1 Kings 19, 10/10/21
Good morning, everyone. For those who are able, please, stand in honor of God's word. Today's reading is from 1st Kings chapter 19, verses 11 through 18. And the rain begins with God speaking to the Prophet Elijah, 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. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire and after the fire, a still Small Voice. So it was when Elijah heard it that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly, a voice came to him and said, what are you doing here, Elijah? And he said, I have been very zealous for the Lord, God of hosts because the children of Israel have forsaken, your Covenant torn down your altars and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left and they seek to take my life. Then the Lord said to him, go return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive annoyed Hazel as king over Syria, Also, you shall anoint G who the son of nimshi as king over Israel and Alicia the son of shape at of Abel. Mahalo you shall anoint as profit in your place. It shall be that whoever escapes the sort of Hazel G, who will kill, and whoever escapes the sort of G who Alicia will kill. Yet, I have reserved 7,000 and Israel. All whose knees have not bowed to bail and every mouse that has not kissed him. Here ends. The reading of God's word. Thanks be to God.
Good morning.
I fully intended to do a character sermon today portraying Elijah and the story that you heard from the video, and the story that was read here. This is the appointed lesson for the Old Testament lesson, 2.2 for today, the 1st Kings 19. I hadn't shaved for a couple of days. I meant to come in here with my hair, all crazy and wearing my robe and all of that. And I was just close to finishing my sermon last night when I got the news that Pastor Paul had died. And that really hit me.
Where would Christ Community be without Pastor Paul Nash? I mean from what I hear from that very first Sunday you started to meet at the Red Cross which was intended. Only be a Bible study that day is what I heard. Somehow through God. Paul showed up and turned it into a worship service. Brought Pastor Mark Benz with him. Up from Washington, DC.
Andymark angle told me something. I haven't heard this morning Mark said, Mark Pastor Mark bands at that first service committed to being with you for 6 months.
He's still an elder in our church. This is 16 years. K. Because of Paul Nash. Paul got a hold of Mark band Paul Newmark.
I wouldn't be here. Admin for Paul. So, I'm going to read my sermon today. cuz, I also have the energy to do what I wanted to do. You know, I wanted to do this for trail and I just know I told Paula last night at 2 that I just can't. So I'm going to read my message and I'm going to read it. As I wrote it. I wrote it as if I was Elijah, I wrote it so that I always send my sermons to Marty. You know, she can't watch online. She is deaf. So I character sermon like this. I usually don't write out if Marty and Cindy were here over here because that's where they set. I wouldn't have written it out. But I write it out because smart, he's not here. So you kind of have to listen to this as though. I I'm portraying Elijah, okay.
My Ministry began when God called me to go to King. Ahab, the king of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. And tell him that there's going to be a drought that's going to last year's.
Until I went to Ahab.
Like you would walk up to President Joe Biden and say I have a message for you. President, mr. President.
and he told they have this and they have just blew me off. Then I God sent me Eastward Into the Wilderness. Where is fed by Ravens?
They brought me bread every morning. They brought me bread and meat and there was just a trickle but as the drought continued. You know what happened? To that Brooke? It stopped it dried up.
That's a God sent me. Westward. Northwestward to the city of Zarephath. It's far north along the Mediterranean Sea in a country, you now. Call Lebanon.
God said he had commanded a widow there to feed me. And so I travel to Zarephath and I get there. Not sure who this woman is that God told me he's going to feed me, but I see this lady come out and I said, hey, can you bring me just a little bit of water?
She said, sure and she turns to go back to get some water. You know, Waters scares. I said, by the way. When you return, bring me a morsel of bread. So I can eat.
She put her hands on her hip. She said, you don't understand. What the only flour and oil we have left is enough for my son and I and the endings. I came to get these sticks so so I can have a little fire to cook this bread. We're going to eat it. And then we're going to die. so, I said, The god of Israel says. That flower won't run out that oil will not stop. Go fix this, and bring it to me.
And she went and fixed it. And then I moved in with her the three of us this Widow and her son, and me. And we ate Read everyday. She reached down into that. I nearly empty Flower Bin, everyday. She took out just enough. Defeatist. Oil flask. You can see it was it was down at the bottom, you can look inside of it. And she would pour the oil out to make the bread everyday. Never ran dry. This went on for months and months.
We rejoiced. We we sing praises to your homie. For taking care of us.
Imagine you would think. Give us this day, our daily bread.
Suddenly her son. Became sick and died. Just like that. Totally unexpected. She was very hurt. She was very angry. She said you're so mad at God. You come here and you eat and you drink? And you kill. My son didn't kill her son, but that's what grief does to people. She was hurt.
