A lump of Clay
Created by God • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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In this short series we are considering what it means to be created by God.
We look out into society and see an identity crisis.
This crisis comes because people are trying to answer who am I and are looking to the natural world for the answer.
The problem is the answer they find is they are not special, they were not made on purpose, thus their dignity is gone.
They linger here in this world for their life time and then its gone.
When we look to God we find a very different answer.
26 Then God said, “Let Us make mankind in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the livestock and over all the earth, and over every crawling thing that crawls on the earth.”
27 So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
Starting in Genesis and continuing through the rest of scripture we find we are made on purpose for a purpose!
Today we want to consider this even more.
Are you ready for the message God has for us today?
Cool let’s dig in!
Created on Purpose
Created on Purpose
What we can miss by just reading Genesis one is that God did not speak man into existence consider what He did.
Look at Genesis 2:7
7 Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living person.
and Genesis 2:21-22
21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place.
22 And the Lord God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man.
There was a purpose behind this — Develop the imagery.
Consider what Jeremiah saw as a potter worked with clay
3 So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something on the wheel.
4 But the vessel that he was making of clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter; so he remade it into another vessel, as it pleased the potter to make.
5 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
6 “Am I not able, house of Israel, to deal with you as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, house of Israel.
7 At one moment I might speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom to uproot it, to tear it down, or to destroy it;
His finger prints are all over us!
We are really like this lump of clay - Develop with clay on the Lord’s Table
In Job 33: 6 ELihu says something interesting to Job — Behold, I am toward God as you are;
I too was pinched off from a piece of clay.
God left His image and fingerprints on us, we belong to Him!
8 But now, Lord, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter, And all of us are the work of Your hand.
We really were made on purpose!
Created for a Purpose
Created for a Purpose
God made us for a reason, a purpose He intends for us.
13 For You created my innermost parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will give thanks to You, because I am awesomely and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.
There is no one who knows you better than God!
The Psalmist praises God for His total knowledge of him in intimate details and comprehensive terms.
The Psalm is a praise of the omniscience and omnipresence of God.
It describes how God understands every aspect of a person’s life.
In the intricate details of our existence the Psalmist tells us of the creation of humanity by God!
I remember working with clay in elementary school and made an ash tray for my mom.
That was the purpose for which I made it, however it wasn’t used for that purpose.
It sat unused, not even sure where it ended up, but every time I walked in my mom and dad’s room there is was.
What might God feel as we do not fulfill our purpose for which He mad us?
Sitting unused and not fulfilling our puprose, maybe even fighting against our creation.
20 On the contrary, who are you, you foolish person, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it?
21 Or does the potter not have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one object for honorable use, and another for common use?
What is our purpose?
What is our purpose?
I could give you Ecclesiastes 12:13
13 The conclusion, when everything has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person.
It is a good answer but may not seem very satisfying.
Let’s look at another passage
There is Micah 6:8
8 He has told you, mortal one, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?
Paul gives us a more satisfying answer although he is saying the samething
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people,
12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and in a godly manner in the present age,
13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,
14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, eager for good deeds.
He created us to serve Him, and that may seem contrary but even God served us!
16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.
17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him.
Come to God and give Him praise!
2 Serve the Lord with jubilation; Come before Him with rejoicing.
3 Know that the Lord Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving, And His courtyards with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name.
We find joy in fulfilling our purpose!
We feel useful, we are not just here coasting through life, we work and fulfill the purpose for which we were made by God!
Conclusion:
In the kingdom of God we have a purposeful work to do in building the Kingdom of God.
Let it sink deep that you were formed by God and by the hand of God, His finger prints are all over you!
Just like clay jars, we may feel ordinary and unremarkable, but God has chosen to fill us with His extraordinary light and power. It's like the clay jar holding the most precious treasure!
When we feel cracked and broken, it's important to remember that even the most beautiful and valuable pottery often has intricate cracks. These imperfections allow the light to shine through in the most magnificent ways.
You were made on purpose for a purpose!
Let us pray!