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Jeremiah 18:1-4 “The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah, saying: 2 Get up and go to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear my words. 3 And I went down to the potter’s house, and behold, he was working on the wheel. 4 And the earthen pot that he made spoiled in his hand; and he returned and made her another vessel, as he thought it best to make her.”
Introduction:
Pottery is an ancient art of making clay or ceramic pots (similar process) processes:
1. The Potter: takes the clay in his hands and kneads it.
2. The clay: already kneaded (stirred and soft) is placed on the wheel.
3. The wheel: instrument where the clay is placed and turning it shapes the clay in a vessel.
4. The oven: once the pot has been prepared and dried, it is placed in the oven to sew it and make it very hard.
I. GOD IS THE POTTER: (craftsman who makes pots, clay pots)
A. Our lives are in the hands of God. Isaiah. 64:8 tells us: “Now therefore, Jehovah, you are our father; we clay, and you who formed us; so the work of your hands are all of us.”
B. God the potter has a plan for us:
C. The potter has a perfect plan for the clay; he sees in his mind the finished product. God has a perfect plan for our lives. Like a craftsman or architect. See an angel, etc. Ephesians. 2:10 tells us, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Philippians. 1:6 tells us, “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ.”
D. We cannot see the finished product, but He promises us that it is wonderful. A BEAUTIFUL FUTURE (there is a purpose to our lives) 1 Cor. 2:9 tells us: “Rather, as it is written: Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, nor have conceived in the heart of man, what God he has prepared for those who love him.”
E. The potter works using the hands of others to help shape us: parents, teachers, other believers, even those who persecute us.
II. WE ARE THE MUD. (Land used to make pots) —
Ro. 9:20-24 tells us: “But before that, O man, who are you, that you quarrel with God? Will he say the earthen vessel to him who formed it: Why have you made me like this? Or does not the potter have power over the clay, to make from the same mass a vessel for honor and another for dishonor? And what if God, wanting to show his wrath and make his power known, patiently endured the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, and to make known the riches of his glory, he showed them to the vessels of mercy that he prepared? beforehand to glory, whom he also called, that is, us, not only of the Jews, but also of the Gentiles?”
A. Of course, in Jeremiah’s message the clay represents our lives. Believers are God’s vessels, molded by Him to contain the treasure of the gospel. 2 Timothy. 2: 19-21 “But the foundation of God stands firm, having this seal: The Lord knows those who are his; and let everyone who calls on the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a big house, there are not only gold and silver utensils, but also wooden and clay ones; and some are for honorable uses, and others for vile uses. So if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be an instrument to honor, sanctified, useful to the Lord, and prepared for every good work.”
B. Human beings are made of clay; mud is powder mixed with water. We are dust, “Because he knows our condition, he remembers that we are dust” (Psalms.103: 14)
C. The most important quality of clay is that it is subjected to the hands of the potter, it will be ruined. The clay cannot mold itself by itself, it has to have the potter. He wants us to cooperate in prayer, meditation, obedience to his will and surrender to his DIVINE touch.
D. Transformation: If we are not transformed by God we continue to be muddy dust on the road.
III. LIFE IS A WHEEL.
A. The wheel will spin quickly, speed is controlled by the potter. Our lives are not controlled by luck or chance. God arranges the circumstances of life that shape us. Romans 8:28 All things work together for good
B. Young Joseph: slave in Egypt became governor of Egypt.
C. Elijah was a man who fled through the desert and wanted to die on a certain occasion, and then God took him out of that spiritual depression and led him to a more prosperous ministry. (The Prophet of Fire)
D. Jesus “learned obedience by what he suffered” was given a man who is above all names.
E. Opposition to the change of the potter.
F. Accept sin as normal.
G. They find prayer life boring.
H. Have your feet in the church and your eyes on the world.
I. Spiritual passivity.
V. THE TRIALS ARE THE OVEN.
Life must have its ovens.
