WEBVTT 00:00:07.599 --> 00:00:08.400 Thank you. 00:00:08.400 --> 00:00:16.500 Thank you, Worship team, for leading us, preparing our hearts to receive God's Word. 00:00:16.500 --> 00:00:22.899 We've been in the book of Proverbs, and we come to the Book of Proverbs seeking ancient wisdom for a modern time. 00:00:22.899 --> 00:00:28.565 And I don't know where else you're going to find wisdom in this day and age, apart from God's Word. 00:00:28.565 --> 00:00:31.000 There's a lot of people who proclaim to have wisdom. 00:00:31.000 --> 00:00:32.533 And of course, there's common grace. 00:00:32.533 --> 00:00:36.765 God bestows common grace on all people, and there are sources of wisdom. 00:00:36.765 --> 00:00:40.865 But if you want true wisdom, we've got to seek it out in God's Word and find it there. 00:00:40.865 --> 00:00:44.232 And so that's what we're attempting to do as we study the Book of Proverbs. 00:00:44.232 --> 00:00:51.466 Just a few more weeks left, and we've been going through this middle section of Proverbs, looking at it a topic at a time. 00:00:51.466 --> 00:00:54.633 And this week we'll be looking at the topic of work. 00:00:55.966 --> 00:01:03.332 What can we learn from the book of Proverbs about our work, about how we apply God's Word to the way we approach work? 00:01:03.332 --> 00:01:16.766 I've mentioned a few times that we served as missionaries in the South Pacific, and one of the things we got to do while we were serving there was take a trip over to Australia for some training for a conference is just a three hour flight. 00:01:16.766 --> 00:01:19.865 And of course, while we were there we took in some of the sights of Australia. 00:01:19.865 --> 00:01:26.165 We went to the Australian Zoo, which I have an image of our time there together. 00:01:26.165 --> 00:01:27.933 That was the place started by. 00:01:27.933 --> 00:01:29.099 You remember Steve Irwin? 00:01:29.099 --> 00:01:32.233 He was the crocodile hunter god kind of crazy guy. 00:01:32.233 --> 00:01:34.365 Well, they started their own zoo there. 00:01:34.365 --> 00:01:35.500 The family runs it now. 00:01:35.500 --> 00:01:40.266 And while you're there, we got to see some of the, you know, local Australian animals we got. 00:01:40.266 --> 00:01:45.132 I don't know if a meerkat is, unique to Australia or not, but we saw those. 00:01:45.132 --> 00:01:55.200 We saw the kangaroo got to feed the kangaroos and we didn't get pictures of us with them, but of course, they had the koalas and the sloths are ones they're well known for. 00:01:55.200 --> 00:01:56.733 And of course, those are cute. 00:01:56.733 --> 00:01:59.733 They're in in the, zoo. 00:02:00.000 --> 00:02:04.433 What's interesting about those animals is how slow they are. 00:02:04.433 --> 00:02:05.665 The koala and the sloth both. 00:02:05.665 --> 00:02:11.866 They barely move because the food that they eat doesn't give them any nutrients, so they barely move. 00:02:11.866 --> 00:02:13.566 I don't know why they don't choose a different food. 00:02:13.566 --> 00:02:15.432 So that they can move more. 00:02:15.432 --> 00:02:17.400 But some of you are like, I had those donuts too. 00:02:17.400 --> 00:02:18.932 I know what you're talking about. 00:02:18.932 --> 00:02:22.765 I'm kind of feeling that they're really cute at the zoo. 00:02:22.765 --> 00:02:25.699 But here's one place you don't want to see the sloth. 00:02:25.699 --> 00:02:28.233 I don't know if any of you have seen this image, right? 00:02:28.233 --> 00:02:29.532 The DMV. 00:02:29.532 --> 00:02:31.199 Sorry, Evan. Don't take that personally. 00:02:31.199 --> 00:02:33.000 Evan Rice worked at the DMV. 00:02:33.000 --> 00:02:35.900 I love our local DMV workers, by the way. 00:02:35.900 --> 00:02:37.233 Very grateful for you. 00:02:37.233 --> 00:02:41.165 If I'm ever in there, please know that I value you highly. 00:02:41.800 --> 00:02:49.233 But that's not where you want to see a sloth working, because you want the people working in a job and a place where you go. 00:02:49.233 --> 00:02:51.000 You can take the image down now. 00:02:51.000 --> 00:02:53.532 You want them to be good at their job. 00:02:53.532 --> 00:02:55.699 You want them to be productive, efficient. 00:02:55.699 --> 00:02:57.765 You want them to think about the customer. 00:03:20.633 --> 00:03:28.199 You have direct contrast between the diligent and the not diligent, the diligent and the slothful, the diligent and the sluggard, the diligent and the lazy. 00:03:28.199 --> 00:03:30.765 We're going to look at those four contrast. 00:03:30.765 --> 00:03:36.066 But first, before doing that, I want to take a step back and just look at how work begins in the Bible. 00:03:36.066 --> 00:03:44.566 That's a good starting place, because I think sometimes in our lives we have differing perspectives on work. 00:03:44.733 --> 00:03:48.633 We have differing views on what work is about or should be about. 00:03:48.633 --> 00:03:50.832 But how did it all begin? 00:03:50.832 --> 00:03:57.966 If you look in the book of Genesis and we have these verses listed in the notes handout, if you didn't get one of those, slip your hand out. 00:03:57.966 --> 00:04:00.432 Maybe we'll be able to get one to you now. 00:04:01.832 --> 00:04:05.165 But the way work began is really interesting. 00:04:05.165 --> 00:04:09.233 If you go back to the book of Genesis, in fact, there's a Bible teacher, Robert Lewis. 00:04:09.233 --> 00:04:10.532 He was a pastor. 00:04:10.532 --> 00:04:12.866 He did a lot of writing for men. 00:04:12.866 --> 00:04:19.500 And he said that when God put Adam in the garden, he gave him three things to do. 00:04:19.500 --> 00:04:20.300 He gave them. 00:04:20.300 --> 00:04:26.165 He gave him a will to obey, a woman to love, and a work to do. 00:04:27.132 --> 00:04:34.100 He put the man in the garden, gave him a will to obey, follow God's law, a woman to love someone, to share a life with, and then a work to do. 00:04:34.100 --> 00:04:36.632 In fact, they were given the work to do together. 00:04:36.632 --> 00:04:37.865 If you look here in your notes 00:04:37.865 --> 00:04:51.033 28, part of the command to them was to be fruitful, which requires them to work together toward that end, fill the earth, subdue it, and have dominion rule over the earth. 