100:00:00,400 –> 00:00:04,240If you can live with and answer these four questions well200:00:04,240 –> 00:00:06,960you will be a very productive person.300:00:06,960 –> 00:00:10,320What do I need to begin?400:00:10,320 –> 00:00:13,500Where do I need to stay focused?500:00:13,500 –> 00:00:17,000What do I need to complete?600:00:17,000 –> 00:00:21,000And when do I need to rest?700:00:21,000 –> 00:00:23,540Welcome to Open the Bible with pastor Colin Smith.800:00:23,540 –> 00:00:26,040I’m David Pick, I’m glad you could join us today.900:00:26,040 –> 00:00:28,080And Colin, we’re thinking about how to apply1000:00:28,080 –> 00:00:30,879wisdom in different areas of our lives1100:00:30,879 –> 00:00:34,340and I think all of us want to be productive in what we do1200:00:34,340 –> 00:00:38,080but we begin today by thinking about the characteristics1300:00:38,080 –> 00:00:39,840of an unproductive person.1400:00:39,840 –> 00:00:44,080Yeah, that’s exactly what I don’t want to be like1500:00:44,080 –> 00:00:47,919and no one listening to us wants to be an unproductive person.1600:00:47,919 –> 00:00:49,040You know, think about this.1700:00:49,040 –> 00:00:52,660The Lord Jesus Christ completed all the work1800:00:52,660 –> 00:00:54,959that the Father gave Him to do.1900:00:54,959 –> 00:00:55,919Isn’t that remarkable?2000:00:55,959 –> 00:00:56,840Isn’t that remarkable?2100:00:56,840 –> 00:00:58,840Everything that the Father gave Him to do2200:00:58,840 –> 00:01:02,320and we want to be more like the Lord Jesus Christ2300:01:02,320 –> 00:01:07,540and the Lord has given you work that you are to do.2400:01:07,540 –> 00:01:11,040We are his workmanship, we read in Ephesians2500:01:11,040 –> 00:01:12,919and we’re created for good works2600:01:12,919 –> 00:01:15,320that God has prepared in advance for us to do.2700:01:15,320 –> 00:01:17,919So whatever your situation,2800:01:17,919 –> 00:01:20,879there is something that God has for you to complete it.2900:01:20,879 –> 00:01:21,919You want to fulfil it.3000:01:21,919 –> 00:01:25,339You want to be like the Lord Jesus Christ in that regard.3100:01:25,760 –> 00:01:29,040So, we want to be the opposite of the unproductive person,3200:01:29,040 –> 00:01:31,599but I find it very helpful just to look in Proverbs3300:01:31,599 –> 00:01:33,940at what makes a person unproductive.3400:01:33,940 –> 00:01:36,900Sometimes we learn by following an example.3500:01:36,900 –> 00:01:39,900Other times we learn by way of contrast.3600:01:39,900 –> 00:01:42,620We look at what we don’t want to be,3700:01:42,620 –> 00:01:44,739the opposite of what God calls us to be.3800:01:44,739 –> 00:01:47,400And then we see more clearly what it is that we have to do3900:01:47,400 –> 00:01:49,820and what it is that we have to pursue.4000:01:49,820 –> 00:01:52,879So, join us today, if you can, in the Book of Proverbs4100:01:52,900 –> 00:01:55,680as we begin a message entitled, Work.4200:01:55,680 –> 00:01:57,360Here is Pastor Colin.4300:01:57,360 –> 00:02:00,760We’re looking today at the theme of work,4400:02:00,760 –> 00:02:03,940or more particularly its opposite.4500:02:03,940 –> 00:02:08,940Proverbs introduces to us a rather tragic character4600:02:09,160 –> 00:02:12,039whose life ends in ruin.4700:02:12,039 –> 00:02:16,419His name is the sluggard and the sluggard4800:02:16,419 –> 00:02:21,059is referred to 14 times in the Book of Proverbs4900:02:21,100 –> 00:02:26,100and twice in the verses that have just been read for us.5000:02:26,520 –> 00:02:29,679Now this rather tragic character5100:02:29,679 –> 00:02:33,919is sometimes presented in comic terms.5200:02:33,919 –> 00:02:38,500For example, chapter 19 and verse 24 that was read,5300:02:38,500 –> 00:02:43,100the sluggard buries his hand in the dish5400:02:43,100 –> 00:02:46,240and will not even bring it back to his mouth.5500:02:46,240 –> 00:02:48,720So, taking the picture, here’s the sluggard5600:02:48,720 –> 00:02:51,259and he sits down at the table5700:02:51,259 –> 00:02:54,059and food is put in front of him5800:02:54,059 –> 00:02:56,240and he loads the food that’s in the dish,5900:02:56,240 –> 00:02:58,000as it were, onto the fork,6000:02:58,000 –> 00:03:00,500but