A Blue Print for Christianity and Your Work

Welcome to this week's message from the Church at Chelsea Westover.

Our core values are vibrant worship, intimate fellowship, fulfilling service, and clear biblical truth.

We pray that this message changes your life.

Let's tune in to today's message and see what God has in store for you.

Turn with me this morning to 2 Thessalonians.

2 Thessalonians.

I'm gonna bring a message.

There's a couple of messages that you very seldom hear preached.

One's on hell.

When's the last time you heard an in-depth message on the reality of hell?

You never hear that preached.

Very seldomly you hear it preached.

And then also, you as I've been bringing the last couple of weeks, messages on the home, how important the home is.

And the, you know, you uh God's blueprint for you and your home, and God's blueprint for you and your and the schooling of your children.

Satan is having a havoc at destroying our homes.

Satan is having a havoc in destroying our school system.

And that is why people ask me all the time, where have we gone wrong?

It's pretty simple.

As, listen, God ordained the first institution in Genesis chapter 1 and 2 was the home.

Genesis 1 · chapter mention

He founded the home before he instituted the church.

Can I get an amen?

So as goes the home, guess what?

Goes the church, and as goes the church, goes the government.

And we saw that.

It's so important that we understand that.

So he's done a great job on bringing havoc to both of those entities.

And the church today has fallen prey to a lot of the subtility that Satan has brought and the craftiness and the schemes and the lies that he's hey, so great at because the Bible says in John chapter 8 that he's the father of lies.

John 8 · chapter mention

So, with that said, there's another institution, uh, or should I say a formation and that or a divine commandment from God that we have in the last probably 50 35 years have just totally ignored, and that is work.

We are living in a society today where 49% of people don't work.

Hello?

48 to 49% of the people.

God help us.

No country's ever survived those kind of statistics.

None.

Listen, you say, Well, is that something new?

Absolutely not.

Paul addresses that same issue in 2 Thessalonians, the last chapter of his thesis to the church at Thessalonica.

Thessalonica was a new church, it was an exciting church, it was a growing church.

They loved God, they loved the word.

I meant they were on fire for God.

They were literally sharing the gospel everywhere they were.

But let me always remind you, regardless, hey, of what God's doing, Satan's always trying to stop it.

He's always trying to stop it.

Okay?

He really is.

So, with that said, all of a sudden there were some new Christians that had gotten saved in the church at Thessalonica, and guess what?

They had heard the teachings on the return of Christ.

Jesus is coming soon.

So they decided that since Jesus is coming soon, that they'd quit work and wait for Jesus to come.

Hello?

Now somebody said it sounds like a good idea to me.

Remember, work's not a curse.

Sin is the curse.

Work's not the curse in Genesis.

Everybody said, oh, we sin because now work is a curse.

No.

God in Genesis chapter 2 told Adam to till the garden prior to the fall of man.

Genesis 2 · chapter mention

Work is good.

Work fills our substance, but it also gives us meaning and purpose to life.

I love getting up doing what I do, knowing that I'm I'm, hey, I'm better in myself, but yet I'm helping people with my work.

So we see, say this with me.

Work is good.

Come on.

Work is good.

It's not a curse.

But these new Christians decided that they're going to be spiritual, so they're going to quit and wait on the Lord.

So with that said, let's pick up the story.

In 2 Thessalonians chapter 3, the last paragraph, work and employment could be the title of this whole paragraph.

2 Thessalonians 3 · chapter mention

It's interesting to me in Scripture that the people God called to serve him were all busy working prior to their call.

Moses, for example, was a shepherd.

Hey, Gideon was a farmer.

David was a, hey, caring for his father's sheep.

For the disciples were fishermen.

Paul was a tent maker.

Jesus himself was even a carpenter.

Mark 6, 3.

He was working even as an early child, a boy.

Hey, in fact, remember, when this is funny.

I can't wait to get to heaven.

I want to ask Mary and Joseph how they lost Jesus for three days and really didn't know it until three days later.

That one I don't understand.

But anyway, but when they went back and found him in the temple, what did Jesus say?

I must be about my father's business.

His whole objective and purpose was to work and do what God had called him to do.

That was his purpose.

Work is good.

It is a divinely ordained institution which provides for our substance and our self-worth.

In fact, uh, Jason, do we have Genesis 2.15?

I wanted to, well, them to see what God told Adam.

And the Lord God took the man, Adam, and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

That's before the fall.

Work was ordained by, hey, right from the very beginning with Adam himself.

Can I get an amen?

And then look at what Proverbs 14, 23 says.

In fact, church, read it with me.

Ready?

Read.

In all labor, but the talk of the lips tendeth only to hey, to hey, to what?

Laziness.

What?

Hey, to to slothfulness, to idleness.

I'm telling you, what we see, it tends to what?

To poverty.

