very well led by the musicians, so thank you for that.
I was thinking whether I'd share this with you, and I think I will.
The first of the three songs we sang, I find a very difficult song.
It's really good. I mean, the words are wonderful.
But I won't go into details, but I was in a particularly difficult stage in my life
with someone I loved very deeply, very sick.
And I went to church, and that song was sung.
And the words were very helpful to me, but the tune, I think, doesn't work.
It's sort of too happy.
You know, the words are taken from the book of Job, of course,
the Lord gives and the Lord takes away.
That's the truth.
And it's a wonderful truth and an important truth.
But it's not a light-hearted truth.
You know, we are thankful for what the Lord gives us,
and what the Lord gives us, he can take away.
And that can be very painful.
Very, very painful.
So, I don't know why I'm sharing this with you,
but it's worth, and particularly musos, you did a great job this morning,
but sometimes, you know, the songwriters have given us wonderful words,
but the music doesn't quite match.
I find that tune just a little bit too boppy,
to be singing about the Lord gives and the Lord takes away.
That's so sombre.
I'm not being critical of anyone, you understand.
I'm just sharing with you my own emotions.
And I was standing there not singing.
I was hoping no one would notice me not singing,
but I was quite moved by just remembering the time
when my loved one actually recovered,
and the Lord did not take that loved one on that particular occasion.
But I was so caught up with not being able to cope with a song
that, with its music, seemed to trivialise something so profound
as the Lord gives and the Lord takes away.
Blessed be the name of the Lord.
Again, I'm sorry.
That's probably an utter irrelevance, so I apologise for that.
So why I feel free to do that is that over this weekend,
we've sort of shortened what we've been doing.
I'm getting tired, you see, and I think you're getting tired as well.
So we started looking at the books of 1 and 2 Kings, right?
The first talk on Friday night, some of you weren't with us,
but those of you who were, we looked at the whole of the book of 2 Kings
and tried to get oriented to that.
And then yesterday morning, we looked at a long section of 2 Kings, chapter 2,
which was quite a long narrative.
And then yesterday in the second talk,
we narrowed down and looked at two incidents,
rather dramatic incidents.
Well, now we're just going to look at one incident, all right?
I thought I had time to talk about my own personal experience
in the beginning.
I probably will turn out to regret that.
But before we turn to 2 Kings, chapter 4,
and the incident we want to look at there in the life of Elisha,
I want to think again with you for a moment
about the accounts of the life of Jesus in the New Testament.
Because if you were with us yesterday,
you'll know that we're noticing connections and similarities
between the life of Elisha and the life of Jesus.
And those connections sometimes are quite remarkable
and illuminating.
But one of the striking things,
we noticed yesterday we were thinking about the miracles,
the accounts of the miracles of Jesus
and what we were to make of them.
But there's another feature.
I often feel I'd love to come to the Gospels
as though I'd never seen them before.
I wonder how I'd react.
And it's hard to work it out, isn't it?
Because most of us are so familiar with the Gospels.
And even if we're not familiar with the accounts of Jesus,
most of us probably have a reasonable familiarity
with the stories and the general kind of material.
I'd love to come to it for the first time.
And sometimes you meet somebody who's never really heard about Jesus
and they read a Gospel.
And a whole lot of things strike them.
And one of the remarkable things that I think,
even if you don't notice it, probably strikes you,
is the amount of space given in the account of the life of Jesus Christ.
The amount of space given to Jesus dealing with really, really ordinary people.
Right?
Here is the greatest man who has ever lived.
Undeniable, undebatable, that particular proposition.
The greatest man who has ever lived.
If you think it's debatable, please come up with an alternative.
Who's greater?
The greatest man who has ever lived.
And as the story of his life is told,
one of the things that is absolutely, perfectly crystal clear
is that this man cared about the poor
and the outcast
and the troubled individuals who crossed his path
and he encountered.
And I think this is curious.
If you go back, you know, to the ancient world
and really great figures that we know about,
the biographies of great figures
do not usually give a great deal of attention
to encounters with insignificant people.
If you had an account,
and of course there are plenty of them,
sorry, there are a number of them,
accounts of the life of Julius Caesar,
someone like that,
you won't find a lot of space
given to how he dealt with powerless,
unimportant individuals.
Now I say ordinary and insignificant,
I use those sort of words,
but it's perfectly clear from the records
that that's not how Jesus regarded people.
That's not how he saw people.