00:04:51.033 --> 00:04:52.432 Care for the earth. 00:04:52.432 --> 00:04:56.733 In chapter two, God took man, put him in the garden to work it and keep it. 00:04:57.800 --> 00:05:09.966 You know, part of his creative design is that people on this earth would have a role in caring for the earth and taking the shape of what is produced on the earth. 00:05:09.966 --> 00:05:11.766 And this was before the fall. 00:05:11.766 --> 00:05:14.966 This was all good work given at the beginning. 00:05:14.966 --> 00:05:17.966 All of it was a very good thing. 00:05:18.033 --> 00:05:19.833 Look at chapter two, verse 20. 00:05:19.833 --> 00:05:25.000 The man part of his work was to give names to all the livestock and the birds, and every beast of the field. 00:05:25.000 --> 00:05:27.632 So there was a variety of work given in the garden. 00:05:27.632 --> 00:05:30.399 Work was given good. 00:05:30.399 --> 00:05:31.399 But then here's what happened. 00:05:31.399 --> 00:05:32.365 The fall came. 00:05:32.365 --> 00:05:44.565 Adam and Eve rejected God's rule in their life and as a result, if you look in chapter three verses and we could go through that whole section, but just some of the key phrases that relate to what happened with work. 00:05:44.565 --> 00:05:45.632 Cursed is the ground. 00:05:45.632 --> 00:05:52.300 The ground became cursed at this point in pain, thorns and thistles, by the sweat of your brow. 00:05:52.300 --> 00:05:54.932 will your work be associated. 00:05:54.932 --> 00:05:57.432 Your work now will have added challenges. 00:05:57.432 --> 00:06:05.365 It won't be as easy as it was to get the results that you want, and so work was given as a good thing. 00:06:05.365 --> 00:06:07.233 Something for us to take part in. 00:06:07.233 --> 00:06:10.165 Something that we could help be a part of, contributing to the world. 00:06:10.165 --> 00:06:13.199 And yet now, because of sin, there are challenges to our work. 00:06:13.199 --> 00:06:15.966 That doesn't mean it's bad. 00:06:15.966 --> 00:06:19.165 And anybody who's worked any job has experience this. 00:06:19.165 --> 00:06:27.266 Even as hard as you're trying to do something good, challenges come up that seem to want to keep you from accomplishing anything good, and you've got to work through those. 00:06:27.266 --> 00:06:31.300 You've got to press into that, you've got to move forward. 00:06:31.300 --> 00:06:42.399 There's a couple of interesting things I think that happen as a result of this, because the tendency would be to think that because now that there are challenges with work, work must all be bad. 00:06:42.399 --> 00:06:46.899 But there I think there are two, I want to say positives that come out of that. 00:06:46.899 --> 00:06:49.233 Maybe that's not the best word. 00:06:49.233 --> 00:06:54.365 Two results that I think strengthen us by the fact that work has challenges. 00:06:54.365 --> 00:06:55.833 Work is harder. 00:06:55.833 --> 00:06:58.833 One is appreciation. 00:07:00.966 --> 00:07:07.165 I tend to appreciate things that I have worked for versus things that I haven't. 00:07:07.233 --> 00:07:10.565 Every parent can attest to this. 00:07:10.565 --> 00:07:16.966 In fact, the kids who are least appreciative are the ones who have the most given to them. 00:07:16.966 --> 00:07:18.533 It isn't that crazy, by the way. 00:07:18.533 --> 00:07:19.966 Shouldn't it be the other way? 00:07:19.966 --> 00:07:26.733 The more I'm given, the more grateful I would be, but it's almost always the opposite because you don't. Really. 00:07:26.733 --> 00:07:28.365 And by the way, I'm guilty. 00:07:28.365 --> 00:07:31.165 I don't appreciate I didn't appreciate all my parents had done for me. 00:07:31.165 --> 00:07:35.432 I probably still don't fully appreciate all that they've done for me. 00:07:35.432 --> 00:07:38.899 They don't need to comment right now about that. By the way. 00:07:38.899 --> 00:07:46.665 They're you're but you you understand if you haven't struggled for it, you don't quite understand what all went into it. 00:07:46.665 --> 00:07:49.500 There's not the same level of appreciation, I can guarantee you. 00:07:49.500 --> 00:07:58.266 I treated the first car I bought, that 78 Malibu lowrider and half primer paint, kind of this whole hodgepodge of components all over it. 00:07:58.266 --> 00:08:13.966 I treated it with such care because I knew how much hard work it took at $3.35 an hour to save up the $800 to pay for it, which seemed like a gargantuan fortune. 00:08:14.699 --> 00:08:21.300 Whereas my buddy down the road, his parents gave him a brand new car, and in two years it was trashed there. 00:08:21.300 --> 00:08:24.065 You know, there was a whole car, all kinds of things going on there. 00:08:24.065 --> 00:08:29.600 But, you know, there's a level of appreciation when you've had to struggle for something that you go, I know what this is worth. 00:08:29.600 --> 00:08:32.365 I know what this took. 00:08:32.365 --> 00:08:35.133 That's one value that comes through the struggle. 00:08:35.133 --> 00:08:38.133 The other is increased dependance. 00:08:39.133 --> 00:08:48.399 Our hope is that through the reality that our work has struggles, that that points us, turns us, pushes us to lean on Christ more rather than self. 00:08:48.399 --> 00:08:51.633 If everything is easy, I tend to think, man, I am the best. 00:08:53.399 --> 00:08:56.232 I have got this figured out. 00:08:56.232 --> 00:08:58.166 But when it's hard. 00:08:58.166 --> 00:09:00.066 Jesus, you better show up. 00:09:00.066 --> 00:09:00.732 Where are you? 00:09:00.732 --> 00:09:04.332 I need you, you know, I should turn there to when it's easy. 00:09:04.332 --> 00:09:07.832 But when it's hard, that's where we naturally go. 00:09:07.832 --> 00:09:08.899 Jesus knew this. By the way. 00:09:08.899 --> 00:09:11.000 33 here in your notes. 00:09:11.000 --> 00:09:13.200 In this world you will have trouble. 00:09:13.200 --> 00:09:14.232 He knew it. 00:09:14.232 --> 00:09:16.765 He knows there will be trouble in this world. 00:09:16.765 --> 00:09:18.566 But take heart. 00:09:18.566 --> 00:09:21.566 I have overcome the world. 