The Person God Uses | Pastor Daniel Batarseh

You have your Bibles. Please meet me in the book of second Timothy as we continue in our series in this precious pastoral epistle written by Paul to his spiritual son, Timothy, but more importantly, written by the Holy Spirit himself. It's second Timothy chapter two, and meet me here in verse 20. Now in a great house, there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.

Let's pray. Father, your word says concerning your son, Jesus, that while he was on the earth, he was anointed by the Holy Spirit and that he went about doing good and delivering those who are oppressed of the devil, for god was with him. We ask, lord, for the anointing of the holy spirit. We ask, lord, that your presence and your power would be in this place. Lord, protect this delivery from being in the flesh.

Protect the reception from being in the flesh. May your holy spirit come, brood over this place, and do what only you can do. Do miracles. Change us. Lord, we ask that you would save the lost in this house this morning, and we ask that you would build up the saved that we may look more like Christ.

Lord, again, may the Holy Spirit rest upon the ministry of the word. May he speak. Would you protect the service from any error, from any confusion? Lord, may there be clarity, precision, and ultimately, the exaltation of your son, Jesus Christ. We pray for these things with one mind and one heart.

In the name of Jesus Christ who unifies us. Amen and amen. Our last time together in this book, we discovered Paul's encouraging words about God's firm foundation. And the text strongly suggested that firm foundation speaks of the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. And we not only learn that this foundation is immovable despite every trick of Satan to try to uproot or destroy it.

We learned that upon this foundation are two inscriptions. The one inscription declares God's sovereign supervision over his church. The Lord knows those who are his. And the second speaks of man's responsibility if they claim to be a part of the church. Let those who name the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.

And we learned a great deal of what these things mean concerning God's ownership and man's duty, but Paul's not finished yet. The spirit is not finished yet. There is yet so much that God longs to teach us concerning what it means for us to be numbered among the redeemed, what it means for us if we truly understand these principles and apply them to our lives, how it can affect our experience if we claim to live in the household of God. And so that's why in the verses you just read Paul transitions, He transitions from what it means to be adopted into God's kingdom. Let those who name the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.

You ain't saved if you haven't repented. And now he transitions from what it means to even know the ABCs of Christianity to what it takes to be used for God's kingdom. And this transition of thought tells us already something about what it means to be a follower of Christ. The satisfaction that you discover at salvation does not cease at salvation. When your soul is opened up to the realization of God's redemption and His grace over your life, it also opens up a brand new appetite.

And here it is. God, I need you. I want you to use me. I wanna be used for your glory. I I wanna serve you, and I wanna spend my breath, my energy to glorify the very one who saved my soul freely.

It's amazing. When the apostle Paul met the risen Jesus on that road to Damascus, ready to liquidate the church, ready to eradicate any person who claims to be this follower of the way, he asked two questions. Can I show you those two questions? Because I believe these two questions should be the two questions that every born again believer should perpetually ask of God. In Acts chapter 22, turn your bibles there, please.

I want you to see what Paul asked. What he asked Jesus when he met Jesus and his eyes were open to the fact that this is truly the Messiah that I've been studying about, the one that I claim would come and deliver my people. This is him. And here's what Paul asked Jesus Christ. And I wanna ask you this question this morning.

Have you been asking these questions, dear Christian? Have you discovered these questions in your soul? In Acts 22 verse eight, and I, being Paul, answered, who are you, Lord? Question number one. When you truly meet Christ, you wanna know him.

You wanna discover him. You wanna study him. You wanna have fellowship with him. Who are you, Lord? Show me yourself.

I know you're my savior, but I need to know more of who you are. Then he goes on to say, and he said to me, I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you are persecuting. And Paul discovered there, I believe, that great theological point that the church is the body of Christ. If I'm touching the church, I'm touching you. You see, we must go deeper in our knowledge of the Lord.

Who are you, Lord? Are you asking this? Then he goes on in verse nine. Now those who were with me saw the light, but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me. Verse 10, and I said, what shall I do, Lord?

And the Lord said to me, rise and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do. That's question number two. What shall I do? What do you have for me on the earth? What is your assignment for me on the earth?

