this morning through his word. Let's turn to the book of the
Prophet Jeremiah and the 18th chapter and we'll read verses
2 to 6. So verses 2 to 6 in the 18th
chapter of the prophecy of Jeremiah. Arise and go down to the potter's
house and 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. And the vessel that he made of
clay was marred in the hand of the potter, so he made it again
another vessel. as seemed good to the potter
to make it. Then the word of the Lord came
to me, saying, 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 my hand, O house
of Israel. Well, I don't know how many of
you have been down to a potter's house and watched a potter make
pots, but it's a very instructive thing to do. And if you do get
the opportunity, it's worthwhile. And they tend to be more in the
kind of coastal towns where there's more interest in such things,
but it's well worth going down and watching a potter because
of course what he does he takes a lump of clay it needs to be
the right kind of clay it needs to be a clay that doesn't shrink
very much because pots are usually what they call fired when they're
made put in a furnace to harden them and if the clay is the wrong
type then it will shrink and crack and won't be of much value
so it needs to be the right clay, and potters go and find where
this good clay is, and dig it up, and then they bring it back
to their workshop, and they make a ball of it, and they place
it on a wheel. It's not a bicycle wheel or anything
like that, it's a wheel that goes round horizontally, and
they usually have a pedal. that directs it so it spins,
and they put this clay in the middle of that wheel, and then
they use their hands to mould it. And they often need to add
water on their hand to make their fingers flow over the clay easily,
and it helps to sometimes soften the clay a little bit, so that
they can make the particular vessel that they want to. And
it's very interesting to watch them make these pots and jars
and dishes and to see the result. And of course, the lump of clay
can't actually make itself, can it? They need a potter. They need someone to take this
clay and then mould it into a shape that will be useful. It doesn't
just want to stop and stay as a lump of clay, does it? That
won't be of much value to anybody. So it's good to watch how they
mould this clay and to shape it so that it becomes a useful
vessel and then it's fired and can be then used. Clay pots have
been used for many, many years. And it's a wonderful little example
for us to realize the importance. And as we read these, just these
few verses, what we find is that if the potter starts making a
pot or a plate or whatever, and it doesn't actually come out
as he wants it to, And it may be, perhaps, when he's done it,
he doesn't like it. He doesn't think it's really
of much value. And therefore, he can very quickly
get rid of it. He can either put it back into
just a lump of clay, or throw it away as something of no value. So, it's very flexible, really. Now, the Lord God gives this
illustration, and the Bible is full of Pictures and illustrations
and this is a picture for all of us today You young people
especially to just think about this because God comes and says
Oh house of Israel So who's he talking to? He's talking to the
people of God and it's good therefore today if he's talking to you
and me And he's saying this Oh house of Israel cannot I, that's
the great God, 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. So just think of that. We've
got an illustration of a potter with a lump of clay. But then
God speaks as though you and I were a lump of clay. And God was the one who was the
potter. And he takes us and forms us
and moulds us as he sees fit. A lump of clay can't do anything.
And in reality, you and I can't do anything. it's God who makes
us and it's God who forms us and what a blessing it is if
when God works upon us we are made into something which is
useful something that God will use something which will be for
his honor and glory we don't want to be at the end, just like
something which is of no value, and it's thrown away because
it's no good. We want to be something which
is useful. So it's good to just think about
that with regard to your life and my life, to see what effect
God's hand has had upon us. You see, a potter moulds this
lump of clay. And, my friends, God graciously
moulds his people. And, you know, there is an objective. That means something God has
in mind. You may ask what that is. Well,
God works on us and in us to make us ready to go and to be
with him in heaven. God works on his people in just
the same way as a potter works on a piece of clay. Now you see,
initially we're just like a lump of clay. We're really of no real
value until the potter has put his hands on it and worked on
it. And that's the same really with
Christians. It's when God's hand is put upon
us and molds us and forms us into something which is useful
in his kingdom, useful in the church of God. It's worth thinking
about, isn't it? So in our own little lives, to
just think whether God's hand has been upon us. And whether
instead of just being left as just a lump of nothing, a lump
of clay without any form or of any use to anything, that God
is moulding us, forming us. You know, initially, when a potter
works, you don't always see what the end result's going to be.
