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Rowland Wheatley

Prepared for the masters use

2 Timothy 2:20-21
Rowland Wheatley June, 21 2026 Audio
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But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. (2 Timothy 2:20-21)
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This sermon was preached at Swavesey Particular Baptist Chapel Lord's Day morning.
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To be prepared for the masters use we need to:
*1/ Be strong in grace.
2/ Be aware of a solemn reality.
3/ Heed the words of direction.
4/ Keep the end in view.*

**Sermon Summary:**

The sermon explores the biblical metaphor of believers as vessels in a great house, emphasizing the necessity of being sanctified and prepared for the Master's use.

It establishes that grace through faith in Christ is the foundational requirement for any spiritual usefulness, warning against relying on religious busyness without genuine salvation.

The preacher urges listeners to purge themselves from sin, vain babblings, and foolish controversies by fleeing from them rather than engaging in unprofitable strife. Instead, believers are called to study Scripture, exhibit meekness, and maintain a gentle spirit when instructing others.

Ultimately, the message encourages all Christians, regardless of age or role, to seek personal holiness so they remain ready and effective for God's service.

Sermon Transcript

Auto-generated transcript • May contain errors

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Seeking for the help of the Lord, I direct your prayerful attention to Paul's second epistle to Timothy, chapter 2, reading from our text, verses 20 and 21. And verse 20, but in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth, and some to honour and some to dishonour.

If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the Master's use, and prepared unto every good work. to Timothy chapter 2 verses 20 and 21 specifically these words sanctified and meet for the Master's use or separated and made ready to be used by the Master. All of you, even the children, would know that to be able to do things If you're suddenly called upon to do them, there needs to be a preparation, whether it be in giving you knowledge, or whether it even be just rest in the morning. If you get a knock on the door and someone is there to see you, and you're not dressed, you're not ready, and they want you to go and help them next door, you're not ready to do that. And so we are used to being prepared for something, to do what someone wants us to do when they want it to do. And what Paul is setting forth before Timothy here, that he also needs to be set apart and ready for the Master, the Lord, to use.

Now we began our reading. in chapter 1 and the reason for that is we have Paul making a difference between two peoples. There were those that had turned away from him, those that were in Asia. They weren't any use, they weren't any help for Paul at all. But then he comes to Onesiphorus and he says very different things of him.

And here we have an example of one that was sanctified and was ready and was useful by the Lord to minister to Paul. He says, Onesiphorus, He oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain. But when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently and found me. The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day. And in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well.

And then he goes straight from then, Thou therefore my son, And yes, he is speaking to Timothy as a minister, one who's going to minister the word, but he's come right from a person that was not a preacher, not a minister of the word, but who ministered, who helped, who strengthened the apostle, who was useful in the Lord's service.

Don't ever think that it is only those that preach the word or those that are in some ministering situation that need to be sanctified or set apart for use by the Lord. None is too young, too small of any insignificance to be used by the Lord. You think of the maid that was waiting upon Naaman, and when she saw his leprosy, He says, oh that my Lord might be with the prophet that is in Samaria. And just her timely word was used to bring him to Samaria and to be healed of his leprosy. A child, remember that.

And so we would look at this portion as a direction not just to ministers but as a direction to the people of God that they might be of those that are ready for the use of the Lord. We are mindful that the Lord has said of his people, this people have I formed for myself, they shall show forth my praise. We think of Ephesians 5, where the Lord is forming his church as his bride so that he's ready for him and ready to be with him, a prepared people for a prepared place. We're used to this right through scripture.

We see David who was appointed to be king, but the Lord began to prepare him with looking after the sheep, how he appeared for him with the lion and with the bear, And dear David, he could then come before Goliath and people would say, well, that's a great, so much greater thing than what you had to contend with as with the sheep. But no, he says, this same God that delivered me from the paw of the lion and paw of the bear, he will deliver me from this Philistine. It's a good principle, things that are learnt in small things where the Lord has helped us, prepared us, They are then used for greater things. Remember the Lord has said, thou hast been faithful in that which is little, be thou, Lord, over many things. And we have the same with Moses. You might say 80 years being sanctified and being meet and ready for the Lord's use.

And then suddenly the Lord comes to him in the burning bush, and he's sent forth to go to his people. So those times of preparation, they're very needful. And Paul gives Timothy here direction in this way. And it should be an encouragement to us, a desire, like when the Lord appeared to Paul himself. And immediately Paul says, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?