that’s as far as he gets.6100:03:00,500 –> 00:03:02,979Lifting the fork to his mouth,6200:03:02,979 –> 00:03:05,240oh, that’s just too much effort for this man.6300:03:06,139 –> 00:03:09,940Then we read in chapter 26 and verse 14,6400:03:09,940 –> 00:03:13,580as a door turns on its hinges6500:03:13,580 –> 00:03:17,000so does a sluggard on his bed.6600:03:17,720 –> 00:03:20,100That is a marvellous picture.6700:03:20,100 –> 00:03:21,600The problem with the sluggard6800:03:21,600 –> 00:03:24,179is not just that he likes to lie in bed,6900:03:24,179 –> 00:03:27,160he’s hinged to the bed so he turns one way7000:03:27,160 –> 00:03:28,419and then he turns the other way7100:03:28,419 –> 00:03:32,300and never gets up and it’s a marvellous comic image.7200:03:32,300 –> 00:03:35,520It’s like a caricature, as we would say today.7300:03:35,520 –> 00:03:36,440Or what about this one,7400:03:36,440 –> 00:03:38,600chapter 22 and verse 13.7500:03:38,600 –> 00:03:41,339The sluggard is always full of excuses,7600:03:41,339 –> 00:03:46,339always has a reason for not doing what needs to be done,7700:03:47,080 –> 00:03:48,880and how’s this for an excuse?7800:03:48,880 –> 00:03:50,059The sluggard says,7900:03:50,059 –> 00:03:53,279there is a lion outside I shall be killed in the street,8000:03:53,279 –> 00:03:55,240I can’t go out to work today.8100:03:55,240 –> 00:03:58,240If you’re doing a SWOT analysis,8200:03:58,240 –> 00:04:00,679everything that the sluggard sees8300:04:00,679 –> 00:04:03,059is in the threat category.8400:04:03,059 –> 00:04:06,360He is risk averse, there’s always a reason8500:04:06,360 –> 00:04:10,800for not doing what needs to be done.8600:04:10,800 –> 00:04:12,839Now, we read proverbs like these,8700:04:12,839 –> 00:04:14,559they’re meant to make us smile,8800:04:14,559 –> 00:04:16,959they’re meant to make us laugh.8900:04:16,959 –> 00:04:19,399They’re also meant to make us think9000:04:20,420 –> 00:04:23,920and we recognize in the caricature9100:04:25,079 –> 00:04:29,600the great, great dangers of laziness.9200:04:30,679 –> 00:04:35,679Now, I have no doubt that the vast majority of us here9300:04:36,040 –> 00:04:41,040in this congregation today work very, very hard indeed.9400:04:44,320 –> 00:04:45,980And if that is true of you,9500:04:46,000 –> 00:04:50,339I am sure that your natural reaction will be9600:04:50,339 –> 00:04:54,000to think, ah, this message is for other people,9700:04:54,000 –> 00:04:57,700I’m safe today, it’s not for me.9800:04:58,519 –> 00:05:03,220Well, not so fast.9900:05:03,220 –> 00:05:05,859There is, I promised, something here for each10000:05:05,859 –> 00:05:10,859and every one of us no matter how hardworking today.10100:05:11,339 –> 00:05:13,820I want to begin here with the profile10200:05:13,820 –> 00:05:16,720of an unproductive person.10300:05:16,720 –> 00:05:18,760If you bring together what Proverbs says10400:05:18,760 –> 00:05:21,399across the book about the sluggard,10500:05:21,399 –> 00:05:24,399there are four distinctive marks10600:05:24,399 –> 00:05:27,619that make him an unproductive person.10700:05:27,619 –> 00:05:30,820The first, of course, is that he is slow to start.10800:05:30,820 –> 00:05:32,779Chapter 20 in verse four,10900:05:32,779 –> 00:05:36,000the sluggard does not plow in the autumn,11000:05:36,000 –> 00:05:40,799he will seek at harvest, and he’ll have nothing.11100:05:40,799 –> 00:05:45,660So Proverbs draws our attention to the longterm effects11200:05:45,660 –> 00:05:50,320of putting off the things that we need to do now.11300:05:50,320 –> 00:05:52,700And there is, of course, a season for ploughing,11400:05:52,700 –> 00:05:54,839and then there is a season for sowing,11500:05:54,839 –> 00:05:57,839and then there is a season for reaping.11600:05:57,839 –> 00:06:00,000But ploughing, of course, is very hard work,11700:06:00,000 –> 00:06:02,820and the sluggard doesn’t want to do it.11800:06:02,820 –> 00:06:05,239And the context here is very important,11900:06:05,239 –> 00:06:07,579because remember that when God’s people12000:06:07,579 –> 00:06:10,239came into the land of Canaan,12100:06:10,260 –> 00:06:14,480every family was given a plot of land.12200:06:15,459 –> 00:06:18,220God gave them, remember in the book of Deuteronomy,12300:06:18,220 –> 00:06:21,500God gave them homes that they did not build,12400:06:21,500 –> 00:06:23,519wells that they did not dig,12500:06:23,519 –> 00:06:25,720vineyards that they did not plant.12600:06:25,720 –> 00:06:30,720God gave them the means of sustaining themselves.12700:06:30,820 –> 00:06:33,420Everything they needed for life was theirs,12800:06:33,420 –> 00:06:35,239and it was all given to them freely12900:06:35,239 –> 00:06:38,380by the grace and the abundance of Almighty God.13000:06:38,399 –> 00:06:41,920Their part, then, was to work the fields they were given.13100:06:43,119 –> 00:06:47,540And so, working the field that God had freely given13200:06:47,540 –> 00:06:49,720was the work to which God had called13300:06:49,720 –> 00:06:52,179these particular people who are being addressed here13400:06:52,179 –> 00:06:53,380in the book of Proverbs.13500:06:53,380 –> 00:06:57,980But, the sluggard is slow to start13600:06:57,980 –> 00:07:00,700the work that God has given him to do.13700:07:01,619 –> 00:07:03,940He does not plough in autumn.13800:07:05,059 –> 00:07:06,700So, when the harvest comes,13900:07:06,700 –> 00:07:10,100all of his neighbors are gathering in the grain14000:07:10,100 –> 00:07:12,980or the produce of their land.14100:07:12,980 –> 00:07:14,959They’re gathering in what will sustain them14200:07:14,959 –> 00:07:16,420now for another year,14300:07:17,899 –> 00:07:21,200but the sluggard has nothing.14400:07:22,899 –> 00:07:25,220Now, perhaps most famously,14500:07:25,220 –> 00:07:30,220the book of Proverbs challenges the lazy person14600:07:31,380 –> 00:07:34,339by drawing a contrast14700:07:34,339 –> 00:07:38,640between the sluggard and the example14800:07:38,640 –> 00:07:42,700that we find in the world of insects.14900:07:42,700 –> 00:07:45,220Chapter 6 in verse 6,15000:07:45,220 –> 00:07:48,899go to the ant, oh sluggard,15100:07:48,899 –> 00:07:53,140consider her ways and be wise.15200:07:53,140 –> 00:07:56,260So here we’re getting the contrast between a person,15300:07:56,260 –> 00:07:59,220the sluggard who does not prepare for the future15400:07:59,220 –> 00:08:03,559and little insects, the ants who do15500:08:03,559 –> 00:08:08,559without having any chief officer or ruler,15600:08:09,119 –> 00:08:12,459she the aunt prepares her bread in summer15700:08:12,459 –> 00:08:16,200and gathers her food in harvest.15800:08:16,200 –> 00:08:19,440In other words, these tiny little insects15900:08:19,440 –> 00:08:23,359are wise enough to know that what you do now16000:08:23,359 –> 00:08:27,799relates to the outcome that will be in the future.16100:08:27,799 –> 00:08:30,640These little insects know16200:08:30,640 –> 00:08:33,159that you have to prepare for the future16300:08:33,200 –> 00:08:35,280and they do it without supervision.16400:08:36,760 –> 00:08:38,400See, the unproductive person16500:08:38,400 –> 00:08:41,159needs to be closely supervised all the time.16600:08:42,919 –> 00:08:47,039But the ants, there’s no supervision over them at all.16700:08:47,039 –> 00:08:50,119They, by instinct, know that there is work16800:08:50,119 –> 00:08:52,119that needs to be done and it needs to be done now16900:08:52,119 –> 00:08:56,400and they get on with it without any chief,17000:08:56,400 –> 00:08:58,599without anyone watching,17100:08:58,599 –> 00:09:03,239without any overseer and without any ruler.17200:09:04,840 –> 00:09:07,679But the sluggard delays.17300:09:07,679 –> 00:09:09,679He postpones.17400:09:09,679 –> 00:09:12,419He procrastinates.17500:09:12,419 –> 00:09:14,679Oh, it’s not very good weather today.17600:09:14,679 –> 00:09:16,659I’ll get round to plowing tomorrow17700:09:18,599 –> 00:09:22,119and, of course, he never does.17800:09:23,239 –> 00:09:25,539He’s slow to start.17900:09:25,539 –> 00:09:30,539Second, the unproductive person is easily distracted.18000:09:31,200 –> 00:09:34,080Chapter 28 in verse 19,18100:09:34,080 –> 00:09:36,200whoever works his land,18200:09:36,200 –> 00:09:37,919so notice that theme again,18300:09:37,919 –> 00:09:40,320will have plenty of bread.18400:09:41,400 –> 00:09:46,140But he who