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A VESSEL UNTO HONOR

Introduction

How many of you would agree that God’s house is a great house? His house is the absolutely greatest! AMEN? This passage says that in a great house there are different types of vessels.

A vessel is something that is used to put things in (like a vase, a pitcher, a drinking glass, a cup, a pot, a candy jar.)

I’ve got all kinds of vessels up here on this table. They are made of different types of materials. They are different sizes and shapes. They are in different stages of cleanliness. Some of them could be used for just about any purpose. But some of them you wouldn’t want to use for some purposes such as drinking out of them.

Paul says that even in a great house there are different types of vessels. Do you think that in God’s great house he has different types of vessels? Sure he does!

When Paul speaks here of us being a vessel unto honor, what part of us is he talking about being a vessel? He is talking about our bodies. We just filled our vessels with physical food didn’t we? Some of us filled the vessels just a little too much I think.

When we get saved, God wants us to present our bodies (vessels) to Him for His purposes.

Romans 12:1-2– “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Don’t you think that it is reasonable of God to expect us to live our lives for Him after all that Jesus has done for us?

When we get saved, our bodies (vessels) actually house God the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20–“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.”

Again, it just makes sense that if Jesus bought and paid for us with His own blood, and our bodies now house the Holy Ghost, we should glorify God with our bodies and our spirit which now belong to God.

Paul told Timothy that it was possible to be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.

The word “honor” means one that is valued, esteemed highly, or preferred by the Master.

The word “sanctified” means one that is set apart for special or sacred purposes.

The word “meet” means one that is easily used or useful.

The word “prepared” means one that is made ready.

So, how is it that we can become these vessels of honor in our Master’s house?

I need one boy or girl to come up and help me up here for just a minute.

(Get a volunteer or draft someone.)

(Have a styrofoam cup that has been smashed up so that it can’t hold anything.)

I’ve got a cup here. I need you to go back to the water cooler and fill that up with water.

What is the problem? This cup has been severely altered from what its manufacturer created it to be. Because of that, it just won’t hold water anymore!

What is it good for? Nothing but throwing in the garbage can or on a fire. Could the person who first made this cup help this cup? It would probably cost him a lot more than to just make another cup, but the manufacturer could probably find a way to recycle this cup. That is, if he really cared enough for it, but I doubt he would care. But, if he really cared about the cup, he could take it and re-create it into something useful again.

Did you know that the Bible says in Romans 9:22 that those without Christ are “vessels of wrath fitted to destruction.”

God could have just tossed us in hell and made some more creatures, but He cared for us.

He loved us enough to do what was necessary to re-create us, even though it was at great cost to Him.

(Get another volunteer or use the same one for this)

(Have a cup that is dirty on the inside and out. Have a pitcher of clean water ready.)

I’ve got another cup here. I’m just going to put some water into this cup.

(Pour some of the clean water into the dirty cup.)

Now take a drink of that for me.

What is the problem? The water I put in there was clean water.

The problem is the “vessel.” This “vessel” is a dirty vessel and it defiled the clean water.

Look at all that dirt! Inside and outside man it is filthy! I wouldn’t drink from it unless it were cleaned first!

(Have a cup that has dirt just on the inside.)

OK, I’ve got another cup here. I’m just going to put some water into this cup.

(Pour some of the clean water into the cup that is dirty just on the inside.)

There you go, now take a drink of that for me.

What is the problem? The cup is dirty on the inside. Oh, I thought you only cared about the outside of the cup?

Did you know that God cares more about what’s on the inside of us than he does about what’s on the outside?

Mark 7:21-23–“For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.”

(Next have a cup that is clean on the inside and outside ready.)

I’ve got another cup here. It is clean on the outside and it is clean on the inside.

(Pour some of the clean water into the cup.)

Now would you take a drink of that for me?

(Thank your assistant and have them go back to their seat.)

How many of you like your cups and glasses to be clean when you drink from them?

Did you know God is the same way? Do you have an idea of what kind of vessel God is looking for?

I.         A VESSEL UNTO HONOR IS SAVED! (2 Timothy 2:1, 19)

            That is, they are no longer a “vessel of wrath fitted to destruction”

            They have been recreated by the Lord Jesus Christ through salvation.

            Have you been saved by Jesus? Are you sure?

Matthew 7:21-23–“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

II.       A VESSEL UNTO HONOR IS SEPARATED! (2 Timothy 2:19b, 21-22)

            A.        Moral Separation–Flee Sin! (Ephesians 5:1-11)

            B.        Doctrinal Separation–Flee False Doctrine! (2 Timothy 2:16-18; 1:13)

III.      A VESSEL UNTO HONOR IS SANCTIFIED! (2 Timothy 2:21; 1:9)

            The words “sanctify,” “holy,” and “saint” are all translated from the same Greek words.

            They all mean “to be set apart for special service.”

Specifically in the life of a Christian–We are to be set apart from sin for God’s special service.

            There are three areas of sanctification regarding me as a Christian:

            A.        I Have Been Sanctified.

We call this positional sanctification. That is, I have been, positionally set apart in Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17–“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

            B.        I Am Being Sanctified.

This is what we call practical sanctification. It is the daily process of putting off the old man and putting on the new man.

            C.        I Will Be Sanctified.

Perfect sanctification whereby we are taken out of the presence of sin in this world and are wholly and forever set apart to God from sin.

1 John 3:1-3– “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”

IV.      A VESSEL UNTO HONOR IS STRONG. (2 Timothy 2:1)

Ephesians 6:10–“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.”

V.        A VESSEL UNTO HONOR IS SOLID. (2 Timothy 2: 8-13; 4:6-7)       

            Galatians 6:17–“. . .I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.”

Mark 8:34–“And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”

Philippians 3:10–“That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;”

1 Peter 4:12-14–“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.”

VI.      A VESSEL UNTO HONOR IS A SERVANT. (2 Timothy 2:2, 21b; 1:3, 16-18)

            In Romans 1:1, Paul referred to himself as “a servant of Jesus Christ.”

            The word “servant” literally means a bond-slave.

In Deuteronomy 15:12-17, you will find that a bond-slave was one who chose to serve out of love for his Master.

Galatians 5:13–“. . . by love serve one another.”

Conclusion

What kind of vessel are you? Are you a vessel of mercy (i.e. are you saved?)

Or are you a vessel of wrath fitted for destruction? A vessel of wrath needs to be re-created!

What are you made out of? Are you a vessel unto honor? Are you a vessel sanctified or set apart for the Master? Are you easily used by the Master? Are you “prepared” or made ready to every good work?

Or are you a vessel unto dishonor? Isn’t it time to get your vessel in shape so it can be used?

To be a vessel unto honor you must be–

Saved, Separated, Sanctified, Strong, Solid, and a Servant!

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NOTICE:   THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD!