Sermon Tone Analysis

God provides in times of hardship.

2 kings 4:38

The fast is on the land and lasted some time.

reference the fast lasting seven years.

Here we see Elisha seeking to feed the large group.

2 kings 8:

Elisha has done great miracles after seeing Elijah taken by whirlwind in chariot of fire in .

Elisha has gone from some highs to some lows.

How do we handle our highs will better help us in dealing with our lows.

God gives grace the humble and opposes the proud.

James 4:

(So be prepared for the hardships that will come.)

Sometimes we bring hardship on ourselves.

In hardship is the time that we need to come together and support one another.

The prophet is showing care and compassion for his friends.

In the midst of these tough times you may be deal with additional difficulties.

2 kings 4:29

One young man was trying to be helpful but actions were hurtful.

He had good intentions but negative outcomes.

He had good intentions but negative outcomes.

We make mistakes.

We all sin and fall short of God’s glory.

Since we all sin we are all in need of forgiveness.

Since God knows we are sinful he gives us grace.

Great is God’s faithfulness

Hardships in life will come unannounced.

In hardship is the time that we need to come together and support one another.

The prophet is showing care and compassion for his friends.

In the midst of these tough times you may be deal with additional difficulties.

your plans do not always agree with others.

You have plans for your life but your plans may not match someones else’s plans that may influence yours.

"The Appointment in Samarra"

(as retold by W. Somerset Maugham [1933])

The speaker is Death

There was a merchant in Bagdad who sent his servant to market to buy provisions and in a little while the servant came back, white and trembling, and said, Master, just now when I was in the marketplace I was jostled by a woman in the crowd and when I turned I saw it was Death that jostled me.

She looked at me and made a threatening gesture,  now, lend me your horse, and I will ride away from this city and avoid my fate.

I will go to Samarra and there Death will not find me.

The merchant lent him his horse, and the servant mounted it, and he dug his spurs in its flanks and as fast as the horse could gallop he went.

Then the merchant went down to the marketplace and he saw me standing in the crowd and he came to me and said, Why did you make a threating getsture to my servant when you saw him this morning?

That was not a threatening gesture, I said, it was only a start of surprise.

I was astonished to see him in Bagdad, for I had an appointment with him tonight in Samarra.

Learn to surrender to God and trust his leadership.

2 Kings 4:40

God’s mercies never run out.

The Lord knows what is best for us and it is better for us to trust in him in times of doubt.

In hardship is the time that we need to come together and support one another.

The prophet is showing care and compassion for his friends.

In the midst of these tough times you may be deal with additional difficulties.

So turn to God or godly wisdom in times of troubles.

God Knows the perfect ingredient

God knows what we need when we need it.

The prophet knew what to do to fix the situation.

God knows how to fix our situations.

He knows what needs to be added to make it better.

Jesus is the perfect ingredient to make everything all right.

Conclusion: In our life we have added bad ingredients and are hurting from our choices.

Some of the ingredients are from our own and others from allowing other participants to get into our life (pot).

One thing that can help all of us is that God can still add something to make everything all right.

Thank you for the blood.