2 Kings 04:08-37 Basingstoke 29th April 2007 Believing in God’s Power
Two children went to Sunday school one day and the teacher told them the story in Genesis about Lot’s wife looked back and how she became a pillar of salt.
As they were walking home afterwards one of the children said to the other one,
"Do you really believe that Lot’s wife was turned into a pillar of salt?"
"Oh Yes”, said the other “I believe it. My Mum was driving her car yesterday, and she told me when she looked back for a moment she turned into a telephone pole."
Joking aside people often question God’s power to do things
This morning as we turn to this story of Elisha and the Shunamite Woman
We discover God’s power at work in some amazing ways
Not turning people into Salt or telegraph poles but power to transform lives
1. GOD’S POWER REWARDS SERVICE WITH BLESSING v8-18
This story centres on a woman described in v8 - depending on your Bible version - who was “well to do” “wealthy” “notable” “prominent” or simply “great”
She may well have had money, enabling her to offer generous hospitality to Elisha
But there’s also a sense in which her “greatness” = Hebrew word used could ….
i) be saying something about her spiritual qualities too. She was a woman of piety and spirituality – She was spiritually great
ii) v9 tells us something else about her greatness – she was perceptive and discerning she recognised Elisha, a regular visitor, as indeed a Holy Man of God. (Unlike the youths 2:23 who called him old baldy!)
iii) She was great because of her tremendous graciousness in hospitality
Not only offering a good meal to Elisha when he passes through Shunem
but v10 asks husband to build a small room on the roof – a loft conversion She turns their home into a B& B so Elisha can stay over night in a place where he can find privacy and comfort and feel at home.
Hospitality is a wonderful Spiritual gift that Scripture encourages us to use.
“Share with God’s people Practice Hospitality” Rom 12:13
“Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling!! 1 Pet 4:9
Appl: You have a home? Do you have this gift? Using it?? Builds fellowship
I don’t hear any grumbling coming from this lady. She was generous and did it gladly
In fact when Elisha wants to honour her for her hospitality – by speaking to the King on her behalf v13 She says “I have a home among my own people”
Look I’m quite comfortable where I am, I like to live privately I don’t want any fuss
Just let me just get on and do it quietly. That’s how this gift should be used
Not to win favours, or Score points or to Get a Reputation for yourself –
At the heart of it you may be serving others but essentially It’s service to God.
And it’s God whose Power brings about an unexpected Reward!
v14 Gehazi points out that this woman has no son and an old husband
In those days it wasn’t just the joy of having children and raising a family
Children were your pension plan! Provided for you when your husband died
No Income Support, No free Health Service!! – you’re on your own!
v16 Elisha tells her she’ll be holding a son in her arms by next year
Quite obviously by her reaction v17 it’s a hope and dream she’s long let go of.
No my Lord! She objects “don’t mislead your servant O Man of God”
Later in the story v28 She tells Elisha Didn’t I tell you not to raise my hopes?
Having children was something she’d long ago given up hope of happening
She’d become resigned to, probably long ago given up praying for.
Despite many great qualities this was more than she could ever hope or believe
Here’s God’s power at work – She didn’t need to doubt or question what God can do
God is far bigger than her doubts and questions –
What does God’s word say to us in situations like this? Paul tells us
He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, Eph 3:20
What are the issues are that you are struggling with in your own life at the moment?
What things have you long ago stopped praying for? Long ago stopped hoping for?
Have you given up hoping because like the SS kids you can’t believe God’s power?
Listen God has not changed – By his power
He’s able to do immeasurably more than you can ever ask!
Able to do immeasurably more than you can ever imagine or dream of
His power at work in this world and at work in our lives is the same power that created the new life in this woman’s womb, that raised Jesus from the dead –
and by his Holy Spirit his life giving power can work in your life and mine.
Don’t lose heart, Don’t stop Praying!? Don’t stop hoping!?
Get on with the business of serving God – of doing what he’s called you to do
And Trust him for your future? Trust him with your Hopes and Dreams
You see God is no one’s Debtor – He loves you and rewards those who serve him!
