Here we are. God has afforded me some free time and it's legitmate too! We're half done with the semester and things are going well. Due to the Lord's provision I've been able to do exactly what I hoped. I've been developing more friendships and being efficient in schoolwork. I just finished all the reading in one textbook for a class tonight and feel it's time to sit down and do some writing. This semester I've been able to spend much time reading and time in prayer. this has allowed more time to devote to Greek and sermon preparation for preaching class. I'm so thankful... even if Greek grades still aren't reflecting the time spent.
I praise God this semester for a number of reasons. My internship will go forward and unofficially begin next semester. I got the classes I wanted for Spring... although I didn't worry that I wouldn't get em.
Senior Seminar in Biblical Exposition
Structure and Style in Biblical Exposition
Greek Exegesis 2
Romans in Greek
Wellness Seminar
I imagine there will be little motivation for the Wellness Seminar. people remind me of the body being a temple and all that, but the argument is unconvincing. We all know we need to be physically fit and take of our bodies. However, after 3 years of secular classes... I wanna be DONE with them! I just wanna pass and say goodbye. They are an incredible frustration. My biblical education is what concerns me at this point. On a sad note my sister won't be able to come visist me at school. I now don't have the money and my mom refused to let her come alone. That's prolly all the random updates I have.
Something has been troubling me lately... and likely long before that while I was unable to express it. To all who read this it's a general lament of frustration not indicative of a specific personal experience or enitrely directed a specific person.
It seems to me though that American romantic/dating culture (among Christians too) has a certain accepted system or formula. This formula is usually unspoken, dogmatically held, and yet it seems to collapse upon itself. Let me explain what I mean... How should a relationship begin? The general idea is that it starts with a friendship and at some point the guy initiates more and then POOF! you have a romantic relationship. Sounds reasonable enough until one tries it. You see there are so many factors working against a person that it seems nearly impossible in some ways. A guy can't be passive because he is to initiate, right? Ok, well can you be active? Lets say you set out to develop a broad scope of friendships. At what point does a guy feel he should pursue? The woman doesn't usually show signs of attraction since is to move first (understably so) and yet what causes the guy to get to this place? he notices things in the prospective woman that would cause him to take the next step, right?
Here's the problem: How much can he realistically come to know about her with the usual radar and wall most women have up? It seems a conversation of over 30 minutes and eye contact makes people think you're interested in them these days. It becomes childish. How can he really come to know her character? How can he know who she really is without spending 5 years as a casual friend? I'm hearing from some women that the way to go is to interact in groups. I understand the security in this. I would push back though to say... how does a guy know a woman is being herself in the group? We are so good at wearing masks and pretending. We want friendships but we aren't willing to be vulnerable enough and take the risk necessary to really know someone to the degree of getting an accurate assessment of who they are. So we're forced to rely on beauty and charm (for the most part) which Proverbs 31 soberly reminds us are "vain and deceitful."
Oh and since the guy is supposed to be the iniator... he does the best he can to read the beauty and charm and perhaps connect a few dots that could indicate interest (while he is uncertain) and if of course there's something he likes in her (which would naturally be something small because littel has been revealed) and he puts his foot forward. Is that what's really expected of us? That's how it feels a lot of the time. It's even been expressed directly and indirectly that it's not even possible to have a close friendship with the opposite sex. This probably bothers me most of all. I truly believe this finds its' origin in secular dating culture right next to the idea that exes can't talk to eachother or maintain a friendship after breakup. These are very worldly ideas that are usually guided by selfish protection of our own emotions and usually a kind of enmity against our brother or sister in Christ that Scripture speaks directly against.
I would hope we would all admit that close friendships are ideal at least..? If we can start there... there's a chance. Now don't hear me wrong. There are some people you need to stay away from. Physical abuse, stalkers, etc. There is some wisdom and discernment involved here. I am simply pleading for the men out there that get stuck working within a system that is self-defeating and inconsistent. How can a REAL friendship before a relationship develop if one or both people are unwilling to take the risks necessary to form it? The inevitable result of an apparent success for those working in this system only seems to arise when (1) A guy smoothly slips past the woman's radar and she opens up, (2) She likes him before-hand and therefore opens up, (3) Or some other unknown mystical magical fairy dust and mistle-toe effect happens.
