Wesley Word – August 31, 2022

Carolyn Lemaster   -   August 31, 2022

To go along with service on: Sunday, September 4th

Experiencing Grace

Exploring Truth

Jeremiah 18:1-11

The Potter’s Hands

During September, we will have stand-alone sermons, not a series, based on the lectionary readings. In October, we are going to be in a series called Promises talking about our membership vows of Prayers, Presence, Gifts, Service, and Witness. That series will end on All Saints’ Sunday, November 6th. Our annual stewardship campaign will also be tied into the Promises series.

In this week’s text, we hear from the Prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah was a prophet in Judah, the southern kingdom, in the time leading up to, and during, the Exile in Babylon, when God removed the people from the land in punishment for their unfaithfulness. It was Jeremiah’s job to warn the people that this was going to happen in the hope that they would change their ways and avoid this tragedy.

Perhaps the most striking illustration of God’s desire that the people change to avoid coming punishment is our text this week, the story of the potter’s house. God tells Jeremiah to go down to the potter’s house. As Jeremiah watches the potter at work, he notices that, because of a problem with the clay, the potter has to change his plans. He had planned to make one kind of pot, but because something was wrong with the clay, the potter had to change his plans and make something else.

God then tells Jeremiah that he is just like that with his people. God may plan blessings for people, but if they do not continue to obey, he will send punishment instead. Likewise, God may plan punishment for people, but if they change their ways, he will send blessings instead.

Does that mean that God can change his mind? Well, yes, at least sometimes. This passage tells us that our choices and our prayers actually do matter and do make a difference in the universe. That does not mean that God will always answer our prayers the way we want, but it does mean that we can trust God to always do what is best for us, even when we mess up. We can always trust the Potter’s Hands.

New Testament in a Year: https://wesleyonline.org/biblereading/

  • August 31        2 Corinthians 4:13-5:10
  • September 1        2 Corinthians 5:11-21
  • September 2        2 Corinthians 6:1-13
  • September 3        2 Corinthians 6:14-7:7
  • September 4        2 Corinthians 7:8-16
  • September 5        2 Corinthians 8:1-15
  • September 6        2 Corinthians 8:16-24
  • September 7        2 Corinthians 9:1-15

Expressing Love: Family/Mission Activity

It’s hard to be the bearer of bad news, but sometimes God asks us to do challenging things as a part of his plan. Life can be tough, but God promises that we can trust his methods and his will. So, will we obey the Lord even when it’s difficult?

Though not everyone has seen a potter working at a wheel, most people have had many enjoyable experiences working with clay or playdough. They understand the process of reworking a piece until you get what you want. Some people, however, will need help making the connection between potters working with clay and God working with us. The natural expectation of concrete thinkers is to visualize God reworking the shapes of our bodies. To get beyond this to Jeremiah’s message, people need to hear such examples as God working selfishness and generosity, or a quick temper into a controlled one. All people need to explore what this reworking is like. Obviously, God does not punch us down into a lump (or turn us back into babies) and start over again. God works on us by giving us teachers and examples in the lives of others. God gives us the messages of the Bible to help us know how to live. God is with us, helping us learn from events in our lives. Although we often focus on God’s shaping of our personal lives, God was speaking to Jeremiah about shaping the nations.

As you and your family/loved ones make the edible cookie dough think of how God must feel every single time He has shaped your life and the lives around you!  Prep: 10 mins Total: 10 mins Servings: 8

Ingredients: ¾ Cup packed brown sugar, ½ Cup butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 Cup all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons milk, ½ Cup chocolate chips, ½ Cup mini chocolate chips

Combine brown sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in vanilla extract and salt. Add flour; mix until a crumbly dough forms. Mix in milk. Fold in milk chocolate chips and mini chocolate chips.

Announcements

  • Wesley Family Hour – Doughnuts are coming back! Not only that, we are announcing a new and improved fellowship time in the Fellowship Hall during the Sunday school hour between the 9am and 11am services beginning September 11th. We are calling this “Wesley Family Hour.” There will be doughnuts and coffee and other goodies and an opportunity for fellowship and conversation. There will also be discussion starters on the tables for those who want to dig deeper. From time to time, we may also have special programs or projects for us to work on together. We hope this will bring our Wesley Family closer together.  Come and join us.
  • WOW (Wesley on Wednesdays) will begin on September 14th at 6:00 p.m. There will be 3 adult classes offered as well as programming for the youth and children. The evening will start with fellowship, dessert and refreshments with a small devotion on CS Lewis writings to follow. Mike Ruby will be doing a men’s Bible study, Janet Perrenoud will be doing a study on a CS Lewis book (this will go along with the small devotion), and our Stephen Ministers will be offering a class on Christian Caregiving.