Ready for Every Good Work

When I say the name Rudy Ruettiger, what do you think of?

Yep! Rudy, Rudy, Rudy…a cheering crowd…a hustling, hard working defensive end…the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. That final (and really only) play of his career where he rushes and sacks the opposing team’s quarterback…

What a movie - what a story. There is a lot we can think of when we think of Rudy. But I want to draw our attention this morning to Rudy the preparer - Rudy the competitor who was ready when his number was called - the guy who showed up to every practice and played with an intensity as if every play were championship level.

Rudy was a preparer. Rudy kept himself ready - at all times - to play competitively - more than competitively - to play football fiercely. So when his number was called, Rudy was ready.

This morning, we are going to be talking about how we can be ready - ready for every good work God calls us to in this life.

The passage we read is going to be a bit of a Christian fitness prescription - ways we can all be fit and ready for the works God has laid out for us to walk in - from eternity past - in the same way that Rudy Ruettiger was fit and ready when his number was called for that final play.

And my prayer is that the content of this sermon helps all of us as Providence Community Church - to be just that much more ready for whatever God may be calling us to do in the days and weeks ahead.

Now before we dive in - you may be thinking - “Dov, I’m just a normal person. What do I have to get ready for? Is God really calling me to something of grand importance - demanding preparation and readiness?”

To that, I would say - a resounding yes! Yes - we are all normal, ordinary people that live our lives in the mundane, day in day out choices of life.

At that same time I would say yes - God is calling us to prepare - to be in the spiritual shape where we are ready for what He has for us - because eternity - eternal souls, eternal joy, eternal rewards are at stake.

Everything we do in this life is being watched by the Lord Almighty. Not only that - but angels and a cloud of witnesses are watching and cheering us on…and the formation of our souls is dictated by the everyday choices we make.

Therefore, yes - this sermon is for all of us - as all of our thoughts, all of our words, and all of our choices matter - to God, to each other, and to ourselves. And this passage speaks to how we can be ready for and make the most of every good work - every work the Lord is calling us to - therefore, let’s anticipate that God has a Word for us today!

Let’s start by reading the passage:

2 Timothy 2:20–26

[20] Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. [21] Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.

[22] So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. [23] Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. [24] And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, [25] correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, [26] and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. (ESV)

May God bless the preaching of His Word.

OK - first, the context of 2 Timothy 2:20-26. Per Chris’ previous sermons, remember that 2 Timothy features Paul’s affection, reflection, and direction to Timothy - Paul’s young protege. This letter - written from prison, presumably before Paul’s coming execution, displays Paul’s deep care for Timothy - his emotional connection to Timothy and His fatherly guidance to him - especially to embrace suffering for the sake of the gospel.

And in this specific section of the letter, Paul has been using imagery to capture for Timothy a picture of a faithful minister of the gospel. Images like that of being a soldier, an athlete, and a farmer.

Well, in this portion of the letter, Paul will use a number of additional images to help instruct Timothy in his gospel ministry. And these are instructive for us as well as we consider how we can be fruitful and ready in our gospel ministries - whatever form they may take - within the church, within our families, our friends, in our workplaces - wherever!

So what is one of the images Paul uses to guide Timothy in this passage to strengthen him in his gospel ministry - to be ready for every good work?

Well - Paul first compares the church to a great House. And a house with vessels - some of use to the Lord for honorable things and some of use for dishonorable.

Look at verses 20-21:

[20] Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. [21] Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work. (ESV)

Before diving into the vessel piece of this image, let’s first examine the image of the house in general - with a great Master of this house.

One way we can be ready for every good work in this house - the church - is to build our regard for this house - and especially its Master.

Consider first - who is the Master of the House - the church: well - it is Jesus!

The same Jesus who:
Battled the devil
Walked on Water
Calmed the Storm
Commanded demons
Healed the sick
Taught masterfully
Suffered and died and rose again!

Consider also - who is this Jesus? Well - he is the one who knows you intimately - who thought of you in eternity past, who wrote every heartbeat of your life into existence, who has carried you your whole life long, and with whom you will spend eternity in personal fellowship enjoying fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore!

Jesus is the One who owns this house. Who rules over this house. Who is the master of this house. Don’t we want to be ready to do whatever He would call us to do?!

And what is this house? Well consider - it is:
Christ’s body
Christ’s bride
A pillar and buttress of the truth
Bought with Jesus’ blood (Acts 20)

Not only that, but this house, this church, well isn’t this the place where God meets you week in week out, where your soul is nourished, where you regularly connect with your dearest friends, where you get to encourage and build up others in the Lord?

Don’t you want to be ready to love this house, to love its members, and to build it up however the Lord may provide the opportunity?!

Church family, Jesus is worthy of being held in the highest of regards. We all know that. But it can be helpful at times to remember who this Jesus is and freshly marvel at the fact that He has chosen us and is calling us to do good works within His house - the house we should also regard to the highest degree - that He bought with His own precious blood.