From a purely human viewpoint we then find ourselves at the current dilemma: You can't be passive (because you need to pursue). You can't be active (because they pick up on it and RUN). The only option is to be passively active. That means pray. All we can do... is pray. God is still sovereign and the single women are still single therefore God can do anything with such a situation if it brings Him the most glory. On the other hand, as with sanctification... we know God enables us and promises to guide us in the right direction, but there is still an element of cooperation in it. I propose the answer to our dilemma is this: Honest, no-nonsense, mature communication. This combined with a focus that remains God-centered through all of the communication is a step we cannot afford to overlook. The question now is... will we do this? Can we do this? This takes more courage than running from people when a potential problem or interest is suspected. This takes more courage than simply asking a woman out on a date.
If I may be so bold to suggest it: Anything less than this is a waste of our time, emotional investment, weeks of "how was your day?" questions, and hours of worrying. Let's grow up and take the risks necessary (while bathed in prayer) to develop rich friendships and even healthier relationships that begin on a foundation of communication.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
1 Kings 17: Elijah's Ministerial Training Ground
This is the sermon manuscript for my first sermon in Narrative Messages Preaching class.
Intro: This is the story of a preacher… you know him well. He once miraculously raised a woman’s son from the dead. He was thrown into a deathly depression while on the run from the wicked woman Jezebel. Though he struggled with depression he was not without courage when he challenged 450 priests of idolatry to test; “Is your god the true God or is the LORD?” And the LORD was proven true by fire! He also maintained his confidence when King Ahaziah’s men were sent to fetch him sitting on a hill and he said to them, “If I am a man of God, let fire consume you all” and it did. He was also the man who never died, but climbed up into the heavens with a flaming whirlwind of horses in a chariot of fire. This only after he discipled another preacher to take his place… as any good preacher would do. His name is Elijah. His name means, “Yahweh is God” which sets the tone for his ministry against Ba’al, the false fertility god of rain, fire, and the elements. While you may look at all these events and say, "wow he really was a man of God..." it wasn't without a beginning. This morning we’re looking at Issue #1 in The Adventures of Elijah, his first appearance. And this is very special because this is his internship, his training ground for ministry. Ahab had been more wicked than all the kings before him. In a “trivial” way Scripture says He set up an altar and formally introduced idol worship into Israel. He had to be rebuked for his sin. Here comes… the preacher.
Look with me at v.1 if you're able: "Now Elijah the Tishbite, who was of (A)the settlers of Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD, the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, surely (C)there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word." 2The word of the LORD came to him, saying, 3"Go away from here and turn eastward, and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. 4 "It shall be that you will drink of the brook, and (D)I have commanded the ravens to provide for you there."
We know very little about Elijah. We’re not sure who his parents were nor exactly where he came from. John Wesley said it’s as if he just “dropt from the sky.” And if this was so then he dropped providentially, because he approaches the mighty throne of the king of Israel to declare, “Because of YOUR wickedness King Ahab, the LORD is going to make this land SO dry for SO long (3 years) that even your idol will feel the dehydration of his nonexistence!” And after saying something like that you don't stick around for tea and crumpets. God says to go to the Brook Cherith. This was a wadi, a stream of water that only flows during a rainy season and God says you are to drink from this and that's what will be your water supply. Can you see Elijah's face? "Sure. Lord you know this won't last very long right? You know we're in a drought right?" But that's not all. The ravens would provide for him. The animal that's known to be a scavenger, not a provider. The animal that some commentators say is hardly known to feed its' own young. Can you see his face? "Are you serious God?! Ravens!?" So he travels eastward and begins to notice the plants withering for lack of moisture. The ground grows parched beneath his feet. But as he nears the place where the Lord had directed him he begins to notice a glimmer of hope reflecting the sun amidst the surrounding barrenness. The sound of the water was music to his ears. God was right. The brook was ready and waiting. (PAUSE)
It's day 1 of Elijah's stay by the brook. The sun is rising. As he begins to stir from his slumber his nose picks up a curious scent. He's hungry. "What IS that smell?" And as he rolls over and looks to the other side of the wadi he sees them... sausage biscuits! And these aren't McDonalds either. This is the good stuff. When God provides He does it well. The Bible says the ravens brought him bread AND meat in the morning and in the evening. God didn't just give him bread, but bread and meat. Here we also have a grammatical merism. Two opposites to denote totality. "Morning AND evening": This says God provided not only well, but for the totality of his needs each day. Jewish Rabbis speculate that the food may have come from King Ahab's own table. So Elijah got used to this. Life is good. Some say considering the length of the drought he could've been there at the brook for months, but Scripture only says, "after awhile..." something happened. He was easily trusting the Lord as he could clearly touch, taste, and swallow God's provision each day, but this morning was different. The sun was rising. Elijah was stirring. He was thirsty. As he rolled over and cupped his hands for a drink, with eyes half open, he plunged them right... into... dry... dirt. The brook was no more. The body can only go about three days without water. Can you see his face today? "Lord I knew this would happen! You bring me out here in the middle of a drought and tell me a seasonal stream will last forever?! I'm thirsty and now I'm homeless... what am I gonna do?"
