Scripture Reading:
2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 NIV In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate. For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the food they eat. And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.
Introduction
Today we are continuing our series on the 7 Deadly Sins. Because of the tropical storm last week, I postponed this sermon because I feel that it is important, and I wasn’t sure how many people would be here given the weather, so I postponed the sixth deadly sin of slothfulness or laziness to this week.
Remember that this list compiled by Pope Gregory I in about 600 AD are not specific sins but categories of sin that are attitudes that affect character and conduct and they are continually condemned in Scripture.
According to the Bible all sin is deadly, unless we repent, and the Lord forgives and cleanses us.
Romans 6:23 NIV For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The complete list compiled by Pope Gregory is
Pride
Anger (Wrath)
Envy (Jealousy)
Impurity (Lust)
Gluttony (Lack of Self-Restraint)
Slothfulness (Laziness)
Avarice (Greed)
We started with pride, which is the beginning of all sin, then we talked about anger which if not controlled is a sign of weakness, which can lead to personal harm, rob you of self-esteem, can impair your thinking or attitudes, and can lead to evil actions. Next, we discussed envy or jealousy which expresses itself as a covetous feeling toward another person’s attributes, possessions, or stature in life. Next was impurity or lust which we defined as a powerful desire, a craving, abnormal appetite, not only for physical but for spiritual satisfaction, an eagerness to possess or enjoy; unlawful desire of carnal pleasure; evil propensity; depraved affections and desires.
Two weeks ago, our sermon was on gluttony or lack of self-restraint which we said is the sin of excess and intemperance. It is unrestraint, self-indulgence, and inordinate extravagance. Gluttony seeks to satisfy our senses and our greed while disregarding the needs of others
Today, the sixth in our series, is the sin of slothfulness or laziness.
Text
Proverbs 19:24 NIV A sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he will not even bring it back to his mouth!
Slothfulness is not a common word today. We use other words to describe the attitude of slothfulness, such as idleness, listlessness, apathy, indifference, goofing off, wasting time, sluggishness, procrastination, and laziness. The dictionary defines sloth as laziness, indolence, idleness, and inactivity to name but a few examples.
Slothfulness is excessive physical laziness or the failure to utilize one’s talents. Slothfulness is avoiding work.
We get the word from watching the life of a sloth. The sloth is a lethargic animal with coarse hair. It builds no nest or
home, sleeps eighteen hours a day, and wakes very slowly. The sloth is so inactive that a green alga grows in its hair. Does that remind you of anybody you know?
When we compare the other sins with slothfulness, which means we’re lazy, or unmotivated we think, what’s the big deal? After all, there’s anger, lust, pride, greed, envy, gluttony, and all those seem worse than being slothful.
How can we even think or worry about being a sloth in our world? We are the most on the go generation ever. We live on Red Bull, extra caffeine in our coffee and Mountain Dew. We take fewer vacations, work longer hours, rushing around doing who knows what. At the end of the day, we’re exhausted and want to take a few minutes or hours just to unwind to rest and catch our breath. What’s wrong with that
Everyone needs a balanced life with a defined time to work, a time to relax, a time to play and a time just to enjoy life as it should be enjoyed. I admit that everyone needs rest that is an undisputed fact. In fact, God gave us a command to rest.
Exodus 20:9-11 NIV Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
Because without rest, severe problems can develop both mentally and physically.
The problem is that while this may be acceptable for short periods of rest, this can escalate to non-proportional levels very quickly if we are not careful and eventually become the norm. There is a time for everything including rest.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 NIV There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.
So, what’s the problem?
Well, doing nothing consistently helps no one. It is not good for the soul, it is not good for the mind, it is not good for the heart. If you adopt this mentality and outlook, life really is not worth living, is it?
We have all been put on earth for a specific purpose. Our aim should be to reach that goal, which not only fulfils the will of God, achieves inner satisfaction and a sense of achievement, but creates a positive input in life for the benefit of others.
Now before I go on, I want to be real with you. There are some people who, because of severe physical or mental disabilities, can’t work at all. I’m not talking about those people today although many with disabilities can and do work. For example, I have a daughter in law who is disabled but who is a brilliant writer and has worked before. Today she works helping her neighbors and friends with technology issues and giving great godly counsel with their life issues, and although she is paralyzed, she is going surfing in a few weeks. I am talking about those who can work, not those who are unable to work.
Social programs are wonderful for the disabled, infirmed, and unfortunate in society. Many people are severely limited by physical, emotional, and mental handicaps that prevent them from working. But social programs that encourage someone who is not disabled physically or mentally, to remain unemployed should be eliminated.
There is a saying that the “Devil finds work for idle hands”. In the Living Bible at Proverbs 16:27 it says “Idle hands are the devil’s work; idle lips are his mouthpiece.”
Many of us here are what I call seasoned saints. Some of us are retired, but you are never retired from the work of the gospel. Some of us have physical disabilities, some of us are between jobs. However, none of these things are valid excuses from our being witnesses for Jesus and showing His love for all mankind. You are never retired from being a follower of Christ. You are never unemployed from being a follower of Christ so what I am going to say today applies to everybody except those who have a physical or mental disability that affects their ability to effectively witness for Christ and there are very very few of those people and to be honest I don’t know even one.
Some people go about their work with energy and joy, giving their best effort to every detail. Others do as little as they can, as slowly as they can, as indifferently as they can. What about us today? Do we work with intensity or indifference—or somewhere in between?
Ok I’ll get out of my soap box now.
Work is not a curse but a gift from God. He wants us to express our uniqueness and creativity and glorify Him through all that we accomplish. God expects us to work. It is our duty. When God put Adam in the garden of Eden, he charged him to work and care for the garden.
Genesis 2:15 NIV The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.
Work is not punishment for Adam’s sin; work is the privilege of man to serve God. Laziness is the opposite of God’s plan for mankind.
The person who never shows effort, energy, or enthusiasm is not living the godly life God created them for. That person is known in the Word of God as a sluggard, and their approach to life is known as slothfulness.
Proverbs 6:6-8 NIV Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.
Diligence and conscientiousness are important for every individual—particularly for those who believe in Jesus Christ. Slothfulness is a landmine with the potential to destroy all that we are and all that we seek to accomplish in this world. Just like the landmines that the Russians put on the battlefields in Ukraine have slowed the Ukraine counteroffensive to a crawl that what slothfulness does in the life or a person. It slows or stops the accomplishment of God’s plan for that person’s life.
What are the characteristics of slothfulness?
The slothful individual is not difficult to recognize. The book of Proverbs gives us many examples of the lazy lifestyle.
For one thing, this type of person is prone to procrastinate, finding excuses whenever and wherever possible
Proverbs 20:4 NIV Sluggards do not plow in season; so at harvest time they look but find nothing.
Someone who is slothful or lazy avoids work constantly
Proverbs 6:9-11 NIV How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.
Proverbs 22:13 NIV The sluggard says, “There’s a lion outside! I’ll be killed in the public square!”
Instead of being industrious with their time, they waste it.
Proverbs 24:30-32 NIV I went past the field of a sluggard, past the vineyard of someone who has no sense; thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins. I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw:
The sluggard is indifferent, neglectful, careless, and insensitive to all the activity that occurs around them and would be the last person you would count on to get a job done.
Proverbs 10:26 NIV As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so are sluggards to those who send them.
The slothful person is shortsighted, never thinking of the future, and only interested in their desires for the moment.
God regards laziness as selfishness and rebellion against Him since He commands us to be fruitful and diligent.
Genesis 1:28 NIV God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
God chose to create humanity to work alongside him to actualize the universe’s potential. He created humanity to participate in His own work. It is remarkable that God trusts us to carry out this amazing task of building on the good earth he has given us. It’s through our work God brings forth food and drink, products and services, knowledge and beauty, organizations and communities, growth and health, and praise and glory to Himself.
God identifies slothfulness as the sin of wastefulness and sees the sluggard as a poor steward of godly resources.
Jesus told a parable that is recorded in Matthew chapter 25 that tells you what He thought of someone who wasted godly resources through inactivity.
In the parable a man went on a journey, and before he left, he entrusted 3 of his servants with talents. A talent was an ancient unit of money or weight depending on the time or place. In the NIV it calls these talents bags of gold.
Matthew 25:15 NIV To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.
There are reasons each person got a different amount but that doesn't matter because today we are talking about slothfulness or laziness, so the amount each person got doesn't matter. I preached a sermon during the pandemic that got into more detail but today I am talking about laziness. If you want a copy of that sermon let me know after service.
Now back to the parable. When the man came back, from his journey, he wanted an accounting of what each servant did with the gold that was left with them to invest and provide a return on that investment. When he asked for a report, he was told that the servants that he gave the five and two bags had doubled them but the one who received one hadn't done anything and was just returning the bag that he got. That man was called lazy, and his bag was given to the guy who though his work now had 10 bags of gold. In addition to that, the lazy guy was kicked out.
