WEBVTT 00:00:31.439 --> 00:00:33.039 Good morning, CCW. 00:00:35.840 --> 00:00:39.280 Take your Bibles to 2 Thessalonians. 00:00:39.359 --> 00:00:45.679 And as you're turning there, we'll be we'll be finishing up our study through the hope for the hour. 00:00:46.000 --> 00:00:52.560 And as you're as you're walking through that in the Bible, I wanted to just say a word of thanks and update. 00:00:52.879 --> 00:00:54.320 I want to thank you as a church. 00:00:54.480 --> 00:01:04.159 If you're visiting today, last Friday, my family and I were celebrating the life of my mother. 00:01:04.319 --> 00:01:09.439 We had her funeral, and uh it's been a hard couple weeks. 00:01:09.920 --> 00:01:24.959 And um walking through that, I've been at funerals and done 50 or so funerals that might be exaggerating a little, but I've never felt the feelings that I have felt in the last two weeks. 00:01:25.200 --> 00:01:35.920 And um, I believe my mom, I talked to my mom on Tuesday, she passed away on Friday that week, and she said things that if you say to a son, a son might just dismiss. 00:01:36.000 --> 00:01:36.880 And I did. 00:01:37.359 --> 00:01:43.280 She said on the phone, sometimes I feel like I'm ready to just be with Jesus. 00:01:43.600 --> 00:01:47.439 Um, she said, I want to see my mom, I want to see my dad. 00:01:47.840 --> 00:01:52.480 Um, and I just said, Well, that's great, mom, but not right now. 00:01:53.600 --> 00:01:57.680 Um and she was telling me that she was ready. 00:01:58.000 --> 00:02:04.799 And anyhow, we had the funeral, and I was able to share some of those things and share why my mom was ready. 00:02:05.040 --> 00:02:07.920 Uh, and I shared John 14, 6. 00:02:08.400 --> 00:02:11.439 Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. 00:02:11.520 --> 00:02:13.599 And my mom knew Jesus. 00:02:13.840 --> 00:02:17.919 Um, like any of us, my mom, you know, ups and downs. 00:02:18.000 --> 00:02:21.199 She had an ups and downs spiritual life and journey. 00:02:21.759 --> 00:02:23.599 But I thought about this morning. 00:02:23.680 --> 00:02:31.199 This is the very first time that I'm gonna preach a sermon that my mother is not online watching. 00:02:32.080 --> 00:02:38.879 And I know that she is a part of a cloud of witnesses, but um it's it's a hard thought. 00:02:38.960 --> 00:02:42.000 And for those of you, if I've been a part of your funerals, I am sorry. 00:02:42.080 --> 00:02:44.560 I've never felt these thoughts before. 00:02:44.640 --> 00:02:52.400 There's some impossible thoughts when you have somebody pass, and um we can't possibly imagine that, but you just live through it. 00:02:52.479 --> 00:02:59.120 And I want to say every text, every call, every word, and it just means a lot. 00:02:59.280 --> 00:03:16.479 This church family has meant so much to us, and um, Pastor Dave showed up at my doorstep 40 minutes after finding out, and another one of our pastors that evening, and being shepherded through hardship, and I had a neighbor come Mo Mal. 00:03:18.319 --> 00:03:22.240 I was telling Heather we were coming around the corner because we had a cruise that fought. 00:03:22.400 --> 00:03:25.680 I said, we probably got a letter from the neighborhood waiting on us. 00:03:25.840 --> 00:03:27.599 It's gonna be terrible. 00:03:28.159 --> 00:03:31.039 And my lawn has never looked better. 00:03:31.200 --> 00:03:33.120 Thank you, David Bird Song. 00:03:34.319 --> 00:03:43.520 So, um, but I got thinking, you know, about what what I'm preaching and what I've been preaching all year. 00:03:45.039 --> 00:03:52.479 Mom's passing made me think about all this year, these thoughts no one will ever love you like your mother. 00:03:54.000 --> 00:03:56.159 What will you do when you walk through that? 00:03:56.400 --> 00:03:58.240 And you know what God said to me? 00:03:58.479 --> 00:04:00.640 He said, You'll hold the line. 00:04:01.759 --> 00:04:07.200 I thought I was preaching to a church all year long, and God's been preaching to me. 00:04:07.840 --> 00:04:20.479 Our theme verse as we started January was, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, so that you know that your labor is not in vain. 00:04:20.879 --> 00:04:23.120 And God was preaching to me. 00:04:24.079 --> 00:04:32.479 Um I thought I was supposed to preach this sermon series just because the climate of the world. 00:04:33.039 --> 00:04:45.439 And my mother, who never misses a service, has been hearing on her way to heaven, whose health has been fading, what happens when you pass from this life to the next in Thessalonians? 00:04:45.679 --> 00:04:47.439 The hope for the hour. 00:04:47.839 --> 00:04:51.519 And um, so I'm thankful for God's timing. 00:04:51.759 --> 00:04:58.959 And again, I am heartbroken and I am figuring out what this looks like. 00:04:59.119 --> 00:05:00.959 My family is hurting. 00:05:01.119 --> 00:05:05.679 Um, but by the grace of God, I'm gonna be steadfast. 00:05:05.919 --> 00:05:11.359 I'm gonna be unmovable, I'm gonna be always abounding in the work of the Lord because I want this life to count. 00:05:11.599 --> 00:05:16.479 And I'll say to that end, God allowed me to walk through and preach the funeral. 00:05:16.560 --> 00:05:18.239 And I know that many of you are praying. 00:05:18.399 --> 00:05:23.759 We had four members of the family and friends that came to know Jesus Christ. 00:05:24.000 --> 00:05:27.279 So we can say praise the Lord this morning. 00:05:28.000 --> 00:05:28.399 Amen. 00:05:30.239 --> 00:05:34.399 Please continue to pray for my dad and my sister and my family. 00:05:34.560 --> 00:05:36.159 I appreciate that so much. 00:05:36.719 --> 00:05:38.319 And uh let's pray together. 00:05:38.560 --> 00:05:49.119 Father, we're so thankful for your grace, for your love, for your care for us, and God, nevermore have I felt that. 00:05:50.879 --> 00:05:51.679 Needed that. 00:05:51.839 --> 00:06:04.719 And God, I pray that you would be that, and the people here today would sense that God, you are a rock, a defense, a very present help in our time of need. 00:06:05.359 --> 00:06:08.479 And God, I'm so thankful for a foundation of faith. 00:06:08.879 --> 00:06:12.000 Lord, I pray that you would speak to us through your word today. 00:06:12.639 --> 00:06:15.679 Give us exactly what we need in Jesus' name. 00:06:16.000 --> 00:06:16.639 Amen. 00:06:17.199 --> 00:06:38.000 In 1914, Sir Ernest Shackleton set forth on a voyage on a ship called the Enterprise or on a ship called Endurance, and his mission was to take his crew across the Antarctic, something that had never been done before. 00:06:38.319 --> 00:06:42.319 Before they ever reached their destination, something happened. 00:06:42.479 --> 00:06:47.519 The ship became trapped in massive sheets of ice. 00:06:47.919 --> 00:06:56.719 And day after day, as they continued trying to work through that pressure, increased, and eventually the ice began to crush the ship. 00:06:56.879 --> 00:07:01.119 And it halted their efforts from continuing that mission. 00:07:01.279 --> 00:07:09.359 Now, they still had a mission, they still had a captain, they still had a destination, but they lost their movement. 00:07:09.519 --> 00:07:14.239 And I want you to see the parallel in 2 Thessalonians chapter 3. 00:07:14.560 --> 00:07:19.359 Point number one this morning is this the church must be on mission. 00:07:19.519 --> 00:07:28.719 If you look at verses 1 through 5, it says, Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord may run swiftly. 00:07:28.959 --> 00:07:38.959 Highlight that, and be glorified, just as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men, for not all have faith. 00:07:39.199 --> 00:07:45.359 But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. 00:07:45.519 --> 00:07:51.679 And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you. 00:07:51.919 --> 00:07:58.719 Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and to into the patience of Christ. 00:07:59.519 --> 00:08:04.479 You see, Ice threatened to stop Shackleton's expedition. 00:08:04.639 --> 00:08:10.879 And now Paul here identifies obstacles to gospel momentum. 00:08:11.439 --> 00:08:17.199 Churches, I don't believe today, I think it's rare that a church loses its mission. 00:08:17.359 --> 00:08:18.879 It doesn't happen overnight. 00:08:19.199 --> 00:08:25.599 But obstacles can begin to stall the movement of churches. 00:08:25.839 --> 00:08:29.199 Letter A, we see that Paul brings this forth. 00:08:29.359 --> 00:08:33.279 The church that is on mission must have a swift moving word. 00:08:33.759 --> 00:08:35.519 Swiftly, he says. 00:08:35.679 --> 00:08:40.159 The word is treco, and it is of one that is running. 00:08:40.720 --> 00:08:52.320 He says, pray that the word of God in methodology would move in this pattern of speed, but not just of speed, of momentum. 00:08:52.639 --> 00:08:58.879 I tried to find the biblical equivalent of this word, and the word is caneo. 00:08:59.280 --> 00:09:02.000 In Acts 17, 28, it says it this way. 00:09:02.160 --> 00:09:05.440 The word caneo is found, for in him we live and move. 00:09:05.600 --> 00:09:07.519 For in him we live in caneo. 