Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Let me ask you a question today, are you ready?

Do you realize who you are today?

Now there might be a multitude of answers to what i have just asked you...

But in reality I want you to know, we are clay vessels.

Now why do i say that?

Well the Scriptures identity us in this way.... earthen, clay vessels.

Now consider this thought, why??

It is perhaps difficult to answer in a satisfactory way, but here goes....

We are his creation, the origin of man is from the earth, Adam the Bible says was formed form the dirt of the ground.

Indeed a special creation, God has formed each of us.

And when you consider the text, earthen suggests common everyday materials, not gold or silver, not something really extravagant.

But at the same time, Jesus died for us, we are important, we are heirs of God and co-heirs in Christ.

But remember this: we cannot forget that Jesus died for us, and as such we are not our own, we have been bought with a price.

And we are here for God’s glory.

Now this morning I want to take us on journey to show us a little about our self in Christ and what God hopes to do through us.

So we will look at two passages this morning the first will be and the second will be .

So lets get ready to begin....

Take your Bibles and lets find

So here we are looking at one of the major prophets in the Old Testament, a man God called to speak to the house of Israel during a difficult time in their history.

And when you look at the word God shares with Jeremiah we can see something pretty wonderful that can speak to our life as well if we allow it.

So lets begin with this thought...

1.

The Potter is Always at Work

If there is one truth I want you to take into account my friends it is this truth, the Potter is always at work, and God is the Potter.

There are people in our world who say God created, put everything in motion and then stepped away never to be heard from again.

He doesn’t do anything else in our world.

He doesn’t help, work, call or inspire any longer.

But you know what… there are two scientific words for their theory ...hog wash.

The Bible illustrates that God is at work.

Take our text for example...

says the word of the Lord came to the prophet Jeremiah… Jeremiah arise and go to the Potters house and there I will let you hear the word I have for you...

I love this passage, you know why?

God gives Jeremiah a picture he can understand without any doubt, without any error.

As Jeremiah looked into the Potters shop, he saw that Potter at work and his project it spoiled, it didn’t work out just as He planned and so he started again..

Now I can relate to that…

I remember High School art class, and in art you had a little time when you got to sit at one of the pottery wheels.

And the teacher would give you some instruction and then let you have a try at it.

You would throw the clay down and start the wheel.. and always, always there would a problem something you would have to figure out, i need to hold my hand here this way, and to do this, another… an yes at times I would need to stop and start again.

But no matter, the person at the wheel keeps going until he or she is satisfied.

Jeremiah saw the Potter and this one thing is certain, the Potter did not stop or give up..

The Potter was always working on the design in His mind.

God is always at work in us until His plans are complete.

I see that in this passage and I believe and I know for certain our God is still at work because His plans are not complete.

Now a person might say… how do I know....

Let me share a story with you, Friday morning I was just getting up and found a email from a old friend, the note said “…I was thinking about you this morning and I said a prayer for you.”

There is proof God is at work, for some reason God had directed a person to pray for me.

I can tell you another thought… God is still at work because Jesus has not come back yet, and since the rapture has not occured, God is still at work in the world and in the hearts of the lost.

He will continue to work until He tells his Son to go get your bride..

Now here is a question for you....

Do you trust that God is at work in your life?

What is he doing for you?

What is he preparing you for?

He is at work my friends....

He is at work in your life today.

Now lets look at this second thought

Now lets look at this second thought

2. The Potter Transforms His Creation...

Think about the word transformation....

Transformation means to make over, but please do not think God made a mistake and had to start over… no, not at all.

Transformation means to change....

Think about the caterpillar, it is functional on its own. it has a job and a purpose, but then at the right time it spins a cocoon and there a transformation takes place.

Then at the right time, the butterfly emerges...

Transformation has taken place...

As God works in us, transformation takes place...

Go back to our text with me

Just as the Potter took what seemed failed in his hands and made it over… the Lord declares to Jeremiah, can I not do the same to the house of Israel.

Now here is a question,

Can he not do the same to us as well?

Yes, the Bible tells that “we are a new creation in Christ Jesus...” The old has gone and the new has come.... how did this happen.

Through the blood of Jesus, we have been transformed.

and this transformation is not for us, but truly it is for the glory of God.

Now are you ready....

Another question… What does God seek to change in your life?

God is always at work in the lives of His children, what does he seek to do in your life?

And why does God do all this....

Because of Jesus in us....

3. We Hold a Wonderful Treasure

Without a doubt God loves us and has blessed us in a marvelous way!

Why am I certain of this?

Because of what He has done in us… He has placed himself in us.

He resides here… in our heart.

Before I get ahead of myself, lets find our next text…

Do you see verse 7....

We have this treasure in clay jars.

Now think if this....

Clay jars refers to us, the most common of all creation.

Clay is from the material of the earth, material that is found everywhere it is good and safe, but it is not silver or gold.

Clay jars are fragile, they can chip, they can break, and sadly they can shatter.

But with all of that, they were the most used containers of the world in that day and time.

Think about what’s in your house, there is something that is probably pretty common, but you use it all the time.

a certain cup or mug.

It the common that we use the most..

And it is the common that God has chosen to use.

God has chosen to use humanity for his work, and inside of us He has stored a treasure.

2 Corinthians 4:10

The treasure we have is more precious than gold or silver, it is the truth about Jesus, the message of the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord that has defeated death and given life to all who call upon the name of the Lord.

And i have that stored in my life?

The most precious news, the good news is stored in my heart.

And you know what…?

I can give it away and never loose any of it.