Playlist: Potter and Clay Analogy (topic)
In the Hands of the Potter
Sermonette byGod, the master potter, is molding and fashioning us, just as He formed the first man from the dust of the earth in Genesis 2:7. We are in the hands of a master potter, suffering through trials, tests, and temptations, so that He can shape us into His great purpose. As Jeremiah 18:2-6 illustrates, God commands Jeremiah to …
Firstfruits and the Master Potter
Sermon by Clyde FinkleaGod, the Master Potter, compares Himself to a potter and all of mankind to clay, shaping us for a specific purpose to mold us into His holy and righteous character. As Isaiah, Paul, and Jeremiah illustrate, God works with His people as a potter with clay, crafting a spiritual nation of firstfruits. Jesus is building a new …
Resistance
Sermonette by David C. GrabbeIf we resist the Potter's fashioning, we may lose out on our opportunity to be a goblet and become a crude bowl. We must trade our resistance for pliability.
The Doctrine of Israel (Part Seven): Romans 9
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughIn addressing the profound relationship between God and His creation, the analogy of the potter and the clay emerges as a powerful illustration of divine sovereignty. God, as the potter, holds absolute control over His people and all things, shaping them according to His will. Just as a potter may rework a marred vessel into …
The Vessels of Wrath
Sermonette byIn Romans 9, Paul employs the Potter and Clay analogy to underscore God's sovereign authority over His creation. He poses the question in Romans 9:20-21, reminding us that we have no standing to challenge God's decisions or workmanship. Just as it would be absurd for a clay pot or porcelain vase to question the craftsman who …
The Sovereignty of God (Part Six)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughIn the discussion of God's sovereignty over mankind, the Potter and Clay analogy vividly illustrates His supreme authority. As described in Romans 9:19-21, the question arises whether God is fair in His choices, to which the response is clear: who are we to question Him? Shall the thing formed ask its maker, "Why have you made …
Hebrews: Its Background (Part Two)
Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)The Potter and Clay analogy illustrates the meticulous and purposeful way in which God shapes His creation. Just as a potter carefully molds clay with intentional dabs to form it into the desired shape, God, as the Creator, continuously works on us, His chosen ones, to fit into His divine plan. Sometimes these adjustments may …
Leadership and the Covenants (Part Fourteen)
Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)God's purpose in shaping humanity is vividly illustrated through the potter and clay analogy, emphasizing that He is the Creator and we are the material He molds. As the potter, He forms and refashions us according to His design, adding necessary gifts and graces to enable us to fulfill our responsibilities. Just as clay cannot …
Moral Purity
Sermon by James BeaubelleThe urgency to live righteously, striving for godly character is a continuous, ongoing, and vital pursuit not concluded until our death and resurrection.
The Sovereignty of God (Part Two)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughNothing and no one can thwart God's purposes. We need to develop the faith to yield and conform to His will as clay in the potter's hands.
Leadership and the Covenants (Part Ten)
Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)Ezekiel prophetically warns Israelites today of imminent cultural collapse because of ungodly leadership. We must treasure and appreciate the truth we have.
Sovereignty, Election, and Grace (Part One)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughGod, as Creator, takes the initiative (as the potter over the clay) for the elect's salvation, enabling us to build the repertoire of habits called character.
God's Workmanship (Part 1)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughGod's creation did not end with the physical creation or our election, but God continues to work, giving us the motivation and the power to do His will.
Ecclesiastes Resumed (Part Nine)
Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)Only those called by God are given insight into God's grand design, making living by faith possible. God adds understanding as we are able to use it.
The Sovereignty of God (Part Eleven)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughUnderstanding God's sovereignty as a basic doctrine provides a link between knowledge and practice, as well as providing motivation to yield to God's purpose.
Boundaries, Incursions, Migrations, and God (Part Two)
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)Even though the way God exercises His sovereignty is inscrutable to us , calling the foolish to confound the wise, all He does fits perfectly into His plan.
Leadership and Covenants (Part Seventeen)
Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)Because the world is under the sway of the wicked one, if mankind were left to its own choices, the world would revert to the condition before the Flood.
Unleavened Bread and the Holy Spirit (Part One)
Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)God's command to eat unleavened bread teaches that He rescued His people from the bondage of sin, something they had no power to accomplish of themselves.
His Eye Is on the Sparrow (Part Three)
Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)We do not need to excessively fear Satan, his demons, or the world, but we should fear and respect the One who has complete involvement in our lives.
What Kind of Life Do You Want?
