6 Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. 9 It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. 11 For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. 12 Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. 13 As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good. 14 If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother. 16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all. 17 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is the sign of genuineness in every letter of mine; it is the way I write. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. —II Thessalonians 3:6-18

Work is not a

I. Charge concerning an unbiblical view of work 3:6

• A. Authoritative – “command”
• B. Specific – “keep away”
  
  1. What is to be done – separate
  2. Why it is to be done – violates the command/tradition established

The Waiting Church must unify around challenging one another to

II. Correction of the unbiblical view of work 3:7-18

• A. Paul’s example and past instruction 3:7-10

  1. Paul’s example 3:7-9
     a. How he lived 3:7-8

     1. He worked to meet his needs
     2. He worked to minister freely

     b. His purpose – instruction 3:9

     1. His right to earn a living from the ministry – I Corinthians 9:1-14; I Timothy 5:17-18; Philippians 4:10

        1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? 2 If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. 3 This is my defense to those who would examine me. 4 Do we not have the right to eat and drink? 5 Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? 6 Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? 7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk? 8 Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the Law say the same? 9 For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned? 10 Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. 11 If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? 12 If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. 13 Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? 14 In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel. —I Corinthians 9:1-14
        17 Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. 18 For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.” —I Timothy 5:17-18
        10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. —Philippians 4:10

     2. His rationale for not doing so – to set the example
        

  2. Paul’s teaching 3:10
     a. Anchored in creation – Genesis 1:27-31

     27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 29 And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. 31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. —Genesis 1:27-31

     b. Work to honor Christ – I Thessalonians 4:11-12; 5:14

     11 and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, 12 so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one. […] 14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. —I Thessalonians 4:11-12; 5:14
     

• B. Paul’s present instructions 3:11-15
  
  1. His concern 3:11
  2. His instructions to the idle 3:12
  3. His instruction to the faithful 3:13-15
     a. Stay faithful 3:13
     b. Stay away from the unfaithful 3:14-15
     
     1. Relational change
     2. Relational responsibility
        

• C. Paul’s parting words 3:16-18
  
  1. Live in God’s peace 3:16a
  2. Live in God’s presence 3:16b
  3. Live under God servant’s authority 3:17
  4. Live in grace 3:18
     

In spite of the chaos in our culture and, at times, the confusion within the church, God is calling His people to

Small Group Questions

1. What did God teach you through this passage and sermon? Share the work of God in your heart with the group.

2. What questions did this passage and sermon raise in your mind? This would be a great opportunity as a group to use the Ask a Pastor feature and that way we can address it either directly or in the messages in the future.

3. Paul uses some clear and strong instructions concerning church discipline in this passage. Why do you think there is such resistance towards the church applying discipline?

4. What criteria would you use to define a faithful life, and how are you measuring up?

5. What will be your biggest takeaways from our study in II Thessalonians?