Three Places We’ve All Been
I Kings 19:9-18
Dear fellow Christians. Obviously we are not all the same. We have different jobs, different hobbies, different interests. It’s unfair for us as individuals to expect that other people get as excited as we do about certain things. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t certain interests that we share. I personally am not a big fan of NASCAR and Golf. But that doesn’t mean I won’t turn it on or go out golfing with some real tolerant friends. I do like the outdoors and being outside however and I know that a number of you also like that. Staying inside, sitting behind my computer…. I have to say are pretty tedious. Personally, I’d rather be outside hiking or riding my bike but we all know that we can’t always do what we want all the time. Sometimes it’s just plain nose to the grindstone and get it done. Whether you want to do it, whether you like it or not really doesn’t matter does it? A job is a job and responsibility is responsibility. We all have that last one in common. Responsibilities. And sometimes those responsibilities seem to increase at certain times of the year (like 4H kids getting ready for the fair). Other times they are not as many. Besides responsibilities we also have other things in common. Perhaps that is why our first lesson from 1 Kings makes so much sense to us. Because we can all relate to it. We’ve all been where Elijah has been. In caves of disappointment, on mountaintops of astonishment, and deserts of obedience.
Elijah was a great prophet of God. Probably the two most memorable things we think about when we hear the name Elijah are: his being taken up into heaven in a fiery chariot, and his victory over the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel. Our text takes place today shortly after that showdown with the prophets of Baal. Baal’s prophets got nowhere, but when Elijah prayed God sent fire which not only burned the offering but the stones of the altar as well. He then gave a chance for the people to come back to the true God. Those that didn’t were killed right there on the mountain.
So, Elijah must have been extremely happy after what had happened. He had shown the people who the true God was and many were converted. It would probably only be natural for Elijah to expect some kind of religious renewal in the land of Israel. This however did not happen the way Elijah wanted it to and the problem was with the ruler king Ahab but more so his wife Jezebel. She was as evil as they come. When she heard of the mass slaughter of her Baal prophets she was livid and convinced her husband Ahab to send messengers to Elijah telling him that by this time tomorrow he would be dead. So begins our journey.
But throughout this journey we see that Elijah’s real problem was not with Jezebel, it was his lack of trust in God. Instead of trusting in God’s protection he fled to the Negev region and asks God to take his life. He had had it. He was discouraged and the only answer he could think of was just to ask God to end it all. God however had different plans for Elijah. And his question to him was intended to get Elijah to think about just what he was doing. God wanted Elijah to come to that recognition himself that he needed to trust. Elijah however gives God a very different answer saying “Isn’t it obvious why I fled?” You see, Elijah had forgotten one of his main jobs as a prophet. This was to speak up for the people. Elijah should have followed the example of his predecessor Moses. Remember when God was ready to destroy the children of Israel for worshipping the golden calf Moses pleaded with God on their behalf to spare their lives. Instead though Elijah condemns the people for breaking God’s laws and complains about how fruitless his work was.
We all have our own caves of disappointment too, don’t we? In people, in places, in experiences. Perhaps it’s because our expectations are just plain too high. Maybe it’s that we expected people and experiences to be a certain way and they really turned out quite different. Then comes the blame game right? Who’s responsible for our disappointments? Is it God, or is it us? We all know where Elijah pointed his finger. Not once but twice. Elijah wanted a life and ministry free from difficulties and worries. Isn’t that the kind of life we long for also? Not having to worry, not having to be disappointed, not having any difficulties at all? It’s hard for us to see many times how our own personal caves of disappointment actually make us stronger. Especially when they just seem to go on and on. But God wasn’t done with Elijah was he? He didn’t let the finger pointing win. He had another lesson for him and us too.
Next, we follow Elijah in another direction. To the top of the mountain. God had sympathy for his discouraged prophet. God knew that Elijah needed some encouragement as well as needed to be taught a lesson. He then gives Elijah 4 signs. The first three signs all indicated God’s judgment. A powerful wind that could actually break rocks apart. A terrible earthquake that could destroy the land. A terrible fire that could burn and destroy crops, tents, and grazing pastures. You can probably just picture Elijah here cheering and saying, “You go God, you give those Israelites what they deserve.”
God however was not in any of these three signs. The fourth sign was a gentle whisper. What the words were, we do not know, but what it suggests we do know. That gentle whisper signifies the gospel. God wanted to teach Elijah through these amazing signs that his judgments will not change the hearts of the people. Their hearts would be changed only through the message of the gospel. This is how God changes hearts today. And now we see Elijah make some progress. He pulls his cloak over his face in an act of worship to God.
Isn’t this what we do also when we hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. It amazes us. It should !! When we walk out of church on Good Friday we feel bad. And we should. On the other hand winning a football or a volleyball game, we feel good when that happens. Perhaps we are even super proud when our friends go on to play in the NFL or NBA. But how much more astonished should we be that Christ won that victory we need over sin and Satan for you and me? And we are here today to worship God for that. We are here today to show our love and respect for that awesome gift he has given to all of us.
But, like Elijah, sometimes it’s hard for us to see God’s will when he reveals it to us. It’s at times like this that we simply need to trust that God knows what he is doing. He has a plan for you and me and we simply need to trust that God will guide our lives in the way he wants us to go. And that’s astonishing too.
The final destination we follow Elijah to is a desert. The desert of Damascus to be specific. God ordered Elijah to go back the way he came and then gave him some specific orders. First, he was to anoint Hazael as king over Aram, then he was to anoint Jehu as king over Israel, and finally he was to anoint Elisha to succeed him as prophet. These are the people whom would carry out God’s judgments. Jehu would be a godly king whose mission would be to destroy the house of Ahab. Even Elisha the new prophet would be active in carrying our God’s judgment. These three people would continue the never-ending battle of ridding the land of idolatry.
Yes, God’s judgments would be carried out through these people. This was probably a relief for Elijah to hear. He still didn’t get God’s point though. He didn’t get the point that the gospel is more powerful than the law. He didn’t get the point that the only thing that was going to change the hearts of the people was the gospel. God ends his commands to Elijah with an unexpected surprise. He tells Elijah that there are still 7,000 people in Israel who were still faithful to him. He was not the only one left. God however wanted all of Israel to be saved and to turn from their idolatrous worship. 7,000 wasn’t good enough.
God’s goal was that through the prophets like Elijah and Elisha that people would obey and worship him. We also live our lives in obedience to God’s will. He has very specifically revealed that will to each and every one of in the ten commandments. He has shown us the way he wants us to live. But we know that isn’t always easy. We fail… A lot. That’s a trait we all have. But we also have a God who says to us, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” So let’s take up those yokes of obedience and let’s together show how important our God and our salvation is to us. That’s something we all have in common. Amen.
Welcome: The family of Zion welcomes you as we worship the Lord today. We encourage children to worship with us. However, if you need to leave with your child, there is a nursery room to the right as you exit the sanctuary. The rest rooms are located in the hallway between the sanctuary and the fellowship hall. Visitors, please sign our guest book to the right, just outside the sanctuary. We’re glad that you are here and pray that through our worship the Lord grants you peace.
W h a t T h i s S u n d a y i s A b o u t
THE CHRISTIAN ANSWERS DOUBT WITH FAITH
Wherever faith clings to the promises of God, doubt is always lingering in the back of our mind, constantly asking the serpent’s garden question, “Did God really say?” How striking to think that one must have faith in God before it is even possible to doubt him!
It is not uncommon that, in times of aversity, doubt rears its ugly head—doubts about God’s care, God’s promises, God’s providence. In those times, the true answer to doubt is not found in some great miracle that removes adversity, but in the still small voice of our Savior God whispering to us in his Word. Through that Word Christ reaches out to us with nail-scarred hands, proof of his great love. Jesus gently says, “Why did you doubt?” Our faith is restored. The Christian answers doubt with faith because Jesus makes it so.
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ORDER OF WORSHIP……………………………………………………….…..……….p. 154
HYMNS: 805 – 848 – 820 – 849
PRAYER – Almighty and most merciful God, preserve us from all harm and danger that we, being ready in both body and soul, may cheerfully accomplish what you want done; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
FIRST LESSON – 1 Kings 19:9-18 (pew Bible p. 255) – God answered his prophet not with great acts of power, but rather with quiet words of promise. God displayed all of his power, so that his display of grace might be all the more astounding. He would not come in judgment, but in grace for his elect.
PSALM FOR THE DAY………………………………………………………………………..73
SECOND LESSON – Romans 8:28-39 (pew Bible p. 800) – Paul teaches that in all things, good times and bad, we can trust that God is carrying out his perfect plan for our salvation.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION – Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia / Your words are my joy – and my heart’s delight / Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.
GOSPEL LESSON – Matthew 14:22-33 (pew Bible p. 692) – With Jesus there is never any need to doubt. How sad that we so often do! Rather, let us focus on the Savior and watch our faith swell as the disciples did when their doubts vanished, and they gave the greatest evidence of faith: they worshipped that man from Nazareth for what he truly was, the Son of God.
SERMON………………………………………………………………………1 Kings 19:9-18
“THREE PLACES WE’VE ALL BEEN”
Lessons for Proper 14
FIRST LESSON – 1 Kings 19:9-18
9 There he went into a cave and spent the night.
The Lord Appears to Elijah
And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
11 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
14 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
15 The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. 17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. 18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”
SECOND LESSON – Romans 8:28-39
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
More Than Conquerors
31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”[b]
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[c] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
GOSPEL LESSON – Matthew 14:22-33
Jesus Walks on the Water
22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
ANNOUNCEMENTS
KRUEGER FAMILY VACATION – Pastor’s family will be taking a vacation to Branson August 14th-20th. He will be here next Sunday to lead worship and his brother will be preaching the sermon.
NEXT SUNDAY – Next Sunday we will celebrate Proper 16 at 9:00 with fellowship at 10:15. The readings will be: Exodus 34:5-9 / Romans 10:5-13 / Matthew 16:13-20.
SPA TIME – We’re going to try something a bit new. Every third Sunday of the month after the service will be SPA time. This stands for Sunday Pastor Availability. Pastor will be available until 10:40 when he leaves for Marshfield. If anyone needs to talk about things or church business outside of meetings need to be discussed, this would be the time. People can, of course, discuss things with Pastor before or after the service anytime but the third Sunday would be a specific time set apart each month to do that. There will be no Bible Class then on the 3rd Sunday.
JULY FORWARD IN CHRIST AND MEDITATIONS – These are available in the Narthex.
JOINT SERVICE ON JULY 26th – Zion offerings for July 26th were $205.00
THE WEEK IN REVIEW– Last Week’s Worship Attendance: Members-22; Guests-5 / Communion-20 / Fellowship-Bible Class – 18 / Sunday’s Offerings-$3,257.00
THOSE WE REMEMBER IN OUR PRAYERS – Barbara & Larry Long; Liz & Roger Lisenby; Greg Miller; Russ Perry, Deb Hunt’s father, in hospice care at home; Patsy Mickelson (Jane’s mother); Khendra Murdock; Norine Richardson.