Sermon Tone Analysis

The Sound of Rain

Date preached: Aug 13, 1995

Place preached: Victory Baptist Church (Langley)

Today's Date: (10~/02~/07)

/Text: / *I Kings 17-18*

Read* /I Kings 17:1; 18:1; 18:41-46 & James 5:16B-18/*

 

Introduction:  When I lived on the west coast I didn’t often appreciate the rain as I should, but every prairie farmer knows it's value.

During a dry spell there is anticipation for the coming rain.

It becomes a matter of worry for some and prayer for others.

When at long last the rain comes there is great rejoicing.

Rain in the Bible often speaks of spiritual refreshing.

!! God's Word is like Rain.

*/ /*

*/Deut.

32:1-3 /*Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.

*/2/* */My doctrine shall drop as the rain/*, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass:

*/3/* Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God.

*/ /*

*/Isa.

55:10-11/* For */as the rain cometh down/*, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but */watereth the earth/*, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

*/11/* */So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth/*: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper /in the thing/ whereto I sent it.

!! Physical Rain given in response to Revival.

*/ /*

*/Lev.

26:3-4 /*If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them;

*/4/* Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.

*/ /*

*/II Chron.

6:26-27/* When the heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; /yet/ if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou dost afflict them;

*/27/* Then hear thou from heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, when thou hast taught them the good way, wherein they should walk; and send rain upon thy land, which thou hast given unto thy people for an inheritance.

!! Rain speaks of the Lord's Return.

*/ /*

*/Hosea 6:3 /*Then shall we know, /if/ we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter /and/ former rain unto the earth.

*/ /*

*/Hosea 10:12/* Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for /it is/ time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.

!! Thunder and Lightning are deceivers when not followed by rain.

*/ /*

*/Prov.

25:14 /*Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift /is like/ clouds and wind without rain.

*/ /*

*/II Tim.

3:5/* Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

!

NO RAIN

The story is told about an old American Indian who attended a church service one Sunday morning.

The preacher's message lacked real spiritual food, so he did a lot of shouting and pulpit pounding to cover up his lack of preparation.

In fact, as it is sometimes said, he "preached up quite a storm."

After the service, someone asked the Indian, who was a Christian, what he thought of the minister's message.

Thinking for a moment, he summed up his opinion in six words: "High wind.

Big thunder.

No rain."

Yes, when the Scriptures are neglected, there is "no rain."

Only when preaching is based on God's Word are His people blessed and refreshed.

We are in desperate need of spiritual rain today!!

There are some prerequisites to spiritual rain that we find in the life of Elijah.

*Elijah*

 

Truly, one of God's outstanding men of the OT.

His ministry in Israel was during a time of unparalleled wickedness.

He vehemently opposed the evil of Ahab and Jezebel.

Here was a man unafraid to speak out, here was a man who challenged the evil-workers of his time, here was a man of prayer.

Elijah's life marks the beginning of an era of miracles performed through him and his successor Elisha.

*/Scripture references:/* I Kings 17-19; 21; II Kings 1-3; 9:36; 10;

I Chronicles 8:27; II Chronicles 21:12; Ezra 10:21; Malachi 4:5; Matthew 11:14; 16:14; 17:1-12; 27:47-49; Mark 6:15; 8:28;

Mark 9:1-13; 15:35-36; Luke 1:17; 4:25-26; 9:8,19,30,33,54; John 1:21 & 25; Romans 11:2; James 5:16-18

 

*/Meaning of name:/* God of Jehovah (My God of Power and Strength)

 

! I. Calibration(meaning?) of Power

 

Demonstrated by three commands of God.

 

!! A. Preparation Vs.3

/ /

/"Hide" Our time with God/

/ /

The drought.

I Kings 17

 

       The drought God promised and Elijah prophesied of came as a result of prayer.

The end of the drought was also in answer to Elijah's prayer   James 5:16-18

 

       During the famine, God miraculously provided for Elijah's needs.

By the Brook Cherith.

I Kings 17:2-7

 

Elijah stayed in this place of hiding until God gave him further instructions.

Elijah knew what it was to wait on the Lord.

We do not wait on the Lord anymore.

We are too busy!

*/Matt.

6:6/* But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

!! B. Presentation Vs.9

/ /

/"Arise" This is the place of making ourselves available to God./

/ /

       Through the widow at Zarephath (meaning: a workshop for refining metal).

I Kings 17:8-24

 

* Two miracles were performed here.*

The replenished barrel of meal and cruise of oil.

vs.14-16

The widow's son raised from the dead.

vs.17-24

*Samuel*

*/ /*

*/I Sam.

3:10/* And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel.

Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.

*Isaiah*

*/ /*

*/Isaiah 6:8/* Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?

Then said I, Here /am/ I; send me.

!! C. Power Ch. 18:1

/ /

/"Go" God's power demonstrated before the lost./

/ /

The confrontation at Mount Carmel.

I Kings 18

 

       Toward the end of the drought Elijah was instucted by God to meet with King Ahab.

I Kings 18:1-2

 

       Elijah meets up with Ahab's servant Obadiah.

I Kings 18:3-16

 

       Elijah confronts Ahab and challenges his wicked priests of Baal.

I Kings 18:17-20

 

       Elijah challenged Israel to serve the true God.  vs.21