WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.280 where do you place your hope it's what it's about it's about Elijah and despair where do you place 00:00:07.280 --> 00:00:14.900 your hope as a people of God as an individual my hope it says is in the name of the Lord my hope 00:00:14.900 --> 00:00:20.240 is in the name of the Lord but what does that actually mean because that's a powerful voice 00:00:20.240 --> 00:00:26.420 and that's a powerful sense that we want in our lives but what does it mean in reality and I pray 00:00:26.420 --> 00:00:31.760 this morning that the story of Elijah for you if you feel as though you've been standing alone in 00:00:31.760 --> 00:00:40.040 this situation I pray this story this morning will bring you hope because it is a true story of hope 00:00:40.040 --> 00:00:49.120 over despair because Elijah had followed the succession of ungodly kings my goodness had 00:00:49.120 --> 00:00:54.000 they been a group of kings there had been one after the other and it seemed as though each one came 00:00:54.000 --> 00:01:00.560 got worse than the one before it is sort of accumulated and the Bible says that this King 00:01:00.560 --> 00:01:07.379 Ahab did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than all the ones that had gone before him do you get the 00:01:07.379 --> 00:01:16.280 picture and then adding into that he marries this woman called Jezebel who probably was just as bad 00:01:16.280 --> 00:01:26.060 as he was it was a marriage made in hell for the people because it got worse and worse and into this 00:01:26.060 --> 00:01:35.640 Jezebel also decided that she would worship the gods of Baal these fertility gods and gods or whatever 00:01:35.640 --> 00:01:43.480 so she brought 450 of her prophets with her and then another 400 prophets that served the goddess 00:01:43.480 --> 00:01:51.640 asherah so I can see a bit of a sort of kingdom growing here that isn't too good 00:01:51.640 --> 00:02:00.960 maybe you feel that you live in those times of where wherever you look things seem to be getting worse 00:02:00.960 --> 00:02:08.460 and worse and worse and what do we do about it Elijah a great man of God 00:02:08.460 --> 00:02:16.600 feels that his message is falling on deaf ears not only has he been challenged but what happens with 00:02:16.600 --> 00:02:23.659 all the followers of God the one true God at that time they all get together they cluster around Elijah 00:02:23.659 --> 00:02:36.319 no they don't they disappear and Elijah is left alone to stand in that place to deliver this message 00:02:36.319 --> 00:02:39.379 of God's hope God's hope God 00:02:39.379 --> 00:02:44.060 Elijah actually means Yahweh God is my God 00:02:44.060 --> 00:02:50.579 nothing better than a statement for that is it you know what's your name Elijah God is my God well we 00:02:50.579 --> 00:02:57.120 know where you're coming from that's great there is no hiding and I thought here we're just 00:02:57.120 --> 00:03:03.299 setting up for the big fight aren't we really I wanted a bit of rocky music for this bit in the sermon 00:03:03.300 --> 00:03:13.100 and comes out this is the big ticket because Elijah is about to confront everybody else he is about to 00:03:13.100 --> 00:03:17.460 confront the establishment and there's going to be a bit of a showdown 00:03:17.460 --> 00:03:25.860 just to catch up bell worship was to do with crops so all the people quite rightly they felt oh well we'll 00:03:25.860 --> 00:03:33.880 follow these gods who give us rain and stuff like that so we're okay it's what we want it's what we do 00:03:33.880 --> 00:03:39.000 but it wasn't and uh here we've got 00:03:39.000 --> 00:03:48.420 Elijah is called to King Ahab and he says to him look basically this is my translation here 00:03:48.419 --> 00:03:54.219 if you don't get a grip if you don't get a grip on this nation if you don't follow the one true God 00:03:54.219 --> 00:04:02.119 if you basically don't get a grip on your wife and what she's doing then actually what I'm going to do 00:04:02.119 --> 00:04:11.759 is uh the Lord your God is going to withhold rain and he won't turn the tap on until I ask him to do that 00:04:11.759 --> 00:04:24.000 what a big call what a big call what a courageous call to stand for God to go and say I am not going 00:04:24.000 --> 00:04:30.860 to put up with this anymore the Lord your God I can buy into everything else but I refuse to buy into 00:04:30.860 --> 00:04:37.039 this and whatever the Lord refutes to buy into this and there needs to be a change 00:04:37.040 --> 00:04:53.040 three years