Notice the order though. Our main ambition is to know Christ, to have fellowship with him, to understand him, to know him, to love him, to cherish him. But from that place, we want to now serve him and declare him at whatever cost, whether it's on a platform or it's hidden. We want to do what he calls us to do. And notice the faithfulness of Jesus Christ.

When a person truly wants to come to those understandings of who Jesus is and what it is that he wants you to do, he will answer. He'll answer. He'll tell you who he is, and in this case, he told them, I'm connected to my body. You thought you were touching a bunch of people believing in a cult. No.

You were touching to my members. And when he says, what shall I do? Okay. I know who you are, but what do you want me to do now in this life? He says, rise and go to Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.

You know what I love about that? Jesus didn't give him the whole blue blueprint for his life. It was step by step. All I need you to do is now go here, and then from there, I'll tell you what to do. Isn't that a wonderful principle of how he governs our own lives?

Step by step. And the text in second Timothy is going to help us as a church position ourselves in such a way that we will be ready vessels for God to use. That's what we want. I hope I'm speaking to a people who desire that today. I hope you're asking these questions.

I hope you're asking these questions on your way here. Who are you, Lord, and what shall I do? He will never fail to answer that. He will never fail to show you in your private time through the church, through circumstances, through providential leading. But we have the text now.

We have the text to focus on that second question. How do I know? How can I position myself in such a way that God can utilize me with my short breath of an existence? And there are a few points here, and we read it here in verse 20 of second Timothy. The first point is laid before us as an absolute necessary truth to grasp because it clarifies a misconception.

Paul says, now in a great house, there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some of for honorable use and some for dishonorable. Here's here's point number one. Not all who are in God's house will be used for God's glory. Not all who are in God's house will be used for God's glory. Now that might be shocking, but it's true nonetheless.

Paul says now in a great house. That word great speaks of the size more than the value, but it doesn't negate the fact that God's house is in fact wonderful. It is great. God's church is great because it is governed by a great God. It is precious because it was purchased by the blood of the son of God.

It is powerful because it testifies of the wisdom of God to a dying and broken world that there is a truth that can set you free from sin and Satan. And it is a beautiful house because it is made up of different people, tribes, and tongues who all have one thing in common, and that is this, saved by grace. But Paul here is speaking about this large house. So he's speaking about the universal truth, this this global congregation. There is something about this congregation that I must inform you about, I must enlighten you about.

And it is this, there are different types of vessels. Yes. Surely God is speaking what you just mentioned that there are different nations and languages and cultures that represent God's house. Paul proves that otherwise, but that's not his main point here. Then surely he is speaking about the different gifts that God has decorated his house with and are different unique manifestations of the spirit through individual believers.

True. But that's not what Paul is emphasizing here. When Paul describes these assorted utensils in in God's house, this great house, this large house, and compares the materials that they are made of, he's trying to illustrate this, that there are contrasting conditions of Christians in God's house. In other words, the imagery here of this large house with different instruments and different vessels is trying to make the point to say that there are some Christians who will be used honorably, and there are some professing Christians who will function dishonorably. Those who are honorable are those who are holy, those who are faithful, those who are asking that question, what shall I do, Lord?

And whatever the cost, I'll pay it. Whereas those who are dishonorable are are the slothful. They're the lazy. They're the carnal ones, though they are associated with the assembly. And this makes sense in light of the context, doesn't it?

Paul just finished saying that for you to even be joined to the church, let those who named the name, those who named Christ must depart from iniquity. But then he balances that truth by saying, although that is the requirement, there will be those who will fail to hold on to that basic order within the church. And so he says, there are some who will be dishonorable. Now some would say Paul here is speaking about believer and nonbeliever, and that that is true. You can have nonbelievers in the midst, but the context suggests otherwise.

That there are two categories in Paul's mind, in the spirit's mind within the church of Christians, and the main distinction is not is not personality. It's not the wealth that you have. It's not even the gifting. It's not it's none of that. The main distinction if I were to cut this room in half, is a holy heart, is a heart that longs to be holy.

It longs to be consecrated unto the Lord. That's the main difference. Now is that interpretation in line with scripture? Do we see this in other places? Does this does this interpretation make sense, or we can go many places?

