GOD USES LITTLE THINGS!: A Handful of Flour and Some Oil 9-29-24
INTRODUCTION
"The world does not need sermons; it needs a message. You can go to Bible college and learn how to preach sermons, but you will have to go to God to get messages."
Oswald J. Smith
Dust, staff, jawbone, 5 small stones and a young man
The word, impossible
“Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.” Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there.” So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.
Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. Then the word of the Lord came to him: “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.” So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.” “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.” Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’ ” She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.
Some time later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing. She said to Elijah, “What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?” “Give me your son,” Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed. Then he cried out to the Lord, “ Lord my God, have you brought tragedy even on this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?” Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried out to the Lord, “ Lord my God, let this boy’s life return to him!” The Lord heard Elijah’s cry, and the boy’s life returned to him, and he lived. Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, “Look, your son is alive!” Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth.””
1 Kings 17:1-24 NIV
I. PROBLEM - NOT ENOUGH
“Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land.”
1 Kings 17:7 NIV
Have you ever been in need? Have you ever thought your need was too great for God to meet?
A. We have real needs.
B. Elijah had real needs.
1. Elijah was in need.
a. God had sent him into the wilderness with no supplies.
b. God's supplies ran out.
2. Woman was ready to die.
a. She had given up.
b. She thought she knew what the outcome would be.
3. God has a plan.
II. SOLUTION - God’s Provision
“Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’ ” She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.”
1 Kings 17:13-16 NIV
A. God supplied Elijah’s needs.
1. Elijah had a need.
a. God met it with ravens and a stream.
b. God met it with a woman's small provisions.
John Brentz, a friend of Luther, and one of the stalwarts of the Reformation, incurred the hatred of Charles V who made many attempts to kill the minister. Hearing that a troop of Spanish cavalry was on the way to arrest him, he cast himself upon God in prayer. At once the guidance came: "Take a loaf of bread and go into the upper town and where thou findest a door open, enter and hide thyself under the roof."
He acted accordingly, found the only open door, and hid himself in the loft. For fourteen days he laid there while the search continued. The one loaf of bread would have been insufficient, but day by day, a hen came up to the garret, and laid an egg without cackling. The fifteenth day it did not come, but John Brentz heard the people in the street say, "They are gone at last," and he came out.
Sunday School Times
2. Elijah's need becomes the woman and her son's salvation.
a. The woman and son had food to live.
1. They had enough when they gave what they had away.
2. God doesn't ask us for permission.
“Some time later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing. She said to Elijah, “What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?””
1 Kings 17:17-18 NIV
In a certain area of Mexico, there are hot springs & cold springs found side by side. And, because of this convenience and natural miracle, the local women would often bring their laundry, boil their clothes in the hot springs, & rinse them in the cold springs. A tourist watching this procedure commented to his Mexican guide: "They must thank God for generously supplying such abundance of clean hot & cold water."
The guide replied, "The people are not grateful. There is much grumbling, because God forgot to supply the soap”
Rev. Duraimony Dickon, Sermon Central, January 11, 2021.
b. The prophet brought the son back from the dead.
““Give me your son,” Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed. Then he cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, have you brought tragedy even on this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?” Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, let this boy’s life return to him!” The Lord heard Elijah’s cry, and the boy’s life returned to him, and he lived. Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, “Look, your son is alive!””
1 Kings 17:19-23 NIV
YOU NEED SOMEONE, SOMEONE NEEDS YOU
A rooster minus a hen equals no baby chicks.
Kellogg’s minus a farmer equals no corn flakes.
If the nail factory closes what good is the hammer factory?
Beethoven’s genius wouldn't have amounted to much if the piano tuner hadn't showed up.
A cracker maker will do better if there's a cheese-maker.
The mort skilful surgeon needs the ambulance driver who delivers the patient.
Just as Rogers needed Hammerstein, you need someone and someone needs you!
Gordon Curley, Sermon Central, September 16, 2011.
B. God will supply your needs.
“Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth.””
1 Kings 17:24 NIV
Has God ever met your needs in ways you could not have imagined?
III. SYNOPSIS
A. We have real needs.
B. God will supply our needs.
C. We may not have much, but He has more than enough.
D. Your need will never be bigger than God’s supply.
POTATO PROVISION
I remember just a few years ago when we lived in Poland as missionaries. We were struggling so much financially. The dollar had plunged in value and we lost about 1/3 of the value of our money and were wondering if we would have to return back to the States. So we were praying for God’s provision.
A small example of how God began to answer that took place just a few days later. In Poland during the potato harvest in the fall, they deliver huge bags of potatoes to homes as a staple food for the winter. One day, one of the trucks lost a bag and it spilled out over the gravel road next to our house. We weren’t starving, but some of those potatoes provided for our evening meal thanks to the Lord’s provision.
Tim Hinrichs, Sermon Central, April 20, 2011.
How can we see God do amazing things and then forget He can do amazing things. The widow, her son, and Elijah ate because of God’s provision. How could she forget that when her son fell ill?
Do you have a need that you believe is too big for God to handle?
CONCLUSION
We find ourselves in situations where we just don’t have enough. God’s provision can fill our need. Do you trust that God can care for you?
I glanced at the bird feeder and smiled. I could understand Jesus noticing if an eagle or falcon or hawk fell to the ground. Those are the important birds He created, the kind worth attending to. But a scrappy sparrow? They're a dime a dozen—Jesus said so Himself.
Yet from thousands of bird species, the Lord chose the most insignificant, least-noticed, scruffiest bird of all. A pint-sized thing that even dedicated bird-watchers ignore.
That thought alone calmed my fears. I felt significant and noticed. Because if God takes note of each humble sparrow—who they are, where they are, and what they are doing—I know He keeps tabs on me. (cf: Matthew 10:29-31)
Joni Eareckson Tada
INVITATION
It is our custom to offer an "invitation" following the preaching of the Word. You may want to follow Jesus. You may want to proclaim your faith. You may want to repent (stop doing ungodly things and start doing Godly things). Perhaps you want to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Possibly, if you have already responded to God’s call in these ways, you would like to become a member of Kenwood Church. If you have been moved by the Holy Spirit to make a decision in your life, you can come forward now. If you would like, I would be honored to speak with you following the service about what God is doing in your life
No comments:
Post a Comment