God’s power rewards service with blessing but also
2. GOD’S POWER BRINGS PEACE IN BEREAVEMENT v18-28
We’re told from v18 how the child grew and was out in the fields at harvest time
In the east it gets very hot in the morning – suddenly this lad’s affected by sunstroke
“My head my Head” He cries and runs to his Dad who sends him to his Mum
He sits on her lap for an hour or so and then at noon dies in her arms.
Imagine how distraught she must have been. Overwhelmed by sudden tragic death
The love of her life, her hopes & dreams & the answer to her prayers suddenly gone!
You might expect the story to describe her going absolutely frantic
But that’s not how I read this – instead as the story unfolds she knows Peace!
It seems to me that God’s Power is at work here in strengthening her
She finds strength to believe - as she purposefully seeks out the Man of God:
v21 She doesn’t call the undertakers instead she lays her son’s body on the bed of the one who had promised him to her
v22 Prepares to go the “the man of God” so asks her husband to organise a servant & donkey to make the 25 mile journey from Shunam to Carmel. Servant leads & cajoles the animal forward as she sits on its back
v23 She gets stick from her husband “Why go today its not a new moon or sabbath?” i.e. It needs a special day to make any difference!
Let’s face it, the child’s dead and nothings going to change that!!
Her reply? “It’s all right” She uses the word Shallom - Peace
v24 She saddles the donkey and says to her servant “Lead on & don’t slow down for me unless I tell you” Nothing will stop her seeing God’s Man
When Elisha sees her coming and sends Gehazi to meet her and asks…
v26 Are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is your child all right?
Her reply? “Everything’s all right” “Ha Shallom” It is well - Peace!
Q? How can it be all right? How can she know any peace at a time like this?
Some try to explain it - Gehazi says Shallom “Hello” and her says “Hello” back
She’s not going to stop to talk to the Monkey – she wants Organ grinder!
Somehow the way it’s written makes me think there’s far more implied than Hello!
In her mind it is well – there is Peace- for despite her grief she’s turning to God
She’s absolutely confident - the one who brought her son to life to start with
will be able to help her now even in the face of his death
She has peace in her heart – she knows it is well
That doesn’t mean to say she wasn’t upset!!
v28 her opening words to Elisha seem like a rebuke to me – “Did I ask for a Son my Lord? Didn’t I tell you not to raise my hopes?”
I sense the “Why?” question is hidden here in this story somewhere
Why ask God to give me a child if he’s going to be taken away so soon?
Why did you raise my hopes if they are all to be dashed again?
Some might say her words contradict the idea of her having faith
If that’s the case they’ve never known bereavement with all its conflicting thoughts & emotions, - believing & questioning, - anger then peace.
God’s Power was at work in this woman’s grief bringing her strength and peace.
Despite her grief, her unanswered questions at this dreadfully dark time in her life
This great woman was able to believe in God - to seek him out even when it seemed as if God wasn’t there for her.
In a wall in a cellar in Cologne, Germany, where Jews hid from Nazis,
there was found an inscription. An anonymous author had died there with his fellow victims leaving behind these words, "I believe in the sun even when it’s not shining. I believe in love even when not feeling it.
I believe in God even when he is silent."
There are times when you and I will experience grief and loss – and will go through times when it seems that God himself is silent and has nothing to say to you
Yet this morning God wants you to know that how ever dark and awful that time may be, His power will be at work in that situation just as it was for that Shunamite woman - to bring you His Shallom – His Peace – It is well!
The story’s told of a Christian man in the 1800s who sent his wife and children ahead to England from the U.S.A. Tragically their ship had a terrible accident and it sank in the Atlantic, taking the life of his 3 daughters, although his wife survived.
As soon as he received the news he set sail to be with his wife in England.
As his ship sailed near to the area of the shipwreck, he asked the Captain if they could go near to the spot where the other ship had gone down.
In the late hours of the night the Captain fetched him and as H G Spafford went to the edge of the railing he prayed silently at the place where his daughters had died. He then went back to his cabin and wrote the hymn
“When peace like a river attendeth my soul,
when sorrows like sea billows roll,
whatever my lot thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, It is well with my soul.”
He had found Peace from God and that can be your experience too.