And you don't have to turn there, but you remember where technically Jesus wrote letters to seven churches himself? Those letters in red at the beginning of the book of Revelation? Well, in one of those letters, he makes a distinction within the same assembly. There was a church in a place called Sardis, and I want you to hear, you don't have to turn there, what Jesus himself says to this church in Revelation three three to four. Remember then what you received and heard.

Keep it and repent. Wow. Jesus telling a church to repent? Yeah. He is.

Keep it and repent. He's telling this congregation, you need to wake up. You have a reputation of being alive, but you're dead. God forbid. Everybody thinks you're passionate.

You you go back to the history of your church where things started, but but you're all asleep. So you need to wake up. He's telling this church, arise. But then he goes on to say, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. His church?

Come against his church? Yes. Because Christ is continually seeking to sanctify his bride. I will come against you, not the world, you, my church. Verse four.

Yet here here's the point. Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white for they are worthy. Many things can be said from these verses, but this provides a wonderful example for us. That it's possible that in the same congregation, the same church, the same ministry, you can have people who are asleep and people who are walking in the light. And that's not the only place.

You can look at different churches in the same context. Some were holding to the teachings of false teachers, and some were not. You know what that proves to me? That although you and I have been hearing that we must be unified and one, and although Christ calls his church to be dependent upon one another as members are dependent upon one another because they are under the same head. God is just, and he will judge every believer individually, even in the oneness of his church.

And this is something we have to understand. I hope it helps you believe that it's possible that there are categories of consecration within the church of Jesus Christ. But I wanna say something else. It's even it's even deeper than that. It's even possible for those who were once vessels of gold and silver, who were shining to change, where over time they become vessels of this honor.

And this is where I would like you to turn in in Lamentations chapter four. It's a very sad book written by the weeping prophet himself. And here's the context. Lamentations was written after the destruction of Jerusalem, after that final exile when Nebuchadnezzar came and swept through that place and drew people to his own land as God's divine judgment over his people. Lamentations is a a a book of brokenness.

And I want you to see what the prophet says in Lamentations four one. Remember, we heard that in God's household, there are vessels of gold and silver and some of clay and earthenware. Look at Lamentations four one. How the gold has grown dim. How the pure gold is changed.

The holy stones lie scattered at the head of every street. The precious sons of Zion, worth their weight in fine gold, how they are regarded as earthen pots, the work of a potter's hands. You see, the prophet is describing not only the temple that was desecrated, not only the temple that was destroyed where these stones light scattered, where these wonderful jewels and these wonderful materials decorated the house of God to reflect the beauty and the divine glory of God. No. He's not talking about the building merely.

He's talking about the people. And we see that in verse two, the precious sons of Zion. Can we pause there on that word precious? That's how God sees his people. Precious, valuable, cherished, prized.

You see, as a people who love to declare all things for the glory of God, yes, Jesus Christ died for the glory of the Father, but Jesus Christ died also because he delights in his creation. He actually delights in those that he has created so much so that he beckons your presence into his presence for all eternity. And if it was gonna cost his blood to make it so, he bled. And we read here that these precious sons of Zion, though they were precious in the sight of God, something happened to them. What happened?

They changed. They're different. The thing that made them so beautiful, the the glow of Christ, the sanctity of of their calling, wear it off. And now they've become like earth and pots. The dirt and dust covered their souls, and now they cannot even be recognized as precious.

They they seem like their identity has been changed altogether. And that's the great danger for the precious church of Jesus. Living stones, right, Peter says, being built up as a spiritual house. It's possible to lose that shine, the shine of holiness, the purity that makes us unique and reflects like the moon reflects the light of the sun, reflecting the face of the Son of God. And so going back to Paul's words, we should wonder why.

Why is Paul even bringing this up? Why is he bringing up that you can have these different categories of consecration within God's house? Well, there's many reasons. Here are a couple. Number one, the Holy Spirit is very honest with the description of his church.