So I took the dead boy, my arms and I climb the stairs to my room and I laid him on my bed. This sounds strange, but I laid down on him three times and I said, Lord put his soul back into him. And all of a sudden he woke up and he sat up and I don't know who was more surprised him or me. I brought it back downstairs and she said no. I know you're a man of God.
Have you given me my son?
And after more than three years of drought God sent me back to King, Ahab, back to Samaria, the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel.
Along the way I ran into Obadiah. He was one of King Ahab servants. He had hidden. 100 prophets of Yahweh. From Jezebel, Jezebel was killing all these prophets of Yahweh that he had hidden them and feed them. Fed them 50 in one cave, 50 in another cave. And I said, Obadiah, take bring Ahab to me. Bring King Ahab. Obadiah said what have I done now? You're going to cost me my life. And I said, what? You know how it goes. Somebody finds out where you are in the king. Ahab. Send somebody to come. Get you and you're not there. God has moved. You somewhere else. So now you're telling me to go bring Kate King Ahab here. And I bring him here and you're not here. He's going to kill me.
I said, Ahab. I promise you. I will be here. When you return with King Ahab.
And King Ahab comes. He doesn't say hello. He said, he lied. You, you troublemaker. I said, King, you're the one who's causing all the trouble, not me.
And I told him. Did I was going to challenge the prophets of Baal, like the story you saw on the kids video?
We went up on Mount Carmel or caramel. However, it said, aren't you glad Michelle read today, aren't you? Glad that wasn't you with those names? It's not easy. She did a great job.
Went up to Mount Carmel.
I made this deal with the 450 prophets of Baal.
You may not know much about Bale Bale and a sure. They, they kind of go together. Bail was the god of the sky, the male god of the sky and they would pray to bail and bail would rain down on Asher, the goddess of the earth and make Ash referred on the crops would grow. They believed. They would bow before these Stone and wood Idol and somewhat, even kiss the idol. That's how devoted they were to these false. But there was power. In this false worship. We think would be crazy enough to do something like that.
There's power in that idolatry and you know from your new testament that power is Satan. This was sexual immorality. Because in order to get Vale to rain on Ashraf, they would perform acts of sexual intimacy Temple prostitutes. That's what they were too. Busy Outdoors to the bail, would see. And remember all yeah. I'm supposed to do that. I saw them perform their worship.
That's the idolatry that Drew the people away from God, the sexual immorality.
So now it had been three and a half years with no rain. The drought has devastated. The land there been people livestock crops. Can you imagine what this area would look like? What? It it look like when we went for what 6 weeks? 8 weeks. I don't remember how long it was this summer. Without Rain looks pretty bad. Didn't it? Imagine three and a half years? With no rain.
So I said that huge crowd of Israelites. She always got follow him. If bail is God, follow him. You know what? Their response was?
You're hearing it. I say, I say. Is that right on the fence? That's where they were right on the fence. I'm not going to commit. I'm not going to let you know what I think.
So, the challenge came.
450 prophets of Baal, took a bull sacrifice it, put it on there, put wood on their altar, put the bull on there, and the deal was just don't like the wood.
And they started in the morning.
And he started praying to bail all morning long. They were jumping, they were leaping.
Nothing happened. Noon comes. I said, hey.
Why don't you try shouting? Maybe so hard of hearing.
Babies meditating. Now you're your Bibles, nice it up, and it says maybe he's busy, but what I really said, maybe he's in the bathroom. Is mocking them cuz I knew he was a false god. Maybe he's gone on a long journey. Babies asleep. And they shouted and you saw the video, they started to cut themselves and blood spatter, all over the place.
Nothing happened this week on all afternoon up until the evening Sacrifice from morning to evening. These 450 prophets of Baal, good thing to have that many and they had to do tag team because they got worn out. Nothing happened. So I called the people of Israel come here and we walked over to an altar of Yahweh. It had been torn down been destroyed. All the stones were still there, but been torn down to. So I took those 12 Stones representing the 12 tribes. And I restore the altar of Yahweh.
I put the wood on the Altar and I took the bowl and cut it in pieces. Put it on there. And then I asked him to bring for water pots and pour it on there. I forgot to tell you until the trench around the altar, it hold about 6 gallons of water, if it was full. I bet you they were thinking what you doing digging a trench around an altar that's going to hopefully be burned up and they did. I said do it again and they were remember what's going on here, three and a half years of drought and I'm saying pour water on this thing. I should do it again. They got up and ate pasta water poured. I said do it one more time. Now, it's 12 pack of water and that trench around the altar was full.
And I started to pray.
Yahweh, God of Abraham, Isaac Israel, let it be known this day that you are, God in Israel. And I am your servant and that I have done all these things at your word, hear me. Hear me. Oh, y'all way. That this people may know that you are Yahweh. God. And that you have turned their hearts back to you again.
