38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus[a] entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me." 41 But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary.[b] Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her."

Psalm 5 contains a sentence many Christians would quietly prefer was not in their Bibles: "You hate all evildoers." Two verses later, a man walks into that God's house and is welcome. What makes the difference is not that he was a better man, and David's own psalm tells us exactly what it is, in one Hebrew phrase he uses twice. Come and hear how the God who cannot have evil as a guest opens His own door to His enemies.

2Ki 22:1 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath. 2Ki 22:2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left. 2Ki 22:3 And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of the LORD, saying, 2Ki 22:4 Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the silver which is brought into the house of the LORD, which the keepers of the door have gathered of the people: 2Ki 22:5 And let them deliver it into the hand of the doers of the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD: and let them give it to the doers of the work which is in the house of the LORD, to repair the breaches of the house, 2Ki 22:6 Unto carpenters, and builders, and masons, and to buy timber and hewn stone to repair the house. 2Ki 22:7 Howbeit there was no reckoning made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand, because they dealt faithfully. 2Ki 22:8 And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it. etc.

God's judgment falls on the House of Eli. The revelation of judgment which Samuel received from the LORD comes to pass. No wonder that Samuel was hesitant to give God's Word to Eli. The thing that would make the ears of everyone who heard it tingle seems much worse than we thought. Not only does Eli's House suffer disaster but also the army of Israel. God doesn't even keep His ark of the covenant from capture. This sermon calls us to greater confidence in God's Word through the saving work of Jesus Christ.

In this message titled "Entering the Potter's House," we consider this under these headings, 1) The Potter's Clay, 2) The Potter's Vessels, and 3) The Potter's Plan. As always I claim no originality but will quote, cite, refer to various sources including, Calvin, Lenski, Hodge, Sproul, Moo, Murray, Plumer, Shreiner, Smeaton, Fesko, Hendriksen, Wilson, and others.

Thank you for joining us today!