BY STEVE BUCHANAN
Good Morning, Everyone! To begin, I would like to ask if you would turn to John chapter 15. John chapter 15 has a lesson that Jesus Christ is teaching that all of us here could probably almost recite verbatim. I think they’ve been read so many times. We understand these words, but today I want to focus in on an aspect of them. In chapter 15 beginning with verse 1, it says
John 15:1. “I am the true
vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
So we’re given a situation here where Jesus Christ is saying that “The Father is working and I am working.” Both are involved.
Verse 2.
John 15:2. “Every branch in
Me that does not bear fruit He takes away;
Again, both involved.
John 15:2b. and every branch that bears fruit He prunes [or He
cleanses], that it may bear more fruit.
As we’re sitting here, that the goal that Jesus Christ was expressing that both the Father and He are at work and doing is to produce fruit. That is what is produced with this work.
Verse 3.
John 15:3. “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
Verse 4.
John 15:4. “Abide in Me, and
I in you.
This relationship growing close. This interaction between the two.
John 15:4b. As the branch
cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you,
unless you abide in Me.
And Jesus Christ begins to open up this concept that we cannot produce fruit on our own. You can’t and I can’t. No matter the intellect, the strength, the smarts that we have, the experiences that we’ve gone through. You can’t and I can’t.
Verse 5.
John 15:5. “I am the vine,
you are the branches.
He makes it very clear where we fit in this analogy.
John 15:5b. He who abides in
Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
Without what is provided by Jesus the Christ, we can do nothing. Now I don’t know about you, but in this world, let somebody come up and issue a challenge to someone to say, “You can’t do something,” and so many times inside of us rises this pride. “Well, I’m going to show you what I can do!” And this world and this society breeds this. But this concept is something that we have got to accept that we can do nothing in this process since God and Jesus Christ are at work and in us. We can do nothing by ourselves.
To what level—this is the concept I want to begin to focus on—to what level do we really grasp this? And to what level do we truly practice this? Thinking about this, meditating on this? A lifetime of trials and errors that all of us have experienced and it is in our history is there to prove that this statement is true. This statement that we can do nothing by ourselves. How many times I could look back in my life that I have tried to do it my way, only to be proven over time and through sometimes severe trial that this truth is valid. It’s been proved to me. After all that we’ve experienced though, all of those lessons that God and Jesus Christ have been at work to prove to us and to deepen within our minds and our hearts, how deeply do we truly grasp this truth?
If you turn back to John chapter 5.
This specific truth, as Jesus Christ was here on earth, He had been changed from His spiritual existence now in human form, God in the flesh. He was here just to be like you and me. That was what God destined and purposed for Him to do, to come and to experience life from a human’s perspective.
In John chapter 5, breaking into the thought in verse 30. Jesus Christ says
John 5:30. “I can of Myself
do nothing.
I have felt for a long time that coming to understand this concept is key. Not only in our relationship toward God, but also key in the level of conversion that can take place and key to how we can help one another.
This word “nothing” is from the Greek word oudeis and it means not even one, not the least, not a one.
Jesus Christ Himself in human form is willing to admit this,
expressing this from a humility within Him as He now experienced something
fully that He had not experienced before.
John 5:30. “I can of Myself
do nothing. As I hear, I judge;
It’s not that Jesus Christ was alleviated from making choices. He says very plainly here that He judges. He hears. He takes in all the information. He condenses everything and He comes to a decision and a choice which He was willing to follow through with.
John 5:30b. I hear, I judge;
and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will
“I don’t seek to do it My way.”
John
He was willing to look and to follow what His God had made available to Him. He was required to make choices. Thus, it was His judgment, His conclusions. All of us are in the same place. All of us are expected to hear, to condense everything that we have available to us, everything that affects us, good, bad, everything in between. And we’re required to make choices and judgments. Every one of us!
He knew His choices were righteous because He knew His Father’s choices were righteous. He had a trust and a level of commitment to His Father more so than any of us have experienced up to this point. The attitude of humility that Jesus Christ expressed here and what erupted from that was something that gave honor to His Father.
These words
John 5:30. “I can of Myself
do nothing.
Not just how much do we believe these words as they apply to us, but how much do our words and our actions support this very true statement?
If you turn to 2 Corinthians chapter 5. Talk a little bit here about the apostle Paul. Beginning here with verse 16, it says
2 Corinthians 5:16. Therefore,
from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to
the flesh, yet now we know Him thus
no longer.
The apostle Paul is saying here that there was a time before our calling, before our conversion where we had a concept of Jesus Christ. We had a concept of God. But he’s saying here, “We didn’t know Christ.” Those concepts were wrong. Those ideas were wrong. And we could say for all of us here, but I can’t help in reading through this in applying this specifically to Paul’s life because as Saul he was one who breathed fire against Christ, against those followers. His thoughts as he was speaking these words and writing these words, his thoughts were that his belief, his commitment was to stamp out Jesus Christ and His work. That was his purpose in life. But yet here, he reads that now after this calling, this concept has totally changed because now he sees the true Jesus the Christ.
Verse 17.
2 Corinthians 5:17. Therefore,
if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;
Again, as the apostle Paul is speaking, as we try to understand this, the apostle Paul coming from someone who is breathing fire against God’s people, trying to kill them, trying to stamp it out and put them in prison. Now all of a sudden changed, almost in the blink of an eye to recognize Jesus Christ not as his enemy, but as his best friend, someone there who was always there no matter when he would call.
How true is that for us? That in a moment, in a blink of an eye, as God reveals Himself to us, as He reveals a truth to us, our concepts, our ideas, our beliefs can change from one distinction to another. Almost immediately!
In verse 17, it says
2 Corinthians 5:17. Therefore,
if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;
As we think of Paul and this change, one moment he thought one thing. All of a sudden in another moment, something became new in him. This new creation is what is produced. This new creation requires there to be a Creator. It requires someone with a mind and an intelligence and a loving attitude, a loving persona, and endurance, willing to stick it out. It involves all of that. That mind for this new creation to begin and to reach its fulfillment.
2 Corinthians 5:17. Therefore,
if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have
passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Before God’s intervention and calling, before His begettal, this creation did not exist. But now all of a sudden because of His purpose and His intent, it has begun.
Verse 18.
2 Corinthians 5:18. Now all
things are of God, who has reconciled
us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of
reconciliation,
The apostle Paul comes to the point, after understanding the new creation and the change that’s happened within him, he understands and gives all credit back to God.
We can ask the question as we begin to consider this process, we can ask some questions that in one sense can be silly. Can a person in this world make himself begotten? We know that that’s not true. Can any of us who are begotten transform ourselves into the likeness of God? Obviously not! It is obvious that in this creation, in our conversion, it is obvious that God is the Creator. He is the Designer. He is the Sustainer. He is the intelligence behind all aspects of it. Truly the statement that Jesus Christ made that we of ourselves can do nothing is valid for us.
Please turn to 1 Peter chapter 4. 1 Peter chapter 4 and I’d like to begin reading here with verse 19. With all this in mind, we’re going to begin to focus on another aspect. Verse 19.
1 Peter 4:19. Therefore let
those who suffer
Let those who experience trial, let those who experience hardship,
1 Peter 4:19b. let those who
suffer according to the will of God
Remember He is the one behind the purpose. He is the one behind the Creation.
1 Peter 4:19. Therefore let
those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful
Creator.
We can look at so many things that have even happened recently that God has allowed. And I think that we probably, if we think this through, everything that happens has to be allowed by God. It has to be! Even if Satan is involved, it’s a situation where He has told Satan, “You can go this far and no further.” There is nothing that can happen on earth, there is nothing that can happen in our lives that He is not allowing, that He has not approved, that He has not said we have been prepared for this test. We have been prepared for this level of suffering.
But as it brings out here in verse 19, what’s required as we go through this is that our faith, our attitude, our commitment not be affected, not be diminished, but over time be strengthened by it. Remember the whole purpose, the whole process began with this new creation that God began in us and He is at work every moment of every day to make sure that it reaches its fulfillment.
Turn to Isaiah chapter 64. Isaiah chapter 64.
I have to say in my life as I meditate on this, so many things that have happened in my life that I will sit down and ask God, “Why? Why does it have to be this way? Why do You allow things to happen like this? I don’t understand. Please clear my mind in this.” Or I can, as Mr. Staggs brought out in the sermonette, I can allow an anger actually to build up against God. And we’re going to get involved in this as we go on through this message.
In Isaiah chapter 64 in verse 8, it says
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.
There is a lot said in this verse concerning a level of spiritual maturity in an individual to be able to accept this. No matter what it is that God allows to affect us. There’s a level of maturity that has to remember to see the big picture that God is the One who is in charge. That we are the ones that are to be shaped and molded. How much do we represent the analogy used here of clay?
Turn back to Isaiah chapter 45. Isaiah chapter 45. Begin reading here in verse 9. It says
Isaiah 45:9. “Woe to him who
strives with his Maker!
Now none of us, I don’t think any of us in our minds would stand up and try to argue face to face with God. None of us would do that. But we could be put in a situation where we don’t understand and we react in a way that is not godly, that forgets that God is involved, and that forgets that God has our best interests at heart and we could react in a different way.