The Holy Spirit is very realistic. Though it is not his will or his standard, the Holy Spirit is fully aware that in the midst of his pure bride, there will be those who are compromised, who are not consecrated, who bear a terrible testimony before a watching world that would have them question the the authority and the authenticity of this Christian message. He's aware of that. And so I I look at this, and I have conversations with people who often use the argument, well, Christians are a bunch of hypocrites. And when I go to church, I see I see a bunch of people that don't really live what they preach, to which I would say God would agree with you.

He's not disagreeing with you. There are vessels of honor in his house, and there are vessels of dishonor. He he's not caught by surprise, although he doesn't agree with it, and it doesn't please him. So what you're telling me as an argument is actually something that the bible prepared me for. But I don't believe that's Paul's main point.

What his main point is this, that there's a statement being declared that should provoke all listeners and even listeners this morning. God help us. And that is this, just because you attend, and just because you enjoy listening to messages, and just because you even claim to be a part of God's bride does not mean that God will use you the way he desires to use you. Now this means nothing for the person who's not asking what shall I do, Lord? But this does mean something for the person who is truly born of the Spirit, because you want to be used by God, don't you?

And here's the point that Paul's making. Just because they're in the house doesn't mean that they're gonna be used by the master of the house. I read that. I says, oh, lord, please. I don't wanna just cruise through my life playing church.

You need to do something about this in my own life. And Paul elevates our perception, and he wants us to view the church through the eyes of the one who purchased the church. And it's as though he's saying Christ sees his church, the global church, as this mansion of glory. And as the master of this house that he he uses that language later on in verse 21, as the master of this house, he has great plans for this house. He wants to invite people and host people in this house.

He he wants to bless the community where this house is parked, namely on Earth. And he wants to minister to people through this house, and he even wants to build rooms so that more people can live in this house. And as he has these plans, he is continually examining to see which vessels can I use to make these goals possible, And which ones will I overlook? Which brings us to point number two, that although God has a house with vessels in it, it does not mean that every vessel will be used, which should break our hearts at the thought. But that holy standard is quickly met with a gracious invitation, and it is this, that God has given all these vessels equal opportunity to be used by him.

Verse 21. Therefore, if anyone I love that word, anyone. If anyone thirst, let him come and drink. If anyone, not a special class, not somebody who's been a Christian for a certain amount of years, not a certain person who's been gifted in a certain way, if anyone if anyone would hear this truth, the invitation is open to everyone and anyone. But listen, it's upon a condition.

So it's an open invitation, but there is a requirement that must be honored and respected. Just one. Just one out of all the ones that you would think that you would need to be used by almighty God thrice holy. If anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use. Are you excited for that truth believer?

That God does not want you to jump through hoops. God does not need some special talent. God does not need some special wealth of knowledge that you possess. One thing. One thing God wants from one person to be used from in great ways, holiness.

Holiness. Now this this can conflict if we do not have a balanced understanding of of God's saving work in a person's life. This is gonna shock you. You ready? God's saving work on the cross is sufficient for salvation.

What he has imparted and imputed into us is all that is required for us to know eternal life. But although the blood is the basis for our holiness, you need to do something if you wanna be used by him. He didn't say if you are cleansed, if you've been cleansed by the blood of Christ, you will be set apart, useful to the master of the house, ready for he says, cleanse yourself. You must be able to make that decision for yourself. There has to be an examination.

There has to be a decision by yourself through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to say, I have to cleanse myself. And here's the encouraging part. You ready? You you don't have to remain as a a vessel of dishonor in God's house. You you don't have to anticipate a rebuke or discipline from the Lord like he did in the book of Revelation with those churches.

You don't have to worry one bit that God will overlook you when he wants to do something glorious in this dying generation. You can position yourself to know for certain that because I'm in a place where my heart longs to be cleansed from anything that offends my God, God will use me. God will use me. And I think about many servants in the scriptures where God implements this truth, many weak vessels, many vessels that seem insignificant in the eyes of society, yet God still recruited upon this one basis. Think of Jeremiah.

I love the prophet Jeremiah for many reasons. Very honest prophet, broken prophet. And this prophet, when we're introduced to him in chapter one of that glorious book, we are told about his hesitations to being recruited by God to be a messenger. Do you remember? One of them was, I'm too young.

