TYPES OF VESSELS – VESSEL UNTO HONOR AND DISHONOR

 

2 Timothy 2:20 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.

 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ex 25, John 4, Prov 1, 2 Cor 13

BIBLE STUDIES: 2 Timothy 2:20-22

 

We have discussed about borrowed vessels. They are instruments the Lord uses to bring joy, cause a turnaround in a life or win souls. Through them the Lord changes lives but their lives are never changed because of sin. Borrowed vessels are either discarded or relegated to the background. I pray that you will not be a borrowed vessel in the mighty name of Jesus. 

 

In our bible studies we read of a great house. Present in this great house are vessels of various types. There are some that are relegated to the kitchen e.g. vessels or pots used for cooking – cooking pots e.t.c. Since they are in the kitchen, the owner of the house rarely sees or touches them. Because they are in the kitchen, anyone can go in and touch them. The owner of the house never really invests his resources on them. These vessels do not really worth much and they are replaced from time to time. They are known as vessels unto dishonor. The great house referred to is the house of God or church. The owner or the house is Jesus. Colossians 1:8 calls Jesus the head of the church. The vessels are believers or workers in the vineyard of God. The vessels unto dishonor are vessels that are to the dis-reputation of the church, the dishonor of religion and scandal of the gospel. By them God is dishonored, His ways evil spoken of, His doctrines blasphemed, and His name reproached. Such vessels Jesus (the owner of the house) never invest His resources on them. He never touches them i.e. anoint them. They are at the mercy of different kind of demons. Jesus rarely bothers about them. They are vessel unto dishonour because they bring shame to Christ. They commit abortion, adultery, take bribe just name it. Also in this great house are vessels you find in the dining room e.g. drinking vessels. They contain costly viands. They are always on display for the world to see. The owner of the house heavily invests on them. He touches them daily and kisses them. They are known as vessels unto honour. These are believers who behave honourably and are worthy of honor in the church. They live a blameless life. It is hard to find a fault in them. Jesus invests His resources on them and He daily touches them. If they tell you good morning, you can be rest assured it is morning not afternoon or evening. You can live them in a room with 1 billion dollars and they would not touch a dime out of it. At the end whilst the vessels unto dishonor are covered with shame, vessels unto honour enjoy glory, immortality and eternal life. The question is what type of vessel are you? Is your life bringing honour to Christ or dishonour to Him?

 

PRAYER POINT: Father, the grace to bring You honour all the days of my life please give to me.

MY GLORY AND THE LIFTER UP OF MINE HEAD

Psalm 3:3 -But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.

One of the names of our Lord is King of glory, Psalm 24:7-8. To truly understand the meaning of the word glory, one needs to consider its opposite which is shame. Shame is a very terrible thing. A man that knew shame like the back of his hands was Naaman, 2 Kings 5:1-17. He was a decorated general. He had all the badges a Syrian army could have. He had respect of the king and everyone in Syria. He had everything an average Syrian could dream of. He had the brains, name, connection, fame, and everything you could think of but he was a leper. This leprosy cancelled all his life achievements. Because he was a leper, he had to live in Leper’s colony in the thick forest. He could not come near his family or else he would infect them. He could not stand before the king or anyone. Although he had everything money can buy, he was very lonely .I do not need to tell you that Naaman walked with his heads bowed. One day he came across the agent of the King of glory –Elisha, and his story changed. He was cured of his leprosy and the head which was down was lifted. The man whose residence was leper’s colony in the thick forest began to live in the best part of town. Naaman who was not allowed anywhere in the city began to ride on chariots in the city. Naaman who had not smiled in years suddenly began beam with smiles because his shame had been replaced with glory.

Colossians 1:27 says Christ in you the hope of glory. Jesus Christ is the king of glory. Once He enters any life, shame vanishes. One He takes residence in a man, His glory will begin to radiate in the man’s endeavors. One thing common with people who have failed at something or suffered defeat is that they walk with their heads bowed. To be defeated means to lose a battle to someone or something more powerful and stronger. No one looses a battle and walks with his head high. Sorrow causes him to walk his head bowed. If someone fails an examination and begins to jump for joy, you know something is wrong somewhere. Shame and sorrow causes a man who has just failed an examination to walk with his heads bowed. The man at the pool of Bethesda was now used to defeat having suffered defeat on thirty –eight occasions, John 5:1-16. Every time the angel of the Lord came to trouble the water, someone faster, stronger, and quicker got to the pool before him. One day the King of glory paid him a visit and without trying he received his healing. To fail simply means to work very hard and have nothing to show for it. Peter tried all night but had nothing to show for it, Luke 5:1-10. While he was washing his nets with his heads bowed, the king of glory visited him and the same river he had cast his net all night , he cast his net once and caught so much that two boats began to sink. It is shame that keeps a man’s head down but once the shame is taken away;God’s glory begins to radiate and the head that is bowed down will automatically go up.This is why you need to give your life to Christ so that the glory of God will radiate in your life.

PRAYER POINT: King of glory let your presence be felt in my life.

 

WHEN THE LORD VISITS

Genesis 18:3 – and said “My Lord, if I have now found favour in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant.

In Genesis 18:1-33 is a story we all know quite well. The Most High God with two angels visited family of Abraham. This visit marked the dawn of a new beginning in that family. On the day God visited the family of Abraham, five things happened. Firstly, He dealt with their enemy which was fruitlessness. Every time they tried at having children they met with frustration. Secondly, He dealt with their shame. Out of desperation, Sarah with Abraham arranged to have a child through Hagar (Sarah‘s maidservant). Immediately Hagar conceived, she began to despise Sarah because she was barren. By despising Sarah she was indirectly despising Abraham the husband. God took away the shame by giving Sarah a son. Thirdly, He fulfilled the promise of a son He had made to Abraham fourteen years earlier in Genesis 15:4. Fourthly, He gave Abraham an opportunity to make a request. Abraham’s request was that Sodom and Gomorrah be spared if ten good men were found in them and the Lord said done! Lastly, by the time God left, their joy was full.

When Jesus visited the world over 2000 years ago, He dealt with the enemy – sickness, fruitless efforts, death to mention a few. Secondly, He took away shame. All righteousness according to Isaiah 64:6 was as filthy rags before God, but when Jesus came He brought the garment of righteousness – Romans 13:14. Thirdly, He fulfilled the promise that was made in Isaiah 53:5 which says He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Fourthly, He gave an opportunity for everyone to make a request. Matthew 7:7 says ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Lastly, by the time He left the joy of all those who received Him were full because they could now be addressed as sons and daughter of God. John 1:12 says but as many as received Him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. Jesus is still willing to visit us individually. He wants to deal with our enemies, take away our shame and reproach, fulfill His promises for our lives, give us an opportunity to make a request and by the time He leaves ensure that our joy is full. A point to note is Jesus is a gentleman; He does not gatecrash into people’s life or homes except when invited. When He is invited He only honours invitation of His friends. His friends are those who obey Him – John 15:14. You will never see His friends participating in internet fraud. His friends are pure, they never swear or curse. His friends are like Job, they have made covenant with their eyes not to lustfully look at any woman or man (Job 31:1).

KEY POINT: Before inviting Him, settle everything that could stand between you and Him or else He will not honour the invitation.