Touch of the Masters Hand

Joke

A church had a picnic and invited the entire community to come. The Pastor placed a basket full of apples on one end of a table with a sign saying, "Take only one apple please - Remember that God is watching."

On the other end of the table was a plate of cookies where one of the children had taken a handful and his friend said “only take one, we might get in trouble!” to which the boy replied, “don’t worry God is over by the apples!”

Open

Control Issues

On a scale of 1 to 10 where would you put how much you need to control? 1 being not at all and 10 being a control freak.

You can’t really blame us. Most of the time it’s not to bad of a thing. If you miss a dosage of medication, you can get into some trouble. If you forget you are having company it can be quite the surprise. If you don’t show up to work on time or at all because you don’t know your schedule you might not work there to long. Control is ok as long as it doesn’t go to far. For people who have control issues we need things done a certain way. When they don’t get done that way people either roll with the punches and pivot, or anarchy ensues at least in our brains.

For Christians we like to assume that when we receive God’s gift of Salvation the plan is set. The whole map is laid out. And we are waiting for heaven. When God then comes in to our lives and calls an audible telling us to go in a direction in our lives that we were never planning on going in, we have an issue. Our way, as long as we are still God’s child is often in our head the better way.

In the book Experiencing God: God’s plan for my life vs God’s plan

I have been reading through a book by Henry Blackaby called Experiencing God. You might have heard of it. In the book Mr. Blackaby makes an interesting statement. Instead of asking what is God’s plan for our lives, we should ask what is God’s plan. Instead of seeing God as a map that gives us our full lives journey we need God to be sitting in the seat next to us giving us daily directions like a Holy GPS for our lives. If this happens our full lives rely on God’s direction instead of our own understanding of reading the map that we feel He should give us. We want the results that are promised us but often fight the plans that are meant to lead us there.

We are going to see today as we see so often in the Bible that God’s chosen people have a problem looking at and following God’s plan. Even though God is going to bring them home from Babylon and restore Jerusalem to His people. Thanks to Cyrus who is being prophesied about here. They think their way is better. They just cannot believe in God’s plan.

I am not a history major but let me give you some basic history. I have to say I should have paid more attention so I wanted to know more about this Cyrus. According to the internet.

Cyrus is a king mentioned more than 30 times in the Bible and is identified as Cyrus the Great (also Cyrus II or Cyrus the Elder) who reigned over Persia between 539—530 BC. This pagan king is important in Jewish history because it was under his rule that Jews were first allowed to return to Israel after 70 years of captivity. In one of the most amazing prophecies of the Bible, The Lord revealed Cyrus’s decree to free the Jews to Isaiah. One hundred fifty years before Cyrus lived.

I would like to think that I would treat the situation better. But I hate waiting for anything!

This plan doesn’t work for the Israelites.

We are in Isaiah 45. Turn with me there.

Our Ideas

Lets start with Isaiah 45:9-10

Isaiah 45:9–10 (ESV)

“Woe to him who strives with him who formed him,

a pot among earthen pots!

Does the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’

or ‘Your work has no handles’?

Woe to him who says to a father, ‘What are you begetting?’

or to a woman, ‘With what are you in labor?’ ”

As I told you earlier, the Israelites are not happy with God’s plan. God needs them to see that He is the creator and he knows better than they do. Despite what they might think. To do that God needs them to see why they are wrong.

Their complaint deals with their unhappiness about what God has planned for their future, even though the specific content of their complaint is not quoted.

Isaiah gives the reader 2 examples of how they are wrong. The first one is...

Clay

How many times have you heard sermons about God being the potter and we are the clay? Depending on how long you have sat in a pew or chair at church most likely quite a few. Those sermons are fairly famous and quite frankly a perfect metaphor and yet we still struggle to relinquish control.

Here Isaiah is not being gentle to start out with. Imagine the gaul of the created arguing with the creator. Clay is nothing but a blob. Completely without form until the creator/potter sits down prepares it, and forms it. The clay does not decide what it will be. It does not decide its design or how it will be used. This is what is being said here. This is what the Israelites are doing to God. They are telling God that his design for them is flawed. Not good enough.

Romans 9:20–21 (ESV)

But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?

The lump of clay’s existence on the planet. What it will be. What it will do. What it will look like all depends on the potter and his decisions. Why…because the potter is the master.

Secondly Isaiah uses...

Parenting

How many parents are here? Imagine that you announce to your first child that you are going to be blessed with another child. Now imagine that your first child comes to you and asks you why you are having another child, not in that cute kids say the darndest things kind of way, but in an accusatory how dare you sort of way. That you should not be having another kid. You as the parents shouldn’t make that decision. How would you react?

