VESSELS FIT FOR THE MASTER’S USE (Part 4)
Bible Passage: John 15 :1-8, 16.
Memory Verse:
"You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in My Name." (Jn 15:16)
LESSON FOCUS
Our focus in this lesson will be on the importance of faithfulness in our serving the Lord.
LESSON INTRODUCTION
John 15:4-5
teach us a number of key lessons:
- The Lord Jesus is the vine proper, and we are the branches. We are not some "lone ranger", or some "independent/stand-alone" people of God. A genuine son/daughter of God remains a branch of the true vine.
- If we are to bear fruit that will last, and not just some "flash in the pan" type of fruit, then we must remain in Him. In fact it is as we remain in Him and He in us that we bear much fruit.
- When we stay apart from Him, we shall achieve nothing.
- It is the resultant fruitlessness from not remaining in Him that qualifies such branches to be cut off and used as firewood.
See vs. 2 and 6.
LESSON OUTLINE 1: VESSELS UNTO HONOUR ARE CHOSEN BY THE LORD HIMSELF
Vessels unto honour are chosen by the Lord Himself. They do not arrive there by gathering votes and support from men. John 15:19; Acts 9:10-16. The role of men is to recognise and acknowledge what God has done. See Acts 13:2-3.
- Sometimes God’s selection does not follow men’s norms and expectations. Rom 9:0-16.
- A vessel that is broken becomes useless and unless it is repaired (by true repentance), it will be discarded. Judas falls into this category,
Jn. 6:70; 13:18. But so did King Saul (1 Sam 15:22-23), Demas, (compare Col. 4:14 with 2 Tim. 4:9-10), etc.
May you not be discarded in Jesus Name. Amen.
LESSON OUTLINE 2: YOU ARE BORN TO BREED< SAVED TO SERVE
Every believer is born again to serve the Lord. Acts 1:8.
As they serve the Lord, the devil and his agents cannot prevail against them. Jer. 1:7-8; 17-19; Matth. 28:18-20; Rom. 8:31-39.
- Now that we have a new Lord and Master, we are to serve Him with all our might, strength, time and resources. Deut. 6:5; Eph. 2:8-10; Rom. 1:5; 16:25-27, noting particularly the last clause in v. 26; Gal. 1:15-17.
Our obedience to the Lord is the final and only proof that we love Him. John 14:15, 23.
LESSON OUTLINE 3: VESSELS FIT FOR THE MASTER’S USE ARE HIS AGENTS AND WORKMEN
- Vessels unto honour are the links between the Master and other vessels.
Acts 10:39-42. They are His witnesses, spokesmen, and living letters onto others.
They are His ambassadors and fellow workers. Luke 6:13; 2 Cor. 5:20; 6:1.
In their role as His Ambassadors and fellow workers, they reveal the Lord to the Church and build her up. Acts 22:12-15; John 21:15-17.
They in addition witness Christ to those that yet unsaved. Jer. 1:5-7; Matth. 28:18-20; John 20:21.
SUMMARY
Anyone who says he wants to serve the Lord Jesus must serve Him well. We shall be wasting our time in trying to serve the Lord on our own terms.