00:09:22.332 --> 00:09:23.365 That's where we turn. 00:09:23.365 --> 00:09:32.033 In the midst of the challenges he has overcome the world, we can turn to him to find the strength that should increase our dependance on him. 00:09:32.033 --> 00:09:33.332 So work was given. 00:09:33.332 --> 00:09:34.533 It's given as a good thing. 00:09:34.533 --> 00:09:35.700 There are challenges. 00:09:35.700 --> 00:09:39.500 Challenges that should push us to lean on him more now. 00:09:39.500 --> 00:09:43.932 Specifically, in light of all that, what does Proverbs say about work? 00:09:43.932 --> 00:09:45.365 What can we learn from Proverbs? 00:09:45.365 --> 00:09:47.732 How can we gain wisdom from Proverbs? 00:09:47.732 --> 00:09:53.033 That's known as the Book of Wisdom, and apply it to the way we approach work now in our life? 00:09:53.033 --> 00:09:55.600 For contrast, we'll see here. 00:09:55.600 --> 00:09:57.832 And the first one in your notes. 00:09:59.832 --> 00:10:05.365 The contrast between the diligent person and the slothful person here is the contrast. 00:10:05.365 --> 00:10:09.500 Will you cause poverty or make rich? 00:10:09.500 --> 00:10:16.832 Or will you cause poverty or make riches be a part of making wealth, cause poverty, or make rich? 00:10:16.832 --> 00:10:34.299 This first verse here is that contrast and in each of those, each of these, points, the first verse listed is gives the main contrast ten verse four, a slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. 00:10:34.299 --> 00:10:38.932 The slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes risk rich. 00:10:38.932 --> 00:10:42.000 Here's the contrast between the person who is diligent. 00:10:42.000 --> 00:10:50.133 They create wealth and they do it not just for themselves, but they also do it for others. 00:10:50.133 --> 00:10:52.232 I've got a friend who owns a business. 00:10:52.232 --> 00:10:53.533 He started it from scratch. 00:10:54.600 --> 00:11:00.600 He's built it over decades and especially over the last decade, it has grown significantly, he said. 00:11:00.600 --> 00:11:07.732 Every quarter for a couple of years, it was doubling in size, really growing. 00:11:07.732 --> 00:11:10.133 And now he's at the point nearing retirement age. 00:11:10.133 --> 00:11:13.399 And and we talked about, you know, hey, what are you going to do. 00:11:13.399 --> 00:11:14.732 How are you going to approach retirement. 00:11:14.732 --> 00:11:17.265 There's a lot of different ways he could approach it. 00:11:17.265 --> 00:11:19.232 He could just continue working till he drops. 00:11:19.232 --> 00:11:21.700 He could divide it up between some people at the company. 00:11:21.700 --> 00:11:23.133 He could hand it all over to someone else. 00:11:23.133 --> 00:11:25.166 He could sell it. 00:11:25.166 --> 00:11:27.566 And he said, John, I've wrestled with all these different ideas. 00:11:27.566 --> 00:11:38.799 You know, the idea of selling, it's got the most financial appeal because I could get a big lump sum all at once. But he said, but listen, what about all the families that depend on me? 00:11:38.799 --> 00:11:41.732 I mean, if I sell it, I don't know what's going to happen with them. 00:11:41.732 --> 00:11:44.033 These are people I love and care for. 00:11:44.033 --> 00:11:50.033 I've spent my life investing in this company with them, and if I sell it off, who knows what will happen. 00:11:50.033 --> 00:12:01.799 I don't know because of his care, because of his diligence, he created wealth not just for himself and he created a lot of wealth for himself. 00:12:01.799 --> 00:12:08.100 He created wealth for hundreds of families. 00:12:08.265 --> 00:12:10.633 There's so much power in that. 00:12:10.633 --> 00:12:13.633 The diligent creates wealth. 00:12:14.799 --> 00:12:20.666 In fact, one thing that's interesting, I think it all started for him around the idea of craftsmanship. 00:12:20.666 --> 00:12:28.066 29, do you see a man skillful in his work? 00:12:29.232 --> 00:12:31.966 He will stand before kings. 00:12:31.966 --> 00:12:34.832 He will not stand before obscure men. 00:12:34.832 --> 00:12:45.932 If you want to build a business, if you want to be one who is diligent in their work and creates wealth, even if it's just for you and your family, and it doesn't extend out to hundreds of families. 00:12:45.932 --> 00:12:47.232 Like that's not for everyone. 00:12:47.232 --> 00:13:00.966 Not everyone has that ability, but it starts with seeing whatever work you have as your craft, as your stewardship, as treating it well, as doing the best you can with what you have. 00:13:00.966 --> 00:13:10.765 Because as you grow in your understanding of your craft, the things you learn in that they're going to apply in other areas of life. 00:13:10.765 --> 00:13:16.966 If you're given more responsibility, you're going to know how to handle the small thing, so you'll know how to handle the big thing 00:13:16.966 --> 00:13:26.500 10 that says, whoever is faithful with little will also be faithful with much, but whoever is not faithful with little will not be faithful with much. 00:13:27.533 --> 00:13:28.332 And so it starts. 00:13:28.332 --> 00:13:30.000 And it started for him as craftsmanship. 00:13:30.000 --> 00:13:31.700 They started small, started a couple of guys. 00:13:31.700 --> 00:13:35.932 They do whatever they could to earn money, and they did it with care and they did it with excellence. 00:13:35.932 --> 00:13:40.299 Even things that seemed below them for where they were headed in their vision. 00:13:40.299 --> 00:13:45.033 They did it with excellence and people took notice. 00:13:45.500 --> 00:13:50.265 Now contrast that, contrast the craftsman, the diligent contrast that with. 00:13:50.265 --> 00:13:55.600 It says here the slack hand who causes poverty. 00:13:56.332 --> 00:14:06.700 Now the interesting thing about the lazy, slack, slothful person causing poverty is, of course, it causes poverty for themselves, but also for others. 