When you go through and do the word search on slothfulness, and we're going to look at some of those, it really all ends in poverty.

It ends in nothing good.

Work is good.

It's totally good.

In fact, it's very important that we understand that.

Now, the Apostle Paul, a man who never shirked his duties or his call from God, makes some interesting comments here in 2 Thessalonians about work.

Remember, there were some in Thessalonica church decided that they were going to quit and not work.

They were going to be spiritual.

Now, some commentators believe that they were trying to be super spiritual and that they were above work and they were taking on the Greek philosophy where that servants worked and that they were not given to the menial task, but they were spiritual, super spiritual, so they were just going to go up and read the Bible and wait for Jesus to come.

We know a few like that.

But we call them cults.

Amen.

But notice several things.

Number one, let's look at it.

First thing I want us to look at.

The example of Paul's discipline.

Paul addresses this problem, and look at pick up with me at verse 6.

Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly and not after the tradition when he received, which he has received of us.

Now the traditions was the writings, the commands of God that Paul had written to the church.

And we see that in 1 Thessalonians chapter, uh 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, verse 15, where he says, Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word or our epistle.

2 Thessalonians 2:15

In other words, where you've heard it taught and preached, or you've read it in the letters that I've written to you.

So Paul says, it's very important that you understand this.

And then notice what else he says, and you go over to 1 Thessalonians chapter 4.

1 Thessalonians 4 · chapter mention

I love this passage.

He deals with it at the very beginning in 1 Thessalonians 4.11.

In the first book, he deals with it kind of lightheartedly.

He says, and that you study to be quiet and to do your own business and to work with your own hands as we command you, that ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.

In other words, he says, be a good example in your work.

And by the way, not only are you a good example showing not only people that, hey, hard work pays off, but you being a great example, and not only that, you're not in, hey, won't of anything.

Your bills are paid, there's food on the table.

You are a good example.

Amen.

That's what he says.

That's what he's teaching.

Oh, tremendous insight here.

Tremendous.

So we see that he reinforms that and reinforces that.

And then look, look at 1 Thessalonians 5, verse 14.

1 Thessalonians 5:14

Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feeble-minded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

Now that's a powerful statement.

He's saying, now, hey, you got to confront the unruly.

Now, what you're going to see in a moment, the unruly are the disorderly.

They are the idlers.

They are the ones that are not working.

They are, another word we're going to see in a minute.

They are the busybodies.

They are going around interrupting people that are trying to work.

Hello?

By the way, that's what a busybody does.

He tries to interrupt what you're doing.

Especially when you're doing something good.

Hello.

So he says, hey, you got to confront them in a loving way.

And then I love what he says.

But the weak, and you're going to see this, he's not talking about those that can't, hey, work.

He's talking about those that can work but don't work.

Big difference.

Hello, you with me?

Come on now.

Hey, you got to stay with me because you'll walk out of here with wrong principles, a wrong inclination toward the principles, a better way of saying it.

Now watch.

Man, this gets good.

So now he warns them, he's heard about them, so he does it lightly.

But now the word gets back to Paul.

They're still, hey, they're quitting.

They're not working.

And hey, they're stirring up trouble.

They're causing confusion in the church.

Now, this is a great church.

This church had been on fire.

And notice then he says, okay, I've kind of eased, you know, lovingly tried to tell them what they needed to do, and hopefully they would do it.

Told the leadership what they needed to do, but it seems like it's not happening.

So bless God, I need to write another letter.

And that's when he wrote 2 Thessalonians, and this is the last chapter of both of the letters, and it deals this last paragraph with work and emplo and employment.

It's so important that a church understands this so that Satan can't get in and what?

Bring disunity, disharmony, and most of us, a lot of you right here, I know I've been in your homes.

This church consists of over 200 plus people regularly, and I'd say 60 to 65% of those people have been out of church 20 plus, 25, 20 plus years.

Why?

You know why?

I said, why?

Why?

They've been hurt in church.

You ever been hurt in church?

I've been hurt in church.

You ever been talked about by church folks?

Every hand needs to go up.

If you've ever been in church long, they've talked about you.

Hello.

Amen.

You okay out there?

You say, well, hey, you'll just hang around.

I'll talk about you.

Amen.

Hopefully it'll be good.

But listen to me.

They're there.

You've been hurt.

How many of you know of church splits?

Oh, Lord, help us.

There's a church on every corner, but most of them are not started by God, started by splits.

Hello.

You know what?

I know it.

So, Paul says, I gotta deal with this.

We don't want this to happen.

So now look what he says.

Now we command you.

I meant, hey, folks, he takes the gloves off.

It's no longer boxing with gloves.

He's hitting with bare knuckles.

Bam! He says, now we command you, brethren, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourself from every believer that walketh disorderly and not after the traditions of which he received.

In other words, you're not walking after what God's word says or what we've written that God's word says.

It's not what I say, it's what God says.

