The Potter's Hand

Dennis Ellingburg

Romans: For the Gospel • Sermon • Submitted a year ago • Presented a year ago

Romans 9:14–29

God's Sovereignty

Election

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The Potter is Glorified by the Creature (14-23)

Throughout Romans and all of scripture, the refrain of the biblical text is this: God is glorified by his creation.

Everything in creation serves, even in it’s fallen state to glorify God. This is the clear evidence of scripture.

Romans 1:20 ESV

For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

Isaiah 43:6–7 ESV

I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”

Revelation 4:11 ESV

“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”

When God created all thing he created them tov meod, very or exceedingly good. In our unfallen state, we reflected God and his glory. But in our fallen state creation glorifies God by how he uses it to accomplish his purpose.

To Glorify God is to magnify him. Now there are two ways to magnify something. One way is like a microscope. To make something small bigger. This means we make that which is lesser more. This is not what we do with God. God does not require the creation to make him more glorious, or more beautiful, or more holy. Our praise does not make God more. He is already great.

The second way we magnify is like a Telescope - Make something obscure what it really is. It’s taking something far away or unseeable visible to the world.

As Christians and as the church this is what we do. We take that which is obscured by sin, namely God’s glory, and we make it visible to the world.

"God created us for this: to live our lives in a way that makes him look more like the greatness and the beauty and the infinite worth that he really is." - John Piper

God creates for his own purposes for his glory. That means God is glorified regardless of the destiny of men. This is a harsh truth that we balk against in our fallen willfullnes.

If men are lost, he is glorified by their judgment and destruction. (v. 22, 28)

If men are saved, he is glorified for saving them from their sins. (v. 23-24)

Paul’s response to this willfullness is this:

Romans 9:20 ESV

But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?”

The Potter is Glorified by the Creature Making him Known (24-29)

So, how does this relate to us? Well as God’s people our purpose is to reveal God to the world. As Christians, we are God’s chosen instrument through which he reveals himself to the universe.

We are created to display God’s glory. We are created so that the world sees God for who he really is.

Trip to San Francisco Caricature

Granted we are a caricature like these, but hopefully we’re a good representation of Christ. We are called to caricature him well. To reflect him well. When we do it’s glorious like this

SHOW GOOD CARICATURE

When we don’t it’s bad. Like this:

SHOW BAD CARICATURE

So how do we reflect well God’s glory? Let me give you a few things we can do.

Repent of Sin

When we confess sin we are putting God’s holiness on display.

Forgive Other

When we forgive others we reflect the forgiveness and grace of God.

Serve Others

Another way we reflect God is we serve others well. Christ came not to be served but to serve and when we live life like that we reflect God’s kindness.

Trust God

We also reflect to the world that God is trustworthy and faithful when we trust in him. Nothing pushes against that narcissistic self-interest of our world than trusting in God in the midst of trials.

Produce Fruit

Jesus says: “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit” (John 15:8). Living a life that adorns God’s attributes puts His glory on display. When His communicable attributes are reflected in our lives, it not only produces fruit, but it glorifies God.

We glorify God by laboring to draw others to God; by seeking to convert others, and so make them instruments of glorifying God. —Thomas Watson

Prayer

Finally, prayer signals to the world in a number of ways. When I give thanks in prayer it reflects to the world my knowledge that

James 1:17 ESV

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Daniel Henderson calls prayerlessness my Declaration of Independance from God, prayer reflect my dependance upon God.

Psalm 50:15 ESV

and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”

This is not a call to “do these things” to glorify GOd, but rather a call to trust God. He is the Potter. He has the right do as he pleases and calls us to glorify him in the midst of our lives.

Jerry Bridges notes:

The person who fears God seeks to live all of life to the glory of God... All the activities of life should be pursued with the aim of glorifying God. -Jerry Bridges