Again and again and again,
when such a person crossed his path,
he gave them his attention.
He listened to them
and he helped them.
To him, they were very, very far
from being insignificant.
Mind you, you could misunderstand this.
It's not as though Jesus was a kind of social activist
who cared only for the less privileged in society.
You read the accounts
and you see he didn't avoid
the wealthy and the influential and the powerful.
You think about his dealings with Nicodemus,
who was a ruler of the Jews,
or the young man who had great possessions,
or Jairus, one of the rulers of the synagogue.
I'm simply drawing attention to the way in which
the troubles of those without status
and without wealth and without position
were never dismissed as beneath Jesus
or unworthy of his attention.
Indeed, this aspect of Jesus' treatment of people
gained him a reputation
among the so-called respectable people.
He was called one who eats with
and is a friend of tax collectors and sinners.
And that was not meant as a compliment.
You might think of the way in which
famously Jesus treated children.
When those around him, his disciples,
thought, we don't want Jesus bothered
by the little ones.
It wasn't Jesus' attitude, was it?
Let the children come to me.
In this humble kindness of Jesus,
you see, you often think of things about Jesus
that, you know, God among us.
That's what he was.
And therefore, as you look at Jesus,
you're learning about what God is like.
I don't think we often think that this aspect
of Jesus and his behaviour
and his treatment of people
was a display of what God his Father is like.
Many of Jesus' encounters with powerless,
troubled individuals
were occasions for a mighty work by Jesus,
the kind of thing we were thinking about yesterday.
He gave sight to blind people.
He gave strength to lame people.
He gave hearing to deaf people.
He even gave life to dead people.
In Jesus, you see, the power of God
was something that was not just a display
that you say, wow,
we've done that a couple of times.
It was not just a display that caused you
to be overwhelmed with wonder
and surprise and spectacle.
No, the power of God in Jesus
amplified God's kindness
and his love towards ordinary people.
Someone put it like this,
God magnifies his goodness with his power.
The power of God is not just raw power.
It's power that magnifies his goodness
and his kindness.
Now, I say all that because, once again,
this aspect of the New Testament Gospels
has a significant antecedent.
where we look at the Old Testament stories
of Elijah
and even more so,
the one who came after him,
Elisha,
include a surprising number of stories
of the prophets' encounters
with ordinary people.
Now, you don't find this so much
with anyone else in the Old Testament.
You might find it occasionally,
but not to the same degree,
not to the same extent
as you find with Elijah and Elisha.
These prophets
were major players
in the political life of Israel.
We're not looking today
at 2 Kings chapter 3,
but if you read 2 Kings chapter 3,
that's exactly what you'll see.
You'll see Elisha involved
in the nation's conflicts
with the nation's roundabout,
involved, in other words,
with things as significant as wars.
Elijah and Elisha
were figures who would go
and confront kings
with their wicked ways.
They would proclaim
the word of the Lord
to the nation's leaders
at times of crisis.
However,
the record of their lives,
Elijah and especially Elisha,
also are marked by stories
of their dealings
with suffering,
ordinary individuals.
And 2 Kings chapter 4
through to chapter 8,
or the beginning
of chapter 8 at least,
we find a series of stories
about Elisha's dealings
with powerless people
facing various troubles.
It's quite striking.
If you were reading the story,
we haven't had time to do this
to work right through it,
but if you're reading the story
of 2 Kings
and you were read
through chapter 3
and it's sort of big political
sort of games going on
and Elisha involved
at that level,
and then the sudden movement
from his very public role
there in that major
military campaign
to now a whole series
of stories
of individuals
and their needs,
the shift is quite striking.
For in these stories,
we once again see
the power of God
displayed for the sake
of needy individuals.
God's goodness
magnified
by his power.
God's power
employed
to display
his goodness.
Now,
we are going to
content ourselves
this morning
because you're tired
and I'm tired
with just listening
to the first
of these stories,
but I do encourage you
to read on
and I know you've done
that already,
but after this weekend
you might like to read
through again
and enjoy each
of these remarkable
narratives
of Elisha's encounter
with ordinary people.
The first one
read to us
a moment ago
is this encounter
with a poor
troubled widow
who brought her
a need
to the attention
of Elisha
and the story
we're just going
to follow it carefully
and see how it unfolds
in three simple scenes
but I think we will see
it reveals more
than first meets the eye.
So come with me
to witness
this first little incident.