Isaiah 45:9. “Woe to him who
strives with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to him
who forms it, ‘What are you making?’
“What are You doing? Why have you allowed this to happen?”
Isaiah 45:9b. Or shall your
handiwork say, ‘He has no hands?”
Dare we say—not by words, not in these words—but our actions reflect God’s not forming what He should. God’s not doing what He promised. Is it possible that something like that could happen with us?
Brethren, we are approaching the Fall Festival Season again this year. And it begins with the Feast of Trumpets and there are all kinds of events that take place that cover the fulfillment of what that Day pictures. Do you think there’s going to be a time, as that fulfillment approaches, that there won’t be things happen where we’re going to question what is happening? That we’re going to be confused? That we’re going to ask, “Where is God? Has He forgotten me? Have I sinned? Has He departed from me? Have I departed from Him? Have I messed up?”
Today I want to focus on this creative process as well as focus on our response to the One who began this creation and who has never left it, not even for a moment in our lives. The title that I’ll use today is He Is Our Potter And We Are The Clay.
I’d like to turn back to Genesis chapter 45. Genesis chapter 45 and we’ll begin reading here with verse 3. At the beginning of chapter 45 is the situation where Joseph revealed himself to his brothers for the first time saying, “I am Joseph. I am your brother. I am the one that you sold into slavery. I’m the one that your hatred and your jealousy brought that on. I am Joseph.” In verse 3
Genesis 45:3. Then Joseph
said to his brothers, “I am Joseph;
does my father still live?” But his
brothers could not answer him for they were dismayed in his presence.
They’re standing back and saying, “What’s going to happen to us now?”
Verse 4.
Genesis 45:4. And Joseph
said to his brothers, “Please come near to me.”
So they came near. Then he
said: “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into
In this situation, if somehow, someway we could put ourselves in Joseph’s shoes, would this be our reaction?
We could look at the history, at least what we’re given in Scripture as the history of Joseph. We’re not given every single detail and every single thought. But Joseph could have held a bitter and an angry attitude toward his brothers for what they had done to him, for the hatred that was aroused in them, the jealousy that was there, and them selling him to a life of slavery that separated him from his family for more than twenty years. He could have blamed his father for the open outward favoritism that he showed to Joseph which engendered the jealousy in his brothers. He could have done that. A combination of both.
But Joseph also could have said, “Where was God? Why did He allow all of this to happen to
me? Why did He allow me to be taken
slave? Why did He separate me and allow
me to be separated from my family? Even
when I was in
In chapter 46.
And I want to emphasize as we go through these Scriptures here, God is in charge, even to the finite detail. God is there. He’s working. His purpose is continuing. It never is a situation where He needs to take a break, where He gets tired. “I just need to take a week off.” As we can do, as we approach retirement to come to a point we say, “I’m ready to quit. I’m ready to sit back, kick back.” God and Jesus Christ do not do that. That’s not what They desire. Their desire is for this creation in us to continue as They will see it to its finish with a condition as we continue to touch.
Genesis chapter 46 and in verse 2.
Genesis 46:2. Then God spoke
to
God has already purposed what He is going to do and He’s
emphasizing it here to Jacob. He has
promised him all the way through this promise that extended from Abraham to
Isaac, now down to Jacob, that they were going to be a multitude of people, a
great nation. And He says here now that
‘It’s My purpose that this great nation be formed in
Genesis 46:3. So He said, “I
am God, the God of your father; do
not fear to go down to
“I will be in fellowship. I will be in support of you. I will be there with you.”
Genesis 46:4b. and I will
also surely bring you up again;
And He qualifies it and says
Genesis 46:4 cont. and
Joseph will put his hand on your eyes.”
Now only is He telling him that Joseph is there, but He’s saying that Joseph is going to bury him there. Joseph was going to see him die there. So when He said, “I will surely bring you up again,” it didn’t apply to Jacob. But that it applied to this great nation that He had purpose already that far.
Turn to Exodus chapter 9.
In building on this concept as God is the Creator, the Designer, the Sustainer, the One who’s constantly at work to fulfill the purpose He intended when this creation began, we’re going to pose something here that doesn’t seem like it fits.
In chapter 1—I’m sorry—verse 9. Verse 1. Let me see if I can get this right. Chapter 9 and verse 1. That’s what happens when you speak too fast. Chapter 9 and verse 1, it says
Exodus 9:1. Then the Lord said to Moses,
Not the first time that He’s given him this instruction.
Exodus 9:1b. “Go in to
Pharaoh and tell him, ‘Thus says the Lord
God of the Hebrews: “Let My people go, that they may serve Me.