later three years later how stubborn can you get the people wouldn't listen there was 00:04:53.040 --> 00:05:01.200 drought there was famine and here is Elijah goes back three years later and three years later here 00:05:01.199 --> 00:05:09.399 is the showdown so he went to meet with Ahab Elijah said and he says to him is that you you troubler 00:05:09.399 --> 00:05:15.839 oh yeah oh I'm the one that's causing the problem am I I'm the one that's getting in the way 00:05:15.839 --> 00:05:25.819 and he says that's okay gather all your 450 prophets bring the other 400 as well and we'll have a showdown 00:05:25.819 --> 00:05:33.079 on Mount Carmel how do you fancy that and they think well yeah this is it we'll get rid of Elijah 00:05:33.079 --> 00:05:41.939 once and for all and this is what happens you see you see there's going to be this big showdown 00:05:41.939 --> 00:05:50.060 and you're either people I want to ask you this morning either you're all in or you're all out 00:05:50.060 --> 00:05:58.180 there is no halfway and I think I lived my life as a Christian for many years as a half-eight Christian 00:05:58.180 --> 00:06:04.840 I was one foot in I could sit on the fence with everybody else I could buy into everything else 00:06:04.840 --> 00:06:12.500 but I wasn't two feet in we've just come back from a CVM men's weekend away where there were 69 men 00:06:12.500 --> 00:06:20.800 gave their lives to Christ and one woman at a men's weekend she had come as a carer for one of the 00:06:20.800 --> 00:06:28.079 people that she was looking after and we we were there on that night and she was there all these people 00:06:28.079 --> 00:06:35.779 went down gave their lives to the Lord and most of those had been brought by other Christians they'd 00:06:35.779 --> 00:06:43.599 been brought along and then she came walking down and gave her life as well in amongst two two and a 00:06:43.599 --> 00:06:52.559 half thousand men how brave is that you see either you are all in or all out there is no sitting on the 00:06:52.559 --> 00:06:59.559 fence there is no observing we are both feet in and here I've met so many Christians who have one foot in 00:06:59.560 --> 00:07:11.319 or worse do not commit here's the challenge from scripture how long will you waver between two 00:07:11.319 --> 00:07:19.959 opinions says Elijah how long will you waver between the two if the Lord is God follow him but if Baal is 00:07:19.959 --> 00:07:32.399 God follow him but the people did nothing so what he does he does this showdown and he says that's okay 00:07:32.399 --> 00:07:39.639 bring all your people carve up your ox or whatever you're going to sacrifice and you do that on the 00:07:39.639 --> 00:07:46.839 altar but the call is is you call down fire from heaven from your God and set it on fire 00:07:46.839 --> 00:07:52.939 so they do and all the prophets of Baal they're dancing around they're cutting themselves with 00:07:52.939 --> 00:07:59.259 swords they do all of this and what I love in scripture is in between all of this Elijah speaks 00:07:59.259 --> 00:08:05.779 into us you see because there is a choice time there is a choice either you live with hope 00:08:05.779 --> 00:08:13.659 or you live with despair and Elijah wasn't going to live with despair he wasn't going to live with 00:08:13.660 --> 00:08:19.140 despair for the people because he had a heart for the people his heart was with the people we heard 00:08:19.140 --> 00:08:24.260 that in our testimony this morning we've heard that in our hearts this morning we have a heart for the 00:08:24.260 --> 00:08:30.840 people that we are called to reach and so we do something do you stand do you call on the name of the 00:08:30.840 --> 00:08:37.340 Lord do you call on the name of the Lord in those sense in those times when he has to make a difference 00:08:37.340 --> 00:08:46.040 and bring hope because that's what we live in you see I'm gonna I'm all in I'm all in 00:08:46.040 --> 00:08:55.320 and Elijah was all in I want to bring hope to a people I don't want to just see them carry on in this 00:08:55.320 --> 00:09:04.320 way in this life we want to bring hope into people who have despair and I don't know about you I talk to 00:09:04.320 --> 00:09:11.520 people as you do and I just sense there's a lack of hope around at the moment but there's a lot of 00:09:11.520 --> 00:09:21.600 despair I believe that we're called to be bringers of hope so what happens everybody comes it's the big 00:09:21.600 --> 00:09:28.660 ticket it's the big ticket event it's even bigger than Ed Sheeran you know this is the