Please turn with me to 2 Timothy 2 - starting at verse 20. 

This morning as we’re looking at The Character of a Committed  Christian - thinking about what it takes to keep going - to be consistent in our walk with God - to go the distance with Jesus - this morning we’re going to look at our usefulness to God.

2 Timothy 2 - verse 20:  Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor.

Let’s pause there and grab Paul’s image.  A large house - a mansion.  In a large house they’d have all kinds of different types of vessels - utensils, dishes, pots, pans and so on.  Some vessels are made out of gold and silver.  Some vessels are made out of wood and clay.

The word in Greek for honor is “timeh” which has the idea of what something is valued for.  Why its honored.  Dishonor - is the opposite of that - what something is not valued for.

How many of you have things on display in your house?  Pictures, souvenirs, trophies, plaques, vases, little knickknacks, maybe even fine china.  Anyone have a curio cabinet?  Special things go in there for display.  Right?

Crystal goes in the curio cabinet.  Trash cans do not - at least in most normal homes.  Fine china goes on display.  Mop buckets do not.  Not every vessel is valuable to be displayed.  But each vessel is valuable to the running of the house.  Each has a particular use.  Can’t put the trash out on fine china.  Most people don’t eat out of a mop bucket.  May not be valuable for display.  But valuable to be used.

In 1 Corinthians 12 - starting at verse 22 - Paul writing about the Church - illustrating the Church as a human body - familiar illustration, right?  Paul writes, “the members of the body - the body parts - which seem to be weaker are necessary; and those members of the body which we deem less honorable - same word - “timeh” - on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, whereas our more presentable members have no need of it.”

Certain body parts are more noticeable - the ears - the eyes.  They’re continually on display - out for everyone to see them.  Some body parts are hidden - our heart - our stomach.  We don’t think about these hidden parts as continually as what we see in the mirror - what’s on our face.  But, try living without them.  Pumping blood without a heart.  Digesting without a stomach.  Pretty tough.  So we honor what is not on display.  We exercise.  We eat reasonably good food.  Every part is important if the body is to live and thrive and function properly. 

That’s Paul’s point - here in 2 Timothy - verse 20.  All the members of the house - the church - regardless of whether they’re made out of gold or clay - each one is important regardless of the role - the honoring by placement - God calls them to.  Say this together:  “We’re all important.”

Verse 21 - look where Paul goes with this.  Verse 21 - Therefore - because each vessel’s role is important - Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things - these things are what’s coming in verse 22 - hang on to these things - if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.

Honor here in verse 21 has the idea of being useful to God.  When God looks through His house - the Church - He’s looking for vessels that are worthy of being used as He desires to use them.

That worthiness is defined by three words.

First:  “sanctified” - meaning set apart for use solely by the Master.  No one else gets to use that vessel.  The vessel is set apart only for God’s use - for all the incredible things He desires to do in us and through us.  God is looking for people who are totally committed to Him.

Second:  “useful” - useful to the Master.  Useful here has the idea of profitable.  Have you heard this?  “Always use the right tool for the - what?  job.”

There are certain dishes - pots - utensils - tools - that we use to do certain jobs.  We know - if we use that tool we can get the job done efficiently and correctly.  God is looking for people who are dependable - that will trust Him - that won’t wimp out  - who’ll accomplish what He gives them to do. 

Then third:  “prepared” - which means to make ready.  Prepared for every good work.  Ever look for a pot or a dish you need and find it at the bottom of stack of dirty dishes?  Under piled up layers in the sink?  Or go to use a tool that’s rusted or broken?  Vessels need to be cleaned - put away in the right spot - ready to be used when the Master has need of them.  God is looking for people who’s hearts - who’s character and lives - are prepared - ready and willing to be used.

To be that vessel - worthy of being used as God desires to use us - sanctified - useful - prepared - Paul writes - we need to cleanse ourselves from these things.  Say this with me, “We need to cleanse ourselves.”  “We need to cleanse ourselves.”

