Sermon Tone Analysis

*“A Room, A Chair, A Table, A Lamp, A Cot”*

 

*A Table*

* *

The story of the Shunammite woman

*2 Kings 4:8-17 (NKJV) * 

Now it happened one day that Elisha went to Shunem, where there /was/ a notable woman, and she persuaded him to eat some food.

So it was, as often as he passed by, he would turn in there to eat some food.

9And she said to her husband, "Look now, I know that this /is/ a holy man of God, who passes by us regularly.

10Please, let us make a small upper room on the wall; and let us put a bed for him there, and a table and a chair and a lampstand; so it will be, whenever he comes to us, he can turn in there."

11And it happened one day that he came there, and he turned in to the upper room and lay down there.

12Then he said to Gehazi his servant, "Call this Shunammite woman."

When he had called her, she stood before him.

13And he said to him, "Say now to her, 'Look, you have been concerned for us with all this care.

What /can I/ do for you?

Do you want me to speak on your behalf to the king or to the commander of the army?' "She answered, "I have a home here among my own people."

14So he said, "What then /is/ to be done for her?"

And Gehazi answered, "Actually, she has no son, and her husband is old."

15So he said, "Call her."

When he had called her, she stood in the doorway.

16Then he said, "About this time next year you shall embrace a son."

And she said, "No, my lord.

Man of God, do not lie to your maidservant!"

17But the woman conceived, and bore a son when the appointed time had come, of which Elisha had told her.

In this series of sermons there are three things that will stand out in regards to this Shunammite woman.

Three things that are also applicable to us in regards to accommodating God’s move in our life.

They are: Perception; Reception: and Restoration.

*1.       *This Sermon Series is about *PERCEPTION*, *RECEPTION*, and *RESTORATION*.

She perceived that Elisha was a man of God.

For her day Elisha was the move of God and she decided to make preparation for that move.

What is your perception of what God is doing today?

Do you perceive that we are in the midst of probably the greatest move of God the world has ever seen?

I know that sin is rampant everywhere and it seems that evil is waxing worse, yet today more people are coming to Jesus than at anytime in all of history.

Truly where sin abounds grace does much more abound.

Our vision remains “More People won to Christ; More like Jesus one at a time.”

*2.       *Our church’s vision is:  “*MORE* PEOPLE WON TO  *CHRIST*; MORE LIKE *JESUS* ONE AT A *TIME*.”

So if we perceive that God is moving what preparations are you making in your life to receive and maintain it.

Elisha passed by once, she wanted it to continue so she prepared a little guest room whereby the visitor might occupy when passing by.

 

“Reach out and touch the Lord while He’s passing by.

You’ll find He’s not to busy to hear your hearts cry.

He’s passing by this moment your needs He’ll supply.

Reach out and touch the Lord as He passes by.”

 

Shunem was nothing it was a very insignificant place, sort of like Kingman

But she was not going to let this opportunity pass her by.

As Leonard Ravenhill has said, “The opportunity of a lifetime must be seized in the lifetime of the opportunity.”

Seize the Day seize the moment.

It may never pass this way again.

So we need to ask ourselves, are we making preparations of this move of God?

We need to recognize that it’s not just a one time move but on going – therefore adjustments must be made in our life to receive and maintain it.

*3.

*The Shunammite woman *PERCEIVED* the move of *GOD* and made *PREPARATION* to *RECEIVE* and *MAINTAIN* it.

The Shunammite woman perceived this move of God and made preparation to receive and maintain it.

She made a Room.

She furnished it with a Cot; a Table; a Chair; and a Lamp.

Each of these items are significant for us to keep what God wants to do.

The Cot is symbolic of our Rest in God for all that He has prepared for us.

The Table is the place of fellowship prepared for divine visitation.

The Chair represents the authority of God in your life.

And the Lamp signifies the illumination of God’s revelation of Himself to us.

Today we want to share about the Table.

* *

*2 Kings 4:9-10 (NKJV) * 

And she said to her husband, "Look now, I know that this /is/ a holy man of God, who passes by us regularly.

10Please, let us make a small upper room on the wall; and let us put a bed for him there, and a table and a chair and a lampstand; so it will be, whenever he comes to us, he can turn in there."

* *

*shulchan,*  /shool-khawn'/; from Hebrew 7971 (shalach); a /table/ (as /spread/ out); by implication a /meal/ :- table.

* *

Webster defines:  table

3 a*:* a piece of furniture consisting of a smooth flat slab fixed on legs b (1)*:* a supply or source of food (2)*:* an act or instance of assembling to eat *:* *meal* <sit down to /table/> c (1)*:* a group of people assembled at or as if at a table (2)*:* a legislative or negotiating session <the bargaining /table/>

 

What is does the table represent?

-  It is a place of feeding, a place of fellowship, a place of communion.

*4.

*A *TABLE* represents a place of *FELLOWSHIP* and *COMMUNION*.

Have you noticed that one of the best ways to get to know someone is over a meal?

Somehow eating breaks down barriers and bonds are formed.

Today in our homes we are losing the intimacy of the dinner table.

It is the place where the affairs of the day that took place are discussed.

Even ads on TV are encouraging the dinner table.

It was at a table where a covenant which David made to Jonathon in regards to his son Mephibosheth.

*2 Samuel 9:7 (NKJV) * 

So David said to him, "Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father's sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread at my table continually."

It can also be a place where truth is revealed as in the case of Saul’s true intentions towards David.

* *

*1 Samuel 20:34 (NKJV) * 

So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and ate no food the second day of the month, for he was grieved for David, because his father had treated him shamefully.

Also the disobedient prophet

*1 Kings 13:20 (NKJV) * 

Now it happened, as they sat at the table, that the word of the Lord came to the prophet who had brought him back;

 

You can’t obey half-way – either you know thus saith the Lord or not.

The Shunammite prepared a table for the man of God.

Now,

*5.       **GOD* has *PREPARED* for us a *TABLE*.

*Psalm 23:5 (NKJV) * 

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.

And some will not believe and say

*Psalm 78:18-25 (NKJV) * 

And they tested God in their heart by asking for the food of their fancy.

19Yes, they spoke against God: They said, "Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?

20Behold, He struck the rock, so that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed.

Can He give bread also?

Can He provide meat for His people?"

 21Therefore the Lord heard /this/ and was furious; So a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel,  22because they did not believe in God, and did not trust in His salvation.

23Yet He had commanded the clouds above, and opened the doors of heaven, 24had rained down manna on them to eat, and given them of the bread of heaven.

25Men ate angels' food; He sent them food to the full.

The table of showbread – made out of gold.

The showbread is the

bread of His presence – Jesus is the living bread which came

down from heaven.