00:14:06.700 --> 00:14:26.932 If I'm not effective in my job, if I'm not working hard in my job, if I'm wasting the money of my employer, then of course I'm causing poverty for them, then not only that, if I'm not doing my work now, I'm forcing someone else to pick up the slack, which of course reduces their productivity as well. 00:14:27.000 --> 00:14:28.932 The slack hand it's not. 00:14:28.932 --> 00:14:35.799 A lot of times we feel like the decisions we make only affect us, but oftentimes they affect many others around us. 00:14:35.799 --> 00:14:45.133 And I'm sure we could go around the room and get stories of people who have had to pick up the slack of other people in places you've worked, and that's not fun. 00:14:45.133 --> 00:14:46.200 It affects everyone. 00:14:46.200 --> 00:14:47.533 It affects the whole thing. 00:14:47.533 --> 00:14:49.232 Look at this verse here 18 nine. 00:14:49.232 --> 00:14:55.700 Whoever is slack in his work is a brother to him who destroys. 00:14:56.232 --> 00:15:04.066 You know, it's not just about how it affects me, it also affects others around me. 00:15:04.066 --> 00:15:12.432 Part of the problem is I end up creating a situation now where others have to pick up the slack and possibly have to take care of things. 00:15:12.432 --> 00:15:13.832 I should have taken care of myself. 00:15:13.832 --> 00:15:15.832 Look at chapter 20, verse four listed here. 00:15:15.832 --> 00:15:18.832 The sluggard does not plow in the autumn. 00:15:19.365 --> 00:15:29.966 He will seek at harvest and have nothing, because I did not plow, because I did not tend, because I did not create in the season where I should have. 00:15:29.966 --> 00:15:31.566 And now when I need it, it's not there. 00:15:31.566 --> 00:15:34.566 And so now I'm depending on others. 00:15:35.466 --> 00:15:37.633 Now someone else has to pick that up. 00:15:37.633 --> 00:15:45.932 Maybe they didn't want to and now they don't have a choice, or I get to go without Derek Kidner, he's a Bible commentator, He said it this way. 00:15:45.932 --> 00:15:53.399 He said the problem with the person described in this verse the slack hand who causes poverty. 00:15:53.399 --> 00:15:56.966 One of the problems is they become an excuse machine. 00:15:59.033 --> 00:16:04.200 You can come to them needing them to work, give them opportunities to work, present ideas about work. 00:16:04.200 --> 00:16:08.432 But for every opportunity there's a matching excuse. 00:16:08.432 --> 00:16:09.799 Now look at chapter 26. 00:16:09.799 --> 00:16:14.133 If you have a church Bible, you can flip over to page page 513 that's listed here in your notes. 00:16:14.133 --> 00:16:17.166 I just want you to see he walks through these examples. 00:16:17.166 --> 00:16:21.500 There's a list of them in chapter 26, verse 13 through 16. 00:16:22.332 --> 00:16:24.033 Look at some of these. 00:16:24.033 --> 00:16:27.500 The sluggard says there is a lion in the road. 00:16:27.500 --> 00:16:30.200 There's a lion in the streets. 00:16:30.200 --> 00:16:32.566 The sluggard says, I can't go work. 00:16:32.566 --> 00:16:33.600 It's too dangerous. 00:16:33.600 --> 00:16:36.533 I might get attacked by a lion. 00:16:36.533 --> 00:16:42.533 You see, these are on the absurd level, and maybe there might be. 00:16:42.533 --> 00:16:47.466 I guess there's a chance there could be even a mountain lion out in front of your house waiting to attack you. 00:16:49.000 --> 00:16:51.100 But these become excuses. 00:16:51.100 --> 00:16:51.966 I can't work today. 00:16:51.966 --> 00:16:53.299 It's too dangerous. Here's another one. 00:16:53.299 --> 00:16:53.600 Look here. 00:16:53.600 --> 00:16:59.133 As a door turns on its hinges, so does a sluggard in his bed. 00:16:59.133 --> 00:17:04.066 And the imagery here is I turn over and I start to move towards work, and I'm turn right back. 00:17:04.066 --> 00:17:08.066 I haven't had enough sleep yet, and that's their main activity. 00:17:08.066 --> 00:17:12.432 Turning one direction, turning back now by the way, let me comment on this. 00:17:12.432 --> 00:17:16.165 Some take this and some of the proverbs on sleep. 00:17:16.165 --> 00:17:18.032 Some take this and go sleep is bad. 00:17:18.032 --> 00:17:19.266 You should always be working. 00:17:19.266 --> 00:17:20.865 Oh no no no no. 00:17:20.865 --> 00:17:23.266 Listen, God created us to need rest. 00:17:23.266 --> 00:17:25.700 And if you work when you should be sleeping, that's not good. 00:17:25.700 --> 00:17:26.299 And if you sleep. 00:17:26.299 --> 00:17:29.432 But if you sleep when you should be working, that's not good either. 00:17:29.432 --> 00:17:36.932 We need an adequate amount of rest to be able to function in life, but this is the person who never has enough sleep. 00:17:36.932 --> 00:17:38.432 Let me make another comment as well. 00:17:38.432 --> 00:17:42.932 As we're talking about all this, I get that we all have seasons of life. 00:17:42.932 --> 00:17:46.432 Maybe you have chronic illness that affects your ability to work. 00:17:46.432 --> 00:17:51.400 Maybe some of us have just gotten more experienced in our abilities, have lessened over time. 00:17:51.400 --> 00:17:53.766 That I'm not talking about all of that. 00:17:55.099 --> 00:18:01.099 I'm talking about the person who can work and just has an excuse and won't over and over and over again. 00:18:01.099 --> 00:18:04.099 That's who is being addressed here. 00:18:04.532 --> 00:18:05.099 Look as well. 00:18:05.099 --> 00:18:06.766 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish. 00:18:06.766 --> 00:18:10.766 It wears him out to even bring it back to his mouth. 00:18:10.965 --> 00:18:16.432 And the implication here is that the food was prepared for him, and he won't even take the time to eat it. 00:18:16.432 --> 00:18:18.700 I'm just too tired. 00:18:18.700 --> 00:18:19.833 And you. 00:18:19.833 --> 00:18:30.965 I know you've had this situation where you've gone out of your way to do something for someone, something special that you know they need, and they won't even see it the rest of the way through. 00:18:30.965 --> 00:18:34.133 Why did I waste my time and my effort? 00:18:35.400 --> 00:18:38.400 You see, the sluggard has excuse. 00:18:38.500 --> 00:18:41.665 Well, that's just too hard to even bring the food up to my own mouth. 00:18:41.665 --> 00:18:46.799 Will you will you feed it in for me one excuse after another. 