I. Meet Elijah
This morning we begin a sermon series entitled Elijah: The prophet of God. Over the next few weeks we are going to delve into the life and ministry of the prophet Elijah. Elijah is one of two men in the Bible who did not die. The Other being Enoch from the book of Genesis.
But before we begin it is necessary to have a quick history lesson.
The nation of Israel had once been, under the leadership of David and Solomon, one of the richest most blessed nations in the world. Surrounding nations feared the God of the nation of Israel. But during the latter years of Solomon’s reign, Solomon began to drift from God.
Because of his many marriages to women who worshipped other Gods, he allowed his wives to continue to worship these Gods in Israel. Solomon probably thought what harm could do? But as Solomon continued to drift, he too began to worship those other Gods.
As the nation of Israel lost its focus, it also lost the one thing that brought all 12 tribes together- The one true God. As a result the 12 tribes divided themselves into nations… 10 of the tribes left and formed a new nation… But this new nation formed from the 10 tribes chose not to allow God to be its foundation. Listen to how far they strayed…
Listen to 1 Kings 12:25-32.
This action by Jeroboam set in motion a heritage of Godlessness and civil chaos. Did you hear the words spoken by Jeroboam? He was afraid that if they returned to Jerusalem to worship they would want to unite as one nation again. So they created their own religion, chose their own Gods, set up their own religious holidays and festivals…
This action stemmed from the seemingly harmless action of Solomon allowing his wives to bring their own Gods into his land.-The one true God’s land- The Promised Land.
Make no mistake sin will take you further than you’ll ever want to go. Like an ocean’s undertow, you may not even realize that you are drifting until it is too late.
King after King followed the reign of Jeroboam… None being highly successful… Each one becoming increasingly more perverse and sinful. In fact of all the other Gods that Israel, Yahweh, the one true God was completely pushed out of any national recognition. In Fact under Ahab’s reign to worship the one true God could and usually would result in death. God, The one true God was squeezed out of any place in their world.
It is here in this crazy messed up religious picture where our man Elijah enters the picture…
Turn again in your bibles to 1 Kings 16 beginning in verse 29.
At the end of this passage we are told of an act that typified how far they had strayed from God.
We are told of a man named Hiel who tried to rebuild Jericho, but in the process of building both his oldest and youngest sons were killed.
Listen to what Joshua 6:26 says: At that time Joshua invoked a curse; May the curse of the Lord fall on anyone who tries to rebuild the city of Jericho. At the cost of his firstborn son he will lay the foundation. At the cost of his youngest son he will set up the gates. God was just beginning to try to get their attention. No matter how much we run from God or try to create out own God’s or our own way God will not be ignored. He is and always will be the one true God.
It is here in this crazy messed up religious picture where our man Elijah enters the picture…
In the midst of all this evil God called one man to be His voice. A voice that would call his people like a shepherd would his sheep back into the fold.
Listen To 1 Kings Chapter 17 verse one:
In this verse while entering the scene, Elijah asserts some bold claims. To make it easier to remember the words and claims of Elijah to King Ahab in this verse, I want you to remember the three P’s.
The first P in Elijah’s claim was his profession.
Elijah wastes no words. In the midst of an environment where many Gods were worshipped. In a place where the God Baal was set up to be its national God under the reign of Ahab and Jezebel. Elijah boldly confesses and professes his faith. He says to King Ahab: As the Lord, The God of Israel lives.”
Elijah did not waste any words. He gave no greetings. He looked at King Ahab and basically said. The one true God- The God of Israel has sent me with a message and you better listen up.
We are given no introduction to Elijah. He emerges onto the scene with his bold profession of Faith to King Ahab.
Since we have no background on Elijah let’s use our imagination for a second. God comes to Elijah, this small town prophet from Tishbe, and says I want you to address the king and queen of Israel in my name. I wonder what Elijah thought or felt. I wonder how much prodding did it take. I wonder if he like Gideon laid out a fleece before God. We don’t know, but we just know God called and Elijah obeyed.
