Get To Work

Introduction

A. Have you ever played the game “gossip”? The leader will whisper something into the ear of the person next to them and then one by one the message is passed to the participants. The last person shares the message he or she received. It is never the same message. What began as a simple message turns into some kind of incoherent phrasing. It is a fun game because it illustrates the truth that gossip is rarely factual. Exaggeration is inevitable and details are added to unknown pieces of the puzzle. In Jr. High I had an accident at school. The tip of my index finger was severed when it was caught in a door. Of course, I had to go to the hospital and have things taken care of. By the next day, news was varied. Some thought my hand or arm had been broken. I even had one person who asked me about my severed hand. We tend to exaggerate stories and to fill in details when we aren’t sure of the truth. Today we finish our study of Thessalonians. Interestingly, Paul ends this second letter with a long section regarding work, gossip, and discipline. Other than his words on the return of Christ nothing gains his attention more than this subject. Having encouraged his readers to continue to live for Jesus, Paul will finish this letter with an intense warning about continuing to work and not gossiping. Obviously, this subject demanded his attention and obviously he knew how destructive this could be. The wise person learns from the warnings given to others. Let’s learn today.

The Setting

A. While we are not certain about the events taking place in Thessalonica which precipitated these remarks from Paul, we can make a fairly accurate guess. From Acts 17, we know that some prominent women became Christians as well as a number of Greeks and some Jews. From the two letters we do know that the second coming of Christ was of major importance to them. In fact, it appears that some believed that His return was likely to happen in their lifetime. This is what brought the question in 1 Thessalonians 4 about those who died before Christ returned. The Thessalonians wondered if death would keep them from participating in Christ’s glory when He returned. Because of the belief that Christ’s return would be any day, we can guess that some of these Christians had given up their jobs in order to wait for Christ’s return. This has resulted in a some, and it would be a minority, depending on others for their daily bread.

B. From some historical documents we know that it was not customary for the rich to sponsor the poor. This sponsorship would result in the poor being fed by the rich in exchange the poor would announce the beneficent spirit of the rich. This reciprocal relationship produced food for the poor and notoriety for the rich. What seems to be happening in Thessalonica is that some have quit their jobs. The wealthy feel responsible for making sure that their brothers and sisters are fed. Thus, they sponsor the poor. If you will recall, Paul has already encouraged those who are not working in 1 Thess. 4:11-12. He has encouraged them to work with their hands and not to be dependent on anyone. But that gentle encouragement did not seem to work.

C. So Paul readdresses this issue in his second letter. Now the encouragement has changed to a direct command. Verse 6, Paul commands that those who are providing for the unemployed are to pull away from them. They are not to have anything to do with the idle or lazy. Paul uses his own lifestyle when he lived among them as an example. He had a right to be compensated for his teaching, but instead chose to work with his hands so that he did not need any financial help from those he was teaching. He says in verse 10 that he taught them this proverb and they should be following it. “If a man will not work, he will not eat.” When a person chooses not to work then that person must not be allowed to depend on the goodness of his brothers and sisters for survival.

D. Paul goes on in verse 11 to say that he knows who are idle or lazy. He knows who it is that refuses to work. With a play on words which the NIV captures well, Paul says instead of being busy they have become busybodies. They are to go back to work and begin earning the bread they eat. In the meantime, the working brothers and sisters are not to grow weary in doing right. Probably in this case Paul has a dual meaning. They are not to grow weary in doing the right thing by refusing to help the idle nor are they to grow weary in doing the right thing by helping those who are truly in need.

E. Paul goes on in verses 14-15 giving commands if his words are not followed. If the one who is not working refuses to go back to work then the congregation is not to associate with him. They are to do this so that the lazy man will feel ashamed and repent. They are not to treat him as an enemy but as a brother. While Paul does not outline specifics of how this is to be done, it is obvious that the non-working brother is to be shamed into going back to work, while the congregation is to continue to treat him with love.

Lessons

A. Two major lessons come from this text. First, disruption is not acceptable. The word “idle” in verse 6 is used in 1 Thess. 5:14 and in the NIV is translated “idle” as well. The word is used in nonbiblical sources to describe a soldier who is out of step with the ranks. It is used to describe anyone or anything out of place. It describes intentional idleness what we might call “loafing” or “goofing off.” Other words used include disorderly and unruly. This is a matter of choice. This is not idleness because of a job lost. It is disorderliness because one chooses to give up his job and refuses to find another job. But in their idleness they are gossiping. They have turned their idle hours into a time to get involved into other’s lives and bringing great disruption. All of this brings the command to not tolerate such behavior. The church is told to keep away from such a person and not to associate with him.

1. Here's the point. Lines must be drawn when unruly behavior causes disruption. Discipline within a congregation is not often discussed. And many times does not have to be practiced. But there are times when disruptive behavior cannot be tolerated. Gossip, taking advantage of other's generosity led to disruption of the brotherly love which Paul wanted them to have. Such could not be tolerated.

2. What was the point? To bring repentance. The persons involved were to be shamed into changing their lifestyle. There is real sin and real guilt. Our culture encourages us to run from guilt feelings. Well there are times when we need to feel guilty because we have committed real sin. Let me be direct. If you have the time to talk about other people, then you are being disruptive and cannot be tolerated. We are slow to respond to such situations because we believe with time things will get better. Paul didn't hesitate. Pull away. Don't have anything to do with such a person were his clear explicit instructions.

3. I am convinced that gossip will kill a congregation. Why do we find it so interesting to talk about others? When a person becomes unruly and disruptive in their words, then such a person needs to be told to settle down (verse 12) and told then to repent. Such disruption is too damaging to overlook or to ignore.

B. Second, having brotherly love can be difficult. Back in 1 Thess. 4:9 right before his encouragement to work, Paul writes that he wants this congregation to practice brotherly love. In verses 6 and 10 brotherly love means to pull away. How is that possible? Sometimes doing the most loving thing is the most difficult. We understand this when it comes to raising children. A child will ask and plead for you to do something for them, but you know that this action on your part would not be loving for your child. In the long run it will not aid in their growth but will instead damage it. A child asks for a dinner which consists of junk food. Parents understand that a child’s body cannot grow properly on such a diet and refuse. The child may even plead on the basis of love for us to respond they way they want us to. But love demands the hard decision.

1. Just a word of caution concerning verse 10. Paul was using that proverb for a specific situation. This proverb must not be used to keep us from helping the poor. Some want to use this proverb for anyone. Paul is not saying that Christians are not to help the poor. He is saying that a Christian who refuses to work and expects his brothers to provide for him is to go hungry. I do not recall having seen this specific situation.

2. But in regards to our brother doing the loving thing means at times taking food off of his table. Why is that loving? Because the goal is to be like Jesus. Jesus didn't live off the generosity of others. Jesus worked hard. Jesus didn't gossip. He lifted people up. Jesus loved and so do we. He helped the poor and so do we. But there were times when Jesus turned his back on his brothers and there may be times when we must as well.

3. Paul's point is to keep harmony and unity in this body at Thessalonica. Thus, he commands his readers to have a spirit of intolerance when their unity is being disrupted.

4. Paul's words not to tire of doing what is right are insightful. Doing the right thing can be draining emotionally and physically. It can be hard to be intolerant of gossip. It can be hard to help the poor. But we want to be like Jesus.

5. Perhaps today there is someone who realizes now their need to change. Perhaps your words have hurt others and disrupted unity. You need to stop. Such cannot be tolerated. Come in repentance. Perhaps someone needs to become a Christian. We certainly want to encourage that. Invitation.

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