Olive Oil: Simple/Sacred

Average Joe: Can God Use Us?

Can God use something a average and simple as me? Even in the areas where I am making a difference am I really? Does anyone else feel this way? We are just one person in a big world. Even as a church, can God really use us? We are small, in a cornfield, and best known for our chicken BBQ. Can God use us? The answer is Yes! In fact God uses the Simple for the Sacred. We see this with olive oil in the Bible.

Olive Oil in Ancient Israel: Crush, Press, and Skim.

The first step of the Olive oil process is to crush the picked olives in a basin and water is added. Then the crushed olives would be pressed using a rock and a beam as a lever to further mash the olives. The final step of the process would be to skim the top as the oil would come to the Top. This oil was used in numerous applications through out daily live in israel.

Olive Oil: A simple every day staple

Olive Oil was used in similar ways that we do today. It was used in cooking and for things like salads. It was used in as a cosmetic beauty product. It was used as a fuel source in oil lamps. (Parable of 10 Virgins, Leviticus 24:2) Poured on the heads of sheep (bugs, butts, and band aid- Psalm 23) and it was used as a band aid for wounds and cuts (Luke 10- Parable of the Good Samaritan)

Olive Oil: A key ingredient in Sacred things

Olive oil was the key ingredient in making Holy Oil or Anointing Oil. The recipe for Anointing oil can be found in Exodus 30:22-25 (Slide!!). It is a combination of Myrrh, Cinnamon, Aromatic Cane, Cassia and Olive oil.

Anointing oil was poured on the head of the high priest Aaron in Leviticus 8:30. It was for the furniture and worship in the Tabernacle (Exodus 35:28)

Anointing oil was as used in the anointing Kings, Samuel used oil on the head of Saul and Psalm 89:20 tells us holy oil was used to anoint King David.

There was nothing special about the this oil, what was special was the faith the people had for God to work through these common things! Its the same way with common folk in the Bible.

God uses Ordinary People to do Extraordinary Things!

David the youngest member of his family was just a shepherd boy. Who had faith in God, enough faith to slay giants and rule Israel!

Peter- was considered the leader of the disciples, our catholic brothers and sisters consider him the first pope, the rock on which the church was built. He was just a poor loud mouthed fisherman.

James 5:17, says that Elijah was a human just like us. Yet, Elijah prayed and it did not rain for years and then he prayed for rain and it rained. This phrase, just like us is used in Acts 14:15. when the people wasn't to worship Paul and Barnabas they says stop, we are just humans just like you!

The Point: God uses the simple for the most sacred

Olive Oil and Fishermen are common things that aren't special! These are simple everyday things, yet God still uses them. In many ways these function like a sacrament: a physical ritual that represents a spiritual reality, Think communion. common elements for supernatural purposes.

Through ordinary objects can produce extraordinary masterpieces. A musician can use an ordinary instrument to create the most beautiful music! A sculptor can take an ordinary piece of stone and make something like the veiled virgin with a chisel and hammer! (Slide)

What does this look like today: simple moments can become sacred. Jess’ parents invited them over for dessert and it turning into a conversation about Grace and relationship with Jesus.

Franks Cherry Tree: for years it didn't produce, but as frank was battling cancer it produced fruit. It was something so simple, yet sacred.

Do we believe that God can use the ordinary to do extraordinary things?

are we willing to trust God to use the simple for the sacred?

Action as Evidence of Belief: How do we live out what we Believe?

We can take steps toward, God using us like he uses Olive oil in a same way that Olive oil is made.

Allow ourselves to Be crushed, What this means is allowing our will, our plans, and our agenda to be set aside. Thats why we pray in the Lord’s Prayer thy will be done, thy Kingdom come. Paul calls this dying daily to self!

Allow God to Press us. Being pressed is uncomfortable and not easy. But its through pressing that God refines us. This is how diamonds are made through compression. That means when we go through difficult seasons and struggles to change our mindset from what is happening to you to what God is doing in you! (Jess and I sophmore year)

Allow God to Separate the Oil from the Water in our lives. The word for Holy literally means set apart. How can we invite God to seperate the water and oil in our lives? This means taking the time to sit in God’s presence and allow him to do the work through Bible reading, prayer and active listening.

If God can do all these amazing things with something as simple as olive Oil imagine what He can do with each of us!