In his sermon at Burnet Bible Church, Pastor Steve Hopkins delves into Romans 9:21-24, exploring the metaphor of God as the potter and humanity as the clay. He discusses God's sovereign right to shape vessels for both honor and dishonor from the same lump of fallen humanity. Hopkins emphasizes the concepts of divine mercy and justice, asserting that God has the authority to show mercy to some while hardening others. He addresses common objections regarding God's justice, clarifying that God does not create sin but allows individuals to follow their own hardened hearts. The sermon underscores that while believers are recipients of God's mercy, this truth should inspire praise, gratitude, and a life lived in acknowledgment of God's grace. Hopkins concludes by urging believers to live with constant thanksgiving and awareness of their status as vessels of mercy prepared for eternal glory.

Welcome back to Burnet Bible Church. Join us this week as Pastor Hopkins continues his sermon series through the book of Romans. Let's stand and read the word of the Lord together, Romans 9, 21 through 24. Hath not the potter power over the clay, Of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, And another unto dishonor? What if God, willing to show his wrath, And to make his power known, Endured with much long suffering, the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction, and that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared under glory, even us whom he hath called not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles.

Let's pray. Father, our Father in heaven, high above the whole world, we praise you God for your infinite greatness, for your infinite wisdom, power, and glory, far above our our finite comprehension. And we thank you God for your amazing grace, that grace that taught our hearts to fear and that grace that our fears relieved. We thank you for raising your people from the graveyard of spiritual death to life for giving us grace to repent, for giving us faith to believe, for giving us eyes to see and ears to hear. We ask God once again that you might be pleased to give the Spirit to open our understanding as we open your word for we ask it in Jesus name amen let's be seated the title you'll see in your order of worship this afternoon's message is vessels of mercy afore prepared unto glory.

But this morning as I was going over the message and after praying for a work of the Spirit, I started wondering if it might have been better entitled just simply of the same lump. If you'll look at the passage before us, of the same lump from verse 21. I think you'll see my point as we go forward. We ended our last session with a brief answer to the Apostle Paul's question in verse 21. I hope you have your Bibles open.

Look at verse 21, Hath not the potter power over the clay of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor and another unto dishonor? And I want to ask the same question to everyone here this afternoon. What do you think? What do you think? Does not God have the right of the same lump that is of the same mass of fallen humanity to make one vessel unto honor and another unto dishonor.

What do you think? You may say, well, it's right there before me. I can't deny it. It's right there in front of me. But That's not what I'm asking.

What I'm asking is, do you personally, in your heart of hearts, believe that to be true? Because your answer concerns you also. It isn't merely a question put forth in an abstract sense that has no relationship to you personally. You are a part of that same lump of fallen humanity that is in question. Does God have the right of the same lump of clay that is of the same mass of fallen humanity of which you are a part and the person sitting next to you is a part.

Does he have the right to make one of you a vessel unto honor and another unto dishonor. We all came from the same lump. We all belong to the same lump of fallen humanity in Adam. As a note, my Bible says, and all actively sin, even before God hardens some of them in sinning, which we'll look at again in a moment, that God should show mercy to any from the Adamic lump, that is the lump of those fallen in Adam, and create vessels of honor from it is the kindness of grace, that others should become vessels for lesser use is a matter of his sovereign prerogative and is itself a display of perfect justice toward them." Close quote. So back to our question.

Hath not does not God have the power, hath not the potter, power over the clay of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor and another unto dishonor? Did God not have the right, For instance, to make from the same lump of fallen mankind both Moses and Pharaoh. We see both of them listed in Romans chapter 9. Did God have the right to make from the same lump of fallen mankind a Moses as well as a Pharaoh? For he says unto Moses in verse 15, I will have mercy upon whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

And then the scripture says to Pharaoh beginning in verse 17, even for this purpose I raised you up, that I might show my power in you, that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he wills he hardens. Again, does not God have the right of the same lump of clay, of the same mass of fallen humanity, the right, the power, the authority to make one vessel unto honor and another unto dishonor. My forward response as we ended last week was, you bet he does, you bet he does. God assigned Pharaoh to a work and he raised Pharaoh to a position of power not to show Pharaoh's power or to make his name great But to show his own power God's own power and that his name Might be declared throughout all the earth God has the right from the same lump of fallen mankind To make one vessel unto honor and another unto dishonor He has the right to have mercy upon whom he will have mercy, verse 18, and the right to harden whom he will harden.