And then the fire fell from heaven and it not only took the bowl. It took the wood. The water. The very Stones themselves, everything was gone.
I'm standing right in front of this altar when the fire fell. Not a singed. Not a hair singed on my body. I didn't even feel the heat. But it was gone.
And those people who were on the fence, one of they do, they fell on their faces and they said he is God Yahweh. He is God.
And I commanded them to take the 450 prophets of Baal.
They were executed.
Then I took my servant and I went up to the top of Mount Carmel.
And I laid down. I didn't lay down. I knelt down with my head between my knees.
And I started to pray.
And I said to my helper, I said, Look Out Over the Sea, because Mount Carmel is close to the Mediterranean. You can see out there. And I said, what do you see? Should I see water? I see sky.
Any clouds snow? Play the second time. What do you see? Nothing? Same thing? 1/3 time. What do you see? Same thing. After seven times of praying to God, I said, what do you see? He said, there's a tiny Cloud out on the horizon. Size of a man's fist.
I don't tell Ahab. It's his Chariot and get down to Jezreel before the rain comes.
By the time they have had his chariot. Ready to go. The rain was started. And the power of the Holy Spirit came on me, and I heard it up my robe so I can run and I outran that chariot. I got the Jezreel before. Ahab did. In the Quarry, in the victory of the Lord.
Then I got a message. From Queen Jezebel ahab's wife.
She was the one who have these 450 prophets of Baal as well as the the prophets of asherah.
She put a contract on me. She said, if you're alive in 24 hours.
Things that are bad, will happen to me. I got scared. And I ran. I don't know if you know that the territory you're up in the northern part of Israel. North of Jerusalem and Iran way down to Beersheba. And the way we describe Israel from Dan in the north to Beersheba in itself is like saying from New York to LA from one end of the country, to the other one is far south in our nation as I could. And I dropped off my helper at Beersheba and I ran into the wilderness. I was finally, I was spent. I was exhausted.
I said God, what's the use? Just just take my life right now. I just didn't want to live Not Another Second. And I fell asleep. And when I woke up, there was an angel there. I thought I was in heaven.
I looked around the same place. I was sleep under a broom tree. Juniper tree. And the angel had baked the cake. Brought me some Waters that eat and drink.
I ate and drank and I fell right back to sleep.
When I woke up again, the angel sent me another time.
And in that power, I fled way further self clear down to the Mountain of God, you know, from Moses, the Mountain of God. I found a cave in that mountain. And I went up into that cave.
Hiding. Running for my life where it was the safest place to go as far from Jezebel, as I can get. And I'm going to the Mountain of God. The God who I saw ring fire.
Expected to find God on that mountain. Stampy cave.
Then I Heard a Voice. Elijah. What are you doing here? I said, hey, I've been celes for you. Lord. I've done all these things and they put a contract on me. I'm the only one left in there. Going to kill me.
They told me to go stand in that. Cave. The mouth of that cave.
It was a wind that broke rocks on the mountain. You probably call it a tornado.
Expecting God to speak, somehow through that event. The Majesty of God in a tornado.
God wasn't there. Wasn't in the Wind.
And then the earth started to shake and I fell. Fortunately, I was close to the mouth of the of the cave. If the cave collapsed, I can go out. I stayed inside the cave because of the Rocks, coming down the mountain.
I expected God to speak in the midst of this earthquake.
What does massive fire steel made that fire at the at the altar that consumed the bowl in the wood and everything me it made that fire look like a a match?
Massive fire expecting God to be in the fire. Nothing.
What are you doing here?
That still small voice.
Don't expect that. God is going to speak to you in a certain way in a certain place.
He'll speak to you. I mean his word is full. Messages for us but he will speak to you.
Are you listening? That's a question. I ask myself. It is so easy.
Can I have times of Silence?
Too easy to get caught up and this is about where I was in my sermon. When I got news of Pastor, Paul's death.
It made me think of. Hope all had forced me to listen.
He called me up. I know I told you this story, but I just need, I need to tell it. He said, I've been praying about Christ Community Church. God placed your name on my heart.
I didn't say it. But my head I said, I ain't said nothing to me, buddy.
I said, okay, Paul. I'll pray about it. I'll do that much. And I'm thinking, probably not. I'll pray, I'll pray about it. I'll be honest, but nothing's going to happen here.
and after two weeks of praying, I come to my dear wife and I said we're not going anywhere. God has said nada.
And God spoke through my wife.
She said, I think you're subconsciously blocking God in my jaw, Hit the Floor. She has never said anything like that, to me. Before, or, since ever. I said, okay. I'll keep praying about it. And that night, I had a dream that I was being interviewed at a movie theater in Hagerstown.
