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Tenth Sunday after Pentecost

A Christian Response to Socialism

August 9, 2020 • Pastor Paul Becker

"If anyone doesn’t take care of his own relatives, especially his immediate family, he has denied the Christian faith and is worse than an unbeliever." —1 Timothy 5:8

"Thieves must quit stealing and, instead, they must work hard. They should do something good with their hands so that they’ll have something to share with those in need." —Ephesians 4:28

"Also, make it your goal to live quietly, do your work, and earn your own living, as we ordered you." —1 Thessalonians 4:11

"While we were with you, we gave you the order: “Whoever doesn’t want to work shouldn’t be allowed to eat.” We hear that some of you are not living disciplined lives. You’re not working, so you go around interfering in other people’s lives. We order and encourage such people by the Lord Jesus Christ to pay attention to their own work so they can support themselves. Brothers and sisters, we can’t allow ourselves to get tired of doing what is right." —2 Thessalonians 3:10-13

Nowhere in Scripture are we given any expectation to live from the labor of others, but rather we each receive from God various talents and abilities with which we work diligently to provide for our own family and have an abundance to support the spread of the Good News, save for the future, and give generously to our neighbor who is in need.

1. In God’s economy, we are warned against falling into certain traps
a. Thieves must quit stealing! Borrower is slave to the lender
b. Some live undisciplined lives, interfering in other people’s lives

2. In God’s economy, everyone receives the gift to work diligently
a. To care for their own relatives and immediate family
b. Pay attention to our own work in order to support ourselves

3. In God’s economy, everyone receives a gift to manage wealth wisely
a. So that we’ll have something to share with those in need
b. So that we won’t get tired of doing what is right: Good News

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