Transformed by Grace: From Clay to Vessel

Summary

Today, we gathered to celebrate the faithfulness of God, who is truly our everything—our healer, provider, deliverer, and friend. We lifted our voices in worship, declaring our trust in the One who has never failed us, even when life has brought us through seasons of sickness, grief, and uncertainty. Through every trial, God has proven Himself to be the potter, skillfully shaping and reshaping our lives, never discarding us even when we are marred or broken. Just as Jeremiah was sent to the potter’s house, we are reminded that our lives are in God’s hands, and He is both able and willing to remake us, no matter how many times we falter.

We explored the mission and vision of our church: to connect, equip, and make disciples. Like pieces of a puzzle, each of us is essential, and God intentionally connects us with others—even those we might not choose ourselves—to build His kingdom. We must be transparent, open, and willing to be used, understanding that every part of the body is necessary. Equipping goes beyond simply handing out spiritual tools; it requires training, relationship, and a deep understanding of our purpose. We are not called to simply look the part, but to be transformed from the inside out, allowing God to do the work only He can do.

As we move from clay to vessel, the process is often uncomfortable and requires surrender. Life may add layers of pain, grief, or generational burdens, but God does not abandon us. Instead, He continues to press, shape, and mold us, using even our brokenness for His glory. The vessel He creates is not meant to hoard what is poured in, but to pour out into others, serving hot and fresh what God has given us. We are reminded not to settle for chaos or believe we are unworthy of God’s love and restoration. The journey from clay to vessel is ongoing, and our role is to remain in the potter’s hands, trusting Him to complete the work He has begun.

Let us be a people who connect with love, equip with grace, and make disciples with patience and compassion, always remembering that it is God who does the transforming work. Our mission is not just a slogan, but a call to live surrendered, to pour out what God has poured in, and to trust Him through every season.

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Key Takeaways

- God’s Relentless Grace in the Potter’s Hands
God never discards us, even when we are marred by life’s circumstances or our own choices. Like the potter with the clay, He patiently reshapes and remakes us, demonstrating a grace that refuses to give up on us. Our failures and flaws are not the end, but the beginning of God’s creative work in our lives. Surrendering to His process is the pathway to becoming vessels of honor. [28:00]

- The Necessity of Authentic Connection
We are each a unique piece in God’s puzzle, and true connection requires transparency, honesty, and a willingness to be vulnerable. God often connects us with people who challenge us, stretch us, and help us grow, even if they are not who we would have chosen. Every member of the body is essential, and unity is found not in sameness, but in shared mission and mutual dependence. [42:26]

- Equipping Requires More Than Tools—It Demands Transformation
Being equipped for God’s work is not just about receiving spiritual gifts or knowledge, but about being trained, tested, and transformed. We must know the heart of our Commander-in-Chief, understand the mission, and be trustworthy stewards of what we’ve been given. True equipping prepares us to serve with wisdom, discernment, and love, not just to “look the part.” [48:32]

- From Clay to Vessel: Embracing the Process and Pouring Out
The journey from raw clay to a vessel of purpose is marked by pressure, heat, and sometimes pain. Yet, God uses every experience—good and bad—to shape us for His glory. The vessel’s purpose is not to keep what is poured in, but to pour out into others, serving with freshness and generosity. We must not allow what God has given us to grow cold or stagnant, but continually pour out as He pours in. [59:30]

- Letting God Be God: Trusting His Timing and Methods
Transformation is God’s work, not ours. We are called to place ourselves—and others—in the potter’s hands, resisting the urge to rush the process or impose our own solutions. God’s love, patience, and compassion are the true agents of change, and our role is to create space for Him to work, both in ourselves and in those we disciple. [01:08:35]

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Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[05:28] - Worship: God Is Our Everything
[09:51] - Trusting God Through Every Season
[12:43] - Assurance in God’s Faithfulness
[18:32] - Testimonies of God’s Answered Prayer
[22:25] - Scripture Reading: Jeremiah and the Potter’s House
[25:37] - Lessons from the Potter and the Clay
[28:00] - God’s Grace in Our Brokenness
[36:46] - Holy Ghost Construction: Preparing for God’s Work
[39:12] - The Puzzle of Connection
[45:22] - Equipping for Purpose
[49:41] - Making Disciples: The Overflow of the Vessel
[50:56] - Life’s Additions: Sickness, Grief, and Generational Curses
[54:45] - God’s Plan and Our Victory
[59:30] - Pouring Out: The Purpose of the Vessel
[01:03:26] - The Process: From Clay to Vessel
[01:06:06] - Leading with Love, Not Judgment
[01:08:35] - Letting God Do the Work
[01:09:13] - Closing Prayer and Blessing
[01:11:43] - Announcements and Dismissal

Study Guide

Small Group Bible Study Discussion Guide

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### Bible Reading

Jeremiah 18:1-6 (AMP)
> The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will make you hear My words.” Then I went down to the potter’s house, and saw that he was working at the wheel. But the vessel that he was making from clay was spoiled by the potter’s hand; so he made it over, reworking it and making it into another pot that seemed good to him. Then the word of the Lord came to me: “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?” says the Lord. “Look carefully, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel.”

