Jesus Condemns Laziness

Kennedy Newcombe

Excerpt from the devotional Strength For Today
by D. James Kennedy and Jerry Newcombe

“His master answered, ‘You wicked and slothful servant!’”—Matthew 25:26

The Lord Jesus has so unkind things to say about the deliberately slothful person. In the parable of the talents, the Lord lambasts the third man because he was lazy.

The Bible admonishes us to be not slothful in business, but fervent in spirit, serving the Lord, and therefore by our fervency in our business we are also serving the Lord. And Paul says that if a man will willfully not work then neither shall he eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10).

And yet we live in a day when these things are being greatly ignored to the detriment of our society. One time some counties instituted a “workfare” program which was to substitute for the welfare program that had been in effect. Sadly, many able-bodied people did not take advantage of this. Too many of them just wanted something for nothing. We are producing more and more people who are being taught by our government in effect that the world owes them a living.

This is a sin and we as Christians need to face up to that. We are producing a generation of slothful, indigent people, and it does not portend well for our society.

Furthermore, it does not help the poor, especially since the wealth-transfer systems break the back of the urban family. It is a great tragedy when we as individuals or as a nation stray from God’s principles. God’s ways still work, and He has designed us for work. Granted, some people in extreme cases cannot. But the exceptions should not make the rule.

Dear God, thank You for creating us to work. Thank You for the blessings of accomplishments and the joy in a job well done. Help us to do work well and always help those who are unable to do so…

By God’s strength, we can do our work to His glory.


The original of this essay appeared in the devotional book by D. James Kennedy and Jerry Newcombe titled Strength for Today, available here with other books by these authors on Jerry’s Bookshelf.

Dr. D. James Kennedy (1930-2007) remains one of the most listened-to Christian ministers in America. Dr. Kennedy served for 47 years as Senior Minister of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. From the arrival of Dr. Kennedy in 1959, the rocketing growth of the church made it, for 15 years, the fastest growing Presbyterian church in America. Decision magazine named the church one of the “Five Great Churches of North America.” In 2005, Dr. Kennedy was inducted into the National Religious Broadcasters Hall of Fame. His work continues in part, via the D. James Kennedy Ministries website.

Dr. Jerry Newcombe is senior TV producer and on-air personality of Kennedy Classics. He has also written/co-written twenty-five books, including NPI title The Book that Made America: How the Bible Formed Our Nation, Doubting Thomas, (with Mark Beliles on Jefferson), Strength for Today and What If Jesus Had Never Been Born? (with D. James Kennedy) and George Washington’s Sacred Fire (with Peter Lillback).  @newcombejerry.

© 2016 Used by Permission


Nordskog Publishing (NPI) provides articles and essays by select guest authors which we believe have much to offer the Christian community—to motivate Biblical thinking and action. We believe in the market place of ideas within the context of God’s Word. However, we may disagree at points.  Publishing an article does not mean absolute agreement. Therefore, please understand that opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of NPI, nor of its editorial staff.

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