V.8 begins, "Then the word of the Lord came to him..." (PAUSE) God was there all along. Elijah's needs were not unknown to God. He was there. You and I have times where our provision dries up. Someone asks you to help them move: $40, A family you know needs a house-sitter: $100, Maybe you do a little catering here and there: $100 a month. But all those things end. They are temporary. The moving ends at 3pm Saturday afternoon, you turn over the keys of the house to their owners, and the catering company says, "We're sorry, but the economy has affected business. Call back next month." Don't be upset. Your God is more sovereign than those things. Don't live your Christian life like an Open Theist. They don't teach you that here. God knows the beginning and the end. God is personal. God is there and He'll provide. "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" Back to v. 8 "...the word of the Lord came to him, saying, 'Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and stay there; behold, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you."
Elijah stood and traveled 7 miles to a public road along the Mediterranean seashore where we find the city of Zarephath. As he traveled I wonder went through his mind. Was he thinking he'd been through this before. Was he asking God in the quietness of his seaside journey, "Lord, how long will this one last? She's a widow, you said, right? They're not known for the means of generosity. Lord I'm getting thirsty. What if she refuses? What if it only lasts a few days? I'm getting hungry." Or was Elijah moved to confidence in the Lord? He did provide for so long and He knew exactly when that brook would be empty. Elijah could've reasoned, "God had to have been there with me or I wouldn't even know to go to a widow right now." What was he thinking? Maybe we'll never know. What we do know is what happened next... He reached the city gate of Zarephath and he noticed a woman, dressed in black, picking up sticks. She had no servant to pick up the sticks and her son was too young to do that for her. But they needed to prepare the food so someone had to do it. Elijah thinks to himself, "Well, one widow is as good as any," and he says, "Can you please get me a jar of water that I may drink?" Always be polite. This wasn't a problem for her. They're along the Mediterranean Sea. But as she goes to fulfill his request he really pushes the envelope. "Can you also please bring me a piece of bread in your hand?" Widows were the first to run out of food during times of famine and drought. Imagine her reaction: "What did you say to me? You want what!? Do I look rich to you? I don't have any bread. I just have this handful of flour in a bowl and a little oil in the jar. I was picking up these sticks before you interrupted me so I could prepare what little I have for my son and I so we can eat... and... die. Alright? I don't have any bread." Her reaction was normal. A piece of bread was a tall order for a widow. But what do you say to that? Can you see Elijah looking up to heaven saying, "Now Lord you said you commanded this widow..? She must be in disobedience because this isn't working out. I need a little help here...." No he didn't he say that.
V.13... "Then Elijah said to her, "Do not fear; go, do as you have said, but make me a little bread cake from it first and bring it out to me, and afterward you may make one for yourself and for your son. 14"For thus says the LORD God of Israel, 'The bowl of flour shall not be exhausted, nor shall the jar of oil be empty, until the day that the LORD sends rain on the face of the earth.'" Elijah believes God and evokes His promise to provide for his needs, even extending this promise to the widow and her son... should she also believe. She does and the Bible says her house had food for MANY days. And it all happened according to just the way God said it would.