Sometimes it's quite interesting to see how, with the skill of
the potter, he forms a very beautiful, sometimes a vase, sometimes a
jug, and sometimes a plate. And it starts from virtually
nothing. And that's the same in all God's
people's lives. We start just really as Just
something with no real form as such and then God comes and puts
his handiwork upon us and forms us and molds us molds us into
something which will be really useful in his work Now, you and
I need to be able to look into our hearts and see whether God
is doing that to us, or whether we're just still a lump of useless
clay. But it would be a good thing
to be able to see that God's moulding us. And initially, there
wasn't much indication of what was happening. But it's good
as you and I can look and see how God is forming us. You see, in God's kingdom, there's
many various people that God uses in various ways. Yes? In the Church of God, God gives
a list. Sometimes, you know, he calls
people to preach, sometimes to be pastors. sometimes to be people
that evangelize and go around towns perhaps goes around countries
sometimes he calls people to come and help other people to
direct other people to teach other people see God uses people
in his way as he sees fit and the important thing is for you
and me to know that God is looking upon us and is forming us for
something which is useful, will be useful in his kingdom. We
don't want to feel that, well, we rebel and we don't want to
be used. It's very humbling to think that
almighty God is taking us in hand and is graciously forming
us. We may not always understand
what's happening. We may not be able to see the
end of the product for some long time. You know, when you watch
a potter, sometimes it's a long time before the actual jar or
whatever it is, is finished. And it's changed shape quite
a lot. A potter's very clever. in order
to change the shape from time to time make it thinner, make
it fatter and various ways that the Apostle can work on it and
it's exactly the same with the Church of God God comes and works
in his people's lives to fit and prepare them for his work
And isn't that wonderful? To think that God takes us just
like a lump of clay. That's why we've got an illustration
like this. To show that it wasn't because
God saw us and he thought, well, there's a wonderful person. He's going to make a very wonderful
object. No, we don't know. But God knows. And the potter has in his mind
a very clear picture, usually, of what he wants to end up with. Perhaps someone's placed an order.
They want a particular kind of pot. And the potter's able to,
from his mind and his skill and his knowledge, to form that lump
of clay. into that pot or that vessel
which is wanted and will be suitable and will be able to be used. Well, that's wonderful, isn't
it? And as I said, if you get the opportunity, it's worthwhile
going and watching a potter. And as you do that, just think,
oh, I wonder how God is forming me. I wonder what shape I will
be. I wonder what God would direct
me to do in my little life. Well, it's good if you and I,
as we look at God's work, God's handiwork on us, to see what
shape we're being formed into and what work perhaps God is
directing us to. because God does direct us to
be used in his field, his gospel field and in his work and in
various ways and we should never despise, we should never be upset
if perhaps it appears that God's perhaps not making us quite the
pot that we thought you know we may sometimes have our views
what we want to do and what we want to be made. And because
we're naturally proud, we want to think that we're going to
be something which is important. Well, a small pot, an insignificant
pot, a very plain pot can sometimes be of great use and can sometimes
be used for many people's benefit. whereas perhaps a very intricate
and expensive type of pot may really not be used hardly at
all. So, we need to come and be willing for God to work upon
us as He sees fit. And the reality is that it's
very humbling to think that not a potter, but Almighty God is
working on us and is making us into something which will be
very useful in his kingdom. Well, I don't know what God has
in view for any of you. And some of you may know, some
of you may not know. Some of you may think you know.
