Vessels Pt 1 - Unformed Vessels - Jeremiah 18:1-6 // September 14th, 2025
Teaching overview
Riley Taylor began a new sermon series entitled “Vessels”. His sermon from Jeremiah 18 reminded us that we are clay in God’s hands—shaped, reshaped, and formed for His purposes. Though the process can be painful, God uses it to remove idols, correct injustice, and make us into vessels that reflect His beauty and bring Him glory. The invitation is to humbly submit to His shaping, trusting that even hardships are part of His good work.
Our prayer for your Community
Father, we are the clay and You are the potter—shape us into the people You want us to be. Even when it’s hard, help us trust Your hands to form us for Your glory and the good of others.
Group questions
This week in group, discuss the eight ways that God is shaping you as a vessel. Ask yourself, "Where am I and where is my heart and life in this list of being clay in the potters hands?"
Here are those eight ways God shapes us as vessels:
1. **Reworking:** When life is turned upside down, God is reshaping us for a new purpose.
2. **Centering:** God strips us down to basics to steady us on His foundation.
3. **Pounding:** Difficult seasons soften us, making us pliable for God’s use.
4. **Smoothing:** God removes rough edges and habits to make us more useful.
5. **Stretching:** God expands our capacity, sometimes beyond what we think we can handle.
6. **Trimming:** God removes excess so we can fulfill a specific calling.
7. **Glazing & Firing:** Trials reveal our true beauty and solidify our purpose.
8. **Polishing:** All blessings and beauty in our lives are meant to bring God glory.
For further meditation through the rest of your week…
1. The Potter’s Hands
Meditation: “God, I am clay in Your hands. Where I feel marred or broken, You are not discarding me but reshaping me. I choose to trust the process of Your shaping today.”
2. Resisting or Submitting
Meditation: “Am I resisting God’s shaping through stubbornness, self-reliance, or fear? Lord, soften my heart so I may submit fully to You and become the vessel You intend.”
3. Shaped for Glory
Meditation: “The beauty in my life is not for me but for Your glory. Father, may every blessing, trial, and transformation point others to You.”