Sermon by David C. GrabbeIn times of societal imbalance and institutional decay, history reminds us—much like the trials faced by the Hebrews—that survival requires radical reorientation, not superficial reform. For believers, this means restoring the supremacy of Christ and placing Him first, embracing not a life of worldly fulfillment or …
God's Perspective
Sermonette by Ryan McClureHuman nature skews our view of reality; there is always more than meets the eye. We would do well to adopt the approach of 'Good or bad, it is hard to say.'
Fully Accepting God's Sovereignty (Part One)
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)We are mandated to live by faith, being given trials of faith in order to chisel our character. We must totally and unreservedly accept God's sovereignty.
Living by Faith: God's Grace (Part Four)
Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)Because we are all sinners, we have earned only death; justification is not earned, but must come through faith and believing God as did our father Abraham.
Power Belongs to God (Part 2)
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. RitenbaughWe may be going through a period of hopelessness, but must believe that all things work together for those who believe and are called for His purpose.
The Holy Spirit and the Trinity (Part Six)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughWe receive more of God's Spirit as we respond to His calling, drawing near to His presence and reversing Adam and Eve's fatal errors.
Preparations For Christ's Return
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughBecause of its intractability, the earth will require softening up through earth-shaking events before Christ's return, symbolized by the Feast of Trumpets.
The Holy Spirit and the Trinity (Part Five)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughGod's Spirit is the essence of His mind rather than a third person. With this Spirit, God opens our minds, dwells in us, and transfers His nature to us.
Pentecost and the Holy Spirit
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThe receiving of God's Spirit is for God's creative effort in our lives. God's Spirit transforms us from a state of destruction into a state of purity.
The Sovereignty of God (Part Five)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughA converted person, accepting God's specific care with His children, realizes that both prosperity and deprivation are tools in the Creator's workshop.
James and Unleavened Bread (Part One)
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughThe book of James applies to us after the sanctification process has begun. The most effective way of eliminating sin is to do righteousness.
Elements of Motivation (Part Three)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughIn the familiar triumvirate (faith, hope, and love), faith serves as the foundation, love serves as the goal, and hope serves as the great motivator.
God Expects a Return on His Investment (Part Seven)
Sermon by David F. MaasGod has generously given us a set of tools that we must use for overcoming and building character, as well as edifying our spiritual siblings.
Teaching Us to Think (Part Two)
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughGod instructs us to be living sacrifices. Too many drag this change out over decades, thereby self-limiting the process of sanctification.
Our Part in the Sanctification Process (Part Five): Cultivating Patience
Sermon by David F. MaasNumerous scriptures show the bad effects of impatience committed by ancient Israel, while the patriarchs, Jesus Christ, and the Father set examples of true patience.
Thank You for Finishing What You Start!
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsWe should be thankful to God for His Holy Spirit, spiritual blessings, fellowship, as well as God's promise that He will finish what He has started.
Pride, Humility, and Fasting
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThe intent of fasting is to deflate our pride—the major taproot of sin—the biggest deterrent to a positive relationship with God. Humility heals the breach.
Deuteronomy: Hearing
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughBy listening, taking heed, and drinking in of God's Word daily, we take on the wisdom of God, upending and making foolish the wisdom of man.
From Pilgrims to Pillars (Part Two)
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by David F. MaasThe intensity of the heat in both the refiner's furnace and the potter's kiln resembles the fiery trials we must endure for the Refiner to remove the dross.
Seeing Sanctification as an Exciting Adventure
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by David F. MaasThe events in today's news can seem overwhelming, but there are strategies to turn the sanctification process into an exciting adventure.
Christ's Wake-up Call to the Churches
Sermonette by Ronny H. GrahamGod was responsible for our scattering, and He is not impressed with those who arrogantly proclaim they are the only ones doing the work of God.
Imagining the Garden of Eden (Part Two)
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughThe best use of imagination would be to assimilate events, principles, lessons, and doctrine from scripture, transforming us into the image of God.
Mercy and Justice
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsWe are obligated to emulate God's mercy, as well as kindness, forbearance, and judgment. As we extend heartfelt compassion, God will extend mercy to us.
Who Was Herbert W. Armstrong?
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughHerbert Armstrong, while not infallible or sinless, nevertheless served as the custodian of the truths of God, occupying the role of God's messenger.
Checklist for Overcoming
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughRomans 12-16 provide a checklist for overcoming and promoting positive relationships, developing tender affection. We are mutually dependent upon one another.
Self-Government and Responsibility (Part Two)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughOur experiences prepare us to be a better judge or king. Though we may exercise righteous judgment, we dare not pass judgment nor justify sin in ourselves.