A Challenge from Elijah
And The Still Small Voice
1 Kings 19: 1-18
All of us want to be heard and understood. We want to make sure that what we say is understood so that there will be no misunderstandings Right communication is very important if we are going to get our message across.
“I know you believe you understand what you think I said, but I’m not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.
A judge was interviewing a woman regarding her pending divorce, and asked, "What are the grounds for your divorce?" She replied, "About four acres and a nice little home in the middle of the property with a stream running by." "No," he said, "I mean what is the foundation of this case?" "It is made of concrete, brick and mortar," she responded. "I mean," he continued, "What are your relations like?" "I have an aunt and uncle living here in town, and so do my husband’s parents." He said, "Do you have a real grudge?" "No," she replied, "We have a two-car carport and have never really needed one." "Please," he tried again, "is there any infidelity in your marriage?" "Yes, both my son and daughter have stereo sets. We don’t necessarily like the music, but the answer to your questions is yes." "Ma’am, does your husband ever beat you up?" "Yes," she responded, "about twice a week he gets up earlier than I do." Finally, in frustration, the judge asked, "Lady, why do you want a divorce?" "Oh, I don’t want a divorce," she replied. "I’ve never wanted a divorce. My husband does. He said he can’t communicate with me."
A woman who traveled abroad without her husband got to Paris and found this fabulous bracelet she’d been looking for. And so she sent a wire back home saying, "I have found this beautiful bracelet, one I’ve been looking for all my life. It only cost $7,500. Do you think I can buy it?" Her husband wired back a short but firm reply, "No, price too high!" And he signed his name. But in the transmission the comma was left out and the message read, "No price too high." Oh, she was thrilled! Omitting that comma almost put that guy in a coma.
I want to talk about the way that God communicated to Elijah after he ran from Jezebel and hid in a cave. There were many events leading up to this point in Elijah’s life.
Elijah appeared on the scene in Israel prophesying that it would not rain until he said it would. How popular do you think that made him with Ahab?
Then the Lord called him to the brook of Cherith where he fed him day by day. But the brook dried up and the Lord led him to Zarephath where he was fed by a widow.
After three years the Lord told Elijah to go to Ahab and he would send rain on the earth.
When Ahab saw Elijah he welcomed him with this statement “Is that you o destroyer of Israel?
I know that you know the events that followed. Elijah challenged them to a test. Whose God would answer by fire? After Elijah’s God answered he executed all the prophets of Baal.
Then the rains came. You would think that Jezebel would have been happy with the rain but all she could think about was that her precious god Baal had been defeated. She was afraid she would loose power. Therefore, she made a vow to kill Elijah.
Read 1 Kings 19:1-18
Prayer:
So Elijah ran as hard as he could from Jezebel. He went and sat under a broom tree and had a pity party.
He prayed to die. But if he really wanted to die Jezebel could have done that for him.
But the Lord was not through with him. There under the broom tree the Lord sent an angel to feed him. Two times the angel woke him up to feed him. And in the strength of that food Elijah was able to go for 40 days & nights. He went to Mt. Horeb which is the same as Mt. Sinai. This is where Moses received the Ten Commandments. There, he went into a cave and spent the night.
I. What Are You Doing Here?
A. Here is a probing question put to Elijah.
1. Let me think about this one
2. I have been very zealous for the Lord
3. Others have forsaken your covenant.
4. They have torn down your altars
5. They have killed your prophets
6. I am the only one left and they want to kill me.
B. Does the Lord ever ask you this question? What are you doing here?
1. Here, speaking of this place in your life. What is your purpose in life?
2. You may have to think about that one.
3. Lord I am here pretending to serve you.
4. Lord, you know I am here every Sunday morning unless there is a football game, or I go fishing, or there is something else more important.
5. You know that the other members of this church are not as faithful as I am.
6. The truth is I am here having a pity party. I am the only one left who is really faithful.
II. Go Out And Stand On The Mountain.
A. Before Elijah had a chance to go out a great wind began to blow.
1. In the past God showed himself great acts of nature.
a. The parting of the Red Sea.
b. The cloud in the day and the fire at night.
c. There were times when fire fell from heaven.
d. The earth opened up and consumed a rebellious people.
e. Even a few days before Elijah was here, God consumed the offering along with the wood and the water that was poured on it.
2. So surely God would speak to Elijah in some spectacular way.
a. The wind so strong that it broke the rocks in pieces.
b. An earthquake so strong that it shook the cave.
c. Then a blazing fire like that of a great furnace.
