A Vessel More Beautiful than Jewels

Reading Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:20-21 

Verse to Memorize: 2 Timothy 2:20-21 

Reference: Jeremiah 17:9; 1 John 5:3 Goal: To help believers cast off every form of evil, become vessels more beautiful than jewels, and be loved and used by God in a precious way 2 Timothy 2:20-21 reads, "Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. 

Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work." A vessel refers to a container for food. God likens His children to a vessel because they can contain the love and grace of God; the word of the truth; and even God's strength, authority, and power. Then, how can we become a vessel that is more beautiful than jewels, receive God's abundant blessing, and glorify God?

• 1. What is a vessel that is more beautiful than a jewel?

No matter how many stones there are, a beautiful gemstone among them is easy to spot for it shines brightly. In the same way, a man who is more beautiful than jewels is recognized by God. How pleased will God feel when He finds such a person! He can't help but give every good thing and every perfect gift to such a person. Then, what should we do to be acknowledged by God as a vessel more beautiful than a jewel? It is a person who meets the qualifications as one whom God 'cherishes', 'values', and 'recognizes as being beautiful'. Then, what kind of person can be said to be a vessel that God cherishes? It refers to a person who has been given a great duty for the kingdom of God and fulfills it perfectly. John the Baptist, who prepared for the Lord's way, and Moses, who led the Israelites during the Exodus, are representative examples. Next, God-valued vessels are people who follow honesty and truthfulness with greater integrity than any other ordinary people. They remain faithful and persistent in the truth without changing of their hearts, and retain the image of dignity. Joseph and Daniel, fall under the category of such valuable vessels, who served as the governors of the great empires and revealed the glory of God. Lastly, the vessel beautiful before God is a person who neither quarrels nor cries out, who embraces everything in the truth. Esther, who saved her people, and Abraham, who is the forefather of faith and the friend of God, are examples of such beautiful vessels before God.

• 2. To become a vessel more beautiful than a gemstone

1) We must clean our hearts and become sanctified 

If a vessel is filthy, no one can use it, no matter how expensive and valuable it is. It can be used only after it is washed clean. In the same way, we have to prepare a clean vessel to receive the abundant grace, gifts, material blessings, and the blessing of good health that the God of love has prepared for us. Jeremiah 17:9 reads, "The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?" Matthew 15:18-19 says, "But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders? These two verses tell us that our hearts must be washed clean, first of all, so that no evil may be revealed in our thoughts, words, and deeds. 

"Our hearts being washed clean" can be done only by the Word of God, that is, the spiritual water for cleansing. That is why Ephesians 5:26 says, "So that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word." Hebrews 10:22 also states, "Let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water." Then, how is it that our hearts can be cleansed by the washing of water with the Word of God? We can wash our heart clean when we obey the Scriptures that 'wash' our hearts telling us to throw away something and not to do. That is to say, when we practice the words that tell us the things that we should not do and what we ought to throw away, the filthy, sinful and evil natures are cast off and our hearts are purified. 

As we wash our hearts, our deeds of the body become holy and we can give out the light of Christ in the truth. Do you think, 'How can a man be expected to keep all of those many commandments?' Or do you feel like it is too tough to abide by all the commands of God? Keeping God's commandments is never burdensome to those who love God from the bottom of their hearts. 1 John 5:3 says, "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome." We feel joyful and happy when we do something for our loved ones. We might not feel coerced or irritated doing things for them. You cannot but love God if you believe that God is the Father of your spirit and He allowed His only begotten Son to be crucified on our behalf. How can we not love Him! With love for God you will not find it hard to live by His Word. Rather it will cause more pain and sorrow by standing against the will of God and not living by His Word. 

2) We have to overcome trials well and give out spiritual light 

A rough gemstone often used for rings or necklaces generally has imperfections and impurities. After a jeweler's grinding and polishing, it can be born as a gorgeous jewel. In the same manner, God allows trials at times to give His beloved children blessings both in spirit and in body. Such trials are given not because they have committed transgression but because God trains and polishes us so that we can become a vessel more beautiful than a jewel. Put differently, afflictions might sometimes come to us even though we have not sinned. By passing through them with joy and thanks, we can be used as God's instrument and given a great blessing. That is why 1 Peter 2:19-20 reads, "For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. 

