34
the
33:34
company
33:34
you're
33:35
on
33:35
Facebook
33:35
all
33:36
the
33:36
time
33:36
when
33:36
you're
33:37
supposed
33:37
to
33:37
be
33:37
making
33:37
sales
33:38
calls
33:38
and
33:39
you're
33:40
corrected
33:40
in
33:40
this
33:41
way
33:41
and
33:42
if
33:42
you're
33:42
a
33:42
follower
33:42
of
33:42
Jesus
33:42
Christ
33:43
we
33:43
hope
33:44
that
33:45
you
33:45
repent
33:50
you're
33:50
telling me
33:50
about
33:51
this
33:51
thing
33:51
so
33:52
you've
33:53
gained
33:53
your
33:54
brother
33:54
verse
33:55
15
33:55
Paul
33:56
says
33:56
in
33:57
our
33:57
text
33:58
sorry
33:58
not
33:58
Matthew
33:58
18
33:59
but
33:59
back
33:59
in
34:00
2
34:00
Thessalonians
34:00
chapter
34:01
3
34:01
he says
34:02
do not
34:02
regard
34:03
him
34:03
as
34:03
an
34:03
enemy
34:03
but
34:04
warn
34:04
him
34:05
as
34:05
a
34:05
brother
34:07
warn
34:08
him
34:08
tell
34:09
him
34:09
that
34:09
his
34:09
error
34:11
may
34:13
mean
34:13
that
34:13
he's
34:13
not
34:13
in
34:14
Christ
34:14
so
34:14
he
34:14
needs
34:14
to
34:14
repent
34:15
he
34:15
needs
34:16
to
34:16
see
34:16
this
34:16
in
34:17
his
34:17
life
34:17
1
34:19
Thessalonians
34:20
5
34:20
14
34:21
Paul
34:23
wrote
34:23
and we
34:23
urge
34:24
you
34:24
brothers
34:24
admonish
34:26
the
34:26
idle
34:27
encourage
34:28
the
34:28
faint
34:28
hearted
34:29
help
34:30
the
34:30
weak
34:30
be
34:31
patient
34:32
with
34:33
them
34:33
all
34:33
so
34:34
this
34:34
is
34:34
a
34:34
restorative
34:35
thing
34:35
right
34:36
we
34:36
do
34:36
it
34:36
out
34:36
of
34:37
love
34:37
and
34:37
concern
34:38
for
34:38
one
34:38
another
34:39
we
34:39
come
34:39
alongside
34:40
people
34:40
people
34:41
want
34:41
to
34:41
get
34:41
so
34:42
uptight
34:42
about
34:43
this
34:43
kind
34:43
of
34:43
stuff
34:43
don't
34:44
judge
34:44
unless
34:45
you
34:45
be
34:45
judged
34:45
they
34:45
take
34:46
scripture
34:47
out of
34:47
context
34:47
when
34:48
Jesus
34:49
goes
34:49
on
34:49
there
34:49
to
34:50
say
34:50
be
34:50
sure
34:51
to
34:51
remove
34:51
the
34:51
plank
34:51
from
34:51
your
34:52
own
34:52
eyes
34:52
so
34:52
that
34:52
you
34:52
see
34:52
clearly
34:53
you
34:53
remove
34:53
the
34:53
speck
34:53
from
34:54
your
34:54
brothers
34:55
right
34:55
there's
34:55
a
34:56
process
34:56
by which
34:57
we
34:57
are
34:57
meant
34:58
to be
34:58
encouraging
34:59
each
34:59
other
35:00
along
35:00
in
35:01
holiness
35:01
so
35:02
that's
35:02
step
35:02
one
35:02
if
35:03
your
35:03
brother
35:03
sins
35:04
against
35:04
you
35:04
go
35:05
tell
35:05
him
35:05
his
35:05
fault
35:06
secondly
35:08
!
36:17
Jude
36:18
says
36:18
if
36:19
he
36:20
refuses
36:20
to
36:20
listen
36:21
to
36:21
them
36:22
we
36:22
come
36:22
to
36:22
the
36:23
third
36:24
step
36:24
which
36:24
is
36:25
to
36:25
tell
36:25
it
36:26
to
36:26
the
36:27
church
36:27
and
36:28
Paul
36:28
is
36:28
talking
36:28
about
36:29
a
36:29
local
36:30
congregation
36:30
covenanted
36:31
together
36:32
members of
36:33
a
36:33
fellowship
36:34
together
36:34
that
36:35
take
36:35
the
36:35
word
36:35
of
36:35
God
36:35
seriously
36:36
and
36:36
take
36:36
sin
36:37
seriously
36:37
and
36:38
want
36:39
to
36:39
see
36:39
people
36:39
restored
36:40
!
36:47
in the process. They may not receive well the things that we say to them, but we want to seek
36:54
their restoration. And then if he refuses to listen even to the church, Jesus says,
37:03
even this institution that I've created that has authority to do this work, if he refuses to listen
37:10
even to the church, this is the fourth and final step, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax
37:18
collector. And Jesus there is saying, let him be to you as one outside of the faith. Paul says the same,
37:26
right? So this is what Paul means in verse six, when he says, we command you brothers in the name
37:31
of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in
37:37
accord with the tradition that you receive from us. And in verse 14, if anyone does not obey what
37:42
we say in this letter, take note of that person and have nothing to do with him, that he may be
37:48
ashamed. And the point is that the church says to this person, we take your sin very seriously. And
37:56
as such, we cannot associate with you as the church. We can't allow you to bear the name of Jesus Christ
38:05
any longer because we have concern for your soul. And so this process is an extremely healthy thing
38:16
for the life of a church, right? I hope I'm speaking to you and you're a member of our church and you can
38:22
say, yeah, it is. If you're not, you need to be part of a local fellowship, if not here, someplace else
38:28
that practices church discipline. It's an extremely important part of what even defines
38:35
a local church. This particular sin that Paul is addressing, this one that needs to be
38:44
corrected, it's not to be tolerated, right? It's so dishonoring to God, this form of idleness, right?
38:52
This mooching off of others, the burdensome freeloading, this lack of generosity, this
38:59
self-serving attitude, that it needs admonishment. He writes in 1 Timothy 5.8, to give you an idea of
39:10
the seriousness of this. He says there, if anyone does not provide for his relatives and especially
39:17
for members of his household. So here we have a person, he's speaking now of a man who is idle,
39:23
not providing for his own household, right? Not providing for his own household or those that
39:27
need help. So maybe an aged grandmother that needs his help. He's not providing for them. He says here,
39:34
he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever, right? Oh, he's got emotions about an idle man who
39:44
doesn't provide for his family. And so it's a serious matter. And so we ought not tolerate what
39:55
dishonors God, but admonish the idle. We ought not be idle, but work diligently. We ought not reject
40:03
apostolic teaching and example, but be doers of the word. We ought not be freeloaders, but pay our own
40:10
ways. We ought not be burdensome, but rather be generous. We ought not be busybodies, but we ought
40:19
to build up others. Beloved by God's grace, he is at work in our working, whatever that work may be.
40:31
Let us be a people who work diligently to the glory of God. Let's pray together.