And the second one is, I can't speak. Are you sure you pick the right Jeremiah? Because, people are not gonna respect me for my age. They're gonna look at me and says, who's this kid? And secondly, they're gonna hear me speak, and they're gonna laugh and mock me because I don't have boldness, and I don't have the eloquence.

Are you sure you have the right Jeremiah? And the wonderful thing about it is that God does not use those things against Jeremiah. God does say, you know what? You're right. I thought you spoke better, so I'm gonna reconsider my decision.

Nor did he say, you know what? I thought I didn't think about the fact that you were young. I don't think I'm gonna be able to use you. No such hesitation. In fact, he comforts him.

Don't say that you're too young, and whatever I tell you to speak, you shall speak. And so that should comfort us again. Right? We go to text like that. We use it with youth groups.

You're young. God can still use you. So despite your ability, despite your lack of experience, God is still willing to draw you in and launch you out for his glory. But it's amazing because a few chapters later, God revisits Jeremiah, and he says something very important that I think you need to see. It's in Jeremiah 15 verse 19.

God speaks to this prophet. This prophet who spoke on behalf of God, God speaks to this prophet in Jeremiah fifteen nineteen. Therefore, thus says the Lord, if you return, I will restore you. Hold on for a second. You know what he's doing?

He's asking Jeremiah to repent. The preacher who preached repentance is now being called to repent. Hey, Jeremiah. You went out of the way. If you return, I will restore you.

Well, what did he what does he need to return from? And you shall stand before me in my service. If you utter what is precious and not what is worthless, you shall be as my mouth. They shall turn to you, but you shall not turn to them. Why is God saying this?

You read the verses just before this one, and Jeremiah just finished complaining and accusing God of being a deceitful brook. The same Jeremiah who is declaring to his generation that this Lord is a fountain of living water has come to the conclusion at one point in his ministry. In fact, you're not a fountain of living water. You're a deceitful brook. You claim you you claim to replenish.

You you claim to give life. In fact, what he's saying is you're not reliable. You don't have the ability to strengthen me when I'm going through these moments of trials. So he is now charging God of unfaithfulness. The very same mouth that Jeremiah was worried would not be able to serve God right is now being corrected by God, not because of the ability, but because of the worthless words that he was speaking.

And God comes in, and he says this, Jeremiah, I was willing to call you though you thought you could not speak, and I was willing to work with that. But if you continue with these words, you will not be my mouthpiece anymore. Proving what? Again, it's not about skill being used by God. It's not about experience.

Holiness, consecration, a heart that's after purity, a heart that flees from sin and embraces righteousness, one who is willing to continually say, Lord, whatever is of me that doesn't please you, remove it from my life. And it goes on to say, they shall turn to you, but you shall not turn to them. This one's gonna sting, so prepare yourself. What's happening here? He's telling Jeremiah, I want you to know how to frame your life as you relate to other people.

And here it is. You as my messenger, I will be pleased because you preach repentance if these fellow Israelites who are in compromise listen to that message and are now turning to me through your message. I will be pleased with that. But Jeremiah, if because of your association with others, if because of your environment, you are being influenced by them, you will no longer stand before me. In other words, what he's saying is, if you have elevated the relationship of those who are ungodly and in compromise and who do not fear me and who are not asking what shall I do, Lord, then you yourself will forfeit the very thing that I want you to do for my name's sake.

Do you understand how serious that is? Here's what I'm trying to say, that God is so serious about consecration that he is concerned about those in our lives that would contaminate our holiness. Now, again, this is a hard pill to swallow, but there is a standard if God would wanna use you in this life. You will pay a price. You will.

You will have to say goodbye to some friendships if you want God to use you as a mouthpiece. And God knows in this generation, we need a mouthpiece. We need a voice. We have many echoes. We need voices.

And not just through preachers, but through churches and those who represent Christ. If they turn to you, fine. But if you turn to them, you're compromising your calling. That doesn't mean that you can't hang out with your unbelieving cousins at Thanksgiving. Take a breath.

Every time I preach on stuff like this, like, can I go can I say hi to my coworker? Yes. You can say hi to your coworker. I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about the tug of war in this life that those you relate to, if they are pulling you towards them and they're changing you from Christ likeness, let go of the rope.