You're totally rejecting anything that God says.

Don't fellowship with them.

Withdraw yourself from them.

Now that sounds unbelievably harsh until you understand the whole concept.

Then you see it.

Then look at verse 7.

For you, hey, for yourselves know how you ought to follow us.

You know what's right.

You know.

You've been taught, but not only have you been taught, you've seen it lived out with me and my, hey, hey, our apostles and the preachers, they have lived it in front of you.

They're hard workers.

They live righteously.

And he goes on, behave not ourselves disorderly among you.

In other words, we're not idlers.

We're not gossipers.

We're not busybodies.

And then he goes on, neither did we eat any man's bread for naught, verse 8, for wrought with labor and travail night and day that we might not be chargeable to any of you.

Now, 1 Thessalonians 2, 9 and 10, listen to what Paul's saying.

And he said it again.

He said it early in 1 Thessalonians 2, remember, when he was being nigh.

He says, For you remember, brethren, our labor and travail, for labor and night and day, because we would not be chargeable to any of you.

We preached unto you the gospel of God.

You are, hey, witnesses.

In other words, you've seen it.

Hey, and God also, how holy and justly and unblamably we behave ourselves among you that believe.

In other words, we have set the example for you.

You're without excuse.

You're without excuse.

That's what he said.

Tremendous insight.

Unbelievably.

In fact, but here he's saying, here it is, yes, the Lord's coming back, but until he does, it is your responsibility to fulfill your obligations to yourself, to your family, to your society, to your community, to your church.

Wow.

And that means remaining gainfully employed.

So, again, we see number one, the re first of all, the example of Paul's discipline, number one, the reminder of Paul's labor.

He reminds them of how he himself.

Now watch this.

He said, Hey, I'm entitled as a pastor or minister.

I am entitled to be compensated for my work.

That is scriptural.

In fact, the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 9 14, the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live by the gospel.

And then also we see that in other passages of Scripture.

In Galatians 6.6, we see it.

We see it also in Timothy, when he's talking about the laborer, hey, is worthy of his reward.

He says, yes, but he says, but I'm not taking it because I want to be an example to you.

And he says, there's Jews here.

And he says, Jews, he knew that the Jewish Orthodox had an unbelievable, they were tenacious at work ethics.

They worked all the time.

They studied all the time.

I meant they did not like lazy people.

So he knew he wanted to be an example to them.

He and his fellow workers got jobs while they were in Thessalonica so that they wouldn't be a burden to any of the believers.

1 Thessalonians 2.9.

Again, we read that.

What he just said.

Hey, we're going to labor night and day.

We're going to do what's right.

You're not going to have to, hey, supply any of our needs.

Paul was not ashamed, hey, to be an example.

And we see that.

Paul didn't say these things with pride, but he said them with purpose.

He knew what was right to do.

He wanted new believers to get on the right track.

Our lives are examples for those that are around us.

Amen.

Now, some of I've had a person, I don't want to be.

Charles Barclay said, I'm not an example.

Well, boy, was he wrong.

You are an example.

It's either right or wrong.

It's either good or bad, but you are an example.

You are an example to your children.

You're an example to your wife, guys, ladies, you're an example to your husbands.

You're an example to your, hey, work arena.

You're an example to the people you work with.

You're an example to your boss, bosses, your example to your employees.

We all are examples.

Hey, we're all are influencers whether we like it or not.

The question is, are you a good influence or are you a bad influence?

But you are an influence.

You say, Well, I don't do anything.

That's a bad influence.

Hello, let me help you.

Some say, well, I'm not good or bad.

Yes, you are.

If you're not good, you're bad.

Hello?

Well, I'm not bad.

Well, are you doing anything?

If you're not doing anything, you're a bad example.

Hello.

Come on.

Jesus said, either you're for me, what?

Or you're against me.

You can't ride that fence.

You can't be politically correct and not offend anybody.

Hello.

I am so sick and tired of that word.

Anytime I hear the word, I turn the TV off.

That's ridiculous.

So we see.

And people look at us all the time.

And they look at who we are, what we are, what we say we are.

That's why, hey, let me just go ahead and tell you.

Don't put that Jesus awesome ban on if you're not going to live it.

Hello.

Hello.

Now, those that don't have it on doesn't mean you're not living it either.

Some of you just don't like bracelets.

That's okay.

That's okay.

But hey, anyway, you gotta be an example.

My soul be an example.

We are Christians.

We ought to live the life.

Christians ought to be the first ones.

You know what?

Christians ought to be the first one people want to hire.

You ought to be the best example.

I've had about five jobs in my whole life, and every job I've left, I think I could go back and put my application in, and I believe I'd get the job.

Why not?

Because I, hey, when I was there, I worked, not because I was working for my boss.

Yes, I was thankful that my boss had given me a job.

But I worked as unto the Lord and not man, and I did the best thing I could do.