Again, not the first time this has been said, but the command from God through Moses to Pharaoh is to “Let My people go.”
In verse 8.
Exodus 9:8. So the Lord said to Moses
He begins to talk here about the sixth plague.
Exodus 9:8. So the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Take for
yourselves handfuls of ashes from a furnace, and let Moses scatter it toward
the heavens in the sight of Pharaoh. 9) “And
it will become fine dust in all the
Verse 12.
Exodus 9:12. But the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh; and
he did not heed them, just as the Lord
had spoken to Moses.
I want to consider something. It was God’s instruction to Moses to go to Pharaoh to say, “Let My people go.” God then performs miracles, plague after plague after plague. And this is not the first time where Pharaoh’s heart was hardened. God says, “Let My people go.” God sends plagues almost to appear to bring Pharaoh to the point where he will say, “Okay, you can.” But then God intervenes and hardens his heart and prevents him from doing so. What sense does that make? What was the purpose of Moses going to Pharaoh to say, “Let My people go?”
Drop down to chapter 10 verse 1.
Exodus 10:1. Now the Lord said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh;
for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants, that I may show
these signs of Mine before him, 2) “And
that you
Not only are these signs to be done before him, but it’s supposed to have an effect on the Israelites too.
Exodus 10:2. “And that you
may tell in the hearing of your son and your son’s son the mighty things I
have done in
He gave the reason for the hardening of Pharaoh’s
heart. It had to do, specifically for
What God in His intelligence is asking us to do, what He
asked
And I can liken this; I know there are many who have a trouble of flying in a plane. Majorly because their feet leave the ground and they have no control. The pilot is flying the plane. The pilot and the co-pilot are flying the plane. There are mechanics that have worked on the functionality of the airplane. You’re relying on them that they’ve done their job. You’re relying on the guy at the gas pump to have put all the gas in there and not cheat, trying to save money for the airlines, but to fill those tanks with fuel. You’re relying on so many other people and you’re actually putting your life in someone else’s hands when you get on an airplane.
What is God asking us to do? He’s asking us to yield over to Him, realizing that God is flying the plane. God and Jesus Christ are flying the plane. Do we trust Them? Are we willing to let our, symbolically speaking, let our feet leave the ground in Their care? Are we willing to honor His method of using angels to protect us, to provide for us, to serve us? Are we willing to remember that He’s there at all times even when Satan is used as a tool to cause us to suffer? He and his demons there to make sure that what He has taught us will truly be etched where it belongs, where He intended it to be in this creation.
Please turn to Exodus chapter 13. To emphasize the care, the forethought, the
planning of the details that God took for ancient
Exodus 13:17. Then it came
to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines,
although that was near;
Perhaps it would have been the best shortest route.
Exodus 13:17b. for God said,
“Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and return to
In other words, God is looking at His creation. He’s looking at what He has done thus far
with all of the plagues done in
Verse 18.
Exodus 13:18. So God led the
people around by way of the
wilderness of the
It was His choice to take them, not the shortest route, but
to take them to a place where He was going to intervene again and perform one
of the greatest miracles, one of the most noted miracles in human history. Still talked of today even in the world about
the validity of did the
Turn to Numbers chapter 9.
After the
Numbers
So right there in their presence, they could see Him there. He was with them all the time.
Verse 17.
Numbers
The reason I wanted to read through this, it was obvious by
the purpose and planning of God and at His command they journeyed when God said
so. They camped when God said so. God decided how long they would stay in one
place. God decided what place they would
camp. God led them step by step along
the way. God led His people. God protected His people. God fed His people. And He provided for His people. It was obvious. No one could argue this. It’s obvious in the lives of ancient
It was also emphasized the need they had to grasp that they were the clay. When that cloud lifted from the tabernacle and began to move, every one of them had a choice. They could follow or they could go a different way. Any one of them could.
God’s work did not guarantee that everyone would follow. We have examples. We’re not going to go through. And we have examples where Korah, Dathan, Abiram. Two hundred and fifty others who rejected Moses and Aaron as leaders all died. Not only those who rebelled, but it was those who were in service to God. Nadab and Abihu decided, made a choice, heard, took in all the information, and decided to bring profane fire in before God into His tabernacle. Their choice, even when God explicitly said not to and because of that, they died.
As we think of all this, this creative process, this time
where God makes sure to prove to us who He is, what He is and the
responsibilities we have to choose right and wrong, to choose whether to obey
Him or not, how true is all of this for us?
Is our Master Potter as obvious with us as He was with ancient
If you turn to John chapter 6, one of the most familiar Scriptures in the Bible. John chapter 6 verse 44, Jesus Christ speaking
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.