Scene one
begins like this.
We're at 2 Kings
chapter four
verse one.
Now the wife
of one of the sons
of the prophets.
That's who we meet.
The wife
of one of the sons
of the prophets.
We don't know precisely
where this took place
but if you were
with us yesterday
we've heard of
these group
the sons of the prophets
who were followers
of Elijah
and then Elisha.
I like to think of them
and describe them
as disciples
of Elijah and Elisha.
We met a group
of them in Bethel
and we met another group
of them in Jericho
but there were probably
others in various locations
throughout the land
of Israel
so we don't know
exactly where
this happened
but here we learn
that the sons
of the prophets
had wives
and families.
They were not
sort of monastic people.
They were apparently
not cut off
from the ordinary
social and economic
life of the community.
the woman's connection
to the sons
of the prophets
is important
because she too
we might say
was a follower
of Elijah and Elisha.
In our comparison
with the gospels
this story is like
the stories
of Jesus'
dealings with those
who followed him.
However the wording
and literally
it says this
listen to this
how it goes literally
and a certain woman
from the wives
of the sons
of the prophets
and the wording
sort of suggests
she's not a particularly
important person
she's sort of obscure
nobody's really
heard of her
she's not even named
and her name
doesn't seem to be
even been remembered
from this story
and to all
to all appearances
she's a very
unimportant
person.
Well the woman
came to the prophet
with a pressing
problem.
she,
verse 1 again
she cried to Elisha
your servant
my husband
is dead
and you know
that your servant
feared the Lord
that's my
her husband
feared the Lord
but the creditor
has come
to take my
two children
to be his slaves.
Let's try
and understand
the situation
this poor woman
was in.
This was a cry
for help
and directing
her cry
to the prophet
was an act
of faith
we might say
in effect
her cry
was a prayer
and as we
listen to the
woman's cry
we learn
that she
was a widow
evidently
recently bereaved
she was in
a state of
grief
my husband
is dead
she says
and twice
we hear her
refer to her
husband
as Elisha's
servant.
prophet
this is part
of the evidence
that leads me
to conclude
that the sons
of the prophet
were that little
phrase
the sons
of the prophets
they were people
committed
to Elisha
and previously
to Elijah
and furthermore
as though to
underline her point
her husband
she says
feared the Lord
that you'll be
aware if you're
a Bible reader
is not an
uncommon phrase
in the Old
Testament
particularly in
the Old
Testament
and it's a
very important
phrase
feared the Lord
it doesn't mean
you're a person
who's going around
frightened of God
that's not what
it means
and it means
it talks about
the attitude
of your heart
you
you bow
to the greatness
and the goodness
of God
you
accept
you take him
seriously
and you're
heart
and mind
is
is so
shaped
by your
taking God
seriously
that you
live
trusting him
and you live
obeying him
this man
this woman's
husband
feared the Lord
and we
learn here
that Elisha
knew him
Elisha knew
this man
and knew
his faithfulness
and again
we're given
the impression
of a close
relationship
between Elisha
and the sons
of the prophets
he knew
his disciples
individually
and personally
the grieving
widow's
distress
was intensified
so she's grieving
but on top
of that
there is a threat
now
of her losing
her children
because of a
debt
that had been
incurred
presumably by
her husband
we don't know
the circumstances
behind this
however
the creditor
was now
pressing
what he saw
as his legal
rights
and demanding
that the
woman's two
children
now become
his slaves
because of
what
she owed
him
what a terrible
situation
that is
isn't it
just imagine
being in that
situation
if you don't
pay off
your Master
card
they come
and get
your kids
well
debt's a
pretty serious
thing
and it's
interesting
the Old
Testament
law
I've been
given a
glimpse of
the questions
that are
coming up
in Q&A
later on
I thought
they were
going to be
sifted so
they'd only
be easy
ones
didn't work
no wonder
Dave's gone
off sticky
I could have
a go at him
for not
actually sifting
them and
only having
easy ones
coming through
but there is
a question
there I
can't remember
the details
and we'll
look at it
later on
but about
Old Testament
law
and Old
Testament law
needs to be
read with
care
Old Testament
law is not
law for
today
today we're
not living
in Israel
we're not
living in
the ancient
world that
Israel inhabited
that's one of
the things to
say about
reading the
ancient law
but the
Old Testament
law is
God given
for Israel
in Old
Testament
times
no getting
away from
that
it's
God given
law
it's
God's
law
therefore
it's
worth
reading
without
saying we
are under
this law
that we're
supposed to
keep this
law in
all its
details
but certainly
it's worth