A desire to be of use, to serve the Lord, and to be with the Lord. So I want to look at four points, because I've got four. I'll introduce them as we go, instead of naming them first. If we are to be those that are sanctified, made meat for the Master's use, ready for the Lord to use, then one thing is very vital first. And this is what Paul begins this chapter with. He says, Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. I would like to really make sure this is emphasised wherever we speak of anything that has a semblance of works or usefulness or the Lord using a person.

We are never setting it forth. that this is a title for heaven. This is a way to earn the favour of God. Putting, as it were, the cart before the horse, or putting things in a wrong way. Instead of works being a fruit and an effect of grace, then works become something that we're looking at as a title for heaven.

Be very careful, dear friends, that you do not mask a lack of grace by busyness in the things of God, even doing good things in the house of God and for the people of God. It is vital that there be grace first. It doesn't mean to say that you refuse to do any small tasks or to do anything in the house of God or to be useful But it is a sad thing, where people are being useful and they're very prominently in the house of God, and yet either there is not grace in evidence or not obedience in evidence. This must be put first.

Make sure, as Paul says here, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Or as he says to the Ephesians, by grace you're saved, through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. And so we are to look first, do we have grace? Have we been brought to seek salvation ourselves through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the free unmerited favour of God?

Paul, he looked at those in Romans 10, that were ignorant of God's righteousness and they were going about to establish their own righteousness. Paul, he refers in another way to this and he says in verse 6, and this is applying to ministers especially, the husbandmen that laboureth must first be partakers of the fruit. So we that preach, we must first be partakers of the Gospel, first know it in our own soul that we be saved first, before then we preach to others. Some, like Mr Philpott, he was preaching before he was called. Trained up in the ministry, preaching in the Church of England, and then the Lord called him by grace. And there's been others that have been like that as well. Yes, you can do a lot of religious things outwardly, and yet be ignorant in the heart of the true saving grace of God.

We are justified by faith in Christ alone. We are counted free from condemnation and guilt through believing and trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ, in his finished work. Nothing added to that, nothing added whatsoever. Everything comes from that faith that is of Jesus Christ. It comes from Him. It doesn't come from us. He is the author and finisher of our faith. And we're to look for that faith.

And we're told in Romans 10, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of the Lord. It hath pleased God through the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. And it should be the prayer of each one that has not got that assurance, has not tasted the Lord is gracious, that the Lord would bless the word, bless the preached word. I will be inquired of by the House of Israel to do it for them, and before they even know that they are the people of God, they'll be asking, Lord do it for me.

The Lord encourages, He says, Ask, and it shall be given thee. Seek, and ye shall find. Knock, and it shall be opened unto you. If ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him? Don't have a fatalistic spirit.

And just say, well, if God will save me, he will save me. If he won't, he won't. It's an election, so I'm just going to come in and out of the house of God. And if I am not saved, then it's God's fault. Well, all that are saved are saved because of the free and sovereign mercy of God. But all that are saved are brought to be in need, to feel their condemnation, to feel their need of salvation, and to begin to seek it.

And may be that some begin to seek today. Lord, grant me thy grace. Grant that I might begin to seek thee today. And the Lord bear that witness, that up to this time you have not really sought him. You have been careless, have been indifferent, have not really had a concern for your son. Grace is the vital thing. Paul doesn't only say to Timothy just he needs grace, he needs to be strong, strong in grace.

The Hymn writer says, If ever my poor soul be saved, tis Christ must be the way, tis must be his work, must be that which he has wrought in my heart and keeps alive and maintains right through my life. And we are to Rely on that and lean hard upon that. The gift of the Lord Jesus Christ, the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ, is that he came to save sinners, to suffer, bleed, and die for them on Calvary's tree, and to rise again for their justification. And may our blessing be to feel and know that we have, by the Spirit, an interest in that. that the Lord has laid down his life for us. And that is the first thing. The Apostle sets this forth before Timothy, before ever. He's starting to give him direction and guidance as that he might be sanctified and meet for the Master's views. Secondly, I want to draw your attention, this is in the first verse of our text, a solemn reality.

