The Process

THE PROCESS

Jer. 18:2-4

Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.

3 Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.

4 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.

INTRODUCTION:

1. Life is a process. It has its high and lows; victories and defeats; gains and losses.

2. Science tells us of the 7 Life Processes:

a. Respiration (turning food into energy),

b. Excretion (getting rid of waste),

c. Reproduction (producing offspring),

d. Growth (getting to adult size),

e. movement (moving parts of the body),

f. nutrition (getting food to stay alive),

g. Sensitivity (responding & reacting). An organism is only alive if it does those things.

3. In like manner the Child of God has to go through some processes to become all that God intends.

4. God offers to make the process rewarding and fulfilling for us.

5. He has a purpose for the process: that purpose is declared in 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.”

6. The message today will help us recognize where we are in the process as God is working to give us the EXPECTED END.

The Power of the Potter in molding the clay is used to illustrate the absolute power that God has in molding the destinies of men. Rom. 9:21 ‘Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

7. Today we will compare the work of the Potter in the making of a vessel and that of God in the making of a SAINT.

A. CHOOSING THE CLAY- Removing the clay from a river bank of some water source.

a. Me chosen from 7 billion people on the planet.

b. Not the best of my family but God still chose me.

c. Chosen before the foundation of the world in Christ Jesus.

1 Cor. 1:27-29 “ But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.

1 Pet. 2:9 “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

B. WEDGING- the process of removing AIR BUBBLES from the clay.

The potter uses his hand to press out the bubbles. Sometimes he is forced to walk on the lump to ensure enough pressure is placed there to get rid of the unwanted air.

1. In the kiln air bubbles will expand and have wart like bubbles or even break.

2. Pride is dangerous to our spiritual health.

3. Pride goes before a fall, and a haughty spirit before destruction. Prov. 16:18

4. …For God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. 1 Pet. 5:5

5. Note that the clay is kept in a container of water. The water must cover the clay. The more the better. The water keeps the clay soft and pliable.

6. We need the WORD. Must be cover in the Word of God.

7. We must yield to the pressure we go through so that God can truly purge us.

C. THROWING-forming on the piece on the wheel.

The potter uses his hands to apply pressure to the clay as it revolves on the wheel. The pressure he applies is to bring the vessel into form.

1. To place oneself in the hands of the Potter is a striking figure of complete trust and surrender.

D. ALTERING- A technique in which the potter’s hands alters the clay body of the vessel. This process is done while the clay is still wet.

a. A carving knife is then used to carve out the design which makes the vessel unique.

b. This can be the time of our resistance. We want our own way: to be our own man/woman. God has to make the adjustments.

c. Jer. 18: 3 – The potter had to make over the vessel that had gone wrong on the wheel.

E. BISQUING- Leaving the vessel out in the sun to dry.

1) In the sun we become fragile.

2) Easily offended/ hurt by the word and actions of others around. We have to be handled carefully.