For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God." Some trials are allowed for those who have already fought against and thrown away sins to the point of shedding blood, and become clean vessels that are without any form of evil. God is the holy Light itself with no spot and no blemish. Thus, He refines His dear children so that they can attain to the level of Light that is more beautiful than a jewel. They can become a vessel more precious than any jewel when they overcome those trials of blessing with faith and then they are filled with goodness and love. The more goodness and love they have, the greater the intensity of the light they have, and they brighter their spiritual lights, the greater authority and power they can manifest.

 However, trials and afflictions caused by the walls of sins against God do not lead to blessings. They come from sins so you need to find out what sins you have committed and repent quickly in such cases. Then, the difficulties will go away.

• 3. Blessings given to those vessels more beautiful than jewels

The following account taken from Mark 9:17 describes an incident in which Jesus drove away an evil spirit that His disciples hadn't been able to cast out from a child. When Jesus said, "You deaf and mute spirit, I command you, come out of him and do not enter him again," it was cast out from the child and he came to normal. The reason why His disciples could not drive it out is that their light and Jesus' light were entirely different. Then, what should we do to reach the level of bright and powerful light Jesus had? We should put complete trust in God whatever kind of trials comes. 

We must not pay back evil for evil, but overcome evil with goodness. We must love even our enemies. Once our faith, goodness, love, and righteousness are acknowledged in any kind of afflictions, then we can receive God's power and by His power we can cast a demon out and heal any kind of disease or infirmity. Senior Pastor Dr. Jaerock Lee has undergone so many trials and afflictions in his walk of faith. He was falsely accused without having done anything wrong, yet he only committed everything to God and prayed for them with love. Just as a student can show his academic ability in tests, Dr. Lee's faith and love has been revealed in tests and trials and each time God has allowed for him to unfold greater and more amazing power than before. 

After he passed all kinds of trials, God opened the door widely to the world mission and let him evangelize the world by conducting decades of overseas crusades where tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, and even millions of people gathered. God has even been performing space-and-time-transcending powerful works through Dr. Jaerock Lee. The spiritual light that God wraps around us is more brilliant and gorgeous than any other lights in the world. God recognizes those children who are surrounded by the spiritual light as vessels more beautiful than jewels. I hope you will become sanctified quickly, become vessels more beautiful than jewels, and enjoy answers to whatever you might ask.

Chombo Kilicho Bora Kuliko Vito

Usomaji wa Maandiko: 2 Timotheo 2:20–21

Mstari wa Kukariri: 2 Timotheo 2:20–21

Rejea: Yeremia 17:9; 1 Yohana 5:3. Lengo: kuwasaidia waumini kuondoa kila aina ya uovu, kuwa vyombo bora kuliko vito, na kupendwa na kutumiwa na Mungu kwa namna ya thamani. 2 Timotheo 2:20–21 yasema, “Katika nyumba kubwa havimo vyombo vya dhahabu na fedha tu, bali na vya mti na udongo; vingine kwa heshima, vingine kwa matumizi yasiyo ya heshima. Basi, mtu akijitakasa na kujitenga na hayo, atakuwa chombo cha heshima, kilichotakaswa, kimfaacho Bwana, kimetengenezwa kwa kila kazi iliyo njema.”

Chombo ni kifaa cha kuweka chakula. Mungu huwafananisha watoto Wake na chombo kwa sababu wanaweza kujazwa upendo na neema Yake, Neno la kweli, na hata nguvu, mamlaka na uwezo Wake. Basi tunawezaje kuwa vyombo bora kuliko vito, kupokea baraka nyingi za Mungu na kumtukuza?

• 1. Chombo kilicho bora kuliko kito ni nini?

Hata kukiwa na mawe mengi, jiwe zuri la thamani hutambulika kwa urahisi kwa sababu hung'aa sana. Vivyo hivyo, mtu aliye bora kuliko vito hutambuliwa na Mungu. Mungu hufurahi kiasi gani anapompata mtu wa namna hiyo! Hawezi kujizuia kumpa kila kitu chema na kila zawadi kamilifu. Basi tufanye nini ili Mungu atutambue kuwa vyombo bora kuliko vito? Ni kuwa mtu anayetimiza sifa za mtu ambaye Mungu “humtunza,” “humthamini” na “humwona kuwa mzuri.” Basi mtu wa aina gani ni chombo anachotunza Mungu? Ni mtu aliyepewa wajibu mkubwa kwa ajili ya ufalme wa Mungu na kuutimiza kikamilifu. Yohana Mbatizaji, aliyetayarisha njia ya Bwana, na Musa, aliyewaongoza Waisraeli wakati wa Kutoka Misri, ni mifano bora.