00:09:07.840 --> 00:09:10.320 We live and move and have our being. 00:09:10.879 --> 00:09:14.480 Same idea of the word moving swiftly is caneo. 00:09:14.639 --> 00:09:18.639 It is the idea of continuous growing movement. 00:09:19.759 --> 00:09:24.160 Movement, not just acceleration or speed, but also accumulating. 00:09:24.320 --> 00:09:28.800 Think of a snowball that's going and rolling down a hill. 00:09:29.120 --> 00:09:35.519 This is what Paul is talking about and how that he asked for prayer, that the word of God would move. 00:09:35.759 --> 00:09:41.519 Psalms 84, 7, there's scripture that says that we go from strength to strength. 00:09:41.680 --> 00:09:48.560 The word is Sheel, El Sheel, and it means each step that builds upon the last step. 00:09:48.879 --> 00:10:01.120 Paul's picture is that the word of God should run unhindered, and as it moves and accumulates, it will blow and go through obstacles with momentum. 00:10:01.519 --> 00:10:16.879 The Thessalonians, these are people that sat in the shadow of Greek culture, and in that culture, uh, Olympics were common, running was common, and they celebrated and admired people that had that caliper to them. 00:10:17.120 --> 00:10:25.280 Crowds filled stadiums, and they realized this that a runner to win a race, any runner knows this, you need more than speed. 00:10:25.360 --> 00:10:32.879 Because when you're an Olympic level runner, you're running with people that there are fractions, fractions of differences. 00:10:33.040 --> 00:10:38.399 And so running with that kind of speed, you have to have a combination of strength on strength. 00:10:38.639 --> 00:10:41.519 And that's how we're told in scripture to build strength on strength. 00:10:41.680 --> 00:10:50.080 In other words, we don't become stagnant, we don't become still, we continue moving and accumulating in growth. 00:10:50.480 --> 00:10:53.200 I don't know if you remember the 2008 Olympics. 00:10:53.360 --> 00:10:56.000 You may remember a name, Lolo Jones. 00:10:56.480 --> 00:11:00.080 Lolo Jones was all over the place in 2008. 00:11:00.240 --> 00:11:06.960 You were seeing commercials with Lolo Jones, regarded one of the best hurdlers to ever compete. 00:11:07.759 --> 00:11:10.160 And in fact, just a little bit of history on her. 00:11:10.240 --> 00:11:19.360 In 2012, such an athlete, she decided to make a change and she made it and joined the American bobsled team. 00:11:19.440 --> 00:11:20.960 This is the type of athlete she was. 00:11:21.040 --> 00:11:26.480 And in 2012, they won a silver medal with Lolo Jones on that team. 00:11:26.720 --> 00:11:32.399 But the race began in 08, and everybody knew that Lolo Jones was going to win this race. 00:11:32.639 --> 00:11:41.360 The gun blast went for, she took off running, she began hurdling, and she was more than a nose ahead, more than a fraction ahead of everyone. 00:11:41.600 --> 00:11:43.440 And guess what would happen? 00:11:43.920 --> 00:11:46.879 There she was, hit the ninth hurdle. 00:11:47.200 --> 00:11:59.440 She'd done this over and over and over and practiced, but that ninth hurdle grazed her foot, and when it did, Lola Jones went from first place to seventh place. 00:12:00.240 --> 00:12:01.920 One obstacle. 00:12:03.120 --> 00:12:12.720 Paul said, pray that the word would run swiftly and that we would be delivered from unreasonable, wicked men, an obstacle. 00:12:13.040 --> 00:12:23.600 I remember very vividly in our council meetings when Pastor Danny was the pastor of this church, we would pray this prayer every council meeting. 00:12:23.680 --> 00:12:30.320 He would say, May everything that we discuss further and not hinder the gospel. 00:12:31.920 --> 00:12:34.960 We very rarely forget the mission. 00:12:35.200 --> 00:12:43.200 The mission of this church is to reach all generations with the gospel, but it can lose momentum because of obstacles. 00:12:43.440 --> 00:12:45.200 Let's look at verse 2. 00:12:45.680 --> 00:12:50.879 We see a stall, letter B, a stall of men's wickedness. 00:12:53.440 --> 00:12:59.759 He says, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men, not all have faith. 00:13:01.200 --> 00:13:02.879 Not all have faith. 00:13:03.440 --> 00:13:05.040 He is faithful. 00:13:05.680 --> 00:13:08.879 He will not be slack concerning his promises. 00:13:09.360 --> 00:13:13.360 But a lack of faith is a momentum stopper. 00:13:13.600 --> 00:13:15.840 In Mark 6, 6, you can turn there if you like. 00:13:16.000 --> 00:13:22.879 You see that Jesus comes into a town and he recognizes something that makes him, it says he was, he marveled. 