The Potter s Wheel Grace Missionary Church Bible

The Potter’ s Wheel Grace Missionary Church Bible Study April 01, 2020 Presenter: Rev. Richard Beckford

The book of Jeremiah highlights a historical crisis that ancient Israel experienced (the Babylonian captivity prophesied to last for 70 years). INTRODUCTION This national suffering brought instability and chaos to all sectors of the ancient Israelite community. The people interpreted this crisis as Yahweh’s instrument to encourage His people to return to Him after their apostasy (Jeremiah 24: 5 -7 NIV).

Various metaphors were used to illustrate the work of Yahweh prior to, during and after the crisis. One such metaphor was that of the ancient potter (Jeremiah 18: 23). INTRODUCTION CONT’D Yahweh used this analogy to show that He was not PASSIVE or REACTIVE. This national suffering was not a SURPRISE to him, but in His divine scheme would be used to accomplish some relational objectives with His people.

• How has the Potter responded through the REDEMPTIVE WORK of Jesus to the particular suffering? • How has the Potter responded through the REDEMPTIVE WORK of Jesus in these sufferings? INTRODUCTION CONT’D Therefore, as a local church faced with a global, national and personal suffering, we need to reflect on the following questions: • How are the recipients of the Potter’s REDEMPTIVE WORK responding to the sources of suffering? • How are the recipients of the Potter’s REDEMPTIVE WORK responding to the His strategies to combat the sources? • How are the recipients of the Potter’s REDEMPTIVE WORK relating to those who are powerless to the sources?

Human Free Will – (Weeks I-2) Diabolical Forces – (Week 3) SOURCES OF HUMAN SUFFERING The Bible has revealed to us the following sources of Human suffering: Human Social, Economic & Political Systems – (Week 4) Natural Occurrences – (Week 5)

THE MAIN GOAL OF THIS STUDY SERIES To UNDERSTAND HOW we ought to respond to the Sovereign Lord, our own sufferings and to our brothers and sisters affected by this particular suffering and other areas of distress.

WEEK 1 Human Free Will

Our ability as human beings to make choices. Our choices are not isolated from external factors. THE FIRST CAUSE OF HUMAN SUFFERING The Potter chided the children of Israel for their intoxication with following their own will at the expense of Yahweh’s will (Jeremiah 18: 12). The Potter’s challenge with Israel: their reluctance to embrace and execute His will (for the people God only existed in rituals and festivals).

These two characters made a decision that resulted in their suffering and that of others: Examining the choices of two biblical characters David (Old Testament) Judas Iscariot (New Testament)

Resultant Suffering: Examining the choices of two biblical characters 2 Samuel 11 - 12 v The destruction of a family (11: 11 -16) v The death of a man, a husband (Uriah, 11: 11 -16) v The distress of a wife (11: 26) v The compromise of a man’s value system (12: 1 -6) v A generational curse (12: 12) v The death of a child (12: 14)

Examining the choices of two biblical characters Mark 14: 10 -11, 18 -21, 43 -46; Matthew 26: 14 -16, 20 -25, 47 -50; 27: 3 -9; Luke 22: 1 -5, 20 -23, 47 -48; Acts 1: 15 -25; John 12: 16; 13: 18 -30; 17: 12; 18: 1 -9 Resultant Suffering: v. The displacement of a close knit community v. The abandonment of a leader v. The unjust imprisonment of Jesus v. The torture of Jesus prior to the cross v. The violent death of Jesus v. The suicide of a man

Questions for David and Judas What contributed to the actions of David and Judas? Was there an alternative decision? If yes, how could they have responded differently? If they had responded differently, what would be the result? Does the suffering justify the initial decision?

God’s Response to the Suffering What was God’s response to David and Judas? How has the Potter responded through the REDEMPTIVE WORK of Jesus to the particular human free will? How has the Potter responded through the REDEMPTIVE WORK of Jesus to the results of human free will?

Our Response to the Suffering How did David and Judas respond to the consequences of their decisions? How are the recipients of the Potter’s REDEMPTIVE WORK responding to our human free will? How are the recipients of the Potter’s REDEMPTIVE WORK responding to the His strategies to combat human free will? How are the recipients of the Potter’s REDEMPTIVE WORK relating to those who are powerless to their free will?