Church - let us remember who Jesus is - and let us remember just what the church is - for when we have a high regard for Jesus and His church, we will be well-positioned, we will be fit to be ready for every good work in and on behalf of His Name and His Church!

So - how can we be ready for every good work? Well, build and maintain a high regard and deep affection for Jesus and His Church!

Second - we can be ready for every good work the Lord has for us when we have cleansed ourselves for honorable use.

Look again at verses 20-21

[20] Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. [21] Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work. (ESV)

Paul’s intention here is to identify and contrast teachers within the church. These vessels Paul is speaking of - this additional image - well, most commentators align that the honorable vessels Paul is referring to are honorable, true teachers of the gospel. And their use is the glory of the Lord and the salvation, sanctification, and preservation of souls. The dishonorable vessels are false teachers - teachers that tempt us to think that it is our performance that matters in salvation, our following of the law - our performance of works like circumcision or really just anything that we put our trust in apart from Christ for our standing before God.

So then, the question becomes, how can we all become honorable vessels in the Great House of the Lord - and for the sake of our church today - maybe not all teachers from the pulpit, but teachers of one another, teachers of our spouses, our children, our friends - teachers through our lives and words and examples…

Well - we can do so by cleansing ourselves for honorable use.

Look at verse 22:

[22] So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. (ESV)

Two major verbs here in this verse: Flee and Pursue.

When you hear flee - remember back to Joseph with Potipher’s wife - when he fled from her presence as she tried to tempt him into an adulterous affair. Joseph fled - he ran - he didn’t even hold onto his clothes to get out of that situation. He just got out of there.

Well - it is with that intensity that we are to flee youthful passions.

Now what are these youthful passions? The language may have some sensual undertones - but most commentators agree that the youthful passions (in Greek Epithumea) are more so related to anything that we are not called to have at this moment - think in terms of position…power…possibly even riches. In this command, Paul is instructing Timothy to contentment with and faithfulness within his current state - without a striving for more worldly power and influence. He is to man his position, preach the word, embrace suffering - where he is - and to do so pursuing - again rather than position or power - instead he is to pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace…

He is to pursue his sanctification.

He is to pursue:

Righteousness - dikaios - things deemed right by God. Living life in light of God’s eyes, under His constant gaze - and seeking to bring Him pleasure with the things he is doing.

He is to pursue:

Faith - peitho - like the faith of the Centurion in Matthew 8: trust, confidence in who the Lord is and what the Lord can do.

He is to pursue:

Love - agape - goodwill for others - desire and pursuit of the best for others. A joyful desire to see others flourish.

And finally, he is to pursue:

Peace - eirene - wholeness, not just the absence of conflict but the blessing of God.

And like Timothy, we are ourselves to pursue these things. Again, we are to flee - vigorously - the passions of youth and instead pursue like a hunter, like an army going after its enemy - righteousness, faith, love, and peace.

To cleanse ourselves for honorable use.

How can we do this? Well - I love the conversation that happened around a bonfire at Larson’s house recently. Where the gauntlet was thrown that if we are serious about our relationship with the Lord - if we want to be fit for Him - we will be in His Word every day.

Between being in the Word - in private - in addition to public fellowship - and then simply obeying what we have learned - we will cleanse ourselves for honorable use.

Ultimately, when we have cleansed ourselves for honorable use, we will be well positioned to be ready for every good work in and on behalf of Christ and His church.

So - how can we be ready for every good work? Well - cleanse yourself for honorable use.

A third way we can be ready for every good work: run the Christian life with faithful believers.

Look at verse 22 again:

[22] So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. (ESV)

Pay attention to the end of that verse: along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

Brothers and sisters - for us to be ready for every good work the Lord has called us to - we must be running our Christian lives - our lives…with other believers - with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

Now I know I’m preaching to the choir here - but just consider…

My sons Joseph and Gideon are playing on basketball teams right now. And they practice by themselves - but they practice and play so much harder when they are surrounded by their teams - in practice and especially at their games.

They run harder
They dig deeper
They set an example for their teammates
Their teammates set an example for them
Each of the players correct, strengthen, encourage, and sharpen one another.

Church - again, I know I’m speaking to a church that loves to run together - in community. Let’s just make sure we keep that intensity - that we keep our focus - that we all run together toward the Lord:

that we all press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14)

May no one be left behind. May all of us run hard. And may all of us run together - each of us making it to the finish line together - fulfilling every good work God may have for us along the way!

Church - how can we all be ready for every good work? Well, let’s all run together - encouraging, exhorting, correcting, and spurring each other on…toward the love and good works God has prepared for each of us!

Fourth - how can we be ready for every good work based on 2 Timothy 2:20-26?

Well - we can cultivate godly character as we deal with our opponents.

Looks at verses 23-26:

[23] Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. [24] And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, [25] correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, [26] and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. (ESV)

In these verses, it is clear what we - as the Lord’s servants - are to avoid and to embrace.

