* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Download vessel of honour part 2 december 11, 2016
Survey
Document related concepts
God in Christianity wikipedia , lookup
Holocaust theology wikipedia , lookup
Jews as the chosen people wikipedia , lookup
Binitarianism wikipedia , lookup
God in Sikhism wikipedia , lookup
State (theology) wikipedia , lookup
God the Father wikipedia , lookup
God the Father in Western art wikipedia , lookup
Christian pacifism wikipedia , lookup
Jewish views on sin wikipedia , lookup
Thou shalt have no other gods before me wikipedia , lookup
Transcript
DATE: DECEMBER 11, 2016 THEME: “A VESSEL OF HONOUR FOR GOD” SUBTHEME: HONOUR YOUR TEMPLE WHICH IS YOUR BODY SONG: REFINERS FIRE SCRIPTURE 2 Timothy 20-22 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. 21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. 22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. INTRODUCTION :::::Vessels Of Honor Bible Text: 2 Timothy 2:20-21 Every believer should have that compelling desire to be used of God in whatever way He chooses. The flow of II Tim. 2 moves from the call "to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." (2:1) to being "a workman who does not need to be ashamed" (15) in order to be "useful to the Master, prepared for every good work." To be used of God To sing, to speak, to pray. To be used of God To show someone the way. I long so much to feel The touch of His consuming fire, To be used of God is my desire. In this passage the Apostle Paul uses the figure of a vessel to describe Christians. Honour is something everybody seeks. Honour by men is for a fee; anybody can get it. You cannot talk about honour from men because a lot of times it is born of ignorance. In John 5:41-44, Jesus said to John the Baptist: “I receive not honour from men. But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?” Vessels of Honour refer to men and women God has chosen to honour to bring glory to His Name. The people God chooses are vessels that have been appointed to carry and reveal the ways and wisdom of God; to manifest His power and glory in their time. We need to understand that vessels of honour are people who are consecrated, sanctified and determined to please God in their lives. We need men and women who are determined to please God in their lives because God notices people; He sees what we are doing (Ezekiel 14:14). As a vessel unto honor, you are a child of destiny headed for a definite destination, you are meant for the top. You have already been packaged by THE ALMIGHTY HIMSELF to be distinguished, great and celebrated. You are a treasure chest, inside of you is something special that God intends for you to fulfill HIS purpose for YOUR LIFE. On the other hand the devil does not want you developing your potentials and assets because he does not want you to give birth to what God has put within you. In our text, Paul tells Timothy that those that keep themselves pure will be used of God to for every good work. 1. Do you want to be special or ordinary? 2. Would you rather be described as gold & silver or wood & clay?3. Are you a vessel of honor or a vessel of dishonor? Hopefully by the end of this message you will be able to examine your life and discern where you stand with God How many people get saved and yet never become useful vessels in the House of God? I can tell you that there are a lot of them. In fact, I wonder if the majority of the clay pots in the House of God aren’t just there for the looks, because many don’t seem to have a real job to do, or at least they aren’t doing it. God has to get all the hard lumps out of us and make us completely pliable. APOSTLE PAUL In his letter to the Galatians Paul writes these words: Galatians 6:17, "From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus." Paul was an honored vessel in God’s House. His life gave glory to the Potter. He was used like few vessels have ever been used. And yet he was scarred, battered and beaten because he fulfilled his purpose. If you are going to be used by God, get ready for a few battle scars. But if you really want to be an honored vessel, then let God use you as he wills. Only those vessels that are willing vessels will be honored in Heaven one day. Those who refuse to be what God wants them to be will be cast into the pits forever. REQUIREMENTS HONOUR! TO BECOME A VESSEL OF There must be a separation. Isa. 52:11 “Depart ye, Depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing, go ye out of the midst of her, be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord”. Eph 5:11 admonishes that you are to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather you should expose them. 1. Spiritual cleansing- 2 Corin. 7:1 “Having therefore these promises dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God. (see also 2 Tim 2:21, 1 Jn. 3:3) 2. Living ready (readiness) Matt 24:44 “Therefore be ye also ready for such an hour as ye think not the son of man cometh”. (see also Lk.12:35-36) 3. Spiritual preparation:a. Abandonment of idols- 1 Sam. 7:3 b. Cleansing of God’s Temple – 1 Corin. 6:15-20 c. Personal purification- 2 Tim. 2:21 d. Sanctification – Heb. 10:10. e. Consecration – 1Chron. 29:5b (You must be willing to consecrate yourself to the Lord) f. Faith – Heb 11:6, 1 Jn.5:4 g. Good works – Matt. 5:16, Isa. 60:1 h. Purity – 1 Tim. 5:22b, 2 Pet. 3:14, Matt 5:8 i. Righteousness – Hosea 10:12, 1 Corin. 