A Trip to the Potter's House

A Trip to the Potter’s House Jer. 18:1-6

Jeremiah was not a proud, spoiled, grumpy old preacher man. Although it would appear that he came from a well to do family. He was not ashamed to do strange, dangerous and sometimes even foolish appearing things. Jeremiah was not stopped by a lack of results; he kept right on preaching what God gave him.

God often uses pictures or object lessons to get His truth across, Simple yet very effective. This was one of the most popular methods Jesus used in his teaching and preaching, in the form of parables, Paul used a lot of analogies, and metaphors. We see when the word came to Jeremiah to go to the potter’s shop he simply dropped what he was doing and left, he was going to get a message from God. Why the potter’s house, what was so special about a dirty little backroom filled with clay and a noisy wheel, a hot oven. How could he get a message there but wait he started watching perhaps thru the window at first, and then stepped inside and before long he was nearly in the way of the potter watching every move and receiving more inspiration all the time. We are all probably fairly familiar with the basics of turning pottery because of this scripture, but the clay would be picked up smashed into a basic block placed on the wheel, which was then probably turned by a pedal or by a servant, There the potter using hands and small tools will shape and mold that clay into whatever vessel he has in mind, a water pot, a glass, a bowl, maybe a basin, Now God is using this message to tell Israel that if you do not repent terrible judgment is coming that will mold you into what I want you to be. How can we apply a message like that to us today? Let’s look for a moment at Heb 12:5-7 …My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

God send’s things to teach, train, and help us on our way to maturity. To chasten comes from the Greek word “ pahee-di'-ah” meaning tutorage, that is, education or training; by implication disciplinary correction: - chastening, chastisement, instruction, nurture.

I. Pottery can mar Verse 4 (perhaps a hole, a crack, etc.)

A. He doesn’t throw it away He remakes it

B. He will be able to say “It is Good” When He is finished.

1. 3I went there and saw the potter making clay pots on his pottery wheel. 4And whenever the clay would not take the shape he wanted, he would change his mind and form it into some other shape.CEV

II. The Potter is Quality Control

A. The potter must be pleased

1. As seemed good to the potter to make it verse 4c

2. 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?

3. Isa 45:9 Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?

B. The Pottery is in the hands of the potter

1. Isa 64:8 But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.

III. The Potter chooses what the pottery will be

A. It isn’t always pleasant to be placed on the potter’s wheel.

B. . Sometimes we don’t turn out the way we planned.

1. Story mom used to read of clay, going thru so much then being made into a normal, ugly flower pot, with some hard thing shoved deep down inside. When it ended up it was placed inside a beautiful church holding a beautiful Easter Lily.