And when I left, I left the right way.

I didn't go out the door.

Hey, let me just tell you something.

When you get mad and leave, you may need to come back.

Always leave so you could come back.

Hello.

No, that's not the way you leave.

Leave rightly.

Amen.

That's the way to do it.

Now, watch what Paul says, the second thing.

The reason for Paul's labor.

Man, verse 9.

Look at it.

Well, this is good.

For an example.

He who does not.

Hey, in fact, remember, let me tell what the Jews, the Jews had a saying.

The Orthodox Jews had a saying.

He who does not teach his son a trade teaches him to steal.

Hello?

He that does not teach his son a trade teaches him to steal.

And what did Paul say?

Remember what Paul said to the church at Ephesus in Ephesians 4 28?

He says the reason he says we work is so that we won't steal, and we work so that we can help others.

Ephesians 4 28.

That's what it said.

So we see the importance here.

Titus 2, 7.

In all things, show thyself a pattern of good works.

In other words, show people that you work hard because you're working as unto the Lord and not unto man.

Can I get an amen?

Amen.

So, again, that's so important.

So we see the reason for Paul's labor was to be an example.

He didn't want anybody to say that he's in it for the money.

He says, I am a tent maker, I will provide my own way.

Now, but it wasn't that he wouldn't do it.

In fact, again, let me show you this.

1 Timothy chapter 5, verse 17 and 18.

1 Timothy 5:17

This is powerful.

Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.

Verse 18, for the scripture saith, Thou shall not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn, and the labor is worthy of his reward.

So a faithful pastor, a faithful shepherd that, hey, works hard, studies hard, shepherds hard, he protects the sheep, hey, he feeds the sheep, he loves the sheep, he comforts the sheep.

Hey, they are worthy of double honor.

And that sounds, I know I'm preaching that, but I'm old enough now, I can, I think I can say that with the right heart attitude, because God has so taken care of me and Susan all these years.

But I don't, by the way, I didn't get into it for the money.

If you do the hourly rate, you wouldn't like it.

Hello! And I've only moved three times, and every time I moved, I took a huge cut.

I've never moved for money.

Amen.

Never, never.

But God has always taken good care of me.

Taken care.

I've never, hey, I don't look like I've gone hungry.

I've never not had a, I've never not had a bed to sleep in.

Now, sometimes I prefer the couch, the lounger, me and Rocky.

Not because Susan put me on the couch.

I chose it.

Because I snore and I don't like, you know, it's did you know how I know whether or not I end up in the bed?

Whether or not I'm snoring.

If I'm not snoring, she'll say, honey, let's go to bed.

If I'm snoring, she says nothing.

Then I end up on the couch with Rocky.

And Rocky's gotten to the point, he's nine years old, he snores as loud.

He woke me up snoring the other night.

I say, man, man, Rocky.

So, you know, really, again, guys, it's so important that we understand.

This is the greatest example you have is your work ethic.

Now, look at the third thing.

This is good.

The rule regarding the labor.

Now, notice this is pretty simple.

Go back to 2 Thessalonians 3.10.

Look at it.

This, you're gonna think it's hard, you're gonna think it's unmerciful, ungrateful, but it's not.

You gotta realize Paul had already written 1 Thessalonians lovingly, and now he's still hearing that they're not working, they're being disturbing, they're being troublemakers, there's and basically now he gets to the point there's no excuse to be idle, slothful, or lazy or busybodies.

And then here's what he says.

Here's the bottom line, verse 10.

For even when we were with you, this we command you that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

Read that with me, church.

Read it.

For even.

Hello.

I didn't say it, I just delivered it.

Amen.

It's pretty plain.

Hey, and up until the welfare was instituted, this was the law.

If somebody didn't work, they didn't eat.

That is, if they were capable of working.

Now, I'm not talking about, and by the way, I want you to understand a tremendous principle here, and it's so important that I'm not saying that all welfare is wrong, but I am saying this.

If the churches were doing their job, hey, I'm talking about loving their people, taking care of their people, and making sure the people that could work worked, and the ones that can't, they were taking care of them because of physical deformities or or problems or stuff.

If every church would take care of their people like our heart, and our goal is to do here with our people, if you hear and you get laid off, guess what?

You can't work, you don't have a job, but you can work.

Bless God.

Come on, we got a lot of work around here.

We'll put you to work, we'll feed you, we won't let you starve, we won't turn your lights off, but bless God if you can work, work.

Amen.

That's what Paul's saying here.

He's not talking about the ones that can't work.

In fact, he says, take care of them.

That's what the church.

But if the church did that, if we all did that, we wouldn't need a welfare system.

Wouldn't you like to be part of a church like that?

Where we take care of each other, bear you one another's burdens.

And we are trying to do that to the best of our ability.

We're not perfect, but we're trying.

But the rule regarding labor is very important.