And a teenage girl from the congregation from Christ Community. Can't say who it was, don't never recognize the face from my dream, but she said, pastor. Can you sing the outline of the book of Romans?
But I can't even say it. Well, let alone sing it. That's it. I woke up. I said, Paula something's going on.
And tall man should never talk to me from the moment. I said I'd pray about it until The next morning after I had this dream. He said he calls his. Hey, what's going on? Chris?
I said, well, if you'd called me yesterday, I would have said take a hike.
but I had this dream last night, so
I began to be open to the possibility of coming here.
And it took a while, but you all range for Paul and I to come out here. For an interview. That's that's usually what you do. When your past real, can it at your interview pretty much by the call committee and talk to me on the phone. Okay, the people on the call committed, talk to Paul and I on the phone before we came out here, but I was expecting a formal interview.
Rubber Jeff and Jackie's for dinner, jackets, right have dinner.
And Uncle Al prayed great-great to say uncle. I would you say grace prayed the power of the Holy Spirit just flooded over me. I want pool. Something's going on here.
and the next day, you know, we always pray before you may not know this, but we always pray before worship. Some of the leaders in eye. And I don't remember who all was there, but these are the ones I remember with Jodie. Uncle Al and Josh's mom and There may have been others there, but those the ones that I remember.
And Uncle Al started pray again. He was the first ones he prayed and the Holy Spirit was just over me. Just like what's going on here. It's like God saying, can you hear me now?
Are you listening? Do you think something's going on here that you're here for a reason? Yeah. We were so convinced. We've never done this. I mean, we served, what's this? Our 5th Parish in my Ministry would never done this before. We went home to Beulah, North Dakota.
And I have a council meeting that next week and I said at the end of the council meeting, said I've never said this before, but I am so sure. God is calling us to Christ Community Church. They have an issue. That's a call. But I'm so sure this is going to happen that when we get the call. I'm going to resign my call here and Pila.
Are you listening?
That works like that in your life. Tell me it's not just pastors. Is that? Just because it was Pastor Paul.
You know what, when he said, God, and put my name on his heart. I thought Yap. All you can sell snow to an Eskimo.
And if you knew Paul, you know, that's true. I thought he was just moving me know. He was a man of Prayer. Daughter spoke to him. I wouldn't be here. It hadn't been for Pastor Paul Nash. And how would you be here? If it hadn't been for Pastor Paul Nash?
He was on life support for so long. I thought he was going to make it.
But he didn't.
And grease has been on my heart this week last Sunday. Last Sunday afternoon. I'm so thankful. We have the technology that we do last Sunday afternoon in my living room. I am watching a funeral in Medicine Lake, Montana. That was my first Parish. Why do when I died was a great guy? I got to go to his funeral.
In my living room. Does this handful of Us online? Going to be there? and then, Aaron, Combs died. His mom is here. She sitting with gay on Chris.
38 years old brain tumor. Ravaging is his brain. He just wasn't going to make it. The eat already taken half of his body.
He was taken off life support.
Did you read what? Paul Sunset about death maybe was quoting Paul. I don't remember, death stinks. It does it stinks and I don't mean literally because of bodies decaying. It's just yuck. It's hard.
Liza forever changed because someone we loved is gone. You won't have it. You've all experienced it. Little ones may not have had it yet, but you will. Part of life and Jesus comes. The Holy Spirit comes and brings us comfort in that. Still Small Voice. And that's why I whisper, because my foot note said,
If I'm so involved in in my life. Get in the car and the radio is on, I get out of the car, come in the house and the TV is on and it's the news or it's Sunday afternoon football for you name it 24/7. If it's not that I've got my nose in the book, in the, the book is giving me that noise.
When do you talk stop? And listen.
We all need it.
And that still Small Voice is going to come in a way. You don't expect a teenage girl asking me if I can think the outline of the book of Romans. Are you kidding me? Yeah, God's got a sense of humor.
And no, I didn't eat too much pizza the night before.
We expect God to work in certain ways.
And he may. But he may not, so don't get tied up in the expectation. That is only going to happen. If it happens like this.
I certainly didn't expect Paul Nash to die yesterday.
Kim's, family, certainly didn't expect that 38. Her precious son. Aaron would die.
God brings us these things. She'll carry on through it, and if we listen for that still Small Voice, he will bring the words of comfort. He will bring the words of assurance. He will bring the words of strength. He will bring the words of Hope.
Don't ask me how he's going to do that, but he will, I know it. You know, it. Let's listen. A man. Now by the Shalom of God, which passes all understanding guard, our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus. Amen. I forgot to say before we started, I had this walking stick up here. This is going to be part of my props for Elijah. So I called Jeff Kelly yesterday and I texted him. I said, hey, you got a wooden walking stick. I can use. So that's that's why this is here today. I didn't use it. That's why it was here.