1 Kings 18:41-46
Kingdom, Come • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Scripture Reading: James 5:16-18
Introduction
Introduction
You’ve Probably Heard this Story Before…
But it Goes Perfectly with Our Text:
There was a Small Town Experiencing a Terrible Drought
The People Decided to Come Together & Pray for Rain
Out of All the People Who Showed Up…
There was Only One Little Boy Who Brought His Umbrella
Why Did He Bring His Umbrella?
He Believes that Prayer Effective
He Believes that When We Pray…
God Listens & Acts
1 Kings 18:41-46
1 Kings 18:41-46
It’s Been 3 Years Since Elijah Told Ahab that it wouldn’t Rain Until He Said So
Last Week, We Saw the Showdown…
Between God & Baal on Mount Carmel
God Won the Contest…
And the Israelites have Begun to Turn Their Hearts Back to Him
And the 450 Prophets of Baal were Killed
The Very First Verse of Chapter 18…
Tells Us that God is Going to Send Rain Soon
That’s What Our Text is about Tonight
1 Kings 18:41–46 (NASB95)
41 Now Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of the roar of a heavy shower.” 42 So Ahab went up to eat and drink. But Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he crouched down on the earth and put his face between his knees. 43 He said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked and said, “There is nothing.” And he said, “Go back” seven times. 44 It came about at the seventh time, that he said, “Behold, a cloud as small as a man’s hand is coming up from the sea.” And he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down, so that the heavy shower does not stop you.’ ” 45 In a little while the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy shower. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel. 46 Then the hand of the Lord was on Elijah, and he girded up his loins and outran Ahab to Jezreel.
After Slaughtering the Prophets of Baal By the Kishon Brook…
Elijah Tells Ahab to Go Up to Eat & Drink Jezreel
For the King to Eat & Drink May Signify…
That this Mount Carmel Event was a Covenant Renewal…
Between God & Israel
This was a Time of Feasting & Celebrating
We Know the People have a Renewed Zeal to Serve God…
But We’ve Been Given No Such Indication from Ahab
He Tells Ahab to Hurry Up and Go to Jezreel…
Because Rain is Coming & it’s Coming Quick
Elijah Goes Back Up to the Peak of Mount Carmel…
And Bends Down and Places His Head Between His Knees
The Text Doesn’t Tell Us What He’s Doing…
But We can Make the Assumption that He’s Praying
7 Times He Tells His Servant to Look Toward the Mediterranean Sea
The 7th Time, He Sees a Small Cloud Rising Up
Before Long, the Sky Turned Black…
And God Filled Elijah with Miraculous Strength…
And He Ran in Front of Ahab’s Chariot to Jezreel…
Which was about 15-20 Miles from Mount Carmel
Application
Application
Like the Little Boy Who Brought His Umbrella…
Elijah Tells Ahab that He Hears Rain Coming…
Even Before There’s Any Sign of Rain
Even After Elijah Prayed for Rain 6 Times…
Elijah Didn’t Stop Praying
God Didn’t Answer Immediately Like He Did with the Lightning from Heaven…
But He Believed He would Answer
James 5:16–18 (NASB95)
16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.
I Think We Chalk Up Elijah Praying for Rain & it Coming…
To Him Being a Prophet
“Elijah was a Miracle-Worker Who could Do Stuff like this”
“This Story has No Real World Application for Us”
James couldn’t Disagree More
He Said, “Elijah was a Man Like Us”
“And When He Prayed, God Answered”
Elijah was Praying on Israel’s Behalf
James Tells Us to Pray on Each Others’ Behalf as Well
When the Righteous Pray for Each Other…
Healing & Blessings are Sure to Follow
It wasn’t Because Elijah was a Prophet that God Answered His Prayers
It was Because He was a Righteous Man Who was Praying Fervently
God Answers Today Just as He Did Then…
When Righteous People Pray Faithfully & Fervently
Just as Elijah Interceded for Israel to God…
Jesus is Our Intercessor Today
He is Our Sacrifice/High Priest/Brother/King
He is in Heaven Right Now on Our Behalf…
So that We can have Access to God Through Prayer
So that We can have a Relationship with God has His Children
Our Prayers are Heard & Answered…
Because Jesus has Made Sure of it in His Sacrifice for Us