Not one single individual throughout human history, not one individual can come to the understanding of who Jesus Christ is unless the Father specifically chooses, specifically begins to teach, and specifically brings to the understanding of who Jesus the Christ is and the need that individual has for Him. No one can do that. That is an obvious fact. Not one of us can do this on our own. It’s like the question we asked from the beginning, “Can anybody in this world beget himself?” It’s not possible. God is the one who began it. If this does not happen, a new creation cannot begin. It requires this.
Turn to John chapter 12. Again, details of God’s purpose. Chapter 12 verse 49.
John 12:49. “For I have not
spoken
Jesus Christ speaking!
John 12:49. “For I have not
spoken on My own authority;
“My own initiative, it’s not been up to Me. This is not My will.”
John 12:49b. but the Father
who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak.
He came with a purpose outlined to the point as The Complete Jewish Bible says, “what to say and how to say it.” It wasn’t just important what to say, but to use the right words. It was to that detail, even for the mission that Jesus the Christ was given to do while He was on earth.
Turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 2. It didn’t end with what Jesus Christ said there. In chapter 2 and verse 6.
1 Corinthians 2:6. However,
we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor
of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.
We’re not speaking using their words. It’s not the “old” mind, the “old” ideas.
Verse 7.
1 Corinthians 2:7. But we
speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory.
It was a part of His purpose before any man or woman was ever formed. It was a part of His purpose.
Verse 8.
1 Corinthians 2:8. Which
none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have
crucified the Lord of glory. 9) But as
it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor
ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has
prepared for those who love Him.” 10)
But God has revealed them to us
through His Spirit. For the Spirit
searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
Brethren, have we ever considered that in this purpose and in this plan that it is up to God what truth is revealed? To what level it’s revealed? It’s up to Him how to teach it. It’s up to Him why it needs to be done, when to do it. How often do we thank God for this intelligent mind and purpose that He’s using to create within us to bring us to a point not only to see the magnitude of the God Family, of He and Jesus the Christ, but to come to see who we are as well, to come to the point to where we see we need what He provides? This is all a part of bringing us to the point where we will choose to yield our lives fully over to Him.
If you’ll turn to Psalm chapter 104. Psalm 104 verse 27, it emphasizes here the control that God has.
Psalm 104:27. These all wait
for You,
Chapter 104 verse 27.
Psalm 104:27. These all wait
for You, that You may give them their
food in due season. 28) What you give them, they gather in; You
open Your hand, they are filled with good.
29) You hide Your face, they are troubled; You take away their breath,
they die and return to the dust. 30) You
send forth Your Spirit, they are created; and You renew the face of the earth.
God’s purpose is active. I hope we understand. And, again, as I look back at my life, how many days have gone by where I just begin to function in the day to day activities and we don’t really consider that there’s a work going on? That the pressures that we may feel on a day to day basis, God’s allowed. For God it holds extreme importance. Therefore, for us, it should hold extreme importance. Every choice, every decision of every day! We can’t sell any time short.
Do we grasp how much God loves us and has invested Himself for us, both God and Jesus Christ? I say, “God” and use the word “Him.” It’s God and Jesus the Christ, both. Have we ever considered how much time They’ve invested in the creation within us? The protection? The providing? The teaching? The correcting? The reestablishing and picking us up when we fall down to bring us to the point where we choose to repent before Him? We choose to humble ourselves before Him? Do we think about the details even to that level?
I’ve said so many times that I hope if I can endure, if my commitment can remain strong and grow over time that I’ve given an opportunity to be in the Family of God, I would like to ask God to take me back to see one day and to see everything They were involved in to control circumstances and situations for things I wasn’t prepared for. Or to guide situations and circumstances that I had been prepared for, for testing to see whether or not I would obey what God had made available to me. The times of protection. I think all of us would be amazed at what God and Jesus Christ are involved in in just one day in our lives.
Saying that, I stand before God humbled because how many days have gone by it doesn’t even cross my mind because I get wrapped up in everything that’s going on, the hustle-bustle of life, the problems that can be overwhelming that can occur? God’s not naďve. He understands that this is a process. He understands where He is bringing us from and to the point He needs for us to arrive at for this creation He began in us to be fulfilled. He understands.
Turn to Acts chapter 9. I want to look at what God had already determined for the life of Paul prior to him being called. Chapter 9 begins with
Acts 9:1. Then Saul, still
breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord,
This attitude very prevalent with him, but already in verse 5 after this great light comes and blinds him, verse 5.
Acts 9:5b. So he, trembling
and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, 6) “Arise and
go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
Dropping down to verse 13.