00:13:23.280 --> 00:13:27.280 Jesus, who was there at creation, marveled at something. 00:13:27.360 --> 00:13:28.240 Can you imagine? 00:13:28.399 --> 00:13:30.399 Something amazed Jesus. 00:13:30.560 --> 00:13:34.560 And what it was, it was that there was a lack of faith. 00:13:34.879 --> 00:13:41.040 He marveled that the power that went out from him was little in a place that lacked faith. 00:13:41.759 --> 00:13:46.000 There's another place where Jesus says he marveled at the great faith of people. 00:13:46.160 --> 00:13:54.320 So faith made Jesus move on the temperature scale, and he went to this place and it stopped momentum. 00:13:55.600 --> 00:14:08.160 I was young in the ministry about three years in, and I was excited because my pastor asked me, did I know any evangelists that would come to one of our big, we had a, it was called Spring Impact. 00:14:08.320 --> 00:14:09.600 We were gonna have this meeting. 00:14:09.759 --> 00:14:15.920 And I warned him, I said, He's going to come and he's gonna pitch a crusade for our town. 00:14:16.240 --> 00:14:20.879 And in that fashion, Rick Gage came and he preached, and people were saved. 00:14:21.040 --> 00:14:24.560 I went with him to people's homes and we led people to Christ. 00:14:24.800 --> 00:14:30.160 And he said, How can I get a meeting of everyone in town who's important? 00:14:30.560 --> 00:14:34.320 And uh we began working on that in the week that he was there. 00:14:34.480 --> 00:15:00.000 Anyway, a group of over 40 people met at Dunn's buffet, nastiest food you ever eat, tasteless, and we went in there and he began to cast the vision to our town, to the mayor, uh to city council, to a bunch of pastors from a bunch of places, all kinds of businessmen, and began to share what it would look like to bring a crusade to Connorsville, Indiana. 00:15:00.240 --> 00:15:08.639 And all of a sudden, this little pastor in the back, who, listen, I love the Lord mystery, he annoyed me, folks. 00:15:08.800 --> 00:15:09.920 Let's be honest. 00:15:10.080 --> 00:15:14.240 He raised his little voice, he said, I have a question. 00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:22.560 Um, who's to say that uh if we had something like this, that we would want it to be evangelistic? 00:15:22.960 --> 00:15:25.680 Oh, what a dumb question. 00:15:26.960 --> 00:15:27.920 What do you mean? 00:15:28.080 --> 00:15:30.480 We want to reach the town with a crusade. 00:15:30.560 --> 00:15:33.600 What other meeting are we going to have? 00:15:34.320 --> 00:15:43.040 And he was quiet for a little while, but it got that one man got people talking for what seemed like 20 minutes, and they're just going back and forth. 00:15:43.600 --> 00:15:46.639 Rick Gage goes on, share some more vision. 00:15:46.800 --> 00:15:49.600 He says, Um, I don't mean to be this guy. 00:15:49.680 --> 00:15:51.600 And I'm like, you absolutely do. 00:15:51.840 --> 00:15:55.360 Like, you are being that guy, you mean it, and you I think you like it. 00:15:56.879 --> 00:16:04.720 He said, Um, if we were going to have this kind of meeting, who's to say we would like this gentleman to be the speaker? 00:16:04.960 --> 00:16:07.440 I'm like, it did he really say that? 00:16:08.240 --> 00:16:15.680 And Rick Gage, without batting an eye the second time, said, Is anyone else knocking down your door, sir? 00:16:16.240 --> 00:16:17.440 He got quiet. 00:16:17.680 --> 00:16:25.680 But I watched, as a about 26-year-old youth pastor, with lots of ambition to maybe see this thing happen. 00:16:25.840 --> 00:16:30.800 I watched everybody decide on what they disagreed upon in that meeting. 00:16:31.040 --> 00:16:42.480 And I watched the faith of men dwindle, and I watched elder pastors and people that were above me talk about what would stall them from doing this and left that meeting. 00:16:42.800 --> 00:16:48.560 I felt crestfelt that we were not going to have a crusade. 00:16:48.639 --> 00:16:54.480 And I believed after that meeting we would never have a crusade in this town with these people together. 00:16:55.200 --> 00:16:59.759 You see, faithlessness injures mission. 00:17:00.560 --> 00:17:06.240 It is the faith of this church, the mission of this church, that we share the good news with all generations. 00:17:06.720 --> 00:17:13.119 It is the vision of this church that we would love God, love people, serve at home and abroad. 00:17:13.440 --> 00:17:21.279 That's who we are, that's who we want to be, but wickedness, unfaithfulness stalls mission. 