00:18:46.799 --> 00:18:53.365 And then look at this last one, though verse 16, the sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly. 00:18:54.532 --> 00:19:12.599 And I think this is the tragedy of this whole situation, is that the sluggard doesn't even see it, can't even see that they’re the problem here, and they have more wisdom than actually wise people around them. 00:19:12.932 --> 00:19:18.700 So are we going to be people who cause poverty or create wealth? 00:19:18.932 --> 00:19:21.932 Here's the reality for the Christian. 00:19:22.432 --> 00:19:23.799 And I don't know your situation. 00:19:23.799 --> 00:19:24.932 I don't know your abilities. 00:19:24.932 --> 00:19:33.000 We all have different talents and skills and abilities, but Christians are called to be givers, not takers. 00:19:33.000 --> 00:19:36.333 We're called to be life givers, not takers. 00:19:36.333 --> 00:19:37.900 And you know the difference. 00:19:37.900 --> 00:19:38.965 And it's going to look different 00:19:38.965 --> 00:19:41.200 38 here. 00:19:41.200 --> 00:19:46.232 Jesus said, whoever believes in me as Scripture said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. 00:19:48.266 --> 00:19:55.965 From us should flow life, and some of us will have the ability to pour out a lot more life than others. 00:19:56.965 --> 00:20:01.032 But the Christian should be known as the giver, not the taker. 00:20:01.032 --> 00:20:02.099 Look at the next verse here. 00:20:02.099 --> 00:20:09.032 45 Even the Son of Man came not to be served. 00:20:10.032 --> 00:20:15.500 And if anybody could ever come and demand to be served, it would be Jesus. 00:20:15.500 --> 00:20:21.665 And he came not to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many. 00:20:22.200 --> 00:20:31.799 You know, at the very heart, at the core of our faith is the example of one who laid down his life and gave abundantly. 00:20:31.799 --> 00:20:36.066 We shouldn't be surprised that that's the call on us. 00:20:37.400 --> 00:20:43.400 So are we going to cause poverty or are we going to cause wealth? 00:20:43.400 --> 00:20:45.633 Be life giving, give to others? 00:20:45.633 --> 00:20:48.532 I'm not only talking about finances your life. 00:20:48.532 --> 00:20:50.333 We want to give life to others. 00:20:50.333 --> 00:20:51.532 That's the call of the Christian. 00:20:51.532 --> 00:20:52.766 So that's the first one. 00:20:52.766 --> 00:20:55.766 Look at number two. 00:20:55.965 --> 00:20:58.965 Will we rule or be ruled? 00:20:59.766 --> 00:21:01.865 Rule or be ruled? 00:21:01.865 --> 00:21:04.200 Chapter 12, verse 24 is listed here. 00:21:04.200 --> 00:21:10.833 The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor. 00:21:12.066 --> 00:21:13.833 The hand of the diligent will rule. 00:21:13.833 --> 00:21:15.732 The slothful will be put to forced labor. 00:21:15.732 --> 00:21:21.766 The contrast is between those who are going to be in a place where they can be life givers. 00:21:21.766 --> 00:21:34.432 They can be productive, they can lead, versus those who will be put in a place where they have no choice but to just have to do whatever they're told by whoever is around them. 00:21:34.432 --> 00:21:40.365 Now the reality is we all serve under someone. 00:21:40.365 --> 00:21:43.000 We all have someone over us telling us what to do. 00:21:43.000 --> 00:21:52.965 Even the most independently wealthy people on the planet still have customers that they need to serve well, still have government laws they need to follow. 00:21:52.965 --> 00:21:58.400 We all have someone that we have to submit to no matter who we are. 00:21:58.400 --> 00:22:07.799 But the question is, and the issue here is what we where we don't want to end up is in a place where it becomes like slavery. 00:22:09.299 --> 00:22:19.400 You know, that can happen in the workplace where I'm in a job and I don't want to be, and it's awful, but I have no other choice because of life decisions I've ended up here. 00:22:19.400 --> 00:22:22.400 That's true of work for many. 00:22:23.200 --> 00:22:26.200 It can also be true financially. 00:22:26.232 --> 00:22:36.133 One of the verses listed here, verse 22 seven, the rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is slave of the lender. 00:22:37.932 --> 00:22:42.766 Now, I want to be careful to say that borrowing money isn't a sin per se. 00:22:42.766 --> 00:22:45.333 The Bible never says that's inherently wrong. 00:22:45.333 --> 00:22:46.165 And I know the bankers. 00:22:46.165 --> 00:22:50.200 We've got a few bankers in the audience that are thanking me for clarifying that. 00:22:50.200 --> 00:22:53.799 No, in fact, that can help create wealth done rightly. 00:22:53.799 --> 00:23:11.333 But even when it's done well in the right situation, there is a hint of the reality that the borrower is a slave to the lender at some level, because of debt, you do have constraints on your life. 00:23:11.432 --> 00:23:21.066 There is someone you a portion of your money is beholden to, and if not, if you don't, bring it and give it to them, that will cause big problems in your life. 00:23:23.766 --> 00:23:27.900 But the diligent person here speaks of the diligent rule or be real. 00:23:27.900 --> 00:23:33.665 They have moved towards freedom. 00:23:33.665 --> 00:23:38.432 They don't have that constraint of immobilizing debt. 00:23:38.432 --> 00:23:43.900 I mean, they may have various debts and business debt and all that, but they have moved towards freedom. 00:23:43.900 --> 00:23:46.599 They're not enslaved. 00:23:46.599 --> 00:23:50.099 And I remember we had an interim pastor here back when I was in college. 00:23:50.099 --> 00:23:51.532 His name was Joe Allen. 00:23:51.532 --> 00:23:54.266 He came before Pastor Kevin came before her. 00:23:54.266 --> 00:23:55.732 So you walk right in that window. 00:23:55.732 --> 00:23:57.266 He was here for just a little bit. 00:23:57.266 --> 00:24:01.200 And I remember him sharing some about this from their perspective. 00:24:01.200 --> 00:24:04.732 He said, you know, I've only ever served in ministry. 00:24:04.965 --> 00:24:13.232 We've never made a lot of money, but we've been very careful with our choices. He said. As a result, we don't have any debt. 00:24:13.232 --> 00:24:15.865 We've even paid off our house. 