Sermon Series: Mother’s Day

Sermon Title: Rise Up O Wo(man) of God 

1 Kings 17:8-16

Elijah had previously declared that there would be a famine in the land because Israel had sinned by intermarryingwith people who turned them away from worshipping the God of Israel to worshipping their false gods.  So, the famine in the land is a punishment from God for the sins of His people.  But even in His judgement we find His mercy.  Because He could have just spoken a word and their lives would have ended.

 

Though Israel had a king who is described in the previous chapter as:

 

1 Kings 16:30

³⁰ And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him. 

 

The Lord raised up a man who was more righteous than Ahab was evil.  This man is the prophet Elijah.  God always has a plan to overcome the evil that is in this world.  Elijah was God’s plan as he boldly declared the word of the Lord without any reservation to King Ahab.

 

The story today takes place in Zarephath. About a mile off the coast and between Tyre and Sidon.

 

Zarephath - a workshop for the refining and smelting of metals" (Picture of Zarephath) (gentile city)

 

The Widow of Zarephath

 

⁸ Then the word of the Lord came to him, ⁹ “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” ¹⁰ So he arose and went to Zarephath. 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.” 

 

A few observations about this widow in Zarephath:

• First, she was a woman, there was no confusion about her identity. (the devil is author of confusion)
• She was a widow who had lost her husband.
• She was not only a mother but a single mother of one son.
• She was gathering sticks to make a fire to cook on, implying she was industrious with her hands.
• Not only was she industrious but also very resourceful. Though she was poor, she had learned to make the best use of what was available to her.
• She was responsible for the well-being of not only herself but also her son.
• Yet she demonstrates immense kindness toward Elijah by giving him a drink of water, at a time when water was scarce.

 

Up to this point it seemed like she held it together pretty good as most of you mothers do.  On this Mother’s Day we take time to recognize the struggle that you women face as mothers.  Difficulties of a mother:

            Burden falls on you to care for the kids,

                        Providing meals

                        Cleaning

                        Washing clothes

                        Homework

                        After school activities

You may have added things that bring about even more stress: 

            Financial problems

            Ungrateful spouse

            You may be a single mom trying to do it all by yourself

            You may have lost a mother and no longer have her wisdom to glean from.

           

You may even feel like what you do doesn’t matter.

 

These and more contribute to weariness and exhaustion as it is very demanding on your part. Yet it is expected that you do it with a smile on your face and love in your heart every day.

 

Because even when it gets hard, there is never a time when you can quit mothering.  Your family is depending on you.  But let’s face it there are times when you reach your breaking point.  Such is the case with the widow of Zarephath.

 

¹¹ And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” ¹² And she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, 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.” 

 

That was it, that was the last straw.  It was too much for her to handle.  She lost it.  Her heart was big as she wanted to help the man of God but her resources were lacking.  “I have nothing baked,” “This is all I have is a handful of flour and a little oil.” She had lost all hope.  She had accepted the fact that her death and the death of her son was imminent. 

 

Have you ever been there? 

• God I’m out of options,
• It’s too hard God,
• I have nothing else to offer,
• I’ve tried, I failed, (she might have felt that she failed as a mother)
• I’m broken God.
• Fragments are what remain of my life.

 

Perhaps you’re thinking that it was very selfish of Elijah to ask the widow for bread which was meant to feed her and her son.  (Typical selfish guy always thinking about himself, right?)

 

But before we make any slanderous accusations against Elijah, let’s remember who sent Him to the widow in the first place.  God had sent him.  Why did He send Elijah? 

 

The answer to this question really demonstrates your view of who God is. 

Because if you believe that God would send Elijah to this widow simply to make her condition even more unbearable than what it already was by taking the bread that belonged to her and her son, then you have a misconstrued view of who God is. 

 

If you think that God is trying to destroy your life then you don’t know Him and you need a different perspective of who He is.

 

But if you believe that God is a good God, and though he may allow the righteous to be tested at times with adversity, His plan is always for their good. If you can say like David

 

Psalms 37:25

 

I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.

 

Only then will you have a proper perspective of who God is. 

 

Elijah was not sent to be a burden to the widow, God had sent him to be a blessing to her and to sustain her during this awful time of drought and famine.  In doing so, he too would have his needs provided for.

 

• Just when you think that it is over, it’s not. God has a plan!
• Just when your strength has run out and you have grown weary, He is Jehovah Nissi (the LORD is your banner - Your victory, He is a mighty warrior who fights on your behalf)
• Just when your resources have hit rock bottom, He is Jehovah Jireh your provider.
• When you feel like you are all alone in this thing (He is Jehovah Shammah – the Lord is there)

 

¹³ And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said.

 

By divine inspiration, Elijah tells the widow to not fear.  What a proper diagnosis!  Fear was the issue.   Because of fear the widow did not at this time see God’s provision, she only saw her desperate situation.