Kisha, vyombo anavyothamini Mungu ni watu waaminifu na wa kweli kuliko watu wa kawaida. Hudumu kwa kweli bila kubadilika mioyo yao na huhifadhi utu wenye heshima. Yusufu na Danieli ni vyombo vya thamani vya aina hiyo; walikuwa watawala katika milki kuu na kuudhihirisha utukufu wa Mungu. Mwisho, chombo kizuri mbele za Mungu ni mtu asiyegombana wala kupiga kelele, bali anayekumbatia kila jambo katika kweli. Esta, aliyewaokoa watu wake, na Abrahamu, baba wa imani na rafiki wa Mungu, ni mifano ya vyombo vizuri mbele Zake.

• 2. Kuwa chombo bora kuliko kito

1) Tuisafishe mioyo yetu na kutakaswa.

Hakuna mtu anayeweza kutumia chombo kichafu, hata kiwe cha gharama na thamani kiasi gani; kinaweza kutumiwa tu baada ya kusafishwa. Vivyo hivyo, tunapaswa kujiandaa kuwa vyombo safi ili kupokea neema nyingi, karama, baraka za mali na baraka ya afya njema ambazo Mungu wa upendo ametuandalia. Yeremia 17:9 yasema, “Moyo huwa mdanganyifu kuliko vitu vyote, una ugonjwa wa kufisha; nani awezaye kuujua?” Mathayo 15:18–19 yasema, “Lakini vitokavyo kinywani vyatoka moyoni; navyo ndivyo vimtiavyo mtu unajisi. Kwa maana moyoni hutoka mawazo mabaya, uuaji, uzinzi, uasherati, wivi, ushuhuda wa uongo, na matukano.” Mistari hii miwili inatuonyesha kwamba kwanza tunapaswa kusafisha mioyo yetu ili uovu usijidhihirishe katika mawazo, maneno na matendo yetu.

Mioyo yetu inaweza kusafishwa kwa Neno la Mungu pekee, yaani maji ya kiroho ya kututakasa. Ndiyo maana Waefeso 5:26 yasema, “Ili makusudi alitakase na kulisafisha kwa maji katika Neno.” Waebrania 10:22 pia yasema, “Tukaribie wenye moyo wa kweli, kwa utimilifu wa imani, hali tumenyunyiziwa mioyo tuache dhamiri mbaya, tumeoshwa miili kwa maji safi.” Basi mioyo yetu husafishwaje kwa maji ya Neno la Mungu? Tunatii Maandiko yanayoisafisha mioyo yetu kwa kutuambia tuondoe mambo fulani na tusiyafanye. Yaani, tunapotenda maneno yanayotueleza tusichopaswa kufanya na tunachopaswa kuondoa, asili chafu, yenye dhambi na uovu huondolewa na mioyo yetu husafishwa.

Tunaposafisha mioyo yetu, matendo yetu ya mwili yanakuwa matakatifu na tunaweza kuangaza nuru ya Kristo katika kweli. Je, unawaza, “Mtu anawezaje kutii amri zote hizo nyingi?” Au unaona ni vigumu mno kushika amri zote za Mungu? Kuzishika amri za Mungu si mzigo kwa wale wanaompenda kwa moyo wote. 1 Yohana 5:3 yasema, “Maana huku ndiko kumpenda Mungu, kwamba tuzishike amri Zake; wala amri Zake si nzito.” Tunafurahi na kuwa na shangwe tunapowafanyia wapendwa wetu jambo fulani. Hatujihisi kulazimishwa wala kukasirika tunapowafanyia mambo. Huwezi kujizuia kumpenda Mungu ikiwa unaamini kwamba Yeye ni Baba wa roho yako na alimruhusu Mwana Wake wa pekee asulubiwe kwa ajili yetu. Tunawezaje kukosa kumpenda! Ukimpenda Mungu, hutaona ugumu kuishi kwa Neno Lake. Badala yake, utapata maumivu na huzuni zaidi ukienda kinyume na mapenzi Yake na usipoishi kwa Neno Lake.

2) Tushinde majaribu vizuri na kuangaza nuru ya kiroho.

