OUTLINE:
Doing Nothing Is An Activity
If you choose to say, “I choose to do nothing,” you’ve just made a decision, taken a stance, rejected the Lord’s unction. To follow Jesus implies real activity, thoughts, behaviors – aka, OBEDIENCE.
Serving Truth, Not Feelings
We don’t have the right to “feel” our doctrines into existence. Whatever we are meant to believe is laid out in the Bible. “You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you” (Deu 4:2).
The Object of Obedience
The Bible interprets life (and our feelings therein); life doesn’t interpret the Bible. The object of our obedience must be truth alone, which is the Word of God (“grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ” – Jn 1:17b).
“For My yoke is easy…”
This implies that we have been YOKED! The analogy is to oxen that have been purposed to plow fields! We are called “fellow workers” (Php 2:25; 1Th 3:2, etc.) because we labor for the Lord! This is the furthest thing from laziness.
Php 2:25
But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my need;
1Th 3:2
and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith.
Pro 13:4 [ESV]
The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.
Pr 18:9 [ESV]
Whoever is slack in his work is a brother to him who destroys.
Pr 19:15 [ESV]
Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger.
Pr 21:25 [ESV]
The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor.
Pr 24:33-34 [ESV]
A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest,
and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
and want like an armed man.
Ec 9:10 [ESV]
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.
Jn 5:17
But He answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.”
Gal 5:13
For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.