2 Thessalonians 3:6-10

2 Thessalonians 3:6-10  In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us.  For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you,  nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it.  On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you.  We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow.  For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.”

As a spiritual father to the new churches he started or pastored, Paul expressed his desire to set an example or to serve as a model of appropriate Christian behavior.  To the Thessalonians he is concerned about idleness as he has been in other of his writings.  In his first letter to the believers in Thessalonica, he told the church to warn those who are idle.  (1 Thessalonians 5:14)  In writing to Timothy, Paul also counseled the young widows to remarry because they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house.  And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to.  He believed if they were busy having children and managing their homes, they would give the enemy no opportunity for slander.  (1 Timothy 5:13-14)  Paul did not trust people to handle down time.  He expected them to be busy doing the work of the Lord and to earn their keep, not expecting others to take care of their needs.  To set an example for the church, even though Paul was a preaching and teaching apostle who could have expected the church to support him, he worked with his own hands whenever possible to earn his way and so he would not be a burden.  We see a glimpse of Paul's commitment to serving as an example in this account: After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.  There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them.  Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.  (Acts 18:1-4)

Paul does not merely suggest to these new believers that they avoid idleness, he commands that they avoid every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us.  Earlier in the letter, he wrote, We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command.  (2 Thessalonians 3:4)  Paul writes to a church he believes in and knows they will read his words with spiritual ears in tune with the Holy Spirit's leading, looking to God to lead them to do what He desires.  Paul backs up his statement about idleness with his own life by reminding them of how he lived when he was with them.  He knows they will remember his works and his attitude, his desire to labor and toil to pay his own way, even though he would have had the right to cease from laboring and expect the people to minister to his needs.  He says, he wanted to be a model for the church.  Having said this, he is in a strong position to bring up a subject that he has obviously discussed previously.  He reminds them of a "rule" he gave to them when he was with them: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.”  Reading between the lines, we can surmise that the problem of idleness is not something new to this church.  Apparently, they have dealt with individuals for a while who want to let others do the work, while they partake of the fruit of the labors of the workers.  Paul is saying the church is not meant to function this way.  Yes, the church is a family, a community of believers where each supports the others and where burdens are shared; but no one who is able to function in the body gets a free ride.  Everyone provides as he or she is able.  When Paul describes the body, he says we cannot remain infants in the church.  Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.  From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.  (Ephesians 4:15-16)  Every part is necessary, every part is important.  Working as a whole, we glorify God and the gospel message goes forth.

We attend a small church of around a hundred members located in a poor area of town.  Oftentimes people come, seeking financial aid.  Our pastors listen to their stories, and often provide temporary assistance and direct folks to appropriate agencies.  If the needy come at the beginning or during the service, we invite them to worship with us and speak with them afterwards.  Although these folks occasionally come back for a week or two, when the money is no longer available and when we suggest ways of obtaining answers to the problems such as finding a job or working on dysfunctional behaviors, we do not see these people again.  We live in a society where many people are saying, "Help me.  Help me."  But they often do not want anyone to say,  "Let's try to find a way out of your situation, a way you can change your life with God's help."  It is so much easier for us to blame our problems on everyone else.  It is easier to say, I am this way because of my parents or my ex-husband or my boss who fired me or my many health problems.  The church let me down and I don't know why God has allowed so many bad things to happen to me.  Jesus is the answer.  He said, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  He also told the disciples He would send the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, who would teach us all things.  (John 14:6 & 26)  So whatever we lack, we can ask the Holy Spirit and through the power of the cross, we can rise up in victory.  Paul knew this when he instructed the church not to tolerate those who would take advantage of the goodwill of others.  He said encourage them by asking for their best work, by telling them you expect their best work just as each person is giving his or her best to the gospel mission of spreading the Good News.  This remains the mission of the church today.  We no longer share all our money and our food with each other, but we do share our faith.  We must bring out the best in each other, the best worship and praise, the best Bible study and prayer.  May we not lose heart but rise up with hearts full of praise and hands raised to the One who gave his all!