Honorable and Dishonorable Vessels

Introduction

We often find ourselves in situations where we compromise what we know to be our duties or responsibilities. We get tired or discouraged and think we need a break, and proceed to let down our guard just a little. But before we know it, we have been soled with the dirt of the world and find ourselves out-of-sorts with our heavenly Father and long to be back in His clutches and used by Him.

As we have already seen, we have been called to preserve, use, and pass on the sacred trust, the gospel of Christ, to faithful men. These men are to be approved workmen, unashamed, using the Word of Truth in a right way, and doing so in an environment of holy living.

In tonight’s passage, Paul uses the metaphor of a potter who creates vessels for his use, some for honorable use, and others for dishonorable. But what is most important to realize is that the vessels themselves are responsible for their use.

Text: 2 Timothy 2:20-21

Main Idea: Because God has chosen to use us as His vessels, we should strive to be useful, honorable vessels in His hand.

Note: the word now is a continuative conjunction, meaning, at the same time.

What are we continuing...

We are to be approved workers handling the Word of Truth rightly (v. 15)

At the same time, there will be false truth that exists in the church and could spread like gangrene (vv. 16-17)

Just like approved workmen, there can be unapproved men like Hymenaeus and Philetus, who handle the Word wrongly.(v. 17)

Those known of the Lord are commanded to depart from evil

1. Great House Vessels (v. 20)

An analogy for the visible church, which is the context of this passage. The commands are ones given to those responsible for the church and its workings.

Two vessel types are present, vessel of honor (gold and silver), and vessels of dishonor (wood and clay).

They may even look the same because of the outward veneer, but the core vessel is different.

Romans 9:21 ESV

21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?

2. Dishonorable Vessels (v. 20)

Who are these vessels, believers or unbelievers?

I believe they are unbelievers who have crept into the church and are doing dishonorable things like Hymenaeus and Philetus above.

a) They are deceptive

Their outward veneer looks like gold and silver but at the core they are wood and clay.

Wood - easily burned

Clay - easily broken

Wheat and Tares:

Matthew 13:24–30 ESV

24 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27 And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”

b) They are useless

False Good works:

Jude 12–13 ESV

12 These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; 13 wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.

3. Honorable Vessels (v. 21)

a) They are genuine to the core

b) They are responsible to live out who they are

How? Cleanse himself from dishonorable things (sin). [aorist, active, subjunctive, indicating a snapshot of what is expected of an honorable vessel of God]

It is right to expect God’s honorable vessels to cleanse themselves from dishonorable things.

When he does that he is:

a vessel for honorable use

set apart as holy

ready for every good work

Like a clean pan that has been washed, dried, and put away, ready to be used again at an instance notice.

Philippians 2:12–15 ESV

12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. 14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,