3. But where was God in all of this?
4. He did not manifest himself in the wind, earthquake, not the fire.
5. Elijah was not moved until he heard the still small voice.
So let the noise subside,
And listen deep inside;
He will speak, he will speak.
But it won’t be an earthquake;
And it won’t be fire;
Or the whirling wind;
Taking you higher.
It will be a still small voice;
And you’ll have no choice;
But to hear; but to hear.
6. How do we expect God to speak to us?
7. God may use natural disasters, He may use fires or storms and through these he gets our attention. I would not say that God caused 911 but he used it to get the attention of the American people for a short time.
B. The voice moved him to action.
1. He did not go out of the cave until he heard the still small voice.
2. He covered his face with his mantel as a sign of respect
C. The Lord asked the same question, “What are you doing here”
1. Elijah gave the same answer.
2. But his reaction to the Lord’s words was obedience not hunkered down in a musty old cave.
D. When the Lord speaks to you are you moved into action?
1. What are you doing here?
2. Many times the Lord calls us and we stay hunkered down in our cave of indifference and miss the blessings of God.
3. God has placed this church here, he has given it a ministry to fulfill, and He has called people to fill every ministry he has given to the church.
4. But have we responded to the call of God?
Read “What I could do if I wanted to” The Messenger
The Church of Christ at Chapel Hill
5.
What I Could Do If I Really Wanted To
If I wanted to, I could help make this congregation the most stimulated
and hard-working congregation in the world.
If I wanted to, I could visit members who are sick or shut-in.
If I wanted to, I could attend Bible classes regularly as often as possible
to increase my faith and knowledge and encourage others.
If I wanted to, I could get more out of worship by focusing my heart and
mind.
If I wanted to, I could get more out of the preaching by listening
attentively, reading along in my Bible, and not shutting out truths
that apply to me.
If I wanted to, I could tell others about Christ and His Church.
If I wanted to, I could give generously and sacrificially to help realize
the vision of this congregation.
Of course, this all depends on what I really want to do. I could be an
honored servant of the greatest of all kings. I have the ability to do
these things....If I really wanted to.
Isn’t it amazing what I could do? Isn’t it amazing how much depends on
what I want to do? Isn’t it sad that I don’t do everything I could do?
The Messenger
The Church of Christ at Chapel Hill
III. Learn From Elijah’s Mistakes
A. Elijah was throwing a pity party.
1. It is easy to have self-pity when we think everyone is against us, or better than us, or have more talent, or better looking than us.
2. Usually when we have a pity party we don’t party alone. We invite anyone who will listen to us.
B. He was living in the glory of the past.
1. Two times he said “I have been very zealous for the Lord”
2. Too many times we like to talk about the past and not look to the future.
3. Paul said: “Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to the things before, I press on to the…” Phil. 3:13
C. He began to compare himself to others.
1. V. 14 Other Israelites have forsaken you.
2. We have a tendency to put others down in order to make ourselves look better.
D. He began to blame others.
1. Jezebel was chasing him to kill him.
2. All others had abandon God.
3. We must look long and hard to find people who will take responsibility for their own actions
E. He exaggerated the problems.
1. You know the difference between a BIG PROBLEM and a little problem? A big problem is anything I am going through, a little problem is anything you are going through.
2. He said I am the only one left who cares.
F. Now I know that you do not do what Elijah did.
1. But just in case you may be tempted to do so in the future.
2. Don’t have pity parties, don’t live in the past, don’t compare yourself to others, don’t blame others, and don’t exaggerate the problem.
Listen we need to turn our pity into praise!
Let me give you some ideas on how to turn your pity into praise.
# 1 – Check your pulse! There are people who didn’t wake up this morning!
# 2 – Look at the condition of others in our world.
# 3 – Be Careful in What You Say.
* (Prov 18:21 KJV) Death and life are in the power of the tongue:
* (Eph 4:29 NIV) Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. (We’re looking for “new revelation”, when God says first do what I’ve shown you to do!)
# 4 – Be careful What You Think Upon!
* (Phil 4:8 NIV) Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.
* What you think upon (your mind) gets into your heart and is expressed through your attitude!
Con. Has God spoken to you lately? Have you heard that still small voice down inside. The voice does not come as loud as a teenagers car radio, but it a voice of gentle stillness. That quiet voice has all power to move you to action.
What action do you need to take today? Salvation, rededication, church membership?
