The Wood's Never Too Wet For Revival

THE WOOD’S NEVER TOO WET FOR REVIVAL

1 Kgs 18:21-39

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR: HOW TO GET ATTENTION

1. George Phillips of Mississippi, was going to bed when his wife told him that he'd left the light on in the shed. George started out to the shed, but saw some men in the process of stealing things.

2. He immediately phoned the police, who asked "Is someone in your house?" and George said, "No." Then they explained that all patrols were busy, and that he should simply lock his door and an officer would be there when available.

3. George said, "Okay," hung up, counted to 30, and phoned the police again. "Hello, I just called you a few seconds ago because there were people in my shed. Well, you don't have to worry about them now because I've just shot them all."

4. Then he hung up. Within a few minutes, three squad cars and an ambulance showed up. Of course, the police caught the burglars red-handed.

5. One of the policemen said to George: "I thought you said that you'd shot them!" To which George replied, "I thought YOU said there was nobody available!"

6. It might be God is trying to get our attention too!

B. TEXT

21 Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people said nothing. 22 Then Elijah said to them….23 “Get two bulls for us. Let Baal’s prophets choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. 24 Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The god who answers by fire—he is God.” Then all the people said, “What you say is good.”

26 Then they [the prophets of Baal] called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. “Baal, answer us!” they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made. 27 At noon Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder!... Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.” 28 So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. 29 Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.

30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come here to me.” They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the LORD, which had been torn down. 31 Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes….32 With the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold twenty pounds of seed. 33 He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, “Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood.”

34 “Do it again,” he said, and they did it again. “Do it a third time,” {he ordered, and they did it the third time.} 35 The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench.

36 At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: “LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. 37 Answer me, LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.”

38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. 39 When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The LORD—he is God! The LORD—he is God!”

40 Then Elijah commanded them, “Seize the prophets of Baal. Don’t let anyone get away!” They seized them, and Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered there. 41 And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain. 1 Kgs 18:21-39

C. THESIS: WHAT IS REVIVAL?

1. What is Revival? Well the dictionary defines it as:

a. An awakening, in a church or community, of interest in and care for matters relating to personal religion.