Laziness

Introduction

1. Christians are to be energetic.

a. They are to use their time wisely. (Col. 4:5; Eph. 5:15-16)

b. They are to be the finest, most productive employees. (Eph. 4:28; 6:5-8; Col. 3:22, 24; Titus 2:9, 10)

c. No Christian is ever to be lazy. (2 Thess. 3:6-8,10-13)

d. No Christian is to be a sluggard, lazy man, guilty of slothfulness. 2  The Hebrew word translated “sluggard” or “lazy man” is “acel.”

a. It is only found in the book of Proverbs.

b. The root meaning is “to be sluggish, stupid.”

c. By definition, the lazy man is one who lacks sense. 1) He does not make proper decisions.

2) He cannot make up his mind to do what is most needful and important.

I. Who Is Guilty of Laziness

A. Those who want to do nothing. (Prov. 13:4; 19:24)

B. Those who engage in activities of secondary importance and neglect those activities which should challenge their talents. (Prov. 20:4)

1. Someone has said, “Not only is he idle who is doing nothing, but he might be better employed.”

2. The “one-talent man” had been active (Matt. 25:14-30)

a. He buried and unburied the money but was still called “lazy.” b. He had not been busy in the most significant activity.

3. The Pharisees in Jesus’ day were guilty of this. (Matt. 23:23)

4. People who claim to be Christians often fill their lives with the more mundane aspects of service while leaving undone those things which are most important such as reaching the lost, teaching their children, etc.

C. Those who are waiting for the church or elders to tell them what to do. (Prov. 6:6-11)

II. The Causes of Laziness

A. Tomorrow seems to offer better opportunities than there are today. (Prov. 27:1) B. Many have never known the need for hard work and effort—“Let others do it.”

(Prov. 26:14-16)

Gene Taylor  www.ExpositorySermonOutlines.com  1

C. Some quit because they are easily discouraged. 1. “To avoid criticism, do nothing!”

2. They see that they are inconvenienced, that it’s not as glamourous as they thought it would be, etc.

3. They do not see immediate results.

D. Some rarely see anything through to completion, only the “new” intrigues them.

III. The Curse of Laziness

A. It paves the way for additional sins.

1. “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.” 2. Consider 1 Timothy 5:13.

B. It makes room for discontent and complaints: notice how the “one-talent” man, the lazy servant, maligned his master. (Matt. 25:24)

C. It leads to mental and spiritual collapse. (Eccl. 10:18) D. It begets beggary. (Prov. 6:10, 11; 19:15; 23:21)

E. It causes one to be repugnant to God. (Prov. 10:26)

Conclusion: What the Lazy Man Must Do

1. He must realize his condition and awake from it. (Eph. 5:14)

2. He must awake to righteousness and full,energetic service to the Lord for opportunities abound. (Jas. 1:22-25)

Gene Taylor  www.ExpositorySermonOutlines.com  2