- Jeremiah 18:1-11
- Psalm 139 (VU p.861)
The Sermon title is Being Reshaped
Early Thoughts: What does it feel like to be the clay???
Well really, when you think about it that is the question that begs to be asked this week. How does it feel to allow ourselves to be reshaped and molded? Does the clay sit passively and let the potter do as she wishes or does the clay actively resist being shaped? I suspect some potters would say one and some would say the other.
This can be a tough passage to read. I am certain they were hard words to hear for the people of Jerusalem. Jeremiah is telling them that the nation is a flawed pot, a pot that needs to be smashed back into a lump of clay and reshaped. But it can also be a hopeful passage. They may need to be smashed and reshaped but then again they are in the hands of the potter.
So here is the question. How are we being reshaped today? (please note that i don't ask if we are or if we need be, my assumption is that we are and we need to be). How is our City, our church, our nation being reshaped? How are we as individuals being reshaped? And of course, how do we (the clay) respond to that reshaping?
I welcome your answers and challenges.
---Gord
PS: Here is a reflection on the Jeremiah passage I found quite helpful.
Early thoughts for me too. I think it's a bit sad, but of all the world's 'clay' I think the church is the most resistant in the Potter's hands. It is so often the case that while the rest of the world's natural evolution from one form to another (did anyone complain when colour tv became high definition? Or - do we dig our heels in and refuse to let our children grow up and become the people they are meant to be?) - the church (big C) seems to need Lack of Change more than any other institution I can think of.
ReplyDeleteWhy? That's the question of the week for me.
On another note, I can't quite believe yet that we won't see all of you at Presbytery :(