The Principle of Promise
From Ruin to Reward • Sermon • Submitted
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From Ruin to Reward:
The Principle of Promise
Jeremiah 18:1-6
1 The Lord gave another message to Jeremiah. He said,
2 “Go down to the potter’s shop, and I will speak to you there.”
3 So I did as he told me and found the potter working at his wheel.
4 But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over.
5 Then the Lord gave me this message:
6 “O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand.
INTRODUCTION:
Is it possible blow it so badly that you are beyond any help?
Have you made mistakes that you feel have ruined your life permanently?
I- WHAT CAUSES A LIFE TO BE RUINED?
I- WHAT CAUSES A LIFE TO BE RUINED?
(Jeremiah 18:1 – 4)
1 The Lord gave another message to Jeremiah. He said,
2 “Go down to the potter’s shop, and I will speak to you there.”
3 So I did as he told me and found the potter working at his wheel.
4 But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over.
A- Lumps in the clay.
A- Lumps in the clay.
1- Lumps of sin
(1 Corinthians 5:6 – 8)
6 Your boasting about this is terrible. Don’t you realize that this sin is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough?
7 Get rid of the old “yeast” by removing this wicked person from among you. Then you will be like a fresh batch of dough made without yeast, which is what you really are. Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us.
8 So let us celebrate the festival, not with the old bread of wickedness and evil, but with the new bread of sincerity and truth.
(Galatians 6:7 – 8)
7 Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.
8 Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.
*Like lumps in biscuit doe – ruins the biscuits.
B- Failure to yield to the potter's hands.
B- Failure to yield to the potter's hands.
1- Resistance to his attempts to mold our lives into the image of Christ.
(Job 5:17)
17 “But consider the joy of those corrected by God! Do not despise the discipline of the Almighty when you sin.
(Hebrews 12:5, 11)
5 And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, “My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you.
11 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.
*If part of the clay is hardened and fails to yield to the pressure of the potter's hands, it cannot be made into its intended vessel.
C- Falling onto the floor of life.
C- Falling onto the floor of life.
1- Living in a way that lifestyle denies profession of faith.
(Romans 2:17 – 24)
17 You who call yourselves Jews are relying on God’s law, and you boast about your special relationship with him.
18 You know what he wants; you know what is right because you have been taught his law.
19 You are convinced that you are a guide for the blind and a light for people who are lost in darkness.
20 You think you can instruct the ignorant and teach children the ways of God. For you are certain that God’s law gives you complete knowledge and truth.
21 Well then, if you teach others, why don’t you teach yourself? You tell others not to steal, but do you steal?
22 You say it is wrong to commit adultery, but do you commit adultery? You condemn idolatry, but do you use items stolen from pagan temples?
23 You are so proud of knowing the law, but you dishonor God by breaking it.
24 No wonder the Scriptures say, “The Gentiles blaspheme the name of God because of you.”
*Mahatma Gandhi – "I would have become a Christian, had it not been for Christians."
II- WHAT CAN GOD DO WITH A RUINED LIFE?
II- WHAT CAN GOD DO WITH A RUINED LIFE?
(Jeremiah 18:4 – 6)
4 But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over.
5 Then the Lord gave me this message:
6 “O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand.
A- Pick the clay up from where it has fallen.
A- Pick the clay up from where it has fallen.
1- God's amazing grace can lift you up from where you have fallen and set your feet upon the rock.
(Hosea 14:1 – 2)
1 Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for your sins have brought you down.
2 Bring your confessions, and return to the Lord. Say to him, “Forgive all our sins and graciously receive us, so that we may offer you our praises.
(Jude 1:24)
24 Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault.
*The prodigal son (Luke 15:11 – 32)
B- Knead the clay to work out the lumps.
B- Knead the clay to work out the lumps.
1- God can cleanse out the sin and bring restoration.
(1 John 1:9)
9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
a. Restoring of relationship with himself.
(Romans 5:8-11)
8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
9 And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation.
10 For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son.
11 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.
b. Restoring of relationships with others.
(1 John 1:7)
7 But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.
C- Make the clay into a completely new vessel.
C- Make the clay into a completely new vessel.
(2 Corinthians 3:17)
17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
(Romans 12:2)
2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
1- God can take a life that has been withdrawn from Yieldedness and make it useful again.
(Romans 9:21)
21 When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into?
(2 Timothy 2:21)
21 If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work.
CONCLUSION:
*hymn – "Lord, I am coming home."
By William J. Kirkpatrick
I’ve wandered far away from God,
Now I’m coming home;
The paths of sin too long I’ve trod,
Lord, I’m coming home.
I’ve wasted many precious years,
Now I’m coming home;
I now repent with bitter tears,
Lord, I’m coming home.
I’m tired of sin and straying, Lord,
Now I’m coming home;
I’ll trust Thy love, believe Thy word,
Lord, I’m coming home.
My soul is sick, my heart is sore,
Now I’m coming home;
My strength renew, my hope restore,
Lord, I’m coming home.
My only hope, my only plea,
Now I’m coming home;
That Jesus died, and died for me,
Lord, I’m coming home.
I need His cleansing blood I know,
Now I’m coming home;
Oh, wash me whiter than the snow,
Lord, I’m coming home.
Refrain:
Coming home, coming home,
Nevermore to roam;
Open wide Thine arms of love,
Lord, I’m coming home