Just a Lump of Clay — E.A. Johnston

The Potter Shapes a Useful Vessel

Well, I reckon it was a little over 30 years ago When my wife and I spent our honeymoon up in the mountains of Hot Springs, Arkansas. There in that little mountain village at the time was a mom-and-pop business a gift shop Owned by a man and wife you would enter the gift shop and choose a piece of pottery From the lady who owned the shop and she would write its description on a piece of paper.

Which you would then bring to her husband who was out back in his workshop. And there you would stand as he sat at a pottery wheel and took some wet clay. And he would slowly go to work. Shaping the article you chose in the gift shop.

Well, I picked a nice heavy coffee mug and we watched him as he formed it in his hands on that Turning wheel, but then he put it into a kiln to dry it and harden it for usefulness. For many years. After I took much pleasure from that coffee mug that I had watched form out of nothing But a lump of clay.

Jeremiah's Potter's House and the Call to Obedience

Well our passage today friends can be found in the book of Jeremiah in chapter 18. You can turn in your Bibles there now friends. We will be in verses 1 through 10. Here now is the Word of God and made the Spirit of the Lord attend the reading of his Holy Word the word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord saying Arise and go down to the potter's house and there I will cause thee to hear my words.

Then I went down to the potter's house and behold He wrought a work on the wheels. Let me pause here friends to say If you want to be used by God you have to be brought by God To the place where God can speak to you and that place is the place of willingness and obedience.

Jeremiah did what he was told and God revealed his truths to him. Let's continue with our text and the vessel that he made a clay was marred in the hand of the potter. So we made it again. Another vessel has seemed good to the potter to make it.

This speaks of God's forbearance with us and his desire to make us more like Jesus. Now listen to how God speaks to his prophet Jeremiah. Like Jesus teaching his disciples in the gospel record God teaches his prophet Jeremiah first by illustration then by Application.

God's Sovereignty and Purpose in Shaping His People

The vivid imagery of the potter seated at the potter's wheel as he is making something. Speaks of one who has skill and a purpose as he makes something useful in his hands. Who is it useful to. We may ask to the potter the one who makes it?

He makes it for an intended purpose. Just like God and each of us. God created each of us for an intended purpose to bring him pleasure. Do you believe that friend? Oh, I hope you do. The illustration here in Jeremiah is of a sovereign God.

Dealing with his creation in verse 6 and following we see the application to the people of God. Oh house of Israel. Can I not do with you as the potter saith the Lord? Behold as the clay is in the potter's hand.

So were ye in mine hand. O house of Israel at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom to pluck up and to pull down and to Destroy it if that nation against whom I have pronounced Turn from their evil I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.

And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation. And concerning a kingdom to build and to plant it. Let me pause here friends to say this was true of wicked Nineveh. They're repented under the preaching of Jonah and God stayed his hand from destroying them.

Repentance, Judgment, and the Blessings of Obedience

Here God makes reference to the house of Israel as a nation and how that nation Can bring destruction down upon it if it persists in sinful rebellion Against God or how through heartfelt repentance and a change of behavior.

Then the people can avert calamity. And instead be the recipients of blessings by living in obedience to God as they serve him. In the preceding chapter. We see the sins of Judah as the people of God had turned away from God.

To serve idols in sinful rebellion where they had forsaken the Lord the fountain of living waters. What God is conveying to his wayward people here by his servant Jeremiah. Jeremiah is a dire warning to them that if they refuse to repent and turn back to the Living God by forsaking the Gods they had made with their own hands that God would bring a swift judgment upon them.

Accountability in National, Ecclesial, and Personal Life

I believe this principle can apply nationally as to a country that sits on the very brink of ruin and destruction just like America. I believe this can apply corporately to a religious denomination or church.

Like we have today that sits in the stupor of spiritual declension. And I believe this can apply friends Personally to ourselves as followers of Christ. Where we can either be useful in the hands of God or be set aside by him for our disobedience.

We reach eternity bound men and women Who will spend a never-ending duration? In eternity in either heaven or in hell. While we are on earth the great God who is sovereign in his dealings with men. Would deal with each of us individually as to our accountability to the one who created us as an instrument of usefulness.

To bring him pleasure and glory and the Christ who died for us and redeemed us by his blood. To live for him and his purpose for us if we miss that we miss everything. We read in the last verse of our text if it do evil in my sight.

That it obey not my voice. Then I will repent to the good Wherewith I said I would benefit them. This means we can miss God's best for us through our willful Disobedience to God. God wants to bless us, but we keep getting in the way through sin if God has been Patiently dealing with you friend and you were dead set in your rebellion against him.

Then I believe you are in a very dangerous place. I believe a church or a Denomination or a nation can be in that dangerous place as well. God's eyes are upon you. To see how you will respond to him and how you will respond to him by either obedience to him or Disobedience will determine how he uses you or sets you aside and chooses another vessel More responsive to his touch.

Living for Christ and Eternity

I believe we live in a critical time Close to the end of the end times and many of God's people are living careless and worldly lives while they squander God-given ability and Opportunities meant to be a means of blessing to this world of sinners in need of a savior.

That is fast perishing. We must always be mindful that we are just a lump of clay in the master's hands. We are here not to live for ourselves in this world, but to live for him and Eternity so says the Word of God and 2nd Corinthians 5 15.

And that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth Live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them and rose again. Listen friends. God desires to get us to the place in our lives where he can speak to us.

So we can enter in to the purpose he has for us and to be the recipients of change and blessings. Are you there? Are you there? Let us pray.