And you may be wrong. We can sometimes form an opinion. And it's not always a right opinion. Because God has an overall plan. And it's wonderful to realize
that God has. looked upon us and is forming
us in the overall plan and I believe this that when we know that we're
willing to be something which is very insignificant but just
to be worked upon by God just to be used by God it's an amazing
blessing so you won't lay down some conditions and say well
I'm gonna be this and I want this you'll be made willing in
the Daiv Kon's power to be whatever type and whatever form God has
designed for you. The great blessing is to know
that God is using us and moulding us and not leaving us. to one
side. Sometimes a potty, you know,
he'll be working and doesn't like it and he'll take that lump
and put it on one side as something of no good. Well, you and I don't
want that, do we? We want to be used. We want God
to graciously form us and God's to very wonderfully mould us. How wonderful it is then if we
have that. And that's why we have this picture
for us. It's a very simple picture, isn't
it? And I'm sure all of you can understand
the picture that we have here of a potter. And then think,
apply it to your life and my life and to see how God is moulding
us. Moulding us into that which will
be Very useful. O house of Israel, you see, cannot
I do with you as this potter, and God has a perfect right to
do with you and me as he sees fit. Because it's God that gave
us life naturally, and it's God that gives us life spiritually,
and it's God that molds us for his use. So we see, don't we,
the greatness of God. And how wonderful to think that
that great almighty hand of God is upon us. And he's dealing
with us. Yes, he's molding us to be somebody
who's useful in his kingdom. Well, it's good to ponder these
things and to see whether they are true, when they do have a
right application in each of our lives. We have a number of
very useful illustrations, really, in the Word of God. We won't
go through them all, but just perhaps one or two which may
be useful to us. The Apostle Paul tells us when
he wrote the Epistle to the Romans, which is a very instructive book. And he tells us this, from perhaps
verse 18 in the 9th chapter. Therefore hath he mercy, on whom
he will have mercy. You can apply that. Therefore
will he mould, will he form, on whom he will have mercy. And how good it is for you and
me to see that God is using us, he's having mercy upon us. He's
not just left us as a lump of clay. Therefore hath he mercy
on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. Thou wilt say then unto me, why
doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay, but, O man, who art thou
that replyest against God? Shall the thing formed say to
him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Then he gives
this same illustration. Hath not the potter power over
the clay of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour and
another unto dishonor. See God has a perfect right and
yet it's wonderful if God is forming us into a vessel of honor,
something that will be useful. And so he goes on and tells us
what if God willing to show his wrath and to make his power known
endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to
destruction, and that he might make known the riches of his
glory on the vessels of mercy which he had aforeprepared unto
glory." Well, again, how important it is for you and me to look
into our hearts and to discern whether God is dealing with us
in love to our soul. And we are indeed being formed. And it's God's power. It's God's power. You and I can't
form ourselves. But God does and God can. And
what a wonderful blessing it is to know, therefore, that we're
dealing with this great God. Well, it's interesting, isn't
it, how we have this illustration of a potter again. Paul was very
familiar, no doubt, with the prophecy of Jeremiah and knew
about it, but is able to bring it to our mind here in this epistle
to the Romans. And also, again perhaps just
continuing in the Old Testament and turning to Isaiah where we
see in the 45th chapter of Isaiah and in the 9th verse Isaiah tells
us woe unto him that striveth with his maker that means that
if God is forming us And we don't like the shape that God's forming
us in. We don't like the plan that God
has for us. Perhaps we think we should be
more important. Perhaps we think we should be more beautiful and
more handsome. But this is what Isaiah says,
woe unto him that striveth with his maker. It's good if God makes
us willing to do whatever God sees fit for you and me. That's a wonderful blessing. And so, we're not to strive,
we're not to disagree, we're not to wriggle and try and think,
no, I don't really want this, I don't want this to happen in
my life. I can see the end of this and this is not good and
therefore I'll try and turn away from it I'll try and change it
my friends don't fight against God because you'll never win and you might find your life very
difficult because what it means is you're rebelling against God
were unto him that striveth with his maker. And then he says,
let the potsherd, a potsherd is a broken piece of china or
ceramic or it's that, and he said, let not the potsherd strive
with the potsherds of the earth. Show the clay, say to him that
fashioneth it, What makest thou, all thy work he hath no hands? Well unto him that saith unto
his father, What begettest thou? Or to the woman, what hast thou
brought forth? Thus saith the Lord, the Holy
One of Israel, and its Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning
my sons, concerning the work of my hands concerning me you
see it's good to inquire of our God what he's doing with us why
perhaps he's causing us to walk in a certain path his hands are
upon us and he's directing us in a certain way and we think
I don't understand this well you can come to God You can ask
Him. With the right spirit, the Lord
will show you, and the Lord will tell you. But you and I must
not come to God with our preconceived ideas. We need to come to God
with an open heart, an open will. to listen to what has for us,
and what a great blessing, and of what mercy. So let us not
be like these, worthy Isaiah says, woe unto him that striveth
with his Maker. I don't know. I don't know anything
really about your intimate lives at all. But you may be having
a great tussle with God. you don't want him to rule over
you you don't want what appears to be the plan for you to be
worked out you want something perhaps in your view far better
now just remember this God knows the end from the beginning and
you can take that when you see a potter a potter starts off
And when he starts you may think, why is he doing it like that? Why is he working on it like
that? The potter knows what he will
do. The potter sees the end object. My friends, just the same with
Almighty God. He knows. exactly what he will
do for you and me. And you and I must remember this. Almighty God works upon us so
that we are being prepared not only to serve him on this earth,
but we're also being prepared for our eternal home. So it's good therefore to come
before God and to submit ourselves under the mighty hand of God
that he may exalt us in due time. And again such exaltation may
not always be what you and I thought it would be. How it will work
out? We're often very ignorant and
we're very proud and yet how humbling it is to think that
God takes us and gives us perhaps the meanest job in the church
of God and yet you see what a blessing to be involved through Almighty
God. Well it's wonderful isn't it?
