The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-15
REV. ]. N. broadly ON
ANOTHER CHANCE"
Minister Says God Can Use
Marred Lives
THE POTTER AND CLAY
Marred Vessel Is Not Cast Aside But
Remade,, and So The Lord Can
Use Men Who Are Scared
By Sin

a forceful sermon yesterday morning at
the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian church on
"Another Chance" taking his text from
Jeremiah 1894, which reads as follows:
"Then I went down to the potter's house
and behold, he was making a work on
the wheels And the vessel that he made
of clay was marred in the hands of the
potter; so he made it again another
vessel as seemed good to the potter to
make It,"
The Rev. Broadly spoke in part as fol-
lows:
Jeremiah, the tender hearted, weep
ing prophet so 6isliked to say to the
people things that displeased and con-
demned them. Jehovah used such men,
as l have said repeatedly. Now He says,
Jeremiah. go down and stand by the
potter and look at what he is doing and
words
Jeremiah went and saw the potter
turn off of the wheel vessel that was
marred in the process OF making and he
noted that the potter did not throw the
clay to the ground and pick up a new
piece and commence all anew. He doubt
less remoistened it and made it into an
other complete vessel. Then Jehovah
said unto jeremiah. Why cannot do
the same with the House of Israel, as
the potter did with the clay?'
Must Remove Marred Places
Jehovah says they are as clay in my
hands, but they need to be adjusted to
my will. And we will never do our best
service until the marred places in our
lives have been worked over, repaired
and only Jehovah can do that.
81 am calling your attention to this
subject after the dry, hot season. When
all of us have relaxed In our spiritual
plans. That il the spiritual vessel has
sprung a leak, tie slaves have grown
loose and fallen down. Or in the ma
chimes of our Christian habits the belts
are slipping. Let me say that 1t is econ
omy and wisdom to get new grip on
things by more determined effort to
live a more spiritual life do more vital
service.
1.-THE occasion of this passage of truth
was that God bad great purpose for
his people. He expected that His grace
and salvation were to flow through His
people to all other nations and it had
dawned upon Him that they were un-
worthy and careless.
with pleasure 1 announce unto you
| that God can use the marred vessels. A
few days ago / came into Chattanooga
over the Alabama Great Southern rail-
road and few miles north of Chatta-
l.nooga there is q mill where they make
| clay vessels. For long way there were
| thousands and thousands of marred pieces
beside the track, unusable. Not SO with
our Lord He can use us. He intended
us when He redeemed us to be avenues
| through which His grace might be car
ried to a last world. His grace, yes
grace.
Grace Is Divine Energy
"What is grace? 1t is divine energy.
Grace is the divine energy of holiness.
Grace is the divine energy of holiness in
quest for the unholy. Grace is the di-
vine' energy of holiness in quest for the
| unholy trying to induce them to accept
| the holiness of God
| Now, what is il that mars us as ves-
sells, that thwarts the purposes of God?
That illustrates the grace of God in
| our lives? 1t is not weakness. nor lack
of capacity, nor lack of opportunity.
| But it is sin God can use U.S. And
| II we want to be used God can remove
the hindrance in our lives just like the
potter could recast the clay and make a
! serviceable vessel A new heart also
will l give you, taking away the stony
heart and give you heart of flesh.
'He put Jacob on the wheel and broke
| him litte but he made him vessel.
| David's spirit was broken and he asked
for a clean heart and the joy of THY
salvation. He took the profanity out OF
Peter, the selfshness out of James and
John. the hatred out of PauPs life, and
| the love for ease out of John Marks.
t''In this parable that jeremiah wit
messed the vessel was still in the
| hands of the potter. He had not or did
not discard it. And the mystery of the
! ages is that God has not cast us off
| Every time in a Sunday school class you
study the selection of the 12 apostles
some man asks a profound question, why
did the Savior chose. Judas? I do not
know. The question for 15 years has
been, why did He choose me, and why
| does He not drop me when ISbecame 80
marred. That IS just as big mystery.
THAT Thou couldst love wretch like
| And be the God thou art,
i Is darkness to my intellect,
| But sunshine to my heart"
In Process of Becoming
Eve are not in a state of being. We
are in the process of becoming. The
wheel is still whirling. There are many
things that have to be done before God
can use us. With Israel He asked that
they first give up their false gods
wonder if we are guilty of burning in
cense to other Gods but Jehovah? II
you want heart development you cans
burn incense to the physical and the ma
! terial
"They spurned Jehovah's outlined way
by paths of thcir own. Are we guilty
Jehovah says forsake not the assembly
| ing of yourselves together How many
people have you heard say, i had rather
| go to the woods or the park: that !:
| my religion. etc. Seeking out theil
own by-paths.n We are commanded tc
study to show. ourselves approved untc
God And we have ignored that in
| junction.
1--WE must be willing to be transformed
The Jewish race. would not come. Th'
| rich young rulerfwoNld not
1--WE must be Wiling to put on tn,
whole armor OF God. The shield of faftl
and the sword Of the spirit. BY faith
| says the blind man. I was made whole.
BY faith the marred life which we hav'
| lived can be transformed" ~
--------
| KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS M