Doing As Little As Possible
What is the least we can do and still make it to heaven?
Sadly, many want to know this answer.
The answer is simple.

Introduction
We live in a world where many people just do the very least of any project just to get by.
These are those at work who just do the minimum requirement to complete a task and do not do any more.
Others who work hard get frustrated because they are doing most of the work while the lazy ones get paid the same.
What is sad is that some who call themselves Christians are no different.
These people say that they are faithful and are trying to please God and go to heaven;
But their attitude and action demonstrate apathy, laziness, and misunderstanding about what the Christian life is about.
The Christian life is about service and doing your very best.
Most of these people will not ever “break a sweat” in their service to God.

There Must Be An Effort
Can anyone suggest that our Lord Jesus would have said: “When it comes to doing my Father’s will, I will do as little as possible”?
See, we know better.
But why do so many choose to do such?
Remember in the parable of the talents what happened to the one talent servant who did as little as possible?
He was called a wicked lazy worthless slave and was cast into the outer darkness (Matthew 25:30).
Apparently there is a misunderstanding of the scriptures for these lazy people.
They do not know their bibles well enough because they do not read their bibles.
Even though they (might) carry bibles around.
Some do not even do that.
A member of the church that does not give their best effort in serving the Lord is failing to do what God expects of all His followers.
1 Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.”
Romans 12:11 “not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;”
Titus 2:14 “who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds”
Do these verses agree with laziness?
Jesus said that His work was to do the Father’s will (John 4:34)
Later He said “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent me.” (John 6:38)
We are told to imitate those who imitate Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1).
No true imitator of the Son of God will approach God’s work with the idea of doing as little as possible.
When Jesus was talking about entering a certain gate in Luke 13:24.
“Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.”
Lazy, do-as-little-as-possible people should not get their hopes up about living with God eternally.
If they are not striving to live for Jesus now, they are not going to be living with God eternally.
The member who tries to just sneak by:
You know, the ones who attend once a week;
The ones who only get bible by what the preacher reads in his sermons;
The ones who do not help around the building;
The ones who feel if they have taken the Lord’s Supper that they have done their duty to God.
Of course we could go on.
Apparently this person does not appreciate what Jesus did for him/her.
Jesus had to take Himself all the way to the cross.
Many of these people will not take up their own cross.
Christ did so willingly (Hebrews 12:2);
He bore our sins in His own body (1 Peter 2:24);
He loved us even though we were worthless sinners (Romans 5:8).
After all that Jesus did for you:
You still do as little as you deem necessary to still make it to heaven?
Are you showing Him gratitude for what He did?
God’s grace did so much for you, yet you do so little for Him?
Here is where you become the problem:
We all have a duty to encourage and edify one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11).
We have the duty to stir up one another unto love and good works (Hebrews 12:24).
But the one who does as little as possible is still encouraging and teaching others.
You are teachings that you can be lazy in serving God and still make it to heaven.
That is the wrong thing to teach, because there are other lazy ones who will follow your example.
The church needs workers to survive.
Locally, we need parents who teach their children well (Ephesians 6:1-4).
We need strong members who know the Bible well enough to guard against false teaching (2 Timothy 2:15).
We need preachers that will tell it like it is and not be the men-pleasers that lazy people love (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

WE NEED WORKERS!!! (Matthew 9:37,38)
Hebrews 6:9-12 “but, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way. For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises”.

Conclusion
If I have been describing you, it is time for you to make some changes in your life.
Get busy working for the Master.
Stop doing as little as possible, and do more.
Remember, God know what you are capable of doing and what you are actually doing.
Will you continue doing as little as possible?
If so, you will not make it to heaven.

By Carey Scott based on an article by Edward Pratt

Return to the Sermon Outlines page

Home / Bible studies / Bible Survey / Special Studies / General Articles / Non-Bible Articles / Sermons / Sermon Outlines / Links / Questions and Answers / What Saith The Scriptures /Daily Devotional / Correspondence Courses / What is the Church of Christ / Book: Christian Growth / Website Policy / E-mail / About Me /