reading because
it's God
given
it's worth
reading in
its context
and so on
and so it's
interesting to do
a little bit of a
study and I did
and I've summarised
the results on
your notes there
you can look up
the references
we're not going
to do that
now but let me
just summarise
what I learnt
by having a little
bit of a look
at debt
and Old
Testament law
about debt
it's taken
seriously
that's the first
thing I notice
in Old
Testament law
and it is a
serious matter
and it is
something that
can lead to
serious social
problems in
any society
and I do
find myself
occasionally
encouraging young
people who are
living in a
society where a
whole lot of
people are really
anxious to get
you into debt
they give you
very very easy
credit
you can get
into a lot of
trouble
and it's not a
bad idea to
see again I'm
not being
legalistic about
this but to
see how much
you can take
your path through
life without
getting into
debt
if you can't
afford it
don't buy it
don't get into
debt
now there are
circumstances in
which our
society has been
structured in such
a way as debt
is necessary
buying homes and
things like that
I understand that
I'm not saying
this is an
absolute law
but in your
lifestyle live
within your
means
don't run up
your credit
card account
don't get into
trouble and a
lot of people do
get into serious
trouble in that
area and then
have to go and
get help from
other people and
they're a burden
on other people
which they
wouldn't necessarily
have been if
they'd lived
within their
means so the
first thing I
notice and if
you look up all
those references
you see that
is that debt
is a serious
matter and can
cause serious
social problems
serious problems
for individuals
and in Israel
we have God's
law with a
number of
provisions around
debt and
lending and you
get the impression
or I get the
impression that the
Old Testament law
God's law about
lending in Old
Testament Israel
is generally
designed to
protect the
poor and the
vulnerable from
exploitation which
is the very thing
that happens in
our society.
The easiest credit
to get in our
society I suspect I
don't think there
can be anything
easier than a
credit card and
because it's easy
and lots of people
will get caught up
in it those who
issue the credit
cards charge an
unbelievable rate of
interest that you
are sort of many
people are sort of
unaware of as they
start using these
things and there's
a terrific trap
there.
I'm not really
meaning to go on
about credit
cards so stop me
doing that.
But it's worth
noting briefly what
God's law in the
Old Testament had to
say about debt
because debt lies
behind this story
that's before us
and four points
and you can follow
up the references
on the notes as I
say.
The first point is
that while lending
to a poor person
was permitted and
actually even
encouraged in the
Old Testament law
charging interest
on the loan in
such circumstances
was forbidden.
You can look up
those references.
The word that we
have in our little
narrative creditor
anybody got an
NIV what word do
they have there
instead of creditor?
They have creditor?
The word is
elsewhere in
Old Testament law
money lender.
It's the same
Hebrew word and
when that word is
used it almost
always refers to
an unscrupulous
profit oriented
form of lending.
The kind of
lending that you
get when you use
your credit card.
Directed specifically
at one's needy
fellow citizens.
So this creditor
in this story was
really on the wrong
side of God's law
to start with.
Because you're not
meant to be lending
to poor people
and then charging
interest.
Lend to poor people
by all means to
help them but you
don't exploit them.
The second aspect
that you learn in
God's law is that
when a loan is
made on the basis
of some item
given as security
the needs of the
borrower must still
be respected.
And I've got a
number of references
there you can see
how that is
unpacked.
It's not as though
you then just
ignore the needs
of the person
who is in debt
to you.
You take those
into account.
Thirdly according
to Deuteronomy 15
verse 2
at the end of
every seven years
a creditor was
required to release
his creditors
from their debt.
Goodness me
the banks
wouldn't do too
well with that
would they?
Our society
is built on a
completely different
basis but this is
part of the way
in which Israel
was meant to
function.
Every seven years
those in debt
would be released
from their debt.
And there were
even laws to say
now you'd be very
careful that you
don't if you're
lending you don't
take note of that
and refuse to lend
to someone because
the seventh year is
about to come up.
You know there's
laws around that
as well.
And fourth
in the extreme
case where a
person pledges
himself or
family members
as security
for a loan
they may not
be made
slaves
but may
serve as
hired servants
until the year
of Jubilee.
And again you
can see the
references there.
Now that's
interesting isn't
it?
