TITLE: JUST WANT TO BLESS SOMEBODY
SCRIPTURE: II KINGS 4:8-17
I guess I have entered the stage in my life where I am beginning to focus more upon the mark I will leave on this world. I am beginning to focus upon “WILL ANYONE CARE OR REMEMBER” when it’s my time to leave this earth. When I’m dead and gone, will it have made any difference that I’ve lived on this earth?
• What will my children remember about their Father?
• What will my grandchildren remember about their Pop-Pop?
• Will the history of the Church be kind to me when the Church Anniversary comes around each year after I am gone?
In our text we find a women who was referred to as “GREAT.” Talk about leaving your mark in God’s Divine Word, which will endure eternity. This un-named women is characterized as great! This is an interesting text that simply drops in the middle of this 4th Chapter, however; it is full of rich treasure. There is something about this SHUNAMMITE WOMAN that caused the writer of this Old Testament Text to shine some light upon her.
• What is it about her that we can learn?
• Why is she mentioned here in the text?
• Why are we still mentioning her 2,800-2,900 years after she has lived?
• Why examine her from the Pulpit this morning?
• The answer is - so we can imitate the same reasons for greatness that characterized her existence
It is interesting to me she is never named, she is only called the "Shunammite." It isn't her name but character that is the focus.
• She is described as "well-to-do"
• A woman of means
• Her wealth however had not corrupted her
• Notice that she asks her husband to provide a room for the traveling man of God named Elisha
• It is also interesting to note she could tell Elisha was a genuine man of God
• She knew the Real from the Fake
Why are we in the Church today, not like this women, being able to tell the Real from the Fake? We are so easily fooled by the Charlatan in the Pulpits.
• Buy my bottle of holy oil for $9.99 – Crisco Oil from Wal-Mart
• Buy my handkerchief I sweated on and it will heal you
• Buy my prayer cloth I prayed over all night
• Fall for all this mess held up to be Spiritual but it is fake
It is also important that we take note as to what this women was not -
• Apparently she isn’t from royal blood
• Nothing indicates that she has great rank, or wealth, or high social status
• She apparently wasn’t endowed with great knowledge, or skill
• She wasn’t strikingly beautiful such as Sarah, Bathsheba, or Esther
• She didn’t save her people as did Esther
• Nor lead her people to God, as did the Samaritan women by the well
• She wasn’t a great leader or judge, like Deborah
• She didn’t even have a child who became great, like Hannah, or Jochebed
Let’s walk through the text for a few minutes this morning. The Prophet Elisha is traveling through a little town called Shunem. This was his calling, he was a “TRAVELING PREACHER,” he was an “ITINERANT PREACHER” -- he travelled from town-to-town, proclaiming God’s Word. We have them today, Evangelist – Guest Preachers – Revivalist – some travel the STATE – COUNTRY – WORLD. This women, for whatever the reason, took note of this travelling preacher as he continued to walk past her home during his preaching engagements.
The first thing we note in this text is – HER SPIRIT OF SERVICE -- It’s a curious thing to me, the text doesn’t give us her name, but takes time to identify the specific items of furniture in the room. I may preach on this significance next month. We find here, the first reason for this woman’s Greatness, it was HER SPIRIT OF SERVICE.
• I am convinced she didn’t make front page of the Shunem Gazette
• Daily Ardmoreite was not interested in picking up the story
• She did not make the Daily Oklahoman
• Frankly, I doubt if anyone in town even knew about it, or took notice
• Who noticed this women’s spirit of service?
• God did!
I think we often struggle today with service because we think it has to be some great act. If it’s not some great, newsworthy deed, we don’t think it is worth the effort.
• What kind of service is God looking for out of us?
• If a neighbor is sick and needs a hot meal, you don’t have to tell anyone, just take them one
• If we know a family in need and the kids need shoes, or a winter coat, just get one
• If we know someone going through tough times, be there for them
• We don’t need to rescue someone from a burning building
• We don’t need to resuscitate someone in medical crises
• Just be there for someone and meet the need
This Shunammite woman noticed as she looked out her window she would see this prophet travel through town on his way to his preaching assignments. The text says she constrained him to stop and Eat Bread and have something to drink to refresh himself.