follows worthless pursuits18500:09:46,140 –> 00:09:49,640will have plenty of poverty.18600:09:49,640 –> 00:09:52,020Worthless pursuits.18700:09:52,020 –> 00:09:54,900Now you see, what keeps the sluggard18800:09:54,919 –> 00:09:58,580from doing the work that God has called him to do,18900:09:58,580 –> 00:10:02,700stewarding that which God has trusted to him,19000:10:02,700 –> 00:10:04,119what keeps them from doing that19100:10:04,119 –> 00:10:07,500is that he is easily distracted.19200:10:07,500 –> 00:10:09,179He lacks focus.19300:10:10,059 –> 00:10:13,260He follows worthless pursuits.19400:10:14,280 –> 00:10:18,359And of course, the person who is fascinated19500:10:18,359 –> 00:10:22,179with everything never accomplishes anything.19600:10:22,799 –> 00:10:27,140And we live in a world of constant distraction19700:10:27,140 –> 00:10:29,380from the moment we get up in the morning19800:10:29,380 –> 00:10:31,119to the end of the day.19900:10:32,440 –> 00:10:33,619Now this is important,20000:10:33,619 –> 00:10:38,619the reason that this sluggard has nothing at harvest20100:10:38,619 –> 00:10:41,539is not that he made some determined decision,20200:10:41,539 –> 00:10:43,820I’m not going to plow.20300:10:43,820 –> 00:10:47,599No, it’s simply that he never got around to it.20400:10:47,599 –> 00:10:51,119Other things got in the way, he was distracted.20500:10:51,239 –> 00:10:53,299And when you look at the things that distracted him,20600:10:53,299 –> 00:10:54,960none of them amounted to anything20700:10:54,960 –> 00:10:56,960that had any long term significance.20800:10:58,739 –> 00:11:01,659Look at chapter six in verses nine and 10.20900:11:02,520 –> 00:11:05,179How long will you live there, O sluggard?21000:11:06,080 –> 00:11:09,200When will you rise from your sleep?21100:11:09,200 –> 00:11:12,000and notice what comes next, a little sleep,21200:11:12,000 –> 00:11:15,559just a little, a little slumber,21300:11:15,559 –> 00:11:19,559a little folding of hands to rest.21400:11:20,520 –> 00:11:22,799And you see the point here, just a little,21500:11:24,380 –> 00:11:27,659I’ll get around to my ploughing, don’t worry,21600:11:27,659 –> 00:11:30,159don’t lecture me.21700:11:30,159 –> 00:11:33,119Right now, I just feel like I need a little sleep,21800:11:33,119 –> 00:11:36,559actually not even a little sleep, just a little slumber.21900:11:36,559 –> 00:11:38,440Actually, if I don’t doze off, that doesn’t matter.22000:11:38,440 –> 00:11:40,000Just let me sit in my chair22100:11:40,000 –> 00:11:43,080and fold my hands just for a few minutes.22200:11:44,919 –> 00:11:49,239And so he does and then there’s another distraction.22300:11:50,260 –> 00:11:54,559I’ll just do this first, and then I’ll get around22400:11:54,559 –> 00:11:58,239to what God has called me to do, my ploughing.22500:11:59,799 –> 00:12:04,799Too many concessions, too many postponements,22600:12:06,719 –> 00:12:11,719too many delays and it all happens little by little.22700:12:11,760 –> 00:12:14,599Little by little.22800:12:15,619 –> 00:12:20,619So understand why the sluggard has no harvest.22900:12:21,299 –> 00:12:24,859It’s not because he made some grand refusal23000:12:24,859 –> 00:12:26,820I am never going to plow.23100:12:28,299 –> 00:12:32,960It’s because through a thousand small concessions23200:12:32,960 –> 00:12:37,140to his flesh, he never got around23300:12:37,140 –> 00:12:40,200to the work that God was calling him to do.23400:12:41,200 –> 00:12:42,880You’re listening to Open the Bible23500:12:42,880 –> 00:12:44,179with Pastor Colin Smith23600:12:44,179 –> 00:12:46,119and we have to pause the message briefly23700:12:46,119 –> 00:12:47,559but we will be back shortly23800:12:47,559 –> 00:12:50,200so please do stay with us.23900:12:50,200 –> 00:12:51,900The message is called work24000:12:51,900 –> 00:12:53,440and it’s part of our series24100:12:53,440 –> 00:12:56,880from the Book of Proverbs called Wisdom for Life.24200:12:56,880 –> 00:12:58,599If you ever missed one of the messages24300:12:58,599 –> 00:13:00,460or if you have to leave early today24400:13:00,460 –> 00:13:01,900you can catch up or go back24500:13:01,900 –> 00:13:03,320and listen again