As I said in our last message, Most of us are fine with that first part, part about God having mercy upon whom He'll have mercy. We're fine with that. You're among those, if you're a believer, upon whom He's had mercy. But that second part tends to trouble us. It makes us uncomfortable.

It unnerves us that God also hardens whom he wills. And I said some are uncomfortable with it because they think falsely that it means that God creates sin in the heart of a man and then punishes him for that sin. But God is not the author of evil. James says he neither does evil nor does he tempt any man to sin. No, when God hardens the heart of a man he does not create new evil in the heart of the man.

You'll remember from our last session I said he just lets a man go where his already evil heart wants to go. He just removes his restraint. All God has to do is remove his restraint. All God has to do, and the analogy that I gave last week is to cut the chain of the dog striving against his master, the chain that holds the dog at a distance from the stake but stake to the ground. All God has to do is to cut the chain and let the dog run, remove his restraint, cut the man loose to do what his already hard and wicked heart wants to do and the heart of that man will increasingly calcify that is hardened.

And I said it's the worst punishment a man can experience this side of hell. And This is what happened to Pharaoh. He just let him run. He just cut his chain and let him run. He did what his already evil, wicked and hardened heart wanted to do.

God was perfectly just in doing so. Perfectly just in doing so. So we came to verse 19 last week in the Apostles' anticipation of a second objection. Remember the first objection? How many remember the first objection that was anticipated?

The charge of injustice with God? That God is maybe somehow unfair? Charge of God being unrighteous? Is there unrighteousness with God because he chose Jacob and passed over Esau before the children were ever born and did any good or evil? As it is written, Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated?

And the answer returned to that objection that was anticipated by the Apostle Paul was, God forbid, certainly not. For he said to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy. No one has a claim on God's mercy. We are all as an unclean thing. We have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God and thus are worthy to incur the just penalty for our sin and bear the wrath of God in eternal condemnation.

Therefore, if God leaves any, as with Esau, who are justly condemned for their sins in their sins, to suffer what they deserve for their sins, there is no injustice on God's part. I quote his scroll, God's elect get grace, right? Those who are not elect get justice, but no one gets injustice. And then the second objection Anticipated, as I said, was in verse 19. After Paul tells us that God not only reserves the right to have mercy on whom he will have mercy but whom he will he also hardens, as in the case of Pharaoh, Paul anticipates a second objection.

You'll say unto me then, well how does God find fault in a man? How can he condemn someone when they can't resist his will? Why does God yet find fault for who is able to resist His will? It's a reply that shakes the fist of man in the face of God. And the Apostle Paul, I said in our last session, doesn't even answer the question directly.

But he responds in verse 20, No, nay, but O man, Who are you to reply against God? Who art thou that reply us against God that is who are you O man to reply in such a way against God? Will he who made you now answer to you? Is that the way you view God and the way you view yourself? Will he who made you now answer to you?

Will you put him on the dock and question him? We went through several passages in our last session, many from the book of Job where Job turned his questioning towards God and then God interrogates Job for like two or three chapters. Where were you when I made the heavens and the earth? Where were you when I formed these Pleiades and the stars, etc., etc.? Where were you?

Now you answer me. No, will he who made you now answer to you? Who in the world do you think you are? Who in the world do you think you are? Do you presume to stand in judgment upon the God who made you?

Paul says, Shall the thing form, say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Woe unto him who strives with his Maker, says Isaiah. Let the broken pieces of pottery, the potsherds strive with the potsherds of the earth, but let them not contend with their maker. Isaiah's illustration shows the absolute absurdity of even entertaining the notion. Paul in the same vein says, Shall the clay say to him that fashioned it, What makest thou?

Shall the clay in the hands of a potter, if it could even talk, say to the potter, What have you made? It is absurd. Brings us back to the question we started with in verse 21. You bet he does. The psalm is said in Psalm 100 verse 3.

And he has the right to do with the lump, with the mass of corrupt mankind, whatever he determines. Just as a potter has the right to make from the same lump of clay one pot or vessel for honorable use and another pot or vessel for dishonorable use, so the sovereign Lord of creation has the power, has the authority, has the right to do whatsoever he wills with the mass of fallen humanity. Does everyone get that? Look at verse 21 again. Does everyone understand that every one of us in this meeting house, along with every person who has ever lived or ever will live, belongs to the same lump?

