Believe And Know

BELIEVE AND KNOW

2 KINGS 4:1-7

INTRO: A MOTHER IN DISTRESS

1: MY HUSBAND IS DEAD

A) IN THE TEXT WE SEE A PICTURE OF A FAMILY IN A FINANCIAL, SPIRITUAL, AND PHYSICAL SITUATION

B) JOSEPHUS EXPLAINS THAT THIS NEEDY WIDOW IS THE WIDOW OF OBADIAH

C) A CERTAIN WOMAN COULD ALSO INDICATE THIS

POINT: IN THE ANCIENT OLD TESTAMENT TIME WOMEN WERE SEEN AS INFERIOR. SO THIS WOMAN IS IN A TIGHT SHE IS LEFT WITH DEBT AND HAS NO WAY OF PAYING IT OR GETTING MONEY TO PAY IT. HER OWN SONS ARE IN DANGER OF BEING ENSLAVED TO COMPENSATE THE DEBT. GOD USES ELISHA TO DEMONSTRATE HIS FAITHFUL CARE AND PROVISION FOR THE VUNERABLE AND OUTCAST. THE PROVISION WAS IN PROPORTION TO THE WOMANS FAITH AND ABILITY TO RECEIVE.

2: THE PROPHET’S QUESTION

A) WHAT SHALL I DO FOR THEE?

B) HE IS OPEN TO HELP HER AND LISTEN TO WHAT HER PROBLEM IS

C) WHAT DO YOU HAVE IN YOUR HOUSE?

D) INTERESTING QUESTION

E) HER REPLY NOTHING BUT SOME OIL

POINT: MORE THAN LIKELY IT WAS OLIVE OIL WHICH IS VERY COMMON FOR A HOUSEHOLD IN THAT TIME TO HAVE. THEY USED IT FOR COOKING AND FOR FUEL. THE OIL WILL BE VERY SIGNIFICANT IN THE OUTCOME OF THE WIDOW’S PREDICIMENT.

BODY: WHAT’S IN YOUR HOUSE?

1: THE QUESTION ASKED BY ELISHA

A) HE TOLD THE WIDOW TO GO BORROW VESSELS OF ALL HER NEIGHBORS.

B) EMPTY VESSELS

C) THIS SHOWS CLEARLY THAT SHE WAS IN GOOD STANDING WITH HER NEIGHBORS

D) OTHER WORDS SHE HAD GOOD CREDIT

POINT: THE WIDOW IS SOLELY DEPENDENT UPON THE MERCY OF HER NEIGHBORS WHEN IT COMES TO BORROWING VESSELS TO POUR THE OIL IN. SOMETIMES WE ARE DEPENDENT UPON OUR RELATIONSHIPS WE HAVE WITH EACH OTHER.

2: BORROW NOT A FEW

A) GET AS MUCH AS YOU CAN

B) WHEN WE LOOK TO GOD FOR HELP WHAT DO WE EXPECT?

C) MANY TIMES WE ONLY LOOK WHEN WE HAVE A PROBLEM AND WE ONLY SEEK HIM FOR THAT PROBLEM

D) WE SHOULD BE TRYNG TO GET AS MUCH OF HIM AS WE CAN

POINT: A LOT OF TIMES WE ONLY RECEIVE FORM GOD WHAT WE BELIEVE AND A LOT OF TIMES THAT ISN’T VERY MUCH. BELIEVE ON THE NAME OF CHRIST AND TRUST IN HIM CALL ON HIS NAME BUT WE SELDOM DO ANYMORE.

2: SHUT THE DOOR BEHIND YOU

A) JESUS SAID GO INTO YOUR CLOSET AND PRAY

B) AT TIMES WE NEED TO JUST SHUT THE WORLD OUT AND ALLOW GOD TO DO WHAT HE DOES IN OUR LIVES AND HOMES

C) THE WIDOW HAD TO SHUT THE DOOR AND GET HER SONS IN THE HOUSE WITH HER

D) THEY HAD TO GIVE GOD THEIR FULL UNDIVIDED ATTENTION.

POINT: HOW MANY OF US HAVE A PRAYER TIME WITH GOD? A QUIET MOMENT OR FEW MINUTES WHEN WE SHUT EVERYTHING OUT AND FOCUS SOLELY ON GOD. AND WHEN WE DO, DO WE TALK TO HIM? SHUT THE DOOR AND LISTEN TO WHAT HE HAS TO SAY.

3: THE OIL IS MULTIPLIED

A) SHE BEGINS TO POUR AND GUESS WHAT, SHE STARTS TO FILL UP THE VESSELS

B) SHE FILLS ALL OF THEM

C) SHE ASKED FOR ANOTHER AND HER SIAD WE DON’T HAVE ANYMORE.

POINT: A MIRACLE, A DELIVERANCE, HER SONS SAVED FROM A LIFE OF SLAVERY, HER FAMILY KEPT TOGETHER. SHE DID JUST AS THE PROPHET TOLD HER AND IT WORKED.

CLOSING: SHE TOLD THE MAN OF GOD

1: GO SELL THE OIL

A) SHE HAD ENOUGH OIL TO SELL

B) SHE WOULD MAKE ENOUGH TO PAY HER DEBTS

C) AND HER AND HER SONS COULD LIVE ON THE REST

POINT: GOD IS GOOD TO THOSE THAT CHOOSE TO TRUST HIM.

2: THINK OF YOUR CHURCH

A) SOCIETY IS A LOT DIFFERENT NOW

B) MOSTLY FOR THE WORSE THAN THE BETTER

C) GODLY SAINTS OF OLD ARE LEAVING EVERY DAY AND SOME GAPS AREN’T GETTING FILLED

POINT: THE OIL IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, MOST CHRISTIAN PEOPLE KNOW THEY HAVE IT BUT THEY NEVER THINK ABOUT USING IT. THE VESSELS ARE YOUR LOVED ONES, EVEN THE EMPTY ONES THOSE WOULD BE THE LOST ONES. GET THEM IN YOUR MIND AND HEART GO SOMEWHERE AND SHUT OUT THE WORLD AND JUST TALK TO JESUS.

3: THINK OF YOUR HOME

A) YOUR CHILDREN ARE SUBJECT TO SLAVERY

B) THE WORLD AND SATAN WANT TO ENSLAVE THEM IN SIN

C) THE NEIGHBORS ARE EXAMPLES OF THE CHURCH

D) THE CHURCH IS THE BODY OF BELIEVERS AND EACH CHRISTIAN SHOULD BE THEIR FOR ONE ANOTHER IN TIMES OF NEED

E) DO THE PEOPLE YOU GO TO CHURCH WITH LOVE YOU AND YOURS ENOUGH TO PRAY FOR THEM .

POINT: THE STORY IN THIS TEXT HAS SO MANY EXAMPLES THE MAIN POINT I WOULD LIKE TO GET ACROSS IS THAT WE NEED TIE WITH GOD JUST US AND OUR FAMILY OUR CHILDERN.