online24600:13:03,320 –> 00:13:07,340at our website OpenTheBible.org.uk24700:13:07,340 –> 00:13:08,219back to the message.24800:13:08,219 –> 00:13:10,919Now here again is Pastor Colin.24900:13:10,919 –> 00:13:13,520So he’s slow to start,25000:13:13,520 –> 00:13:14,960the unproductive person.25100:13:15,900 –> 00:13:18,119He’s easily distracted25200:13:18,119 –> 00:13:19,919and of course what follows from that25300:13:19,919 –> 00:13:22,080is that he doesn’t finish.25400:13:22,080 –> 00:13:24,419Chapter 12 and verse 27.25500:13:24,419 –> 00:13:27,119Whoever is slothful25600:13:27,119 –> 00:13:30,520will not roast his game25700:13:31,400 –> 00:13:33,400but the diligent man25800:13:33,400 –> 00:13:35,760will get precious wealth.25900:13:35,760 –> 00:13:37,500So here is a place26000:13:37,799 –> 00:13:39,760where the sluggard has finally got started,26100:13:39,760 –> 00:13:41,700he does need to eat26200:13:41,700 –> 00:13:42,820and so he goes26300:13:42,820 –> 00:13:45,119and he gets some game.26400:13:45,119 –> 00:13:46,140He finds the food26500:13:46,140 –> 00:13:47,059and he brings it home26600:13:47,059 –> 00:13:48,659but of course when he gets distracted26700:13:48,659 –> 00:13:49,900he loses interest26800:13:50,859 –> 00:13:52,140and so he doesn’t see it through26900:13:52,140 –> 00:13:52,979to completion.27000:13:52,979 –> 00:13:54,460He moves onto something else27100:13:54,460 –> 00:13:55,419and he never gets round27200:13:55,419 –> 00:13:56,260to cooking the meat27300:13:56,260 –> 00:13:57,099he’s brought home.27400:13:57,099 –> 00:13:59,559He does not roast his game.27500:14:00,960 –> 00:14:01,799Now notice then27600:14:01,799 –> 00:14:02,640the pattern here,27700:14:02,640 –> 00:14:03,460there’s something27800:14:03,460 –> 00:14:04,979that’s important for us.27900:14:04,979 –> 00:14:06,900The pattern of this person’s life28000:14:06,900 –> 00:14:11,840is he is always moving onto something else.28100:14:11,840 –> 00:14:13,619Something new catches his eye28200:14:13,619 –> 00:14:15,840and off he goes,28300:14:15,840 –> 00:14:18,179leaving behind a trail28400:14:18,179 –> 00:14:20,080of incompleted projects28500:14:20,080 –> 00:14:22,020and of unfinished business.28600:14:22,020 –> 00:14:24,159Things that he started28700:14:24,159 –> 00:14:26,099but he didn’t continue28800:14:26,099 –> 00:14:28,820and as a result never completed28900:14:30,099 –> 00:14:31,020and that takes us29000:14:31,020 –> 00:14:32,140to the fourth mark29100:14:32,140 –> 00:14:34,599of the unproductive person29200:14:34,599 –> 00:14:36,640which is surprisingly29300:14:36,640 –> 00:14:39,780that he never rests.29400:14:39,780 –> 00:14:40,979And I say surprisingly29500:14:40,979 –> 00:14:42,479because we saw earlier29600:14:42,479 –> 00:14:44,979that the sluggard is hinged to his bed29700:14:46,179 –> 00:14:47,520but here’s the irony.29800:14:49,580 –> 00:14:52,440The person who keeps putting off29900:14:52,440 –> 00:14:54,400what he knows has to be done30000:14:54,400 –> 00:14:56,000is a person who ultimately30100:14:56,000 –> 00:14:58,039can never rest.30200:14:58,039 –> 00:14:58,960Even when he sleeps30300:14:58,960 –> 00:15:01,059he doesn’t really rest30400:15:01,059 –> 00:15:02,140because always at the back30500:15:02,140 –> 00:15:03,320of his mind is the sense30600:15:03,320 –> 00:15:04,539if I have not yet done30700:15:04,539 –> 00:15:05,640what I need to do30800:15:07,080 –> 00:15:08,260God rested when?30900:15:08,260 –> 00:15:09,520On the seventh day31000:15:09,520 –> 00:15:11,900when His work was complete.31100:15:12,900 –> 00:15:15,500And the price of keeping putting off31200:15:15,500 –> 00:15:17,880what you know God has called you to do31300:15:17,880 –> 00:15:19,599is that even when you sleep31400:15:19,599 –> 00:15:23,039you never really rest.31500:15:23,960 –> 00:15:26,280So chapter 13 in verse four31600:15:26,280 –> 00:15:30,440the soul of the sluggard craves31700:15:30,440 –> 00:15:32,359and gets nothing31800:15:32,359 –> 00:15:35,580while the soul of the diligent31900:15:35,599 –> 00:15:38,239is richly supplied.32000:15:38,239 –> 00:15:41,559So notice here we have a proverb about the soul32100:15:41,559 –> 00:15:44,719about