Everybody got that? We're all a part of that same lump. Every one of us belongs to that same lump of clay, to that same batch of clay that is the mass of fallen mankind in Adam. And being so, every one of us deserves to incur the just penalty for our sin. But praise God.

But bless the Lord, O my soul, God who knows all things before he created mankind knew that mankind would fall and in view of the fall determined in eternity past before the foundation of the world to redeem some from among that mass of fallen humanity Can you say praise God with me? He determined to redeem some from among the mass of fallen humanity. If he had not, you wouldn't be sitting in this church house today. He determined to make from that same lump of fallen mankind some vessels of mercy prepared for glory. So the answer to Paul's question is yes.

The potter, capital P, has power over the clay of the same lump of fallen humanity who all deserve justice on account of our sin and rebellion to make one vessel unto honor and another unto dishonor. And we, drawn to Christ, who have been made the recipients of God's amazing grace, what should be our response? We should be praising Him and thanking Him every day of our lives for the fact that He determined before the foundations of the world not to leave everyone in their sin, not to leave everyone in the state in which they were born. God could have justly passed by every one of us as he did Esau. God could have justly passed over, passed by every one of us as he did Esau.

God could have cut our chain and let us run to the furthest point of the hardening of our hearts, our wicked hearts, as he did with Pharaoh. He could have left every one of us and justly done so to face the judgment of the last day in our sins. He could have done that but he didn't. Scripture says he prepared afore before the foundations of the world vessels of mercy prepared for glory. Wow And please don't miss the context here.

Paul has been reasoning with his readers about God's electing grace and mercy. Look at your text here, look at Romans chapter 9. That's been the context. That the purpose of God, according to election, might stand. Verse 11.

That he will have mercy upon whom he will have mercy. Verse 15. That the salvation of souls is quote not of him who wills nor of him who runs but of God who shows mercy. Verse 16. Even in the passing by of Esau and the hardening of Pharaoh's heart, God's electing grace and mercy toward his people has been in view.

You see that? His electing grace and mercy toward his people has been in view. You see that? His electing grace and mercy toward his people has been in view. And to drive the point home even further, Paul asks in verse 22, what if?

Questions everywhere here. What if? I mean, what do you think about this? He's saying, what if God willing to display his wrath, to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long suffering, the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction for the purpose that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared under glory." Does any one of us have a problem with that? You got a problem with that?

God would do that. God would, wanting to show his wrath to make his power known, would endure, put up with for a long time, endure with much long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy upon you who believe which he had afore prepared unto glory. Does anyone have a problem with that? That trouble you? Does that bother you?

Remember we all came from the same lump, from the same mass of fallen humanity and Adam. But God who was rich in mercy didn't leave us in that condition or in that state in which we were born. But for the great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, he quickened us, he made us alive together with Christ. Praise God. Praise God.

I don't have a problem with that. You have a problem with that? You know the theologians have wrestled over this. I think it was I think it was Spro that said that these passages right here, 20, 21, 22, the most difficult passage in the whole Bible. I think that's a quote.

Pretty rough. Well, why? Well, we look at that and we go, God willing to show his wrath and make his power known and endure with much long suffering. Vessels of wrath fitted to destruction. It sends a shiver down our spine.

Fitted to destruction? What does he mean? And then, vessels of mercy prepared unto glory. Theologians will make the case, and I've heard at least two theologians make this case, that the word fitted to destruction in verse 22. The verse, the word prepared under glory, these verbs in verse 23, fitted is passive, is in the passive voice.

Prepared is in the active voice And that makes a difference. God leaves the vessels of wrath in their sin to face the just penalty, to incur the just penalty to do their sins. And he actively pulls us out, his people out, actively saves them, actively prepares them unto glory. A note in my Bible commentary says, even as, quote, a potter can make of one lump of clay, vessels for different uses, even so God can make from one lump, as it were, of fallen mankind some vessels to demonstrate His power and justice in their condemnation by leaving them in their sins and other vessels of mercy to display His mercy in their salvation, actively saving them, pulling them out. Praise God, Praise God that he did.

