Lessons From The Potter’s House

Jeremiah 18:1-10 LESSONS FROM THE POTTER’S HOUSE 3. I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. The story of the Vase.

The grandmother spots a beautiful vase, in the shop.

The vase says to the grandparents. “Thank you for the compliment, but I wasn’t always beautiful.” “once I was just an ugly soggy lump of clay. But one day a man with dirty wet hands threw me on a wheel. Then he started turning me around and around until I got dizzy I couldn’t see straight. Stop..Stop I cried. But the man said, Not Yet! Then he started to poke me and punch me until I hurt all over, Stop..Stop I cried, but the man said “Not Yet”. Each time I thought he was through, he would crumble and roll me up and began to poke and punch me again.

Finally he did stop. But then he did something much worse, he put me into a furnace. It got hotter and hotter until I couldn’t stand it. Stop..Stop.. I cried. But the man said, “Not Yet”. Finally when I thought I was going to burn up, the man took me out of the furnace. Then some lady began to paint me, and the fumes got so bad that they made me feel sick. “Stop…Stop..” I cried. “Not Yet” said the lady. Finally she did stop, but then she gave me back to the man and he put me back into that awful furnace. This time it was hotter than before. “Stop…Stop” I cried, but the man said “Not Yet”.

Finally he took me out of the furnace and let me cool. When I was completely cool, a lady put me on this shelf, next to this mirror. When I looked at myself in the mirror, I was amazed, I could not believe what I saw. I was no longer ugly, soggy and dirty; I was beautiful, firm and clean. It was then I realized that all the pain was worthwhile. Without it I would still be an ugly, soggy lump of wet clay. The pain had passed, but the beauty has remained. I. HE SAW A PICTURE OF THE DIVINE POTTER. 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. HE SAW :- A. The Authority of God. (vs. 6) As the potter has full authority over the clay, God, the Divine Potter, has full authority over our lives. B. The Ability of God. It is interesting to see what a potter can do with dirt.

His ability to Create . To make something out of nothing. His ability to Recreate. There is no vessel to damaged but can be redeemed. C. The Activity of God. 3 and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. I. He Put His Thoughts On You Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. II. He Put His Eyes on You Psalm 33:18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy; III. He Will Put His Hands On You

Romans 9:20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?

IV. He Will Put His Anointing On You The Painting & Glazing of the vessel to make the vessel attractive

V. Finally He Will Put His Name On You

1. Every good artist puts his name on his work Rev. 22:4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads

2. The quality must go in, before the name goes on.

II. HE SAW A PICTURE OF A DIVINE PURPOSE. and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. We need to remember: (1) The Place is Important "on the wheels" James 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (2) The Period is Important His purposes may not be suddenly known. Ecclesiastes 8:11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. The Potter doesn’t make instant vessels. (3) The Process is Important Behold the potter and the clay, He forms his vessels as he please: Such is our God, and such are we, The subjects of his high decrees. Doth not the workman's power extend O'er all the mass, which part to choose And mold it for a nobler end, And which to leave for viler use? May not the sovereign Lord on high Dispense his favors as he will, Choose some to life, while others die, And yet be just and gracious still? [What if, to make his terror known, He lets his patience long endure, Suff'ring vile rebels to go on, And seal their own destruction sure? What if he means to show his grace, And his electing love employs To mark out some of mortal race, And from them fit for heav'nly joys?] Shall man reply against the Lord, And call his Maker's ways unjust, The thunder of whose dreadful word Can crush a thousand worlds to dust?