your own inner experience.32200:15:45,559 –> 00:15:48,979And you see, it’s not just that the barns32300:15:48,979 –> 00:15:51,619of the sluggard are empty32400:15:51,619 –> 00:15:55,739the soul of the sluggard is empty as well.32500:15:55,739 –> 00:15:58,359Laziness will empty your wallet32600:15:59,599 –> 00:16:01,580but it will do something worse as well.32700:16:02,780 –> 00:16:04,979It will destroy your soul.32800:16:06,119 –> 00:16:08,820Because constantly avoiding32900:16:08,820 –> 00:16:13,820what God is calling you to do is soul destroying.33000:16:16,580 –> 00:16:19,580And that’s the experience of the sluggard33100:16:19,580 –> 00:16:23,539and that’s why he never really rests.33200:16:23,539 –> 00:16:28,239Instead, the soul of the sluggard craves.33300:16:29,299 –> 00:16:30,900Oh, he wants a harvest.33400:16:31,739 –> 00:16:33,760Oh, he’d like to be like his neighbors33500:16:33,780 –> 00:16:36,640who are seeing the benefit of their diligence33600:16:36,640 –> 00:16:38,559and their focus and their work.33700:16:40,440 –> 00:16:41,539But he doesn’t have one33800:16:43,200 –> 00:16:46,940and he won’t do what it takes to get one.33900:16:48,419 –> 00:16:53,260So he gets nothing, Proverbs says.34000:16:56,080 –> 00:17:00,080Now, no one here or anywhere else34100:17:00,080 –> 00:17:03,080wants to be anything like the sluggard, right?34200:17:03,080 –> 00:17:05,280None of us wants to be like this.34300:17:06,479 –> 00:17:10,319But the sluggard’s profile actually gives us34400:17:10,319 –> 00:17:12,959a really helpful grid34500:17:13,880 –> 00:17:16,640to work with in terms of what it takes34600:17:16,640 –> 00:17:20,040to become a more productive person.34700:17:20,040 –> 00:17:22,300Here are the four questions to ask.34800:17:23,160 –> 00:17:25,579What do I need to begin?34900:17:26,959 –> 00:17:30,140Where do I need to stay focused?35000:17:31,140 –> 00:17:34,060What do I need to complete?35100:17:35,219 –> 00:17:37,420And when do I need to rest?35200:17:38,660 –> 00:17:40,160If you can live with and don’t answer35300:17:40,160 –> 00:17:41,660these four questions well,35400:17:41,660 –> 00:17:44,579you will be a very productive person.35500:17:44,579 –> 00:17:47,380What do I need to begin?35600:17:47,380 –> 00:17:51,260Where do I need to stay focused?35700:17:51,260 –> 00:17:53,520What do I need to complete?35800:17:54,560 –> 00:17:57,880And when do I need to rest?35900:17:58,719 –> 00:18:00,760Now that’s the first thing,36000:18:00,760 –> 00:18:03,199the profile of an unproductive person.36100:18:03,199 –> 00:18:04,800Here’s the second,36200:18:04,800 –> 00:18:08,880and it’s the motive of a hard working person,36300:18:08,880 –> 00:18:13,880the motive of a hard working person.36400:18:14,260 –> 00:18:17,780And here I want to look at Proverbs chapter 2436500:18:17,780 –> 00:18:20,560and verse 30, where we read,36600:18:20,560 –> 00:18:24,040I passed by the field of a sluggard,36700:18:24,040 –> 00:18:27,400by the vineyard of a man lacking sense,36800:18:27,459 –> 00:18:32,459and behold, it was overgrown with thorns,36900:18:32,459 –> 00:18:35,920the ground was covered with nettles,37000:18:35,920 –> 00:18:39,420and its stone wall was broken down.37100:18:40,459 –> 00:18:42,560Now, picture a wise man,37200:18:42,560 –> 00:18:45,119and he’s out on a beautiful afternoon37300:18:45,119 –> 00:18:48,780taking a walk in the countryside.37400:18:48,780 –> 00:18:50,520And the path that he’s walking on37500:18:50,520 –> 00:18:54,739takes him by the edge of little properties,37600:18:54,780 –> 00:18:57,479one little farm after another.37700:18:57,479 –> 00:18:59,000He looks over at the land,37800:18:59,000 –> 00:19:00,880and he sees, at the end of the land,37900:19:00,880 –> 00:19:04,479a little house where the family that works that land is,38000:19:04,479 –> 00:19:06,619and then he moves on past the next farm.38100:19:06,619 –> 00:19:08,439It’s a beautiful, beautiful walk.38200:19:08,439 –> 00:19:11,000And as he goes along this path,38300:19:11,000 –> 00:19:15,640he sees a field of ripening corn.38400:19:15,640 –> 00:19:17,599And as he looks across the fields38500:19:17,599 –> 00:19:20,680to the little