Kito kibichi kinachotumiwa kutengeneza pete au mkufu mara nyingi huwa na kasoro na uchafu. Kinaposuguliwa na kung'arishwa na fundi, hugeuka kuwa kito kizuri. Vivyo hivyo, nyakati nyingine Mungu huruhusu majaribu ili kuwabariki watoto Wake wapendwa rohoni na mwilini. Majaribu hayo hayaji kwa sababu wametenda makosa, bali Mungu hutufundisha na kutusafisha ili tuwe vyombo bora kuliko vito. Kwa maneno mengine, nyakati nyingine mateso hutujia ingawa hatujatenda dhambi. Tukiyapitia kwa furaha na shukrani, Mungu anaweza kututumia na kutubariki sana. Ndiyo maana 1 Petro 2:19–20 yasema ni jambo la kumpendeza Mungu mtu akivumilia huzuni na kuteswa bila haki kwa sababu ya dhamiri yake mbele Zake; hakuna sifa kwa kuvumilia adhabu baada ya kutenda dhambi, lakini kuvumilia mateso kwa kufanya mema humpendeza Mungu.

Baadhi ya majaribu huruhusiwa kwa wale ambao tayari wamepambana na dhambi na kuziondoa hata kumwaga damu, na kuwa vyombo safi visivyo na uovu wa aina yoyote. Mungu ndiye Nuru takatifu isiyo na doa wala kasoro. Kwa hiyo huwasafisha watoto Wake wapendwa ili wafikie kiwango cha nuru kilicho bora kuliko kito. Wanapoyashinda majaribu hayo ya baraka kwa imani, hujazwa wema na upendo na kuwa vyombo vyenye thamani kuliko vito. Kadiri wanavyokuwa na wema na upendo zaidi, ndivyo nuru yao inavyong'aa zaidi; na kadiri nuru yao ya kiroho inavyong'aa, ndivyo wanavyoweza kudhihirisha mamlaka na nguvu nyingi zaidi.

Hata hivyo, majaribu na mateso yanayotokana na kuta za dhambi kati yetu na Mungu hayaongozi kwenye baraka. Husababishwa na dhambi, kwa hiyo katika hali hizo tambua dhambi ulizotenda, kisha utubu upesi. Ndipo magumu yataondoka.

• 3. Baraka wanazopewa walio vyombo bora kuliko vito

Marko 9:17 inaeleza jinsi Yesu alivyomfukuza roho mchafu ambaye wanafunzi Wake walishindwa kumtoa kwa mtoto. Yesu aliposema, “Wewe roho bubu na kiziwi, mimi nakuamuru, mtoke huyu, wala usimwingie tena,” roho huyo akamtoka mtoto naye akawa mzima. Wanafunzi Wake hawakuweza kumfukuza kwa sababu nuru yao ilikuwa tofauti kabisa na nuru ya Yesu. Basi tufanye nini ili kufikia kiwango cha nuru angavu na yenye nguvu aliyokuwa nayo Yesu? Tumtumaini Mungu kabisa, haidhuru ni jaribu la namna gani linalokuja.

Tusilipize uovu kwa uovu, bali tushinde uovu kwa wema. Tuwapende hata adui zetu. Imani, wema, upendo na haki yetu vinapotambuliwa katika mateso ya kila namna, tunaweza kupokea nguvu za Mungu; kwa nguvu Zake tunaweza kufukuza pepo na kuponya ugonjwa au udhaifu wa kila namna. Mchungaji Mkuu, Daktari Jaerock Lee, alipitia majaribu na mateso mengi katika maisha yake ya imani. Alishtakiwa kwa uongo ingawa hakutenda kosa lolote, lakini alimkabidhi Mungu kila jambo na kuwaombea waliomshtaki kwa upendo. Kama mwanafunzi anavyoonyesha uwezo wake wa masomo kwenye mitihani, imani na upendo wa Daktari Lee ulidhihirika katika majaribu, na kila mara Mungu akamwezesha kuonyesha nguvu kuu na za ajabu zaidi kuliko hapo awali.

Baada ya kuyashinda majaribu ya kila namna, Mungu alifungua mlango mkubwa wa misheni ya dunia na kumwezesha kuhubiri injili duniani kwa kufanya mikutano ya injili ya ng'ambo kwa miongo mingi, ambako makumi ya maelfu, mamia ya maelfu na hata mamilioni ya watu walikusanyika. Mungu pia amekuwa akitenda matendo makuu yanayovuka nafasi na wakati kupitia Daktari Jaerock Lee. Nuru ya kiroho ambayo Mungu hutufunika nayo ni angavu na nzuri kuliko nuru nyingine yoyote duniani. Mungu huwatambua watoto waliozungukwa na nuru hiyo kuwa vyombo bora kuliko vito. Natumaini mtatakaswa upesi, kuwa vyombo bora kuliko vito na kufurahia majibu ya chochote mtakachomwomba.