We see from this story that Elijah learned what we all need to learn...
Big Idea: When we trust God and do what He says in our times of drought, He shows Himself to be The Lord who provides. In our times of drought when we trust and obey God, He shows Himself to be our Jehovah Jireh, our provider.
Primary Applications: Some of you are sitting in a financial drought. You open your wallet and it nearly cracks in two for lack of moisture. We're nearing the end of the month. It's October 27th. You don't know if you'll even be here at this school next month if you can't find the money. About a year ago I wasn't sure how my meager job at the time was gonna get me through school. I was worried. I get an email from home saying, "Call your dad ASAP." I didn't know what that meant. Was something wrong? I called as I soon as I could only for my dad to remind me of a life insurance policy in my name. I'd forgotten it. I was older enough to cash it out: $3500 lump sum. The beginning of this semester I was wondering how I could possibly afford to come back in the Spring. I call my father to talk one night and he says, "I'm taking the money you needed out of my 401K to put into your school account." My dad is the only breadwinner in a home of five and I totaled one of our vehicles this past summer and he's giving me $3,000 from his 401K. My dad isn't even a Christian. God provides and sometimes from the least likely of places (seasonal streams of water, ravens, widows). You may that's great, but what if God doesn't provide? Then have the attitude of Daniel's friends who trusted God whether He protected them or not. Acknowledge God's ultimate control over your situation.
Some of you are in a romantic drought. Your love life is so dry it needs its' own brand of chapstick. Trust God. If He has placed that desire in your heart He'll provide. He knows who's best for you. He knows what you need when you need it. If I were talking to the single women of this campus I would say that God will provide for you as well, but it may not be from among the King Sauls who stand a head above the rest, but among the shepherd boys, the Davids, who seek after God's own heart. Some of you are experiencing ministerial drought. You're trying as best you can at PCM but people aren't growing. Seemingly no one is responding well. You counseled someone on your floor and they ignored your advice. Know that God is there in midst of those situations. We're so pragmatic aren't we? ...To think we always have to see the results. What if you don't see them, but someone else does? Trust the Lord. Remain faithful in doing what He's called you to do. (PAUSE)
John Waller wrote a song (you may have heard it in the movie, Fireproof). It's called While I'm Waiting. Tucked in the middle of the song is the attitude we all must have..
I will move ahead, bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience
While I'm waiting
I will serve You
While I'm waiting
I will worship
While I'm waiting
I will not faint
I'll be running the race
Even while I wait
God is training you and I for ministry... just He trained Elijah, to trust Him in times of drought. Will we trust Him?
Intro: This is the story of a preacher… you know him well. He once miraculously raised a woman’s son from the dead. He was thrown into a deathly depression while on the run from the wicked woman Jezebel. Though he struggled with depression he was not without courage when he challenged 450 priests of idolatry to test; “Is your god the true God or is the LORD?” And the LORD was proven true by fire! He also maintained his confidence when King Ahaziah’s men were sent to fetch him sitting on a hill and he said to them, “If I am a man of God, let fire consume you all” and it did. He was also the man who never died, but climbed up into the heavens with a flaming whirlwind of horses in a chariot of fire. This only after he discipled another preacher to take his place… as any good preacher would do. His name is Elijah. His name means, “Yahweh is God” which sets the tone for his ministry against Ba’al, the false fertility god of rain, fire, and the elements. While you may look at all these events and say, "wow he really was a man of God..." it wasn't without a beginning. This morning we’re looking at Issue #1 in The Adventures of Elijah, his first appearance. And this is very special because this is his internship, his training ground for ministry. Ahab had been more wicked than all the kings before him. In a “trivial” way Scripture says He set up an altar and formally introduced idol worship into Israel. He had to be rebuked for his sin. Here comes… the preacher.
Look with me at v.1 if you're able: "Now Elijah the Tishbite, who was of (A)the settlers of Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD, the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, surely (C)there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word." 2The word of the LORD came to him, saying, 3"Go away from here and turn eastward, and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. 4 "It shall be that you will drink of the brook, and (D)I have commanded the ravens to provide for you there."