The cowboy lay sprawled across three entire seats in the posh Amarillo theatre.  When the usher came by and noticed this he whispered to the cowboy, “Sorry, sir, but you're only allowed one seat.”  The cowboy groaned but didn't budge.  The usher became more impatient. “Sir, if you don't get up from there, I'm going to have to call the manager.”  The cowboy just groaned.

The usher marched briskly back up the aisle.  In a moment he returned with the manager.  Together the two of them tried repeatedly to move the cowboy, but with no success.  Finally, they summoned the police.  The policeman surveyed the situation briefly then asked, “All right buddy, what's you're name?”

“Sam,” the cowboy moaned.

“Where ya from, Sam?”

With pain in his voice Sam replied.... “The balcony.”

Ever feel like that?  Like you’ve fallen and can’t get up - laid out waiting to die?  In every situation of our lives we have two choices - to turn towards God or to turn away from God.  Cleansing ourselves requires that choice.

When I was in fourth grade our class made stuff out of clay.  Ever do that?  I made an ashtray.  I wasn’t a chain smoker back in 4th grade.  But, it was easy to make - flatten the clay and indent it with my fingers.  When the clay went into the kiln it exploded.  Trapped pockets of air expanded and blew the clay apart.

When vessels are fired - formed clay is put into a kiln - a very hot furnace.  The process of firing removes moisture form the clay - hardens it - and brings out the color of the glaze.  Firing prepares the vessel for use.

James writes, Consider it all joy when you encounter various - what?  trials - testing of your faith - coming under fire - because the result of going through trials is our perfection - completion - lacking nothing. (James 1:2-4)

Firing - testing - what we go through in life - learning to trust God - prepares us for service as worthy vessels.  But that process - if we’re to be made ready - worthy of serving God - that process requires that when we come under fire - we need to choose - towards God.  Are we together?

Now be careful.  Cleansing ourselves doesn’t mean that when we come up against the hard stuff of life that we choose to do things in a Godly way and then kind of tough out the Christian life - hang in there doing Christian things - even dealing with our own sins.  We don’t have what it takes to do that.  That’s a God thing.

During our work days around here we tend to get dirty.  So we choose to go home - get some soap - and wash.  Hopefully you do that.  We take advantage of the soap and water - deliberately choose to use them.  When we’re done we say, “I cleansed myself.”  But, what did the cleansing?  The soap and water.

Same thing spiritually.  We can come here and hear a message from God’s word - that’s what God provides for us.  But if we don’t apply it what’s the point?  God promises us things if we come to Him - great blessings of life with Him - peace in our hearts - hope - purpose - the work of the Holy Spirit within us - empowering and guiding us.  But, if we don’t choose to turn our lives over to God what good is all that?

Choosing to cleanse ourselves is confessing sin.  Turning from what keeps us back from God or what drags us back into old sinful habits.  Choosing to let go of certain things or people or places we go to or things we indulge our mind in - on TV or the internet or what we read or what we listen to.  Old patterns of what we turn to when things get tough.

God tells us how to live life.  Jesus frees us to live that life.  The Holy Spirit will empower us for that life.  But, if we don’t choose to give ourselves over to God, He’s not going to force us to go there.

Do you see what Paul is getting at here?  As we go through life - often through difficult trying circumstances - as we choose to turn our lives over to God - choosing to let go of the things that keep us back from Him - He works within us to make us into vessels worthy for His use.

Verse 22:  Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

Verse 22 is an illustration of what that choosing looks like.

First we choose to “flee” - to run away - from youthful lusts.

Paul isn’t just talking about sex here.  When we’re young the whole world is open to us.  A tremendous number of voices from the world call to us - call us to new adventures and possibilities and experiences - call us to try new things - all of which the world says is okay.

One of the struggles of youth is sorting out life.  Learning what voices to listen to.  Learning what it’s okay to become passionate about and give ourselves to. 

The desire to explore and find oneself is not wrong.  But, there’s always a danger of running after things - passionately seeking after things - that are extremely damaging.  Unless our desires are molded by God we can get ourselves into all kinds of trouble.

What Paul is writing about is fleeing from passions and desires that are not Godly.