We have this simple illustration and in the Ephesians also God
gives us a picture and tells us about this and in the second
of Ephesians which of course is a Wonderful chapter is one
that I refer to quite often as you well known. I'm not ashamed
of that because it's so wonderful But as we go on down this second
chapter He comes to this very well-known verse for by grace
are you saved? through faith and That none of
yourselves it is the gift of God and don't forget that But
what God does for us is His gift is not something that you and
I deserve at all. Not of works, lest any man should
boast. And then He tells us, for we,
His people, are His workmanship. We evidence the hand of God upon
us. In that, that He's working on. And you know that hand of God
is a very gracious hand. And what it's doing is this.
It's making us, you and me, conformable unto his image. It's making us
like himself. That's a very great thought,
isn't it? And yet it's a very great truth to the people of
God. And so he says, for we are his
workmanship. created in Christ Jesus unto
good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk
in them. Now, a potter has a plan on what
he's going to form from that lump of clay. That's not a very
good illustration in one sense because God has a perfect plan. God doesn't make any mistakes
in his plan. It may sometimes appear that
he's making a mistake, but he's not. God has a perfect plan,
which he has ordained, which we should walk in them. You see, God is forming us in
accordance with his plan And you and I are to walk in accordance
with that plan. And so he just tells us then,
wherefore remember. We're not very good at remembering,
are we? Things that we don't want to, we don't like. We kind
of get them out of our mind. But no, says Paul, wherefore
remember that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh and
of course the Gentiles in the flesh were those which hadn't
been converted initially and Who are called uncircumcision
By that which is called the circumcision in the flesh made by hands that
at that time Ye were without Christ all of us have been there
and are we still there? at that time ye were without
Christ being aliens, enemies from the commonwealth of Israel
strangers from the covenants of promise having no hope and
without God in the world. Well, everybody is born into
the world like that. What a blessing if there's been
a change. What a blessing if the heavenly
potter has put his hand upon us and is moulding us. Because the apostle goes on,
but now, but now, Now in Christ Jesus, ye who sometimes
were far off, didn't care about the things of God, didn't want
to know anything about the things of God, are made nigh, brought nigh,
and it tells us the wonderful secret by the blood of Christ. It's the blood of Christ that
cleanses us from all sin. That's the wonderful truth. And
how blessed it is when God then moulds us and shows us where
black sinners are needing the cleansing blood of the Saviour.
Oh, my friends, the heavenly potter's moulding us. It's wonderful,
isn't it, to think of that. For he is our peace, who hath
made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition
between us. Well, it's a grand truth. There's many other examples in
the Word of God that pick up this pattern, and it will be
good to look through the Word of God and see if you can find
other examples of which compare with this and encourage us to
believe that what God describes here to Jeremiah so clearly about
this type of a potter, there are those other illustrations
which direct us. Well, this morning, the great
question is whether God's hand is upon us. As we think of the
natural potter, compare it with a heavenly potter. as the natural
potter has a lump of clay so the heavenly potter deals with
you and me as a lump of clay and moulds us as a vessel then
fit for his use and also fit eventually to be taken home to
glory and so remember this sixth verse O house of Israel O church
of God Cannot I do with you, as this potter? Yes, it can. Saith the Lord,
behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine
hand, O house of Israel. A great blessing, if that is
so. Amen. Closing hymn in worship this
morning, hymn 792, Faith's Gift to Us, 792, to the tune Durham,
tune 27. 792, Faith in the Bleeding Lamb,
O what a gift is this! Hope of salvation in His name,
how comfortable And the seventh verse fits in
with the subject this morning, perhaps, of all that God bestows
In earth or heaven above, that best gift saint or angel knows,
or heir will know his love. Love all defects, supplies, makes
great obstruction small. Tis prayer, tis praise, tis sacrifice,
tis holiness, tis all. Hymn 792. of God's own. He comes and goes like a river
in the storm. God bless you. you ? The first creation was born ?
? And the second is born today ? ? It is born, it is born, it
is born today ? God's love is great, strong,
unbending. Amen. Now may the grace of our Lord
and Saviour Jesus Christ, and the love of God our Father, and
the fellowship and communion of the Eternal Spirit, Rest and
abide with us each, now and for evermore. Amen.