Rebuilding the Altar (2)
Dustin Lee Boden / General
“Rebuilding Broken Altars— Restoring What Was Lost”
Introduction:
Today, we are continuing our series “Rebuilding the Altar”. We kicked off this last week by discussing the “Significance of the Altar.
Today, as we dive into the story of Elijah on Mount Carmel, we’ll uncover three essential steps to rebuilding what has been broken.
Elijah, a man of prayer, demonstrated the power of faith. James reminds us that Elijah was just like us, and when he prayed, fire fell from Heaven!
Here are the key steps:
1. Recognizing the brokenness
2. Rebuilding the Altar: A Call to Action
3. Expecting God's Response and Power
Fire doesn't fall on empty alters. There has to be a sacrifice on the alter for the fire to fall. If you want the fire of God, you must become the fuel of God.
~Tommy Tenney
Our main text today is…
1 Kings 18:30 ESV
30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been thrown down.
~Opening Prayer~
After a long period of drought in Israel, the Lord speaks to Elijah and instructs him to go and present himself to King Ahab, promising that He will soon send rain.
Elijah obeys and begins his journey to see Ahab.
Meanwhile, Ahab has been searching for water throughout the land with the help of his servant Obadiah, who secretly fears the Lord and has hidden a hundred of God's prophets from Jezebel's wrath.
When Elijah meets Obadiah, he tells him to inform Ahab of his arrival.
Obadiah, worried for his life, hesitates but eventually agrees to relay the message.
When Ahab meets Elijah, he accuses him of being a troublemaker for Israel.
Elijah boldly counters that it is Ahab and his family's worship of Baal, not he, that has brought trouble upon Israel.
Elijah then challenges Ahab to summon the prophets of Baal to Mount Carmel for a a significant face-off.
As we look at Elijah’s story, we find a nation in spiritual drought, not just physical drought.
The altars that once honored God had been abandoned, and in their place, the people worshipped Baal.
The very foundation of their relationship with God had crumbled, and it was time to face the brokenness head-on.
Just like Israel, many of us today are walking through life with broken altars—altars that once burned brightly but now lie in ruins.
Perhaps the altar of prayer in our own lives has been neglected or abandoned, and the passion we once had for God now feels distant.
• But before we can rebuild, we first need to recognize that something is broken.
• We can’t rebuild what we refuse to acknowledge.
Elijah recognized the spiritual state of Israel—he saw the brokenness and called it out.
He didn’t ignore it, and neither can we…
So, let’s look at this first step:
1. Recognizing the Brokenness
1 Kings 18:17–21 ESV
17 When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is it you, you troubler of Israel?”
18 And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you have, and your father’s house, because you have abandoned the commandments of the LORD and followed the Baals.
19 Now therefore send and gather all Israel to me at Mount Carmel, and the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
20 So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel.
21 And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word.
1. "You can’t fix what you won’t face; recognizing the brokenness is the first step to restoration."
a. Brokenness is a place where someone is disconnected from God.
i. It is a place where sin, compromise, and idolatry have taken a deep root and it has led them to a place where God is absent from their lives and now there is a loss of His spiritual power, provision, authority, blessing and leading.
b. Our passage begins with the recognition of a spiritual crisis in Israel—idolatry and the worship of Baal, which has led to a severe drought as a judgment from God.
i. Ahab, the king of Israel has led the people into idol worship and away from God.
ii. SO, God sends Elijah to confront Ahab…
iii. This meeting is not just a POLITICAL confrontation, but a spiritual one, and it is meant to EXPOSE and ADDRESS the brokenness of Israel.
iv. God told the people after they came out of Egypt...Don't worship or serve idols of any kind, because I, the LORD, am your God. I hate my people worshiping other gods. Exodus 20:4...
v. SO, God and His altar has been replaced with pagan altars and a pagan gods named BAAL and Asherah.
vi. If study to see what Baal was worshipped for you will find that he was worshipped for…
1. Fertility
a. He was a god that required the sacrifice of children, in order to provide children for families (who dos this sound like)
2. Weather
3. Agriculture
4. Success in Battles
vii. Asherah was worshiped for
1. Fertility
2. Childbirth
3. Motherhood
4. Protection
5. Prosperity
6. Rain
c. Asherah was the god that drew King Solomon away for God.
d. The worship of Baal and Asherah included illicit sex and ritual prostitution...
i. False gods, like Baal, promise what only God himself can provide… through obeying HIM and HIS commands.
e. King Ahab greets Elijah with an accusation calling him a "troubler of Israel," but Elijah responds by identifying the true cause of their trouble: Ahab’s abandonment of God's commandments and his worship of Baal.