• Other folks in town saw him
• The local Pastors in town knew he travelled through
• No one else in town was interested in checking on the man of God
• No one else was interested because they were not concerned about Service
• Only concerned about what you might be able to do for me
Constrained suggest it took a heavy conversation. She had to convince him to stop and refresh himself. She did not know who he was yet was concerned about him.
• Too often we are only concerned about our own families and friends
• If I don’t know you, I am not interested or concerned about you
• This woman said to herself – Just Want to Bless Somebody
This notable woman persuaded the Prophet to eat at her home, and finally every time he passed by he ate there. From this we can understand the respect and care of this woman for Elisha. For you do not invite someone to eat at your home every time he passes by, if you do not respect him and care for him. But really why did this woman care so much for Elisha?
• Lot of us have family dinners every Sunday after Church
• No one is invited to sit at your table unless they are a relative and some of them are never invited
• We prepare these meals through the week and never care about others to invite
• This woman had a level of Respect and Care because she perceived Elisha was a powerful man of God
For this Shunamite woman, Elisha was "A HOLY MAN OF GOD." That's why she was so kind to him. Her respect and care for Elisha was a reflection of her respect and care for the God of Elisha. Nevertheless, the woman's care did not finish with the food. Really, how thoughtful was this woman for Elisha. Not only she offered him food but also she wanted to build a room for him so that he may stay there whenever he passed by. Needless to say that God could not leave the care and concern of this woman without a reward.
She goes farther and requests of her husband that they build an efficiency apartment for him so that he may also have a place for himself as he traveled. This is going beyond custom and she asks nothing in return. She has the satisfaction of serving the Man of God – Just Want to Bless Somebody
• Clearly her welcome was good as he kept going back
• Later she spoke to her husband and asked if they could build a room for him to stay whenever he needed to
• And so they did
There doesn't seem to be any ulterior motive for making a place for Elisha either, she does not ask anything from him, nor expects anything in return for the use of the room.
• This is a woman who cares about others
• She sees wealth as an opportunity to bless others and not just to hoard things for her own needs
• Already her character is showing through
• This is the kind of character that gets God's attention
This woman could have talked with her husband and said we have a good size home, if we build a room for this Prophet who stops by every now and then, we can probably rent it to him for about $200 month. We can make it comfortable and perhaps get a little more for it if you want.
• She was not concerned with making money
• She was not concerned with renting out the space
• She said – Just Want to Bless Somebody
This was not a guest room for any guest to stay in nor was this a room they already had that was to be converted into a room for Elisha. This was a room that was built solely for Elisha. This woman understood that Elisha was a man of God and therefore opened her house to him. We can say the following about the Shunammite’s woman’s proposal -
• It did not come from the husband as men are often oblivious to the needs of others
• It was unsolicited by Elisha
• Elisha never asked for gifts
• It was not in response to any favor Elisha had done for the woman
• It was not in expectation of any favor the woman was asking Elisha
• The proposal meant a substantial gift to Elisha, which represented a good amount of the woman’s resources
• How much would it cost for you to build or convert a room in your home as a permanent guest room to be occupied frequently?
It is almost as if Elisha was puzzled and overwhelmed by this generous giving by the Shunammite woman.
• The giving stirred his soul and he wanted to bless the woman in some way
• So, Elisha summoned the Shunammite woman and asked her what she would like in return for all she had done for him
• Rather than jumping at the chance to ask for more servants
• Rather than ask for a larger home
• Rather than ask for more riches
• She told him that she was fine and didn’t need anything
Think about this text, here we have Elisha, he’s been staying in this little room prepared by this family, he’s appreciative, and says to her, “Look, I’ve got a little pull, I know the king, I know the army commander, I owe you a favor, just tell me, give me the word and I’ll get it done for you.”
• By the way what would you do?