We are to avoid foolish, ignorant controversies that breed quarrels.

And we should embrace kindness, right teaching, patient endurance, and gentle correction.

We are to love our enemies. Yes - with a backbone that holds onto the eternal truths of our Master - but with kindness and gentleness - in a way that truly introduces our enemies to the character of the Lord.

And every time we are drawn into a discussion regarding Christ - a discussion with unbelieving friends, unbelieving family, and even unbelievers on social media - we have an opportunity - to cultivate this type of godly character. To consider - do we have a loving heart for our opponents - that wants to see them come to a knowledge of the truth, that longs to see their repentance, that desires to introduce them to our Lord, and that has faith that God can work through our kind, patient, right teaching and example and bring them back (or maybe for the first time) to a right knowledge of the Lord.

So - how can we be ready for every good work? Well especially in our conversations about the Lord - in particular with our opponents - we can cultivate godly character.

Finally, how can we be ready for every good work?

Well - we must acknowledge the fact that we have an enemy working against us in being ready.

Consider verses 24-26:

[24] And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, [25] correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, [26] and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. (ESV)

Just look at what this enemy is doing - what he is up to: he is dedicated to capturing, ensnaring people in falsehood. He wants to prevent people from embracing a knowledge of the truth.

Church - test your thoughts - are they all righteous, faithful, loving, and peaceable - toward your brothers and sisters in the Lord, toward your family, toward your opponents. If you are anything like me - it is wise to acknowledge that not every thought that goes through your mind is from you or from the Lord. We must be watchful. We must test our thoughts. And we must listen to our great Shepherd, our great Master - only. We must be soaking ourselves in Scripture and prayer so we can recognize the lies we are being served up and potentially tricked by each and every day.

Brothers and sisters - we have an enemy. And he is out to ensnare, to capture, to confuse, to tempt, to lead astray - to keep us from being ready. We must acknowledge this - we must know this - and we must fight against this - if we are to be ready for every good work.

So - how can we be ready for every good work? Acknowledge and fight against our enemy!

Now that leads us to the why behind all of this. Why fight so hard - why remember who our great master is and what his House is, why cleanse ourselves, why run with others…?

Well - remember that the Lord’s honor is at stake. When we fulfill the good works he has set before us, we bring him the honor He deserves!

Not only that, but our joy is at stake. Like Eric Liddel in chariots of fires, we want to feel the pleasure of God when we run - when we fulfill the good purposes God has for us to fulfill!

And finally, we love others. And when we do good works, we are loving those in and outside the church. We long to see others flourish. Our good works - set out by God - are designed to bring about exactly that - to see others flourish!

So, in conclusion:

The Lord has good works for us to do.

Like Rudy Ruettiger - God is calling our name, our number. But for us - each and every day.

Let’s be ready for those moments, those works:

Let’s regard the Master and His house highly
Let’s cleanse ourselves for honorable use
Let’s run hard with other Christians
Let’s oppose our opponents in a godly manner
Let’s acknowledge and fight against our enemy

The more we do these things, the more faithful we will be in our everyday dealings and stewardship of the good works God has given us to do, may the Lord then entrust even more to us…

For His honor, our joy, and the good of others…

So - are you ready? More importantly, are you ready to get ready.

Let us prepare ourselves with diligence, with passion, with endurance, and with zeal - for the good works God has called us to perform.

Let’s pray.

Now I know that from a message like this one today - where the focus has very much been our call to fight to be ready for every good work - well, it can be tempting to think that now we have to muster up this strength and just go and do.

But for communion this morning, let’s take a moment and simply remember Jesus - and be thankful - that He is not just the Master of the House, but the one who was ready for every good work Himself - and especially ready to suffer and die for His household - for us the church.

Let’s remember Philippians 2:5–11:

[5] Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, [6] who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, [7] but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. [8] And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. [9] Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, [10] so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, [11] and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (ESV)

Jesus - though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped - and he took on human form, he was obedient to God, ultimately to suffer and die for us.

Thank God that Jesus was ready to be broken so we could be forgiven. Thank God that Jesus was ready to bleed and die so we could be washed clean. And thank God that Jesus was ready to rise from the dead so that all His resurrection power could be at work in us to grant us all the power we could need to walk in the works He has privileged us to fulfill.

So, let us come to the table this morning in full faith:
With complete hope that He is our righteousness because He was ready for and fulfilled every good work
With complete hope that there is no condemnation for us in Christ Jesus because again He was ready and willing to suffer and die and rise for us.
And with complete hope that the Lord will strengthen us and help us to be ready for every good work that He has called us to walk in - because His Spirit now dwells in us and His resurrection power is at work within us!

1 Corinthians 11:23–26

[23] For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, [24] and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” [25] In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” [26] For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. (ESV)

Come to the table now, thanking God and in full faith as we proclaim the Lord’s death together!