I Kings 17
Introduction
If you missed Wednesday night you missed Sister Rhonda Holland craft a powerful message from 2 Kings 4. I was listened intently as she shared with us 1) a reminder that there is famine in the land. This was a famine in the story. Famines were mainly built on lack of water which contributed to crops not growing, no way to water the animals and starvation.
She reminded us that there is also a famine in the land today. A famine for the Word of God and a loss of hunger for God Himself. Finally, she shared another passage I have never heard preached on. The passage of the “bitter poisonous stew”. It was there because of a poisonous gourd that was chopped up in the pot.
A little sin can infest a lot. A little dirt on a good brownie. Wayne’s brownies
It was not until the flour was thrown in the pot that food was safe to eat. She reminded us of the process of getting flour. The sifting. The sacrifice. The work that it takes.
Flour and Faith
I am reminded this morning of another story in the Bible that shows us the importance of flour.
This widow was on the brink of quitting. In her mind she had just enough flour to make bread for herself and her son and that was it. But she runs into the prophet of God who challenges her faith. Read with me here in 1 Kings 17
God will send you out to help others.
God will put people in your path.
We need to be careful just in case we are “entertaining angels”
1 Kings 17:8-16 Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, (9) "Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you." (10) So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, indeed a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, "Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink." (11) And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, "Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand." (What is in your hand? God will use it. Ask Moses, the rod.) (12) So she said, "As the Lord your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die." (13) And Elijah said to her, "Do not fear (have faith in God “God has not given you the spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind 2 Timothy 1:7); go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. (14) For thus says the Lord God of Israel: 'The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth.' " (15) So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. (16) The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke by Elijah.
Illustration: Story of the man in the dessert
Man traveles across the desert for days. He finally came across an old shack. There in it was an pump that led down to the water table. On the pump was a note and old jar full of water. Thevnotevread "Pour this water in the pump to prime the pump to get more water." This man had a choice he could drink the water or trust that the water will prime the pump.
- This was a challenge of her faith, not just to say it but to be obedient.
- This was not an easy decision, it was a challenge that not only affected her but also her family.
Does really care about the giving side of faith? Yes
God takes care of the widows and expects us to take care of their need!
Reminder: Luke 21:1 – 4 The Widows mite.
Luke 21:1-4 And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, (2) and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites. (3) So He said, "Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; (4) for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, [136] but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had."
We don’t have to have nothing to be able to have faith or to give out of faith. We have to be willing to let go and open up our heart and hands to the Lord.
Another story of a widow and her son.
2 Kings 4:1-7 A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, "Your (We are connected) servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves." (2) So Elisha said to her, "What shall I do for you? (What shall I do? It is found on your faith and what you have! ) Tell me, what do you have in the house?" And she said, "Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil." (3) Then he said, "Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors--empty vessels; do not gather just a few. (4) And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you (God’s blessings is for you) and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones." (5) So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out. (6) Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, "Bring me another vessel." And he said to her, "There is not another vessel." So the oil ceased. (7) Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, "Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest."
The problems is when you run out of vessels for God to fill. How?
Get too comfortable
Lack of faith
Forget what God has done
Selfishness
In 2 Kings 4:1-7 we are told the story of a widow woman who approached Elisha about her financial woes. Her husband had died. All she had left was her son. She was in deep debt.
Elisha asked her what she had. She said, “a bottle of oil”. He said go gather many pots as she could find. Close the door and then pour the oil in the pots.
Miraculously God filled the pots with oil which was to be sold to pay of debt and the rest to live off of.
But notice, the oil stopped when the pots ran out. The more pots the more oil. She limited the amount by the number of pots she gathered.
Principles provisions
A. She “cried out” – prayed
B. She “went out” – did not sit and mope but went out.
C. She “shout out” those around her, the naysayers.
D. She “poured out” the oil. Oil as a symbol of the Holy Spirit
E. She “sold out”
F. She “paid out” – took care of the necessary so she could free up for herself and family
G. She “lived out”
1 Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.
NIV 1 Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.
Conclusion
Matthew 22:15-22 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk. (16) And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men. (17) Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" (18) But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, "Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? (19) Show Me the tax money." So they brought Him a denarius. (20) And He said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?" (21) They said to Him, "Caesar's." And He said to them, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." (there are things that are God’s, it really is not about us) (22) When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way.
NLT 21"Caesar’s," they replied. "Well, then," he said, "give to Caesar what belongs to him. But everything that belongs to God must be given to God." 22His reply amazed them, and they went away.
What is God’s?
Faith and commitment
A Tithe
An Offering
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