When Paul says that God willing to show his wrath and make his power known endured with much long suffering, the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction, he's not saying that God created wicked people or made them evil so that he could have a mass of clay to make his power known by pouring out his wrath on them. No, that's not the God we serve. But that in eternity past, God in view of the fall, knowing that mankind would fall, and willing to show his wrath against sin, determined to leave some in their sin to incur the just penalty, do them for their sin. If any of you have studied theology, you'll know that I've just fallen down on one side or the other of a great debate, the infralapsarian and superlapsarian debate, falling down on the infralapsarian side, the lapse, meaning the fall, the lapse into sin. God willing to show his wrath to make his power known in eternity past, God in view of the fall, Knowing that mankind would fall and willing to show his wrath against sin, determined to leave some in their sin, to incur the just penalty do them for their sin.

Why? That he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had afore before the foundations of the world prepared unto glory, even us whom he hath called, the scripture says, Not of the Jews only but also of the Gentiles which is going to be very important going forward Not only of the Jews, but also of the Gentiles those that he called as we draw to a close I'll read a comment from Dr. Sproul Quote from a corrupt mass of clay God chose to make vessels of glory. If you are in Christ Jesus, that's what God has done for you in His mercy and grace. If you're in Christ, if you're a child of God, if you're trusting in Jesus, that's what God has done for you in His mercy and grace.

He has made you a vessel of mercy that he prepared before the foundation of the world for glory Amen close quote amen if you're in Christ Jesus you are a vessel of God's mercy Before the foundations of the world that was prepared who was prepared for glory Who before the foundations of the world that was prepared, who was prepared for glory. Who before the foundations of the world was prepared for glory. Now the question for every one of us who believe, who are trusting in Christ alone for our salvation and no work of our own. The question for every one of us is, in light of this, how should we then live? How then should we live in light of this?

How should this understanding cause us to live? This understanding that we are who believe are among the vessels of God's mercy who were prepared before the foundations of the world for glory. How should this understanding cause us to live, to think, to speak, to act in this world. How should this understanding cause you personally to live? In the remaining, believe me, fleeting hours and days of your sojourning on earth.

Life is short. The older we get, the faster the years begin to spin. How should we live in the remaining hours, fleeting hours and days, possibly minutes of our sojourning on earth? You know, Mr. Beckley just talked about what's going to happen at the judgment when Christ returns.

We don't know when Christ is going to return. You know, I hope this hasn't been anyone's thoughts but have you ever thought, well you know I haven't got to do this yet, or that yet. I don't want Christ to return. Ouch. But I want to get married.

But I haven't had a child. Well we're about to move into a new... I don't want Jesus to come back yet. Hopefully that's not any of our thinking, right? Those who long for His coming, Scripture talks about.

How should we live in these remaining fleeting hours and days of our sojourning on earth. One thing's for sure, praise and thanksgiving for God's amazing grace should be ever on our lips, because it's ever on our hearts. It should ever be on our lips because it's what is in our heart. Oh God we praise and thank you God continually for your amazing grace. How sweet the sound that saved wretches like us.

Brothers and sisters, no matter what trial, what affliction, what adversity is coming your way, wife we're just talking about, we don't know what, We've looked at the last ten years, I wonder what's coming in the next ten years. We look at the last thirty years, the things that we've endured and seen others endure, we don't know what's coming. But No matter what trial or affliction or adversity awaits you, you who have trusted Christ are children of God, recipients of God's grace, vessels of God's mercy for whom Christ died and rose and ascended with an eternity secured for you in the presence of God. And you were prepared for this, vessels of God's mercy, you were prepared for this, for glory before the foundations of the world. Wow!

How could we ever have a down day knowing that? John Flavel, Let those who have full tables, heavy purses full of gold, rich lands but no Christ be rather objects of our pity than envy. You got Christ, you have everything. You don't have Christ, you have nothing. Nothing.

Solid joys and lasting pleasures as the old hymn says, none but Zion's children know. Let's pray. Father, we thank you for plucking your people from the horde of fallen humanity that was stampeding in the opposite direction from you headlong to eternal destruction. Thank you Lord for taking us from the corrupt mass of clay and making us vessels of mercy prepared for glory. And Father as we approach this table, the Lord's table, To eat of that bread and to drink of that cup proclaiming Jesus died for me.

May you fill our hearts, O God, with praise and thankfulness for sending your Son to both live for us and die for us and incur the penalty in full that we deserve. Oh Lord fill our hearts with praise and thankfulness that you've made your people vessels of mercy that we are among the vessels of your mercy, prepared before the foundations of the world for glory. Amen. Amen.