00:17:21.519 --> 00:17:25.599 It says at the end of verse 2, unfaithful men. 00:17:25.839 --> 00:17:28.559 But praise God, it doesn't end with that. 00:17:28.639 --> 00:17:29.839 Look at verse 3. 00:17:30.159 --> 00:17:32.319 Paul segues from that. 00:17:32.720 --> 00:17:42.959 He says, this can stall the swift moving of the word of God, but but the Lord is faithful who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. 00:17:43.119 --> 00:17:48.079 He says, Thessalonians, the Lord is faithful. 00:17:48.240 --> 00:17:49.119 People may fail. 00:17:49.279 --> 00:17:52.159 In fact, a falling is coming one day. 00:17:52.319 --> 00:17:55.119 They will fail, but the Lord is faithful. 00:17:55.359 --> 00:18:00.799 Governments rise and fall, and we're experiencing that, but the Lord is faithful. 00:18:01.039 --> 00:18:04.879 Friends may disappoint you, but the Lord is faithful. 00:18:04.959 --> 00:18:08.959 Your feelings will fluctuate, but the Lord is faithful. 00:18:09.199 --> 00:18:12.399 Culture shifts, but the Lord is faithful. 00:18:12.559 --> 00:18:19.279 People abandon mission, people break promises, people will leave you wounded, but the Lord is faithful. 00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:22.159 He never loses his griff. 00:18:23.119 --> 00:18:24.639 Look at verse 3. 00:18:24.959 --> 00:18:30.399 The Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. 00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:33.039 He always keeps his word, church. 00:18:34.159 --> 00:18:37.919 Second thing I want you to see: the church must be a model. 00:18:39.679 --> 00:18:41.839 The church must be a model of mission. 00:18:42.000 --> 00:18:43.839 Look at verse 6 through 10. 00:18:45.359 --> 00:18:58.240 But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly, and not according to the tradition which he received from us. 00:18:58.480 --> 00:19:01.519 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us. 00:19:01.679 --> 00:19:03.759 For we were not disorderly among you. 00:19:03.919 --> 00:19:22.879 Hear this, nor did we eat anyone's bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we night that we might not be a burden to any of you, not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us. 00:19:23.199 --> 00:19:32.319 For even when we were with you, we were we commanded you this if anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. 00:19:32.639 --> 00:19:39.199 For we hear that there are some who walk among among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all. 00:19:40.079 --> 00:20:02.000 One of the remarkable things that happened with Captain Shackleton's expedition is that once the ship hit ice and he began to make a plan to save his people, he gave them all submissions, he gave them all work to do until he returned. 00:20:02.240 --> 00:20:13.759 Shackleton believed this, his crew would recount the inactivity of his people would destroy morale faster than the Arctic would. 00:20:14.319 --> 00:20:16.559 And so he gave them all roles. 00:20:16.879 --> 00:20:24.079 Letter A, as the church must be a model, we must reject idol, I d l e living. 00:20:26.240 --> 00:20:31.039 In other words, don't avoid the work. 00:20:32.079 --> 00:20:36.959 Now hear me, because I don't want this to come off uh harsh. 00:20:37.199 --> 00:20:40.319 Paul isn't talking about people who can't work. 00:20:40.879 --> 00:20:51.839 He's not condemning the elderly or the single mother in a struggle or someone who's been recently laid off from work or a person walking through a hard season. 00:20:51.919 --> 00:20:58.000 He's addressing those who can contribute but choose not to contribute. 00:20:59.599 --> 00:21:06.559 There's always grace for weakness, but there is no excuse for spiritual passivity. 00:21:08.000 --> 00:21:10.079 Also, I want you to hear this. 00:21:10.720 --> 00:21:13.439 Some people are gonna leave here today, and I want you to say this. 00:21:13.599 --> 00:21:17.359 I'm not saying, men, go be a workaholic. 00:21:17.759 --> 00:21:19.599 Work, work, work, work, work. 00:21:19.839 --> 00:21:25.599 And if your family has to suffer your absence because of the work, just keep on working. 00:21:25.679 --> 00:21:27.039 I'm not saying that either. 00:21:27.119 --> 00:21:27.439 Okay? 00:21:27.679 --> 00:21:31.839 You have to have your priorities this way, and I want you to hear this truth. 00:21:32.240 --> 00:21:34.799 God, family work. 00:21:35.279 --> 00:21:35.599 Okay? 00:21:36.159 --> 00:21:38.319 God first, family work. 00:21:38.480 --> 00:21:38.799 All right. 00:21:38.879 --> 00:21:43.439 And by the way, in family, God, spouse, kids, work. 00:21:43.759 --> 00:21:45.519 This is God's order, okay? 00:21:45.759 --> 00:21:48.959 And so I'm not saying go be a workaholic. 