In a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also wood and of earth and some to honour and some to dishonour. We have a picture, we have a picture of a house, Or you think of it just perhaps of your own houses. And there'll be some things in your house that are very precious things. They might be gold things, very valuable things. There might be other things that are not very valuable at all. And some, it would be better they weren't even in the house. And so we have that picture here. What is Paul talking about? Well, he's talking about two things. One, the Church of God itself, that in the Church of God there are those that are truly God's children. They are precious children of God.

But there are also those that are not. In other parts of the word we are warned there must needs be heresies among you that they which are approved might be made manifest. That is there are some that were teaching serious errors. And Paul he identifies some here that were of this nature. He says those of Hymenaeus and Philetus who concerning the truth have heard saying that the resurrection is past already and overthrow the faith of some.

He's picturing these are those that are in the church, in the house of God and they are mixed up along with the rest. But then also our own hearts as well. Our own souls. There are those things that God has put in. They are precious. They are good things. They are the grace of God. That's what he has taught us and put in our hearts. But there's also that which is wrong. That which is of the flesh. O that I had not a myself. That which fights against the new man. Those things that are a detriment to the good of the soul.

You know, you might come into the house of God and you might hear the word and, Lord, bless that word to you. And you go home and then in the week you do things, you enter into habits and ways and lifestyles that completely undermine all that you've heard. It's like someone that's wanting to lose weight and they think, well, I'm going to exercise, I'm going to do a daily run, I'm running and running. And then you see them at the table and they're eating cakes and sweets and all of those things and you're saying, you're completely undermining what you've done in your run with what you're eating. And we can be like that. We're in the house of God. We can be eating the Word of God but undermining it with what we're actually doing outside.

And so it is these things that the Apostle is saying, even in a believer, even amongst the people of God, there are those things that he goes on further to, if a man therefore purge himself from these. These are things that should be identified and see grace that they be purged out because they are detrimental, they are undermining, they are destroying that which has been put in. It is like the farmer perhaps putting in his seed. The seed is good, the ground is well and prepared, But then he doesn't fertilise it, and he doesn't water it, and there's nothing wrong with the seed or the ground, but things that are done afterwards are destroying it. It's a blessed thing if the seed of the Word is sown in our hearts, that we do receive the Word. But it's an even blessed thing if it then brings forth fruit.

Remember the parable our Lord told, the parable of the sower? And when the disciples said, demand unto us, they didn't know what it meant, he said, if thou knowest not this parable, how wilt thou know all parables? Because that parable is speaking of the Word, of receiving the Word. And of course we have the picture.

The seed was all the same, but where it was sown first on the wayside, and the fowls came and devoured it up, And then that one that was sown on stony ground, no depth of earth, grew up fast but then just withered because had no depth of earth. And the other sown amongst thorns, when they sprung up they choked the word and it was unprofitable. And only that imprepared ground brought forth fruit in varying ways to the honour and glory of God. In effect, Paul is saying to Timothy, I would that you would be fruitful, you would be sanctified and ready for the Lord's work, and that when that comes, that it is not swamped or not destroyed by you being in a wrong state, wrong spirit, and not ready to do what the Lord would have you to do.

Isaiah is a beautiful word there when is asked, who will I send? Here am I, send me. Right ready, a willingness to be sent. And like we have with Onesimus there, right ready, not just even to be asked, he sought out Paul. He sought where he could be. He was in a position to help the Lord's servant, to help those in prison and in affliction, and so he did it. And we want to be then free and delivered from that. But just to be mindful.

Some people in the Church of God, when they see those that are evidenced that they're not good characters, that they do undermine, they'll blame the whole church. And they'll say, well, look at what the Church of God is. Remember, years ago, Mrs. Hawkins, like Mrs. Hawkins from Watersham. Someone said to her, well, we heard there's trouble at Watersham. Oh, she said, oh, there's trouble at Watersham. Mr. Ransbottom, he said, you find a perfect church, don't join it, because it won't be perfect anymore.

We are not to expect the Church of God, the assembly of God's people, to be perfect or to have those that or not to have those that are not right. We are warned in one sense that there will be tears amongst the weak and that there can be damage done in trying to pull up the tears because there'll be people that look at that person and say, we were dealing with that person but I can't see anything wrong with them.

