Avondale Church of God Service
February 2, 2025 – Morning Service
Speaker: Brother Ward
God’s Sovereign Hand Over Our Lives
Key Passage: Jeremiah 18:1-6
Brother Ward opened the morning service with a message centered on the imagery of the potter and the clay from Jeremiah 18:1-6. He emphasized the confidence we can have in the unchanging nature of God and the reliability of His Word. Just as a potter shapes and molds clay, God is continuously at work in our lives, forming us according to His divine purpose. The passage describes how Jeremiah was instructed to visit a potter’s house, where he saw a vessel being formed on the wheel. However, when the vessel was marred, the potter did not discard it but instead reshaped it into something new. Brother Ward encouraged the congregation to consider how God, as the ultimate Potter, does the same with His people—taking what is broken, flawed, or incomplete and remaking it into something valuable and purposeful.
The Potter’s Authority Over the Clay
Expounding on the passage, Brother Ward explained that God, as the Potter, has full authority over our lives, much like a craftsman has complete control over the clay he works with. The clay itself has no power or say in what it becomes—it is entirely in the hands of the potter. In the same way, believers must surrender to God’s hands, trusting His process, even when life feels uncertain or challenging. He pointed out that the potter’s wheel, always spinning, represents the circumstances, trials, and seasons of life that God uses to shape us. Sometimes, life feels like it’s moving too fast or spinning out of control, but we can take comfort in knowing that the Potter’s hands never leave the clay. God is constantly at work, molding us according to His will, even when we cannot yet see the finished product.
When the Vessel is Marred
One of the most striking aspects of this passage is that the vessel in the potter’s hands was marred. Brother Ward emphasized that this represents the brokenness, failures, and shortcomings that every believer experiences. Yet, instead of discarding the clay, the potter remade it into another vessel—one that seemed good to him. This, he said, is a testament to God’s grace. No matter how damaged, sinful, or broken we may feel, God does not throw us away. Instead, He reshapes and repurposes us according to His plan.
He reminded the congregation that many biblical figures—Moses, David, Peter, and Paul—had moments of failure, yet God still used them mightily. The key is not perfection but a willingness to remain in God’s hands. “Some of us have been broken by sin, others by life’s hardships,” he said. “But the Potter is willing to remake you if you surrender to Him.” He encouraged everyone to trust that their past does not disqualify them from God’s purpose; rather, God specializes in taking broken things and making them whole.
The Process of Being Remolded
Being shaped by the Potter is not always comfortable, Brother Ward noted. The refining process often involves pressure, trials, and even pain, but it is all for a greater purpose. He illustrated how a potter must remove impurities from the clay before it can be formed into a beautiful vessel. Similarly, God works to remove sin, distractions, and anything that hinders our spiritual growth. This process may involve difficult circumstances, but God’s intention is never to harm us—only to make us into vessels of honor.
He also explained that the final product is often different from what we originally imagined. “We may have our own plans, our own visions for our lives, but ultimately, the Potter knows best. He sees what we cannot see,” he said. “If you feel like life is pressing in on you, take heart—God is shaping you into something greater than you can imagine.” He encouraged the congregation to embrace God’s process rather than resisting it, knowing that His work in our lives is always good.
Exhortation: Surrendering to the Potter’s Hands
As Brother Ward concluded his message, he urged the congregation to examine their own hearts. Are we allowing God to mold us, or are we resisting His shaping? Are we willing to trust Him even when the process is painful or unclear? He reminded everyone that God is not finished with them yet, and His plans are far greater than anything they could envision for themselves. “The Potter does not make mistakes,” he said. “He sees the finished product even when we only see the spinning wheel.”
He closed with a challenge: “Will you let God complete His work in you? Will you remain on the wheel, trusting that the hands that formed the universe are the same hands shaping your life?”
Reflection Questions for Personal Application
1. In what areas of your life are you resisting God’s shaping?
2. How has God used trials or difficult circumstances to refine you?
3. Do you trust that God’s plan for your life is better than your own? Why or why not?
4. What impurities (sins, distractions, attitudes) might God be trying to remove from your life?
5. How can you remain pliable in God’s hands, even when the process is painful?
6. What does true surrender to God look like in your life right now?
Scriptures for Further Study
Isaiah 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.” This verse reaffirms the message that we belong to God and must trust His shaping process.
Romans 9:20-21 – Paul reminds us that we, as the clay, cannot question the Potter’s work. God has the right to shape us according to His purpose.
2 Corinthians 4:7-9 – We are like jars of clay, holding God’s treasure within us, enduring trials that ultimately reveal His power.
Philippians 1:6 – “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” A reminder that God is not finished with us yet—He will complete what He has started.
Conclusion
Brother Ward left the congregation with a final thought: “God is not finished with you yet. If you remain in His hands, He will shape you into a vessel of honor.” He encouraged everyone to trust the hands of the Potter, knowing that He is creating something greater than they could ever imagine.
“Lord, I am the clay, You are the Potter. Mold me according to Your will.”
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