1 Kings 18:18 ESV
18 And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you have, and your father’s house, because you have abandoned the commandments of the LORD and followed the Baals.
f. Ahab refused to recognize his own sin and disobedience.... but Elijah CALLS him out for it.
g. Elijah did not just silently say… “Well each person is only responsible for themselves and their lives”… like many do today… He stood against corruption and stood for God’s commands....
h. He exposed Ahab's wickedness, sin and disobedience…and identifies that the true cause of their trouble— was HIS idolatry and turning AWAY form God!
i. Too many people are convinced that it is not their responsibility to speak against the corruption of society because religion is personal… but that is the biggest lie the devil ever told to the believer…
ii. The Great Commission from Christ himself contradicts that very understanding…
iii. You were put here to create trouble for those who refuse to turn to God… through preaching… through evangelizing… by standing for what is good and opposing what is evil!
i. When a culture sets is self against God, the righteous stand against that culture!
i. We need more Elijah's… we need more people who will stand up against the wickedness in this nation and stand for truth and stand for God!
1 Kings 18:21 NKJV
21 And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word.
a. Notice the silence from the people when Elijah confronts them.
i. Their hesitation and indecision reflect the deep spiritual brokenness and confusion in the nation.
ii. This silence is crucial because it reveals their struggle to fully commit to God.
iii. It exposes the depth of their spiritual crisis—their brokenness wasn’t just about a physical altar in ruins, but about their broken relationship with God!
iv. Elijah’s challenge was simple: Make a choice!
v. Stop being indecisive! You cannot follow both God and Baal.
vi. The real issue was that they believed they could worship both at the same time, trying to serve God while also clinging to the gods that made them feel good, helped them fit in, and aligned with the culture around them.
vii. Their hearts were divided, and Elijah called them out.
viii. He exposed their wavering between two opinions—either they follow the Lord wholeheartedly, or they follow Baal.... But you can’t have both.
b. We’re living in a similar time today, where the culture sets itself against God, and many are tempted to stay silent.
c. But as Christians, we are called to disrupt what is evil!
d. To call out sin, wickedness, and refuse to be silent.
e. We cannot afford to stay silent while our society drifts further from God.
f. Just as Elijah didn’t shrink back from confronting the culture, we too must be bold in speaking out against the moral decay around us.
g. Silence is complicity, and in a world that celebrates sin, the voice of the righteous must rise!!
i. Remember, the Bible calls us 'the salt of the earth'—but what good is salt if it loses its flavor?
ii. We’re here to preserve what is holy and to challenge what is corrupt.
iii. Like Elijah, we are not called to blend in but to stand out.
iv. This world needs more Christians who will speak up for God’s truth, even when it’s uncomfortable, even when it’s unpopular.
v. You were born for such a time as this—to be a light in the darkness and a voice in the wilderness."
2. Make a personal application:
a. We need to recognize the areas of spiritual neglect in our lives, just as Elijah identified the broken altar in Israel.
b. Prayer closets are filled with dust and junk, while our families, communities, and nation drifts away from God.
c. Many are torn between serving God and pursuing the idols of comfort, success, and personal desires.
d. Ask yourself: What robs God of His time with you? What keeps you from praying?
e. Satan doesn’t need to destroy the church—he just needs to keep us busy.
f. When you’re too busy, God becomes an accessory instead of a priority.
i. That’s why potlucks and events are full, but prayer rooms are empty.
ii. People run to Christian concerts and to see speakers because we “love God” and “like to be entertained”… but why is it when a prayer meeting is called.... everyone is all of a sudden… busy, tired, gotta work tomorrow, gotta get up early...
g. Satan fears prayer more than he fears a church service!
i. He loves it when we sing or preach—those don’t threaten him.
ii. Because week after week… people leave unchanged and uncommitted to God!
iii. But when you step into the throne room and pray, calling down fire from Heaven, that’s what disturbs him.
h. We need to confronting the idolatry in our lives—the things that keep us from God:
i. busy schedules, constant demands, entertainment, and personal ambitions.
i. Where have we neglected our prayer time? Where do we see signs of spiritual brokenness?
j. We need to acknowledge our need for restoration and return to the altar, committing fully to God once again.
