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A Vessel of Honor     

Pastor Phil Derstine 6-22-25

We are Vessels – designed by the creator to be a container with a function.

  • II Corinthians 4:7 “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, (jars of clay) that the excellency of the power

 may be of God, and not of us.”

  • I Corinthians 1:26 “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many

mighty, not many noble, are called: (27) But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. (29) That no flesh should glory in His presence.”

  • II 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 honor and some to dishonor. (21) If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel unto honor, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.”

  • Honor: valued, precious, esteemed, weighty
  • Dishonor: common, ordinary
  • What kind of VESSEL are you?   How are you being USED by God?

II Timothy 2:20-21 – A Vessel of Honor

  1. God’s house has Variety 
  • “Vessels of gold, silver, wood, earth…” 
  • Different cultures, personalities, gifts, abilities – God likes variety!
  • YOU have something valuable to give to the world!
  1. Not your Ability, but your Availability
  • “Prepared to do any good work.”  
  • Your proximity and closeness to God makes you more useful for Him
  • James 4:8 "Come near to God and He will come near to you."      
  1. Honor comes from Cleanliness
  • “If a man cleanses himself…” – make Godly choices!
  • Spots, cracks, complacency, cares of this world, self-centeredness… 
  • Hebrews 12:1 “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.  And let us run 

with perseverance the race marked out for us.  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author & perfecter of

our faith…”

  1. Holy is what you Are, Useful is what you Do
  • “Made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.
    • Made holy (sanctified) – the ongoing work of Holy Spirit transforms you into the likeness of Christ!
  • Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone that saith Lord, Lord, shall enter in... but he who DOETH the will of my Father”
  • Goal: Keeping the vessel clean and using it for it’s intended purpose

He is the Potter, We are the Clay

  • Isaiah 64:8 “O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.”
  • Romans 9:21 “Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?”
  • Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
    • Workmanship (Gr: Poiema)  –  poem, We are God’s work of art!
  • Ephesians 4:16 “From Him the whole body joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and

builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”