At this same time that this is happening with Saul at this point, he was told to go into the city. Here’s a situation where Ananias is having problems with what God’s told him because of what he’s heard about this man. And we have to understand that throughout the life of Paul, not only was it a test for Paul to overcome what he had been, it was a test for God’s people to forgive him and to accept him. It was a two-fold test here.
In verse 13.
Acts
He gets involved here with a purpose He had had for him before He ever shone the light from heaven.
Acts 9:15b. “Go, for he is a
chosen vessel of Mine, to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children
of
Not only was he called to be an apostle to the Gentiles and the Israelites to be used to learn how to be used as a tool in God’s hands, He had already prepared the way he was going to suffer to work in him as an individual. And we could turn to those Scriptures, all the things that Paul experienced in his life—and again, this is my opinion—but Paul’s opinion of himself before he was called was that he was blameless. He had no sin according to the letter of the law. And I feel—again, just my opinion—I feel that God’s level of suffering that He appointed for Paul was to humble him from the point from which he began. God was the one who determined the purpose. God’s the one who determined the methods, the severity of the suffering. God is in control of that situation as well.
None of us have been called to go to the Israelites, Gentiles, kings, and rulers as an apostle of God. None of us have been called to do that. But at the same time with God that we’ve learned God is not a respecter of persons. As much as He expected from Paul, based on what he was given, He expects from every single one of us, dependent on what He has given. When He called us, He also had a purpose in mind. They’re not written in Scripture for us to read. But I believe to the depth of my being that when we were called by name, our purpose has already been laid out. Our amount of suffering has already been laid out. The details of our life and this creation that’s within us is already set. It’s up to us to yield to this process. To stop and meditate on God as our Creator, to see God working, providing, sustaining, protecting constantly us, our family, our friends, those around us, leading with a purpose in our lives, I feel, is crucial. Without that growing understanding, I believe yielding to God to the level He expects is not possible.
I believe there’s a reason why God inflicted all the plagues
on
I keep going back to Deuteronomy chapter 8. Deuteronomy 8 verse 2 after God had led them through the wilderness, it says
Deuteronomy 8:2. “And you
shall remember that the Lord your
God led you
The Lord your God is the one that was in control. The Lord your God is the one that did it all.
Deuteronomy 8:2b. led you
all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would
keep His commandments or not.
I believe that there’s enough proof in Scripture that there’s nothing that can happen to us that God doesn’t know. There’s nothing that can happen to us that He has not approved to happen. And there’s nothing that can happen to us that we have not been prepared to handle. God is doing His part. Whether or not we choose to yield is our part. For us to yield as He desires requires a growing level of faith and trust, and as Christ described it a love. To obey Him is to love Him. It requires this growing within us. And if we fail to see this big picture, the only other option we have is to focus in onto the individual situations and circumstances that are happening. And we can very easily be overwhelmed to where we say, “I’m tired. I need a break. I want to quit. Just leave me alone.” It can happen so quickly.
In 1 Peter chapter 2. 1 Peter chapter 2, beginning here with verse 11. Peter speaking says,
1 Peter 2:11. Beloved,
Speaking to those who are involved in this process.
1 Peter 2:11b. I beg you
This is not something that is commanded. This is not something that God is going to force on people.
1 Peter 2:11b. I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims,
Take it all in. Condense everything and come to a decision.
1 Peter
We can do this to the point where we have been prepared to do this by God.
Verse 12.
1 Peter 2:12. Having your conduct
honorable among the Gentiles,
Even, not just amongst us, but amongst those who haven’t had the opportunity of experiencing God’s favor yet.
1 Peter 2:12. Having your
conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers,
And as they do so, it’s out of ignorance. They don’t understand.
1 Peter 2:12b. they may, by your good works which they observe,
glorify God in the day of visitation.
And for most it probably won’t be until the second resurrection. But when they come up, they’re going to remember what they saw and they experienced in this life, all aspects of it. And again, my opinion, God is in such control of everything. I can’t believe even for those who haven’t been called yet that the things that are happening in their life, God has prepared to use later when He does this with them. I believe that God is involved even to that level.
In 1 Peter chapter 3 is a key here. Verse 13.
1 Peter 3:13. And who is he who will harm you if you become
followers of what is good?
Or as The Revised Standard has, “are zealous for what
is right?”
If you’re truly striving to the best of your ability to obey God to every extent that God has prepared in you, he asked the question, “Who can harm you?” Perhaps they can hurt you physically, but who can harm this purpose? Do we see beyond this?
Verse 14.
1 Peter 3:14. But even if
you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you
are blessed. “And do not be afraid
of their threats, nor be troubled.”