But if you're pulling them, just like when he said Jeremiah, then let it be. Let them be one for Christ through your life. I'm talking about being used by God. Oh, just because I'm a Christian, God will use me. Wrong.

Oh, you're saved, but you'll be barely saved as Paul said, escaping fire when your works are judged. I know this is a hard pill to swallow. I I get it. But God only needs one in a generation. So even if one receives it, God can shake America.

If you don't believe what I'm saying about Jeremiah, look what Paul says back in second Timothy two verse 22. Because now he he he defines what it means to cleanse ourselves. Like, what does it mean to cleanse myself? What does that actually look like? And he describes it here in verse 22.

And and would you notice this, that he's actually preaching to to Timothy before a congregation? He's speaking to the man who is pastoring this church, and this man should pass along the message to those who are sitting in his ministry. So he tells Timothy. Paul tells pastor Tim, so flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace along here it is. The same thing he told Jeremiah, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

You know, if he says along with those who call on the Lord, period, it would be a different thing. But remember, those who name the name of the Lord must do what? Depart from iniquity. And so Paul doesn't have the un ungodly, the unbelieving, the the refusing to submit to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul has in mind those who name the name of the Lord but have not departed from iniquity.

This is what it means to cleanse yourself. It doesn't mean that you just stop doing certain things by the power of the Holy Spirit. It means that you also pursue certain things. It's not just I don't do this. It's here's where my heart is driven towards.

Righteousness, peace, faith. When God sees a man, when God sees a woman in such a condition, in such a heart posture, they make themselves recruitable for God's service. And here's the wonderful thing. We read it back in verse 21. He will be a vessel for honorable use.

Set apart as holy. Not positionally in Christ, practically for Christ. Set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house. Large house. There's a master of the house, and he's looking continually for vessels to recruit.

And it's the last part here that's striking to me. Ready for every good work. Meaning what? I can't come up here and tell you if you cleanse yourself or if you pursue these things and reject these things, God will use you in this way. It doesn't mean that everybody in here is gonna be a pastor or a missionary or evangelist.

He says ready for every good work Beyond the the the titles and the positions in the church, in your workplace, in your family, every good work possible, you'll be ready for. And it's interesting. He's speaking about preparedness. You may not know what it is that God will use you for, but God will use you when he wants to do something. You probably remember this growing up, as I did, that whenever we had guests coming over, my mom would often ask his siblings, her children, to get ready the table, especially for occasions.

And we had this one cabinet with all the special vessels, the plates and the cups and the cutlery. And we would open it, set up the table, and these vessels were used for one thing, to serve a particular people. And one thing about those vessels, one thing about that China set, one thing about those plates and those cups and those cutlery, one thing I knew, they were locked and loaded every time. They weren't hanging around. They weren't in the dishwasher staying there.

No. They were there ready. They were there ready for those wonderful meetings with people and friends and family we haven't seen for a while. And that's what God is calling his people to because the same way such vessels are used to serve people, God uses holy people to bless people. God uses a holy people to bless people, and that's what he's looking for continually.

And what's, incredible for us to comprehend is that we might hear such a message and feel more intimidated and encouraged because we realize, if we're honest with ourselves, there are things that we need to be cleansed from, but I just don't have the power to do it. I've tried to defeat this thing for years. I realize that this is dishonoring Christ. I know that it's harming my testimony. In fact, it's so annoying, and it's so paralyzing that I don't even wanna serve God because this thing is gnawing at my soul.

Christ is not asking you to cleanse yourself in your own strength. The Lord Jesus is not asking you to purify yourself with your own power, and there is a text in the Old Testament that proves that all that God longs for you to do is submit yourself in the hands of the potter. Would you turn to Malachi chapter three, please? Malachi three. In Malachi three, we are told something about the sons of Levi.

Now coming up to this chapter, there are scathing rebukes concerning the priest and the leadership of Israel. They were offering terrible sacrifices. They were unholy themselves. They were leading people astray by their example and by their teaching. And it's just rebuke after rebuke after rebuke for the leadership.

