Go To The Ant

Introduction

Well, good morning. I’m opening my Bible up to the book of Proverbs. We’re going to be studying from the book of Proverbs this morning, and I believe you will benefit if you’ll turn along with me. I’m going to Proverbs chapter 26 to begin with.

If you’re unfamiliar and having difficulty finding Proverbs, just go to Psalms and take a right. And then turn a few pages after that to Proverbs chapter 26. You know, it’s rarely planned. But sometimes it’s a happy coincidence that the sermon in the nine o’clock hour will kind of perfectly segue into the sermon in the eleven o’clock hour. Sometimes it’s one of the major points of that sermon that will relate to the major theme of the later sermon. But sometimes it’s just a passing comment. Some would say a hurtful comment that’s made in the nine o’clock hour that perfectly segues into the sermon in the 11 o’clock hour. Talking from the book of Proverbs, with little or no comment, just going to read one Proverb, Proverbs 26, verse 4.

Do not answer a fool according to his folly. Lest he be wise in his own eyes. You know, the Proverbs offer so much insight and wisdom. We could probably categorize the Proverbs in three broad categories. Some of the Proverbs are God focused, they have a spiritual message to them. For example, look back in chapter 14 of the book of Proverbs. These God focused, spiritually minded Proverbs could just as easily be included in the New Testament. In making a spiritual application, look at Proverbs 14, verse 26. In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence. And his children will have a place of refuge. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life to turn one away from the snares of death. In just a few words, the wise man encapsulates the essence of the fear of the Lord.

But sometimes the Proverbs don’t really have a spiritual focus, it seems.

Turn over to chapter 25. And verse 17. Where we read Seldom, set your foot in your neighbor’s house, lest he become weary of you and hate you. That’s really not a God focused proverb, is it? It doesn’t have anything about eternity except maybe how quickly you’ll get there if you annoy that neighbor too much. But it’s just a very practical lesson of how to be a good neighbor. And then sometimes the proverbs seem to blend those two, don’t they? Look over in chapter 27 and in verse 8. And then we read this proverb, ask yourself, is that a practical proverb, or is that a spiritual proverb? Or maybe it’s both. Proverb 27, verse 8 says, like a bird that wanders from its nest is a man who wanders from his place.

Does that have a practical application? Sure it does. You ever been homesick? But does it have a spiritual application? Sure it does. Every child of God that wanders away from home, from God, should experience some spiritual homesickness. And so these proverbs provide so many wonderful lessons. Some very practical, some eternity lasting. And some do both.

Where God, through the wise man, uses a very physical, earthly thing, and teaches a lesson that probably has, again, a dual application in Proverbs chapter 6, where he says, beginning in verse 6, go to the ant, you sluggard. Now let’s just pause there and say, what was the Proverb trying to address? Maybe in immediate context, he was just talking about somebody that was physically lazy. That somebody would not, as the New Testament say, would not work with his hands and provide for his own household. And so maybe the proverb was just saying, you lazy person, you need to get to work. And here’s a good illustration of work. Go to the ant. Or look at, consider the ant, you sluggard. Consider her ways and be wise.

Speaking of the ant, he says, which, having no captain, overseer or ruler, provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest. And then he asks these questions of the sluggard. How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep. So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler and your need like an armed man. While I admit that probably the immediate point of this proverb was to stir those who were physically lazy into physical work and activity. I think we can see a spiritual application. And the spiritual application I want to share with you this morning. As we connect this to our congregational theme this year of stand firm and take action.

1. They Work Together as a Team

I’m not asking for a show of hands. But who among us may admittedly be spiritually lazy? May be the spiritual sluggard. You know, one thing about lazy people is they usually know it. Whether physically or spiritually. And you may look into the mirror of God’s word and recognize, I need to be doing more. Then this lessons for you. Go to the ant. Let’s talk about and look at the ant and the illustrations, the point that he makes from this, and draw not a physical application, but a spiritual one. He says a few things about the ant. The first thing he says of the ant is that they work together as a team. You ever watched ants? Now they can be very annoying, can’t they? Especially if they’re fire ants, but they can be very educational.

These ants are really a, as the proverb writer says, they’re a case study in work and a work ethic. And one thing that we notice about them is that they work together as a team. In fact, ants are probably the most successful of all social insects. They live in colonies that include many times up to the millions of ants.

But they are unified in their efforts. They’re all working toward one common goal. Do you see the spiritual application already? You know, the New Testament has a lot to say about Christian unity. And Christian unity, according to the New Testament, takes at least three tracks. Number one is there must be what we call unity of doctrine or unity of teaching. I believe that’s what Paul was addressing in 1 Corinthians 1 and verse 10 and other places where he said that you be of the same mind and of the same judgment and you speak the same things. There needs to be some doctrinal unity, some unity of teaching. But there also must be unity of spirit. And that is that it’s possible for a group of Christians to be united in their teaching and belief, but they just can’t get along.

They’re just so cantankerous and hateful and ugly toward one another, that they might agree on what we might call the doctrinal issues, but we would remind a group such as that that love and agreement and forbearance and forgiving and tolerance is also a part of the doctrine of Christ. But then there’s what we might call a third category of unity, and that is the unity of purpose, our unity of direction. Turn with me, if you will, to the book of Philippians, chapter 1. I believe this is the type of unity that Paul is talking about to his Philippian brethren. In Philippians chapter 1.

And in verse 27. Paul of the church in Philippi says, Philippians 1, verse 27, only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel. Now there may be an undertone of the idea of the unity of doctrine of teaching there. But it seems to me that Paul’s primary point here is that he’s telling this congregation of Christians, you make sure that you’re all pulling in the same direction. This unity of mind and of purpose that is absolutely essential if anything is to be accomplished. We must work together. Now that does not mean, as we’re going to see, that does not mean that we’re all doing the same task, but it does mean that every task that we do, everything that we supply is for the same purpose and in the same direction.

And obviously, for a body of believers, that direction is heavenward. And God focused. Look how Paul put it in the book of Ephesians, chapter 4. Using a different illustration, the Proverb writer used the ant hill as our illustration. Paul in Ephesians chapter 4 uses the physical body as this illustration of unity, the unity of purpose or of direction. When he said in Ephesians 4, verse 16, from whom, speaking of our head, Christ, there’s a hint of a direction in which we’re pulling, from whom the whole body joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes the growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. Paul encompasses two ideals there that are really one in purpose.

Number one, he talks about the concept of everybody doing their part, but it’s also everybody doing their part for the same cause, for the same work. Christians, Christians in the local church must constantly remind themselves that we’re on the same team. Don’t ever forget that. Now, as we studied in our auditorium class just recently, sometimes that would require discipline, even of our brothers and sisters. But it’s always for the same goal and for the same purpose.

We must never, never be guilty in this spiritual warfare, never be guilty of friendly fire, of attacking and berating and hurting and working against one another. We must always remind ourselves, you’re on my team. I’m on your team. More importantly, we’re on God’s side. And we are constantly working and pushing and laboring and helping and even sometimes admonishing one another, but it’s always for that one goal and that one purpose. Be of the same mind, striving together in the gospel. Don’t make this task harder than it already is by pulling in opposite directions. We need this unity. God put us together as a community of believers because he was keenly aware that we could not accomplish this alone. I need you. Standing beside me, laboring beside me, pulling with me.

2. They Work Efficiently, Without Captain or Overseer

And so the wise man would say, look at the end. They’re working together. Another point that we found there in Proverbs chapter 6, this, they’re working as a team, but he highlighted the efficiency of that team.

Again, if you were just to observe ants in their natural environment, you would see that, wouldn’t you? That what at first glance may look like absolute chaos. They’re just going everywhere this direction, that direction. That there’s absolutely some divine given order to what they’re doing. Some are staying home, protecting the queen. Others are tending to the eggs. Others are going off and finding food to bring back to the queen to supply to those eggs. Others are there defending the colony against intruders and outsiders. They all have a job to do, and they do that job. Remember what he said there in Proverbs chapter 6? That without captain or overseer or ruler, they just do it. They don’t have to be told what to do. They don’t have to be berated.

They don’t have to have somebody standing over their shoulder as men pleasers and just doing it. If somebody will tell me what to do. Look again in the book of Philippians, chapter 2. This is what Paul wanted for the church at Philippi. And surely what the Lord would want for us. Philippians chapter 2 begin in verse 12. Paul had labored at the church at Philippi. And I think we can infer that while he was there and was working and laboring with them, that to a certain degree things were getting done. But now Paul has traveled elsewhere. And again, we may infer that in his absence, this energy and enthusiasm had waned a little bit. And so Paul writes these words. Philippians 2, verse 12. He says, Therefore, my beloved, as you’ve always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence.

Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to do for his own good pleasure. So many times, verse 12 there is misunderstood of Paul saying, work out your own salvation. He’s not in any way talking about working it out apart from God. He’s saying, working it out apart from me. I don’t have to be there spoon feeding you the gospel. I don’t have to be there assigning duties on some kind of sign-up sheet to say, here’s what you need to do. I don’t have to be there calling, emailing, texting, prodding you. Have you done that? Are you doing that? Will you do this? Paul says, even when I’m not there, do it. Be about the work.

