Untitled Sermon (20)

When the Rain Doesn't Come: Trusting God in Times of Drought

Bible Passage: 1 Kings 17:2–7, John 15:4–5

Summary: This theme explores how spiritual drought can be an opportunity for faith growth and deeper dependence on God, as illustrated in the experiences of Elijah and the metaphor of the vine and branches in John.

Application: This sermon encourages teens to recognize that times of spiritual dryness are not signs of God's absence but rather invitations to deepen their faith and reliance on Him. It teaches them that, like Elijah, they can trust God to provide in unexpected ways even when it seems like the rain won't come.

Teaching: The sermon will teach that God does not abandon us during spiritual droughts, but instead uses those times to strengthen our faith and help us grow closer to Him. It will emphasize the importance of remaining connected to Christ, as highlighted in John 15, to find sustenance and support.

1. God Can lead you into dry seasons

1 Kings 17:2–7 NIV

2 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: 3 “Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. 4 You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there.” 5 So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. 6 The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook. 7 Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land.

You could begin by highlighting how God instructed Elijah to go to the brook Cherith during a time of severe drought. This suggests the importance of listening for God's direction, especially when circumstances are difficult. Elijah had to trust God’s provision, even in isolation. You could emphasize that God’s guidance is not limited by our circumstances, and He often leads us to unexpected places where He can provide for our needs.

2. God always has another source

1 Kings 17:8–10 NIV

8 Then the word of the Lord came to him: 9 “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.” 10 So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?”

When the brook dried up...

God already had a widow prepared.

The brook wasn't Elijah's provider.

God was.

Sometimes we put our hope in:

friends

sports

relationships

social media

success

When those dry up...

God reminds us that He is the source.

John 15:4–5 NIV

4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

God wants us to remain in him and put our trust in him.

3. Miricules comes after obedience

1 Kings 17:11–16 NIV

11 As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.” 12 “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.” 13 Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’ ” 15 She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. 16 For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.

Elijah was lisining to what God called him to do and he got to watch God use him for a mircule.

James 4:8 NIV

8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

When we feel like God is not answering our we feel like we are in a rut to keep going and chasing after God.

That we can still continue to grow with chasing after God be reading his word and staying in connection with God.

Take-Home Challenge: "7 Days of Water"

Challenge everyone to spend 10 minutes a day with God for the next seven days.

Each day:

Read one chapter from the Gospel of John or a Psalm.

Spend five minutes in prayer.

Write down one thing God teaches you.

At the next youth gathering, invite students to share what they learned or how God met them during the week. This gives them a practical way to move from hearing the lesson to living it.