And finally, in Malachi three verse three, we read, he being God will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver. Didn't Paul say vessels of gold and silver? Refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord. Who's doing the refining? Not you and not me.

God is doing the refining. And like what Jeremiah said at one point when God brought him to a potter at a potter's wheel, Cannot I do to you what this potter is doing with the clay? Well, God, you're sovereign. You can just take the clay and do what you want. No.

He's using that text as an example that, yes, you are clay, but you must submit yourself in the hands of the potter. Stop being stubborn. Stop trying to do it in your own strength. Stop thinking you have to strategize. Stop thinking you have to do it in the power of the flesh and submit yourself, and let God do his work.

And you know what I love about this text? That despite the record of rebellion of these sons of Levi, God was still willing to cleanse them. Not cast them. Cleanse them, purify them, renew them, restore them. And there's an interesting word in this verse.

He will sit. Though sometimes I'm in a rush, and when I eat, I stand. I have my jacket on, I have my keys in my one hand, and I'm eating because I'm in a rush. I'm not focused. Sometimes I miss my mouth.

I need to get to my next place, and so I'm standing so that once I finish what I think is enough, I run to my car so I can move on. God does not stand when he refines us. He sits. He's patient. He's focused.

He's very much dedicated to this work. He's very much willing and wanting to take his time, his energy, if he had energy to waste, his focus to take those who are willing to be cleansed and for him to cleanse. And, oh, he has creative ways of refining you and me. Does he not? That joke that people often say, God, give me patience, and give it to me now.

It's not how it works. Yes. God, by the spirit, can infuse within you a strength to overcome certain things in the moment, And I believe he does that specifically with sins of the flesh, sins of the spirit. He can he can wipe it away. But when it comes to character and attitude, oh, he finds creative ways of refining you.

He takes you through trials. He lets you be burned. He takes you through circumstances in which you you are dependent upon God, lest you act out in the flesh. And so if you're going through a trial, fiery trial, know this, he's refining you. And know this, he's refining you so that he can use you.

He wants to use you. He's so longing to use his people. For many reasons, God can do a lot of things on his own. He can do all things on his own. But you know what?

He wants more glory by you keep using weak vessels and showing his perfect strength through them. And so he's looking for those vessels. And he sits, and he's patient. You know what this shows me? God is not looking for instantaneous change.

You're not a candidate to be used by God just because you had a perfect week, and then you lose that qualification because you had a bad day. No. He sits, and he doesn't just refine you. And then once you're finished, he uses you. He uses you as he refines you.

And so I slip and I fall forward and I I I reacted in a way that somebody shouldn't react who claims to know Christ. Does God disqualify me? No. He refines me further. He brings me to my knees when I was at work and I showed something that didn't represent him.

He brings me to my knees when I wasn't the father or the husband that I was called to be in light of Christ. And he refines me, and he refines you. The concern for this hour as I bring forth this message to you is the concern of Ezekiel's day when the prophet was told by God, and I sought for a man among them. I sought for a man among them who would stand in the gap that I would not destroy the land, but I found none. But I found none.

Meaning what? I did not find the vessels of gold and silver that I was needing to do a work in this generation. And I pray that your life, my life, would be consecrated unto the Lord so that when he is ready to do a great work, he will find a church ready to be used. Hint before we close? Ready for every good work.

Would you like another practical hint of how you can be ready for every good does that phrase sound familiar? Go back to second Timothy, please, and we'll close here. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself, verse 21, from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work. Go to second Timothy three sixteen. All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

You wanna be a vessel that God would use? I don't know how he's gonna use you. I don't know what he has planned for you. My main goal in this message today is for one thing, for you to just be ready. And if you wanna ready yourself, know the scriptures.

Know the scriptures. Know the will of God. Absorb the the word of God. Examine your life in light of the word of God because the word of God equips us for every good work. And God is looking for vessels for every good work.

Brothers and sisters, I hope and my prayer over this message as it is declared to you today is that you would leave here more excited than burdened, that you would realize that it's available for all of us. Lord, we come before you. And we thank you that you do not require the strength of the flesh, the wisdom of this world, the stature of a certain frame of physical bodies, Lord. But you require one thing, a willingness to be cleansed by the refiner. Lord, you know in this place who needs to be cleansed, and we all need it, oh God, continually.