house at the end38600:19:20,680 –> 00:19:24,540where the family who are working this field live,38700:19:24,599 –> 00:19:25,819he thinks, oh, there’s going to be38800:19:25,819 –> 00:19:27,459a great harvest for this family.38900:19:27,459 –> 00:19:30,359They’re going to be richly, wonderfully blessed this year.39000:19:31,699 –> 00:19:33,579And then, as he continues on the path,39100:19:33,579 –> 00:19:35,479he walks past a vineyard.39200:19:36,300 –> 00:19:39,680And he sees these great clusters of grapes39300:19:39,680 –> 00:19:42,079hanging from the branches,39400:19:42,079 –> 00:19:44,760looks down at the house at the end of that property,39500:19:44,760 –> 00:19:46,640and says, oh, there’s going to be39600:19:46,640 –> 00:19:51,060a great harvest for this family this year.39700:19:51,060 –> 00:19:53,560They’re going to be so richly blessed.39800:19:53,579 –> 00:19:55,560He keeps walking along this little path,39900:19:55,560 –> 00:20:00,479and then he sees this land, and it’s an orchard.40000:20:00,479 –> 00:20:02,680I had to get that bit in, it’s an orchard.40100:20:02,680 –> 00:20:06,780And he thinks, oh, how blessed are the family40200:20:06,780 –> 00:20:10,260that live here and are deeply rooted in this soil.40300:20:12,119 –> 00:20:14,359And then he comes to another property40400:20:14,359 –> 00:20:18,079that looks very, very different.40500:20:18,079 –> 00:20:21,699The field is overgrown with thorns.40600:20:21,699 –> 00:20:25,500The ground is covered with nettles.40700:20:25,500 –> 00:20:30,500And the stone wall around the field is broken down.40800:20:32,739 –> 00:20:37,739God has given to the person who lives here a field,40900:20:39,380 –> 00:20:44,380but this man has not used what he was given.41000:20:46,459 –> 00:20:51,180And the tragedy of the neglected field41100:20:51,180 –> 00:20:52,739is not just that the sluggard41200:20:52,739 –> 00:20:55,199has failed to provide for himself,41300:20:56,400 –> 00:20:59,459it is that this man, unlike all his neighbors,41400:20:59,459 –> 00:21:04,060is unable to contribute to the needs of others.41500:21:05,060 –> 00:21:08,599Look at chapter 21 and verse 25 that draws this out.41600:21:09,599 –> 00:21:12,859The desire of the sluggard kills him41700:21:12,859 –> 00:21:15,979for his hands refuse to labor.41800:21:15,979 –> 00:21:18,579All day long, he craves and craves41900:21:18,579 –> 00:21:23,579but the righteous gives and does not hold back.42000:21:24,780 –> 00:21:27,420So you see the contrast that’s being made here42100:21:27,420 –> 00:21:31,939is a contrast between the sluggard and the righteous.42200:21:31,939 –> 00:21:33,300And here’s the difference.42300:21:33,300 –> 00:21:35,619The righteous has a good harvest.42400:21:36,459 –> 00:21:39,900And so he has enough for himself and for his family42500:21:39,900 –> 00:21:41,699and he has enough for others as well.42600:21:41,699 –> 00:21:44,439And so he’s able to give and he does not hold back.42700:21:45,280 –> 00:21:47,859But the sluggard who does not plough,42800:21:48,839 –> 00:21:51,439he has nothing to give.42900:21:53,420 –> 00:21:56,119And so think about this.43000:21:56,119 –> 00:22:00,339God gave the sluggard a field.43100:22:01,640 –> 00:22:05,500God gave him something that would produce.43200:22:06,760 –> 00:22:09,099It would produce all that he needed for himself43300:22:09,099 –> 00:22:10,880and a whole lot more beside.43400:22:12,000 –> 00:22:13,520More than he could give to others,43500:22:13,920 –> 00:22:15,479but here’s the problem.43600:22:15,479 –> 00:22:18,859The sluggard did not use what God had given to him,43700:22:18,859 –> 00:22:22,099did not use his God-given gift,43800:22:23,239 –> 00:22:27,040and because he did not use that which God gave to him,43900:22:28,880 –> 00:22:30,780the fields became overgrown44000:22:32,239 –> 00:22:35,219and the wall was broken down.44100:22:37,099 –> 00:22:41,219Now, right here in Proverbs and particularly in the contrast44200:22:41,219 –> 00:22:42,880between the sluggard and the righteous,44300:22:42,880 –> 00:22:47,699there is the seed of a principle that is drawn out44400:22:47,699 –> 00:22:51,339and made quite clear and explicit in the