God's Perfect Work Through Imperfect Vessels
Notes
Transcript
Background
Continuation of the story of Elijah..
Even the best of them drift from God’s will. We will see that God still performs His perfect work through imperfect vessels like us. Amen?
I. Elijah’s Retreat
8 So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God.
Mt. Horeb = Mt. Sinai.
The Lord God finally asked Elijah..
9 There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.”
I alone am left.
Elijah went on his own, outside the will of God and away from the work that God wants him to complete.
God just sent fire from heaven and He also sent a torrential rain to end the drought. It is not a lack of faith in God and what God can do, God’s power can control the forces of nature.. somehow Elijah lost sight of Who God is and focused on the enemy.
Again...
On Mt. Sinai
In saying “they seek my life”, and using the pronoun they — Elijah exaggerated the size of the enemy.
Don’t exaggerate the size of the enemy.
Satan is a defeated foe. People have a wrong concept that there is a balance between good and evil.. that the forces of Satan are at equal to the forces of God.. nothing is further from the truth.. Satan is no match to God.. in the spiritual war, Satan is just scrapping for those small opportunities here and there — remember he is defeated..
Don’t exaggerate the size and the power of Satan — he has already been defeated by God.
The Bible warns you to be on guard, to be watchful, alert, be in constant prayer, your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion.. the enemy cannot win if you take up the spiritual weapons of the warfare given to you by God.
But if you exaggerate the devil too much that you act scared of him, that spells defeat.. you are already defeated if you have a wrong view of Satan.
Elijah was lonely, depressed
He felt alone, in serving God..
I have been very zealous for the Lord God — focusing on his work for God..
he vented...
for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword.
Like the man of God that had the encounter with God at Sinai — story of the cave overlooking the golden calf. he probably remembered Moses and the people of Israel of that time...
Self-pity
I alone am left; and they seek to take my life… (cry)
What else can we see happening with Elijah?
Pride.
Makes it look like that he is indispensable to God’s work.
The Lord’s work will be accomplished without you. The Kingdom of God will advance no matter what. The gospel will be preached as a testimony to all nations even though no one else wants to come alongside you to go to those nations!
NO ONE WILL STOP THE PLAN AND PURPOSE OF GOD!
This will actually change your perspective from being discouraged to being encouraged that you have an opportunity to be part of the unstoppable work of God in the world.
II. God’s display of His power!
11 Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.
The Lord passed by - reminder of Moses’ experience on the same mountain.
Wind so strong - broke the rocks.. no message was given.
earthquake--- no message was given.
Fire — no message was given.
God showed that He had so much control over nature,, that there is nothing in the natural that he cannot do..
It is like God is saying, I have power to do all things --- why feel so alone, Elijah? What matters is I’m on your side!
In fact, This display of God’s power will happen before the return of Jesus.
Sun - will be darkened, moon will not give its light, the stars will fall, powers of the heavens will be shaken.. when Jesus comes again to judge the world.
Perhaps the Lord was saying to Elijah, “You feel like you’ve failed to completely judge the sin in Israel, but one day I will judge it and my judgment is final and complete.” (preview)
then there’s the still small voice.
God was saying to Elijah, “You called fire from heaven, you had the prophets of Baal slain, and you prayed down a terrific rainstorm, but now you feel like a failure. But you must realize that I don’t usually work in a manner that’s loud, impressive, and dramatic.
My still, small voice brings the Word to the listening ear and heart.
Yes, there’s a time and place for the wind, the earthquake and the fire,
but most of the time, I speak to people in tones of gentle love and quiet persuasion.”
God has already spoken.
Where lies the power of God in our time?
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
The Lord wasn’t coming down hard on His servant (no condemnation); God’s Word comes down like the gentle shower that refreshes, cleanses, and produces life
You see the Lord now speaks to us through Jesus Christ His Son.
“the whispers from Calvary are infinitely more potent than the thunder of Sinai in bringing men to repentance.” - Dr. J. Oswald Sanders
13 And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
For the second time, God asked Elijah:
“What are you doing here, Elijah?”
Once again the prophet responded with the same answer.
14 He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.”
The Lord had reasons to reject Elijah… this time again is a display of God’s grace.. He showed power through the wind, the earthquake and fire as a reminder that it is by the power of His Spirit on His own… but He still wants people to participate in the work through His Spirit…
The Lord is glorified even through our failures and our limitations..
27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;
You may be foolish and weak in the eyes of the world. But you belong to a wise and all-powerful God.
Foolish may sound demeaning.. but there is another way the Lord looks at us..
God reaches the world today through the ministry of earthen vessels.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
Broken vessels in jars of clay..
In these frail bodies of ours--'earthen vessels'--we have that priceless treasure."
We may be broken vessels, but the Lord can turn you into a vessel of honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.
What happened to Elijah or should I ask, what did God do to Elijah?
15 And the Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria. 16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel, and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place. 17 And the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha put to death.
Some say at that point, God relieved Elijah.. or some are even harsh to claim that God fired him and replaced him.. I do not think so..
The Lord returned Elijah to the center of His will - to his place of duty.
He anointed two kings and and a prophet to continue His work for the next generation. God allowed him to continue his ministry for a time..
Elijah eventually received his coronation. In the book of 2 Kings chapter 2, we see Elijah ascending to heaven, there appeared a chariot of fire with horses of fire,, took him by a whirlwind into heaven...
There is a coronation day for the faithful servant of God.
So while you are here on earth.. in His Majesty’s service:
18 Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
you may feel alone, abandoned, unsupported in your service to God.. laughed at, scorn and even hated for your testimony.. but you will never be alone — God is at work, He is raising an army that will finish the work of the Kingdom on the earth. Just be faithful..
for the rest would you want to be part of that army that will share the love of God to this world?
Secondly, stay on your knees and engage in the spiritual warfare,, the truth is this, if you do.. there is an army of the heavenly angels fighting the battles in the heavenly realm for you..
Elisha, Elijah’s successor, when faced against a massive Syrian army surrounding the city with horses and chariots said to his servant:
16 So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
Lessons Today:
The Lord’s work will prosper and His Kingdom will advance even without us through the army He has prepared. Look at participation in His Kingdom not as a burden, but as an opportunity.
We no longer need to see God’s power over nature. God has already spoken to us by the living Word, Jesus Christ and His written Word. The Gospel is powerful to save the souls of men.
God works through broken vessels like you and me. Submit your life in obedience to Him and He will turn your broken vessel into a masterpiece for His glory.