And again, look back over your life, the experiences, the trials that we’ve gone through. How many times—maybe not so much as a great fear—but an uncertainty, kind of confused, not understanding what God’s doing, not understanding the purpose that can be behind something that takes place.
Verse 15 is the key. With all this that can happen, it says
1 Peter 3:15. But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you are reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;
Establishing and sanctifying the Lord God in our hearts is key. In other words, what takes priority with us God holds number one. What He says outweighs everything! All of our ideas, all of our desires, all of our trends to act or react, His ways, His teachings outweigh it all! He must be first in the priority of our heart. This relationship is close, loving and over time according to God’s purpose, according to His preparation, out of humility, we honor God. All that we do is done in honor of Him.
Again, how have we reacted to everything that’s happened to us? As we examine this process God’s brought us on, His understanding of everything that’s been allowed, His understanding of what’s taught, when it’s taught, how it’s taught, the suffering that He chooses for us to go through, the tests and trials to prove whether or not we will do what He has said to do. Perhaps we may not see at all times the purpose of “how” God chooses to reproduce in us Himself. But we have to ask ourselves, “Is there a limit to our trust and our faith in God to do what I promise?” And I don’t think we can answer that sitting here, because God hasn’t finished with the process.
Is it possible we as the clay can question God’s methods? Is it possible that attitude can influence not only our relationship with God, but the relationship that we have with one another?
I want to go back to Job chapter 7. We know very familiar with what Job had gone through. He had pretty much lost everything except his life. He had lost his self-esteem. He had been emptied, as Linda Smyda’s letter read one time that she had been stripped of all pride. Job had been stripped of a lot, but some of the pride was still there. In chapter 7 begin reading here in verse 17. This is his speaking against God.
Job
He understood that there was a plan and a purpose that God initiated, that God had worked.
Verse 18.
Job
A continuous testing! And remember what this attitude is coming from what Job had experienced in his life.
Verse 19.
Job
“How long is it going to go on?” He’s to the point where he’s tired. And he’s already gone over in a previous chapter and he’s ready to die. He just wants to die. He asks God to take his life.
Job 7:19b. Will You not look
away from me, and let me alone till I swallow my saliva?
“Will You just back off? Just leave me alone.”
Verse 20.
Job
Or as the margin has, “a burden to You?”
“Why have You done this?”
Job
“You promised that You would do this. You said this was Your part. Why can’t You just do it?” Job is confused. He doesn’t understand what’s taking place. And he’s beginning to react. This is the beginning of a snowball that will continue throughout.
Job
In chapter 9 verse 21, the snowball continues.
Job
In his mind, Job is pretty proud still at this point even though he’s gone through what he has.
Verse 23.
Job
Look at this attitude that is directed toward God!
Job
This attitude affected the relationship between Job and God Himself, but it didn’t stop there either. In chapter 12, after Zophar had given his judgment of what Job’s problem was, in verse 1, it says
Job 12:1. Then Job answered
and said: 2) “No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with
you! 3) But I have understanding as well
as you; I am not inferior to you.
Does this argument sound familiar in our day and time where we begin to discuss things and “Who are you to tell me what I need to do?” These arguments, these contentions that we’ve experienced that I think sometimes all of us can be guilty of to a degree or another.
In Job 13 verse 1.
Job 13:1. “Behold, my eye
has seen all this.
Again, he’s responding.
Job 13:2. my ear has heard
and understood it. 3) What you know, I
also know; I am not inferior to you.
His pride, again, still there, but it didn’t stop between Job reacting to his friends. If you go to Job 15 and in verse 1.
Job 15:1. Then Eliphaz the
Temanite answered and said:
He answered Job’s response.
Job 15:2. ”Should a wise man
answer with empty knowledge, and fill himself with the east wind?
“You’re full of hot air, Job! You’re just throwing opinions around now.”
Job 15:3. Should he reason
with unprofitable talk, or by speeches with which he can do no good?
So this snowball has not only affected relationship between Job and God, it’s affected the relationship between Job and his friends; one, Job to his friends; one from his friends to Job.
We can ask the question: How did God stop this? God’s still in control. He understood everything that was being said. He understood every aspect that was being done, all of the reasons. How did God stop this? What words of correction, what words to clarify things in the mind of Job to where he could understand the purpose that God had established for him?
At the end of the book, in Job chapter 42—I’m not turning there, but—God addresses Job specifically and addresses the three friends that came to offer their help to Job. And His address to the three friends, He spoke to—I believe, I’m not sure which one it was, perhaps it was Zophar; I’m not going to even say.; just one of them—He said, “I am not happy with you and your two friends. You and your two friends, you bring sacrifices to My servant Job and My servant Job will pray for you.”
