Just a Few Small Sticks

January 19, 2020 Speaker: Ted Detiveaux Series: All In

Topic: Willingness Scripture: 1 Kings 17:8– :16

Recap: Return to your first love, pay attention to the Details, Steward well Give well

Just a Few Small Sticks

History- Elijahwas a man of God, a prophetwho was sent to deliver a message to King Ahabfrom God.  King Ahab was a wickedman who reigned askingover Israel, God’s chosen people, from 869-850 B.C.Elijah tells the king that there will be a droughtwhich would eventually lead to a severe faminein the land.  This was the penalty for Israel’s sinswho was influenced by the leadershipof their King Ahab.

1 Kings 17:8

Then the word of the Lord came to him, Arise, goto Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwellthere. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” 

The reason the Word of the Lordcame to Elijah telling him to arise, was because the drought, which he had prophesied to the King, came to pass.  The waters of the brook named Cherithhad dried up.  In verse 3 God had Elijah to go to the brook called Cherith.  So why would God lead him to a place which He knew would dry up?

That is to keep Elijah relying on Godas his provider so that he would not trust in any other thing. While he was at the brook Cherith, God had fed him with ravens.  While ravens will eat seeds and grain, most of their diet is made up of meat.  Being that Elijah was near the brook, it is assumed by some scholars that Elijah had fishto eat during his stay in Cherith.

But now God is moving Elijah on.  God tells him that a widowwill take care of him.  Someone who was broken and poordue to the loss of her husbandwill be the one to provide for his needs. 

I don’t know about you, but if I was in a situationin which I had no food, water, or shelter, my first thought would not be to go to someone who is poorerthan me for help. 

Isaiah 55:8-9

8For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

This was a test for Elijah.  Could God providefor his needs through a poor widow?

But not just any widow, one who belongs to Sidon.  Sidon was outsideof the boundaries of Israel.  The Sidonians did not have any dealings with the Israelites.  They were considered outsidersby the Israelites. There were many widows in Israel, who would have gladly welcomed Elijah, why Sidon?

It is said by bible scholars, that Sidon is the place where Jezebel was from.  Who was she? She was King Ahab’s wifewho influencedhim along with all of Israel to worship the false god Baal.  It was because of Israel’s idolatrythat there was a drought hence a famine.  Sin always has consequences.

God was sending Elijah to the rootof the problem. 

God would provide Elijah with food and shelterin the country of his biggest enemy.  Because God is committedto that which He has called you to.  He will be your sheltereven when facing your greatest adversary.  

10 So he arose and went to Zarephath.

With all things considered, Elijah obeyed the Lordand went to Zarephath. He probably did not understandthe reasoning, nonetheless he was obedient.

It would benefit us greatly if we learned to trust the voiceof the Lord the way that Elijah did.

 And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.” 

Apparently, God had led Elijahto the right widow, as Elijah makes the gutsiestmove a man can make.  He asked the poor widow for a little water.  She would be the one needing to askfor alms. Water was scarcebecause of the droughtand Elijahhas the nerveto ask this poor woman for a drink of water without offering her anythingin return. If that wasn’t bold enough watch what he asks for next:

11 And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” 

Elijah was a stranger to this woman, and yet he asks her not only for water, but also that she would make him some bread. How nervy of Elijahto do so.  Do you know anyone like that?  You go out of yourway to help someoneand they are not satisfiedwith what you provided so they ask you for more. 

(example of wedding collection)

12 And she said, “As the Lord your God lives,

First off, she did not know Godfor herself, otherwise she would have not said your God but our God.

I believe another main reason for Elijah coming to this poorwidow was not only to confront Jezebeland the prophets of Baal, but also so that this poor widowfrom Zarephath would come to know the LordGod for herself. 

That is just like God to bypassthe ones who think they are something greatin own eyes and reach out to those who may feel like they have nothingto offer like this poor widow. Elijah was hatedand driven outby his fellow Israelites. But a gentile womanwould show him kindness and welcomehim into her home. 

I have nothingbaked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.”

Her response is to be expectedfor the situation she was in. After all she had nothing. She was preparing for her deathand the death of her sonas well.  It appeared that all hope was gone, this was the end.  In her eyes she had nothing to offeras she only had a little flour, a little oil,a couple of sticksfor a small fire.  In her eyeswhat she had was insignificant, she felt useless and washed up.  

It seemed too big of a request for Elijahto demand of her a morsel of breadas that was all she had.

If we are not careful, we can easily fall into that same mentality. We might look at what God is asking usto doand it just seems like its too muchto ask of us.  We look at ourresourcesand say its too little.  We look at our abilitiesand say its too insignificant, it’s just too little.  We compare our spiritualwalk with others and conclude that our faith is just a small fire. 

But was the man of Godasking her to give him somethingthat she did not have? Is God asking youto give Him that which you do not have?

  • She might have had a little flour,but it was flour, nonetheless.
  • She might have had a little oil, but it was oil, nonetheless.
  • She might have had a few small sticksfor a fire, but every great fire startswith just a few sticks.

Instead of waiting for God to give you more, why don’t you start using what He already gave you, and use it for His glory.

 13 And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. 14 For thus says the Lord,

Know this, you can stand on the word of the Lord.  If He said it, then it will happen.

the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain upon the earth.’” 15 And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days. 16 The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah.

As difficultas it was, thiswidow obeyedthe word of the Lord and did as the prophet commanded.  As she gave to Godthe first part, God blessedthe rest. 

She was able and willing to use the littlethat she did have to put God first by servingthe man of God. As a result, God multipliedwhat she had so that she did not lack. As she baked with the flour, even moreflourwas added to her.  As she poured out the oil, even more oilbegan to fill the jar. 

She played a major partin bringing about God’s plan to rid Israelof their idolatry.  If she had not usedwhat she had and believed God, then Elijahwould not have what he neededto accomplish that which God called him to do. 

Many of you feel like you have nothing to offer.  You have a little talent, a little knowledge, little resources, a little thisa little that.  If you are willing to use the littlethat He has given you only then He will bless youwith even greater.  As you pour out, He will fill you back up. 

But if you hoardthat which is seemingly insignificantand do nothingwith the little that He has given, then He will not blessyou nor multiply you.

Which leads us to our main idea this morning.

Here at Hope Community Church, there are many waysin which you can take the “few small sticks” that you do haveand use for the glory of God.  We believe as you begin to do so, those few small sticks will become a wildfire that will burn brightfor the Kingdom of God.  But it all starts with a “few small sticks.”

 

 

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