This brings us to our second point:
2. Rebuilding the Altar: A Call to Action
1 Kings 18:22–30 ESV
22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the LORD, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men.
23 Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it.
24 And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the LORD, and the God who answers by fire, he is God.” And all the people answered, “It is well spoken.”
25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many, and call upon the name of your god, but put no fire to it.”
26 And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made.
27 And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.”
28 And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them.
29 And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention.
30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been thrown down.
1. "Restoration requires action; we must rebuild what’s been torn down if we want God’s fire to fall."
a. Elijah challenges the prophets of Baal to a showdown to prove which deity is real—God or Baal.
b. He gives them the first chance to call on Baal to consume their offering with fire, but nothing happens, demonstrating the powerlessness of their false god.
c. This was not just a public spectacle; it was a call to action.
d. Elijah was prompting the people to make a choice and act upon it.
e. By doing this, Elijah makes it clear that neutrality and inaction are not options when it comes to the things of God.
f. In verse 30, Elijah calls the people to gather around him as he repairs the altar of the Lord that had been torn down.
1 Kings 18:31–32 ESV
31 Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD came, saying, “Israel shall be your name,”
32 and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD. And he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two seahs of seed.
a. He takes twelve stones, representing the twelve tribes of Israel, and uses them to rebuild the altar.
b. This physical act symbolizes a call to action, a need to restore what has been broken spiritually.
c. He uses the twelve stones to remind the people of their identity and covenant with God.
d. The rebuilding of the altar represents a deliberate step to remove what is false and restore what is true.
2. Remember, Restoration requires action; we must rebuild what’s been torn down if we want God’s fire to fall.
a. In the same way, God is calling us to rebuild the broken altars in our lives.
b. This may mean removing idols, distractions, or anything that takes the place of God.
c. It means returning to a place of sincere, sacrificial worship.
d. Many people are trying to call God’s fire down on the world today, but they don’t have any altar or any sacrifice on the altar for the fire to fall on.
e. The fire of God doesn’t consume common things.
f. It falls on sacrifices!
i. The altar would be our personal relationship with, or commitment to, God.
ii. The sacrifice is obedience.
g. God isn't looking for a performance; He’s looking for a genuine relationship.
i. God isn’t looking for a show… he is looking for surrender!
ii. God isn’t looking for a spectacle… he is looking for sacrifice!
iii. God isn’t looking for rituals… he is looking for people to return to the foundation of their salvation!
h. We live in a world where people often feel the pressure to perform—to meet expectations, follow traditions, and check all the boxes.
i. But the truth is, God isn’t interested in our performance.
j. He doesn’t need us to act a certain way to impress Him.
k. What He desires is a genuine relationship—authentic, heartfelt, and real.
l. Performance is about outward actions, but relationship is about the heart.
i. Too often, we can get caught up in the routine of religion—attending church, going through the motions of prayer, or checking off spiritual tasks—thinking that’s what God wants.
ii. But Jesus consistently spoke against this mindset. Look at the Pharisees—they were the epitome of performance-based religion.
iii. They followed all the rules, but their hearts were far from God. Jesus called them out, saying in Matthew 15:8
Matthew 15:8 ESV
8 “ ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;
m. God is looking for sincerity, not showmanship.
n. In a performance-based mindset, we’re focused on impressing others and maintaining appearances, but God sees through the façade.
i. He knows our hearts.
ii. He doesn’t care about how eloquently we pray or how loudly we sing.
iii. He cares about whether our hearts are truly seeking Him.
o. Think about Elijah on Mount Carmel... The prophets of Baal spent hours putting on a performance—shouting, dancing, even cutting themselves to try to get their god’s attention.
i. But nothing happened. Why? Because Baal wasn’t real, and their worship was just a performance.
ii. But when Elijah prayed, it was a simple, sincere prayer.
iii. No fanfare, no theatrics—just a man humbly asking God to reveal His power.
iv. And God responded to that kind of relationship.
p. A relationship with God is built on trust, intimacy, and transparency.
i. It’s not about putting on a show for Him; it’s about being honest with Him.
ii. God wants us to come as we are—broken, messy, and real.
iii. He wants us to share our deepest struggles, our fears, and our dreams, trusting that He will meet us with grace, not judgment.
