"PREPARED UNTO EVERY GOOD WORK." (2 Tim 2:21)

June 14th, 2009

S. S. Lesson

Int. "Prepared unto every good work." "In the London docks may be seen 'life hooks,' hanging ready for use at a moment's notice, for the rescue of the drowning; they are consecrated to this one service, and hence, have a sacredness attached to them; to tamper with them is to subject yourself to a heavy penalty, and this is right."

Every believer should be an instrument, ready for our Lord's use. We should be like:

1. "A sharp threshing instrument" (Isa 41:15).

A. (Isa 41:15) "Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff."

B. (Judg 6:11) "And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites."

2. " A vessel meet for the Master’s use" (2 Tim 2:21).

A. The following epitaph was once placed over a soldier’s grave: —

"Here lies a soldier, whom all must applaud,

Who fought many battles at home and abroad;

But the hottest engagement he ever was in

Was the conquest of self in the battle of sin."

 

3. "A polished shalf" (Isa 49:2).

A. (Isa 49:2) "And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me;"

B. This "sharp sword" reminds us of the portrait of the Son of Man, out of whose mouth a sharp two-edged sword proceeded.

C. We should desire that our words should partake of the nature of the Word of God, which is quick and powerful, and sharper than a twoedged sword (Rev. 1: 16).

4. "A fruitful branch." (Jn 15:5).

A. (John 15:5) "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing."

B. Thomas Manton says: "In Christ there are no dead and sapless branches. Faith is not an idle grace; wherever it is, it is fruitful in good works."

C. "To render Great Britain and Ireland self-supporting, they need 13,000 square miles at the present yield of 29.07 bushels per acre-an area about one-fourth the size of England. But this is not available, for much of the land, now under barley and oats, would not be suitable for wheat.

"For the present, then, the annual deficit of 180.000.000 bushels must be imported and under these circumstances a permanently higher price for wheat is a calamity that must ere long be faced." The above facts, given by Sir W. Crookes, proclaim the dependence of Britain upon other countries for food supplies. But how much greater is the believer's dependence upon the Lord for spiritual supplies. Britain is only partially dependent upon other countries; we are absolutely dependent on the Lord.

1. As sinners, we need the atoning Saviour to justify us (Rom. 4 :25 ).

A. (Rom 4:25) "Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification."

2. As saints, we need the holy Saviour to sanctify us (John 17:19).

A. (John 17:19) "And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth."

3. As soldiers, we need the equipping Lord to arm us (Eph. 6:10-11)

A. (Eph 6:10-11) "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. {11} Put on the whole Armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."

4. As servants, we need the Living Christ to send us. (Jn 20:21)

A. (John 20:21) "Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you."

5. As stewards, we need the keeping Christ to preserve us. (2 Tim 1:12).

a. (2 Tim 1:12) "For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day."

6. As suppliants, we need the Holy Spirit to inspire us. (Rom 8:26).

a. (Rom 8:26) "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."

7. As students, we need His teachings to instruct us in the knowledge of Divine things. (1 Cor. 2:9-14).

a. (1 Cor 2:9-14) "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. {10} But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. {11} For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. {12} Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. {13} Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. {14} But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."

The supply of God's grace is suitable for our need, sufficient in its bestowment, sustaining in its blessing and adapted to our requirement.

5. "A legible epistle". (2 Cor. 3:2).

a. (2 Cor 3:2) "Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:"

b. "Benjamin Franklin tried to convince the farmers of his day, that plaster enriched the soil. All his philosophical arguments failed to convince them, so he took plaster, and formed in into a sentence by the roadside. The wheat coming up through those letters was about twice as rank and green as the other wheat, and the farmer could read for months, in letters of living green, the sentence, 'This has been plastered.'" The contention of Franklin was proved by the more luxurious growthy of the wheat. The same thing is brought out in the Christian life. It is not the say of profession, but the saintliness of practice which shows the reality of faith in Christ."

6. "A faithful witness". (Acts 1:8).

a. (Acts 1:8) "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."

b. F. B. Meyers says: "When I was a boy I used to go to the Polytechnic, in London, where my favorite diversion was a diving-bell, which had seats around the rim, and which, at a given time, was filled with people, and lowered into a tank. We used to go down deeper, deeper into the water, but not a drop of water ever came into that diving-bell, though it had no bottom, and the water was quite within reach, because the bell was so full of air that, though the water lusted against the air, and the air lusted against the water, because air was being pumped in all the time from the top, the water could not do what it otherwise would. If you are full of the Holy Spirit, the flesh life is underneath you; and though it would surge up, it is kept out."

c. Donald Soper: "Christianity must mean everything to us before it can mean anything to others."

d. (Prov 14:5) "A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies."