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### Observation Questions

1. According to Jeremiah 18:4, what did the potter do when the vessel was spoiled in his hands?
2. In the sermon, what are some of the things that can make us feel “marred” or “broken” in God’s hands? ([50:56])
3. What does the sermon say is the purpose of the vessel after it has been shaped by the potter? ([59:30])
4. How does the sermon describe the process of being shaped by God—what are some of the steps or experiences involved? ([54:07])

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### Interpretation Questions

1. What does it mean that God is the potter and we are the clay? How does this image help us understand God’s role in our lives? (Jeremiah 18:6)
2. The sermon says God never discards us, even when we are marred. Why is this significant for how we view our failures or struggles? ([28:00])
3. The process from clay to vessel is described as uncomfortable and sometimes painful. Why might God allow us to go through these difficult seasons? ([54:07])
4. The sermon talks about being “equipped” and “connected” as part of the church’s mission. What does it look like for someone to be truly equipped and connected, rather than just “looking the part”? ([48:32])

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### Application Questions

1. The sermon mentions that God connects us with people we might not have chosen ourselves. Is there someone in your life right now who challenges you or stretches you? How might God be using that relationship to shape you? ([42:26])
2. When you think about your own life, are there areas where you feel “marred” or “broken”? What would it look like to surrender those areas to God and trust Him to remake you? ([28:00])
3. The process of being shaped by God can involve pressure, heat, and pain. Can you share a time when a difficult experience ended up being something God used for your growth? ([54:07])
4. The sermon says the vessel is not meant to keep what is poured in, but to pour out into others. What is something God has poured into you recently that you can share or serve to someone else this week? ([59:30])
5. The idea of equipping goes beyond just having spiritual “tools”—it’s about being trained and transformed. Is there a spiritual discipline or area of growth you feel God is inviting you to focus on right now? ([48:32])
6. The message encourages us not to settle for chaos or believe we are unworthy of God’s love and restoration. Are there lies or negative beliefs you need to let go of in order to receive God’s grace? ([01:02])
7. The sermon says our mission is to “connect with love, equip with grace, and make disciples with patience and compassion.” Which of these three do you find most challenging, and what is one step you can take this week to grow in that area? ([07:21] and [49:41])

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Closing Prayer Suggestion:
Invite the group to pray for one another, asking God to help each person stay surrendered in the potter’s hands, to trust His process, and to be willing vessels who pour out what God has poured in.

Devotional

Day 1: God Shapes Us in the Potter’s Hands
Just as clay is shaped by the potter, our lives are continually molded by God’s loving and sovereign hands, even when we feel marred or unworthy. No matter how many times we falter or resist, God does not discard us; instead, He patiently reshapes us, working through our failures and imperfections to create something beautiful and purposeful. The process may involve discomfort, pressure, or unfamiliarity, but it is always guided by His mercy and grace. Our role is to surrender, allowing God to do His work in us, trusting that His vision for our lives is greater than our own. [23:02]

Jeremiah 18:1-6 (Amplified Bible)
“The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord: ‘Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will make you hear My words.’ Then I went down to the potter’s house, and saw that he was working at the wheel. But the vessel that he was making from clay was spoiled by the potter’s hand; so he made it over, reworking it and making it into another pot that seemed good to him. Then the word of the Lord came to me: ‘O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?’ says the Lord. ‘Look carefully, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel.’”

Reflection: Where in your life do you feel “marred” or resistant to God’s shaping? What would it look like to surrender that area to Him today and trust His process?


Day 2: God’s Mercy Never Fails
God’s mercy is greater than our failures, and He never abandons us, even when we stray or feel unworthy. He is always ready to forgive, restore, and remake us, not because of our perfection but because of His steadfast love and compassion. Even when life adds burdens like grief, sickness, or generational struggles, God continues to work with us, never discarding us but instead pressing, shaping, and molding us into vessels of honor. His mercy is available to all, and He delights in giving us another chance to become who He created us to be. [32:24]

Lamentations 3:22-23 (ESV)
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

Reflection: Think of a time when you felt you didn’t deserve God’s mercy. How can you receive His forgiveness and extend that same mercy to yourself and others today?


Day 3: We Are Called to Connect, Equip, and Make Disciples
Every believer is an essential piece of God’s puzzle, called to connect with others, be equipped for service, and help make disciples. No one part is more important than another; each person’s gifts and presence are necessary for the body of Christ to function and grow. Sometimes, God connects us with people we wouldn’t choose ourselves, stretching us beyond our comfort zones for the sake of His mission. As we connect and equip one another, we must be intentional, transparent, and willing to pour into others as God pours into us, never holding back what He has given. [41:45]

Ephesians 4:15-16 (ESV)
“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”

Reflection: Who is someone in your church or community you can intentionally connect with or encourage this week, even if it feels uncomfortable or unfamiliar?


Day 4: Let God Do the Work—Don’t Try to Fix Yourself Alone
Transformation is God’s work, not ours; our responsibility is to surrender and let Him do the shaping, molding, and remaking. Too often, we try to cover up our flaws or fix ourselves with outward changes, but true change comes from allowing God’s Spirit to work within us. We don’t need to be perfect before coming to God—He can use us right where we are, in the midst of our mess, pain, or brokenness. Our job is to present ourselves as living sacrifices and trust that God will turn our clay into a vessel fit for His purpose. [01:03:26]

Romans 12:1-2 (ESV)
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Reflection: What is one area where you’ve been trying to “fix” yourself instead of letting God do the work? How can you surrender that to Him in prayer today?


Day 5: Pour Out What God Pours In—Serve Others with Love
The purpose of being shaped and filled by God is not to keep His blessings to ourselves, but to pour out into others—serving, loving, and discipling as He leads. When we hold onto what God has given us, it can grow stagnant or even spoil; but when we pour out in love, we become vessels through which God’s grace, compassion, and truth flow to the world. Don’t settle for chaos, pain, or the lie that you’re unworthy—God can use you, right now, to make a difference in someone’s life. Serve hot, serve fresh, and let God’s love overflow from you to others. [01:00:53]

Matthew 5:14-16 (ESV)
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

Reflection: What is one way you can intentionally pour into someone else today—sharing encouragement, serving, or showing God’s love in action?

Quotes