• Fear will keep you looking at everything you don’t have, instead of trusting in all who God is.

 

 

Psalms 50:10-12

¹⁰ For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills.
¹¹ I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine.

¹² “If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine.

 

• Fear prevents you from moving in faith and trusting in God. You may be in a season of fear, but you must not stay there.

 

Rise Up!  Or as the prophet Elijah says “Go and do.”  There’s an action required on your part.

• Continue to be industrious and resourceful by gathering the wood for the fire to cook a meal for your son.
• Continue to make the best use of the resources that have been entrusted to you
• Continue to work that ability that God has given you to mother your children.

 

^13b But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. 

 

But first make me a cake.  Meaning give to the Lord what belongs to the Lord, first.  Honor Him first.  Even if it’s a sacrifice of praise.  Though Elijah was not the Lord, he was his servant. 

 

Matthew 6:31-33

 

³¹ Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. ³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

 

Because the widow gave to Elijah out of the little that she did have, God was about to give to her abundantly what she could not even ask for.

 

¹⁴ For thus says the Lord, 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.

 

The Power of God worked a continual miracle for the widow.

 

The Jar of flour shall not be spent

            Jar (kaḏ) of earthenware; a jar for domestic purposes

            Spent - complete, at an end, finished, accomplished, spent 

 

Though the widow felt like she was at her end, finished, spent, the miracle that the Lord would work in her life would be a continual miracle in which the flour would not be spent.  Meaning that which is meant to sustain her (mainly the flour or bread) would not run out. 

 

We see several references in the bible in which God provided continual bread for His people.

 

• God provided for the Israelites on their journey from Egypt to the promised land by raining down manna(fresh bread) from heaven each day. It was a continual   
• In the New Testament Jesus provides for the multitude on two separate occasions by multiplying the fish and the bread for the people to eat. It too was a continual miracle
• What about our story today with the prophet Elijah, before he went to the widow of Zarephath God brought him to the brook called Cherith and there He fed him bread and meat through ravens. It was a continual

 

The idea is that we are the “jars” or the earthen vessels and the Lord is the bread who sustains you.  He alone can sustain you continuously. 

           

John 6:51

 

 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

 

He gave up His life so that you can by faith receive of the “bread that produces and sustains life.”

 

Matthew 11:28-30

 

²⁸ Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.²⁹ Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

 

The Jug of oil shall not be empty

Jug (ṣapaḥaṯ)

 

The jug of oil is different than the jar of flour.  The jug must be made in such a way to hold liquids in this case it must be able to contain oil. 

 

Oil was often made by crushing olives.  One tree could produce between 10-15 gallons of oil.  Oil had a variety of uses in those days,

• Cooking
• Lighting Lamps
• Massage Oils
• Perfumes
• Cosmetics
• Probably its most significant use was in the ceremonial use as it was used to anoint an individual to become either a priest or king.

 

For our story today we know the oil was used with the flour to make bread.  Just as the bread points to Jesus so does the oil.

 

Isaiah 53:5

 

But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.

As Olives are crushed for its oil Jesus was crushed for His blood to bring our freedom and our healing.  As the oil is used in anointing kings and priest, Jesus is our high priest, and our king forever.

 

How significant it was that neither the bread nor the oil would run dry because a widow, a gentile woman, was willing to honor God first in her life, by giving to Elijah that which was so dear to her.      

 

She was broken and desperate but willing to trust in God.

She was hungry but was provided for by the Master.

She was bound by fear and worry but was liberated by the merciful hand of God.

Everything took place that Elijah had spoken according to the Word of the Lord.

 

Psalms 37:18-19

 

¹⁸ The Lord knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will remain forever;

¹⁹ they are not put to shame in evil times; in the days of famine they have abundance.

 

The Lord sees it all, He is not blind that He cannot see, nor is He deaf that He cannot hear. 

 

He is El Roi- the God who sees (Genesis 16 Hagar)

 

The Lord heard the prayers of Hagar, and was compassionate toward her in her distress.

 

Though you may be surrounded by darkness, there is no shame to those who are blood washed believers. 

 

• As you walk blameless before Him, He promises you a godly heritage. Believe that this morning. 
• What you do matters as a Christian, God fearing, God Honoring mother, you’re leaving a legacy. Keep mothering.
• There is the promise that you will have an abundance in the days of famine.

 

My prayer is that you would heed the instructions of the Lord.  Though it may be costly (mothering is costly) be willing to:

• honor the Lord with the increase of your life and watch God sustain with the bread of life.
• Trust Him with your fears and anxieties, and He will bring about freedom that only He can.
• Know that He is your bread, the sustainer of your life
• Know that He is the oil, Your King and your Priest
• Know that He is the God who sees “El Roi”

 

So in the words of Elijah “Go and do” or to put another way “Rise Up O Woman of God.”

 

Proverbs 31:25 (NIV)

 

She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come