Jeremiah 18:1-10

Jeremiah 18:1-10

It is a short hike from the top of Mt. Whitney (highest spot in the lower 48) to Death Valley (the lowest place). It is a short 50 mile hike. As I was walking in Death Valley I came across a patch of clay. Not all desert is sand, and in this spot was clay, hot, dried and cracked. With the help of a pick and a few hours work enough is dug out for an art project. Soaking it in water for a few weeks while beating it with a hammer made it useful again. With this clay I applied all my pottery skill and got a D on the project.

Jeremiah is lead by God to the potter’s house. He watches as a pot is being made, then crushed and remade. It is shaped and reshaped until the potter is finished.

Jeremiah is told several things that are important for all of us.

 

1. First is that God is the potter and we are the clay.

            We do not mold and shape God by our design, that is idol making.

            The world around us and even many Christians are in the God making

            Isa 29:16 God ask the question “Who made Who?”

 

2. We must cooperate with God

            The pot is marred because part of the clay was not pliable.

            We are pushed down to the wheel and raised back up

            As the potter desires

            Isa 45:9 “What do you think you’re doing”

            “I want to be a vase not a vase. “

 

3.  The potter has a reason.

            Describe the person with one word, possible, unfinished, clay, potential.

            God is still at work

            Be the clay

            Isa 64:8 you are the work of the potter’s hand

 

Will you soak up the water of life, leave behind your hard dried out life and attitudes? Will you become pliable, moldable? Will you dare to place yourself on the potter’s wheel and say “God, I am willing, make of me what you will.” You may be surprised to find that you really are a vase not a vase.

Boston

            Yesterday was Sunday the 21^st of April. I preached my scheduled sermon because I was still in shock from all the events of last week. People killed and injured by bombs, car chases, shoot-outs, first responders killed at a fire, how do we handle all that. I have struggled to get past the world is headed to and end thought. All through history that has been the answer and yet history has gone on. I can only find my answer in two very similar pictures that happened in two very different events, that I want to share with you.

               The first is a picture of a man at the finish line in Boston. The man is carrying a woman to his car to drive her to the hospital. Just before the picture was taken he had used his belt as a tourniquet to stop her leg from bleeding, saving her life. Seeing the crowd of people he was not going to wait for help he picked her up and carried her. One man carried one woman to where she would be safe.

               The other picture was taken on a bridge during the Vietnam War. A South Vietnamese soldier was the last one across, assigned with blowing the bridge. That is when he saw someone struggling to carry a baby across to safety. Seeing they would not make it, he took the baby, blew the bridge, and ran. He took the baby girl to an orphanage and left her in their care. Only a month ago were they reunited. One man took one baby to where she would be safe.

               Both of these pictures were taken in extreme conditions. But there are people all around us fighting for their lives. They are beside us injured in many different ways. They need someone to carry them to where they are safe, Jesus. We cannot stop their addiction, fix their broken marriage, or heal their live’s brokenness, but we can carry them to someone who can, Jesus.

               It’s really not that hard, God will show you how. They really are not that heavy, God will help you lift them if you try. Stop and look around you. Pick up the person God has placed in your arms and carry them to Jesus. No sermons, no scripture quoting, or finger pointing needed, just your time and love will get them there.

               Nothing can make sense of the events of last week. No law or government will have the answers, but God does. The answer to the people fighting for their lives all around us is in those two pictures. One person carrying another person to where they are safe.

Jeremiah 1:4-10 “Called by God”

Jeremiah 1:4-10 “Called by God”

As we start Jeremiah we come to His calling. Calling should not be confused with vocation. This is a special mission or assignment given to a person by God, usually at great cost. Here we get a look at the conversation of the heart that brings Jeremiah into the select group of The Called.

 

1. The calling

            a. Jeremiah hears God speak

            b. sometimes people hear it audible some it’s impressed on their mind

            c. Jeremiah’s test

            d. Isaiah 6:6 see’s God and there is the burning coal

            e. 1 Samuel 3:4 “Here am I”

            f. Ezekiel 3:1-4 Visions and an assignment

            g. Jonah 1:2-3 Runs away

 

2. The work of the Called

            a. Jeremiah 7-10  do not be afraid, uproot, tear down, destroy

            b. Isaiah brought judgment

            c. Ezekiel words of judgment

            d. Timothy green (winning goal for the wrong team)

            d. Jonah words of redemption for the wrong team.

