The text this morning is from Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians, the third chapter:
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. For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, 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. It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.Thus far the text.
My dear friends in Christ,
What in the world does the passage out of 2 Thessalonians have to do with these end times? After all, the Old Testament and Gospel readings are highly suggestive in the destruction that will reign over all of the earth. This passage just talks about not being idle. What’s up with that? Let’s break this out a little, and then we’ll come back to that.
Firstly, it doesn’t seem that Paul isn’t commanding them in the name of Jesus, he’s calling them brothers in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, could he do so? Sure, but the force of this seems to be that he’s appealing to them on the basis of the name of Jesus, in which they have been baptized. He’s coming to them, not only with apostolic authority, but as someone who is in the trenches with them, fighting along side of them. They all have, we all have, the same name put on us, the name of Jesus with the Father and the Spirit. This is something wonderful to remember, especially with what Paul says next.
Stay away from a brother who is walking in idleness. A couple things here. Firstly, a brother walking in idleness is apparently still a Christian. Until they actually fall away from the faith by teaching false doctrine, living an immoral lifestyle, or living in unrepentance, we are to treat them as one with whom we will be sharing eternity. It’s possible, of course, that one who is not busy with their hand becomes busy with their bodies. That doesn’t necessarily discount them from the faith, but it certainly makes them someone to avoid. After all, who likes to be around someone who is just going to turn around and gossip about you, or tell you what to do?
This walking in idleness is such an interesting phrase, it’s almost like he were to say “blindly seeing.” It doesn’t seem quite right, and that’s because a Christian has no business being idle. Paul implies that when one is believing in Jesus Christ, there is more than just getting by, more than just paying lip service to the King. There is something there in which we are working, not with idle hands, but with busy ones. And busy according to the tradition that we have received from the Apostles. We are to walk and do what is right and good as we have been taught. This tradition is the doctrine of Jesus. This goes just beyond what has been written, but it is the story, the hope, the narrative, the rule of faith, which is that Christ came to die for sinners, of which I am chief and now redeemed, I desire to walk in His footsteps and follow His ways. That’s what I should be doing.
Paul tells us to avoid people who walk in idleness, which is to walk outside of this rule of faith. We are called to be like Paul and the Apostles, to imitate them, especially in this way. We are to serve others, not seek to be served. When Paul says they didn’t eat anyone’s bread, that’s what he’s talking about. Not that eating bread would be bad, and not even that getting free bread would be bad, but that he never sought to be served but to serve those around him. So, when Paul then says to avoid these brothers walking in idleness, he’s telling the Thessalonians to avoid those brothers and sisters who have the air of faith but expect only to be fed and not serve.
The Christian is a lord of all people and subject to none, and the Christian is the most dutiful servant of all and subject to every person. The Christian needs to serve no man in their salvation; it has been won for them and they need do nothing to earn God’s favor. Yet, because of their salvation and because the favor of God rests upon them, they should desire to serve others well before themselves. If someone doesn’t understand the “being lord of all” aspect, that’s fine. But if they don’t get the “servant of all,” you’re going to have problems. They won’t be living according to faith and, in fact, will probably quite difficult to work with.
That’s why it helps to have some rules in place, like if you won’t work you won’t eat. This is not Paul giving you some conservative talking point about the American welfare system. This is Paul tell the Thessalonians that they need to train themselves to serve others before being served. It gets you into a habit. It teaches you through the school of hard knocks what it looks like to be a Christian. You know that scene from the ’78 film, Animal House, where Kevin Bacon gets paddled in a frat house hazing initiation, and he has to say, “Thank you, sir, may I have another?” Well, while I wouldn’t encourage you to watch that movie, that is exactly the Christian life. We serve, especially when it hurts. And while we’re enduring it, trusting that our Lord will work all things for good, we ask for more and that He keep giving us what He will. If you’re not willing to work, you will miss out on the opportunity to serve and you cannot be part of the congregation of Christ. You might not be able to work and serve, but you need to be willing. But if you are willing to serve, do so quietly. Earn your living. Do not grow weary in doing good. Ask for more to do.
Alright, so we’ve broken a lot of this out. We’ve explored some of the meaning. Now, what does this have to do with the end of time? After all, we’re in the last two weeks of the Church year. We’re waiting to see Jesus with our eyes, even as we await the celebration of His first coming in Bethlehem. We’re getting to this point. It’s getting dark outside, the days are shorter, the nights are colder and Paul doesn’t tell us to be on watch, he tells us to work.
Well, that’s kind of the same thing. Paul here equates the work of the Christian in service to their neighbor with being prepared for the end of the world in this life. If you neglect your daily responsibilities to your neighbor, you show that you don’t care for them at all. And if you don’t care for your neighbor, what is that Jesus will say to you at the end in the judgment?
We very often focus on the Last Day, as we’re standing before the Judgment Seat of God, and hear the declaration of not guilty by reason of Jesus’ blood. And that’s going to be true, of course it is. The Lord Jesus came to this earth to die for you and gives you the benefit of His grace and mercy, the forgiveness of sins, that you might live forever with Him. But, there yet will be the accusation. That’s Satan’s job; he is the accuser. He is there to accuse you of every thing you’ve ever thought, said, or did, or didn’t do. And only when all that is read out does Jesus declare you not guilty. You have to go through the accusations of hell in order to hear those sweet and glorious words, otherwise the words of forgiveness have no meaning. If you don’t realize your sins, then the forgiveness won for you is empty. But, to see and hear the depth of your depravity, which is what we aim for understanding in this life, to bring you to your breaking point, imagine how high you soar to hear that Christ has forgiven it all and set you right with Him? If we, in this same way, refuse to or just don’t want to or forget to serve our neighbor, all that will be recounted against us. Honestly, that shouldn’t be anything we would be okay with. Do you really want Satan recounting these things? Then, of course, we should seek to do righteously that our list may be shorter.
There’s an aspect of judgment, too, where all of our good deeds are recounted before the angels and all mankind. They hear these things and rejoice, and the Scriptures tell us that these deeds serve as crowns, added up and stacked upon our heads. That’s a wonderful thing. Our sinful actions are heard in the courtroom, but our good deeds are proclaimed before all mankind. And when we then work, when we serve, when we follow in the tradition of the Apostles, and even Jesus Christ, these deeds show the glory of God through us.
Doing these good works is preparing for the end. Through our good works, we’re keeping all those whom God has put in our way safe until He takes them home. We’re helping them to endure until the day of judgment. We’re helping them so that they might see Jesus. I don’t think Luther ever actually said it, but it’s attributed to him, that if he knew Jesus were coming back tomorrow, he’d go and plant his apple tree today, just as he had been planning to do. God has put you on this earth to do good deeds, to use your reason and all your senses to ascertain what you can and should be doing. Go out and do them. And if you don’t, it’s sinful. Stop it. You’re going against Paul’s command, which is a command truly from the Lord. If you refuse, God says we shouldn’t have anything to do with you. I know that’s harsh, but you can’t argue with Scripture. But if you love and serve others as you have been called to do, not being busybodies but buys with your hands, not growing weary in doing good, you are imitating Christ who gave up His life for you. Would that we see Him in all our work, that our sacrifice is bringing the benefit of His sacrifice to all those He loves. Your work is good work, God honors it because it’s done in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, in whom you are baptized, whom you shall see with your eyes, for He is returning for you. He is coming; be prepared, be busy, be redeemed. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Now may the peace of God which passes all human understanding guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord! Amen.
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