In this story God’s Power Rewarded Service with Blessing and Peace in Breavement
3. GOD’S POWER ANSWERS PRAYER WITH A BREAKTHROUGH v29-37
As you know there’s a happy ending to this story – God’s Power does breakthrough
But notice the breakthrough didn’t come straight away – so true in our experience!!
i) Gehazi’s Failure
• I’m not sure why Elisha sent Gehazi on ahead – maybe to help her patience to feel something was being done quicker than Elisha could get there
• Maybe because the Woman didn’t get on with Gehazi – she’d rather pushed past him - not talked to him about her problem, then he’d unkindly tried to stop her getting to Elisha pushing her away v27
• Maybe Elisha was training him – to test his faith – teach him to trust God. We know he had some serious flaws 2 Ki 5 Greed & Lies took clothes and money from Naaman without telling Elisha. Ends up with Leprosy!!
v29 He’s told to take Elisha’s stick - Not stop for anyone on the way, - Lay the stick on the boy’s face. He does exactly as he’s told and there’s absolutely no response.
Q? I wonder why not? Was it because of the thing that Elisha didn’t tell him??
No mention at all of Gehazi getting down on his knees and praying!!
Surely he didn’t have to be told to do that? Did he? … Or Do We?????
Here he is mechanically going through the motions wondering why there’s no power!
What do you expect? – God isn’t into magic – The power wasn’t in the stick
The power surely comes through faith in God – looking to Him – not a stick!!
A warning for us here!!
How often do we find ourselves taking on work for God – Doing all the right things – Saying all the right things – Believing all the right things but absolutely powerless??
Unless we’re prepared to seek God in prayer our efforts will be fruitless
We might be following God’s instruction to the letter but without coming before God – seeking his help and his power there’ll be no breakthrough!!
Only God’s power can breathe life into spiritually dead people
Only His power can bring about spiritual change in people’s lives
We can serve and preach and teach and tell others but without prayer we’re wasting our time – we will fail just as Gehazi failed.
• Look ahead to Alpha this autumn – Are you praying? No good relying on the course its self, the quality of the materials the “stick” We must seek God.
• Look nearer to the Lifeshapes Course beginning May 13th Are you coming? Yet simply attending the course – using the materials - following teaching won’t bring no spiritual breakthrough or make us disciples unless we seek God in prayer.
Let’s make sure we learn from Gehazi’s failure but also we must learn from…
(ii) Elisha’s Victory.
Just notice how differently Elisha handles the situation when he arrives
v33 He went into the room, shut the door and gets to work on the boy? Right?
No! What’s he doing??? He’s down on his knees in prayer
Next he stretches himself out on the boy - mouth to mouth, eye to eye hand to hand
It’s uncomfortable, it’s unorthodox and it’s awkward –
it was also something Elijah had done v1 Ki 17 - Elisha learnt from his mentor
Jesus came into our world to be our Saviour and Life giver
He not only prayed for us- He also stretched himself out on a Cross for us!!
If we are going to see spiritually dead people given eternal life
We are called to pray but we must also be stretched out over them
Ready to go where they go – Ready to work where they work –
Ready to serve and get our hands dirty, Ready to love and risk being rejected
Ready to get involved – to make friends to build relationships
It may seem awkward or unorthodox at times - not how it’s been in the past
But just as Elisha had to translate his prayers into action so must we.
Something else that encourages me here – see v 35 The Breakthrough was not sudden – Elisha stops- paces the room - no doubt praying & goes back to the boy.
A Reminder - We need to Persevere in both Prayer and Service
if we’re going to see the breakthrough we long for.
• You may have been praying for that friend or family member for years Don’t give up walk about. Go back to doing it till the breakthrough comes!
• You may have been working with that group of children or young people for a long time and seen little result – Or maybe Serving those people for many years and wondering if you ought to stop. Don’t stop – Don’t lose heart - walk about a bit! Go back to it till breakthrough comes!
Listen God’s Power is what brings the breakthrough in prayer
Let’s learn from Elisha and keep going till we see our prayers answered.
We began with two boys who were wondering about God’s power
but we’ve been brought face to face with an unnamed woman who experienced the power of God in her life Rewarding her Service with Blessing,
Giving her Peace in Bereavement and Answering Prayer with a Breakthrough that restored her son to her.
Like her let’s put our hope and trust in God to release His power into our Lives!