q. The world may be impressed by performance, but God is moved by our authenticity.
i. We need to return to the foundational truths of our faith—repentance, the Word of God, and prayer.
ii. Take intentional steps to restore our prayer lives, and spiritual commitments.
iii. Commit to actions that will reestablish God's presence and power in our lives.
r. Rebuilding an altar takes intentionality—just as Elijah carefully chose each stone, we must carefully choose to prioritize God's presence and power in our daily lives."
s. Rebuilding our spiritual altar involves several key actions:
i. Removing Hindrances: Like Elijah clearing the rubble, we need to remove the negative influences and behaviors obstructing our spiritual growth.
ii. Desiring Spiritual Nourishment: We must commit to feeding on God’s Word and allowing it to transform us, akin to Elijah preparing the altar properly.
iii. Embracing Our Identity in Christ: Understanding our identity as part of God’s spiritual house encourages us to live as places of worship and devotion.
iv. Proclaiming His Goodness: As ambassadors of God’s kingdom, we reinforce our spiritual purpose by sharing His message of salvation.
v. Living Out Our Faith: Rebuilding the altar also means embodying the transformation that comes from our relationship with Christ.
vi. Once we have rebuilt our altars through these actions, we will be prepared for the next step: expecting God’s response and power in our lives in a fresh and dynamic way.
3. Expecting God's Response and Power
1 Kings 18:33–40 ESV
33 And he put the wood in order and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, “Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.”
34 And he said, “Do it a second time.” And they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time.” And they did it a third time.
35 And the water ran around the altar and filled the trench also with water.
36 And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word.
37 Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.”
38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The LORD, he is God; the LORD, he is God.”
40 And Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape.” And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there.
1. "When the altar is rebuilt, we can expect God to respond with power beyond our imagination."
a. Elijah doesn’t offer a long, elaborate prayer; he simply asks God to reveal Himself so that the people will know He is the true God and that their hearts will turn back to Him.
b. Elijah prayed with full confidence that God would answer.
c. His expectation was not based on his own strength or ability, but on God's faithfulness and power.
d. He knew that God would respond because the altar was rebuilt, and true worship was restored.
e. God’s response was immediate, powerful, and complete.
f. Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench.
g. It showed His authority over all things and His desire to reveal Himself to His people when they return to Him in sincerity and truth.
h. We need to restore the practice of sacrifice and surrender!
Romans 12:1 ESV
1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
i. An empty altar receives no fire!
ii. Empty prayer closets receive no answers!
iii. Poorly attended prayer nights receive no move of God!
a. You need the courage and the discipline to repair the broken altars in your life!
b. Placing upon them those things that kept you from God and sacrificing them to God!
c. See, call it how you see it… I see it this way… we are a backslidden nation!
d. We are a post Christian nation… and there will be no fires of revival coming to your families, our towns and communities and our state and nation as long as the altar is empty and the closets are vacant!
i. If you want to see our nation on fire again for God…
ii. if you want to see the church we gather in weekly to be overburdened with lost people… them let me tell you… that it will never happen as long as the prayer closets and prayer services are empty!
e. When church and study of God’s word become optional, your life goes badly, but when prayer and fasting becomes optional, the enemy gets the advantage!
f. See, maybe I am alone in my thinking… but I personally believe that when we as a church, cry out to God… the fire of revival will fall!
g. When we restore the altar in our lives, we should expect God to move just as powerfully today as HE did then!
h. God’s fire still falls on hearts that are ready and altars that are rebuilt.
i. How many of you are crazy enough to believe that the fire of the living God can fall in you families, in our communities and in our state and nation!
j. How many of you are praying for God to shake America ONE MORE TIME??!!?
k. Pray with an expectation!...God responds to faith-filled, expectant prayers, prayed by people of God who are commited to Him!
l. When we restore the altar in our lives, we should expect God to move just as powerfully.
m. God’s fire still falls on hearts that are ready and altars that are rebuilt.
n. We may not see literal fire, but we will see God’s presence, power, and guidance in ways that are undeniable.
o. We need to pray with confidence and expectation!
p. We need to pray with the belief that God has the answer and he is sending it!
q. We need to pray with the mindset that we are in His throne room and before Him… and that there are armies of angels waiting… juts waiting for you to pray the word… waiting for you to pray with faith…waiting for you to release them to God and do their jobs!