Notice what he said here.

And I really like this.

When we have able-bodied people not working and still eating, this is what two commentators said.

But hey, we violate a fundamental law of nature built into creation by God.

Wow.

A fundamental law.

Starting in Genesis with Adam tilling the garden.

That's the way God meant it.

Here's what Paul laid down the rule for the church at Thessalonica to correct the perspective of those who had quit their jobs to wait for the Lord's return.

Here's what he said.

They were basically freeloaders, eating off the labor and responsibility of others while they themselves refused to work.

Now, watch this.

They had substituted, are you ready?

Boy, this is good.

False spirituality.

We are watching for the return of the Lord for true spirituality.

It is my responsibility to use the strengths and talents God has given me to meet my needs and the needs of those who depend on me.

If you don't work, Paul said you don't eat.

No more handouts.

That's what he said.

Now let me show you if we have it.

Do we have 1 Timothy 5.18 up there?

This is powerful.

I want you to read it, church.

Ready?

Read it for me.

For the scripture, thou.

All right, now what go to first?

All right, that's 1 Timothy 5.18.

All right, go to 1 Timothy 5.8.

Wrong verse.

That was the other one was in reference to the pastor.

This is in reference to all of us.

Read church.

But if any provide not for his own.

Hello.

I didn't say that.

Don't you go out of here and say, Pastor Danny said if I don't work, I'm a dirty bum.

I didn't say it.

Dirty, low down bum, okay.

I didn't say it.

I may have thought it, but I didn't say it.

Paul said it.

Paul said it.

Paul said it.

Now, let me show you.

It gets even better.

It really gets unbelievably more serious.

Go to 2.

Do you have Colossians 3, verses 20 through through 25?

Colossians 3:20

Did we have a chance to put.

All right, now watch this.

Now this is, if you remember, I preached out of the book of Colossians.

We talked about this.

Now watch.

But watch how it fits.

This is an area of work.

Notice what the Lord says about work.

Servants.

Obey in all things your masters, that's your bosses, according to the flesh.

Not with eyesurface of men pleaders, but in singleness of heart, fearing God.

Singleness of heart means with all your heart.

You're working, hey, for your employer, you're for with all your heart, not because of him.

Now, hopefully you like him and maybe he's a good fellow, but it really is not all about him.

You're not working for him.

You're working for the Lord.

God gave you that job.

You ought to be thankful for that job.

You ought to give everything, anything your hand finds to do, do it with all thy might.

Ecclesiastes 9 10 says, Hey, fearing God, God.

Now look at verse 23, and whatsoever ye do, do it heartily as to the Lord and not unto men.

Verse 24, watch.

Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance, for ye serve the Lord.

Verse 25, powerful, but he that doeth wrong shall receive for that wrong which he hath done, and there's no respect of a person.

In other words, you will be judged and rewarded according to your work.

Oh, I knew I wouldn't get too many, amen.

You will be rewarded according to your work and how you've worked unto the Lord, whether that's in the physical arena, the public arena, or the church ministry, because we're talking about working.

Yes.

Hey, by the way, your job is your ministry.

Let's just go ahead and clarify that.

Your job, where you're working, is your ministry.

Now, you may be in full-time ministry like I am.

Praise the Lord for that.

But hey, your work is your ministry.

Say that with me.

My work is my ministry.

Come on.

My work.

Do you understand that?

Say amen.

So it's important you're working as unto the Lord.

Man, that's good.

Now, look at Proverbs 24 through 30.

30 through 34.

I want you to read this with me, church.

Ready?

I went by the fill of the slothful.

Read.

And lo.

Verse thirty-two, then I saw.

Wow, one more.

So shall thy poverty, excuse me, yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep, and then there's verse thirty-four.

And verse chapter 19, verse 15, look at what it says.

Read church.

Slothfulness.

Proverbs 26, 14.

As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed.

Wow.

No what bottom line here is what he's saying.

A slothful person doesn't work.

And because he doesn't work, he gets what he deserves.

Hello.

You said that's hard.

No, that's not hard.

That's Bible.

You don't work.

You don't.

Hello?

You okay out there?

We are living in a generation where we have seen the government disrupt the work ethic in our country.

I'm just gonna say it.

In fact, I've already said it.

God help us.

God help us.

That's why we're in trouble.

That's why America's now around 30 or or lower than 30 in the nation.

We've quit working.

The Chinese outworkers, the Japanese outworkers, the Koreans outworkers.

Hello.

God help us.

He can't stand it.

Now it's important to make a distinction in what Paul's saying right here.

He did not say those who cannot work will not eat.

But those who will not work shall not eat.

Do you understand that?

Say amen.

Someone has said we have three choices in life.

We can rust out, we can burn out, or we can live out.

Amen.

Now, what does it mean by rusting out?

Lazy people rust out, which is not God's will.

