The Idle Disciple - August 14, 2022 Sunday Sermon

The Idle Disciple

Read 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 The Idle Disciple Let’s Pray!

The Thessalonian Christians had been taught to be watchful workers while they awaited Jesus! But some of the disciples there had done some improper reasoning. They thought, “Since the rapture and the events that follow could occur at any time, there’s no need to work hard while we wait for Jesus.”

The word(s) for idle in 1 Thessalonians 5:14 and 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 7, 11 is the Greek word(s) atakteo (G812), ataktes (G813), and ataktos (G 814). At its core, it conveys what the military would call disorderly conduct, being out of rank, not doing what you were enlisted to do, being AWOL (absent without leave).

The basic challenge: Be a hard-working disciple and align yourself with hard-working disciples.

The industrious ant works hard and is prepared for what’s coming; The idle sluggard is lazy and is unprepared for what’s coming.

According to verse 11, the idle Thessalonians were committing a double “theft”: they were not generating positive work or volunteer service themselves, and they we’re distracting others from getting work or volunteer service done.