God Majors In Maximizing Minimums

A. Mothers and their Many Responsibilities

1. Who can number them all?

2. Yet mothers are equipped by God for this task

3. Motherhood was the first command of God to Eve

B. The Added Responsibilities of Widowhood

1. The increased load when the husband is gone

2. Such is the case in the text before us

Know Who To Call On In The Time of Need

This Mother Knew where to go in the Time of Need (v. 1)

1. The preacher’s widow cried out with an appeal for something or some action; often done in desperation or difficulty.

This woman found herself face with two of life’s most difficult dilemmas.

a. Wife of one of the sons of the prophets

b. About this departed preacher

(1) Must have been a man of faith. Served under Elisha

(2) He feared the Lord.

He didn’t have any money.

(3) Must have been hard working. He died young because he has children.

(4) He doesn’t have an insurance policy in place.

2. This woman found herself face with two of life’s most difficult dilemmas. Death and debts

The Problems: Death and debts

a. The two great burdens of life

b. She is faced with the burden of losing her boys to be creditor. Biblical regulates the seizure of wives and children as payment for debt. Owners were to free slaves in the Year of Jubilee or upon special decree.

3. The widow went quickly to seek the wisdom and help of God. And Jehoshaphat said, Is there no prophet of the Lord here, through whom we may inquire of the Lord.

a. She cried

4. Blessed is the mother who knows who to call on when her family is in need, when dealing with life’s difficult dilemmas.

Roger F. Campbell, Preach for a Year (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1997), 81.

Discover What You Need Is Closer Than You Think

This Mother found the answer to her need was Right at Home (vv. 3)

Preach for a Year #1 The Mother Who Struck Oil at Home

This Mother found the Answer to her Need was Right at Home (vv. 2–4)

1. Elisha considering her problem: “What shall I tell thee?”

2. Elisha’s searching question: “What hast thou in the house?”

a. A good question for all mothers today

b. A husband who loves you? Food enough for today?

c. Money for this week’s groceries?

d. This mother had none of these things

3. The negative answer: “Thy handmaid hath not anything”

a. Mothers and others with this attitude are miserable

b. “Others get new things, I am deprived. Poor me!”

4. The Startling Discovery: “Save A Little Pot of Oil.” A Positive Move

a. Literally “an anointing of oil”

b. But this was the turning point

c. How long has it been since you counted your blessings?

d. Rediscovering the house, the family, the furniture, love

5. The answer for lifting your burden may be right at home

Preach for a Year #1 The Mother Who Struck Oil at Home

This Mother found the Answer to her Need was Right at Home (vv. 2–4)

1. Elisha considering her problem: “What shall I tell thee?”

2. Elisha’s searching question: “What hast thou in the house?”

a. A good question for all mothers today

b. A husband who loves you? Food enough for today?

c. Money for this week’s groceries?

d. This mother had none of these things

3. The negative answer: “Thy handmaid hath not anything”

a. Mothers and others with this attitude are miserable

b. “Others get new things, I am deprived. Poor me!”

4. The Startling Discovery: “Save A Little Pot of Oil.” A Positive Move

a. Literally “an anointing of oil”

b. But this was the turning point

c. How long has it been since you counted your blessings?

d. Rediscovering the house, the family, the furniture, love

5. The answer for lifting your burden may be right at home

1. Elisha considering her problem: “What shall I do for you?”

2. Elisha’s searching question: “What do you have in the house?”

a. A good question for all mothers today

b. A husband who loves you? Enough food for today?

c. Money for the household bills?

d. This mother had none of these things

3. The negative answer: “Your servant has nothing ”

a. Mothers and others with this attitude are miserable

b. “Others get new things, I am deprived. Poor me!”

4. Her surprising Discovery: “Except a (small) jar of Oil.” A Positive Move

a. Literally “an anointing of oil”

b. This is where things turn around

c. How long has it been since you counted your blessings?

d. Rediscovering the house, the family, the furniture, love

5. The answer for lifting your burden may be right at home.

Discover God Can Turn A Little Into A Lot When You Put It In His Hands

Preach for a Year #1 The Mother Who Struck Oil at Home

This Mother Found that the Possibilities are Unlimited When you Allow God to Use what you have (vv. 4–7)

1. Heeding the message of Elisha in faith

2. Involving her sons in the act of faith

a. Sent them borrowing

b. Thinking big! “Borrow not a few”

c. Expecting the answer

3. The closed doors. The thrilling moment

a. God took what she had and multiplied it

b. Filling all the borrowed vessels

4. What God will do with what you have

a. A boy’s lunch

b. Moses’ rod

c. David’s sling

This Mother Found that the Possibilities are Unlimited When you Allow God to Use what you have (vv. 3–7)

1. She put her faith in the message of Elisha.

2. She involved her sons in the act of faith

2. Involving her sons in the act of faith

a. Sent them borrowing

b. She thought outside the box. “Borrow not a few”

c. She expected God to come through

3. The closed doors. The thrilling moment

a. God took what she had and multiplied it

b. Filling all the borrowed vessels

4. What God will do with what you have

a. A boy’s lunch

b. Moses’ rod

c. David’s sling

Roger F. Campbell, Preach for a Year (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1997), 82.

A. Whatever you have is Enough for God to Use

B. What do you have in the House?

A.B.Simpson: “Our God has boundless resources. The only limit is in us. Our asking, our thinking, our praying are too small. Our expectations are too limited.”

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