00:24:15.865 --> 00:24:18.032 And he couldn't have been 40 years old. 00:24:18.032 --> 00:24:23.000 And I've even I'm a I'm in college, I'm a 20 year old and I'm going, how is that possible? 00:24:23.000 --> 00:24:25.165 I don't know anybody like that. 00:24:25.165 --> 00:24:26.165 That seems bizarre. 00:24:26.165 --> 00:24:28.365 That seems crazy. 00:24:28.365 --> 00:24:30.932 But it just opened up a window a little bit to go. 00:24:30.932 --> 00:24:36.232 You know, we don't have to always just submit to debt and slavery. 00:24:36.232 --> 00:24:44.732 In fact, I think for Americans, much of it we've chosen many times when we don't have to. 00:24:44.732 --> 00:24:47.900 And as a result, we've always tried to be careful around debt. 00:24:47.900 --> 00:24:58.365 We've never had a car payment in our family, and there's been a lot of very lean years when maybe we should have to better provide vehicles for my family. 00:24:59.133 --> 00:25:00.200 We've never had a car payment. 00:25:00.200 --> 00:25:05.299 We don't have any debt beyond our house now, and we hope to pay that off at some point sooner than later. 00:25:05.299 --> 00:25:07.032 I hope we'll see how that goes. 00:25:07.032 --> 00:25:13.833 But the point being, don't assume you have to be enslaved. 00:25:14.000 --> 00:25:19.133 My oldest son, he's just graduated college this summer and he graduated no debt. 00:25:19.133 --> 00:25:20.932 Private Christian college. 00:25:20.932 --> 00:25:22.266 He came with some scholarship. 00:25:22.266 --> 00:25:26.032 We helped a little and he worked throughout it. 00:25:26.833 --> 00:25:31.232 It's a foreign concept to some college students, but he worked all throughout to pay for it. 00:25:31.232 --> 00:25:37.799 And when he graduated, standing next to him was a guy with $60,000 of college loans walking out the door. 00:25:37.799 --> 00:25:40.833 Those are two very different paths before them. 00:25:40.833 --> 00:25:43.032 And look, I don't know his whole situation, right? 00:25:43.032 --> 00:25:45.032 I'm this isn't a legalistic thing. 00:25:45.032 --> 00:25:46.500 That may have been what he had to do. 00:25:46.500 --> 00:25:52.365 I get that okay, debt isn't inherently a sin, but it does place a weight on your shoulders. 00:25:52.365 --> 00:25:53.532 And I think many of us have felt that. 00:25:53.532 --> 00:25:56.566 And you know the reality of that. 00:25:57.333 --> 00:26:01.465 Do we want to move towards freedom or slavery? 00:26:01.465 --> 00:26:04.532 Do we want to be ruled or rule? 00:26:05.099 --> 00:26:11.799 19, the way of a sluggard is like a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright is a level highway. 00:26:11.799 --> 00:26:23.932 Do we want to put obstacles in front of us that will be painful to fight through, or do we want to clear level highway in front of us? That's the imagery here. 00:26:23.932 --> 00:26:26.799 So that's the second contrast rule or be rule. 00:26:26.799 --> 00:26:29.799 Now let's look at the third. 00:26:30.532 --> 00:26:36.066 Empty cravings or find fulfillment. 00:26:36.665 --> 00:26:38.900 Empty cravings or find fulfillment. 00:26:38.900 --> 00:26:45.500 4-- the soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing. 00:26:45.500 --> 00:26:47.665 I want that so bad. 00:26:47.665 --> 00:26:54.665 Oh, I got I have that, and I haven't put forth any effort at all to ever get it. 00:26:54.665 --> 00:27:01.566 They crave and get nothing while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied. 00:27:02.066 --> 00:27:07.000 I love this verse because it does connect our work to our soul. 00:27:07.000 --> 00:27:14.133 And and if you've had, many of you could say, I've got a job that eats away at my soul. 00:27:14.700 --> 00:27:17.732 Every time I show up, a little bit of me dies inside. 00:27:17.732 --> 00:27:20.700 That's not me saying that, by the way, okay? 00:27:20.700 --> 00:27:22.465 I love the work I get to do. 00:27:22.465 --> 00:27:23.833 It's a huge delight. 00:27:23.833 --> 00:27:26.333 I can't believe I get paid to do this though. 00:27:26.333 --> 00:27:28.532 I'm very grateful I do, and I don't want that to change. 00:27:28.532 --> 00:27:35.500 Point being, you've had the jobs where it is soul sucking and you've had the jobs where it's flourishing. 00:27:35.500 --> 00:27:36.700 It feeds your soul. 00:27:36.700 --> 00:27:45.099 You find meaning and purpose in it, and we don't make work an idol. 00:27:45.266 --> 00:27:50.266 You know, the response to all this is not to say, if I'm a sluggard, then I need. 00:27:50.266 --> 00:27:52.066 I've gone to one extreme where I don't work at all. 00:27:52.066 --> 00:27:53.965 I need to go to the other extreme where all I do is work. 00:27:53.965 --> 00:27:54.566 And I've made that. 00:27:54.566 --> 00:27:57.566 My God, that's that's not the response. 00:27:58.266 --> 00:28:09.700 But the reality is there is a connection between the work we do and how it shapes our heart, our soul, our life, the things we we care deeply about. 00:28:10.232 --> 00:28:15.633 One fascinating illustration of this is from a writer named Dorothy Sayers. 00:28:15.633 --> 00:28:17.200 She was a writer in Great Britain. 00:28:17.200 --> 00:28:18.799 She was a contemporary of C.S. 00:28:18.799 --> 00:28:29.133 Lewis, wrote a number of books, was well respected, and during World War Two she commented on the nature of work at this time listen to what she said. 00:28:31.665 --> 00:28:39.200 During World War Two, many in the military found themselves doing work far more satisfying than their ordinary lives. 00:28:39.732 --> 00:28:41.099 And she said, this is her quote. 00:28:41.099 --> 00:28:50.732 For the first time in their lives, many people found themselves doing something and they weren't doing it for the pay, and they weren't doing it for the status. 00:28:50.732 --> 00:28:53.732 The pay was terrible and status didn't really matter. 00:28:53.732 --> 00:28:58.266 They were all just thrown in together to try to accomplish something. 00:28:58.932 --> 00:29:03.932 But they were doing it for the sake of getting something done for us all. 00:29:05.599 --> 00:29:07.232 We have a common mission here. 00:29:07.232 --> 00:29:09.465 We've got all join in together. 00:29:09.465 --> 00:29:13.032 We've got a common enemy who's out there, not in here. 00:29:13.032 --> 00:29:14.732 And we're working together. 