How many of you could use some hope today? Welcome to the Potter’s House. You might have come in the doors this morning and you are going through some things that others in the place don’t even know about. You might be suffering from a medical condition and you could use some hope. Welcome to the Potter’s House. You might have just figured out your bills last night and even though you hear on the news of the economic prosperity in America, your financial picture is not one of prosperity but of poverty and you need some hope. Welcome to the Potter’s House. You kids might be in rebellion, welcome to the Potter’s House. Your might have been betrayed by a spouse, welcome to the Potter’s House. Work may not be a weekly celebration, welcome to the Potter’s House. People, there is hope today because we have come into the Potter’s House. The Bible is filled with broken people but there is hope, in the Potter’s House. In Daniel 4 we read of King Nebuchadnessar, remember him? One minute he is the king of the Babylonian Empire, the next we find him out with the cows grazing in the field. One minute he is given a warning, like many of us have received in our lives warnings of pending disaster if we keep the course we are living, and like many of us the king pushed the limits, and suffered the consequence, he paid the price, he became broken, in need of hope. Fortunately for him there was someone in his court, Daniel, a man of prayer who walked in the Potter’s House. We have been praying for you as well, that hope would well up inside of you before you leave today, that you, like King Nebuchadnezzar will find hope in the Potter’s House. In Daniel 4:37 he said, Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven because everything he does is right and all his ways are just and those who walk in pride he is able to humble. He is able…able to not only humble, but able to bring hope into your situations. Welcome to the Potter’s House.
Jeremiah 18:1-6: This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord. Go down to the potters house and there I will give you my message. So I went down to the potters house and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Then the word of the Lord came to me, O house of Israel, can I not do with you as the potter does? Declares the Lord. Like clay in the hands of the potter, so are you in my hands.
Isaiah 64:8 says, Yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay. You are the Potter, we are the works of your hand.
Watch this video, the Potter’s Hand…
In your notes today there is a place for you to write your thoughts about being in the Potter’s hand. I want to encourage you to journal, learn the art of writing your thoughts, hopes and dreams out, being honest with yourself. I want to share some thoughts from the Potter’s Hand with you from the chorus of this song.
TAKE ME: Are you willing to say “Lord, I’m am yours willingly, without reservation.” You might be here this morning and you are in need of hope, but you have never asked the Potter to take you. Oh, He wants to, standing willing in the studio of life, waiting for you to surrender from trying to do things in your own power. He is waiting right now for some to say Lord, I confess you as my Savior and ask you to forgive me of my sins and I want you to take me right now without reservation and place me on your Potter’s wheel. If you ask, he will do it…in fact, lets take a moment right now to pause in the service to do this most important work so the Potter can being His work in you, or maybe you are here and have not surrendered unconditionally to God, you have said yes, but…well, it is time to get your but out of his way and just say yes, Lord, yes…so lets pray…
You might want to write in your notes under take me today’s date, a date you willingly and unconditionally surrendered to God and said take me…now we move to the next stage…
MOLD ME. Can I encourage you not to be a concrete Christian…all mixed up and permanently set. This is a stage that takes submission. When you get married, and you say I do to each other, the take me, I’ll take you words, it isn’t long until you find there is submission involved in the relationship. Divorces happen when couples become unable to mold their lives around each other, to submit one to the other. If you have been married long you begin to see the molding that has taken place, and boy have I been molded. Well as masterful a job as Laura has done in molding me God has done an even greater work as I have allowed myself to be spun on the Potter’s Wheel. It has not always been easy, at times I have rebelled and have been lumped down and reshaped, but I am thankful. How many of you are ready to call out to God and say mold me Lord. If that is your desire, just jot a note to yourself there in the sermon notes, just so you don’t forget when the shaping comes.
USE ME. I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, it says in Jeremiah 29. The plans are to be used by God. Some of you have been attending here for some time, others of you are fairly new in our fellowship but you haven’t made a transition in your life to be one who is used by God. Today is going to be a first step for some of you. You are going to write down in the notes, call the pastor this week and set an appointment to meet to find out where I can be of use to God’s Kingdom. Deep down you know God wants to use you, well it is time to take a step of faith for in the Potter’s House there is not only hope, but there is joy in doing the task of the Potter…you are in for an exciting experience.
FILL ME. Another part of the Potter’s joy is filling his vessels…He takes delight in filling us with the Holy Spirit and then on the wheel of life spinning out our imperfections as we take on the gifts and fruit of the Spirit. The Potter fills us and our cup runs over with His goodness. Say this with me…Fill me Lord…Fill me Lord…Fill me Lord…
Let me tell you why He does these things…it is like the song says, I GIVE MY LIFE TO THE POTTER’S HAND. Oh Lord, you are the Potter, and we are the clay…we give out lives to you.
It is not just a matter of being shaped and formed on the wheel. That is only the start in the Potter’s House. Then the Potter takes the clay and puts it in the oven to be baked and glazed and perfected. The chorus had other words to describe this process…
CALL ME A problem we have is that we want God to call us but we don’t know where we are called, or we are afraid of where He might call us. Where are you at right now? Well, this is your starting point, your launching pad, God calls us where we are at, right now we have been called to touch Seattle and the surrounding communities with the Good News of Jesus Christ. You might want to make a note to have God show you the way you can make a greater impact with the call He has given you.
GUIDE ME Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Don’t be a lone ranger, seek guidance from God and fellowship with other believers. Find a mentor, be a mentor. Live a life of divine wisdom, that is what the Potter shares in His house.
LEAD ME The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me, your rod and your staff they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
WALK BESIDE ME. I was reflecting on this thought, walk beside me, and I remember the walks Laura and I had along the beach in Oregon. What a delight it was to stroll along the beach, to feel the waves pounding against the surf and breathing in the salty air. What a delight it is to talk a walk with her anywhere, to hold hands and just enjoy the time together, sometimes with words, sometimes in silence, but always with joy because we delight in each others company. Did you know the Lord delights in you and enjoys walking beside you…learn to cherish the moments as you stroll through life…daily invite the Lord to walk beside you on your journey.
I GIVE MY LIFE TO THE POTTERS HAND. Romans 12:1, Therefore I urge you brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God---this is your spiritual act of worship.
I began with a question of hope and circumstances, welcoming you into the Potter’s House. An invitation to a journey of a lifetime. People, we are the clay, the potter’s wheel is the turning circumstances of our lives, and the Potter is God and the adventure has begun.
The worship team is going to come and close us in song. Some of you as I was speaking began to make some decisions, important decision about God and your relationship. I want to give you an opportunity for prayer while the team sings. I want to agree with you. For some, you have made a decision to follow Christ, or renewed your commitment to Him and I want to agree with you in prayer. Others have decided to make that call to my office this week to set an appointment, and I want you to let me know I can expect a phone call, and for others you are desiring that feeling of the Spirit. What ever decision you have made, I am here to pray and agree with you, standing with you as we stand in the Potter’s House, so you come and join me here at the altar.