And then they're offended at it. It needs a lot of wisdom. What needs to be dealt with and what needs not in the revelation, in the churches, They were approved on two counts concerning those in their midst. One, they had those that held error and allowed it to be so. And the other, they not only held it, but they were teaching error amongst the church. And Paul is dealing with this here because he says, they're saying the resurrection is past already. That's something where a church needs to deal with because they're teaching error in their midst and infecting the rest of the congregation.

So we need to be aware of this picture, this great house. Don't be offended if that is so, the Church of God. The Lord knows, as we said here, those that are His. He knows His people and He knows the Church is in the midst of this world. He knows the differences in the congregations, but he gives his servants the word to priests nevertheless. And those will be manifest in due time. You think of Simon Sorcerer, baptised by Philip, but in due time when Peter came, and he sought to purchase with money the gift of the Holy Ghost, and he found out what he really was like.

May it be our concern. May we be gold. May we be those that are refined. May we be those that are sanctified and separated unto the Lord, that he's dealt with to purge out and make us willing to be free from those things that undermine the word, that are not to his honour and glory, and may be a stumbling block to others as well.

I want to look thirdly then at the words of direction that Paul has for Timothy. And he is to us as well. And what has really struck me in these words, and there's five words that are really words of to avoid or to flee from things, And then just a few words in a positive way. And it struck me how much the people of God, instead of standing to fight, instead of standing to argue, they had to flee. And I felt, before we come to these words, it is something where, especially if we want to be useful, sometimes we think, well, if I'm going to be useful, I'm going to know the Scriptures very well, I'm going to be able to argue with the atheist, and I'm going to argue with this one that holds this error, and I'm going to stand boldly for the truth like this. And that might be our thought, but when we come to Paul here, the Lord directs him in a very different way. We have in verse 14, Strive not He says, of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord, that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.

How easy it's so. Sometimes we can get it in our families, you know. We think whenever we meet as a family, whenever we meet loved ones or those of relatives, They're going to contend with us on this issue and on that point, and they'll be striving. But is it really profit? We might think, oh, we're doing the Lord's work here. But when it goes on and on, and you think afterwards, is there any really profit in this?

And you say, this is not ready for the Master's use. This is not going to help the things of God. And so this word, to remember, if we are to be sanctified, separated from God, made spiritually minded, and made right, ready for the Lord's use, we will not be striving about words to no profit. Sometimes it might only be a difference in understanding or words that are used. But the emphasis here is thinking about what does it really profit? Is this edifying? Is this gracious? Is this building up? Is this strengthening my soul and the other person's soul as well? What about verse 16? Shun! But shun! profane and vain babblings, for they will increase unto more ungodliness." There in the Church of God, amongst the people of God, profane and vain babblings.

And going on, this is including those that are of Hymenaeus, Philetus, they are those that were saying the resurrection was past already. Often the defence, the action for the people of God is not to stay and fight, but just to shun it. Or like when Joseph came into temptation, he just fled, he just ran.

And often that is the case with the people of God. If we would be useful, remember the devil will all the time be trying to tangle us with something or another. I've seen so many they get taken up with. Christian nationalist or taken up with the economy or taken up with one thing or another and they join a religious aspect in it. Whether the earth or green and they'll only be having things for green.

You say well it is good in a way but it almost becomes a religion. And they're only going to speak to them, instead of speaking the things of God, they're bringing all of these other things. And you say, is this Christ? Is this my God? Is this what my soul can feed upon? You have to be very careful on that. Some things we are to shun. Some things in verse 9, 19 rather, we are to depart from.

It's a beautiful word this in the first part of it, isn't it? especially with regard to the Church of God and those that we may not really know whether they are the Lord's or not and want to leave it with the Lord. The kingdom of the foundation of God stand as sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are His. It's been a comfort to many of the Lord's people, especially when there are those that we're not sure, maybe they're taken, and we don't know where they stand. but the Lord knows them that are his. But there's one verse that which follows on from this, and that is, and let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. You don't just name the name of Christ and go on in our sin and on in our wickedness and on in things that are evil. Iniquity is not only sin, but it's unreasonable sin.

It's knowing what is sinful and what is wrong in the sight of the Lord but saying, I'm going to allow myself that. I'm going to allow that sin. I'm going to allow that lifestyle. I'll be careful in many other things but just let myself have that. And the word here then is depart.