 

3. Called today

            a. Called to a purpose, pastors and missionaries

            (Will you do this for me), Roy Pope, Tim Dillon

            b. teachers and elders

            c. every believer Romans 8:28-31

 

What has God Called you to do? To speak His word, lead His people, Teach, heal, encourage? Seek that call with all your heart.

Isa 65:17-25 “A New Way”

Isa 65:17-25 “A New Way”

 

Since Adam and Eve were removed from the Garden we have lived in a fallen world, filled with fallen people. The sins of generations have distorted and corrupted God’s creation. Sickness and death, it’s part of the judgment, hurricanes, tornados, and super storms, all part of the judgment. Sandy hook, columbine, Chicago, Afghanistan, all part of the judgment. In Isaiah’s time it was the exile. The way of things was that the world is sinful and God judges sin. But in Isaiah 65:17-25 God says there is a new way coming.

 

1. A new heaven and new earth

            a. This earth is no longer viable, redeemable vs 1

            b. Water, oil, food

            c. rules of life (blue fin tuna fisherman)

            d. a new canvas

            e. Rev 21:1-4

 

2. A redeemed people

            a. a change in the direction of living

            b. a change of values

            c. a change of actions

 

3. Living the in the new world today

            a. it is possible

            b. will not be complete (John 16:33)

            c. we will often fail (Romans 7:15)

 

This world and this life will one day collapse from the burden of bearing humans sin. But God is building a new home for us, one only the redeemed can be part of. But here and now in those moments we choose to live the life of Jesus, we bring a glimpse of the new way, God’s way, into the world.

Matthew 5:13-16 "Be the Light"

Matthew 5:13-16 “Be the Light”

 

Black Holes: There are places in space where gravity is so powerful that even light cannot escape. A Black Hole takes everything in an allows nothing to be given out not even light. This is as far from God’s intension for the church as you can get. God wanted a beacon of faith for the entire world to see.

 

In the 1800’s shipping on the great lakes was booming. Ships loaded with iron ore sailed from the north to the mills in the south. Other cargo was shipped around the lakes. But the Great Lakes are a dangerous place where Iron deposits under the water make a compass spin. Ships would lose their way and crash upon the rocks. The first light house was built in 1825. Very slowly more would be added until the 1970’s modern navigation would take over. Churches are to be beacons of light helping the lost find their way home.

I was reading a book about Great Lakes lighthouses, most of which are no longer used. A story in the book told of a fisherman in Wisconsin, who lost his way and could not find the harbor. He suddenly saw a light from a long disserted light house. Using that light he found his way home. The lens of the light house had caught little bits of light, street lamps, headlights, porch light, no one really knows. Still all those lights came together to lead him safely home. That is the church.

 

You may think your light is no big deal, it’s not missed, but it is. You may think your light is so small of what use is it? But God wants it to shine.

 

John went to college and while there got into the life and party of being away and on his own. He stopped going to church and soon it was ten years later and he felt lost. He went back to his little church where he grew up. There was the light of his Sunday School teacher, the light of the old man who was always there, even older now. All around him he saw faith, and all that faith helped him decide to make a change.

 

Sally took a local job out of high school, got married has two kids, a dog, and a very busy life. The kids are now grown up and the house has a few quite moments, and the darkness sets in. She has gone to church off and on. But right now she needs help. Now the lights of friends from church help her find her way with a kind word, a thoughtful prayer, and invite to be part of the group. She is back to church and Bible study and her faith is growing again.

 

Alice died of cancer. She had great faith, everyone will tell you so. What most do not know was that there were many days she was frightened. On days when she struggled she would look around church and see others who believed and gained the strength to trust God through another day. Little lights of faith that never knew that they guided Alice home.

 

Each light in the church is important, needed, and valuable to us all. One day someone needs our light and on another we need theirs. And when all our lights come together we become a beacon that shines hope into a dark world. That is what it means to be a church.