00:21:49.039 --> 00:21:50.159 Don't go use that. 00:21:50.399 --> 00:21:52.000 But I do believe this. 00:21:52.240 --> 00:21:57.919 In the world that we live in, we have an I D L E problem, an idol problem. 00:21:58.639 --> 00:22:02.000 The Bible calls churches a priesthood of believers. 00:22:02.159 --> 00:22:05.679 That means every single member is a minister. 00:22:05.919 --> 00:22:07.119 We're all a minister. 00:22:07.199 --> 00:22:10.799 People ask me, can they borrow things at this church and this and that your covenant member? 00:22:10.879 --> 00:22:12.159 I say, it's yours. 00:22:12.399 --> 00:22:13.519 This church is yours. 00:22:13.679 --> 00:22:16.399 I'm gonna tell you the work that needs done at this church. 00:22:16.559 --> 00:22:19.039 There's not enough people say, Well, we have some paid staff. 00:22:19.199 --> 00:22:19.839 Yes, we do. 00:22:19.919 --> 00:22:23.199 And we work, and there's not enough hours. 00:22:24.000 --> 00:22:27.919 Uh there's people here that uh praise God, I tried. 00:22:28.159 --> 00:22:29.919 Dave will attest to this. 00:22:30.000 --> 00:22:33.199 I tried, I've hired several people to mow our lawn. 00:22:33.439 --> 00:22:35.599 There weren't enough hours for them to mow it. 00:22:35.759 --> 00:22:38.639 Now we got a team of people, it looks amazing. 00:22:38.799 --> 00:22:45.919 I mean, thank God for you guys that have decided this is my church, and I'm gonna be a minister of what we have here. 00:22:46.079 --> 00:22:51.039 You could clean here all day, every day, because we got so much going on. 00:22:51.199 --> 00:22:55.119 I mean, there's a lot of work, there's a lot of opportunities to serve. 00:22:55.679 --> 00:22:56.559 And we do that. 00:22:56.720 --> 00:23:05.839 It's not just about this building, there's lots of ministry chances, but I believe in the world we have that there's an IDLE problem. 00:23:06.480 --> 00:23:10.159 If you don't do it, you won't own it. 00:23:12.240 --> 00:23:16.879 People protect what they participate in, people support what they serve. 00:23:17.119 --> 00:23:20.480 God gave you a gift, He gave you a role in the body of Christ. 00:23:20.639 --> 00:23:25.519 And so I want to commend you today: use your giftedness. 00:23:26.559 --> 00:23:31.839 To hold the line is to be steadfast, unmovable. 00:23:32.000 --> 00:23:35.759 It says, always abounding in the work of the Lord. 00:23:36.480 --> 00:23:40.159 There is one work under heaven that will not dissipate. 00:23:40.319 --> 00:23:42.399 It is the work of his church. 00:23:42.639 --> 00:23:45.359 And it will continue and it will continue till he comes. 00:23:45.519 --> 00:23:46.000 Abounding. 00:23:46.079 --> 00:23:48.399 That word abounding, you know what that means? 00:23:48.559 --> 00:23:50.639 It means do the bare minimum. 00:23:52.799 --> 00:23:53.119 No? 00:23:55.439 --> 00:23:59.359 It means overflowing, enthusiastic effort. 00:23:59.599 --> 00:24:02.000 I believe, church, we have this one opportunity. 00:24:02.159 --> 00:24:11.119 And I'm gonna tell you this: I I don't know if anybody wants to make CCW, wants to see an impact of the gospel through this church more than me. 00:24:11.679 --> 00:24:13.839 I plan to go to heaven abounding. 00:24:13.919 --> 00:24:15.039 That's my plan. 00:24:15.359 --> 00:24:22.399 Uh I believe retiring at the end of this means expiring, and I don't want to expire. 00:24:22.559 --> 00:24:25.119 I want to go to heaven abounding. 00:24:25.359 --> 00:24:35.119 I want it to be that I'm working so hard for God, and I hope this would be my testimony, that when it's my time to go, it won't be a great big surprise or change. 00:24:35.199 --> 00:24:40.000 I'll just say, sir, I'm here reporting for duty to my next post. 00:24:40.639 --> 00:24:42.639 That's what I want it to seem like. 00:24:42.879 --> 00:24:44.959 I love the work of the Lord. 00:24:45.839 --> 00:24:46.879 I love to work. 00:24:47.119 --> 00:24:48.240 Man, praise God. 00:24:48.559 --> 00:24:51.759 God allowed me to marry someone who loves to work. 00:24:52.000 --> 00:24:53.359 She loves to work. 00:24:53.599 --> 00:24:55.119 And I'm so thankful. 00:24:55.359 --> 00:24:56.720 She's not a lazy person. 00:24:56.799 --> 00:24:57.919 I'm not a lazy person. 00:24:58.079 --> 00:25:02.559 We, and some of the most fun we have together is working. 00:25:03.679 --> 00:25:05.839 Let me tell you a couple of verses. 00:25:07.119 --> 00:25:13.279 Proverbs 10, 4 says, idle hands makes one poor. 00:25:13.759 --> 00:25:14.879 Lazy hands. 