Psalm 103:20 ESV
20 Bless the LORD, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word!
a. We need to be Anticipating the Fire of God!
i. When Elijah rebuilt the altar, he expected God to answer with fire.
ii. I believe that God is not done with America!
iii. I believe there is going to be yet another revival… I believe that this backslidden nation is going to repent and return to God!
iv. I believe that when men and women of God have decided that they have had enough… and start crying out to God that His fire is going to fall!
v. There has never been any revival in the history of the church that did not get birthed in prayer!
b. We are going to experience renewal and revival!
i. The fire that fell on the altar not only consumed the sacrifice but also turned the hearts of the people back to God.
ii. I believe that you are either going to be apart of it… or you will fall to the wayside!… the choice is up to you!
iii. You, your families, and our communities will be beneficiaries of it… or we will be swept away!
iv. But I believe those who are on their altars and praying daily for God to move… we see him move in ways indescribable!
c. I believe God will be demonstrating His glory!
i. Elijah's actions were meant to show that the Lord is the true God.
ii. I believe we are about to see miracles like never before!
iii. I believe we are about to see people saved that no one ever thought could be saved!
iv. I believe we are going to see the gifts of the Spirit… the signs and wonders…the power of the living God invading our homes, families and communities all around us and people are going to be healed of cancers, diseases, the lame is going to walk to dead will rise and the leper will be cleansed
v. The deaf will hear, the dumb will speak and the glory and power of God will be moving everywhere because of praying people!
d. No longer will churches be powerless, but they will become hospitals!
i. Ambulances will bring sick people tot he house of God because of this great move of God!
ii. Churches will no longer be entertainment driven, but will be powerful houses of ministry where PRAYER is the priority!
e. "When the altar is rebuilt, we can expect God to respond with power beyond our imagination."
f. I believe like Elijah God is raising up men and women in this day that will repair His altar!
g. The question is will you be one of them??
h. Stand with me!!~Musicians~
i. Revival! Just like Elijah anticipated the fire from heaven, we too need to pray with a heart that expects God to move powerfully in response to our prayers and sacrifice.
j. The altar has always been a place of transformation and encounter with God.
k. When we rebuild the altar in our own lives—when we restore our prayer life, when we remove the idols that have replaced God, and when we return to sincere, sacrificial worship—we can expect God’s presence to come in a fresh and powerful way.
l. Just as fire fell on Elijah’s altar, consuming everything and demonstrating the undeniable power of God, we too can see God’s fire fall on the altars of our hearts, families, church, and nation.
m. God is not passive. He responds to the faith and obedience of His people.
n. The fire that fell on Elijah’s altar didn’t just consume the offering; it consumed everything—the wood, the stones, the water.
o. It was a complete demonstration of God’s power.
p. And this is what we need today: a complete, undeniable move of God that sweeps across our lives, our communities, and our nation.
Conclusion:
As we come to the close of today's message, I want to remind you of the three critical steps for restoring what was lost:
1. Recognizing the Brokenness – You cannot fix what you do not face. Identify the broken altars in your life—your neglected prayer time, your wavering commitment, the idols that have crept in.
2. Rebuilding the Altar: A Call to Action – Restoration requires action. Take intentional steps to restore your prayer life and spiritual disciplines, returning to a place of true worship and surrender.
3. Expecting God's Response and Power – Pray with expectation. Believe that God will answer, and that His power will be revealed in your life, your family, and in our nation when we rebuild the altar and commit ourselves to Him fully.
God is calling His people back to the altar—to a place of prayer, sacrifice, and surrender.
When we respond to that call, we can expect a move of God like never before.
Let’s rebuild the altar, restore what has been lost, and anticipate the fire of revival!
I believe God is calling us to a radical transformation—a revival that starts with each of us.
When the altar is rebuilt, we are setting the stage for God to act.
We are preparing ourselves for a fresh outpouring of His presence and power.
This is not a distant hope; it is a present reality waiting to be embraced.
So, I challenge you today: Look at your own life, your own heart. What broken altars need rebuilding? What distractions need removing? What commitments need renewing?
Let’s take this message beyond these walls. Let’s let it transform our daily lives, our families, and our church. As we engage in prayer and fasting, let’s do so with the fervent expectation that God will respond with power beyond our imagination.
Are you ready to see God move? Are you ready to experience the fire of His presence in your life? The choice is yours. The altar is calling. The fire is waiting. Will you rebuild and expect God to move?