00:29:14.732 --> 00:29:21.400 And there's so much joy and delight and satisfaction in that, even though the task itself is kind of mundane. 00:29:21.400 --> 00:29:26.299 But I'm finding so much more joy and excitement in that than I ever did in my normal job before the war. 00:29:26.299 --> 00:29:27.566 That would have been the sentiment. 00:29:28.799 --> 00:29:38.965 And she wasn't saying, and I'm not saying that war is good, but you've had that experience where the work, the atmosphere, the connection, maybe you haven't. Some have. 00:29:38.965 --> 00:29:40.200 And you go, there is life here. 00:29:40.200 --> 00:29:42.900 There's something exciting happening here. 00:29:42.900 --> 00:29:44.566 This is bigger than myself. 00:29:44.566 --> 00:29:51.032 I'm a part of something beyond me that feeds our soul. 00:29:51.032 --> 00:29:53.500 The diligent will experience that. 00:29:53.500 --> 00:29:56.799 But the sluggard, they won't. 00:29:56.799 --> 00:29:59.799 They won't even get a taste of that. 00:30:00.833 --> 00:30:02.665 The way we approach work affects our soul. 00:30:02.665 --> 00:30:09.732 And then, number four, the contrast here is between those who plan for the future. 00:30:10.000 --> 00:30:16.700 Those who look ahead, plan for the future, anticipate it, move that direction, or are a slave to the immediate. 00:30:18.665 --> 00:30:20.333 Number four plan for the future. 00:30:20.333 --> 00:30:21.799 This is the contrast. 00:30:21.799 --> 00:30:24.633 Plan for the future or be a slave to the immediate. 00:30:24.633 --> 00:30:35.865 5-- the plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty. 00:30:35.865 --> 00:30:41.000 The plans of the diligent planning ahead, thinking ahead lead to abundance. 00:30:41.000 --> 00:30:43.766 But everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty. 00:30:43.766 --> 00:30:51.465 And let me comment on that word hasty, because I think I offended offended a few of my family members by quoting this verse to them this week. 00:30:51.465 --> 00:30:52.900 Well, I like to do things quickly. 00:30:52.900 --> 00:30:54.566 I like to be busy and get things done. 00:30:54.566 --> 00:31:02.432 That's not what hasty is referring to here, just the kind of person who likes to get some things done and be busy and work. 00:31:02.432 --> 00:31:10.133 I think, in fact, one commentary said this is more of the idea of the person who is impatient and inconsiderate in their rashness. 00:31:11.400 --> 00:31:17.032 This kind of hasty, maybe even impulsiveness, the kind of person who doesn't think ahead. 00:31:17.032 --> 00:31:21.633 In fact, maybe the person who skips work to stand in line for the lottery. 00:31:21.633 --> 00:31:25.732 Let me skip the thing I should be doing to do the quick fix. 00:31:26.032 --> 00:31:29.932 The maybe out there, the thing that'll fix everything for me. 00:31:29.932 --> 00:31:30.400 I know it does. 00:31:30.400 --> 00:31:40.232 Will the impulsiveness of the hastiness verses contrasted with the person who thinks ahead, who plans ahead? 00:31:40.232 --> 00:31:47.066 Stu Weber has a great book for men, Tender Warrior, and he talks about that idea of provision in there to see out ahead. 00:31:47.066 --> 00:31:48.833 That's what provision is. 00:31:48.833 --> 00:32:01.965 I mean, to look out ahead, to imagine what might occur and to prepare for it now, instead of just living in the immediate living, always in reactionary mode, surprised when something comes at me, having never considered that it might happen. 00:32:03.032 --> 00:32:08.766 That's why people put away money you need right now, but you go ahead and put it away for retirement, for the future, knowing you're going to need it. 00:32:08.766 --> 00:32:12.833 Then you can already envision a day where you won't be able to work and you're planning ahead. 00:32:12.833 --> 00:32:15.833 The contrast here is, which are we going to pursue? 00:32:15.833 --> 00:32:21.599 Are we going to plan ahead or just be a slave to the immediate? 00:32:22.299 --> 00:32:27.200 All of this gets summarized in this chart that's on the back of your notes. 00:32:28.165 --> 00:32:29.599 I mentioned Derek Kidner earlier. 00:32:29.599 --> 00:32:32.066 He's a commentary, a commentator, a Bible commentary. 00:32:32.066 --> 00:32:34.766 He wrote a wonderful comment, commentary on the book of Proverbs. 00:32:34.766 --> 00:32:35.400 It's very short. 00:32:35.400 --> 00:32:37.665 It's a great one to pick up. 00:32:37.665 --> 00:32:39.665 But I love this list that he gives. 00:32:40.900 --> 00:32:45.465 And I'm going to fill in the other side of the contrast between the sluggard. 00:32:45.932 --> 00:32:48.799 These words are his that are under the sluggard column. 00:32:48.799 --> 00:32:51.799 The sluggard is restless. 00:32:51.865 --> 00:32:57.066 Nothing satisfies, never has enough. 00:32:57.066 --> 00:33:00.500 By the way, even someone very wealthy could be a sluggard in that regard. 00:33:00.500 --> 00:33:04.532 I read a story this week of a guy who has his friends were perplexed. 00:33:04.532 --> 00:33:11.633 He's got $100 million in the bank and is still overworking and neglecting his family. 00:33:11.833 --> 00:33:14.865 And I know all of us are going at it. 00:33:15.333 --> 00:33:16.865 How does that happen? 00:33:16.865 --> 00:33:19.000 I'd love to have $100 million in the bank. 00:33:19.000 --> 00:33:21.732 I wouldn't work another day. 00:33:21.732 --> 00:33:29.266 Okay, well, how many who have a whole lot less still are overworking, still have this sense of restlessness? 00:33:29.266 --> 00:33:30.432 There's never enough. 00:33:30.432 --> 00:33:31.865 I'll never have enough. 00:33:31.865 --> 00:33:34.833 That's what's at the core of that restlessness. 00:33:34.833 --> 00:33:42.932 We find our satisfaction in Christ, not in our ability to provide everything we think will give us joy, but we find it in him. 00:33:42.932 --> 00:33:48.000 That's the heart restlessness that he's talking about here, that the sluggard has at the core of who they are. 00:33:50.165 --> 00:33:57.299 In contrast to that, the diligent is content and not content complacent content. 