Compassion For The People

Review of last week

1. The Prophet Elijah is a type of Christ (for the O.T.)

2. The Lord gave to Elijah a great Passion for God

3. The Lord gave to Elijah authority for his calling

4. The Lord gave to Elijah rest by meeting his needs for food and water

Text: I Kings 17: 8 through 16

Prayer:

Folks, God is in this house. He is here for you to worship. He is here to meet your needs.

At the close of this service, we will open these altars for prayer and ministry.

This morning’s story may seem (to some of us) a bit dramatic. It may be difficult for some of us to relate to:

· A man that has just came to town after having been fed by the birds. He is probably in need of a bath and some fresh clothes.

· A woman that admittedly is ready to die with her son with her last meal of bread and water.

This may be difficult for you to relate to, but in reality we have seen, or heard of, situations just like this. Many of our parents have told us of days (like our story taking place) during the years of the Great Depression.

Many of us can remember a few years ago the news reels of the devastation taking place in countries like Somolia and Haiti. War torn communities that were controlled by renegade bands of drug lords.

I can remember the criminals riding around in jeeps with machine guns and grenades reeking havoc on innocent women and children.

The Bible is accurate with it’s stories of the devastation of sin and disbelief. The results of sin will always be:

· chaos and confusion

· starvation and hopelessness

· violence and bloodshed

· desperate people living without God

Here we have a widow and her son at the gates of the city scrounging two sticks to cook their last meal.

A “handful of meal and a little oil”, is all they have left.

Last week we found that with the Passion of God, God will call you to do the unexpected.

Whereas in today’s text, we can readily see that God will take His Passion and create in you your own COMPASSION for His children.

I don’t know that Elijah was expecting anything more than to find that someone that would be meeting his own needs. I don’t think Elijah expected to find someone that was more hungry or more thirsty than himself.

Oftentimes, in our day to day rush of life, we become absorbed with our needs more than the legitimate needs of others.

Certainly Jesus knew this would be the case for you and I. He told us in John 13:34-35

34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Church, we must realize the ravages and consequences of sin is not a pretty sight. There are those who are spiritually helpless and in need of God.

There are even those who are struggling to make ends meet.

The woman of Zarephath wasn’t necessarily looking for help from anyone. But somehow she knew Elijah was a man of God. In her own desperation, she saw the salvation of the Lord in Elijah.

She knew Elijah had been sent to save her.

Perhaps she had heard the stories of the children of God and their abilities to deal with the impossible.

Many of your friends and relatives that don’t know God do know what the Lord has obviously done in your life.

And when the time comes, or when things appear to be impossible for them they will look to you for help.

You sir, you maam’, you must be ready to share the COMPASSION of God with them.

You must possess the COMPASSION of Elijah in your life.

We must sense the needs of others and allow God to do whatever is necessary. To do the impossible in our life and the lives of others.

Church, get ready for the miracles of God to happen!

Christianity is not just about us crying on one another’s shoulder and feeling sorry for our selves and what we are going through. It’s about God’s PASSION.

It’s about our having COMPASSION for others.

All it takes is a little bit of COMPASSION and a little bit of faith, and we will see the impossible become reality.

Elijah also brought to the widow woman God’s peace.

The first thing Elijah told the widow woman was,

“Fear not!” This is how we minister to the needs of others. Give to the people you know the peace of God. Calm their troubled hearts with that Peace that passes all our understanding.