Like the ant. Without captain or overseer or ruler. Do what you know you need to do. James put it this way. Turn over to James chapter 2. A passage that we must constantly remind ourselves. James 2, we’ll look at verses 17 and 18. A section of Scripture that we must constantly be reminded was not written to address a denominational doctrinal misunderstanding. Now it can do that. But James wrote these words to Christians. Christians who understood that they needed to, because they already had, obeyed the gospel. That there were certain conditions that they needed to meet in order to accept the grace of God. They understood that part. But he says to them, James 2, verse 17, thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

But someone will say, You have faith and I have works. Show me your faith without your works, and I’ll show you my faith by my works. The people who had already obeyed the gospel, who understood that you needed to respond, Paul said, don’t stop now. Show me your faith without your works. Go ahead. Try it, he says. It can’t be done. And in the meantime, James says, what I will do, and what he enjoined upon them is, I’ll show you my faith by my works. James’ implication is, strong, unavoidable implication, is that faith of a necessity will be a faith borne out in action. Working. Can I not draw this conclusion from James’ writings here? That if I’m not working in the kingdom of God. If I’m not like that ant, who is busy doing what I was made to do.

Did I have a faith problem?

Maybe my faith isn’t strong enough. I thought it was. But James says that my faith will be evidenced by my activity, and if my activity is minimal, then maybe my faith is minimal. And here’s the gut check looking into the mirror of God’s word moment. If your faith, your works, your activity is virtually non-existent. What does that say about your faith? I believe James or the Holy Spirit would say it’s dead. Your faith is dead. Because death, by its very definition, is that which does nothing.

And look what they do. They work together as a team.

3. They Work for the Future

They’re doing what they need to do. As Paul would say in both Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians chapter 12, they’re adding their part to the body, whatever that part is, and it gets done, and amazing things are done when everybody does what they’ve been assigned to do. Work as a team, work efficiently. And he also said of the ants that they work for the future. Now, the physical application there was the ants laboring and putting that food aside. In fact, if you could slice through an ant hill and see, you would see that they have actually whole rooms, supply rooms, where they’re bringing all of that food in. Some of it’s eaten right now, but some of they’re putting down there in that cellar. And they’re saving that for the winter.

Now, the physical application to the Proverbs writer is that that ought to be us. That you need to work to not only eat today, but maybe put a little aside for that rainy day, we would say. To harvest that produce from the garden and eat and enjoy it sometimes when it’s fresh, but can and freeze some of it for that winter time when it’s not going to be grown. But surely we can make a deeper and longer lasting application of preparing for the future. Because really, that’s what we’re all about, isn’t it? Now, now we’re not preparing for winter. We’re not even preparing for our retirement. We’re preparing for eternity. So go to the ant. Work together as a team, work efficiently, make preparations, not just for the here and now, but make preparations for eternity.

4. Some Characteristics of a Sluggard

And then he concludes that section, the wise man does in Proverbs chapter 6, with some questions for the sluggard. And so we’ve talked about the ant and the efficiency of the ant. But now let’s look at the contrast of that. Go with me back to Proverbs chapter 6. And again, I don’t want to make, it might be worth our time, but I don’t want to make a physical application to those who may be physically lazy. But we want to make a spiritual application. Proverbs 6 again. Verse 9 says, How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep. So shall your poverty come upon you like a prowler and your need like an armed man?

Here’s some characteristics that both in Proverbs 6 and really throughout the book of Proverbs says about the sluggard. Here’s some characteristics of a sluggard. In fact, if you were asking yourself, am I? I’m not sure if I am or not. Here’s how you can tell. He says, first of all, a sluggard sleeps too much. Always laying around sleeping. Now he says, sleep is good. A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands. But then move and act it. Ask yourself, does that describe me? Not physically. But does that describe me spiritually? Take a snapshot of this past week, of this past month. What did you look like spiritually? What did your spiritual activity calendar look like?

Well, I slept up until Wednesday. And I was awake for about an hour of Bible study then and went back to sleep. And I woke up on Sunday morning. I woke up a little late on Sunday morning. I didn’t get here at 9 o’clock. I got here at 10 o’clock for Bible classes. But I was here, I was awake for a couple hours through that. And then I put my Bible down and I went back to sleep.