In the church of Ephesus there were men who were passionate about their beliefs - who were captivated by their own egos and desire to be respected as teachers of God’s law - but who were teaching pure heresy.  Who were plunging the congregation into endless - fruitless - discussions - arguments and quarrels - about these false teachings.  Discussions where Timothy’s leadership in the congregation and his teaching was being called into question.

It would have been so easy for Timothy to get all worked up about this - to get all caught up in these arguments - passionately defending Scripture - pridefully defending himself and his teaching - not because God had led Him to do so - but because - with the zeal of youthful passion he would have been following the philosophy of the day.  “Defend the Gospel!  Defend your rights!  Send these guys packing.  Get your share of the fame.”

Paul tells Timothy, “Don’t go there.”  To serve God means that we must first turn away from longings - from passions - which are not from God.

Second, we choose to pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace.

To pursue means to follow eagerly after with a desire towards acquisition.  We make deliberate choices to go after these things - to acquire them for our lives.

Pursue righteousness - right behavior.  Saying no to what’s wrong and yes to what’s right - regardless of what those around us may be saying - regardless of what it may seem to cost us personally. 

Pursue faith - choosing to trust God.  In the stuff of life and in our relationships with people we need to take hold of God’s promises and live trusting God - that God will take care of us - take care of those who are against us.  That He’ll never leave us on our own.

Pursue love - compassion for others.  There are times when we just want to deck someone - verbally or otherwise.  But, if we’re going to be used by God we can’t give into that.  We need to see others as God sees us.  As those who need help - encouragement - understanding - grace - mercy - forgiveness.

Pursue peace - reconciliation - with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

Rather the letting things eat away inside us or at our relationships we need to initiate reconciliation.  We may not even understand what the problem is.  But we need to go.  To pursue peace. 

Especially with those who have a pure heart.  Not a perfect heart.  But a clean heart - a heart in which God is allowed to work.  Others - like us - who are pursuing life with God.  They know - as we know - that we all fall short - that we need God’s reconciling us to Him - His forgiveness - His work in our hearts.  That - rather than dividing and hurting each other - we need each other - to encourage each other - to pursue God together.

Do you see what Paul is getting at here?  If you hold up your hand in front of you with the back side facing up - go ahead.  Then turn your hand over - the backside follows the front.  Fleeing and pursuing are really part of the same action.  What we choose to turn from and what we choose to turn towards.  The turning of our lives over to God.  The bottom line is the choice to turn - the direction of life we’re going to commit ourselves to with the passion of fleeing what is deadly and pursuing what is of God.

Coming to verse 23 - Paul is going to give us a real time example of how God’s vessel can be useful in His service.

Verse 23:  But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels.   

Ed was in trouble.  He forgot his wedding anniversary.  His wife was really angry.  She told him, “Tomorrow morning, I expect to find a gift in the driveway that goes from 0 to 200 in less than 6 seconds,  and it better be there!”

The next morning Ed got up early and left for work.  When his wife woke up she looked out the window and sure enough, there was a box gift-wrapped in the middle of the driveway.  Confused, the wife put on her robe and ran out to the driveway and brought the box back in the house.  She opened it and found a brand new bathroom scale.  Ed has been missing since Wednesday.

The arguments - the controversies of these false teachers was ripping into the faith of the Christians in Ephesus.  Tearing at the fabric of the Church.  Battle lines had been drawn.  Disaster was threatening.

Foolish is the Greek word “moros” - in English - moron.  Controversies over really foolish stuff.  How many angels can fit on the head of a pin?  Can God create a rock so large that He can’t move it?  Where is Noah’s ark located?  Where was Jesus’ tomb?  Some of that might be an interesting study - for a short time.  But ultimately, what’s the point?

Ignorant speculations has the idea of silly debate over things we have no idea about.  Pre-trib?  Mid-trib?  Post-trib?  Free will verses God’s sovereignty.  Could Jesus have sinned?  We just don’t have enough information to come to a unquestioned conclusion.

Paul writes, debate over these things is moronic - silly - useless.  All that gives birth to quarrels.  The Church - not listening to Paul - the Church has endlessly debated and quarreled - divided and anathematized - over these and many other issues in the centuries since.  Time and time again proving the truth of what Paul wrote back in 66 or 67 AD.

