Sermon: Firstfruits and the Master Potter
#1656B-AM
Clyde Finklea
Given 05-Jun-22; 33 minutes
description: The Potter and Clay analogy provides instructions to God's first fruits as to how they are to regard character-building tests and trials in the life-long sanctification process. God compares Himself to the Master Potter; we are the clay models, something we are also literally formed from the dust of the ground, the clay in the potter's hand. In the pottery making process, seven steps, all having spiritual parallels, are recognized: 1.) Choosing the clay, a reminder that we do not choose God, but God chooses us. 2.) Weathering the clay - in order to achieve malleability, the clay must be allowed to mature, which makes it stink from the bacteria which aids its plasticity; similarly, God cannot deal with us unless we realize we, as sinners, stink, reeking with rank carnal nature. 3.) Wedging the clay - the potter must beat and pummel the clay, breaking up the lumps and squashing out the air; similarly, God must chasten us until we repent. 4.) Shaping the clay - requiring using water or oil (both metaphors of God's Holy Spirit); similarly, once the vanity is beaten out of us, God's Spirit makes us more moldable and yielded. 5.) Firing the clay - baking the clay in a kiln up to the right temperature, knowing precisely when to back off; similarly, God will not give us a trial we cannot handle. 6.) Finishing touches - decorating the clay, putting it back into the furnace until glazing occurs; similarly, we experience fiery trials to test our faith, more precious to God than perishable gold. 7.) Finally, the potter judges his artifact critically; similarly, our Master Potter also examines critically, ensuring we are the children of God, when He will have built a family of first fruits.
transcript:
To the Jews of Jesus’ day, Pentecost was known as the Feast of Weeks and/or the Feast of Firstfruits. Now I want to begin in Matthew 16. This is the section where Jesus was asking the disciples who people thought He was.
Matthew 16:16-18 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”
I want to look first at this word” church” here. The Jews never heard of the word church because it did not actually exist back then. The Jews probably knew what a synagogue was, but that was a totally different word than what Jesus used here.
Jesus was using the word ecclesia which means an assembly. So, He is speaking of an assembly or it could also be translated as a congregation. Did you know that this word comes from a compound of two words? First word -ex or ek which means out. And the second word is kaleo which means to call. So it literally means a calling out.
The word “build” in this verse comes from a word that actually means builder, like a builder of a house. So, Jesus is saying that He will build His house of called-out ones and the gates of the grave will not prevail against it. He is saying that death will not stop Him from building His house and we know that the grave cannot hold Him.
He is also saying that neither will death or the grave be able to hold or prevent Him from building His called-out ones. He is continuing to this day to “build” His called-out ones—His church/His congregation.
So, Jesus was first raised from the dead to eternal life, He is the First of the firstfruits. He is going to continue to build His house until He returns and resurrects His called-out ones to eternal life, but later on they are to be referred to as firstfruits.
Today I want to use an analogy between the clay and the potter and what you will see is that this is a biblical analogy. The experts say that there are seven important steps in pottery making, and I want to use these steps and relate them to how God, the Master Potter, deals with us as the clay.
Now when we were called into this congregation/assembly, we come to a life that was meant to be full of trials, tribulation, and temptations, and they are all intended to be a means of creating in us the very holy and righteous character of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Isaiah and Paul actually use the analogy of the potter and the clay. God also instructed Jeremiah to go the potter’s house to learn how God works with His people to mold them into His spiritual image. Remember that this is God’s analogy, not mine. So let us turn to Isaiah 64.
Isaiah 64:8 But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and You our potter; and all we are the work of Your hand.
We will also turn to Romans 9. Paul was using the same analogy here.
Romans 9:20-24 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
So God compares Himself to the master potter and all of mankind is likened to clay. He has created us as clay models to create us for a very specific purpose, and that is to mold us and to shape us into His holy and righteous character.
Now let us see what Jeremiah has to say in Jeremiah 18, as God instructed him to go down to the potters house.
Jeremiah 18:1-6 The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying: “Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear My words.” Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something at the wheel. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make. Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?” says the Lord. “Look, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!”
Israel was called by God to be a nation of priests, but they failed as we see here, they were marred. So, He is making it again. He is making a spiritual nation of firstfruits. Jesus is building a new house, a spiritual house of Israel. He is not building on the old house; this is completely new.
Now I want to go through the seven important steps of pottery making and pull out the crucial spiritual analogy from it, how God actually develops His spiritual character within the lives of us, His firstfruits.
1) Chooses the clay before he begins his work. Just as the potter has to choose the type and color of the clay he wants to use, God has to choose the individuals that He is going to use.
Different types of clay have different types of properties to them. Some are more malleable than others, some are better for one type of work over another. The same goes for us different human beings.
So by looking at this illustration of the potter and the clay, the first thing we learn is that God must always choose us, we never choose Him, just as the clay does not choose the potter. Christ said this to His disciples in John 15.
John 15:16 “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.”
John 6:44 “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
The Bible clearly shows that it is God who chooses us, not we who choose Him. Now we might question why God chose us, we did nothing to deserve His affection. It is not what you have done, but rather what you are going to do. God sees our potential; He chose us for a specific purpose. God does not choose us at random!
2) You have to weather the clay. After the potter selects the clay he wishes to use, he must then let the clay “weather,” which means to let it age or ferment, and it often literally stinks.
In the book, The Complete Book of Pottery Making by John Kenny, he says, “Aging the clay, that is keeping it moist in a container for several months, makes it better to work with. Do not worry if the clay begins to smell bad, it is actually a good sign. Sometimes inoculating a fresh batch of clay with the same old batch promotes the growth of bacteria and so helps with elasticity, the ability of being molded, receiving shape or being made to assume a desired form.”
