God has a pattern for each of His churches as to how they should be operated. A pattern how the services should be conducted, and how the membership should behave themselves.
Tonight we want to look at a passage that talks about the behavior of Christians in church. We want to listen carefully to the instructions that God gives to us. He tells us that there are some folks in church that we should avoid! That's right, God tells us to stay away from certain individuals.
Read Text: 2 Timothy 2:19-24
I. The Great House
A. This is the local church.
(1 Tim 3:15) "But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth."
1. The 'house of God' is the local church.
2. This is the place where we meet with God in worship and praise.
3. God has some plans about how we need to behave ourselves within that local church.
(1 Cor 14:40) "Let all things be done decently and in order."
B. What is in the 'Great House'?
1. Many different vessels.
2. The vessels are you and I.
3. We are vessels in the Master's service.
4. But note that some are vessels unto honor…and some are vessels unto dishonor.
C. What makes the difference?
1. Note: v21
2. "Purge himself from these…"
3. What are we to purge ourselves from?
4. Those who are vessels unto dishonor.
5. Now consider what that means…
6. Notice these five verbs in Vs. 19-24:
a. Depart - v19
b. Purge - v21
c. Flee - v22
d. Avoid - v23
e. Not strive - v24
7. All of these are connected together in our thought tonight.
II. Church Members That We Are To Avoid.
(1 Tim 5:13) "And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not."
A. Tattlers
1. The word tattler here means 'chatterer'; someone who is constantly talking, but not really saying much.
2. Similar to a 'prater' who is one who speaks long and foolishly.
3. In WWII there was a saying, "Loose Lips Sinks Ships".
4. That was a warning against too much talking about things that should be kept private.
5. The same is true in a local church, there are some things that everyone doesn't need to know…not that they are secrets, but information can quickly become misinformation in the hands of a 'tattler'.
B. Busybodies.
1. The term 'busybody' means to work all around, or to meddle.
2 Thess. 3:11, "For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies." .
2. Every person who attends church is not clothed in robes of white.
3. There are some real problem people.
4. Avoid them... stay away from them…stop inviting them over to your house.
5. Don't be drawn into their web of deceit, tell them to handle things biblically.
(Titus 3:2) "To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men."
a. Most Christians interpret that as "Speak no evil unless the evil you speak is the truth."
b. No - No - No! "Speak no evil of any kind - even if it is the truth."
c. We need to stay out of other people's business…if it doesn't directly impact us, keep quiet about it.
1 Thessalonians 4:11 "And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;"
C. Talebearers are problem people.
1. The term 'talebearer' isn't that hard for us to determine its meaning.
2. Gossips = tongue waggers = etc.
3. It is someone who carries tales or stories to anyone who will listen.
(Lev 19:16) "Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the LORD."
4. Do we have anyone like this? Yes!
5. Remember our text? Some vessels unto honor and some vessels unto dishonor!
6. Both are in the church…which category do we best fit into?
D. Those Who Spread Strife
(2 Tim 2:23-24) "But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. {24} And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,"
1. Now we know that we are to be ready with an answer to every man that asks us about our hope. Cf 1 Peter 3:15
2. But Paul isn't talking about honest questions from those who are desiring to know the truth.
3. He is talking about those who ask questions in order to start trouble.
4. Note: Genesis 3:1
"…Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?"
James 3:16 "For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work."
5. The Bible speaks very condemnatory of any and all strife.
6. We should not be the one causing strife, neither should we be around those who do.
III. How Are We To Behave?
A. We are to 'mark' or take note.
1. Of those who cause division and offences.
(Rom 16:17) "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them."
2. Of those who set proper examples of godly Christian behavior.
(Phil 3:17) "Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample."
B. There are some folks that we need to stay away from in church.
1. We tell our children that it is important to choose friends of good character.
2. We need to take our own advice.
3. That doesn't mean we are to be hateful or unkind toward them, but we mark them and avoid them.
4. We will become like those we spend time with…we need to become like Christ…so it means we avoid those who do not reflect His character.
I am sure that some might misunderstand what I am saying tonight. We are to love one another and we should desire to fellowship with one another. But there are those who need to be rebuked for their behavior. We need to let them know in a loving manner that we will not be a party to their ungodly behavior.
Has the message brought someone to mind? That is fine, but let's not forget to look into the mirror and examine our own lives and see if our behavior is what it needs to be.
(Rom 12:3) "For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith."