232. Weariness In Well-doing.

But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing. - 2 Thessalonians 3:13.

READ the two previous verses, and mark the apostle's censure of those who are busy-bodies, "working not at all."

A church should be like a hive of working bees.

There should be order, and there will be order where all are at work. The apostle condemns disorder in verse 11.

There should be quietness, and work promotes it (verse 12).

There should be honesty, and work fosters it.

The danger is, lest we first tire of work, and then fancy that we have done enough, are discharged from service by our superior importance, or by our subscribing to pay a substitute. While any strength remains, we may not cease from personal work for Jesus.

Moreover, some will come in who are not busy bees but busybodies. They do not work for their own bread, but are surprisingly eager to eat that of others. These soon cause disturbance and desolation, but they know nothing of "well doing."

The apostle endeavors to cure this disease, and therefore gives—

I. A SUMMARY OF CHRISTIAN LIFE. He calls it "well doing."

1. Religious work is well doing. Preaching, teaching, writing books and letters, temperance meetings, Bible classes, tract distributing, personal conversation, private prayer, praise.

2. Charitable work is "well doing." The poor, the widow and the fatherless, the ignorant, the sick, the fallen, and the desponding are to be looked after with tender care.

3. Common labor is "well doing."

This will be seen to be the point in the text, if we read the previous verses. Well-doing takes many forms: among the rest—

· Support of family by the husband.

· Management of house by the wife.

· Assistance in housework by daughters.

· Diligence in his trade by the young man.

· Study of his books by the child at school.

· Faithful service by domestics in the home.

· Honest toil by the day laborer.

4. Certain labor is "well doing" in all these senses, since it is common labor used for charitable and religious ends.

· Support of aged persons by those who work for them.

· Watching over infirm or sick relatives.

· Bringing up children in the fear of the Lord.

· Work done in connection with the church of God to enable others to preach the gospel in comfort.

Everything is "well doing" which is done from a sense of duty with dependence upon God and faith in his word, out of love to Christ, in good will to other workers, with prayer for direction, acceptance, and blessing.

Common actions become holy, and drudgery grows divine when the motive is pure and high.

We now think it will be wise to gather from the epistle—

II. A WARNING AS TO CAUSES OF WEARINESS IN WELL DOING.

1. Unworthy receivers of charity, weary generous workers (verse 10).

2. Idle examples tempt the industrious to idleness (verse 11).

3. Busybodies and disorderly persons in the church hinder many from their diligent service (verses 11-12).

4. Troublers, such as "unreasonable and wicked men," dispirit those who would serve the Lord (verse 2).

5. Our own flesh is apt to crave ease and shun difficulties.

We can make too much of works, and it is equally easy to have too few of them. Let us watch against weariness.

Let us now conclude with ---

III. AN ARGUMENT AGAINST WEARINESS IN WELL DOING. "But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing."

1. Lose not what you have already wrought.

2. Consider what self-denial others practice for inferior things: soldiers, wrestlers, rowers in boat races, etc.

3. Remember that the eye of God is upon you, his hand with you, his smile on you, his command over you.

4. Reflect upon the grandeur of the service in itself as done unto the Lord and to his glorious cause.

5. Think upon the sublime lives of those who have preceded you in this heavenly service.

6. Fix your eye on Jesus and what he endured.

7. Behold the recompense of reward: the crown, the palm.

If others tire and faint, don't be weary.

If others meanly loaf upon their fellows, be it yours rather to give than to receive.

If others break the peace of the church, be it yours to maintain it by diligent service and so to enjoy the blessing of verse 16.