2008 Stretching to Serve Series Part IV: When Your Brook Runs Dry!
1 Kings 17: 1-16 If we stretch God wins! If we don’t we lose!
We continue to expound on our 2008 powerful theme “Stretching to Serve” by taking a close look at one person in the scriptures that epitomizes this kind of effort to serve God, in the midst of tremendous adversity, the Prophet Elijah. The late Dr. E. V. Hill, in his book, Victory in Jesus, states that one of the most exciting times to be a Christian is on one of those rare days when God is acting like we think God ought to act. You know He gives us what we want – when we want it – and how we want it. That’s when God is alright!
- We know just how God should answer our prayers, and
- We even know just when He should answer our prayers - NOW!
Why? Because we know just what is best for us!
• Well, I hate to rain on our parade this morning but the Word teaches us that God does not necessarily act the way we think He should act;
• And often times we must learn to trust and serve God even during “Dry brook experiences”.
You see anybody can stretch when you have a lot to work with; But God is wondering who will “stretch” when things are tight and resources are scarce:
Pastor – What is a dry brook experience?
- Definition: Those difficult times when the things we need and want in life are scarce. And yet in the struggle, in the scarcity - we “stretch” to serve Christ anyhow!
Every body has dry brook experiences:
- Abraham and Sarah had to wait 50 years before they received their seed of promise – their first and only male child, Issac: Abraham was 99 and Sarah was 90! …– Now that’s a stretch!
- Moses, after answering the call after his burning bush experience left his comfort zone; traveled back to a land where he was a fugitive; and told the most powerful man of his time, Pharaoh - God said “Let His people go!” - Now that’s a stretch! And watch this!
God did deliver this congregation from bondage in Egypt but Moses had to spend 40 years in the wilderness with a hard headed, faithless, murmuring, and complaining group of church folk: What a pastorate!
Get this: and He still missed the Promised Land! – Now that’s a stretch!
- Job an up-right man; worshipped God faithfully, a model believer - but he still lost everything he had in just one day! – Never-the-less Job still held on; and God restored him – Double for his Trouble. Now that’s a stretch!
- Daniel was a prayer warrior – and a bold believer but he got throne in the lion’s den for a noon day prayer – Now that’s a stretch!
- Ezekiel was a visionary preacher - but his first pastoral assignment from God was a bunch of dry bones Baptist church - Now that’s a stretch!
- Remember Hosea (a type of Christ) the preacher/pastor that God made him fall in love with a loose woman (a type of church); every time she stepped out on him the more he loved her – Now that’s a stretch!
o What about Mary? All engaged – the wedding invitations in the mail – the wedding dress all picked out – and she comes up pregnant – wait a minute – the baby daddy (I hate that term) …
Sorry- back to the story – Mary ends up pregnant and she has to tell her fiancé that it’s God’s baby – Now that’s a stretch! Thank God it was the TRUTH!
• Anybody here ever had something dry up:
o A relationship!
o Your job
o A friendship
o Your bank account
o A business venture
o Your marriage
o A dream or aspiration
o Even your relationship with God
Well, you are in the right place, today! Because I believe our text speaks to what to do - when your brook runs dry!
Context:
The prophet Elijah like many in scripture came along during a very sad time in Israel’s history. The people of God who had been delivered out of bondage - blessed by God to live in fine homes, to drink from wells they did not dig; to eat meat they did not grow - to inhabit land they did not own - had now turned their backs on God and started serving other gods; their leaders had created an atmosphere of total rebellion against God:
• Materialism
• Secularism
• Humanism
• Demonic spiritualism
See the later part of the 16th chapter: (Read)
• Ahab, the wicked king of Israel made three critical mistakes:
o Mastered at sin – V.30
o Married in sin – V.31
o Made a (g)od of sin – V.32 Baal – God of Rain and water
This kind of environment created a “model for sin” – V.34 (turn too Joshua 6:26)
Elijah steps into the King’s palace and declares God’s judgment on this wicked nation.
• Who is this guy? – He comes out of no-where; there is no mention of this fellow until the 17th chapter - he steps in the story out of no where – goes to the presidential palace and pronounces a curse on the nation right in the King’s face!
o We need more Elijah’s today: Men and women who will come out of their comfort zones – and stretch! and declare “What says the Lord!”
V.1- “As the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew or rain, except at my word.”
