2 Timothy 2:20-21

2 Timothy 2:20-21 In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.

Hebrews 10:19-25 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another — and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Notice the scripture in Timothy says that you are a large house, NOT A SMALL SHRIVELED UP HOUSE. Sometimes we look at our finiteness, our encasement in this frail body, and think we are a very insignificant being. But Paul says you are a large house. Your spirit is AMORPHOUS, large in the sight of God. This spirit can have a very positive impact on others or it can help to destroy others. Some of you after many years away from your early childhood are still fighting the negative impact that your mother or father's spirit placed upon you. You are still trying to stave off the negative words, the lack of positive comments, the unloving touches you received from them as a child. You are struggling for wholeness and soundness after twenty, thirty or forty years away from the large house of your family. A large house does have a tremendous impact on people, especially on loved ones.

We are complex human beings with many traits that are good and precious, some are gold and silver, but we also have traits that are self-centered, common to every man, the wood and clay of our lives. We have places in our house where we generally keep these different characteristics. Usually we keep the gold and silver objects in the front rooms where everyone can view them. These rooms are usually well lit, very organized and clean, for we do desire to show these wonderful objects to anyone who will observe them. However, in other areas of the large house where there is hardly any light at all, in airtight rooms with a "do not enter" sign on the doors, we keep the less honored objects of our lives, the ones made of decaying wood and unsteady clay. Here, in the secret part of our lives, we keep those objects of which we are not proud. However, Paul challenges us about the messy parts of our lives, the dank and black mold areas of our lives--areas where negative ideas, activities, and thoughts pile up that will eventually erode the integrity of this great house.

Paul asks us to cleanse ourselves of the temporal, sinful thoughts, the items of the house that will not endure the test of time, that we cannot present to God at the judgement seat. He asks us to confess our sins and to repent of them. He asks us to clean and to organize the dark places in the house. He asks us to store up the riches of the Holy Spirit there instead of the emptiness of this world. He asks us to stabilize the house, to shore up the foundation. How do we do this? In addition to repenting in our hearts, we should confess our faults one to another. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. (James 5:16) We need accountability. We need help in keeping this large house in order. We have the living, breathing body of Christ to help us. We have people in the church who will hear us, encourage us, stand by us. We have people in small Bible study groups who will pray for us and share God's Word with us. Don't forsake gathering together in the last days, as you see the Day approaching. Yes, your large house will have an impact in this life, so let it be one of gold and silver, and not wood and clay. May we allow the Lord full reign in our houses as we build up others in the body of Christ and welcome the presence of the Holy Spirit's cleansing fire. God is faithful and because of his grace your house will endure the fire of judgement.