Sunday March 8, 2020
looking once again at the story in the life of a light you the prophet. Told you a little bit last week about how he came on the scene out of nowhere. Elijah the tishbite from tishbi Gilead You came out of nowhere.
And we see the power of His prayers. phenomenal man of God yielded completely and trusting in God And we might ask where does someone get that kind of courage to stand up? To the king of Israel Ahab. and confront his Sim and how he was leading the people of Israel into sin and God set it up. And so we sent a humble man. Who had a brave courageous Spirit the lion show The Profit?
To take a stand then so the last couple of Sundays we've been talking about taking a stand for God.
The theme of the message take a stand for God is our theme today as we look to First Kings. Chapter 18 if you have a Bible if you could go there there's Pew Bibles and will be showing some of the scripture upon the screen. Let me say this about courage.
What about faithful in the place of Prayer? Who's the young Pastor who was? preaching a series on prayers
that moves the hand of God than his congregation listened. as he was talking about having faith to believe that what you pray for you'll get the good series to the preacher and so he said if you ask God the father in the name of his son Jesus as scripture says you can ask anything in the name of Jesus in my name. Jesus says and you'll have that what you ask for if you ask in faith.
This pastor went home on Sunday and after preaching and
His fear loving wife was concerned about their little Calico kitty, they couldn't find it in the house anywhere. So they searched and searched and went out in the backyard. And there was that little calico cat up on a I'm a very young tree that was swinging in the breeze. After this, pastor speaking, how am I going to get that cat? Come here kitty kitty kitty. ask his wife to get some little kitty treats and held out the treats and come on hear some traits that always works for me, but he would not come down from the tree in the more the tree was swaying in the breeze the more frightened that little hat was and so Pastor came up with an idea. Now if I take a a little rope and Twine and and I tied around the lower part of the branch here and I pull it I can pull the tree down and is it gets a little closer to the ground? I can reach out and grab the kitten it seemed to be a good idea. And is he tied that?
Rope line around the lower branch and pulled it that tree was coming down and so was the kitty closer and closer. He could almost reach it and he thought of a little bit more and she began to pull a breeze came up and pulled that tree away from his hand in the rope and Well, it was like a slingshot. And it's spring forward just like you did today spring forward and that little calico cat went flying through the neighborhood. I sure where that little kitty landed. He and his wife both went out searching for that kitty and could not find it. They were both disappointed and came home.
It was just a day later that he was in the grocery store and he saw mrs. Smith one of the people from his church and She looked a little sad. He said message Beth. Are you okay? And she says I got good news and bad news. I'll give me the bad news. She said well. I'm here and I'm I'm buying kitty litter and then I'm buying cat food and I'm find pet treats in there anything you can imagine for it for a cab. I thought you hated pants. Well, I do but my little boy had been praying and earnestly praying for a cat. and your message last Sunday, then if we have faith to believe we can ask God the father in the name of the son Jesus and the whatever we ask for her hitting his name we will have I did preach that what my son believed it and he was in the backyard rain down on his knees praying and I looked out and I thought he can keep praying but that's that's not going to happen. I don't like cats I'm allergic to cats with the Smiths set. But out of the sky you'll never believe it a little kind of Calico kitty came flying through the air and landed right into his arms. How can I say no?
Do you have faith to believe God can move mountains he can move mountains?
Let's look at our scripture this morning 1st Kings chapter 18.
now how to catch you up Elijah
had confronted Ahab and told him there would not be any Dew on the ground nor rain until I Pray Again. That the god of Heaven might change your heart and the people of Israel that they would give up worshipping this false. God.
And that they would worship the true God once again.
And after these things the Lord told Elijah to go away and to hide himself and that the Lord would take care of him and did in the Cure with ravine. Birthday Brooke giving him water. And in the Ravens came Ravens brought him food and bread and meat in the morning and breaded meet at night and he drank from Brooke and everything was good until the Brain didn't come in the brook dried up and God moved into sarapath and you remember how the weather was sarapath took care of the prophet?
And that brings us to this lesson this morning and chapter 18 during the Third Year Without Rain now that let you know it's been awhile. since Elijah prayed that there would not be any due and any rain on the land until he prayed again and then he left and a half probably thought.
That's not going to happen. Now for you to know that it is real and very arid area. They have the early brains and the late Rings the early rains come around this time in March. And the latter rains become another rainy. Is in October. And when the Rings did not come that first March and when they did not come that October a have began to think we'll maybe the profit is right. How do you know a prophet is telling the truth that his prophecies are real? If they come to pass, right? And now they have been looking in the 3rd gear without due and rain on the Earth.
I shouldn't have. I shouldn't have been so stubborn. Because the man of God prayed and now he is prayer is coming true. It's actually six months into that third year. So during the third year and six months. Without Rain the Lord spoke his word to Elijah go and meet King Ahab bounce the time. It's been long enough repentance is close to him. Go and meet King Ahab and I will soon send rain so Elijah went to meet Ahab.
And by this time there was no food in Samaria. No rain means no crops most cities were built where there was a spring. Or there was a deep. Well Abraham had dug many Wells for his flocks of sheep.
and people after him Jacob built dugmore Wells for
For his sheep in flocks, and so there were wells in many places.
And in many places they have Springs in around those areas. They would build their cities and their Villages but out where the villagers would plant their crops of barley. And if we get the two main crops along with the the olives in the the dates.
Without the rain the crops failed. There was no food in Samaria or in Israel.
MTG Ahab sent his sent for Obadiah. who was in charge of the king's Palace. Here's a side note open Daya was a true follower of the Lord the name Obadiah truly means follower Galway believer in Yahweh some of interpreted servant of Yahweh of God. And so he was and he was the king's right-hand man.
It went just a bill was killing all of the Lord's prophets because she was an evil woman. This king's wife. When can you put ingestive Elvis killing? All of the Lord's prophets Obadiah was the one who hid 100 of the prophets 50 in each cave or toothpaste.
51 K 50 in another and he also brought them food and water and I had wondered for some time if he brought them bread and water where he got the bread and water in the time of a trout when they was little food but being the one who was in charge of the king's Palace. Don't you think he would have had access to the Kings Baker? And he would have the baker bake some extra loaves of bread and he brought them to these prophets who were hidden Elijah not even knowing thinking that he was the last the only one that had escaped Jezebel's wrath and a sword.
Ahab and Obadiah went together in the king said to open die and let's check every spring and every Valley in the land and maybe we'll find enough grassland some grazing land to keep our horses and mules alive.
That they have got killed and already eaten.
What's a very rough time?
very hard time So each chose a part of the country to go and search a head went one way and Obadiah went in another Direction.
NY lopid I was on his way Elijah met him and nobody recognized Elijah so we bow down to the ground. Because he served. the same God
he said Elijah. Is it really you master? Is it really you? Thought you were dead. Haven't seen you in these three and a half years. Yes, Elijah answered go. Tell your master. I am here. Oh, yeah, like that's going to happen then opened. I said what's wrong? What have I done to you?
That you would want to have me go to Ahab like this and he'll put me to death because surely as the Lord your God lives. The King has sent people in every country to search for you. And if ruler said that you were not there a have forced the ruler to swear an oath. That he would not be found in that country. Now. You want me to go to my master and tell him Elijah is here.
The spirit of the Lord make carry you away to some other place and then when I go to get King Ahab to bring him here you won't be here.
That's a lot of trust, isn't it?
He will kill me. If you are not here. I have followed the Lord since I was a boy. Haven't you been told didn't you know that when Jezebel was killing the Lord's prophets. I hear the hundred of them 50 + 1 k + 50 + another and I brought them bread and water and I took care of them. Will this was news to Elijah? Good news. He did not know this. And if you might be wondering wouldn't jezebella found them by searching in for a cave. There were over 2000 caves in the area. So there were a lot of caves for them to go to and through hiding and although they were searching I think of David than how he hid from tall in a cave and there were so many caves. And if he knew this all was coming to that particular cave, he might leave and go to another cave and then after Saul it already check that cave he can come back.
David was a real caveman.
So we see that.
He's making a case. To Elijah, please. Don't put me in this position because as soon as I tell the king you're here, the spirit of God will move you someplace else and I'm going to be in trouble. They might even put me to death. Now you want me to go and to tell my master that you're here and he will kill me. If you're not in the lied you answered and said surely as the Lord all-powerful live whom I serve I will be seen by Ahab today. That's good news. And so Obadiah went to Ahab and told him where Elijah was and a half went to meet with Elijah. And when he saw her life. He asked is it really you the biggest troublemaker and all of Israel who really was the troublemaker? Kool-Aid cause the trout and the people to go without yeah. Hey Ahab Elijah answered. I have not made trouble in his real you and your father's family have made all the trouble by not obeying the Lord's commands. You have gone after the bottles the false gods the fake Gods the gods made by hand. crafted by an artisan and you fall down and worship a God made with man's hands now tell all is real to meet me at Mount Carmel. I was a high plain a place Plateau where they have an altar to God that one time. Tell all of the people to meet me and you come and meet me at Mount Carmel and also bring the 450 prophets of Baal. And the 400 prophets of the asherah who eat at Jezebel's table now, they didn't actually eat dinner with her. But they were fed from the same table as her is what he's implying here. The Jezebel favored these other 400 prophets of the Acura the worship the trees
It's 08 have called All of Israel together. with all the prophets of Baal and of the Astra and to beat in Mount Carmel and Elijah approach the people that said how long will you not decide? How long will you back so late between two choices if the Lord is the true God then follow Yahweh.
And if you'd rather choose by all if you believe he is the true God follow him, but don't vacillate between two decisions.
He's asking them to have courage to take a stand for COD. Many of them were cowardly and Afraid and went along with the masses.
but the people said nothing note that he asked them to make a choice. Sometimes you and I need to make choices to choose to stand for God and if we don't stand for God then you know, we're go along with the
the times the times of the day
Are we going to choose to really stand up for God to ask for courage to be the people of God that he wants us to be? Elijah said I am the only prophet of the Lord here. But there are 450 prophets of Baal bring two volts to Young Bulls. And he took turn to the prophets of Baal and he said you choose one. And you kill it and cut it in pieces and offer it the meat on top of the wood.
And you don't light a fire, but you call on your God but off to send fire from heaven to burn it up.
And I will prepare the other Bowl. I will build an altar. And I will pile the wood and I will cut up the bowl into pieces and lay it on the wood and I will not light it on fire, but I will ask the guy Yahweh the god of Heaven the one true God would come and light a fire to it. You prophets of Baal pray to your God and I will pray to the Lord God. The God Who Answers by sending fire on to the
I'm to the bowl and onto the the wood now. That's the true God now if it's them will worship him if it's if it's y'all wait, then you need to worship Him. And all the people agreed that that was a good idea. Are you with me? The story is almost done. Elijah said to the prophets of there are many of you. So you go first choose a bull and prepare it and pray to your God But don't start the fire. Just praying praying praying. So they took the ball and it was given to them and they prepared it. They laid it onto the wood. And they prayed to buy all from morning until noon from morning until noon. They prayed they shouted to but he'll answer us. But there was done with sound there was no answer and they danced around the altar that they had built praying to their God. pickle picture They're all dancing around. They couldn't show all 200 450 of them. But there were a lot of them. They're dancing around shouting to their God by all to send fire down and consume. the sacrifice
And that noon Elijah begin to make fun of them? Okay, that's a good thing. Pray louder. He said to them if bail is really God. Or maybe he's maybe he's off thinking someplace. Maybe he's busy. Maybe he's traveling. He's he's taking a vacation.
Until they prayed all the more loudly.
Maybe he's sleeping. You better wake him up. Does God sleep?
making fun the prophet sprayed louder cutting themselves with swords cutting themselves with Spears until their blood was flowing onto the ground and they kept shouting send fire.
Was their way of worship. But no answer came.
Been in the afternoon as it did pass. And the prophets continue to act like this crazy until it was evening the time of an evening sacrifice, but no voice came from heaven or from bottle. He did not answer and no one paid any attention.
Then Elijah said to all of the people that come here, you've been watching the show, but now come here.
And he took the 12 Stones one for each of the 12 tribes. And he rebuilt the altar that have been broken down. by the prophets of Baal and Ahab He rebuilt the altar. The Lord change the name of Jacob to Israel. This was an important moment when he rebuilt that alter and place the wood upon it.
Elijah use the stones to rebuild the altar to honor the Lord then he dug a ditch around the altar all the way around he dug a ditch. I'll tell you why in a minute.
And then it was to be big enough that it would hold 13 quarts of seed. And Elijah put the wood on the altar. Did he cut up the bowl and put the pieces and lated each piece on the wood. Then he said this is the interesting part. Don't miss this.
He says fill for jars of water and pour them on the meat in the wood. And when the light just said this he said do it again. And they did it a second time and then he said do it again a third time? And they did it a third time so that the water ran off of the altar in down and filled the ditch with water and I want you to know right here. I've net not heard it preached on this before but
the water that was offered was much more of a valuable sacrifice. Then anything else that they were offering to the Lord because what'd happened for the last 3 years and 6 months. No rain, no, dude. It was a drought time. All of the crops have failed many of the many of the Lambs many of their beef many of their animals had died as well for lack of water.
The water was an important thing valuable thing. And what do you think the people were thinking about when he poured for pots of water then four more and then four more? 12
I believe 12 gallons of water poured over. the meet the offering over the wood have you ever been camping is dry wood or wet wood better to burn.
And you say silly Pastor dry Woods better than wet wood. You can't light wet wood not easily. And he spoke to the wood. So much so that the water ran and filled the ditch around the base. on this altar
and it's the time of evening sacrifice the Prophet Elijah went near to the altar in each of the words that the prophet said. They're written down for us to hear Lord. You are the god of Abraham Isaac and Israel. He prayed prove that you are the god of Israel and that I am your servant show these people that you command me to do all of these things Lord answer my prayer. So these people will know that you are Lord You Are God. And that you can change their minds their hearts their disposition. You alone can change them. They pray this prayer and when he had prayed this prayer fire from the Lord came down and burned the sacrifice. It burned the wood. It consumed the stones and the ground around the altar was right up the water in the ditch. It was all burned Away by the fire that fell from heaven and went all the people saw this they fell down to the ground crying. The Lord is God the Lord. He is God. The Lord is God.
God indeed have changed their hearts. when the fire came They saw that there is only one true. God Yahweh. he is got
and we need to know in this world that the world offers up so many things for us to get our attention to give our allegiance to lay in bed. There is one God and he deserves our full attention. He deserves our praise our worship our time or talents one true God.
Ben Elijah said capture the prophets of Baal. Don't let even one of them get away and the people captured all of the profits that Elijah LED them down to the kitchen Valley at berry killed every one of these false prophets. This is your end. When you turn against the one true God.
There is either life with him. or death without him
and that Elijah said they have them go go eat and drink because of heavy rain is coming. I watch to know when Elijah told him to go because the rain is coming. He should have gotten in his Chariot and gone right then.
He was a stubborn selfish, man, and he didn't go. Why do I know that because of what is coming next? So King Ahab? It's okay. Hey have went to eat and drink but not right then. At the same time Elijah climb to the top of Mount Carmel.
A bent down and put his fees to put his head between his knees and he began to pray. You begin to pray? That Elijah said to a servant to go and and look toward the sea at the servant went to look and came back and said I see nothing. See nothing. So like you told him to go back and again, he did it again and again and again up to seven times. He'd send the servant to go look and the servant would come back and say there's nothing all seven times. No, but on the seventh time the servant said to him when he came back, there's nothing really there. I see a cloud the size of a man's fist. Hold up your fist.
Not very big, huh? I see a cloud the size of a man's fist out there a distance away, but that's all.
Elijah told the servant go and tell Ahab. to get in his Chariot and to go home now now otherwise the rain will stop him because the rain is going to come and it's going to turn everything to mud and musk and his Chariot won't be able to go will it Now, why did he send them down to tell a have that because didn't he already? Tell Ahab to go home?
He didn't do it.
And after a short time the sky was covered with dark clouds in the wind began to blow and soon Heavy Rain Begin to Fall and a have got in his Chariot Timely. And started back for judge me. How many times does someone have to tell you the rain is coming? You better get home? before he goes
and the lord gave his power once again to Elijah who tightened his clothes around him girded his his robe into his belt tucked it in so he could run.
Titan disclose around him and he ran ahead of the king's Chariot ran ahead of King Ahab all the way to Jezreel. He outran a chariot a fast horses. That's how much power and energy. God have given into the man of God.
So I want us to think on this. If you want to make a difference in this world take a stand for the Lord and stands against. The Faults this of this world and I'm going to leave you but this take away three things to remember about having courage
current shows up Current shows up when you pray. If you'll be a person of earnest prayer, like Elijah was courage will show up for you to be the person that you want to be.
Also courage will help you to stand up. It shows up and then it enables you to stand up.
The Cowardly Lion. He wanted more than anything to Have Courage.
and if you have courage you can you can stand up against the evils of this world and we all need to stand to take a stand and then When you get courage real courage, you can speak up for God.
Why do we need to speak up because in this world we live in there are so many things that are against God's word. And it's very easy just to roll over and play dead roll over and just go with the flow.
That's funny put on the sign out here. If you don't stand for something you'll fall for anything.
And I have to admit there are times when we all. Get sucked up into the world. It's charms. It's a lorman the stuff of this world and we need to stand firm against evil. If you know, it's wrong. pillow kit little kids can lie. Have you ever seen little kid life? Did you do that? No, I didn't do that.
Bill Cosby when he was a decent, man Once said you're not really a parent if you have only one child because you always know who did it.
When you have three as stale and I have three sons. Who did it? I don't know.
I didn't do it. Josh and say Peter did Peter say I didn't do it and rooted Android look around and see if the dog Penny did it.
If you pray. Purgeable show up. If you pray then you can stand up and if you pray for courage you can speak up. Be the difference in this world you be the difference in this world, which is banned up with me at this time so we can pray.
Are gracious and loving Heavenly Father? By no accident that we are here today assembled in this Auditorium in your church in your house of worship, and we have worshipped you this day. We've called on your name. We've heard your word. May you challenges and changes to be a people of Courage a people of Prayer?
It will show up where we need to be that will stand up as you call us to do in the book Speak Out. I guess the things of evil in this world. Give us courage give us boldness from your throne to us. Change us and make us more like you we pray and everyone set. Amen, we're going to sing.