Summary: God can do great things through humble means.

“A Broken Vessel…”

6/11/2008 – Marsing, ID

6/4/2009 – Nampa, ID

Gen 1:1-3

“1In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”

We know that in the beginning, God created the heavens and the Earth. God took that which was nothing, that which was void and empty and created a something out of nothing.

It is interesting to note that the scripture does not begin with, “In the beginning God created the angels, the seraphim’s, the archangels, the cherubs or cherubims.”

It is interesting that it does not begin with God created Adam and Eve. It does not tell us that God began with a man and a woman whom He created in the Garden of Eden.

Instead the scriptures reveal the work of God in reference to the creation of this Earth.

Earth:

776 ’erets eh’-rets from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land):--X common, country, earth, field, ground, land, X natins, way, + wilderness, world.

EARTH (pronounced [ˈɝːθ] (help•info))[6] is the third planet from the Sun. Earth is the largest of the terrestrial planets in the Solar System in diameter, mass and density. It is also referred to as the Earth, Planet Earth, the World, and Terra.[7]

Home to millions of species,[8] including humans, Earth is the only place in the universe where life is known to exist. Scientific evidence indicates that the planet formed 4.54 billion years ago,[9][10][11][12] and life appeared on its surface within a billion years. Since then, Earth’s biosphere has significantly altered the atmosphere and other abiotic conditions on the planet, enabling the proliferation of aerobic organisms as well as the formation of the ozone layer which, together with Earth’s magnetic field, blocks harmful radiation, permitting life on land.[13]

Earth’s outer surface is divided into several rigid segments, or tectonic plates, that gradually migrate across the surface over periods of many millions of years. About 71% of the surface is covered with salt-water oceans, the remainder consisting of continents and islands; liquid water, necessary for all known life, is not known to exist on any other planet’s surface.[14][15]

Earth’s interior remains active, with a thick layer of relatively solid mantle, a liquid outer core that generates a magnetic field, and a solid iron inner core.

Earth interacts with other objects in outer space, including the Sun and the Moon. At present, Earth orbits the Sun once for every roughly 366.26 times it rotates about its axis. This length of time is a sidereal year, which is equal to 365.26 solar days.[16] The Earth’s axis of rotation is tilted 23.4° away from the perpendicular to its orbital plane,[17] producing seasonal variations on the planet’s surface with a period of one tropical year (365.24 solar days). Earth’s only known natural satellite, the Moon, which began orbiting it about 4.53 billion years ago, provides ocean tides, stabilizes the axial tilt and gradually slows the planet’s rotation. A cometary bombardment during the early history of the planet played a role in the formation of the oceans.[18] Later, asteroid impacts caused significant changes to the surface environment.

It is this earth that the scriptures begin to reveal to us the creation of the environment in which we live in. We could talk about the Earth and our environment and it would bring us fascinating details.

Luke 21:33

“Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.”

The truth is that when this planet has gone God will remain and we will also live, whether it be in heaven or in the lake of fire.

It is difficult for us to understand that God could have chosen angels to inhabit this planet. God chose you in this time for His purpose and will.

II Cor 4;7

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.”

The truth is that you are a treasure in the eyes of God and not only that, God desires to pour His treasure into your life.

The truth is that our life is a vessel, some will fill their lives with honor and others with dishonor.

II Tim 2:

“20But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. 21If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.”

THE TRUTH IS THAT EVERYONE OF US IS FULL OF SOMETHING.

 What we fill our lives with is what we share.

 If you have joy you will share joy.

 If you have bitterness, you will share bitterness.

When you associate with people, people will know you by what you speak, by what kind of vessel you are. (Smiley person, grumpy person)

I know that when I want to get sugar, I know what jar I will use for sugar.

I know that when I want to get salt, I know what jar I will use for salt.

Although the scripture does not begin with the creation of mankind, the scripture does go to reveal that God created man from the dust of the earth.

