Sunday, August 11, 2013

You Got Me Going in Circles

Pericope: Jeremiah 18: 1 - 12 
Sermon Text: Jeremiah 18: 3, 4 So I went down to the potter's house, and I saw him working at the wheel (4) 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.
Sermon Title: You Got Me Going in Circles Pt. 2
BP: Move the hearers to trust God
Introduction:  This morning I want to ask the question what or who is making you dizzy? Bills? Family? Decisions? Future? Past? Job? Finances? Hurt? Unresolved issues? You will admit the list can go on and on. Truth be told there is always something that is making you dizzy or have the potential of making you dizzy. There is a way to get off life's Merry-Go-Round.
Context: In this famous text Jeremiah is again telling the nation of Israel to submit to the will of God and trust the process of God making them into the nation he originally intended them to be. Jeremiah is reminding Israel they are on the Merry-Go-Round of ignoring God and it is going to cost them dearly. So God has Jeremiah to use the analogy of a potter's wheel in hopes of getting them to understand and accept what God is up to. There are several valuable lessons we can get from what Jeremiah is telling Israel. They are: (1) You have to be in the Right Place. (2) You have to be in the Right Hands. (3) You to have the Right Response.
Point 1: The Right Place...vs. 2 "Go down to the potter's house, and there I will give you my message."
        I am captivated by what God tells Jeremiah to do in order to hear from him. He tells Jeremiah before he will give him a word he must go to a specific place. Before he will tell Jeremiah what to say he has to get Jeremiah to a certain place. Not just any place. Now if God is everywhere at the same time with equal amount of power why would he need Jeremiah to go to a specific place before he could get insight and instructions for Israel? If they were hurting that bad you would think God would just tell Jeremiah as he walked along the way. Well any old place won't do for God. Clearly it matters what place you are in to get the right word for your life.
        The place God wants Jeremiah to go is south of the Temple near a valley. It is where the Israelites find their clay so they can make pots. Potters are popular because they make things that everybody needs and uses. From Kings to peasants use the services of the potters. The potters set up shop at this place because everything they needed was there. God wanted Jeremiah to go to this place before God would say a word. God is always trying to get you and I to a place where everything you need is there. God is always trying to get you and I to a place where He can speak without interference. God is always trying to get us to a certain place; spiritually, physically and emotionally.  
        For Adam and Eve it was the Garden of Eden. That was the place where God placed them in paradise.
(a) For Moses it was the burning bush. That was the place where God got his attention!
(b) For the Children of Israel, after Egypt, it was the Red Sea. Then it was Mt Sinai where they received the word.
(c) For Abraham it was the place that God was going to show him. That was the place of promise
(d) For Joshua it was the Jordan river. That was the place of the fulfillment of God's promises!
(e) For Peter it was walking on water. That was the place of miracles!
(f) For Nicodemus it was the dark of night and Zacheus it was in a sycamore tree. That was the place of salvation!
        At some point in your life you must ask yourself the question are you in the right place for God to speak to you? Many times we are not in the right place because we simply do not obey God. Notice Jeremiah didn't question God when God told him to go to the Potters House THEN he would speak to him. Jeremiah simply followed instructions. So should we. When we do we will get to the place God wants us.
Transition: It's at that place you will be molded.
Point 2: The Molding...vs. 3b and I saw him working at the wheel.
        When Jeremiah gets to that place he sees the potter's wheel. And the potter is doing what a potter does. He is making pots... vs. 4 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. The word marred means to make again. It is the process by which the potter takes clay that seems to have no more use or value and starts over. That's so exciting to see that's what God wants Jeremiah to see. Why? He wants Jeremiah to see even though Israel has messed up, like the potter does not throw away clay, God will not throw Israel away. He will simply start over. This shows the grace of God because God wants to work with Israel.
        God does not throw Israel a way even though they deserve it. God does not throw us a way even though we deserve it. He keeps us and keeps working with us. Just like God was telling Israel in vss.7 - 10. READ them. Notice four times the word 'if' is used. Does that sound like someone who wants to destroy Israel or work with Israel even though Israel is messing up? Israel and you and I have input to our destiny. Notice the 'If then' statements! When you read the text it sounds like a parent who knows their child has earned a spanking but does not want to give them what they so rightly deserve. So it is with God and us! God wants to work with you but you have to repent. DEMONSTRATE 3 broken glasses/clay
        The way the potter molds the clay again he places it on the wheel. I like to call it the "wheel of grace." The wheel is all the circumstances, situations, mistakes, and sins we make continually but God just keeps on spinning. Then he puts water on the clay and finally shapes it with his hand. DEMONSTRATE dried clay          
        Just like the potter puts clay on a wheel and spin it to make a pot God was spinning Israel. Not only is God spinning Israel He is spinning you and I to make us into the person he wants us to be. Hold on. Don't get discouraged because things seem like they are spinning out of control. That’s by design. The only way God can create something new is spin you. The more he spins you or permits you to be spun, the greater anointing he will create in your life. The more he spins you the stronger you will be. The more he spins you the greater the vessel he will make from you. The more he spins you the more he forgives you… CAN YOU SHOUT LET THE SPIN CYCLE SPIN.
Transition: In God's potters house, in God's hands, on God's wheel means there must be some godly results.
Point 3: The Right Response... vs. 12 It's no use. We will continue with our own plans; each of us will follow the stubbornness of his [own] evil heart.
        Now the results of the potter spinning is not that good for Israel. They continued their disobedient ways. Despite God's warnings. Despite God talking to them for 40 years they refused to change their behavior.
        Have you ever felt like ITS NO USE You might as well continue doing what you are doing. You tried it God’s way for a little while and you didn’t get the results you were hoping for. Paul said be not weary in well doing you will reap if you faint not. Have you ever felt like it's no use no matter what things aren’t going to change. Have you ever felt like I’m too far gone? There is no turning back. Have you ever felt like what’s the use my sins haven’t really cost me? Have you ever felt like even though I know it’s wrong I’m addicted to what I’m doing? That's how Israel felt. At first you read their response to God and you say they can turn back to God it’s not too late. You can see it and I’m sure they could too but they didn’t stop what they were doing. The hand writing is on the wall what will happen if they don’t. The same is true for you. ITS NOT TOO LATE. YOU CAN STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING.
        Your results DO NOT HAVE TO BE LIKE ISRAEL. Your results can be peace of mind. Your results can be a happy home. Your results can be a new job, new relationships and blessings that run you down and over take you. But you cannot do it your way. You must submit your life to God so he can use all your failures and problems to get the result only he can get.
Conclusion: A king who wished to express his affection for a private soldier of his army gave him a richly jeweled cup, his own cup. The soldier, stepping forth to receive the gift, exclaimed shamefacedly, "This is too great a gift for me to receive." "It is not too great for me to give," the king replied. As God gave Israel something they didn’t deserve He is giving you and I something we don’t deserve Jesus Christ. All we have to do is get in The Right Place accept his Wheel of grace and have the Right Response.


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