00:33:57.299 --> 00:33:59.465 We often use that word interchangeably. 00:33:59.465 --> 00:34:01.633 Godly contentment. 00:34:01.633 --> 00:34:10.532 First Timothy six six says that godly contentment equals great gain, a godly contentment that says, I know Christ will provide everything that I need. 00:34:10.532 --> 00:34:11.599 Yes, I'm going to be intentional. 00:34:11.599 --> 00:34:18.532 That doesn't mean I just sit around and do anything, but my contentment is in him and in the way he provides restless verses. 00:34:18.532 --> 00:34:19.599 Content. 00:34:19.599 --> 00:34:22.300 The sluggard is helpless. 00:34:22.300 --> 00:34:24.932 They have to have everything done for them. 00:34:24.932 --> 00:34:31.300 Always have to have someone else to do it, whereas the diligent is motivated. 00:34:31.532 --> 00:34:34.132 And yeah, I can lean on others for help. 00:34:34.132 --> 00:34:38.365 Of course, that doesn't mean I do everything in life myself. 00:34:38.532 --> 00:34:43.532 There's great joy in working on things together, but it comes from a central place of motivation. 00:34:43.532 --> 00:34:45.400 Knowing that Christ is working through me. 00:34:46.632 --> 00:34:48.733 The sluggard is useless. 00:34:48.733 --> 00:34:55.833 They make things harder for everyone around them, but the diligent is intentional. 00:34:55.833 --> 00:34:57.166 They take the lead. 00:34:57.166 --> 00:34:58.500 They take the initiative. 00:34:58.500 --> 00:34:59.699 They take the first step. 00:34:59.699 --> 00:35:04.699 They don't wait around for someone else to do it all for them. 00:35:05.132 --> 00:35:06.800 They're intentional. 00:35:06.800 --> 00:35:11.333 The sluggard will not begin things the diligent initiates. 00:35:11.333 --> 00:35:14.333 The sluggard will not finish things. 00:35:15.599 --> 00:35:18.599 The diligent sees it through. 00:35:18.632 --> 00:35:25.865 And even when it seems impossible to finish, even when it gets at its hardest moment, the diligent sees it through. 00:35:26.500 --> 00:35:34.233 And the sluggard will not face things, but the diligent not afraid of anything. 00:35:35.565 --> 00:35:38.000 The diligent does not walk in fear. 00:35:38.000 --> 00:35:42.766 The diligent doesn't avoid things because of the fear of what might be. 00:35:43.132 --> 00:35:59.032 And the reality is, the diligent can face fears, knowing that ultimately our significance, our hope, our joy, our peace is in Christ, not in our performance, not in our ability to accomplish things. 00:36:00.500 --> 00:36:11.965 I think one of the most helpful verses in Scripture for our ages in Matthew six around verse 30, in that area, do not worry about what you will eat or what you drink or what you wear. 00:36:11.965 --> 00:36:17.365 The pagans are the ones who worry about these things, but your heavenly father knows that you need them. 00:36:17.365 --> 00:36:26.333 So seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you if he knows what the birds of the air need. 00:36:26.333 --> 00:36:31.000 If he knows how to clothe the flowers of the field, doesn't he also know what you need? 00:36:31.000 --> 00:36:35.900 A heavenly Father, just like an earthly father, is going to give good gifts to their children. 00:36:38.632 --> 00:36:42.266 But the key phrase is there seek first his kingdom and his righteousness. 00:36:42.266 --> 00:36:43.333 Seek him first. 00:36:43.333 --> 00:36:46.032 And I can't say that enough in all this about work. 00:36:46.032 --> 00:36:50.132 As we talk about work and diligence, it can make it sound like self effort. 00:36:50.132 --> 00:36:51.432 In the midst of all this. 00:36:51.432 --> 00:36:53.699 That's not at the heart of what we're trying to say. 00:36:53.699 --> 00:36:57.599 The Christian, first and foremost, foremost seeks his kingdom. 00:36:58.400 --> 00:36:59.599 We seek Christ. 00:36:59.599 --> 00:37:00.833 We start our day that way. 00:37:00.833 --> 00:37:05.733 We bathe everything in prayer, and the work of this church should be bathed in prayer. 00:37:05.733 --> 00:37:07.000 It's not about what we do. 00:37:07.000 --> 00:37:09.833 It's about what he does to open up hearts. 00:37:09.833 --> 00:37:14.766 Look, we can have the best evangelistic programs, the best events that we can do it all perfect. 00:37:14.766 --> 00:37:19.532 But if his spirit doesn't show up and pour out like we sang and prayed this morning, it doesn't matter. 00:37:22.065 --> 00:37:36.300 That's at the core of what we pray for, and I've hope that each of us, as we start our work day tomorrow or this afternoon, starts with that prayer seek first his kingdom and his righteousness. 00:37:36.300 --> 00:37:39.300 Let's pray. 00:37:40.365 --> 00:37:44.032 God, we thank you that you gave us a work to do. 00:37:44.032 --> 00:37:46.932 We have an earthly work. 00:37:46.932 --> 00:37:49.932 Whatever occupation that may be. 00:37:51.065 --> 00:37:53.599 It could be some professional role doctor, lawyer. 00:37:53.599 --> 00:37:55.599 It could be mechanic. 00:37:55.599 --> 00:37:58.599 It could be in the service industry. 00:37:58.766 --> 00:38:00.132 Who knows? 00:38:00.132 --> 00:38:02.300 We thank you for giving us that work to do. 00:38:02.300 --> 00:38:05.900 We thank you for the spiritual work you've given us to do. 00:38:05.900 --> 00:38:11.500 Go, therefore into all the nations, proclaim the gospel, teach, baptize, disciple. 00:38:13.099 --> 00:38:15.699 We pray you'd help us to be diligent in that as well. 00:38:18.300 --> 00:38:37.400 And my prayer would be is that if there is anyone here who has been convicted this morning of being slothful, of being sluggard first God, would you help them to process the guilt and the shame of that, and to be able to have a clear step forward? 00:38:38.199 --> 00:38:52.032 And if there's anyone who's on the other extreme of having worship to work and made work and money and idle, they would repent of that and find the right balance to serve you and their family and to love them well. 00:38:52.900 --> 00:38:55.900 We don't make work or non work and idle. 00:38:56.099 --> 00:38:59.099 We worship you alone. 00:38:59.465 --> 00:39:03.865 Help us to worship you and all we do today. 00:39:05.266 --> 00:39:06.833 We love you Jesus. 00:39:06.833 --> 00:39:07.199 Amen.