Like father, like son - 2 Kings 1
Elijah • Sermon • Submitted
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How easy is it to be a Christian?
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
How easy is it to WALK in the good works which GOD prepared for us? OR Is it easy to live daily as a faithful follower of Jesus Christ?
One way to look at this is to understand that God not only planned out our lives, but also gives us the sustenance that we need. How often does He RESUPPLY us with what we need?
EXAMPLES:
Mom preparing me to do my own laundry freshman year of college - gave me enough detergent at the beginning for whole year
Sr. Counselor at CAMP - just gave me enough info to get through one week at a time - MUCH HARDER
Provisions for Christian life:
Holy Spirit - constant, eternal
God’s Word - completed, DAILY BREAD
LOVE, MERCY, COMPASSION, KINDNESS, PATIENCE -
FAITH - God’s FAITHFULNESS
Lamentations 3:22-23
The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,
For His compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
The Christian life is HARD! WHY?!
The Christian life is HARD! WHY?!
SOMETIMES IT IS HARD BECAUSE OF THINGS OUT OF OUR CONTROL
Traffic accident
Health issues
Family hardships
SOMETIMES OUR OWN SIN MAKES IT HARD
Divorce
Pride, Envy, Arrogance, Materialism - IDOLATRY
We need God’s DAILY. We need to get through each day, one day at a time.
PRAY
ELIJAH INTRO
ELIJAH INTRO
1 Kings 17 - Elijah introduced - Elijah the Tishbite from Gilead came to King Ahab and said, “It is not going to rain”
ELIJAH just shows up cold in the OT - not much background or build up. BUT
PROPHET OF REPENTANCE -
James 5:17-18 - Elijah prayed earnestly for NO RAIN. 3.5 years later, he prayed that it WOULD RAIN
Matthew 16:13-14
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.”
Matt 4.17
From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Ahab - Wicked king of Israel. North had split many years earlier - consequence for SIN. But none of the kings of the north feared God, so SIN continued - that is why Elijah prayed - for REPENTANCE
1 Kings 18 - Showdown on Mt. Carmel
1 Kings 19 - Elijah on Mt. Horeb - God’s encouragement. Given more work to do - still worthy and useful to serve in God’s ministry. Anoint a couple of kings, and train up Elisha.
1 Kings 20-22 - Ahab has small season of faith, only to rebel and commit grave sin against God and Naboth. AHAB DIES IN BATTLE. AHAZIAH, AHAB’S SON BECOMES KING.
Hard things happen
Hard things happen
Now Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab.
And Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber which was in Samaria, and became ill. So he sent messengers and said to them, “Go, inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I will recover from this sickness.”
HARD THING - Accident. He fell through a window. That’s all we know. Ahaziah now has an opportunity for faith!
TEACHING POINT 1 - HARD TIMES ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAITH
TEACHING POINT 1 - HARD TIMES ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAITH
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
BUT Ahaziah DOES NOT TRUST in GOD. He sends an envoy to EKRON - Philistine city - to get help from an IDOL
Baal-zebub, god of Ekron, “Exalted lord” of Philistia - may have been renown for his healing.
God intervenes - MERCY!! GRACE!!!
God intervenes - MERCY!! GRACE!!!
Then the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?” And he said, “Yes, I know; be still.”
Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho.
God provides Ahaziah an opportunity to REPENT.
God provides Ahaziah an opportunity to REPENT.
Ahaziah is sinning, and God steps in with HIS WORD to confront that SIN. This is mercy and love and compassion and a chance for salvation! If God doesn’t intervene, what would happen - NOTHING - there is NO BAAL!! Ahaziah would not have an opportunity to REPENT
How does GOD offer this opportunity? THROUGH A FAITHFUL MESSENGER - ELIJAH
Elijah was not out looking to confront Ahaziah as he had Ahab. BUT WHEN GOD GAVE HIM MARCHING ORDERS, HE STARTED MARCHING!
TEACHING POINT 2 - REPENTANCE PRECEDES RECONCILIATION
TEACHING POINT 2 - REPENTANCE PRECEDES RECONCILIATION
When we recognize an OPPORTUNITY FOR FAITH, we need to make sure that we are placing our FAITH IN GOD THROUGH CHRIST!! We can believe in ANYTHING. Placing our trust in OURSELVES is IDOLATRY and is sinful .
In God’s merciful, gracious providence, He give Ahaziah a chance to repent. God reveals the problem - the sin - and informs him of the consequence. THIS IS THE GOSPEL!!
Romans 1:16-17
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.”
Romans 1:18
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
Elijah is also presented with an opportunity for faith, and he believes and OBEYS.
The king’s response
The king’s response
When the messengers returned to him he said to them, “Why have you returned?”
They said to him, “A man came up to meet us and said to us, ‘Go, return to the king who sent you and say to him, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you shall not come down from the bed where you have gone up, but shall surely die.’ ” ’ ”
He said to them, “What kind of man was he who came up to meet you and spoke these words to you?”
They answered him, “He was a hairy man with a leather girdle bound about his loins.” And he said, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.”
Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him, and behold, he was sitting on the top of the hill. And he said to him, “O man of God, the king says, ‘Come down.’ ”
Ahaziah REJECTS GOD’s WORD
Ahaziah REJECTS GOD’s WORD
He sends his soldiers to confront God’s prophet. His desire is not to submit to God’s sovereignty, but to display his own by suppressing God’s word.
He sends 50 men to capture/collect Elijah, having no regard or fear for the God of Israel, but simply thinking he can get God to change His mind by FORCE
WHAT HAPPENS?
Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him, and behold, he was sitting on the top of the hill. And he said to him, “O man of God, the king says, ‘Come down.’ ”
Elijah replied to the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.
So he again sent to him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he said to him, “O man of God, thus says the king, ‘Come down quickly.’ ”
Elijah replied to them, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.
Man of God - they give lip service, but obviously do not believe in God - the soldiers do not. They are following their leader, and questioning God’s word.
Gen 3 - “Did God really say…?”
Matt 4 - “If you are the Son of God...”
TWO TIMES!!! First time should’ve been enough! God showed Himself to be powerful and sovereign, but in his PRIDE, Ahaziah would not repent!
What about us? Sin makes us stupid, too. Romans 1:18ff - depraved, degraded, skewed view of REALITY/TRUTH
We try to fix our own HARD TIMES by OURSELVES ALL.THE.TIME
WEIGH OUR MOTIVES AGAINST GOD’s WORD
STRIKE 3? NOPE, Finally a man of faith
STRIKE 3? NOPE, Finally a man of faith
So he again sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty. When the third captain of fifty went up, he came and bowed down on his knees before Elijah, and begged him and said to him, “O man of God, please let my life and the lives of these fifty servants of yours be precious in your sight.
“Behold fire came down from heaven and consumed the first two captains of fifty with their fifties; but now let my life be precious in your sight.”
The angel of the Lord said to Elijah, “Go down with him; do not be afraid of him.” So he arose and went down with him to the king.
This captain shows reverence for God. He understands God’s sovereignty. He does not disobey King Ahaziah. He submits to God’s sovereignty and obeys the king through HUMILITY. But he CHOOSES GOD FIRST, not knowing what the immediate outcome would be.
Elijah obeys, too!
OUTCOME - God’s word is proven true
OUTCOME - God’s word is proven true
Then he said to him, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Because you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron—is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of His word?—therefore you shall not come down from the bed where you have gone up, but shall surely die.’ ”
So Ahaziah died according to the word of the Lord which Elijah had spoken. And because he had no son, Jehoram became king in his place in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah.
Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah which he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?
God is gracious! He gave Ahaziah opportunity to REPENT and BELIEVE, but he would not.
WRAP-UP
TEACHING POINT 1 - HARD TIMES ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAITH
TEACHING POINT 1 - HARD TIMES ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAITH
Philippians 1:29
For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,
Ecclesiastes 7:14
In the day of prosperity be happy,
But in the day of adversity consider—
God has made the one as well as the other
So that man will not discover anything that will be after him.
TEACHING POINT 2 - REPENTANCE PRECEDES RECONCILIATION AND leads to RESTORATION
TEACHING POINT 2 - REPENTANCE PRECEDES RECONCILIATION AND leads to RESTORATION
Matthew 16:13-16
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.”
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
WHAT ABOUT YOU? Is your life glorifying your Creator?
WHAT ABOUT YOU? Is your life glorifying your Creator?
We want our lives to honor and glorify our Lord and Creator. But it is HARD. Our sin and the sin of others makes it HARD. Some days are good, some are tough
Are you in a day of prosperity? Do you know and believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of the living God? Are you actively walking in the works which He prepared for you?
Be thankful
Be ready to be used by GOD, just like Elijah was!
Take in His provision for you DAILY! Trust in His constant mercy and grace DAILY
PRAY without CEASING, STICK TOGETHER
Are you in a day of adversity? Is life whooping you?
PRAY - seek GOD’s will through His WORD!
When you recognize SIN - TRUST IN GOD’s WORD
SIN IS DEADLY - Rom 6:23
GOD IS FAITHFUL and FORGIVING - 1 John 1:9
We are not saved by the blood of JESUS for the sole purpose of ESCAPING THE FIERY JUDGMENT of God’s WRATH.
We are saved to have an abundant life NOW. We are saved to walk in a NEW LIFE here on EARTH NOW!! God cares about our lives NOW.
Yes, we are saved for later, but we also saved for NOW.
He cares. His mercy is here NOW - written in His word and given by His Spirit. He has given these to US to take care of US for the life He prepared for US! God takes care of us!
Where are you with God? Who do you say Jesus is?
Where are you with God? Who do you say Jesus is?
If you are in a day of prosperity in your walk with your Creator, I invite you to strengthen your resolve and prepare for hard times coming. Study your bible! Stay in fellowship with your church!
If you are in a day of hardship and adversity, I invite you to pray and seek God’s understand of the situation, confess any sin you may have, and cling to God’s word to endure the matter.
If you don’t know Jesus as Savior, I invite you to stop trusting in your own ability to save yourself, and to repent and move your faith from yourself to the ONE WHO CREATED YOU - to believe in God through Jesus Christ His Son.