00:25:15.119 --> 00:25:21.919 Proverbs 19, 5 says, a lazy man, an idle man will suffer hunger and bring shame to his people. 00:25:23.599 --> 00:25:31.679 Proverbs 20, verse 4 says, An idle man who refuses to plow in the cold will look for crops and find none. 00:25:31.919 --> 00:25:39.439 Proverbs 6, 10, 11 says, a little, a little extra sleep, a little folding of the hands, and you will be poor. 00:25:40.799 --> 00:25:42.799 Pretty straightforward. 00:25:43.759 --> 00:25:48.559 Lazy people will say, You should have asked me. 00:25:48.720 --> 00:25:50.319 I would have worked if you would have asked. 00:25:50.399 --> 00:25:52.240 That's what every lazy person says. 00:25:52.399 --> 00:25:56.639 I would have done it if you would have asked, and then they do it with a bad attitude, right? 00:25:56.879 --> 00:26:00.000 Lazy people see a need and they run from it. 00:26:00.480 --> 00:26:02.399 Put off hard working. 00:26:03.439 --> 00:26:05.759 If you see a need, then you do it. 00:26:06.000 --> 00:26:10.000 I want to say today, in that vein, laziness is a heart problem. 00:26:10.399 --> 00:26:11.599 It's a sin problem. 00:26:12.639 --> 00:26:20.720 You're going to have to, if that's a struggle, you're going to have to talk to the Lord and ask him, God, change me in this way. 00:26:20.879 --> 00:26:24.000 By the way, men, I just want to talk to the men for the second. 00:26:24.319 --> 00:26:28.559 God made man in the beginning, put him in a garden to work. 00:26:28.720 --> 00:26:31.119 Before Satan, before fall, before sin. 00:26:31.439 --> 00:26:33.279 Man was to tend the garden. 00:26:33.439 --> 00:26:35.279 And when you work, you worship. 00:26:35.439 --> 00:26:37.679 And when you don't work, it's worthless. 00:26:40.079 --> 00:26:42.399 People say, well, that's below me. 00:26:42.559 --> 00:26:44.639 I was not hired for that work. 00:26:47.679 --> 00:26:48.879 What does that mean? 00:26:48.959 --> 00:26:50.399 It's below me. 00:26:50.720 --> 00:26:52.319 I've been 20 years in ministry. 00:26:52.480 --> 00:26:56.159 I can promise you I've done everything that a church has to offer. 00:26:57.359 --> 00:26:58.319 And more. 00:27:00.000 --> 00:27:01.679 I'm not boasting. 00:27:02.399 --> 00:27:04.000 I'm just glad to work. 00:27:04.399 --> 00:27:06.319 Always abounding in work. 00:27:06.559 --> 00:27:11.839 If there's things that are above you, I believe there's an attitude that needs to be shifted. 00:27:13.119 --> 00:27:18.240 You encourage this morning because Paul follows that up with something even more encouraging. 00:27:18.799 --> 00:27:20.159 I'll tell you what it says. 00:27:20.399 --> 00:27:22.399 Paul goes from abounding to work. 00:27:28.799 --> 00:27:30.639 We'll read that in a moment. 00:27:30.959 --> 00:27:34.639 But Paul says, minding your own business. 00:27:34.799 --> 00:27:36.480 Let me find the scripture. 00:27:38.399 --> 00:27:39.839 Back to verse 11. 00:27:40.000 --> 00:27:42.000 There's some not working at all, verse 12. 00:27:42.159 --> 00:27:52.000 Now those are at the second part of verse 11, who those who are not working at all in a disorderly manner, but are busybodies. 00:27:52.720 --> 00:28:00.159 Not those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread. 00:28:00.399 --> 00:28:02.480 He says there's busybodies. 00:28:02.879 --> 00:28:07.679 There's some that aren't working, and there's some that are they're busy. 00:28:08.000 --> 00:28:09.919 They're busy not working. 00:28:10.879 --> 00:28:13.119 Paul says, mind your own business. 00:28:13.279 --> 00:28:18.240 Now, you gotta have some business to be minding your business, amen. 00:28:19.679 --> 00:28:23.759 Some folks believe their spiritual gift is the ministry of investigation. 00:28:24.959 --> 00:28:28.639 They know who's dating who, who's unfollowed who. 00:28:28.959 --> 00:28:31.119 They know all of the business. 00:28:32.879 --> 00:28:42.799 The word for busybody is peria gazame, and it means one who stirs in the affairs of others. 00:28:43.199 --> 00:28:51.199 I read this quote this past week, and it said this people who neglect their assignment become obsessed with everyone else's work. 00:28:52.000 --> 00:28:56.720 You need to get your body busy and not be a busybody. 00:28:57.039 --> 00:28:57.679 Amen? 00:28:58.000 --> 00:28:59.759 Get your body busy. 00:29:00.319 --> 00:29:06.480 Here's what I know people becoming more and more like Jesus attract people. 00:29:08.000 --> 00:29:09.119 They attract people. 00:29:09.279 --> 00:29:10.240 It's infectious. 00:29:10.319 --> 00:29:14.480 If you're becoming more and more like Jesus, it should produce other people. 