big ticket event 00:09:28.659 --> 00:09:35.319 they've all come what's going to happen on Mount Carmel so all the prophets of Baal they've cut 00:09:35.319 --> 00:09:41.240 themselves whatever nothing happens and what I love is Elijah just leans over and says shout louder 00:09:41.240 --> 00:09:48.740 why don't you just shout louder for your God they must be on holiday what's all that about nothing 00:09:48.740 --> 00:10:00.720 happens and then Elijah said to the people come here to me come here to me and with that he says 00:10:00.720 --> 00:10:06.960 I don't want to make this easy just there's four big pitchers of water over there just pour it on this 00:10:06.960 --> 00:10:12.779 thing I don't want anybody to be in any doubt so they do that once and they said no actually let's do 00:10:12.779 --> 00:10:20.259 it again and let's do it again let's let nobody be in any doubt about this God of hope that I'm talking 00:10:20.259 --> 00:10:25.679 to you about and so he does that he calls fire down from heaven and it burns up 00:10:25.679 --> 00:10:40.419 the people fell prostrate and said the Lord he is God and a nation came to know the one true Lord 00:10:40.419 --> 00:10:50.459 can you imagine that moment can you imagine seeing your friends and your family those that we meet with 00:10:50.459 --> 00:10:52.240 those that we work with coming to Christ 00:10:52.240 --> 00:11:01.519 then a cloud as small as a man hand rises from the sea and then it starts to rain 00:11:01.519 --> 00:11:05.199 that's just awesome isn't it 00:11:05.200 --> 00:11:13.020 well Elijah can now retire he can write books he can go on premier Christian radio 00:11:13.020 --> 00:11:20.940 he can appear at spring harvest he can do book signings he's made Elijah is the man 00:11:20.940 --> 00:11:28.800 and then one thing comes Jezebel says to him I'm going to kill you 00:11:28.799 --> 00:11:39.099 what would you do we mighty people of God we've just seen the Lord do amazing things 00:11:39.099 --> 00:11:52.339 what does Elijah do he runs he runs in despair a hundred miles in fact he runs again and again and again 00:11:52.340 --> 00:11:58.580 and where it ends is that he is found lying under a broom bush 00:11:58.580 --> 00:12:06.500 and he says this is life for God's purposes and his power this is the game changer 00:12:06.500 --> 00:12:11.560 a hundred miles later he lies under this bush and says take my life 00:12:11.560 --> 00:12:20.780 what brings a mighty people a mighty person of God within just a day or so to that point 00:12:20.779 --> 00:12:24.339 and I would suggest that we know that place 00:12:24.339 --> 00:12:32.259 that we know that place is people of God who have given our lives who have served who have done amazing 00:12:32.259 --> 00:12:38.539 things and seen God do amazing things and we have come to that point where there's one thing that 00:12:38.539 --> 00:12:46.699 happens that suddenly knocks our faith puts us into despair and makes us run this is encouragement 00:12:46.700 --> 00:12:59.379 because what did the angel bring the angel brought cake it says he fed Elijah at that point 00:12:59.379 --> 00:13:07.259 you know I want to give you hope because I want us to realize that we are human 00:13:07.259 --> 00:13:15.159 nudged the person next to them and said you're human it's okay you're human we are human 00:13:15.159 --> 00:13:23.600 and we meet that point sometimes where something will happen and we get burnt out 00:13:23.600 --> 00:13:29.419 Elijah has given three years three years of drought he's done all of this he's done that great thing on 00:13:29.419 --> 00:13:35.779 Mike Carmel he is human and he's done the amazing thing and then the one thing that catches him 00:13:35.779 --> 00:13:44.059 is he realizes that his gauge of fuel is nearly on empty and then comes the one thing that breaks in 00:13:44.059 --> 00:13:57.059 and causes him despair and he runs be encouraged because we all meet that point mighty people of God 00:13:57.059 --> 00:14:07.000 we have all been there what do we do we do the encouragement here first of all the physical 00:14:07.000 --> 00:14:14.439 what does God do for Elijah he builds him up physically he builds him up again he's been at his end he's been 00:14:14.439 --> 00:14:20.000 part of the drought he's been part of the famine what does God do God builds him up again for any of us 00:14:20.000 --> 00:14:24.580 that's been in that place what's the first well not me personally I just eat when I'm stressed but 00:14:24.580 --> 00:14:31.980 some people just stop eating for me you know he fed him and he