I think we all agree a Child should not question their parents. It is a parents job to look after and bring up a child the best way the parent thinks possible.

Likewise, it is absurd for God’s children to question what He does or His plans for there life. I understand that absurd might sound like a strong word, but it fits. The definition of absurd is wildly unreasonable, illogical, or inappropriate. This is the literal creator of the universe. The alpha, the omega. All knowing, all seeing, all powerful, and we may know better. I think absurd fits well don’t you?

After the reprimand is over, God needs to reassure His people and remind them who He is and why they can trust him. (Thank God for his patience.)

Why would anyone who calls themselves one of God’s children question Him? This is the question that we get with the second part of our scripture.

The Master Plan

Isaiah 45:11–13 (ESV)

Thus says the Lord,

the Holy One of Israel, and the one who formed him:

“Ask me of things to come;

will you command me concerning my children and the work of my hands?

I made the earth

and created man on it;

it was my hands that stretched out the heavens,

and I commanded all their host.

I have stirred him up in righteousness,

and I will make all his ways level;

he shall build my city

and set my exiles free,

not for price or reward,”

says the Lord of hosts.

TO START: “Ask me of things to come” it as if God is saying, “should you ask me of my plans for my children?” Not in a mean way but in more of a reassuring I got this sort of way.

God is re-assuring His people that not only will Cyrus (who didn’t recognize our God as God) save them and restore Jerusalem, but it is all God’s plan and if you doubt it look at the power of His hands.

PART 2:

”I made the earth

and created man on it;

it was my hands that stretched out the heavens,

and I commanded all their host.

This is not boastful. This is fact. God is reminding the people who He is. The power He possesses and it is a amazing picture to imagine. It is easy for us to remember that God created the earth, man, and everything on it. But then you consider the cosmos. Something that we as man have barely been able to scratch the surface of. We look up when it is clear without lights and the sight blows you away. The Stars, the planets, the unknown. God tells us that He stretches out His hands and He controls it ALL! Everything you see, everything that you do not see. He can play and command them at will. Yet we struggle to trust His plan for our everyday life.

Psalm 147:4–5 (ESV)

He determines the number of the stars;

he gives to all of them their names.

Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;

his understanding is beyond measure.

This portion of scripture solidifies God plan for Cyrus and the Israelites. Not because Cyrus is a superhero. Not because He is better than anyone else. in fact according to Josephus’ “When Cyrus read this, and admired the divine power, an earnest desire and ambition seized upon him to fulfil what was so written.” He didnt believe but even he saw Gods plan. We can now see that is the plan that God set forth for His people and that is the plan that will come to pass. Why because the Lord of hosts said so thats why.

The Touch of the Masters Hand

If you doubt the power of the Lord and His plan for His people all you have to do is look at the history of Israel. Israel is comparable in size to the state of New Jersey. One of our smallest states. Over the centuries they have had to defend themselves against enemies time after time, yet they stand. They will continue to stand, not because they have such a powerful military (even though they do.) Not because they have powerful “friends” like us. Israel will thrive because they are God’s people and that is His plan.

There was a poem written in the 1920s. It became a famous song and even a movie. I think it describes our relationship with God and His plan very well.

Touch of the Masters Hand

Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer       Thought it scarcely worth his while To waste much time on the old violin,       But held it up with a smile. "What am I bidden, good folks," he cried,     "Who'll start the bidding for me?" "A dollar, a dollar. Then two! Only two?       Two dollars, and who'll make it three?" "Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice;       Going for three…" But no, From the room, far back, a grey-haired man       Came forward and picked up the bow; Then wiping the dust from the old violin,       And tightening the loosened strings, He played a melody pure and sweet,       As a caroling angel sings. The music ceased, and the auctioneer,       With a voice that was quiet and low, Said: "What am I bid for the old violin?"       And he held it up with the bow. "A thousand dollars, and who'll make it two?       Two thousand! And who'll make it three? Three thousand, once; three thousand, twice,     And going and gone," said he. The people cheered, but some of them cried,     "We do not quite understand. What changed its worth?" Swift came the reply:     "The touch of the Master's hand."

It is good to be reminded that we are simply lumps of clay that have no real direction without our maker. I want to leave you with a thought. Why is that a bad thing? We should be nothing short of ecstatic knowing that we have a maker who loves us enough to want to navigate our lives. A God who wants to guide us through all the garbage that life throws at us so that we can have the best possible lives on this earth that we can before we join with Him for all eternity.

benediction: Proverbs 3:5-6

Proverbs 3:5–6 ESV

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.