Sermon Tone Analysis

Thessalonians Series #9

*Beware of Idles*

*1 Thes 3:6-18*

 

 

*1.

Out of Order*

we "*command*" you - word *means* an *order* handed down by a *superior* military officer

 

  *A*.

4 *Letter* *Words*?

    1.

*work* may have *4 *letters but it *isn't* a *BAD* word

    2.

*busy* also 4 letters but *isn't* a *bad* word

    3.

according to PAUL though *IDLE* *is* a *BAD* 4 *letter* word

    4.

*8 letter* word that *is* a *bad* word - "*busybody*" and it's *partner* *gossip* *1 Tim 5:13* - "*busybody*" - def - */officious/*/ or *inquisitive* person/ - now *maybe* some of you are *better* at *English* than this *simple* preacher but I figured *officious* *wasn't* a *good* word but I wasn't *sure* so I *looked* it up - the "*archaic*" or meaning was *kind* and *dutiful*, but the *word* *currently* means - /"volunteering one's services where they are neither asked nor needed; meddlesome"/ and of course the *root* for the *word* is *office*.

So, a "*busybody*" is a *person* who has *made* it their *JOB* or office, to *inquire* into *things* that are *not* their *business* and *volunteer* their *services* to *areas* where they are *not* *wanted* or *needed* in a *meddlesome* uninvited way.

The *Greek* word translated *busybody* means /"to be working around or fooling around … to bustle about uselessly … trifling in needless useless matters"/

/ /

*/A Persian Fable Of Three Animals/*

/There is an old *Persian* *fable* of a *hen*, a *mouse*, and a *rabbit* who *lived* together in a little house.

They were *happy* and *contented* because they *shared* all the work.

The *rabbit* *cooked* the meals.

The *chicken* *carried* in the firewood.

The *mouse* brought the *water* from the nearby brook.

Each *did* his *work* faithfully and *contentedly*.

/

/But *one* *day* while the *hen* was going to the *forest* for wood a *busybody* *crow* *asked* her what she was doing.

When *told*, the *crow* *complained* that the hen was *doing* the *hardest* part of the work and that the *rabbit* and *mouse* were making an *easy*-mark of her.

Try as she would, the *thought* *kept* rankling in the hen's *mind*, and when she *returned* home with her load of *wood* and her still *heavier* load of *discontent*, she cackled: "I *do* the *hardest* work ever.

We *ought* to *change* our jobs."/

*/Discontent/*/ *spreads*, as you know, and *immediately* the *rabbit* and *mouse* also *thought* they had been doing the *hardest* work.

They *agreed* to *change* jobs: the *mouse* would *cook*, the *rabbit* would *gather* the firewood, the *hen* would *bring* the water.

/

/As the *rabbit* *hopped* into the woods, a big *fox* *trailed* him, *caught* him, and *ate* him.

The *chicken* put the *pail* into the *creek*, but the *current* *pulled* the *pail* down under, and the *chicken* with it.

The *mouse* *wondered* *why* they did *not* come *back*, but not for long.

*While* he was *sitting* on the *edge* of the big *pot* of soup, he *lost* his *balance* and *fell* in.

Through *discontent* all *three* not only *lost* their *happiness* but their very *lives*.

/

 

*Becoming* a *busybody* is a *dangerous* thing because we *get* into *things* we have no *business* in and *hurt* people who *we* *think* we can help

 

 

    5.

*when* a person is *NOT* *busy* doing the *things* that God *calls* them to do, they are in grave *danger* of *becoming* busybodies

 

- *Sayings* on *idleness* -

*Romans* - /by doing nothing, men learn to do evil /

*Isaac* *Watts* - /For Satan finds mischief still for idle hands to do"/

*Jewish* *Rabbis* taught - /He who does not teach his son a trade, teaches him to be a thief/

 

  B.

Our *Nature* is to be *Busy*

    1.

we do *NOT* *work* simply *because* of the *FALL*

    2.

*work* got *harder* *after* Adam and Eve sinned but *WORK* was theirs *given* by *God* in the Garden - *Gen 2:15 *(work it and care for it)

    3.

so *when* we *aren't* *busy* about the work God has assigned us, we are *NOT* *fulfilling* our God given role in *life*, in the *church*, and in the *world*.

4.

*God* *called* already *busy* people to his *work* -

      a.

*Moses* - tending *sheep* Ex 3

      b.

*Joshua* - was *serving* Moses Ex 33:11

      c.