Verse 24:  The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome - argumentative - ready to crush the opposition - but be kind to all - even to people you don’t agree with - able to teach - prepared to present the facts of God’s word - not personal feelings and speculations - but clearly - accurately explaining God’s word - patient when wronged - able to keep his cool under fire - under personal attack.  That’s tough.

Verse 25:  with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition...  The Greek word for “correcting” has the idea of instructing children.  A good teacher or parent doesn’t crush or demoralize children because they don’t understand something.  Winning an argument that way isn’t education.  The idea here is with forgiveness - kindness - gentleness - as we would a small child - educate those who are of an opposite opinion.

Going on in verse 25:  if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.

What determines if a discussion is moronic - senseless - or one worth being involved with is first the goal of repentance - a person who’s taking an opposite view of God - having a change of heart towards God.

Second - a discussion that’s worth entering into is helping someone to the knowledge of the truth - someone allowing God’s word to sink into their hearts - accepting what God’s word says about them - bringing their lives into conformity to God’s word.

Third - that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of Satan.  To realize their bondage and the control Satan has had over their lives.  To reject Satan and he’s led them to pursue in life.

Paul’s point:  The vessel worthy of being used by God - used in the way God intends - is not going to be driven by his or her own passions - all that has been cleansed - purged though the experiences of life as the choice has been made time and time again to turn their lives over to God - so that the vessel is useful for God - as He - God leads others to repentance - to knowledge of the truth - to freedom from Satan’s clutches.

There are two questions here - coming out of what Paul writes - two questions that are in front of all of us this morning.

When  a vessel gets made a potter chooses a suitable clay and prepares it - removes the grit and pebbles - so the clay will be smooth.  He adds water so the clay can be kneaded.  Then the clay is “thrown” - put onto the spinning potter’s wheel.  He uses fingers and thumbs and instruments to shape the clay.  The vision of the potter - what the vessel will be used for - the vision is transferred from the potter’s mind through his hands to the clay.

God tells Israel, “Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand.” (Jeremiah 18:6).

David writes, “You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb...My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth.” (Psalm 139:13-16)

Paul writes in Ephesians 2 that we are the workmanship of God created in Jesus Christ - molded - to prepare us to serve Him in the work He has laid out before us.

Paul writes - in 2 Corinthians 4 - verse 7.  Paul writes, “We have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves”

God molds us physically and spiritually for His purposes.

It may rock our pride a bit to think of ourselves this way - as earthen vessels - seemingly insignificant bits of clay.  But consider that we are created by God - molded by Him - for His purposes.  God - the God - desires to use us for His purposes.  Let that sink in.  That’s awesome

But then remember this - ultimately what’s valuable about the pot - what brings it honor - worthiness - is how it is used.  That people would not be awe of the vessel - but the master who uses it.

Adelaide Pollard was born on November 27, 1862.  She was known as a remarkable Christian women.  In the 1880’s she taught in several girl’s schools in Chicago.  She became well-known as an itinerant Bible teacher.  She served and worked with several evangelists.

One of Adelaide’s desires was to travel and minister in Africa as a missionary.  But, whatever she tried she wasn’t able to raise the support needed to go there.  In a state of discouragement - one night she attended a prayer meeting.  There - at that prayer meeting - an elderly lady didn’t ask for the usual prayer requests of for blessings and things.  But, as Adelaide listened, this elderly lady asked simply for an understanding of God’s will for her life.

That night Adelaide went home and wrote the words to the hymn, “Have Thine Own Way.” (1)  Remember these words?

Have Thine own way, Lord!  Have Thine own way!
Thou are the Potter; I am the clay.
Mould me and make me after Thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still. (2)

Two questions:  First a question of choice.  Are you choosing to allow God to mold you?  Second a question of discovery:  To what purpose?

______________________________
1. Kenneth W. Osbeck, 101 More Hymn Stories
2. Adelaide Pollard and George Stebbins, © Hope Publishing Company 1935

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible®, © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation.  Used by permission.