HANDOUT FOR SERMON: GET YOURSELF AND OTHER THINGS OUT OF THE WAY. August 20th, 2023, 9:30 a.m. Manchester, TN
INTRODUCTION: You and I, we, are vessels, cups or containers to hold things. That is why God made you and He purified and cleansed you to be filled with His Holy Spirit. You are designed to be filled with His wisdom, His way, His work and His fruit and share these things in the lives of everyone you meet!
LESSON:
CHRISITIANS ARE VESSELS Have you ever thought of taking inventory of what all is filling your heart and mind? What are you full of? It is important that God’s people take inventory of themselves often. God wants to fill you because you are His vessel.
Scripture: Romans 9:21-23, 2 Corinthians 4:1-3 & 7-10, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7.
God wants to fill you with His Spirit.
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:18-20, Acts 6:3, Ephesians 5:15-21, Acts 2:38-39, Acts 5:32
If you find it difficult to be kind, loving, giving, forgiving, grateful, selfless, sacrificing, and subject yourself to Christians and other people, then your cup is NOT filled with the Holy Spirit of God. If you spend lots of time praying, reading the Bible and worshipping God, why is it that you are still making the same mistakes and the same sins?
EXAMPLE OF RELIGIOUS PEOPLE WHO STRUGGLED FOLLOWING GOD PROPERLY. Religious people struggle with following God properly. The New Testament gives us examples of such. I fear we have more in common with such people than we may be willing to admit. Maybe we are blinded just like they were blinded?
Scripture: Matthew 23:25
Do you see what their problem was? Look closely at the verse, it gives us the problem. The problem was “self!” We are often our own greatest deterrent for real progress in godliness. Get yourself out of the cup! Things such as: self-indulgence, selfishness, self-willed, self-pride and the “self-life” (it is all about me and my wants and wishes!) You are the vessel to be FILLED by God and His Spirit, so get YOURSELF out of the vessel!
Scripture: Galatians 5:15-18, Galatians 5:22-23
The Lord knows His people. He knows those who are His! There are many kinds of vessels, but the vessels are there for the master’s use. A vessel is sanctified and prepared for every good work. God stands ready to sanctify and cleanse you. We learned in Galatians 5 about the fruit of the Spirit. What the Holy Spirit of God will produce in us! There are seven things you are to be filled with. Are YOU?? In the writings of Timothy, we learn there are things we must get rid of! If you do not get rid of such things you will never be filled with the fruit of the Spirit as God desires and you should. The reason is because there are things in your life that stand in the way, taking space or distracting you from being filled with the fruit of the Spirit. The following scripture warns us about things that are in opposition to being filled with the fruit of God.
Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:19-26, 1 Corinthians 6, 1 Thessalonians 4, 1 Timothy 4:1
Our purpose is to save ourselves and to save others! Unfortunately, sometimes we cannot pour the “living water of eternal life” to others because it is polluted by US!
2 Timothy 2:19-26 Tells us 3 things that get in the way.
• Youthful lusts.
• Foolish and ignorant speculations.
• Fighting’s and being quarrelsome.
James 4:1-4 Informs us the source of quarrelsome spirit.
• Your pleasures. v.1
• Your lust and your envy. V.2
• Your motives. (Jealously & self-ambitions.) v.3
CONCLUSION:
1 John 1:9 The greatest danger for God’s people, the Church, is “deceiving ourselves.” God is there ready and willing to forgive and cleanse us. If you have been cleaned by God then you are clean no matter what someone else says about you!
1 Corinthians 10:11-12 Thinking we are so strong, righteous and good. Not seeing any weakness or wrongs in our own heart and actions because we are so focused on someone else! Lacking the ability to be humble and truly honest with self! May we all do better with emptying ourselves and getting rid of self!
