Sermon Tone Analysis

IN THE POTTER’S HANDS

*TEXT: Jeremiah 18:1-6*

*INTRODUCTION:* God uses many images to describe His relationship to His people.

He speaks of the shepherd and sheep relationship, the husband and wife relationship, a Father and His children, just to name a few.

All of these are blessed and teach us many needed and valuable lessons about life, ourselves and our Lord.

However, while we like sheep are protected and provided for by the shepherd, and as a wife, we are loved without condition by the husband and like children we are constantly under the Father's loving watch care, there is another facet of our lives that needs to be factored into the equation.

After all, Jesus did not save us just so we could go to Heaven and miss Hell.

He saved our souls so that we might be actively engaged in His service here on the earth.

Now, if we are to be His servants, we are going to need His power to get the job done.

Never let any child of God think that he can do it own his own, John 15:5 (Vine & Branches) makes our dependence upon Jesus crystal clear.

Therefore, perhaps the greatest portrait of God and His people to be found in the entire Bible, related to this matter of service, is this picture of the Potter and the Clay.

In these brief verses, we can see the plan of the Potter on display.

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I.          THE MISSION OF THE POTTER V. 1-3

!! A.     His Intent

!!! 1.

The Potter has a singular purpose.

He desires to produce vessels that will reap a profit, that will be found useful, and that will bring honor unto Himself.

!!! 2.      The pieces he manufactures are pieces that will be used by Himself and others.

!!! 3.

This is God's intention as well.

He excels in taking old worthless clay and transforming it by His grace into vessels of honor and glory.

He takes those things that are the "off scouring of all things", 1 Corinthians 4:13, and turns them into vessels of honor.

Jesus saves the sinner by His grace and then He begins the process of changing that vile sinner into a vessel that will produce a profit for the Kingdom of God, one that will be useful to Him in His work, and one that brings honor and glory to His Name.

God is interested in taking the worst He can find and changing it into the best Heaven has to offer.

!! B.     His Ingredients

!!! 1.

In order to accomplish this lofty goal, the Potter must work with materials that leave much to be desired.

!!! 2.      The condition of the clay as it is found:

!!!! a)      The clay as found in the ground is not suitable for use.

It is dug out and brought to the vicinity of the pottery and allowed to weather for weeks.

The dry material is then dumped into a cement-lined tank or wooden trough and covered with water.

When the lumps have softened they are stirred in the water until all have disintegrated and a thin slimy mud or "slip" has been formed.

In coast cities-the potteries are all near the sea, as the sea-water is considered better for the "slipping" process.

The slip is drawn off into settling tanks.

All stones and lumps remain behind.

When the clay has settled, the water is drawn off and the plastic material is worked by treading with the feet.

The clay used on the Syrian coast is usually a mixture of several earths, which the potters have learned by experience, gives the right consistency.

The prepared clay is finally packed away and allowed to stand another six months before using, during which time the quality, especially the plasticity, is believed to improve.

!!!! b)      In other words, the clay, as it is taken from the ground, is worthless.

It must be transformed into a useable state and this is a process that takes time and energy on the part of the Potter.

This is a perfect portrait of sinners.

We are worthless to God in our natural condition.

However, He is able to see the vessels that we can become.

Therefore, He begins the process that will bring us to a place of usefulness.

He digs us out, dries us up and washes us clean.

This is a clear picture of the process a sinner must go through prior to salvation.

The heart is pricked and the conviction of God begins to work in the heart.

The sinner is lead along in little baby steps until he reaches the place where he receives Christ as Savior.

At that point, God begins the molding process.

!!!! c)      It's seems pretty evident that the Lord doesn't have a whole lot to work with when He finds us.

After all, we are all made from the same clay - Rom. 3:23; Rom.

3:10

!! C.     His Instruments

!!! 1.

The potter uses several implements to bring the clay to a place where it is usable.

!!!! a)      A Shovel

!!!!! (1)  This is the tool he uses to dig the clay from the earth.

!!!!! (2)  This is a picture of the Spirit of God who comes to where we are in sin and speaks to us in convicting power and draws us to Jesus.

!!!! b)      A Mallet

!!!!! (1)  After the clay has been cleansed and processed, it is lain on a table and beaten with a wooden mallet.

The Potter does this to remove any air bubbles that might be trapped in the clay.

If he doesn't the air bubble will form a pocket that will produce a weak spot and cause the vessel to be fragile and unusable.

!!!!! (2)  This is a picture of the trials, calamities and chastisements of life that tend to work together to shape us in the image of the Lord Jesus Christ - 2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

!!!!! (3)   We may not like the pounding of the mallet, but its sole purpose is to make us more usable and pliable in the Potter's hand.

Therefore, it is a good thing!

!!!! c)      The Wheels –

!!!!! (1)  A large bottom stone, is mounted upon a shaft that sits in a stone socket.

Coming out of this large stone is an upright shaft that extends some 3 feet with another, smaller wheel mounted on top.

The Potter, using his feet, spins the large, lower wheel.

As he does, the upper wheel is turned.

This is where the clay is placed.

As the clay turns, the Potter will place His hands upon it and shape it according to his will.

!!!!! (2)  Again, these wheels are symbolic of the circumstances and situations that life brings our way.

Life often times seems like a large circle.

It seems that we just get past one trial when here it comes around again.

These things are hard to take and leave us confused and burdened, but we must remember that the Potter controls the speed of the wheels and they only rotate according to His will.

Never forget that God is still in control, regardless of what you are facing in life, and that all things are eventually going to work out to your good - Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

!!!! d)      His Hands

!!!!! (1)  While the clay spins around on the wheels, it is never out of contact with the Potter's hands.

He is in constant contact, molding, shaping and bringing the clay along through His loving guidance.

If he were to ever remove His hand, the clay would spin right off the wheel and would be lost.

Therefore, he remains there with the clay and brings along until it become what He desires it to be.

!!!!! (2)  What a picture of the Heavenly Father.

There are times when God seems remote, removed and millions of miles away from us and from our needs.

However, He has promised us that He will never leave us, nor forsake us and that He will ever be with His children, Hebrews 13:5; Matthew 28:20.

The child of God need never fear that the Lord will walk out on us and leave us to spin out of control.

No matter how fast the wheels spin, or what comes our way, we can rest assured that the Lord of glory will never remove His hand from us.

He is always in touch with His clay!

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II.

THE MINISTRY OF THE POTTERV. 4

!! A.     A Problem With The Vessel

!!! 1.

Even in the Potter's hand, things can go terribly wrong.

The fault is not with the Potter, but is a problem with the clay.

There are times when with the best of care, the vessel still gets out of shape.

!!! 2.      Isn't this the way our lives seem at times?

We are going along Good and we are growing in the grace of the Lord, then there comes a temptation or a trial and for one reason or the other, we are thrown off balance and we become marred in the Potter's hand.

Every turn of the wheel makes the blemish more visible.

It soon becomes evident that God cannot use us in our present shape.

!!! 3.      Never be guilty of believing that this cannot happen to you.

There are many people in this world who started out running well for the Lord, but along the way they got weak and out of balance in their lives.

Before long, they were vessels of dishonor.

They never planned it that way, but it happened just the same.

So, never think that it can't happen to you

*/1 Corinthians 10:12/*/ Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

/

!! B.     The Perception Of The Potter –