DIRTY MADE WORTHY. 2 Timothy 2: Peter 1:18-19 August 21, 2016

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1 DIRTY MADE WORTHY INTRODUCTION: It seems like not very long after I became a Christ-follower the Lord placed within a desire to be used of God. I was open to whatever way He so chose to do with me. In 2 Timothy 2 there is movement in the Christian s journey, in verse 1 to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus, verse 15 to being a worker who does not need to be ashamed, verse 21 in order to be useful to the master, prepared for every good work. NOTE: I. The Personal Desire Of A Believer 2 Timothy 2:20 A. Contrast 20 Paul uses the figure of a vessel to describe Christians. The large house would represent the entire church of God, the body of Christ, composed of all true believers, the vessel represents individual believers. The gold and silver are honorable. 1

2 The wood and clay are dishonorable. The gold and silver vessels are more valuable and presentable normally prominently displayed as decorations or used for serving important guests. The wood and clay were inferior, were strictly utilitarian. They were common, plain, replaceable, unattractive, and often dirty and vile because some were used for the garbage and human waste of the house. They were used for those duties that were never seen and were kept out of sight as much as possible. To display them before guests would be an act of unspeakable dishonor. The honorable vessels represent believers who are faithful and useful to the Lord. In verses 3-6 they are good soldiers, competitive athletes, and hard working farmers. On the other hand, the dishonorable are cowardly soldiers, lazy athletes, and slothful farmers. The dirty are fit only for the menial, undistinguished purposes. 2

3 Honor and dishonor refer to the ways in which genuine believers are found useful to the Lord in fulfilling the work to which He has called them. Note the works of the vessel of honor: A Cleansed Life 21a A Sanctified Soul 21b Useful To God 21c Prepared For Service 21d Verses mention: A Pure Heart 22 A Discerning Mind 23 A Gentle Manner 24 A Humble Spirit 25 A Compassionate Attitude

4 B. Cleansing 21 cleanses clean out thoroughly, to completely purge. He s referring to the vessel of dishonor. He is referring to us when we are not clean, not obedient, not submissive to the Lord, and not eager to serve. This text verse 21 encourages us that the Dirty Can Be Made Worthy. II. THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF OUR SAVIOR 1 PETER 1:18-19 Thomas Watson said, that redemption was God s greatest work: Great was the work of creation, but greater the work of redemption; it cost more to redeem us than to make us; in the one there was but the speaking of a word, in the other the shedding of blood. Redemption is a term that describes one of the essential features of salvation. It deals specifically with the cost of salvation and the means by which God received payment. 4

5 Because all people are helpless slaves to sin and condemned by the law, if they are to be forgiven and reconciled to God, He has to purchase them back from their condition. Only then can He release them from sin s bondage and curse. Redeemed to purchase release by paying a ransom or to deliver by the payment of a price. To the Greeks the word was also a technical term for paying money to buy back a prisoner of war. The Biblical meaning is that of a sacrificial death of an innocent substitute that redeemed those in bondage. It s a substitutionary redemption. 2 Questions Concerning Redemption: 1. What Did God Redeem Believers From? aimless conduct no purpose or direction in life; futile way of life; useless, worthless existence. Romans 6:6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 5

6 Romans 6:17-18 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. 18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 2. What Did God Redeem Believers With? with the precious blood of the Lamb Psalms 49:7-8 None of them can by any means redeem his brother, Nor give to God a ransom for him For the redemption of their souls is costly, And it shall cease forever The blood of Christ is the most precious blood because He was utterly the only perfect person who ever lived. Hebrews 9:11-15 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the 6

7 ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. Principle of: Romans 5:9-10 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 7