4 Work and Idleness AO

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Todd Adrian • Teacher

Experience NEW LIFE  Discovering Truth to Apply in Life & Reach Out in Love!

2.8.2015

Work is NOT a Four-Letter Word When Work Becomes Idleness  

Lesson 4

 

How the Curse Distorts Our View of Work Distortion

Idolatry

Idealism

Idleness

Attitude  

Work  Is  EVERYTHING.  

SOME  Work  Is  EVERYTHING,  while  OTHER  Work  is  NOTHING.  

Work  Is  NOTHING.  

Motto  

Living  for  the  Work!   Live  to  Work  

Living  for  the  Greener  Grass!   Live  and  Work  for  the  Next  Thing  

Living  for  the  Weekend!   Work  to  Live!  

Problem  

Workaholic  

Discontented  Heart  &  Dualistic  Worldview  

Sluggard  

Reminder  

Work  makes  a  lousy  God.  

Work  is  not  your  primary  calling.  

Work  is  not  a  four-­‐letter  word.  

   

Work is NOT a Four Letter Word  

 

1. What Is Idleness?   Idleness  can  mean…    

➤   Idle  HANDS    Proverbs 20:4; 6:14–15     ➤   Idle  HEARTS    Proverbs 26:16; 28:1       WHERE  IS  YOUR  HEART  WHEN  YOU  ARE  WORKING?    

Is  your  heart  in  your  work  TOO  MUCH,  so  you  make  an  IDOL  of  it?    Is  your  heart  in  your  work  NOT  ENOUGH,  so  you  are  IDLE  in  it?    

Are  you  worshipping  while  you  work,  so  your  heart  is  focused  on  WORKING  FOR  THE  LORD?    

We  may  be  HARD  WORKERS  but  STILL  SLUGGARDS,  when  it  comes  to  WORKING  AS  UNTO  THE  LORD!       Three  Ways  We  View  Work  as  Nothing    

➤   Doing  NOTHING  AT  ALL.      Matthew  25:14-­‐30     Always  WORKING  HARD  at  NOT  WORKING:    Lazy  people  can  be  VERY  BUSY  PEOPLE!   1)    BUSY  DOING  the  wrong  things  at  the  wrong  time  for  the  wrong  reasons!    Matthew  25:24-­‐25   2)    BUSY  GETTING  into  other  people’s  business!    2Thessalonians 3:11  

    ➤   Doing  SOMETHING  TO  GET  BY.    

Doing  Something  to  Just  Get  By  is  “Working  Without”    

1)   Without  a  sense  of  God’s  FUTURE  ACCOUNTABILITY.    Matthew  25:14,  16-­‐19       2)   Without  a  sense  of  God’s  PRESENT  PLEASURE.    Matthew  25:21-­‐30    

“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things…”

3)   Without  a  sense  of  God’s  KINGDOM  REALTIES.    Matthew  25:21-­‐23  

“His master said to him…I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

Two Vital Kingdom Realities: #1   We  will  still  be  working  in  the  Millennial  Kingdom!   #2  

We  will  be  working  in  the  joy  of  the  Lord  –  no  more  curse  –  no  more  distortion  –  no  more  lack  of  fulfillment!  

    ➤   Doing  THE  SAME  THING  WITHOUT  JOY.        

2. Working for the King Will Overcome Idleness!   The  King  Commands  and  Commends  Working  Hard    

➤   Right  doctrine  leads  to  the  right  kind  of  HARD  WORK  (while  wrong  doctrine  leads  to  idleness).    2Thessalonians 3:7-13       However,  WRONG  Doctrine  (or  the  MISAPPLICATION  of  Right  Doctrine)  Leads  to  IDLENESS!    

1)   Jesus  is  COMING!       •  

Stop  working  at  all!  

•  

Start  working  less!  

OR  the  Tribulation  is  coming  and  we  are  in  it!    Run  for  the  hills  and  become  a  doomsday  prepper!       2)   Jesus  is  EVERYTHING!   •  

So  my  job  is  now  nothing  –  become  discontent  and  idle  in  your  work!  

•  

Change  jobs  to  go  into  the  REAL  WORK  –  KINGDOM  WORK  –  VOCATIONAL  MINISTRY!  

    ➤   Right  doctrine  leads  to  the  right  kind  of  HEART  MOTIVATION.      Colossians 3:22-24     WORKING  FOR  THE  KING  CHANGES  EVERYTHING!    

DO  EVERYTHING  as  for  the  Lord!      Work  hard  for  the  right  person  and  the  right  purpose!  

  Whatever  You  Do,  Do  It  with…   1)   LOYALTY:    With  a  whole  heart!    

 

“Slaves, IN ALL THINGS OBEY those who are your masters on earth, NOT WITH EXTERNAL SERVICE, AS THOSE WHO MERELY PLEASE MEN, but with sincerity OF HEART…”    

Issue:    HOW  do  we  FOLLOW  THROUGH  on  what  we  are  told  to  do?  

  2)   SINCERITY:    With  a  sincere  heart!    

“…but WITH SINCERITY OF HEART fearing THE LORD…”    

Issue:    HOW  do  we  work  on  the  INSIDE  versus  how  we  APPEAR  to  work  on  the  OUTSIDE?  

  3)   INTEGRITY:    With  a  reverent  heart!    

“…FEARING THE LORD. Whatever you do, do your work heartily, AS FOR THE LORD rather than for men, knowing that FROM THE LORD you will receive the reward of the inheritance. IT IS THE LORD CHRIST WHOM YOU SERVE.”    

Issue:    HOW  do  we  work  WHEN  no  one  is  LOOKING?  

  4)   QUALITY:    With  a  motivated  heart!    

“Whatever you do, do your work heartily, AS FOR THE LORD rather than for men”    

Issue:  WHO  are  we  REALLY  WORKING  FOR  and  SEEKING  to  PLEASE?  

  5)   INTENSITY:    With  a  believing  (confident/joyful)  heart!    

“knowing that FROM THE LORD you will receive the reward of the inheritance.”    

Issue:    WHERE  are  we  looking  for  our  REWARD  and  WHO  are  we  looking  to  get  our  PROMOTIONS  from?  

 

Your work matters to God, so work like your work matters to God!   Are  You  Idle  in  Your  Work?    

➤   Is  your  work  merely  a  means  to  an  end––a  place  to  serve  your  own  ends?   ➤   Does  your  work  totally  frustrate  you,  so  that  you  lose  your  joy  in  the  Lord  and  forget  you’re  working  for  the  King?   ➤   Does  your  work  become  divorced  from  your  discipleship  –  becoming  more  like  Jesus?     RECOGNIZE  your  idleness  for  what  it  is  –  sin!   REPENT  of  not  working  for  the  King  with  all  your  heart!   RECOMMIT  to  God’s  purposes  for  your  job!     “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men.”