Matthew 25:26-30 NIV “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. “ ‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Laziness is a violation of Christian living.
A. You might ask, “How can doing nothing be a sin?” Well in theology there are two kinds of sins: sins of commission and sins of omission. Sins of commission are the sins we commit; sins of omission are the things we know to do and don’t.
For example, those who do absolutely nothing about their salvation will be lost. Now I don’t mean you work for your salvation because it is given to you as a a gift.
Ephesians 2:8-10 NIV says For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Salvation is the gift of freedom from our sins that Jesus made possible by taking the punishment for our sins on the cross. It is the gift of God, not a result of works. You cannot earn it, it is a gift. It is yours to receive or reject. So you can’t just do nothing which is what a sloth does, you have to accept the gift.
Romans 10:9-10 NIV tells you what this is If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.
B. Some Christians are slothful in their prayer life, Bible study, church attendance, witnessing, financial support, and Christian service. The reason our world does not have an effective Christian witness can be directly traced to laziness and inactivity by Christians throughout Christian history. We do not work as hard as we should to live as Christian examples.
We should be able to say like Paul
1 Corinthians 11:1 NIV Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.
There are consequences for slothfulness.
As Dr. Charles Stanley said, “We reap what we sow, more than we sow, and later than we sow”, and you’ll reap a terrible harvest of consequences from the negative lifestyle of slothfulness.
• First, it creates problems in your life. The lazy person has troubles at work, at home, and in every area of his or her life.
• Second, slothfulness generates pressure in a person’s life. The lazy person is sure to experience stress in their finances, job, and relationships due to their lack of care and concern.
• A third product of slothfulness is pain. Lazy people often lack discipline in their exercise and diet, and their overall medical condition is neglected. This eventually produces physical, emotional, and spiritual suffering.
• Fourth, the sluggard experiences poverty. The lazy individual faces penalties now and in the future because of their lack of preparation.
As a committed believer, you are to work at your job, if you have one, and with your witness for Christ by your life, with passion and resolve, even when conditions seem discouraging. When you have done your best in obedience to God—wherever you are, in whatever you’re doing God assumes responsibility for your future and the results of your efforts.
One of Charles Stanley’s 30 Life Principles” is “Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him.
That realization alone should motivate you to do whatever you do with joy and enthusiasm.
Colossians 3:23-24 NIV Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
That means that nothing at all, not your circumstances, discomfort, or anything else, makes any difference. You do your best and work hard, because in all that you do, it’s the Lord Himself you are serving.
Conclusion
Slothfulness is found in the workplace, schools, government offices, churches, everywhere. Every one of us should always do our best. We should work as though God were our employer.
Ephesians 6:7-8 NIV Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.
Maybe being slothful is more about our relationship with God. Jesus Christ has commanded us to be active and effective witnesses for him.
Matthew 28:19-20 NIV Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
To do less is wrong. If you want to have the joy of living, you must obey the commands of Christ.
You know time is one of the most precious commodities you have. If you could only study the moments of your day through God’s eyes, you might be startled and humbled by the time you waste. God has given us so many resources, privileges, gifts, and opportunities to serve Him with all your heart, and when we truly understand the work He has given us to do, it will change your attitude toward every task—and toward everyone you serve.
Sluggishness produces a legacy of despair, but productivity brings a very pleasing reward, both now and in the future. Your obedience to God will bring joy to you and to the Lord Jesus.
1 Corinthians 3:12-15 NIV If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.
When you stand before the Lord someday, presenting the fruit of your life, what will He say? I pray that in your case and mine, He will smile and repeat the precious words of the parable, we talked about today;
Matthew 25:21 NIV … ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
Prayer
May our attitudes reflect the joy of the Lord so that others may see your glory and be blessed. Grace us with enthusiasm to overcome any form of laziness in our daily lives. Lord, I pray that we would lean on, trust in, and be confident in You, with all our hearts and minds. May we not rely on our own insight or understanding? Be our guide. Fill us with Your inspiration every day.
Thank You for Your great gift of focus. Guide us to have Your mindset each and every day. When we are attacked with distractions and scattered in thought, quiet out spirits and slow our minds from wandering. Give us the determination and the discipline that we need to accomplish Your will. In Your powerful name, I pray Jesus, Amen
Sermon Audio