Everyone in this book is talked about except for one person. And that person was Elihu. Elihu spoke for six chapters in the book of Job and it immediately preceded God’s statements that begin in chapter 38. Now I don’t have time to go through this. Perhaps you would like to do that on your own. The name “Elihu,” if we want to put significance in that, means God is Yahweh. God is God. God is the ever living one.
But it plainly says throughout, Elihu was not Jesus Christ in human form or the Word in human form at that time. It was not an angel that came down to human form. This was a man, because he said in the writings, “I have sinned. I am here only because of God’s inspiration.” But it’s interesting as you read through his words, it’s an introduction, almost a greasing of the wheel with Job before God thunders forth, because both of the messages, both Elihu and what God said focus on God is Creator, God is Sustainer, God is Provider, God is One who is creating in man.
He is the One who humbles men. He is the One who releases Satan to test
men. And only after all of that did Job
come back to center. Once again, God
doing this, humbling Job, teaching, Job and then reestablishing Job. Only God could do this and He did it with
him, focusing again on the purpose that God has and that God is in control.
How many times for us have we been in a situation where we’ve been perplexed, confused, not understanding what is taking place? How many times has God taught us, humbled us, corrected us to bring us to a point where once again we can be established?
Throughout the entirety of this process, He gives us the responsibility to choose whether or not to obey Him or not. No place in Scripture will you ever find that God forces somebody to tell the truth. That is always left as a choice. God does not force somebody not to covet. It’s left as a choice. And that choice, we all bear on a daily basis, every moment of every day.
Again, my opinion: The importance of this creation is important every second of every day to God and because of that, it should hold great importance every second of every day to us. I believe that.
For a final Scripture, if you turn to 2 Corinthians chapter 4, begin reading here with verse 7. It says
2 Corinthians 4:7. But we
have this treasure in earthen vessels,
This treasure, this Holy Spirit that God has given, the gift of Jesus the Christ, the gift of the revealing of the understanding of the truth which is His mind that He makes available to us, the investment, the time, the purpose that everything that God has given, this treasure is now stored in us.
2 Corinthians 4:7b. in
earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
Never to say, “Pat ourselves on the back. Emphasize me.” No, it’s not about that. Everything goes back to give glory to God.
Verse 8.
2 Corinthians 4:8. We are hard pressed
And that word “pressed,” if you want to look that up, it has to do with actually a wrestling match and somebody getting somebody in a headlock and actually starting to suffocate.
2 Corinthians 4:8. We are hard pressed on every side, yet
not crushed; we are perplexed,
And The Companion Bible brings out, “we don’t know which way to turn.”
We don’t know what to do much like Job found himself in.
2 Corinthians 4:8b. we are perplexed, but [we’re] not in
despair;
It’s not hopeless.
2 Corinthians 4:9. Persecuted,
but not forsaken;
Not deserted. Not abandoned.
2 Corinthians 4:9b. struck
down, but not destroyed— 10) Always
carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus
also may be manifested in our body.
That as time and God’s purpose continue that God develops within us these thoughts, these words, these actions that reflect His mind and His heart.
Verse 11.
2 Corinthians 4:11. For we
who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus
also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
12) So then death is working in us, but life in you. 13) And since we have the same spirit of
faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we
also believe and therefore [we] speak.
14) Knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up
with Jesus, and will present us with
you. 15) For all things are for your sakes,
Or as The Companion Bible brings out, “on account of your sakes.”
All things are for our benefit.
2 Corinthians 4:15b. that
grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the
glory of God.
To come to the point we realize, we understand that of and by ourselves we can do nothing. We can’t produce one spiritual fruit.
Verse 16.
2 Corinthians 4:16. Therefore
we do not lose heart.
We don’t quit! We don’t get tired and say, “I need a break.” This is a lifestyle choice that we have chosen.
2 Corinthians 4:16b. Even
though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
Who is doing that? We can’t. God has to.
2 Corinthians 4:17. For our
light affliction, which is but for a moment,
And you only see that, both that the affliction is light and both that it lasts for a moment, if we have this big picture, this backdrop of God being Creator, Designer, Sustainer of all.
2 Corinthians 4:17. For our
light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more
exceeding and eternal weight of
glory, 18) While we do not look at the
things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are
not seen are eternal.
These words, they are going to be a constant test for us till the end of our days, till God’s purpose for us is over.
As we conclude, never forget the analogy that God used in Isaiah that we are the clay and He is our Potter. And all we, every one of us, are the work of His hands.
Transcribed by kb