Be a Good Worker and a Useful Vessel

Paul writing to Timothy - How to be a good worker and a useful vessel.  We should all want to be effective in His work, His ministry.  2 Tim. 2:8-13

2 Tim. 2:14-26 - for Timothy, but also to remind the church of this.

#1)  Charge them not to quarrel about words
      A)  fight the good fight of faith  1 Tim. 6:12
      B)  destroy arguments - 2 Cor. 10:5
      C)  defending the faith - Phil. 1:7
      D)  Rebuke those who contradict sound doctrine - Titus 1:9

 This particular quarreling was with a group - probably of Gnostics -1 Tim. 4:7,  2 Tim. 2:16, 23

Debate can be good!  However, it can be fruitless!!

Practical Application 

1)  Pray for discernment

2)  Don't argue for the sake of arguing

3)  There is more to life than arguing

4)  Sometimes you need to cut off he conversation,
            (a)  when it's clearly unfruitful,
            (b)when you are arguing with a fool - Prov. 14:7
Quote from Mark Twain???  'A fool will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience!'
Bystanders might not be able to tell the difference!!

There is often times a better way - 2 Tim. 2:24-26 - the point of debate is to learn, correcting with gentleness and respect

Instead, focus on this = 2 Tim. 2:15   Study and build your faith up
Know the scriptures which =Truth revealed and the measure of all truth. "rightly handling" (cut straight).  stay on the line.  For Pastors, obviously, but also all believers. 

1 Pet. 2:9, Rev. 1:6 - the Priesthood of the believer.  We believe God can teach all His people.

2 Tim. 3:16-17 - a)  do you read it for yourself? 
                          b)  do you really study it?
                         c)  do you teach those in your care?

2 Tim. 2:19-22 - Clean yourself up.  We are saved by grace through faith, but still need to rid our lives of sin.
           some is delivered, but most = continuous WORK. 
           We need to continue to grow in our faith, 2 Pet. 1:3-5

We cannot e comfortable with sin.  Must expend effort to get out - faith fueled, grace filled effort.
Repentance = heart, leads to acts (hands)
May want to be a serving dish, but oftentimes living like a bedpan. (ignoble purposes)   God cannot use.

Psm. 24:3-4, James 4:8-10 - Deal with sin.  Sin hurts our relationship with God and people.  See James 4.  Sin hampers the mission.   Heb. 12:1    What does God want to do through you?

Check out false teachers vs real ones in 1st. John.  Should have a theological test along with moral or character test.  examples:  Joseph Smith, David Koresh, Jim Jones

As Christians, our character should go along with our words.  Let us all strive to make ourselves useful for the Master.

Closing Scripture:
Psm. 25:6-10