A. (IT IS PROVEN)
1. OUR LOYALTY. Follow him despite the adverse circumstances.
2. FAITH. Believing God in the impossible.
3. PATIENCE. Learn to wait on Him.
4. LOVE. Learn to love and forgive.
5. CHARACTER. Allow him to mold and correct our character.
6. MEEKNESS. Support those around us.
B. Heat gives clay strength and beauty, and increases its usefulness and value.
1. Job passed through the furnace of pain (Job 23:10) his goods were multiplied.
2. The three young Hebrews were thrown into the furnace and found that the Potter was there in the fire with them. (Dan. 3: 19-25)
a. God knows how hot the oven is and how much we can take 1 Cor.10:13 God is present in trials.
b. When trials come let us surrender to the Potter and allow him to do his will in our lives.
c. The fiery furnace heated 7 times (v-19) The 3 young Hebrews: King Nebuchadnezzar = type of Satan. Ananas=sadrac (Jehovah covers) Misael=Mesach (Whom Jehovah Helps) Azarias=Abed-nego (Who belongs to God) — The image of Nebuchadnezzar: 60 height, 6 width, 6 instruments.
d. Destruction of our enemies in War. (v 20-22) Dead executioners.
and. Bindings destroyed in the test furnace. (v23-25) -ties cloaks, leggings, turbans, dresses. His bonds burned. F. Shimmering like Gold. A Celestial character. (v25) Son of Gods aspect.
conclusion
God is glorified in the midst of trials.
Critical times are those of greatest glory: The church was more powerful in persecution. It was born and developed in the middle of the test.
New attitudes.
new will.
Live a life with a purpose.
Who am I, what do I want to achieve in this life and what will be my eternal future.
When these concepts are present, your yearning, like that of an athlete, will be to extend yourself forward.
4. A new year is another opportunity for us to bear fruit.
Luke 13:6-9 He also told this parable: A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it, and found none. 7Y he said to the vinedresser: Behold, for three years that I come to look for fruit in this fig tree, and I do not find it; cut it off; Why does the land also useless? 8 He then he, answering, said to him: Sir, leave it still this year, until I dig around it, and fertilize it. 9 And if it bears fruit, well; and if not, you will cut it later.
– Three years, consecutively. – He looked for the desired fruit, but did not find it. – The gardener was ordered to cut it down so that it would not render the land unusable. – The owner was asked for mercy so that he would leave her for another year. – He promised to do something else (better prepare the land) so that it would bear fruit.
If after this nothing happens, then the fig tree will have to be cut down.
John 15:8 “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so be my disciples”
The Christian life was designed to bear much fruit.
– A victorious life. – A testimony of Christian integrity. – Victory over Satan and demons. – Victory over temptation and sin. – Good family relationships. – Better relationships with those around us. – Produce another believer – Like the apple tree that produces apples. – More economic support for his work. – Apply our talents to the work of his church.
What balance will we present for the year 2011?
SIMILARITIES OF HUMAN LIFE AND TIME PSALM 90
1. Life is like a day.(4) “A thousand years before your eyes are like yesterday, which is past 2 Pe. 3:8
2. Life is like a watch.(4) “Like one of the watches of the night” 3 hours 180 minutes of the clock.
3. Life is like a torrent of water. (5) “You snatch them away as with torrents of water”
The torrent of water suggests the idea of precipitation, of speed, of passage.
4. Life is like a dream. (5) “They are like a dream: unreal, fantastic, temporary, perishable.
In dreams we can be very rich, we can fly, we can travel, we can be with famous people
When you wake up you will be able to say, “what a pity that was a dream!” Or “thank goodness it was a dream!
5. Life is like the grass of the field. (5-6) “Like the grass that grows in the morning. In the morning it blooms and grows, in the evening it is cut down and dries up.
All the glory of man and woman is vanity.
6. Life is like a thought.(9) “We end our years as a thought”
Human life, seen from above, only lasts thousandths of a second. We need a second for some thought to come. It just comes or goes!
The human end. (10) “The days of our age are seventy years: and if in the most robust they are eighty years, with everything, their strength is trouble and work, because soon they pass and we fly”
Each birthday is a sign of wear and tear and the end of our existence.
Work, tiredness and illnesses. Our physical condition is not better the older we are.
The important thing is not how many years we will live but how we live them and take advantage of time.
God bless you and this year be of multiple blessings with your family.
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