The Body Series

“Transformers”

Pt. 2 – The Body

Last week I started talking to you about the need that we have to be transformed. As bad as we hate change and fight change there must be change in order for us to mature in our walk with Jesus. I stated to you that I believe the most crucial and critical element of change is that which must take place in our mind. We must change the way we think. What we think about. How we think about ourselves. How we think about others. And how we think about church. All change must begin in our mind. If we do not allow Christ to change our mind all other change will be short lived. It is the starting place. However, the change cannot stop there. It must go further than that. So the second area that I believe we need radical change in is in our body.

Paul, in writing to his spiritual son, Timothy, reveals to us the need for a transformation of our body. Paul makes it very clear that in order for us to become what God desires for us to become we must change the way handle our bodies.

TEXT: II Timothy 2:20-26

20Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some unto honor, and some unto dishonor. 21If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, meet for the master’s use, prepared unto every good work. 22But flee youthful lusts, and follow after righteousness, faith, love, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23But foolish and ignorant questionings refuse, knowing that they gender strifes. 24And the Lord’s servant must not strive, but be gentle towards all, apt to teach, forbearing, 25in meekness correcting them that oppose themselves; if peradventure God may give them repentance unto the knowledge of the truth, 26and they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him unto his will.

20In a well-furnished kitchen there are not only crystal goblets and silver platters, but waste cans and compost buckets—some containers used to serve fine meals, others to take out the garbage. 21Become the kind of container God can use to present any and every kind of gift to his guests for their blessing.

Paul teaches us three things in this passage of Scripture.

1. Both vessels are in the house.

This is not a lesson for non-Christians. This lesson concerning the use of our vessel is a lesson for Christians. When he makes the statement that there are vessels of honor and vessels of dishonor in the house he is not comparing Christians and non-Christians. He is dealing with Christians.

2. There are two types of Christians.

There are Christians who have become vessels of honor and some who have become vessels of dishonor. What makes us one or the other? What determines if we are a vessel of honor or dishonor? According to Paul the difference is determined by how we choose to use or handle our vessel.

When God looks at us and examines how we handle our vessel some of us look like gold/silver and some of us look like Styrofoam.

3. How we use our bodies.

Paul clearly states that how we choose to use our body determines how we will be used by God. It is when we choose to become a vessel of honor that we are fit for every good work. But you can read what is not stated and realize that if we choose not to handle our vessel correctly and cleanly then we are unfit for use.

In other words, some of you are wondering why God isn’t using you and why he is using someone else.

It is all based on our vessel. God is willing to use those who have a clean and a pure vessel.

If you have guests over you will pull out the fine china. When you have a special occasion you will use the special vessel. That is in essence the whole idea of sanctification. We allow God to purify us so that our vessel is pure and prepared so that we can be used.

You forfeit being used if your vessel is a vessel of dishonor. Just like you won’t put dirty dishes out for guests, God won’t put a dirty vessel out there to be used. He requires holiness and purity.

B. How To Become A Vessel Of Honor

So how do we handle our body in a manner that will cause us to be deemed a vessel of honor fit for service?

1. We must make a conscious choice to be pure.