If You Don’t Work, You Don’t Eat

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MEETING AGENDA

  1. OPENING PRAYER – Ask one person to open the meeting in prayer.
  2. GROWTH QUESTIONS – Ask everyone the Growth Questions.
  3. ATTENDANCE – Take attendance through the DG Attendance System.
  4. TODAY’S LESSON – Go over this week’s DG lesson.
  5. GIVING – Encourage everyone to give on the App.
  6. CLOSING PRAYER – Ask for prayer requests and pray.

GROWTH QUESTION #1

Who would like to share a highlight, praise report, or testimony from this week?

GROWTH QUESTION #2

What did you learn from this week’s sermon?

GROWTH QUESTION #3

What was your most important accomplishment this week?

TODAY’S PASSAGE:

2 Thessalonians 3:10-13 (NLT) - 10 Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.” 11 Yet we hear that some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work and meddling in other people’s business. 12 We command such people and urge them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and work to earn their own living. 13 As for the rest of you, dear brothers and sisters, never get tired of doing good.

INTERACTIVE QUESTIONS

What did you learn from what we just read?

TRUTH #1

HARD WORK IS PART OF GOD’S PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE! (v. 10) 

  • If you are unwilling to work, you can expect that you won’t receive much, but hard workers always have enough.

Proverbs 14:23 (ERV) - If you work hard, you will have plenty. If you do nothing but talk, you will not have enough.

  • If you want to see your life improve, you must be willing to put in the effort to change it. 
  • Hard work, not laziness, will lead to a great inheritance and the ability to lay hold of what God has promised.

Hebrews 6:12 (NIV) - We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

  • God rewards those who work hard.

INTERACTIVE QUESTIONS

 Can you think of someone in your life with a great work ethic? What stands out about them and their life that you want to imitate?

TRUTH #2

AN IDLE LIFE IS A SINFUL LIFE. (v. 11)

  • When you don’t stay busy with what God asks you to do, you’ll get busy with things you shouldn’t be doing. 
  • One of the traps of an idle life is gossip and interfering with other people’s business.
  • If you have time to compare, gossip or criticize, it’s a sure sign that you are not focusing on what God wants to be your priority.
  • It’s important to stay focused on God’s business, the business of preaching the Gospel and saving souls.
  • Jesus Himself made sure that He kept His focus on His Father’s business. 

Luke 2:49 (NKJV) - And He said to them, “... I must be about My Father’s business”

  • Stay focused on the work God has given you so that you don’t get sidetracked, waste time, and get trapped in things you have no business involving yourself with.

INTERACTIVE QUESTIONS

What are some daily habits you can implement to stay focused on God’s priorities in your life? 

TRUTH #3

WE MUST NEVER GET TIRED OF DOING GOOD! (v. 13)

  • If we refuse to let weariness stop us from doing the right thing, we will experience incredible blessings from God.

Galatians 6:9 (NLT) - So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.

  • If you will stay focused on the work God wants you to do, nothing can stop your growth or the blessings God has in store for you!
  • More than that, whe we choose to never give up, God promises He will give us the the power we need to do His will. 

Philippians 2:13 (NLT) - For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

  • God will empower us so that we’ll never give up or get tired of doing good!

INTERACTIVE QUESTIONS

 Have you ever felt like giving up on doing the right thing? What kept you from quitting?

CLOSING QUESTION

What is one thing you have learned from today’s lesson?

GIVING

Feeding the hungry and helping those in need put the light of God on display in our lives and all around us. 

Isaiah 58:10 (NLT)
Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.

Encourage everyone to give their tithes and offerings.

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PRAY

QUESTION #1

Who are you praying for to be saved?

QUESTION #2

Who can you invite to the next meeting?

QUESTION #3

What are your prayer requests?