We know very little about Elijah. We’re not sure who his parents were nor exactly where he came from. John Wesley said it’s as if he just “dropt from the sky.” And if this was so then he dropped providentially, because he approaches the mighty throne of the king of Israel to declare, “Because of YOUR wickedness King Ahab, the LORD is going to make this land SO dry for SO long (3 years) that even your idol will feel the dehydration of his nonexistence!” And after saying something like that you don't stick around for tea and crumpets. God says to go to the Brook Cherith. This was a wadi, a stream of water that only flows during a rainy season and God says you are to drink from this and that's what will be your water supply. Can you see Elijah's face? "Sure. Lord you know this won't last very long right? You know we're in a drought right?" But that's not all. The ravens would provide for him. The animal that's known to be a scavenger, not a provider. The animal that some commentators say is hardly known to feed its' own young. Can you see his face? "Are you serious God?! Ravens!?" So he travels eastward and begins to notice the plants withering for lack of moisture. The ground grows parched beneath his feet. But as he nears the place where the Lord had directed him he begins to notice a glimmer of hope reflecting the sun amidst the surrounding barrenness. The sound of the water was music to his ears. God was right. The brook was ready and waiting. (PAUSE)
It's day 1 of Elijah's stay by the brook. The sun is rising. As he begins to stir from his slumber his nose picks up a curious scent. He's hungry. "What IS that smell?" And as he rolls over and looks to the other side of the wadi he sees them... sausage biscuits! And these aren't McDonalds either. This is the good stuff. When God provides He does it well. The Bible says the ravens brought him bread AND meat in the morning and in the evening. God didn't just give him bread, but bread and meat. Here we also have a grammatical merism. Two opposites to denote totality. "Morning AND evening": This says God provided not only well, but for the totality of his needs each day. Jewish Rabbis speculate that the food may have come from King Ahab's own table. So Elijah got used to this. Life is good. Some say considering the length of the drought he could've been there at the brook for months, but Scripture only says, "after awhile..." something happened. He was easily trusting the Lord as he could clearly touch, taste, and swallow God's provision each day, but this morning was different. The sun was rising. Elijah was stirring. He was thirsty. As he rolled over and cupped his hands for a drink, with eyes half open, he plunged them right... into... dry... dirt. The brook was no more. The body can only go about three days without water. Can you see his face today? "Lord I knew this would happen! You bring me out here in the middle of a drought and tell me a seasonal stream will last forever?! I'm thirsty and now I'm homeless... what am I gonna do?"
V.8 begins, "Then the word of the Lord came to him..." (PAUSE) God was there all along. Elijah's needs were not unknown to God. He was there. You and I have times where our provision dries up. Someone asks you to help them move: $40, A family you know needs a house-sitter: $100, Maybe you do a little catering here and there: $100 a month. But all those things end. They are temporary. The moving ends at 3pm Saturday afternoon, you turn over the keys of the house to their owners, and the catering company says, "We're sorry, but the economy has affected business. Call back next month." Don't be upset. Your God is more sovereign than those things. Don't live your Christian life like an Open Theist. They don't teach you that here. God knows the beginning and the end. God is personal. God is there and He'll provide. "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" Back to v. 8 "...the word of the Lord came to him, saying, 'Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and stay there; behold, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you."