Our world today is much like that religious climate there. People choosing their own religions, people drifting from the absolute truth of the word, people forgetting who and what God is. This world needs our voice professing boldly that Jesus Christ is alive and he is not only THE Lord But my Personal lord.
Tonight in our mission trip training we are going to focus upon our testimony: How God saved me? And what practical things is he doing in my life today. Boldly professing the truths of God.
In the days when the famous atheist Madeline Murray Ohara was alive and debating Christians. A story is told of how in college auditurium she challenged the students that if they believed in God - in Jesus Christ- To have the guts to come on to the stage and publicly debate her. Anyone up for the challenge she shouted. The tension mounted, as each person looked around to see who would respond. But then to everyone’s surprise a relatively new believer rose to her feet and began to sing Jesus Loves me, this I know, For the Bible tells me so.
With her bold profession others stood up and began until the entire audience stood to their feet singing the song Jesus Loves Me, this I know… With that Mrs. Ohara left abruptly. Our world is crying out for a bold profession of our faith. Can they hear your voice?
The Second P in Elijah’s claim is that he asserts his position
Listen to more of Elijah’s words. As the Lord, The God of Israel lives.”and next Whom I serve.
In the days of Kings and queens these were words of treason. Ahab and Jezebel had killed people who had said lesser things than these. Elijah looks King Ahab in the eyes and basically says I serve The God of Israel Not you.
It was because of this call to service that Elijah left his homeland to go to a place perhaps where he had not been before. And to not know what God was going to exactly do with him. Even with the question marks Elijah had to make his words match his actions.
In our lives many times we have more questions for God than answers. But we must choose to obey even when things don’t make sense or work out the way we would like.
For many of us to be true servants of God we must leave our comfort zones and make ourselves available to whatever God wants.
Our BEST ABILITY IS our AVAILABILITY.
How available are you? Are you open or closed?
In the Gospel of Matthew Chapter 16 verse 24 Jesus says to his disciples so very bold words.
"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
Where are we at today? The words No Lord can never be said because they contradict themselves. Are you ready to serve?
The third P of Elijah’s claim was His Prayer: listen
“there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.”
Elijah’s prayer cut to the throat of all their false Gods. Their primary God, Baal, was a God of the harvest. A god of Rain. Now to say first that the Lord is the one true God and this God will cause a drought, basically called their Gods into a showdown. A showdown that would not come for a few more years.
Elijah was praying for national disaster. Could you imagine it not raining for three and a half years? If we just go a few months without rain it’s devastating. Elijah was praying that everyone would become as uncomfortable physically as he was spiritually. He prayed that the one true God could get everyone’s attention. When I came here in the summer of 2002 we were in the middle of a drought. Everywhere I went people were talking about it. And that was just about to happen to Israel.
We are not given Ahab’s reaction more than likely he laughed him off. But later in this chapter we will see Ahab spending years to try to find Elijah to reverse the drought.
In our own lives what does God have to do to get your attention. He caused Israel to face disaster just to say I am here.
God has shown me this many times. For me these are times of humbling, but for others they could be times of salvation.
God taught me this very early in my ministry. I had preached my first sermon that fall and it was incredible at the invitation time many people came forward. I filed that sermon away and said wow this is a good one.
Later that summer as a summer missionary I was asked to preach at a small church who was without a pastor. I whipped that sermon out the morning of the service. I brought that golden sermon out. And it all went flat. the sermon that was supposed to be 20 minutes was only 5 and so I brought in another sermon that only took 5 and then I wrapped it all up.
God showed me that it is not paper or words. It is me. Don’t forget me.
We will be all that God has for us to be here at Sandridge if we will not forget Him. To be frank I pray a general prayer over you that says that if you are in a place of sin that you will have no peace but that God will continually get your attention. So you will not forget Him.
Elijah entered the picture and God’s voice was heard, but will they listen. We will find out as we continue to walk through the life of Elijah.
But this morning at work of school is it time for you to boldly profess Jesus Christ. Or perhaps God is telling you something but you are refusing to listen.
Then expect God to attempt to get your attention. That is my prayer for you. That while your heart is still soft and you can hear God that you will obey him