It is commonly known among potters that clay which matures will stink but that makes it more malleable than the non-maturated clay. So, what lessons can we draw from this? Simply that God can not really begin to deal with us (to convert/change us/bring us to the place of repentance) until we begin to realize that we “stink.” We have to see in our own eyes that we “stink.” He cannot begin to use us until we see ourselves for what we really are—self-centered sinners.
Remember the parable between the publican and the Pharisee? What did the publican do? He beat his chest and would not even look up. He realized hat he had reached the lowest point in his life and he said, “Have mercy on me, I am a sinner.”
How about the prodigal son? He was at a point in his life where he was feeding pigs, he probably physically stunk. But he went to his father and the fist thing he said was, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.” When God brings us to repentance we have to realize that we are nothing more than sinners and stink before His sight. We cannot truly repent until we come to that point and see what we really are. That is how God brings us to repentance. He shows us what we really are and what we need.
3) Wedging the clay. Before the clay is ready to be used it has to be beaten and pummeled to remove any air pockets and also to break up any hard lumps that are in the clay. That makes the clay more elastic and easier to shape.
So what is the lesson we can learn from this? It is that God has to rebuke us and chasten us. He has to subject us to some tough and unpleasant circumstances before we really come to that true repentance. Just as a potter cannot properly work with clay that has not been thoroughly wedged to break up the hard lumps and expel the air bubbles, so God cannot properly work with us until we repent.
Hebrews 12:5-8 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.” If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.
Hebrews 12:11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Wedging the clay can be done by many different methods: beating, pummeling, kneading, slamming the clay against a table. And similarly, God has many ways to chasten us also, and He always uses the ones that works best for each individual.
4) Shaping the clay. Once the potter has the lumps and air bubbles out, he is ready to mold and shape the clay into the shape he desires. The clay needs to be supple, so what he does is add just the right amount of water, or sometimes oil is used, to make the clay easier to shape.
Once God has beaten our hardness of heart out of us then we must receive the “living waters”—the Holy Spirit. No one can truly obey God; you cannot truly yield to Him unless or until we have His Spirit in us. But when anyone really thirsts for God’s Spirit, He will give it to us, He says this in John 7.
John 7:37-39 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
So without the addition of the water to the clay it would not be malleable enough to be molded in the hands of the potter. Likewise, without the addition of the “spiritual waters”—God’s Holy Spirit in our minds—we could never be yielded enough to be shaped in the hands of our Creator, the Master Potter.
5) Firing the clay. After the potter has molded his vessel, he lets it dry out thoroughly and then puts his unbaked piece of pottery into a fiery furnace, or kiln, where it is heated slowly at first so that it will not explode. Then it must reach a high temperature for it to be baked to obtained its maximum hardness. If it is fired at too high of a temperature it will warp, but if it is too low a temperature it will be too soft and brittle. The potter has his ways of testing what the ideal temperature should be, and it depends upon the type of clay that he is using.
Each type of clay has different properties as does each one of God’s people, and He deals with us all differently on an individual basis. So there is a parallel between the human potter and God—the Master Potter. He has to know just how high to turn up the heat to get the desired result, but careful enough not to cause cracking or breaking.
The wise master potter will not permit His kiln to get too hot when firing his pottery for he knows that it would bring the pieces to ruin. So he carefully watches over every firstfruit making sure that the fiery trial that he brings does not become too much for us to bear. This is mentioned in I Corinthians 10.
I Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
6) The finishing touches. So now the potter needs to decorate the clay. After the clay has been baked in the kiln to give it its permanent shape, strength, and hardness, it is removed from the kiln, decorated, and then glazed over. Then what happens? It goes back into the kiln so that the decorations and the glaze can be baked into the surface of the vessel. This is the second firing.
What can we learn from this? God often puts finishing touches on our character as well, right? Allowing additional trials/fire at times. It is through these tests and trials that our character is developed and refined into something beautiful. James, Christ’s brother, understood this as he says in James 1:2.
James 1:2-4 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
James 1:12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
Now even after pottery has been fired twice it often has other fine decorations to be applied. Then after these are added to the nearly finished vessel, it goes back into the fire once more, for a third firing. And so it is with God’s children. We sometimes think that we have had enough, enough fiery trials, but God in His infinite wisdom sees otherwise. He sees that more beautiful God-like character need to be added to us. Peter understood this as we see in I Peter.
I Peter 1:6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ
So take courage! I know that there are many of us going through many different trials and situations but take courage. Because if God has permitted us to be sorely tried like this, even perhaps repeatedly, than that might be just a sure sign that He is working out some higher purpose in your life.
7) Judge the pottery. The potter will judge it very critically, looking for any cracks or warps. Likewise at the end of our life the Master Potter will judge us extremely critically to see how we have come through all of our fiery trials without any cracks or warps. And when it is all over, He will reward us accordingly.
I John 3:1-2 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
As I said in the beginning of this sermon, we were not called for what we have done, but rather for the potential of what we will do. We will see what we will do in Revelation 20.
Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
This first resurrection consists of firstfruits. You know that spiritual house that Jesus said that He will build, and is building now, this is what they are being called to for.
Revelation 5:10 “And have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth.”
This is what we are being called to do! When the potter finishes his work he only has a beautiful piece of pottery to show for it, but when the Master Potter finishes His work with us, He will have a Family that has been molded into the very image and likeness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, prepared as priests, because Jesus is the High Priest—the First of the firstfruits. When He brings the rest of us, we too will be priests under Him ruling for a thousand years.
So on this day of firstfruits in AD 31, Jesus began to build His spiritual house of firstfruits. Death and the grave will not prevent Him from finishing it.
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