New Testament,44500:22:51,339 –> 00:22:53,479and it’s this,44600:22:53,479 –> 00:22:58,479that love is the great motivation for all of our work.44700:22:59,780 –> 00:23:00,640You’ve been listening to44800:23:00,640 –> 00:23:02,239Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith44900:23:02,239 –> 00:23:03,719and a message called, Work.45000:23:03,719 –> 00:23:06,439We’ve been looking at an unproductive person today45100:23:06,439 –> 00:23:08,979and just beginning to look at the character45200:23:08,979 –> 00:23:10,140of a productive person45300:23:10,140 –> 00:23:11,699and we will continue with that next time,45400:23:11,819 –> 00:23:13,819so I hope you’ll join us for that.45500:23:13,819 –> 00:23:16,420Open the Bible is supported by our listeners.45600:23:16,420 –> 00:23:19,020We’re able to bring you Pastor Colin’s teaching45700:23:19,020 –> 00:23:21,819on the radio, internet and podcasts45800:23:21,819 –> 00:23:25,119as a result of the generosity of listeners like you.45900:23:25,119 –> 00:23:27,699So if you already give to support our work,46000:23:27,699 –> 00:23:30,859thank you so much, we do appreciate it.46100:23:30,859 –> 00:23:32,459This month, when you begin to support,46200:23:32,459 –> 00:23:34,319Open the Bible for the first time,46300:23:34,319 –> 00:23:35,739we’d love to say thank you46400:23:35,739 –> 00:23:36,880by sending you a copy46500:23:36,880 –> 00:23:38,800of Pastor Colin’s brand new book,46600:23:38,800 –> 00:23:40,079Grow in Faith.46700:23:40,079 –> 00:23:41,219This devotional book46800:23:41,359 –> 00:23:43,079is not yet available in the UK46900:23:43,079 –> 00:23:45,339so our offer is very exclusive.47000:23:46,319 –> 00:23:48,880Colin, who is this book for?47100:23:48,880 –> 00:23:51,520Well, it’s for everyone who wants to grow in their faith47200:23:51,520 –> 00:23:54,339and hopefully that’s every Christian believer.47300:23:54,339 –> 00:23:57,040The disciples at one point said to Jesus,47400:23:57,040 –> 00:24:01,859Lord, increase our faith and they’d been following Jesus47500:24:01,859 –> 00:24:03,839for some time when they said it,47600:24:03,839 –> 00:24:06,459they’d left everything in order to follow him47700:24:06,459 –> 00:24:08,880but they came to a place at one point47800:24:08,979 –> 00:24:13,300where they realised we’re going to need to grow in faith47900:24:13,300 –> 00:24:16,739and I think every Christian comes to a place like that.48000:24:16,739 –> 00:24:19,180I’ve been trusting Jesus for some time48100:24:19,180 –> 00:24:21,020but now I’m facing circumstances48200:24:21,020 –> 00:24:23,180where I’m really going to have to trust him.48300:24:23,180 –> 00:24:25,939Lord, increase my faith.48400:24:25,939 –> 00:24:29,439So this 30 day devotional book48500:24:29,439 –> 00:24:34,380is designed to help and encourage growing in faith.48600:24:34,380 –> 00:24:36,660I have loved working on this48700:24:36,699 –> 00:24:38,140and I’m very excited48800:24:38,140 –> 00:24:40,599about the opportunity of sharing it with you.48900:24:40,599 –> 00:24:42,900Well, pastor Colin’s book, Grow In Faith49000:24:42,900 –> 00:24:45,500is our special offer to you this month49100:24:45,500 –> 00:24:47,619when you support Open the Bible financially49200:24:47,619 –> 00:24:51,619for the first time with a one-off gift of £60 or more49300:24:51,619 –> 00:24:56,540or a monthly direct debit of £5 per month or more.49400:24:56,540 –> 00:24:59,140Full terms and conditions are on our website.49500:24:59,140 –> 00:25:02,439That’s at openthebible.org.uk49600:25:02,439 –> 00:25:04,020and you can give online.49700:25:04,020 –> 00:25:06,359Please do remember to leave your full name49800:25:06,900 –> 00:25:08,380and address when you set up your payment49900:25:08,380 –> 00:25:11,280so we can send you your free gift.50000:25:11,280 –> 00:25:13,619For Open the Bible and pastor Colin Smith,50100:25:13,619 –> 00:25:14,739I’m David Pick,50200:25:14,739 –> 00:25:16,540and I look forward to you joining us again50300:25:16,540 –> 00:25:18,699next time on Open the Bible.50400:25:23,500 –> 00:25:26,979What is the biblical motive for work?50500:25:26,979 –> 00:25:29,280Find out next time on Open the Bible.