Pray
Open with prayer.
Opening up
If you had before you a lazy day with an empty to-do list, what would you do?
Digging in
Read 2 Thessalonians 3:6–18.
Paul is speaking into the lives of people who are lazy.
Read 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 and 5:14 to find what he wrote earlier about laziness among believers—the “teaching you received from us” (2 Thess. 3:6).
Given the context of 2 Thessalonians, what reason might the people have for being idle and disrupting one another’s lives?
a. From the rest of this letter, how would you challenge them?
Why do you think Paul is so passionate about challenging idleness?
From the whole passage, list the principles and instructions that Paul gives. Are these instructions for Christians? Everyone in the world?
How do Paul’s commands about idleness and work relate to your own job situation? How can you be the kind of worker who honours God?
a. Should Christians retire?
In verses 6, 10, 13-15, how does Paul say the church should act towards those who are idle? What is the aim?
a. Note the nuance in verses 14 and 15. How can we show such harmonious and gracious accountability to one another?
Read Matthew 18:15-20. Do church communities today often follow these commands of Jesus? Why or why not? What might result if these commands were followed?
How can you help fellow believers who tend towards idleness or who are flat out lazy?
a. How would you encourage someone who for legitimate reasons is unable to work?
How do you personally feel about this ‘tough love’ approach to fellow believers who sin, either in idleness or in any other way?
a. Is there anyone who comes to mind that you might need to approach in line with 2 Thessalonians 3 or Matthew 18:15-20 (without mentioning any names)?
Taking it with you