And neither is burnout for us workaholics.

I'm careful.

I have to be very careful there.

The goal is to live out our lives in fullness and productivity by working hard at that which we are called and gifted to do.

Work, Benji, I want you to hear this.

Work is as sacred a part of life as worship is.

Did you hear that?

Work is as sacred part of life as us worshiping the King of Kings in spirit and in truth.

John 4.

That's good, preacher.

That's tough, preacher.

No, it's not.

That's the Bible.

That's what the book says.

Brings me to the second point.

The exhortation concerning the disorderly.

Ooh, boy.

Mm-mm.

Paul is not one to mix words, especially when there is ungodly activity taking place.

He has some blunt words for those whose laziness is creating disorder in the church.

Now watch what he says.

Look at the first thing under exhortations concerning disorderly.

Look at the description of the disorderly.

Look at verse 6.

Verse 6 and verse 11.

Now we command you, brethren, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother.

Now, now watch, that walketh disorderly.

The word there is a tactos, attactos.

And uh Paul, you will understand this.

What atactos, the Greek word means, it hey, it means to be out of step or to break rank.

In other words, it's a military term.

And here's what it means.

It was originally meant so that as people were in line with the military and marching, they're all in line, they're all in order, they're following the cadence, they're following the orders, and you can look at them and you can see just a fantastic order and unity and strength and all that goes with those commands, following the commander, which happens to be Jesus Christ.

He's a commander, he's the commander of the army.

We're all in line, following his word, keeping his commandments, doing what God's word says.

That's what's meant here.

So to be disorderly means that we are totally out of line with stealth.

Instead of taking right, we're taking left.

Instead of going this way, we decide we want to go this way.

Jonah, instead of deciding to go to the Nineveh, he decided that he was going to go to Tarsus or 2,000 miles in the opposite direction.

Instead of going in step with what God told you to do, he's taking the opposite direction.

You're out of stealth.

You're disorderly.

That makes sense?

Say amen.

You're disorderly, and that's exactly what he's talking about.

You're going your own way.

You're not going God's way.

Now notice disorderly, indolent.

And then notice what else?

Look at verse 11.

For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, idle, indolent, now idle, watch, but are busybodies, intruders.

So we see a three uh three characteristics of the disorderly.

They don't, hey, they want to go their way, they're going to do it their way, they're idle, they're not going to work, and they're trying to, hey, interrupt somebody else that is working.

In other words, they're trying to keep people from doing what's right.

You know, I've come up, God gave me this study and this word.

You know, I think that's what a busybody is.

You know what a busybody is?

A person that's trying to keep you from doing what's right.

Hello?

That's my definition.

A busybody is a person trying to keep you from doing what's right.

Now, let's look at the description.

This is powerful.

Let's look at the description of the disorderly.

One, the disorderly resist leadership, verse 6.

Number two, the disorderly reject tradition.

In other words, they reject the word of God.

The word tradition, there's not meant the color of carpet or the way we do a worship service, the kind of songs we sing, the kind of programs we have.

Traditions here means the word of God that Paul had taught them, hey, and had written the epistles to them from God's leadership and God's anointing.

So they rejected the word of God.

Listen what Jesus said about that.

He that rejects me and receives not my word, him will I judge.

John 12, 48.

He that rejects me and receives not my word, him will I judge.

Powerful statement.

Then notice the third thing.

The disorderly, verse 11, refuse to work.

They refuse to work.

And then number four, the disorderly resort, excuse me, resort to troublemaking.

Troublemaking.

Let me show you.

Look at 1 Timothy 5.13, what Paul said about busybodies.

Paul's word for the disorderly in terms of how they impact others is busybodies.

People who by their own idleness disrupt the lives of people who are trying to do right.

Listen to what Paul said.

This is powerful.

They learn to be idle.

They learn to be idle.

Notice, wandering about from house to house, not only idle, but tattlers, also in busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.

Pretty plain, isn't it?

When's the last time somebody called you and said, Oh, did you hear what Pastor Danny did?

No, what did he do?

Oh, did you hear what Pastor Danny said?

No, what'd he say?

You know what I've gotten in the habit of doing?

Somebody said, Well, did you hear?

Here's what I said.

Here's what I say.

Hey, is it good?

Is it good?

Hey, is it building up?

Hey, is it edifying?

Is it spoken graciously?

If not, don't say it.

Ephesians 4, 29.

Wow.

But that's not our sin nature, is it?

Our sin nature is, oh.

And the moment you hear it, what do you want to do?

Oh! Then next thing you know, oh, did you hear what Pastor Denny said?

No, who told you that?

Well, Sister Fluff Head.

Well, what did Sister Fluffhead say?

And by the time it gets to about the third or fourth person, you would think I had committed the worst crime ever.

And all I did was not open the door for my wife.

Or I got mad at my wife.

Oh, did you hear?

