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Light Of His Word The Sermons of Pastor Mike Walls Freedom Baptist Church Used By Permission Psalms 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. |
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Light Of His Word The Sermons of Pastor Mike Walls Freedom Baptist Church Used By Permission Psalms 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. |
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MOUNTAIN TOP EXPERIENCES IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
Part 4
1st
Kings 18:17-40
Introduction: Last time we looked at false prophets. I want to review quickly so we can actually see the challenge to the prophets. I will just give the main points of the previous points.
The characteristics of false prophets, preachers, and teachers are thus. Let me remind you that all that I said in this area was taken from the book of 2nd Peter chapter two. You might reread it to see these truths.
1. Privily bring in damnable heresies
2. Covetous
3. Immoral
4. Critical of godly teachers
5. Ignorant of God's Word
6. Very deceitful
7. Thrive on the weak
8. Make big promises
What are some of the areas that they deceive?
1. The Bible
2. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ
3. The virgin birth of Jesus Christ
4. Hell
5. Works for salvation
6. Majoring on feelings - not God's word
So
let’s move forward. But before we do, there is someone
missing at this event. The prophets of Astarte are
absent. The queen, Jezebel, at whose table they ate, has
overruled the summons of the king. There are four
hundred of these people and they are missing.
III. THE CHALLENGE TO THE PROPHETS IS EXTENDED.
“Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men. Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.”
He calls upon them to put their faith in their god on the line. He is basically telling them “It's show time.” He is basically telling them to put or shut up.
A. The Teams Vs. 22
“Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.”
Elijah is just one man against 450 men. Yet, he is willing to stand for God. Talk about courage. People talk about guts. Elijah got them. People talk about faith. He has learned the lessons of faith very well in these three years.
Many preachers need to call out the question- where are the Elijahs who will stand against everyone if need be, so they can stand with God? This is what is meant when we have to choose sides. Joshua 24:15
“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
We don’t need to fear the fact that we are outnumbered. God and me make a majority. Let us not waiver because it may appear that we stand-alone. If we stand with God, we are never alone. Matthew 28:20
“Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
Hebrew
“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”
The word “never” here is a double negative. Paul is basically telling us that the Lord will never and I repeat never leave us. In other words, that word “never” means none, nata, zip, absolutely no, no not all, no never could be. This is so good that it would make an Arab hug a Jew.
The Lord is ever there and He will see us through all the battles. One of the early examples of this is the account of David and Goliath in 1st Samuel chapter seventeen. He stood when everyone else cowered in fear. Because he stood, God wrought a great victory.
B. The Terms Vs. 23-24
“Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.”
Elijah lays out the challenge to the people and the prophets. They will offer a bull and pray. The God who answers by sending fire from Heaven will be worshiped as God. Of course, Elijah tells them that they are to put not "fire under" in verse twenty-three. History records that many pagan altars had a dug out underneath where a priest could hide and light a fire, making it look as though a pagan god was responding. This was just fine with the Baal prophets. After all, Baal was the god of life. He was a fertility god who was seen in the rain and in the sun. They felt that he was responsible for life. Of course, Baal hadn't been able to send rain for three and a half years, but surely he could send fire. You see, the worshipers of Baal believed that he could be seen in the great thunder heads that brought rain to the land, but they also thought he could be seen in the sun itself. When they looked into the sky and saw the bright, burning sun overhead, they felt that they were looking directly at Baal. This was a contest that they felt confident of winning. Did you know that our English word "bonfire" came from the Old Saxon word "Bael-fyr"? It is interesting. Satan would have given them fire if he had been permitted to do so. Job 1:9-12
“Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.”
Of course, there were some in the crowd who would remember that Jehovah had also spoken by fire in the past. They might have remembered the burning bush, the fire on the altar of the Temple, the pillar of fire in the wilderness, the fact that God had consumed a murmuring crowd with fire, or the fact that God's fire had lit the top of Mt. Sinai. Fire was the emblem of Jehovah, and the sign of His acceptance of His people's service. Either way, it seemed a fair challenge to the people and to the prophets of Baal.
In the New Testament it is repeated, "Our God is a consuming fire" in Hebrews 12:29 to consume the dross in the Christian, as gold is tried and purified in the fire.
C. The Tragedy Vs. 24
“And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.”
The
whole tragedy lies in the fact that the people are even
willing to consider that Baal might be real. After all
the things that God had done for them, how could they
stoop to the place where they would even consider a contest
of this nature? Imagine them expecting God to prove Himself
to them after all He had already done for them and their
nation.
Conclusion: Before we come down too harshly on these people, maybe we should admit that we are often guilty of the same things. When we allow life and all of its distractions crowd God out, we are as guilty as they are. When we come to the place where we wonder what God has to offer, then we are in bad shape. When we forget His blessings, His power, His grace and His goodness, we are in terrible shape spiritually. When we live lives that are substandard spiritually, we are guilty of asking God to prove Himself to us. When God has to compete with everything else in your life just to get a minute of your attention, let alone your faithful service, you are in sad shape spiritually. Do you see how it is possible to get in this position?
So let me end this with a short challenge on how to stay on fire for the Lord. There are four items that will keep us on fire for the Lord.
1. You need fire in order to stay on fire for the Lord. This should be a given. The coals need to be lit and you don’t lit coals without fire. It has to be heavenly fire and holy fire. Anything less is hellish fire.
2. You need fuel in order to stay on fire for the Lord. That fuel is the Word of God.
3. You need fanning in order to stay on fire for the Lord. Coals burn brightest when the wind is blowing over them or when someone fans them.
4. You need fellowship in order to stay on fire for the Lord. This is done when we come together as a church.
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