• Can you imagine having that kind of boldness: To walk up in the name of God and challenge the devil - on his own turf!
o You see, Baal according to the people of that day was the Rain god.
o God said okay – we will see who the true God of the rain is!
• Elijah said - Hey, Baal! Hey rain god! – Guess what? At my word - you will not give rain for 31/2 years
o How many know there is power in your words!
Four critical lessons in the first part of the text:
V.3 - The Predicament – “then the Lord came to Elijah and said Leave here!”- God tells Elijah - now it is going to get real bad… there will be no water; which means there will eventually be no food – so folk will start dying in the streets – Ahab and Jezebel will have all points bulletin out for your head;
But you go eastward; I’ve got a little spot that I have prepared just for you….called Kerith Ravive; there you will be kept by Me!
o Watch this: Elijah name means – “Yahweh will provide”
Now Elijah must really “stretch” – He must live up to his name!
V.4 – The Promise: “You will drink from the spring and a Raven will bring you food”
o Cool spring water – free
o Culinary delights – from a Raven!
V.5 – The Place: Watch this: “So he did what the Lord told him – he went – and he stayed!”
o “He went”- Elijah got in position out of obedience. What good is a promise if you get out of position to receive it!
Touch – get in position!
o He stayed – Elijah did not move until God said move;
The text seems to suggest that Elijah may have had reasons to move – but he waited on God for his next move.
V.6 – The Provision: “The Ravens bought him bread and meat – in the morning and in the evening”- Watch this: Everyday! God’s provision is no fluke! But it is miraculous!
- fresh water, okay!
- fresh meat, oookay? ( ravens are flesh eating birds)
- But fresh bread? Where did the raven find fresh bread?
This is not the first time God set up a bakery under unusual circumstances:
o The Old Testament and the New Testament!
Can I speak something here: God is still performing miracles!
• Look at Elijah! His enemy is getting a whipping!
His food is arriving on time!
His spring water is flowing, fresh and free!
His relationship with God is tight!
Elijah is feeling pretty good!
We like it when every thing is going well;
- The refrigidaire is full
- The husband is bringing home the bacon - and the wife is too.
- The children are doing good in school
- The single life is fun and adventurous
- Got a little money in the bank for a rainy day
- Even the dog wags its tail
But look at V.7 – “but the brook dried up”
Now it is really time to stretch!
What do you do when your brook dries up!
Lesson #1 – V.8 - Dry brooks require a Word from God!
“Then the word of the Lord”
- The text does not tell us how much time expired between V.7 – when “the brook dried up” and V.8 - when the Lord finally spoke into Elijah’s dilemma
• But notice Elijah stayed put!
• Some stuff may be drying up around you and you are tempted to make a move but do like Elijah make sure you hear from God first!
How many know that stuff can change fast.
• Stay put until you hear a word from the Lord!
Lesson # 2 – V. 9 - Dry brooks require a Worthy response to God!
• God’s game plan sometimes makes no sense to us.
o Listen to God’s command now - Elijah! Yes God! Go from this dry brook to a broke widow!
Lord, did I hear you right? Did you say a widow?
o Listen, if God can use a wild bird in V.3, surely He can use a poor widow woman in V. 9.
Here is a classic example: “Stretching to Serve”
Walking by faith!
Walking in Obedience!
Lesson # 3 – V. 10 – Dry brooks require some willing vessels for God!
o God uses dry brook experiences in our lives to accomplish His purposes!
o Many times our storms come to deliver somebody else;
o If Elijah had not traveled to Zarepheth - the widow and her household might have never been delivered!
But the man of God dropped by!
• Hey, lady! May I have some water?
• Hey, lady! May I have some hot water corn bread?
o Her heart said yes - but her head said no!
V.12 – “I don’t have any bread Reverend; I have just enough corn meal to feed me and my child- and in a few days die”
V.13 – The Prophet declares: “But don’t be afraid – do as I told you – go first and make me a small cake – bring it to me – then go back and make cakes for the family”
The man of God first!
She has to bring it with no evidence – that more will show up!
She has to decide whether she will stretch and be blessed - Life or death is in the balance;
o God is calling us to stretch – but we got excuses!
o I can’t afford to!
o I need this for me!
o I am afraid too!
At the preacher’s word – she did what he said; she went beyond the natural to receive the super-natural.
She did two things that ushered in the super-natural:
• She gave out of her need – V.15
• She gave first
And the flour kept pouring!
And the oil kept running!
And the watchman and the widow kept living!