Depart from iniquity. These are things that are there, that are fled from, departed from. Verse 22 is, flee. If a man therefore purge himself from these, sorry, verse 22, flee also youthful lusts that follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Like Joseph, again. is not staying to fight. We haven't power, we haven't... and the devil will have us to dwell upon our lusts and evil things. The Lord says no, just turn your back on it and flee from that. And these are the things that Paul is setting forth before Timothy if he is to be sanctified and made ready for the Master's use.

If any of us are to Then there's another one as well in verse 23. Foolish and unlearned questions avoid knowing that they do gender strife. Easy it is to have one coming into the congregation amongst the Church of God or perhaps it is some suggestion even in our own heart. We keep going over this question and these things that we can't get an answer for. And we'll have those that would tie us up in knots, if you like, and have our full attention all the time on these things.

And Paul says, avoid. Avoid these things. Strive not, shun, depart, flee, avoid. All of these things. How many of us have thought in our Christian pathway, our Christian walk, that there's so many things that are detrimental to our walk and our usefulness and our best defence is not to stay and fight but to flee and to shun and to depart from these things. This is what Paul is saying. But then he has some positive words as well.

And the positive words, verse 15, Study to show thyself approved unto God. Of course, this applies very much to a workman, a minister, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. He'd already told him earlier on that he was to commit unto the same, verse 2, commit unto the faithful men who shall be able to teach others also. Very needful thing. a minister to study the Word, people to study the Word. It's very sad when there'll be those who say, well, we don't study the Word. In private, individual Christians, it's a good thing to have a regular reading, consecutive reading through the Word, where you're understanding or seeking that the Lord will teach you the context of what the Word is actually teaching. And so Paul, he says here, study to show thyself approved unto God. And in verse 24, he gives the opposite to strive, be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient. How vital that that is. The Lord Jesus Christ, he taught his disciples as they were able to bear it, gently.

You think of Jacob when Esau met him and he wanted to go with the flocks and with the young ones and to bring them on their way. And Jacob said, no, they be but young and they might be weak. And if they'll overdrive one day, they will die. And the Lord deals with his people and he'd have his servants and he'd have us as well. If we've got a child, if we've got a neighbour, if we've got someone that is near to us, then you just deal gently with them. Just one question doesn't mean to say they've got to have a great big long answer.

I always think of Stephen Hyde and this when he had a lady come to them at Shaw's Corner And she just said to him, what is the difference between your church and that church down the road? Well, he could have launched into a whole theological difference and all of the things. He said, well, he said, I think it is that we do everything according to the word of God. Yes, she said, I thought so. That was it. That's all she wanted to know. And how easy it could have been. He just deluged her with all doctrines and difference between Calvinism and Arminianism and everything like that. He didn't call for that. And Paul, if we are to be useful, we are waiting on the Lord to open those doors, but remembering that gentle, remembering our Master, our Lord Jesus Christ.

And in verse 25, in meekness, Instructing those that oppose themselves. You might say, but what about those you're supposed to shun and to go away from? There's a difference, isn't there? Someone opposes us, and we in meekness instruct them. But it's very evident at first, when you start to instruct them, they don't want to be instructed. They are going to instruct you. and they're going to stay and argue and argue. They're not teachable.

Our Lord had those that came to him and they were genuinely wanting to know the things of God. He deserved that and he kindly taught them. He had others that came just trying to trip him up, just trying to undermine him. He still answered them in a gracious way, but he could tell the difference between We need to discern that as well, and not just turn away from or ignore those that maybe at first oppose ourselves.

Moses was a man meek above every. Meekness is not weakness. Meekness is choosing to not use authority and power that you have, but just to be gentle in what you're doing. Many times Moses could have called down fire from heaven. He could have been very severe on the people. Our Lord Jesus Christ could have done. But he was gentle.

And if we are to be useful by the Lord, whether we're a Lord's servant, whether we're a child, whether we're a Sunday school teacher, whether we're a parent with our children, then we are to be gentle and meek. and to know the Word of God. These words that we had on our spirit, sanctified and made for the Master's use. A vessel unto honour. Picture ourselves as being a vessel. There's going to be honour.

There's another picture here, isn't there? If I wanted to carry some clean water to a neighbour or from outside to inside. And I look round the garden and I say, oh, there's a vessel that's got all soil in it and all dirt in it. You think, that's not meat for my use. I can't just use that, can I? I've got to get it, I've got to scrub it out, I've got to clean it. But if you went out there and there was a nice clean vessel, a bucket, that was spotless and clean. It was there, you just took it, you put the water in, you could take it straight away. It'd already been prepared. That is the picture of here.