15:34, Phil. 1:11, 1 Tim. 6:11, Titus 2:12, 2 Pet. 1:3. To be identified as a vessel unto honor you must not and cannot afford to live like others, talk like them, dress like them love what they love. You must be different. You are unique and special; you are a vessel unto honor. You cannot adopt the customs and practices of the world. You are heaven bound, you cannot be identified with the choices others make or the company they keep. You are a vessel unto honor that can be used by the master not a vessel unto dishonor that will be discarded by Him, bye passed Him. Biblical Examples Of Men Who Became Vessels Of Honour 1. Moses: Moses is an example of someone who had grown in confidence with God and he and God had a working relationship (Exodus 8:8-13). When a man speaks for God and He endorses him, that is honour. When God responds to the voice of a man, that is great honour. 2. Abraham: Abraham showed what it is to be a vessel of honour before the God of Heaven and earth. In Genesis 18:25, he told God: “Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?” The testimony of his intercession resulted in God delivering Lot from the destruction Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:27-29). The call for vessels of honour is actually a call for personal ambition to a life in the Spirit, because most people don't have ambition in the spirit, they have ambition in the things of the world. 3. Joshua: Joshua was also a man that did wonders; he commanded the sun to stand still till Israel avenged itself on her enemies (Joshua 10:13). The Bible says: “there was no day like that before it or after it, that the Lord hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the Lord fought for Israel” (Joshua 10:14). 4. Jesus Christ:The greatest example of a vessel of honour is our LORD and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Being a vessel of honour is not about man's opinion of you, it is about God's opinion of you. In Matthew 3:15, Jesus Christtold John the Baptist; “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” When a man is determined to fulfill all righteousness, he positions himself to become a vessel of honour. But what is most revealing is the Father's endorsement. The Heavens opened over Jesus, the Holy Spirit empowered Him, and God, the Father said in Matthew 3:17, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” Jesus demonstrated what it is to be a vessel of honour at the graveyard of Lazarus. He was confronted with the fact that His friend had been dead for four days. He made the statement that challenges us everyday, when He looked up and said “Father, I thank You, I know that You always hear me." This prayer may be superfluous Jesus said, “...but I am making it because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.” We have a challenge that day by day, we cannot afford to stay in the same place but we have to go through the path to becoming a vessel of honour. Path To Becoming A Vessel Of Honour There is a revelation that must come upon anyone seeking to be a vessel of honour as seen in Zechariah 3:3-4. The issue of sin. Most people don't know the hindrance of sin in a man's relationship with God. God told Joshua, the high priest that He had cleaned him up and Joshua received salvation (Zechariah 3:5). Many people are talking about salvation, which has positioned us to be children of God but the fact that you have received salvation does not make you a vessel of honour. As seen in Zechariah 3:6-7, to be a vessel of honour, you must follow God's ways and serve Him. God was saying to Joshua, the high priest that there is a place of honour where only a few people in their generation can attain. The question you need to ask yourself is: why can't I be part of these few people that will walk in the place of honour before God? There is a place of honour but the most important thing about the place of honour is that there are no privileges, reservations or special people. In other words, you cannot say the place is filled up; hence there is no space available for you. It is important to know that anybody who desires can become a vessel of honour in his or her time. The process is very clear, there must be atonement. I John 2:102 says: “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” A man is not perfect, but a man must be blameless, and the only way to be blameless is that if by chance you lose your way you quickly repent and be restored. While we rely solely on what God has done to bring us into fellowship with God, we must know that this does not distinguish between Christians because it is the same gift of salvation we all received. But what distinguishes us is following His ways – doing God’s will His ways not our ways. We need to understand that vessels of honour are people who are consecrated, sanctified and determined to please God in their lives. We need men and women who are determined to please God in their lives because God notices people; He sees what we are doing (Ezekiel 14:14). In this country, we need men and women who can stand before God, and no one needs to know whom they are. If you honour God, walk in holiness before Him, submit to His will and His ways, Heaven will tell you what to pray about and endorse you. You can decide today that if God will endorse anyone in your time, it should be you. This should be your personal ambition. Being a vessel of honour makes individuals to consecrate their lives unto God. CONCLUSION! God is truly on a recruitment drive. You can be a vessel of honour if you decide from today to surrender your life to Jesus, walk in His way and obey Him. Have you started the journey to being a vessel of honour? Start today. Repent of your sins, ask God to forgive you of all your sins, and tell Him you desire to be a vessel of honour so that His Name will be glorified. The power of the Holy Spirit will come upon your life and begin a new walk in you. SHALOM.