• Some might ask for a better job
• Perhaps some might ask for a government job
• Some might want to be on the kings payroll, or the kings staff
• Some might try to get free Medical & Dental Plan
• Some might ask for a break on their Taxes
I want you to understand what is going on here so you don’t miss the point - she’s saying, I appreciate your offer, but I’ve got a HOME – BASIC NEEDS PROVIDED FOR - I don’t really need anything.
• Was she rich?
• Was she living “high on the hog?”
• Could she have bettered herself?
• Why didn’t she?
• Because she was Content!
We live in a society today where everyone wants more, more, more.
• A bigger house
• A higher paying job
• A better, newer car
• The list goes on and on!
Elisha offered to speak to the King and the Commander of the Army on her behalf and she turned him down! This woman understood that it was more important to be a blessing rather than to receive a blessing.
• She knew to give without expecting any returns
• She just wanted to give to make the man of God comfortable
• She said - Just Want to Bless Somebody
What’s the Secret to being Content? Paul expounded upon this in PHILIPPIANS 4:11-13 “NOT THAT I SPEAK IN RESPECT OF WANT: FOR I HAVE LEARNED, IN WHATSOVER STATE I AM, THEREWITH TO BE CONTENT. I KNOW BOTH HOW TO BE ABASED, AND I KNOW HOW TO ABOUND: I AM INSTRUCTED BOTH TO BE FULL AND TO BE HUNGRY, BOTH TO ABOUND AND TO SUFFER NEED. I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHICH STRENGTHENETH ME.”
• The secret to being content is perspective!
• It’s not how much money you have in the bank
• It’s not how big your house is
• It’s not do you have a new car
• It has nothing to do with what you have
• Does not matter what you have, most people will always be discontent—wanting more!
So what’s the right perspective? -- 1/2 glass of water, what do you see? A content person will see 1/2 full glass, rather than 1/2 empty. It’s not what you don’t have, rather being thankful what you do have! Elisha calls the Shunammite woman before him with his own servant Gehazi to ask her what could be done to reward her kindness.
• Elisha is amazed at this woman, not once does she ask anything back for the kindness shown to him
• Proof that her kindness had no ulterior motive
• Rather than be consumed about her own needs she simply enjoys ministering to others
• That’s why many cannot do Ministry today
• Ministry is always about others, never about yourself
• Just Want to Bless Somebody
This was extraordinary especially in light of the fact that she was childless, a terrible state for a woman of that time, yet she asks for nothing, not even a child.
• In that day a woman could be scorned for not having produced a child
• But she does not complain even about this
• Her life was focused on what she has and not what was lacking
But Elisha was so determined to bless the Shunammite woman because of her unsolicited generosity that he turned to Gehazi and said, “‘What can be done for her?’ Gehazi said, ‘Well, she has no son and her husband is old.’ Then Elisha said, ‘Call her.’ So he called her, and she stood in the doorway. ‘About this time next year,’ Elisha said, ‘you will hold a son in your arms.’”
--Because the Shunammite woman had done such an extraordinary thing for Elisha, he could not leave her household without blessing her family
--Even with her insisting that she and her husband didn’t need anything Elisha decided to bless the family anyway
--Due to her giving to the man of God, God through Elisha gave her what money could not buy and allowed her and her husband to conceive the child that would have otherwise been impossible for them to have
--Yet, a year later, just as Elisha had foretold, the woman held a squalling infant in her arms, laughing as she told others the story of God's surprising gift
--Unlike so many of her female forebears—Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Tamar, Hannah—the Shunammite woman seemed content without children
--Elisha's promise, however, was an arrow homing straight to its target, fulfilling the unspoken desire of her heart
--Why?
--Because she JUST WANTED TO BLESS SOMEBODY
--If we ever get to that place in our lives – Just Want to Bless Somebody
--If we ever get to the place where we are really concerned about our neighbor – Just Want to Bless Somebody
--What will be said and remembered about our life when we leave this old world behind
--I don’t know about you, but I want to live my life and let it be said that I - Just Want to Bless Somebody