7. "A true Ambassador." (2 Cor. 5:20).

a. (2 Cor 5:20) "Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God."

b. C. H. S. said: "The minister of Christ should feel like the old keeper of Eddystone lighthouse. Life was failing fast, but summoning all his strength, he crept round once more to trim the lights before he died. May the Holy Ghost enable his servants to keep the beacon fire blazing, to warn sinners of the rocks, shoals, and quicksands that surround them. "

c. A French diplomat refused to let a missionary ride with him in the same railway car from to Tehran, saying, "I am a diplomat." The missionary could have felt squelched, but he didn't. He thought, But "I am an ambassador."..

d. Nobility and ability are two good abilities to possess, especially if they are nobility of character and ability of grace.

8. (2 Tim 2:22) "Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart."

1. Indulged children, like Dinah (Genesis 34.), often become a grief and shame to their families. Her pretence was to see the daughters of the land, to see how they dressed, and how they danced, and what was fashionable amongst them; she went to see — she went to be seen too; she went to gain an acquaintance with those Canaanites, and to learn their way. See what came from Dinah’s roving! The beginning of sin is as the letting forth of water —

a. Someone has said: "Give the water no passage, neither an unprotected daughter liberty to gad abroad"

2. J. Barlow: To avoid youthful Lusts,

1. Set a watch over all thy external senses.

a. In presence, view not, touch not.

b. In absence, talk not, think not on wanton affections.

2. Sleep little, eat little, work much, pray much; for take away the fuel and the fire will be quenched.

3. When wandering cogitations or suggestions reflect on thy fancy, divert them the contrary way. Forget not this.

4. Attend to good counsel, and follow it; and see before thou purpose anything what the best men advise thee.

3. Flee from youthful lusts and worldly delights.

a. These bees carry honey in their mouths--but they have a sting in their tails!

b. When this Jael brings forth her milk and her butter--then beware of the nail and the hammer!

c. Death is in the pot--while you are tasting the soup!

d. The fish is caught upon the hook--by leaping at the bait!

e. Sin is like a river, which begins in a quiet spring--but ends in a tumultuous sea.

4. Consider some temptations to avoid in life.

a. Remember, man's eyes, like Jacob’s cattle, are often too firmly fixed on beautiful objects, make the affections bring forth spotted fruit, and it is as easy to quench the fire of Etna as the thought fixed by lust.

b. Lusting is often the result of looking, as in David, who saw Bathsheba bathing, and in Joseph’s mistress, who set her eyes upon Joseph.

c. Lust is quick sighted. How much better Job, who would not look, lest he should think upon a maid! He had learned to keep in his eyes from roving to wanton prospects.

1. (Job 31:1) "I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?"

d. Samson’s eyes were the first offenders that betrayed him to unlawful desire of carnal pleasure; therefore are his eyes first pulled out, and he led a blind captive to Gaza, where before he had with carnal appetite gazed on his Delilah.

e. Among the things which in our profession we promised to renounce are the sinful lusts of the flesh. The text enforces that promise upon us.

1. Carnal pleasures are the sins of youth;

2. Ambition and the love of power the sins of middle age:

3. Covetousness the crimes of old age.

5. Follow Righteousness: — Antony William Boehme, a German divine, once preached from Exodus 20:14: "Thou shalt not commit adultery." A chevalier, who was one of his hearers, felt himself so much insulted that he challenged Boehme to fight a duel, because he thought his sermon designed entirely to offend him. Boehme accepted the challenge, and appeared in his robes; but instead of a pistol he had the Bible in his hand, and spoke to him in the following manner: "I am sorry you were so much offended when I preached against that destructive vice; at the time I did not even think of you. Here I appear with the sword of the Spirit, and if your conscience condemns you, I beseech you, for your own salvation, to repent of your sins and lead a new life. If you will, then fire at me immediately, for I would willingly lose my life if that might be the means of saving your soul! " The chevalier was so struck with this language that he embraced him and solicited his friendship."

a. Hugh Latimer, Bishop of Worcester, presented to Henry VIII. for a new year’s gift a New Testament, doubled down at the leaf where is written, "Whore mongers and adulterers God will judge" (Heb.13:4).

6. Follow righteousness: (Vr.22)

a. George Washington "...Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle."

b. Herbert Hoover said: "We get the fundamental confusion that government, since it can correct much abuse, can also create righteousness."

c. (Phil 3:9) "And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:"

1. Augustus Webb said: "The most important thing in life is not material riches, nor material wealth, nor education and human learning, nor worldly fame, nor anything else this world can afford--but rather "to be found in Him."