Oh, I can't believe how he treats Susan.

It's none of your business.

Hello.

I love my wife.

I treat her like a queen most of the time.

But when I don't, it's still none of your business.

Hello.

You okay out there?

Wait.

I'm upset.

Did you hear how he said that to me?

Lord, help us.

Take a baby aspirin.

Get over it.

Amen?

Come on, church.

You hear me?

Hey, can we all say oh meeting?

Together, oh me.

Lord.

Y'all alright out there?

I will, you you awful quiet today.

B, the directive concerning the disorderly.

Look at verse 12 and 13.

Boy, this is powerful.

Paul's directives concerning the disorderly are twofold.

First of all, he speaks to the disorderly themselves, and then he speaks to the disciples.

Listen to what he says.

Verse 12.

To put it plainly, Paul says, stop being busybodies.

Get a job and be quiet.

Hello! That's what he says.

We're overheading great.

Now, then that are such, we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ that with quietness they work and eat their own bread.

In other words, he says, get your job, go to work, quit tending to everybody else's business and be a productive person.

Hello.

That's good?

Somebody said, I'll sure be glad.

Let's get to Jonah.

Jonah, you want to go to ride on freewheelie, huh?

Okay.

Remember, he was out of order too.

He decided to go his own way instead of going God's way and look what happened to Jonah.

Ladies and gentlemen, if we do it God's way, there is a storybook hidden and done the storybook way.

The B I L E.

That's a book for me.

Oh.

Notice, that's what he said.

To make sure the disorderly know how strongly Paul feels about this, he gives the command and exhortation.

Notice what he said in verse 12.

He says, I'm not saying this.

I'm not mad at you.

He says it's through our Lord Jesus Christ.

To disobey Paul's word was being disobedient to Christ, not Paul.

Number two, now notice what he says to the disciples.

Look at verse 13.

But ye, brethren, be not weary in well-doing.

Hmm.

Boy, is that not good?

How many times church people get bitter and grow bitterly because of all the junk and the busybody and the tattling and the idleness and all the junk that's going on in a church?

You get weary, and here's what happens.

You say, if that's church, hey, hey, you get enough of that every day in the work arena and in the marketplace.

You come to church, you want to be exhorted, you want to be loved, you want to be helped, you want to be encouraged, you want to learn and be godly.

You don't need to go in and say, or there's this crunimal in the church, and you got your faction over here and a faction over there.

This group's over here.

And they one's sitting over here, they don't talk over here, and one's in the middle, they don't talk to either one.

Who in the world wants to be a part of a church like that?

I don't hate.

But real.

In other words, when we have a discordal person, we're gonna sit down with you and talk about it.

Hello, that's what we're gonna do.

Why?

That's what he says.

Paul said, take note of them.

Hello, take note of them.

Watch.

That's what he says.

You gotta deal with it.

You gotta deal with it.

Don't get sidetracked by these people.

Stay on course for memory calls.

There's nothing more draining than deal with somebody that every time you deal with them, they're negative.

Hello?

You okay out there?

You say, Well, I'm that negative a person.

Well, change.

Somebody said, Well, that's just the way I am.

Change.

Amen.

You don't have to stay that way.

I have a tendency every once in a while to get negative.

And my wife reminds me.

She said, Man, you're kind of negative today.

And my first inclination is it's none of your business.

But then she, but then she's right.

I would not say that, folks.

I thank you, but I wouldn't say it.

I'm 30, we've been married 34 wonderful years.

I got a little sense.

Just a little.

Well, what about you, Maryland?

You're in the doghouse too, so don't.

But hey, hey, listen, folks.

This is so good.

This is so true.

Look at what he's telling us.

Don't let negative people get you down.

Can I get an amen?

Here's what you do.

In a loving way, you confront it and you say, You're gonna have to quit talking like that, or I can't hang out with you.

Hello.

I'm not gonna stay around you if you're negative very long.

I'm not, and I'm gonna tell you, I'm gonna say, whoa, hey, give me some positive, not negative.

Amen.

You with me?

And then notice what he says.

Don't lose heart.

You're gonna lose hearts, you're gonna get discouraged.

Don't men ought to always pray and not to faint.

Oh, he says, Oh, we can go weary with the ministry we've been assigned by the Lord.

He says, Therefore, seeing we have this ministry as we have received mercy, faint not.

For which cause we faint not.

Through our outward man perish, our inward man's renewed every day.

Can I tell you the only way to overcome negativism is stay in the word every day, every day, and memorize scripture.

I can do all things through Christ, being confident of this very thing.

He which we've done a good work in me will perform into the day of Jesus Christ.

Second, uh, second uh, it's in there, Philippians 4 or something.

And and faithful is he that's called you, who also will do it.

Amen.

All right.

Woo! That's good, preacher.

Three, the discipline of the disorderly.

And I'm through.

