The Lord Is Our Hope In Hopelessness

THE LORD IS OUR HOPE IN HOPELESSNESS (Outline)

August 28, 2022 – Pentecost 12 – 1 KINGS 19:3-8

INTRO: We have a sinful nature. This sinful nature tends to believe the worst first. It is exactly what happened to Elijah in our text today. He looked inward and felt all was lost. Everything was hopeless. Such is our natural human state. Listen to God’s people after Jeremiah tells them God’s truth: Repent. "But they will say, ‘It is hopeless! Each of us will always walk in the stubbornness of his own evil heart’" (JEREMIAH 18:12). When we walk in the stubbornness of our evil heart everything seems hopeless. Thankfully the Lord gives us faith to know there is hope. THE LORD IS OUR HOPE IN HOPELESSNESS. I. We think about bad things. II. The Lord provides good things.

I. WE THINK ABOUT BAD THINGS TOO OFTEN.

A. Verse 3. “Elijah was afraid and he ran for his life.” Not very inspiring as God’s religious leader.

1. Who or what scared Elijah? Jezebel was the wicked wife of the very wicked King Ahab.

2. Jezebel was angry with Elijah. She told a messenger that she promised to see Elijah dead.

B. Verse 4. Elijah traveled to Beersheba in Judah. Left his servant. Walked a day in wilderness.

1. Strange action: Alone when needed friends. Ran away from people.

2. Strange prayer: Prayed to die. Had enough. No better than fathers. Same sinner.

3. Elijah felt hopeless. Helpless. Alone. Ineffective. Forsaken. Forgotten. NO hope.

C. Verse 5a. Elijah lay down went to sleep. Maybe not so hopeless. More on that later.

D. Has anything gotten any better in our day and age? The world offers no hope for the future. In fact, the opposite is true. “The climate is being destroyed.” “Prices for everything have gone up!” “Shortages.” “Floods, fires, storms…” This is the nature of a changing world. As children of God, we know with a certainty that the Lord is in control. Always. Completely. That brings us another challenge. The wicked scoff at the church. And believers. God’s truth is very clear. Always. God created the heavens and the earth. Not evolution. God created male and female. Two genders, not multiple. Not fluid. This is straightforward fact. Truth. It is rejected by the worldly wicked. “But even if you should happen to suffer because of righteousness, you are blessed. Do not be afraid of what they fear, and do not be troubled” (1 PETER 3:14). We do not fear weather changes. Economic dangers. We have a sure hope in the Lord.

E. Satan uses these worldly worries to try and distract people from the important things. These unfounded fears creep into society. We live and walk among the wicked. A sense of dread can sneak into our souls. Jesus warned about this in the parable of the seed sown. The thorns are all around us. "These are the ones who hear the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth and desires for other things enter in and choke the word, so it becomes unfruitful” (MARK 4:18b, 19). We know that at times worries, wealth, and desires for newer, bigger, better have crowded out God’s word in our lives. Putting any confidence in the things of this world is not satisfying. Not enduring. Hopeless trust.

F. We are children of God. Our heavenly Father is perfect in love. Mercy. Caring for his family. We celebrate that we are never, ever forgotten. Forsaken. Our loving, heavenly Father provides blessing upon blessing. Physical. Spiritual. We are “over blessed”. Listen to God’s promises made. Kept. "We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, yet not despairing; persecuted, yet not forsaken; struck down, yet not destroyed" (2 CORINTHIANS 4:8, 9). Yes, we face troubles. Challenges. Heartaches. Sorrows. Temptations. Opposition. We know that the Lord God of Armies is greater than all of these.

THE LORD IS OUR HOPE IN HOPELESSNESS. Strength in weakness. Joy in sadness. Comfort in grief. The LORD IS our HOPE even when we concentrate on bad things too often.

II. THE LORD PROVIDES GOOD THINGS ALWAYS.

A. Elijah was afraid. Ran away for his life. Forgot God was greater than Jezebel. Ahab.

1. Verse 5. Elijah had enough. Prayed to die. Still went to sleep. God’s peace with him.

2. Angel of the Lord woke him up. Food was prepared and ready to eat.

B. Verse 6. Elijah woke up. Ate. Drank. Went back to sleep. Lord provided food, drink, sleep.

1. Verse 7. Angel wakes up Elijah again. More daily provisions were ready for him.

2. Angel told him “…the journey is too much for you.” Elijah needed physical strength to live.

3. Lord answered Elijah’s prayer for death. NO. You will live. You will serve the Lord.