3. From Faith to Faith

Posted on Posted in Sermon Notes, Sermon Audio 2015, November 2015 Tagged with , , , ,

Hymns: 459 So Send I You 301 My Faith Has Found a Resting Place 352 All the Way My Saviour Leads Me

Life of Elijah

– From Faith to Faith

1 Kings 17:7-16 

7 And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land. 8 And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, 9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee. 10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. 11 And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand. 12 And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die. 13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. 14 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth. 15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. 16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.

 

OUTLINE

  • Keeping Faith in Adversity (v7)
  • Waiting Upon God to Show the Way (v8-9)
  • Walking upon God’s Directed Way (v10)
  • Experiencing God’s Faithful Care (v11-16)

 

INTRODUCTION

Jesus said these words of encouragement to His disciples before He went to the cross – John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

What were the things our Lord spoke to His disciples? He would be leaving them and going heaven to be at the right hand of the Father in heaven. That they will experience trying times but Jesus assured them of ultimate victory as they look to Him in faith for overcoming strength – Hebrews 12:1-2 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

 Life with God involves a cleaving and a blessing as Jesus said in John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

 John Calvin was one of the greatest theologians who ever lived. He said, “I gave up all for Christ and what have I found? I have found everything in Christ.” Indeed, “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord.” – 1 Corinthians 1:9[1]–

Elijah was called by God to confront the evil regime of Ahab. He had announced a drought upon the land for years to come. And as the days go by when there is no rain forthcoming, Elijah was the target of the king’s wrath. God directed him to a hiding place in Cherith, beyond the Jordan River.

There he received a consistent food catering service through raven couriers that was reliable as Pizza Hut delivery. Twice a day, he did not have to call personally, food would be brought to his doorstep. And he had free flow of drinks in God’s catering service. Elijah experienced the sufficiency of God, His faithfulness as he served Him.

 All was well for a year until suddenly the brook providing the fresh water supply suddenly stopped!

 

(1) Keeping Faith In Adversity (v7)

7 And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.

 It was a crisis moment for Elijah when the brook dried up. Where is he going to find sustenance in the barrenness of the wilderness? Life often confronts us with “crisis situations” when our brook dried up. It could be a sudden loss of job! A sickness that renders one unfit for work. How to survive? What to do?

Perhaps we are told that we have to find another place of worship. This place will no longer be available for us. What do we do? We think of the impossibility of finding another place. Right there, we are confronted with a crisis. Perhaps at that point, you feel yourself at a loss as to what to do. You felt a sense of been loneliness and perhaps even a sense of abandonment.

This is a time when we need to be still, to hear the voice of God directing us in the next step. It was the Lord who led us here when we needed a place of worship. It must be our conviction that He already had a plan lined up for us. As the Apostle Paul encouraged the Philippian Christians:

Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

 

(2) Waiting Upon God to Show the Way (v8-9)

8 And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, 9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.

 Before the conjunction “and” was written. There is a gap of silence between verse 7 and verse 8. Oftentimes, before the Lord show us the next step, there is a time of waiting upon God where we need to learn to be still before Him. The psalmist shared his experience what he did during those crisis moments in his life. He looked to God in prayer. The prayer meeting became a focal point to seek to know the will of God. He would be pleading before the throne of grace as he sought direction from God.

Psalm 13:1-6 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? 2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? 3 Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death; 4 Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved. 5 But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.

The psalmist declared that he had trusted in God’s mercy. He pleaded for God’s mercy. He knew he was undeserving. God does not have to answer. But he knew that God never fails to show mercy each time he pleaded with Him at the mercy seat. His testimony of faith is that God will certainly help him – my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.

 Of course, for Elijah, the drying up of the brook means certain death in the barren wilderness if there is no supply forthcoming. Perhaps some cold sweat as he thinks what to do? Humanly speaking, he was in a precarious state. He would be a wanted man hunted by the king. He cannot expose himself to go to the city without endangering his life.

 He was ready to trust God to help make a way for him and he rejoiced in the faithfulness of God. This rejoicing was before he could see what God will do for him. This is the kind of faith God wants his children to cultivate whenever he places them in a trial.

 6 I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.

 He was able to look with the eyes of faith that God will certainly do him good and show mercy towards him. God’s mercy toward His people is unfailing. This we need to know by faith. That we shall be “dealt bountifully.”

 8 And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, 9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.

 Interesting that God will provide a poor widow to sustain Elijah at a place called Zarephath. The name means “a smelting place” or a “crucible”. Indeed, as Swindoll observed well, “was a place designed by God to further refine the prophet and make a major difference in the remainder of his life.”[2]

 When God showed the way, we are to respond to God’s call with obedience.

 

(3) Walking upon God’s Directed Way (v10)

10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.

 Indeed, it was about a 136 km journey from Cherith to Zarephath. A long journey to travel to the land of Phoenicia at the coast of the Meditterean Sea.

He arrived in Zarephath weary and thirsty and was met by a widow.

 

(4) Experiencing God’s Faithful Care (v11-16)

11 And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand. 12 And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.

When Elijah arrived at Zarephath, it was a sorry state of affairs. This woman was in no better situation. She was in dire straits herself. Dear brethren, with God in charge, we need to realize that we are in good hands.

 God will use Elijah to help this woman who showed mercy to Elijah despite her own lack. She gave her last to the Lord.

 13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. 14 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth. 15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah:…

The widow did according to Elijah’s instruction. She was willing to obey God and do accordingly by giving her last meal to God’s servant. She will experience the power of God in blessing her as she cleaved to Him by obeying His Word.

As Jesus said, John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. John 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

 …and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. 16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.

 The widow experienced God’s provision when she obeyed God’s instruction as first priority, she saw God’s faithfulness – Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

 Indeed, we can trust God to take care of us as we serve Him and do His will. Humanly speaking, going to Cherith seemed a most ludicrous proposition, there Elijah received God’s provision. Similarly, going to Zarephath was most lludicrous but God worked out His will to provide sustenance through the widow.

 

CONCLUSION

May this account of Elijah’s life give us the strength of faith to trust God in every step of life’s journey till we reach heaven’s shores. Amen.

 

[1] Adrian Rogers – Love Worth Finding Ministries Daily Devotions.

[2] Charles Swindoll, Elijah A Man of Heroism and Humility, Thomas Nelson, 2000, 44.