A Widow, A Pot Of Oil, And God

2 KINGS 4:1-7 "A WIDOW, A POT OF OIL AND GOD"

* In the days of Elijah and Elisha in Israel, the principle prophets of God gathered about them a

group of God’s workers called "the sons of the prophets."

* One of these "sons of the prophets" died leaving debts and the creditor harassed the widow,

seeking to sell her two sons as bondservants to pay the debt.

* The thrilling story of how God heard the cry of this poor widow is a blessing to our lives!

* Note with me a few things in this message tonight!

(1) GOD CAN ALWAYS OPEN A WAY FOR HIS CHILDREN IN TROUBLE!

* Now, here in Israel this "son of the prophets" died in debt - v.1

A) He brought heartache to his wife & almost brought slavery to his sons by having debts unpaid.

* The widow was utterly heartbroken! * She grieved over her dead husband,

* No doubt she grieved over the unpaid debts as any godly woman would do!

* And she was nearly frantic that the pitiless creditor was about to take her 2 sons into bondage.

B) So in desperation, she cried unto Elisha in v.1 "Thy servant my husband is dead ......."

* God’s faithful prophet Elisha had a remedy which God showed him!

* Thank God there is always a way out for a child of God if we go to God & trust Him!

C) Who could be more helpless than such a poor widow in Bible times?

* She had no trade, she couldn’t teach school nor be a secretary as modern women can.

* She had her children to care for, had no money to live on & was faced with disaster!

* You talking about somebody being at the end of their rope, brother she was!

D) But she came to God through His prophet and God showed the way out!

* Let us remember that when trouble comes, the thing to do is come to God!

* Ps.50:15 "And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me."

* God loves us; He always has plenty; He always knows a way out!

(2) WHAT YOU HAVE IS ENOUGH FOR GOD! * Now in v.2,

* Elisha said to the poor widow, "What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house?"

* In other words, whatever you have in the house is enough for God!

A) If it’s nothing but a pot of oil, God can multiply the oil!

* If it’s only a handful of meal in the bottom of the barrel, God can make it last to feed Elijah and

a woman and her son until the drought is passed - 1 Kings 17:8-16

* If there are only 5 small barley biscuits & 2 fishes in a little lad’s lunch, when Jesus blesses it,

and breaks it, it’ll be enough for 5000 people!

B) God said to Moses, "What is that in thine hand?" and Moses said, "A rod."

* But that stick became the "rod of God" that could bring plagues upon all of Egypt,

* That could become a serpent before Pharaoh, that could open or close the Red Sea,

* That could bring water out of a rock for millions of people!

C) Samson took the jawbone of an ass & killed 1000 Philistines, the enemies of Israel.

* It’s wonderful to come to realize that God is the Master of circumstances!

* I asked someone one time, "How’s it going?" * He said, "Oh, pretty good under the ......."

* I said, "You ought to get out from under the circumstances!"

* A Christian is not under circumstances, they’re under grace!

D) God is teaching us a lesson here in our text! * How little you have doesn’t matter!

* The only thing that matters is that you wholly surrender what you have to God!

(3) GOD WANTS EMPTY VESSELS AND PLENTY OF THEM! * In v.3,

* Elisha said to the troubled widow, "Go borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy ......."

A) To the logical, but unbelieving mind, it would appear silly to get a lot of empty vessels to hold

oil when one did not know where the oil was coming from!

* But those who get help from God must provide the empty vessels!

B) For the poor widow to go out & appeal to her neighbors that she might borrow empty vessels,

lots of empty vessels, would be a real test of her faith! * Let me illustrate:

* "Hello Mrs. Jacobson, may I borrow all the vessels you can spare? I’d like to borrow the churn,

milk pail, vinegar jugs, syrup buckets, water jars, anything you can spare!"