There's an
ancient society
you don't say
we should be
obeying
there have been
groups of
Christians over
the years have
said this we
really ought to
be a society
in which we
keep all of
God's Old
Testament laws.
No they
weren't given
for that
purpose.
They weren't
given for
today's world
they were given
for Israel
in the ancient
world and it's
very interesting
scholars have
done this I
haven't done it
but I just read
some of the
things that
they've written
comparing
ancient law
codes with
other law
codes.
Sorry comparing
the Old
Testament law
code the
God given
law code with
other law
codes around
in the world
at the time
and it's
astonishing even
from our
perspective you
can see how
good they are
and even this
just looking at
a debt you
can say that's
that's not a
bad system is it
particularly in the
ancient world
where a lot of
things that have
developed now in
the modern world
hadn't developed
and some of the
things in the
modern world could
learn a thing or
two from God's
Old Testament law
not to adopt
the law directly
like that but to
learn in principle
how do you deal
with debt how do
you deal with
people in need
how do you and
to learn like
that now the
provisions of
God's law in
Israel as Israel
actually lived in
history so you've
got God's law
given in the days
of Moses and
then you've got
the history of
Israel that
followed well
pretty often and
indeed most of
the time God's
law was not
kept and again
and again it
was broken and
abused in Israel
leading to a
great deal of
hardship for
needy people
you only have to
read the books
of the prophets
the most famous
of them but most
of them will touch
on this is Amos
who has words to
say about a
society which has
disregarded about
Israel when they
had disregarded
God's law and
caused a great
deal of suffering
now we're in a
situation here in
this story where
this widow had
a creditor who
had lent money
presumably to her
husband and the
creditor was
exploiting the
situation to his
own advantage
he may have
seen himself as
within his legal
rights by you
know that kind of
selective reading
of the law
kind of thing we
often do with our
Bibles we read
the bits that we
really like and
that suit us but
if something is a
little bit challenging
we skip over that
bit well he may
have been that
kind of person in
terms of reading
God's law but he
he was taking no
account of the
changed circumstances
of this family no
account of the fact
that the husband and
father had died he
appears to be a
person who was
showing no mercy
towards the widow
and her children he
came the language of
verse 1 is quite
telling he came to
take he came to
take well Elisha
responded with two
questions the first
one verse 2 what
shall I do for you
wouldn't that have
been nice to hear
for the widow to
hear see he signals
first to the poor
troubled widow he
he signals his
willingness to
help what can I
do for you
then he asks
another question
which is a little
bit more puzzling
tell me what have
you in your house
what do you got
what's in the
house
the answer was not
much
see Elisha drew
was drawing the
woman into what
he was about to
do for her
I think this is a
right thing to do
some of you might
want to challenge me
on this but as I
read these Elisha
stories I keep
hearing echoes of
the gospel stories
and sort of say
how like do you
remember when Jesus
was confronted by
the needs of the
great crowd and
feeding the crowd
he said to the
disciples how many
loaves have you got
what have you got
it's sort of
drawing them in to
what he's about to
do and so
Elisha seems to
be doing something
similar and the
widow's reply
indicated her
utter inability to
satisfy this
creditor
see what she says
in verse 2
your servant has
nothing in the
house there's
nothing there we
haven't got a
thing except this
jar of oil
and the emphasis
in that sentence
is on the word
nothing
her jar of oil
almost certainly
was a little
flask I don't
know how big
but a little
flask of ointment
that would be
used for anointing
the body that
was probably all
it was all she
had all she had
was a little bit
of oil and
again it sort of
reminds me of the
response of the
disciples to Jesus
what do you got
five loaves and
two fish that's
all we got
that's all they
had that's all
she had
well Elisha
responded with
clear but very
strange instructions
verse 3 then he
said go outside
borrow vessels
from all your
neighbours
empty vessels
and not too
few
love that phrase
and then go
in and shut
the door behind
yourself and
your son and
behind yourself
and your sons
and pour into
all these
vessels and
when one is
full set it
aside so
first she's got
to go out and
