Cornerstone Baptist Church, Sunday AM, 02/27/2011
The theme that runs throughout Jeremiah is that of national sin and looming judgment. Jeremiah's 40 year ministry spanned the final days of Judah's existence as a self-governing nation. This book was written during the time of the Babylonian captivity.
- Israel (Northern kingdom, Samaria).
- Judah (Southern kingdom, Jerusalem).
The prophet Jeremiah was born in 648 B.C. to a priestly family.
- He grew up only two miles from Jerusalem.
- At age 20, God called Jeremiah to be His prophet in Judah ( 1:7-8).
- He has often been called the weeping prophet because he witnessed the destruction of the city of Jerusalem and The Temple that he loved.
In our text, God tells Jeremiah to go down to The Potter’s House, a place of great commercial importance in ancient times…
TEXT: Jeremiah 18:1-6
What did Jeremiah observe in the Potter’s house (v 3)? Two stone discs were attached by an axle. A craftsman kicked the lower plate while forming the clay on the upper plate.
I have seen what Jeremiah saw…
#1. THE POTTER’S PURPOSE (v 3).
Our God is the master potter (v 3). Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.
- He has created all things Visible. Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
- He has created all things Invisible. Colossians 1:16-17 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible,… all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
- He has created you and me. Isaiah 64:8 O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand. Genesis 2:7 The LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
- God, as your creator, has a plan for your life! God wants to mold you into a vessel of honor and glory. God has dominion over all creation, yet He has chosen to yield His dominion in response to the will of man.
- Human clay is not passive like the potter’s clay. God allows us to make life choices – right or wrong!
God’s purposes have not changed.
- God created us in His image. Genesis 1:26 Let us make man in our own image.
- God’s creation is marred by Sin. Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
- God wants us to be conformed to Christ image (Romans 8:29). “Conformed” [Gr. summorphos] Adj. To be formed, molded, shaped into fashion, to become like.
#2. THE CLAY’S CORRUPTION (v 4).
Our lives are like marred clay (v 4a). ..the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter:…
- The presence of a foreign object. We have things in our lives that are not meant to be there – Pride, Rebellion, Anger, Selfishness, Covetousness, Unforgiveness.
- If we could just understand the tragedy of sin.
- God is daily working to remove sin from of our life. We are like clay in that…
- We Lack balance! Do you struggle staying in balance with God?
- We Lack moisture! Have you become spiritually dry?
Do not rebel against God’s design! We’ll never be content until we yield ourselves to our Master Potter’s Plan for our life!
Isaiah 45:9 Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?
#3. THE POTTER’S PATIENCE (v 4b). The vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.
Like the potter, God doesn’t trough the clay away – You are to precious to Him!
He will form us through use of Pressure, Problems & Providence.
I’m glad God did not give up on me…
2 Peter 3:9 God is not slack as some men count slackness...
Psalm 86:15 Thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long-suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.
We are to be, the Willing, Pliable, Possession of God.
#4. THE POTTER’S PLEA (v 5-6). Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 6 O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.
This is not a harsh condemning statement; it is a Plea.
Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
Revelation 22:17 The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
Adelaide Pollard (1907) believed the Lord wanted her in Africa as a missionary, but she was unable to raise the funds to go. In a depressed state of mind, she attended a prayer meeting, where she heard an elderly woman pray, “It’s all right, Lord. It doesn’t matter what You bring into our lives, just have Your own way with us.” That night, much encouraged by the meeting, she wrote now much loved hymn. The first verse reads…
Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Thou art the Potter, I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after Thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still.”