And I'm gonna give you the steps that should be taken when a person's really it's called church discipline.

We don't hear that word anymore.

Matthew 18, Matthew 5.

But when you're dealing with a negative person, an idler, a busybody, a taddler, here's how you do it.

Look at verse 14.

Number one, we are to acknowledge their conduct.

Look at verse 14.

And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, underline it, and have no company with him, but he may be ashamed.

Now, it's not that you're trying to be ugly, rude, not at all.

In fact, he's not our enemy.

Can I get an amen?

We're gonna say, hey, Satan's the enemy.

Can I get an amen?

It's Satan, it's not them.

That's why anybody that's ever gonna attack me, and I've had several over the years.

I've to this day, Susan can verify this.

I have no animosity whatsoever toward them.

None of them.

I could see them tomorrow and hug their neck and love them and help them.

Because it wasn't them, it was the enemy.

Amen.

But you gotta know them.

You gotta deal with it.

That's what that means.

You got to deal with it.

You got to deal with it.

Notice the second thing.

We are to avoid their company if they don't change.

We are to avoid their company.

Proverbs 22, 10.

Do I have that up there?

I probably don't.

But here's what it said.

You do.

I want the church to read this.

All right, church, read this for me.

Ready?

Cast.

There it is.

Now that's a strong word, cast out.

But really what he's saying, don't fellowship.

Remove yourself from that kind of attitude.

That kind of action.

That's what he's saying.

And sometimes we have to do that.

I have had to say, you know, well, maybe you need to find another church.

I don't like to do that.

It breaks my heart every time I've done that.

Not had to do it very often at all, really, handful of times.

But if every time you walk in, all you can do is be negative, and by the way, idle people, people that aren't involved in a church working, they're the ones standing around trying to pick out everything we're doing wrong.

Listen, don't do that.

Don't do that.

Come see me.

I'll give you a list of all that we do wrong.

Hello.

You okay out there?

Trust me, I know.

And then you know what I'm gonna say?

Take that list and pray about it first, and then show me on that list where you can get involved and helped us correct it.

Woo! Yeah, let's give God a clap offering on that one.

Amen.

Well, I just thought you might be a perfect church.

Ha ha! Well, why are you here?

Oh, oh, oh.

There is no such thing.

We're all fleshly.

We all have that sin nature, and we're not gonna get rid of it until we go to be with Him.

What a day.

You know what?

What a day that will be when that old sin nature won't be.

Well, that's good, David.

And then here's what I love.

Notice the third thing we do.

We are to admonish them as Christians, verse 15.

Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

You still love them.

And you do everything.

I promise you, I have.

Susan Natalia.

Over the 35 years of ministry, I've kind of been kind of gifted at getting in the middle of some pretty major problems and God using me to solve them.

When I was at liberty, I was Dr.

Falwell's mediator for all the major staff problems.

I'd sit in and hear both sides and in a loving way try to work out a great solution for a win-win.

But there were some times, you know what I'd have to do?

I'd have to look at Mike, I'd have to look at the professor sitting across the table and say, if you can't quit criticizing Dr.

Falwell, this ministry, which I'm part of, you're criticizing me when you criticize him.

I love my pastor, I love my president, and he's part of this, and this I work as he under God to him.

And if you can't change this attitude, you need to find another place to teach.

Amen.

But I did it lovingly.

And I've even helped him find a place to teach.

But I would tell them this.

Hey.

You gon you gonna stop that negativism?

Nobody wants to be around a negative person all the time.

Unless you happen to be one.

And you don't want to be one all the time.

Galatians 6, 1.

Look at it here, and I'm through.

I want you to read it, church.

This is a good one for us to close on.

Brethren, read.

If a man.

Wow.

Is that not beautiful?

Is that not beautiful?

Because we could easily be that idler.

We could easily be that negative, that busybody if we're not careful.

Can I get an amen?

Amen?

Spiritual.

No, we're staying the word.

Stay being obedient to the Lord.

You know what?

Let me tell you the best thing you can do.

Find you two or three people.

Okay, listen to me.

I'm this is worth you being here.

Two or three people that you know are positive.

They are in the word.

They love the book.

And they will tell you when you got a bad attitude and say, hey, you can attitude check.

On the football field, will you say, attitude check?

And then when you say that, say, how can I pray for you?

Help them.

Work through the problems.

And don't you do this when somebody, that person loves you and trying to help you.

Don't say this, oh, nothing's wrong.

I can handle it.

No, you can't.

You got a bad attitude right now.

Let's talk about it.

Let's deal with it.

Amen.

But you got after you deal with it, then change.

Can I get an amen?

Change.

Get in the book, change.

Hey, uh, if the power of God living in you is the same power living in me, and I know it is, we can change.

We can change.

Thanks again for tuning into this week's message.

We pray that your life has been changed.

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We hope you have a wonderful day and again, God bless you.