Concordia Lutheran Church
4th Week after Pentecost June 26, 2010
Living Never Alone…in Christ
1 Kings 19:9b-21
† In Jesus Name †
Paul started the epistle to the church in Galatia with this greeting, which is for you, the people of Concordia as well!
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. Galatians 1:2-5 (ESV)
The Escape That Isn’t an Escape
Elijah’s reaction is not unlike our own, as the world seems to collapse around us. We each have our “caves”, those places where we can hide from the pressures and problems of the world. It might be diving into a good book, or a favorite drama or movie. For some it is entering a different reality in a computer game It might be that one location we know of, where cell phones disconnect and no one can find us, alongside that lake, or river where the breeze cools and refreshes us. For others, it might be in music or crafts, something that engages the brain just enough that we forget there is a world outside. And for others, its simply going home, to our fortresses of refuge, the place the world can’t find us.
Sometimes though, those escapes fail to be escapes. Instead of allowing us to rest and heal, those places simply hide the problems, or minimize the pain just enough to where we can continue to function. As the pressures build and the rest is not experienced, we become nearly hermits, running away from the world, as our escapes no longer are escapes.
As we look at Elijah, we might even see ourselves, hiding, hurt, damaged by the world, and sometimes, by the burdens that we have here, as we live in the very place God has called us to, doing the work God has given to us, in this time and in this place.
As we see God minister to Elijah, we need to see the lesson learned, and the ministry received… and know the lesson is for us as well, and our Lord, our God, our Savior ministers to us today, in the very same way.
For truly blessed are those who keep, who treasure their Sabbath rest.
Elijah answers… and Misses the Answer
His reasons, are what he’s doing there…they are why…God delivered him to the cave
Not Adonai – YHWH
The Vocation of God - cHesed
Elijah has become run down. Literally, run down. For forty days and nights he has travelled from northern Israel and Mt. Carmel south and west, until he comes to Mt Horeb, to the place where Moses once encountered a bush that was on fire, but wouldn’t burn. He finds a cave, and finds a place he considers safe, a place to rest up, to recover not just from the trip, but a place to recover from the challenges he had gone through.
I like Elijah a lot, indeed, I wish I had the fortitude he had, and the confidence that he had, as he spoke for God. During the event on Mt Carmel, he was unafraid to challenge the immorality that he saw, not just in the world, but in those God sent him to serve as a minister of God’s. Incredible faith that would challenge the false gods of the King and Queen, and the prophets of Ba’al and Asherah. Yet that victory drained him as much as any challenge we have endured as individuals, If I were him, I would have expected change, and repentance from the people of God.
It didn’t happen…yet.
Faced with more challenges including serious threats– he heads for the hills. He finds the cave and settles in for some R & R. God will ask him an odd question, or at least based in Elijah’s answer, it seems that at least Elijah found the question a bit… well..odd? here it again,
And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 He said, “I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.”
I mean – didn’t the Lord know “why” Elijah was there? Didn’t God grasp the desperation of the situation, how overwhelmed Elijah was, and how hard Elijah worked to see this all through? Didn’t God get it?
Elijah missed the question a bit. It wasn’t why are you here, God knew that! After all, if you look at the verses preceding this reading, you will see God’s angels ministering to Elijah during the trip. God knew why Elijah was there. What Elijah was doing becomes the question, one that gets to the nature of Elijah’s sin. It is the reason that this escape, wasn’t yet the deliverance from the evil of the world that Elijah needed.
It has to do with what we refer to as the fourth commandment. Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy!
The IV Word of the Decalogue
One of the things in this passage that doesn’t come out in most English translations is somewhat akin to Elijah’s real problem. When we see the word LORD in the English, we need to remember that this is not the word for Ruler, or King. It’s not Almighty God, or King of Kings and Lord of Lords. It isn’t a title of authority; it is the holy name of God, given to His people. Four consonants in Hebrew, its not just incredibly holy, it is incredibly intimate and it reveals that which is so needed for us to know. God’s name, translation I was, I AM, I will be!
For the Jews, the name was too holy to use, because of the 2nd Commandment. That because God is the God who delivered them from Egypt, they should not use His name in vain. Here it is, in scripture, the very way God is revealing himself to Elijah. I AM your God. I AM here, I AM talking to you and wanting to know what you are doing.
Elijah thinks God is looking for an explanation! An excuse that would explain why Elijah’s not back up in Israel, facing down Jezebel and her husband Ahaz.
You might be saying to yourself right now – pastor you said this was about the Sabbath, and you’ve been talking about God’s name. Wrong Commandment pastor. You are partially right, well, at least I went off on a related tangent. Because the Sabbath is to be kept for a reason, the same reason we are to call on God, using His name.
13 “You are to speak to the people of Israel and say, ‘Above all you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, the LORD, sanctify you. Exodus 31:13 (ESV)
We’ve talked about keep before – it means to treasure – to guard, to protect a very valuable thing. The Sabbath is important – because of what it means. It means “rest” and in context it is the time where God restores us, and refreshes us. It is symbolic of our resurrection, but more, of the life we live now, here, today, in the presence of God. God called Elijah there, to enjoy a Shabbat, a rest in the presence of God.
Yhwh Ministers…to Elijah
He strips him of the fears, the pain
He assures him of God’s presence, among His people
This Sabbath is a time to set aside as special, the time for our Abba Father to give rest, to heal us, to strengthen us. It is the “what” of the question Elijah was asked. The cave, the sustenance, the presence of God was there to grant Elijah a healing, refreshing, restorative time of fellowship. For Elijah to remember who God was, and what God desired.
Elijah won’t notice at first, an object lesson is needed. Elijah won’t see God’s hand in the windstorm, or in the earthquake, or in the fire. All are signs of God’s presence, but he doesn’t hear the voice….and so he enters back into the cave. Then in the calmness, apart from the disasters, the call is made again.
Elijah, what are you doing here… the same answer… but this time… he will listen to God. God will remove the fears – Elijah is not the only one, there are 7000 others who are reserved for God, and those enemies? They will be dealt with, not by Elijah, but by God working through Elijah and those Elijah himself will minister too.
God strips Elijah of the fears, of the weariness, God gives him work, sure, but God’s work, the kind with a purpose and a hope. The kind that proves God is in charge, that there is a future.
Yhwh Ministers to Us
Our rest – found here… Hidden in Christ
Our Fellowship – found here…at the Table
God calls to us today as well. In the same way as the Spirit drove Elijah into the wilderness for a time of rest, a Sabbath where fellowship with God was the source to refresh and heal a weary prophet, God has called us together here today.
We remember, as we look at the crosses, and the baptismal font, that we too are hidden from the world, as we dwell in Christ. Paul said it this way to the Colossian church. “3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Colossians 3:3-4 (ESV)
In that baptism, we find the sins of the world nailed to the cross, and they don’t rise with us as we are born again.
This Sabbath rest is here as well, as we share in this altar. As this body and blood of Christ nourishes our life, our souls. It is as intimate fellowship with God as we see in this world, as the one who claims I AM the resurrection, and I AM the Bread of Life comes to us, and invites us to dine.
We started this sermon today, with the blessing that Paul started the letter to the Galatians’ Church with, and it bears well to hear it again.
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen?
AMEN!