00:29:14.879 --> 00:29:17.359 Busybodies stir up other people. 00:29:17.519 --> 00:29:22.639 People that are busy for the Lord stir up people to come and see about the Lord. 00:29:22.879 --> 00:29:32.959 If you have, if you're a busybody and you have noticed five problems with the church, but you hadn't had five people come to the church, there's a problem. 00:29:35.759 --> 00:29:37.039 There's a problem. 00:29:37.839 --> 00:29:44.879 If you're willing to report all these problems, but nobody's coming to this church because of you, there's a problem. 00:29:45.119 --> 00:29:47.199 We see it in Mary and Martha. 00:29:47.359 --> 00:29:49.439 Now, Martha was busy. 00:29:50.000 --> 00:29:51.359 But she got distracted. 00:29:51.519 --> 00:29:52.240 She's busy. 00:29:52.319 --> 00:29:54.240 Look, Jesus, I'm serving, I'm doing. 00:29:54.399 --> 00:29:56.480 And you know what she got distracted about? 00:29:56.879 --> 00:29:57.519 Mary. 00:29:58.639 --> 00:30:00.319 Do you see Mary? 00:30:00.559 --> 00:30:02.079 I'm over here doing everything. 00:30:02.240 --> 00:30:04.000 Do you see Mary, Jesus? 00:30:04.319 --> 00:30:11.759 She got her mind off of being focused on Jesus, and she was looking at others and how Jesus needed to fix others. 00:30:12.079 --> 00:30:13.679 That's a busybody. 00:30:14.000 --> 00:30:18.559 She was doing some work, but she lost sight of what Jesus was doing. 00:30:18.959 --> 00:30:21.599 Mary wanted to sit right there at his feet. 00:30:22.159 --> 00:30:24.639 Well, let's look at letter B. 00:30:25.759 --> 00:30:28.399 Replicating godly labor. 00:30:28.720 --> 00:30:30.959 Look down at verse 7 and 9. 00:30:35.439 --> 00:30:41.439 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you. 00:30:41.759 --> 00:30:48.959 Verse 9, not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow. 00:30:49.279 --> 00:30:57.679 He said, We came to this church, we built this church, and in the time we were there, we showed you what it meant to work. 00:30:58.000 --> 00:31:01.439 And he said, he reminded them, night and day we toiled with you. 00:31:01.599 --> 00:31:02.639 We were showing you. 00:31:02.799 --> 00:31:04.720 We didn't take your bread for free. 00:31:04.879 --> 00:31:06.079 We ate and we paid. 00:31:06.159 --> 00:31:08.319 We were showing you an example. 00:31:08.480 --> 00:31:14.879 The Greek word for that is typos, a pattern to model, to be copied. 00:31:15.039 --> 00:31:18.319 1 Corinthians 11 1, Paul said, follow me. 00:31:18.799 --> 00:31:23.599 Philippians 3, 17 says, he says, mark those who live right. 00:31:23.919 --> 00:31:25.119 He says, make a mark. 00:31:25.199 --> 00:31:30.079 Look at church, look at those who live right and follow that. 00:31:30.319 --> 00:31:32.079 He says, mark those. 00:31:32.399 --> 00:31:36.480 Not celebrities, not influencers, not athletes. 00:31:36.639 --> 00:31:39.599 Paul says, do what godly people do. 00:31:41.039 --> 00:31:48.639 The whole idea of the expectancy of this church looking for Jesus coming has been in question. 00:31:48.879 --> 00:31:57.439 And what Paul writes is that we have heard some people among you, in looking for Jesus' return, have quit working. 00:31:58.639 --> 00:32:02.799 You've heard the statement, you're so heavenly minded that you're no earthly good. 00:32:03.039 --> 00:32:04.079 Can't you imagine? 00:32:04.240 --> 00:32:13.439 He said, there's people that, man, they're studying the word, doing a lot of taking it in, but they're not doing anything with it. 00:32:14.240 --> 00:32:16.159 What good is that? 00:32:17.359 --> 00:32:22.079 You can have 50 degrees if you're not sharing it, if you're not doing anything with it. 00:32:22.159 --> 00:32:23.599 What are you doing? 00:32:23.919 --> 00:32:26.399 He says, you've got to get to work. 00:32:28.639 --> 00:32:34.480 Believing Jesus Christ, some of them had already returned or it was eminent, Paul says, No. 00:32:35.599 --> 00:32:41.359 There is no, never an excuse for being irresponsible with the work of God. 00:32:41.839 --> 00:32:43.439 This is a gift. 00:32:43.759 --> 00:32:46.959 And God's given to us and place it on us. 00:32:47.359 --> 00:32:50.079 Paul says, yes, Jesus is coming to back. 00:32:50.799 --> 00:32:53.199 He is coming back, so get to work. 00:32:54.000 --> 00:32:55.199 Look at the words he says. 00:32:55.279 --> 00:32:57.679 He says, You know how you ought to follow us. 00:32:57.919 --> 00:32:59.839 He says, We were not idlers. 00:33:01.119 --> 00:33:02.959 We were not looking for a free ride. 00:33:03.039 --> 00:33:04.879