ask her neighbours
for all the
empty containers
that could be
found not too
few suggests an
unusual effort
was to be made
collecting as
many vessels
as possible
you can't
imagine the
neighbours saying
what on earth
is she doing
what does she
want with all
these dishes
and bowls
and pots
and jugs
and basins
and flasks
and saucepans
and whatever
and second
well she's got
to collect all
those as many
as she can get
from her neighbours
and then she's
to go inside
with her sons
and all the
empty vessels
that she's
managed to
gather and
shut the
door
Elisha's not
going to be
directly involved
in what's
going to
happen
what was
about to
happen would
take some
time
and it was
not to be
a kind of
spectacle that
would attract
crowds and
onlookers
it would
happen behind
closed doors
quietly
and then third
what she was
to do behind
closed doors
was to pour
into these
vessels
the language
is concise
but one by
one presumably
the pouring
is from the
little flask
of oil
that's all
she had
that has
been mentioned
and Elisha's
instructions
implied that
the oil
would fill
vessel
after vessel
I've got to
admit that if I
try and imagine
myself in that
situation being
that poor
widow
I think
my reaction
would be
you've got to
be kidding
yeah
well the
astonishing
story now
unfolds quite
quickly
scene 2
begins with
the widow's
obedience
she doesn't
say you've
got to be
kidding
verse 5
says so
she went
from him
she went
to do
precisely
what the
prophet had
told her
to do
her efforts
going around
from all
the houses
round about
collecting as
many empty
vessels as
possible
that's passed
over without
a word
that's not
actually described
it's obvious
she did it
but it's not
described
it must have
taken some
time and
would have
been very
perplexing to
anyone who
was watching
this funny
little old
lady going
from house
to house
collecting all
the containers
that she could
we're taken
straight to the
moment that the
woman went
inside
verse 5
says and
she shut
the door
so all that's
happened
that's just
presumed to have
happened
shut the door
behind herself
and her sons
all the
containers are
there piled up
high
sort of
imagining them
in one of
her rooms
and her
sons are
with her
to help
and they
begin
perhaps they're
in the room
next door
and as she
poured
they brought
the vessels
to her
there's an
emphasis here
on the
activity of
the boys
and their
mother
the continuous
activity in
this room
they were
bringing
vessel
after
vessel
after
vessel
after
vessel
and she
was
pouring
and pouring
it went on
for some
time
until at last
the woman
was surrounded
trying to
imagine it
with containers
of various
shapes and
sizes
each one
full of
oil
and then she
said to one
of her sons
bring me
another vessel
and he
replied
there's none
left
and at
that moment
the oil
stopped
flowing
she said
oh
it's not
flowing anymore
there's none
left
now
just look
at all
that oil
it was
almost
certainly
in the
context
of the
time
this
would
have
been
olive
oil
normally
produced
by crushing
olives
with a
mortar
or in
a rock
press
sometimes
it was
produced
by treading
them like
grapes
in a
wine
press
oil
was
used
with a
number
of uses
it
included
cooking
anointing
the skin
just
treating
your dry
skin
to make
it
nice
and
smooth
particularly
the head
and the
face
were
often
rubbed
with this
kind of
oil
it was
used
as a
fuel
in
lamps
and it
was
sometimes
used
for
soothing
wounds
if you
had a
scratch
or a
cut
the oil
would
soothe
the
pain
and I
suppose
stop the
exposure
to the
air
I suppose
that was
happening
so oil
was a
useful
commodity
but generally
speaking in
relatively small
amounts
that's why
I presume
the woman
just had
this little
jar in
the house
nobody
had a
large
amount
of it
and this
abundant
supply
of oil
filling
many
vessels
in the
widow's
house
obviously
produced
obviously
produced
by
as the
woman
and her
sons
could see
nobody else
knew at this
stage but
a remarkable
act of
God
but is it
not
an extraordinary
testimony
to God's
abundant
kindness
here's God's
goodness
on display
this is what
God's power
does
it
it magnifies
his goodness
it's not
just
power
it's
power
of one
who is
infinitely
good
and here
you see
it
it's small
it's insignificant
hardly
worth writing
in the history
book
we don't even
know the
woman's name
no
this was a
display
of the
goodness
of God
magnified
by his
power
and it
really is
worth
remembering
and so
it's
recorded
but of
course the
question does
arise what
is she
going to
do with
all this
oil
and I
think she
might have
been wondering
the same
thing
in scene
three we
follow her
out of the
house again
as she
returned to
Elisha
verse seven
she came
out and she
told the