Elijah stood and traveled 7 miles to a public road along the Mediterranean seashore where we find the city of Zarephath. As he traveled I wonder went through his mind. Was he thinking he'd been through this before. Was he asking God in the quietness of his seaside journey, "Lord, how long will this one last? She's a widow, you said, right? They're not known for the means of generosity. Lord I'm getting thirsty. What if she refuses? What if it only lasts a few days? I'm getting hungry." Or was Elijah moved to confidence in the Lord? He did provide for so long and He knew exactly when that brook would be empty. Elijah could've reasoned, "God had to have been there with me or I wouldn't even know to go to a widow right now." What was he thinking? Maybe we'll never know. What we do know is what happened next... He reached the city gate of Zarephath and he noticed a woman, dressed in black, picking up sticks. She had no servant to pick up the sticks and her son was too young to do that for her. But they needed to prepare the food so someone had to do it. Elijah thinks to himself, "Well, one widow is as good as any," and he says, "Can you please get me a jar of water that I may drink?" Always be polite. This wasn't a problem for her. They're along the Mediterranean Sea. But as she goes to fulfill his request he really pushes the envelope. "Can you also please bring me a piece of bread in your hand?" Widows were the first to run out of food during times of famine and drought. Imagine her reaction: "What did you say to me? You want what!? Do I look rich to you? I don't have any bread. I just have this handful of flour in a bowl and a little oil in the jar. I was picking up these sticks before you interrupted me so I could prepare what little I have for my son and I so we can eat... and... die. Alright? I don't have any bread." Her reaction was normal. A piece of bread was a tall order for a widow. But what do you say to that? Can you see Elijah looking up to heaven saying, "Now Lord you said you commanded this widow..? She must be in disobedience because this isn't working out. I need a little help here...." No he didn't he say that.
V.13... "Then Elijah said to her, "Do not fear; go, do as you have said, but make me a little bread cake from it first and bring it out to me, and afterward you may make one for yourself and for your son. 14"For thus says the LORD God of Israel, 'The bowl of flour shall not be exhausted, nor shall the jar of oil be empty, until the day that the LORD sends rain on the face of the earth.'" Elijah believes God and evokes His promise to provide for his needs, even extending this promise to the widow and her son... should she also believe. She does and the Bible says her house had food for MANY days. And it all happened according to just the way God said it would.
We see from this story that Elijah learned what we all need to learn...
Big Idea: When we trust God and do what He says in our times of drought, He shows Himself to be The Lord who provides. In our times of drought when we trust and obey God, He shows Himself to be our Jehovah Jireh, our provider.
Primary Applications: Some of you are sitting in a financial drought. You open your wallet and it nearly cracks in two for lack of moisture. We're nearing the end of the month. It's October 27th. You don't know if you'll even be here at this school next month if you can't find the money. About a year ago I wasn't sure how my meager job at the time was gonna get me through school. I was worried. I get an email from home saying, "Call your dad ASAP." I didn't know what that meant. Was something wrong? I called as I soon as I could only for my dad to remind me of a life insurance policy in my name. I'd forgotten it. I was older enough to cash it out: $3500 lump sum. The beginning of this semester I was wondering how I could possibly afford to come back in the Spring. I call my father to talk one night and he says, "I'm taking the money you needed out of my 401K to put into your school account." My dad is the only breadwinner in a home of five and I totaled one of our vehicles this past summer and he's giving me $3,000 from his 401K. My dad isn't even a Christian. God provides and sometimes from the least likely of places (seasonal streams of water, ravens, widows). You may that's great, but what if God doesn't provide? Then have the attitude of Daniel's friends who trusted God whether He protected them or not. Acknowledge God's ultimate control over your situation.
Some of you are in a romantic drought. Your love life is so dry it needs its' own brand of chapstick. Trust God. If He has placed that desire in your heart He'll provide. He knows who's best for you. He knows what you need when you need it. If I were talking to the single women of this campus I would say that God will provide for you as well, but it may not be from among the King Sauls who stand a head above the rest, but among the shepherd boys, the Davids, who seek after God's own heart. Some of you are experiencing ministerial drought. You're trying as best you can at PCM but people aren't growing. Seemingly no one is responding well. You counseled someone on your floor and they ignored your advice. Know that God is there in midst of those situations. We're so pragmatic aren't we? ...To think we always have to see the results. What if you don't see them, but someone else does? Trust the Lord. Remain faithful in doing what He's called you to do. (PAUSE)
John Waller wrote a song (you may have heard it in the movie, Fireproof). It's called While I'm Waiting. Tucked in the middle of the song is the attitude we all must have..
I will move ahead, bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience
While I'm waiting
I will serve You
While I'm waiting
I will worship
While I'm waiting
I will not faint
I'll be running the race
Even while I wait
God is training you and I for ministry... just He trained Elijah, to trust Him in times of drought. Will we trust Him?
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