Oh slugger. Slugger sleeps too much. A sluggard makes excuses. Turn over to Proverbs 22. Are you still in the book of Proverbs? I love this one. Proverbs 22. And isn’t this true? You know somebody spiritually lazy. Everybody’s got a brother-in-law, don’t you? You know somebody physically lazy, don’t you? And they’ve always got an excuse, don’t they? There’s always something that keeps them from it. You’ve heard some good excuses. You haven’t heard one this good. Look in Proverbs 22, verse 13. What does the lazy man say when he doesn’t want to work? The lazy man says, Proverbs 22, verse 13, there’s a lion outside. I shall be slain in the streets. I was going to go outside and work, but now again, the spiritual application. Be honest.

I was going to teach Bible classes this quarter, but I was going to sign up when that members’ needs email went out. I was going to respond to that and said, Here am I, send me. But I was going to be more spiritually active this year. I was going to do that Bible reading program. I was going to be more vigilant and diligent in my attendance. I was going to do all those things. But there’s a lion in the streets. You see, the lazy man is very good at making excuses. And isn’t this true of the lazy, both physically and spiritually, that we procrastinate. Proverbs chapter 10. Proverbs 10, verse 4 beginning says, He who has a slack hand becomes poor. But the hand of the diligent makes rich.

He who gathers in summer is a wise son. But he who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame.

And they always have a plan. But they know in their heart of hearts that they’re really lying when they say, one of these days. Or tomorrow, or next time. But it never happens. The wise man says that the wise are just doers. You know, you notice something about ants, the ants and their activity, the scurry that they’re going. They don’t, you don’t see an ant running behind them telling them what to do. You’ll never see an ant attending a motivational seminar. They’re too busy to go to a motivational seminar. They don’t need that. They see something that needs to be done, and they do it. Don’t procrastinate. There’s work that you know needs to be done. Do it. Not tomorrow, not the next day. Today is the day of activity.

Be a doer. Now we must admit that sometimes the work the Lord has given us to do is uncomfortable. Sometimes it’s awkward. Sometimes it’s difficult. Do it anyway. In fact, that’s the first thing you ought to do. Find the most uncomfortable task that you’ve been given and do it first in the morning. I don’t know if Mark Twain said half the things we say he said, but somebody told me Mark Twain said this. That if you have to eat a frog, don’t stare at it very long. That’s pretty good advice, isn’t it? Because the longer you look at it, the harder it’s going to get to swallow. And I think he went on to say if you have to eat two frogs, eat the bigger one first.

There’s a spiritual application in that proverb, isn’t there? Is there a brother or sister in Christ that needs that phone call? Is it going to be awkward and difficult?

Do it. Don’t stare at it very long. Just do it. Is there a task that you’ve been thinking about that that somebody’s mentioned to you that’s going to take you out of your comfort zone to be able to do that?

Be busy doing it. And you know what you might find out is that you kind of like to taste a frog. That it wasn’t so bad after all. And what you many times find out is that you develop a taste for that frog and you’ll want another one. You’ll find out that wasn’t so bad, and work begets more work in your own lives and through the example of others. Lastly.

Although it might be an apt description.

Let’s soften it a little bit and say, the spiritually lazy discourage one another. We might really want to say annoy, but you become a discouragement. And it becomes that leaven. Before you know it, your laziness is well. If they don’t have to, then I don’t have to. And I’m not going to be the one that. And so don’t be that person. In fact, the New Testament says this, Hebrews chapter 13. And in verse 17, make an application here. Hebrews 13, verse 17, obey those who rule over you and be submissive, for they watch for your souls as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief. For that would be unprofitable for you.

You want to make an elders day?

You want to make a deacon say happy’s busting at the scenes?

Say, what can I do? I don’t feel like I’m being used enough in this. What can I do? Let me be an ant. Let me be a worker for the Lord. Give me something to do. When are you going to put up that list? I’m ready to sign up for that. In fact, don’t even put up the list. Just let me do it. When is my next time to teach Bible class? I can’t wait.

When is my next time to serve in the service? Where’s my next time to help someone who is in need? Put me to work. And after they get up off the floor from having fainted, you’ll see an encouraged, rejuvenated fire that will spread. As ants scurry everywhere, busy in their work.

Conclusion

You gave me strength and health. Now put me to work. Let me be a worker in your kingdom. Let me work together with others who love you. And let us accomplish so much. And let us put aside those things for the future. That we might reap that golden harvest one day. What about you? Would you be a worker for the cause of Christ? Would you begin this morning? By maybe an uncomfortable task. It’s a little awkward to step out into the aisle in front of people, some of them strangers, and step forward, make a confession to be baptized. Don’t wait till the last verse of this song. Step out and say, I know what I need to do, and I’m going to be busy about that work this morning.

If we can help you in any spiritual way as you throw off the spiritual laziness that holds you back and work toward the goal of heaven. Would you come right now as together we stand and as we sing?