(HUMAN COMPOSITION) ELEMENT PERCENT OF MASS[1] MASS (KG)[2]

Oxygen 65 43

Carbon 18 16

Hydrogen 10 7

Nitrogen 3 1.8

Calcium 1.5 1.0

Phosphorus 1 0.780

Potassium 0.25 0.140

Sulfur 0.25 0.140

Sodium 0.15 0.100

Chlorine 0.15 0.095

Magnesium 0.05 0.019

Iron 0.006 0.0042

Fluorine 0.0037 0.0026

Zinc 0.0032 0.0023

Silicon 0.002 0.0010

Rubidium 0.00046 0.00068

Strontium 0.00046 0.00032

Bromine 0.00029 0.00026

Lead 0.00017 0.00012

Copper 0.0001 0.000072

Aluminium 0.000087 0.000060

Cadmium 0.000072 0.000050

Cerium 0.000040

Barium 0.000031 0.000022

Tin 0.000024 0.000020

Iodine 0.000016 0.000020

Titanium 0.000013 0.000020

Boron 0.000069 0.000018

Selenium 0.000019 0.000015

Nickel 0.000014 0.000015

Chromium 0.0000024 0.000014

Manganese 0.000017 0.000012

Arsenic 0.000026 0.000007

Lithium 0.0000031 0.000007

Mercury 0.000019 0.000006

Caesium 0.0000021 0.000006

Molybdenum 0.000013 0.000005

Germanium 0.000005

Cobalt 0.0000021 0.000003

Antimony 0.000011 0.000002

Silver 0.000001 0.000002

Niobium 0.00016 0.0000015

Zirconium 0.0006 0.000001

Lanthanum 0.0000008

Tellurium 0.000012 0.0000007

Gallium 0.0000007

Yttrium 0.0000006

Bismuth 0.0000005

Thallium 0.0000005

Indium 0.0000004

Gold 0.000014 0.0000002

Scandium 0.0000002

Tantalum 0.0000002

Vanadium 0.000026 0.00000011

Thorium 0.0000001

Uranium 0.00000013 0.0000001

Samarium 0.000000050

Tungsten 0.000000020

Beryllium 0.000000005 0.000000036

Radium 0.00000000000000001

We were made from dust.

The main ingredient missing from these elements is the Spirit of God.

II Cor 2:14

“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

It is no wonder why, when we speak about spiritual things, the natural man does not understand.

Speak about the Lakers and the Celtics they’ll understand.

 Speak about the will of God.

 Speak about the miracles of God.

 Speak of the wonders of God and THEY ARE UNAWARE OF WHAT GOD CAN DO.

Many people are walking around with their lives as a broken vessel, empty of the promises of God, empty of the grace of God.

Many wake up in the morning just to go through the routine day after day, day in, day out.

It is time to pick up your vessel and bring it to Jesus.

If you could see your vessel through spiritual eyes you would be surprised.

Jesus says:

Rev 3:20

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

If Jesus were to drink from your vessel, what would He drink? Would you be embarrassed to have Him drink from your cup?

Many people live their lives broken, although on the outside it all looks good. Materially speaking they look like the Jones’s but inside they are empty.

If your vessel is low and you need to fill it tonight you can fill your cup.

Psalms 42:1-2

“1As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. 2My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?”

We get beat up by so many trials and tribulations.

 Our cup is broken and empty and we need to bring it to Jesus and let him repair your vessel.

 Let Jesus fill your vessel.

To many times there are those whose vessels are not broken, and like the old saying says, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

These are those who walk with their empty vessels. They’ve decorated their vessel so it appears to be full, they appear to be full, they appear to be happy but in the inside it is empty.

Everyone around them feels joy, but they don’t feel joy. Perhaps at one time they knew what it was to have the rivers of living water flow through it but they’ve forgotten what those waters taste like.

Jesus is knocking on your heart tonight, will you let Him in?

God is looking for vessels that will say, “Lord I need you.” “Lord break me and make me new.”

Jer 18:6

“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.”

You see many times we bring our desires, our ways, and we do not acknowledge Him as our Lord and God.

II Cor 12:9

“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

When we are weak, He is strong.

BROKEN

In his retirement, Thomas Jefferson founded the University of Virginia. Because Jefferson trusted that students would take their studies seriously, the code of discipline was lax. Unfortunately, his trust proved misplaced when the misbehavior of students led to a riot in which professors who tried to restore order were attacked. The following day a meeting was held between the university’s board, of which Jefferson was a member, and defiant students. Jefferson began by saying, "This is one of the most painful events of my life," was overcome by emotion, and burst into tears. Another board member asked the rioters to come forward and give their names. Nearly every one did. Later, one of them said, "It was not Mr. Jefferson’s words, but his tears." - Today in the Word, March 29, 1993. http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/b/broken.htm

John 11:35

“Jesus Wept.”