man of
God that
is she
reported
everything
that had
happened
to Elisha
but just
notice by the
way and I
hope you don't
mind us
reading as
slowly as
we're
reading I
love the
details the
details are
brilliant I
think this
is the first
time that
Elisha is
called man
of God
the man
of God
it won't
be the
last
indeed in
the Old
Testament
Elisha is
called man
of God
more than
anyone else
but man
of God
is a very
weighty
expression
it doesn't
just mean
oh he was
a godly
man he was
a man of
God we use
that phrase a
little bit
sometimes don't
we when we
describe someone
a man of
God I don't
think we use
it very much
these days but
I think the
general sense
of it a
godly person
a person of
true faith in
God now it's
more than that
man of God
in the way in
which it's used
in the Old
Testament means
a man from
God
right a man
who speaks
and acts
for God
a man of
God
is a very
weighty
expression
well she
came to
the man
of God
she doesn't
just come to
Elisha
she came to
the man
of God
and Elisha
brings this
episode to a
close by
spelling out
the consequences
of what had
happened
he said
verse 7
again
go
sell the
oil
oh that's
a good
idea
and pay
your debts
and you
and your
sons can
live on
the rest
so for the
reasons that I
outlined a
moment ago
oil was a
tradable
commodity
and its
usefulness in
small quantities
suggests that
the vast
quantity that
the woman
now had
access to
would have
had considerable
value
people were
happy to have
oil in small
quantities
and pay for
it
well what
she had
would have
had very
significant
value
you see the
Lord had
provided
and his
provision
enabled the
woman now
to be free
both from
debt
and poverty
the Lord's
provision was
not small
not a few
containers
not
trivial
people
the Lord's
provision
well I
think it's a
wonderful little
story
and there are
many like it
in the pages
that follow
but let's
think as we
close about
what this
story teaches
us
and the first
thing I think
we should notice
is that
like the
accounts of
Jesus dealing
with vulnerable
suffering people
the response
of Elisha
the response
of the man
of God
whose name
means
my God
saves
Elisha's
response to
the widow
is a wonderful
demonstration of
the extravagant
kindness of God
friends I want us
just to reflect on
the fact you read
this story
please understand
this is what
God is like
do you ever
feel like a
nobody
let you in on
a secret
most people
do
and it's not a
bad thing to
feel you know
if you strut
around through
life thinking
you're a
somebody
tell you one
thing you
probably won't
have many
friends
people don't
like people
very much
who think
that they're
somebody
it's not a
bad thing
in itself
to think of
yourself as a
nobody
and it's
particularly
good
to think of
yourself as a
nobody
when you know
what God
is like
he cares
about nobodies
that's what
God is like
see whatever
you think of
yourself
here this
morning
however you
think of
yourself
you know
most of
us have
some sort
of striving
to be
significant
to do
something
significant
a whole
lot of
our world
today is
messed up
because people
are competing
to be
significant
to do
significant
things
to gain
some kind
of status
and to
find
you know
it doesn't
work
there's
lots of
good
things for
us to
do in
the world
I'm not
against
people doing
significant
things or
anything like
that but
that's not
how you find
your significance
you're like
me you're a
nobody
you really
are a
nobody
in the
scheme of
things I
mean you're
one person
you know how
many millions
there are in
the world
and you're
just one
I'm just
one
you find
your
significance
by discovering
the wonderful
truth of
what God
is like
and God
is the
God
who is
kind
to
nobodies
that's a
wonderful
story isn't
it I
mean if
you stop
there it
would be
worth reading
the story
wouldn't it
just saying
you know
there are
senses in
which I'm
just like
that widow
I really
am
I haven't
got much
I got
more than
she has
but I
could lose
it tomorrow
yeah
what God
is like
in our
weaknesses
and in
our inadequacies
and in
our hardships
and when we
find
actually I'm
finding it
really hard
to cope
I think it's
not a bad
idea to say
I'm like
that widow
and I want
to be reminded
as I read
the story
of that
widow
of the
powerful
kindness
of God
the New
Testament
puts it
like this
he cares
for you
do you
hear that
that's what
God is
like
I don't
know whether
this is getting
through to you
but I
find it
deeply
moving
to learn
that that
is what
God
is like
he cares
for you
and he
invites us
to be
like that
widow
and to
cast all
our anxieties
on him
because
he cares
for you
let's
take it a
little bit
further
because the
widow's
experience
is a
wonderful
picture