builds him back up what was the next 00:14:31.980 --> 00:14:39.320 thing he needs to do he gets fed so that he can build up then the emotional and the spiritual and then 00:14:39.320 --> 00:14:48.840 the emotional and the spiritual comes and Elijah is restored and renewed the Lord brings hope in the 00:14:48.840 --> 00:14:53.640 place where Elijah was and if you are there this morning if you're listening on a podcast if you're 00:14:53.640 --> 00:15:00.160 listening wherever you are be encouraged because the Lord won't take us as mighty people of God and 00:15:00.160 --> 00:15:06.540 leave us in despair he will bring hope and may will be that some of us will be bringers of hope to other 00:15:06.539 --> 00:15:15.299 people bringers of hope in that place because 40 days he walks to Horeb and then the Lord says to him 00:15:15.299 --> 00:15:23.159 where are you Elijah where are you and I don't think that's about a location I don't think that's on 00:15:23.159 --> 00:15:29.279 Elijah's sat nav the Lord knows where he is but he says where are you because let's have a real 00:15:29.279 --> 00:15:36.459 relationship here this is about relational this is personal where are you be honest with me 00:15:36.460 --> 00:15:42.540 be honest with yourself and let's get back to that place where you need to be because I can do that 00:15:42.540 --> 00:15:47.860 and I don't know where you are at the moment but if God asked you where are you 00:15:47.860 --> 00:15:57.420 what would your reply be to God honestly because that's what it's about maybe Lord I'm two feet out 00:15:57.420 --> 00:16:03.639 at the moment but I want to be two feet back in maybe I was two feet back in years back maybe I've 00:16:03.639 --> 00:16:09.159 lived my Christian life as only one foot in maybe I've lived my life of just acknowledging God but 00:16:09.159 --> 00:16:14.179 never actually being open enough or think I can be open enough to have a personal relationship 00:16:14.179 --> 00:16:22.819 so I want to be all in and so spiritually Horeb was an opportunity for a fresh revelation 00:16:22.819 --> 00:16:29.960 and that's where he was I don't know what your Horeb is where is your place for a fresh revelation of God 00:16:29.960 --> 00:16:39.000 to say I'm all back in again I'm two feet in you see Elijah already knew the power of God 00:16:39.000 --> 00:16:45.200 and so we get this thing of the mountain it comes back the thunder and the lightning do you know what 00:16:45.200 --> 00:16:52.420 he'd seen all of that he'd seen the fire come down from heaven he'd seen the power of God come down he'd seen 00:16:52.420 --> 00:16:59.519 fire come from nowhere into anything he'd seen that he doesn't need to see that again maybe many of us 00:16:59.519 --> 00:17:04.599 don't need to see that again we've seen the power of God we've seen lives changed we've seen people 00:17:04.599 --> 00:17:12.940 change we've been seen people transformed and the love of God and that's been great but what does God 00:17:12.940 --> 00:17:24.519 do God says after the fire comes a gentle whisper and then Elijah stood at the mouth of the cave and he 00:17:24.519 --> 00:17:34.859 went out and in the presence of God in the stillness and in the quietness the Lord spoke and said 00:17:34.859 --> 00:17:41.200 where are you Elijah where are you 00:17:41.200 --> 00:17:48.079 maybe for us this morning it's that still small voice 00:17:48.079 --> 00:17:51.460 this says to us where are you 00:17:51.460 --> 00:17:54.039 where are you 00:17:54.039 --> 00:17:57.899 because we're going to do great things 00:17:57.899 --> 00:18:01.359 because what's happening is Elijah 00:18:01.359 --> 00:18:05.899 it's I'm going to restore you and renew you because you've been running on empty 00:18:05.899 --> 00:18:10.240 and you are going to go back and you are going to do great things 00:18:10.240 --> 00:18:16.980 but I just want to encourage you and make you a bringer of hope again to your people 00:18:16.980 --> 00:18:28.680 Elijah tells God as though he didn't know anything he just pours it out and he says don't go 00:18:28.680 --> 00:18:35.299 somewhere different go back to where you came from go back to that place and make a difference 00:18:35.299 --> 00:18:41.839 and he does filled with hope restored and renewed 00:18:41.839 --> 00:18:42.039 you 00:18:42.039 --> 00:18:48.779 you 00:18:48.779 --> 00:18:50.519 you 00:18:50.519 --> 00:18:50.879 you 00:18:50.879 --> 00:18:51.039 you 00:18:51.839 --> 00:18:51.920 you 00:18:51.920 --> 00:18:52.859 you 00:18:52.859 --> 00:18:53.420 you 00:18:53.700 --> 00:18:53.740 you