But for those who are perhaps holding on to certain things that they know are dishonorable, We pray and ask that there will not be one soul that represents this ministry that would be within the house but not ready for God's use. We wanna be used for every good work. Whatever you have in mind, Lord, we pray that you would peek into this room of your great large house and find every vessel ready for the plans and the programs that you have for this generation. And we ask, oh, God, that you would wash over us, purify our hearts. May we be like gold.

Lord, if there are those like in the book of Lamentations who have lost that glow, who have grown dim, who have been covered by certain things that makes them a different person altogether, a contradiction to their convictions. Lord, wash us afresh. Wash us in mind and word and deed. Cleanse us from within. We ask, oh, God, that this would create a hunger in our hearts as it was in Paul.

What shall I do, Lord? What what do you have for me in this life? What do you have for me as a husband, as a father, as a wife, as a mother? What do you have for me as a single person? What do you have for me as a student?

What do you have for me as somebody who's working a nine to five? What do you have for me? What shall I do, Lord? May that be our perpetual plea, and may you be pleased to answer it Because there's no greater joy in this life than to know you first and then to be used by you as you see fit. Lord, we submit ourselves to you in this place.

Cleanse us afresh. In your name we pray. Amen. You don't have to stand if you don't want to. You can stand if you want to.

I really, in the next few moments, I I really would love for us to apply this immediately. Put your hands in the hands of the great refiner. And here's the encouraging thing about the grace of God. Listen. If you're not even asking that question, if you're not even concerned about being used by God, if you're finding a greater thrill and and and a promotion in your retirement plan, There's nothing wrong with those things.

But if there's no what shall I do in your mind, in your daydreaming, in your nights laying your head on that pillow, if you're not asking that question, God is so gracious enough to birth that in you. You can ask him saying, God, I don't know why it is, but I'm not even craving this. I need you to do something in my soul. How is it that I can be born of your spirit and not crave to be used by you? Do something in me, and God will do it.

And listen to how he'll do it. In many ways he can, but one thing he will certainly do is all the things that you thought you would find pleasure in will grow strangely dim. And now you begin to get bored by things that thrilled you. Trivial things will become even more trivial, and you'll think to yourself, I have nothing to live for except for Christ. Entertainment won't be much entertainment.

I'm not against entertainment, but I'm a fan of the joy of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will so impart something in you that you will be wholly dissatisfied, and God will do something with you. He will place his spirit upon you. He'll place a fragrance on you. He'll anoint you in a way in which you will do great things for his kingdom.

It may not be recognized. It may not be recorded, but I'll tell you this. It will be recognized one day, and it will bless people, and it will change their lives. This is the cry of Christ this morning, not just here, but I believe all across the world. Where are those who are willing to cleanse themselves?

Where are those who are willing to pay the price? And it's not really much of a price, is it? Let go of the things that destroy your soul anyway, and embrace holiness. Pursue righteousness, peace, faith, and love. If you want a motivation for holiness, yes, please Christ.

But you wanna know something? You have every right to want to be holy because you wanna be used by God. In fact, a true holy servant will continually examine their words, their decisions, their meditations, where their eyes go to, where their hands do for this sole purpose. God, I don't want anything to interfere with your Holy Spirit anointing me and empowering me and using me. Whatever it is that I need to let go of so that when people hear me, they hear Christ, and when they see me, they see Christ.

Let it be so. I want the power of God on my life. I want people to be able to sense the holiness and the love of Christ through my life. And so give me the grace to let go of whatever I need to let go of so that your Holy Spirit can radiate from my heart. Unfortunately, in many places, many institutions, many churches, we're just satisfied with being in the house, but not being used by the master of the house.

May God protect us from such a false ambition. If you need to stay seated, pray to your God. If you wanna stand in worship, worship your God. But we're not gonna rush out of here. We wanna make sure that we do business with God.

Amen? Spend time with the Lord. We're gonna worship together, and you will be dismissed. Whenever you're ready.