of what
can be
our
experience
and I'm
just going to
take the
words of
Philippians
chapter 4
verses 6
and 7
just listen
to this
do not
be
and as
you listen
to this
see how
they sort
of fit
what the
widow did
and see
how they
then
directly
are a
call to
us
the words
are these
Philippians
4
verses 6
and 7
do not
be
anxious
about
anything
but in
everything
by prayer
and supplication
with thanksgiving
let your
requests be
made known
to God
to what
the widow
did didn't
she
by coming
to Elisha
let your
requests
be made
known to
God
whatever's
on your
heart
whatever
your anxieties
about life
are
whatever
your
yeah
whatever
you're going
through
let your
requests
be made
known to
God
and here's
the promise
and the
peace of
God
which
surpasses
all
understanding
will guard
your hearts
and your
minds
in Christ
Jesus
what God
is like
he cares
for you
well then
notice that the
story of the
widow also
presents us
with a model
of discipleship
so it shows us
what God
is like
it also
shows us
what a
disciple
is like
she saw
herself
like her
husband
as a
servant
of the
man of
God
no doubt
she like
her husband
feared the
Lord
she brought
her need
to the man
of God
and she
listened to
his word
she trusted
him
and she
obeyed
him
and she
received
more
than she
asked
for
now if
you're a
Christian
believer
this morning
as I
know
many of
us here
are
and if
you're not
yet
a Christian
believer
this morning
listen to
this because
this is what
a Christian
believer
is
and if
I could
talk with
you and
I'd be
very happy
to do
so I'd
want to
know why
on earth
aren't
you
why
wouldn't
you be
why
wouldn't
you trust
this God
what are
you mucking
around for
what are
you waiting
for
what do
you want
him to
do
watch this
woman
closely
and I
want to
say
we follow
her example
and just
as she
found
the Lord's
provision
surpassed
anything
she could
possibly
have
hoped
for
so you
will
find
as you
come
to the
Lord
Jesus
the one
who is
greater
than
Elisha
come to
the Lord
Jesus
listen to
his word
trust
him
and obey
him
and you
will find
as the
New Testament
puts it
that he
is able
to do
far more
abundantly
than all
that we
ask or
think
according to
the power
at work
within us
we're moving
from an
Old Testament
story to
the experience
of Christian
believers
it's a big
jump
but it's an
appropriate
movement
but it is a
movement
we are
living on
this side
of the
death and
the
resurrection
of Jesus
we live
in the
light of
the death
and the
resurrection
of Jesus
and we
must understand
that the
fulfilment
surpasses
the shadow
and our
Old Testament
stories are
shadows of
the fulfilment
in which we
now live
the widow's
request for
help in
her desperate
plight
and the
Lord's
overflowing
provision
for her
is but a
shadow
of the
request that
the Apostle
Paul had
in mind
when he
thought of
far more
abundantly
I want to
close by
asking you to
listen carefully
to Paul's
prayer to
the God
who provided
so abundantly
for that
widow
he prayed
like this
for people
like us
that according
to the
riches of
his glory
he may
grant you
to be
strengthened
with power
through his
spirit in
your inner
being
so that
Christ may
dwell in
your hearts
through
faith
and that
you
being
rooted
and grounded
in love
may have
strength
to comprehend
with all
the saints
all the
Christians
what is
the breadth
and the
length
and the
height
and the
depth
and to
know
the love
of Christ
that surpasses
knowledge
that you
may be
filled
with the
fullness
of God
I'm blown
away by
this story
what a
God
we share
with the
widow of
our story
with
blessings
bigger
better
and longer
lasting
than her
gallons and
gallons of
oil
will you pray
with me
our heavenly
father we thank you
for this poor
lady so long
ago
in her grief
and in her
fear
and in her
anxiety for
her kids
in a
situation
where she
was being
exploited
and bullied
thank you so
much for the
way in which
you responded
to that need
as she brought
it to the
man of
God
what a
picture that
is
and help
us to see
ourselves
and how
much we
are like
her
in our
need
in our
inability
really
to cope
our
inability
to control
our
circumstances
our
insignificance
our
nobodiness
we pray
heavenly
father that
every
each one
of us
this
morning
be able
to turn
to the
man of
God
the Lord
Jesus
and bring
our anxieties
to him
and experience
the wonder
of your
promises to
us
fulfilled
and I
want to
pray
now for
any one
of us
and there
may be
just one
who has
not yet
turned to
Jesus in
that way
ever
I want to
pray that
that person
or those
persons
might do
that today
what could
they possibly
be waiting
for
we pray
this in
Jesus name
Amen
He
were
doing
Ruby
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