Very often if we're to be used to the Lord, there's not much forewarning of it. Of course, the Lord prepares over time. You think of Ruth that was prepared to go from Moab and she ended up in the line to Christ. The Lord prepared her. We mentioned about David, about Moses. We think of Peter being prepared to go and preach to Cornelius. The Lord does prepare his people. And if we are to be useful, especially those of you parents here, I hope it is your design, Lord, make me useful for my children. Make me a blessing for them.

I don't know what question they're going to suddenly ask me. I don't know when they're going to suddenly come into my study upset and they need me to help them. Maybe they find me instead of prayer I'm looking at something wrong on the computer or doing something and I'm not ready to help them or act in a wrong way.

There's a solemn story years ago where a young lad was horrified his parents saying he didn't want to go to heaven. She said, well, why haven't I? He said, because Grandad will be there. Because he said, whenever I went into his study to ask him, he said, shoo, shoo, I'm busy. I can't see you. He said, he'll meet me at heaven. He said, shoo, shoo, go out here. Always think of that. When my grandchildren come over and I'm in the study, And the door opens and in they come. I think of that little picture. Don't ever give the thought there's not time for them. And to be gentle and to hear them.

But if we are to be useful, if you are as parents or any in the Church of God, to be sanctified and made for the Master's use, My son said to me, before he was called by grace, he said to both of us as parents, he said, Dad, Mum, if I get married, he said, I'd like to bring up my children like you bring us up.

And we said to him, you can't do that apart from the Lord. We've only done it with the Lord's help and in the fear of the Lord. If you haven't that, you cannot. We could not. Well bless God he has been called and he's bringing up his children in the fear of the Lord. But do remember that. Remember that as parents. Pray that the Lord will sanctify you and make you meet for the Master's use in perhaps one of the greatest things that ever you could do.

Or if you haven't got children, if you've got nephews, If you've got nieces, if you've got those that you can be in a way a father and mother in Israel. Now when I was first called by Grace, and the lady eventually, well I took her funeral when I was 25, she was 81. Great age difference.

But she was a mother in Israel to me. The times that we had together, reading through the Gospel standard, reading through the Word, praying together. She'd never married, she'd never had children. Her own family didn't follow the Lord. But she was such a blessing to me. And we need to remember that.

She was sanctified and made for the Master's use. And in my case, the Lord raised her up to be a help to me when I was first coming to faith. This is an important part The Word of God. And important when we are thinking, we're speaking to those, maybe of the Lord, little ones.

And to encourage them and not wound them, not injure them. But to have that spirit, Lord, here I am. Thou hast put me in this position. Or maybe I'm not in that position now. But make me so that if something comes up suddenly, I am prepared. I am ready, and I can see and be encouraged in this, that Thou hast prepared me and art pleased to use me in this situation. We need to remember this, our last point, just briefly. Remember the end in view. It is for the Master's use.

The Lord forms His people for His praise. He has servants everywhere. His people, when He calls them, He has those things that He'd have them do, the meanest, you might say, in the Church of God. But at last, around the throne, we shall serve Him and serve Him forever. And what an end in view, a people prepared for the Lord. people to do his bidding, a people that are what they are, as Paul says, by the grace of God. And to the end of this, Paul writes to Timothy, and if the Lord has given us grace and he's opened our ears, we'll also take heed and be instructed these practical illustrations and teachings for us. And who knows, in walking this path, the blessing that shall follow, to the Lord's honour and glory. May the Lord bless His Word, bless us with grace, and bless us with being vessel, sanctified, and meet for the Master's use. Amen.
Rowland Wheatley
About Rowland Wheatley
Pastor Rowland Wheatley was called to the Gospel Ministry in Melbourne, Australia in 1993. He returned to his native England and has been Pastor of The Strict Baptist Chapel, St David’s Bridge Cranbrook, England since 1998. He and his wife Hilary are blessed with two children, Esther and Tom. Esther and her husband Jacob are members of the Berean Bible Church Queensland, Australia. Tom is an elder at Emmanuel Church Salisbury, England. He and his wife Pauline have 4 children, Savannah, Flynn, Willow and Gus.

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