Elijah’s Three Mistakes!

Sermon Notes: February 8, 2008

Jim O’Neal, Senior Pastor

Sun Lakes United Methodist Church, 9248 E. Riggs Road, Sun Lakes, AZ 85248 – (480) 895-8766

I Kings 19:1-18 NIV

¹Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. ²So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.” ³Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, ⁴while he himself went a day’s journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” ⁵Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep.

All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” ⁶He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. ⁷The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” ⁸So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. ⁹There he went into a cave and spent the night.

And the word of the LORD came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” ¹⁰He replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” ¹¹The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. ¹²After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. ¹³When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” ¹⁴He replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” ¹⁵The LORD said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. ¹⁶Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. ¹⁷Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. ¹⁸Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him.”

A. Introduction

1. Dr. Norman Vincent Peale

a. Doctor Norman Vincent Peale was asked to speak at a meeting of the Adirondack Women’s League. A musical group had also been asked to perform. On the way there the musicians’ car was involved in a slight fender-bender, and the band would be a little late. The Chair Lady stood up and said. “Ladies we are forced to change the order of our announced program. While we are waiting for the talent to arrive, we shall hear from the minister.”

b. Too often the world puts us down, and at times beats us up. This can cause us to lose faith in ourselves, others, and even God.

2. Today’s Scripture: I Kings 19:1-18

a. This is what happened to Elijah. He lost faith, even though he was a man very much in tune with God’s Spirit, and a man through whom God had done marvelous things. Elijah let wicked Queen Jezebel get to him. Her vile words, her threats, and the might of her armies scared Elijah, and caused him to doubt himself, his nation, and even God.

b. Now if Elijah the Prophet of God, who did such marvelous things as calling down fire from heaven to light an altar, could lose faith, then so can you and I. This evening Elijah reminds us not to make his three mistakes:

B. He lost faith in himself.

1. Workman’s Compensation Claim

a. A bricklayer fixing a chimney made a claim with Workman’s Compensation for some injuries. He had a dislocated shoulder, a broken finger, broken femur, cracked ribs, numerous cuts on the arms and buttocks that required stitches, and a concussion. When asked to explain how it happened this was his tale: When I got to the work site I discovered that the hurricane had knocked some bricks off the top of the chimney. So I rigged up a beam and pulley at the top of the building and hoisted up a couple of barrels of bricks. When I had fixed the chimney, there were a lot of bricks left over. So I hoisted the barrel back up, secured the line at the bottom, climbed back up to the roof, and filled the barrel with the extra bricks. Then I went to the bottom and untied the rope. Unfortunately, the barrel of bricks was heavier than I was, and before I knew what was happening the barrel started down, jerking me off the ground. I decided to hang on and half way up I met the barrel coming down and received a sharp blow to the shoulder. I then continued to the top, banging my head against the beam, and jamming my fingers into the pulley. When the barrel hit the ground it burst its bottom, allowing the bricks to spill out. I was heavier than the empty barrel, and so I started down at high speed. Halfway down I met the barrel and received a severe injury to my shins. When I hit the ground, I heard a snap in my leg, and I landed on the broken bricks, getting a number of deep cuts to many parts of my body. I set there for the longest time, relieved that I was still alive. I stood up on my one good leg, and not thinking let go of the rope. The barrel came down apparently knocking me out, and the next thing I remember is being in the hospital.

b. Now we laugh and quietly say, “What an idiot!” Yet if we are honest we have to admit that we too have had days like that where nothing we do seems to work or to please anybody else. And it’s easy to lose faith in yourself.

2. Abraham Lincoln

a. Most of us would probably consider Abraham Lincoln to be one of the greatest Presidents. But he would have never obtained that distinction, if he had given up on himself. And Abe had lots of reasons to give up and quit. Before becoming President of the United States in 1860 he had lost eight times in the political arena. His two victories were being elected once to the State Legislature and once to the U.S. House of Representatives. Lincoln had, also, failed twice in business, his sweetheart died, and he had a nervous breakdown.

b. All this happened before he was elected President. Abe didn’t give up on himself!

3. Today’s Scripture: I Kings 19:4

a. That was Elijah’s first mistake. “Take my life,” he laments in verse four, “I am no better than my ancestors.” (I Kings 19:4 NIV) Elijah lost faith in himself. No matter how many victories he had enjoyed, or how many enemies he had defeated, he stumbled over one little stone in his path and is ready to quit! But Elijah would see his mistake and go on and do great things for God! After Chapter 19 he reigns fire on some worshippers of Baal-zebub, condemns both King Ahab and Ahaziah for their evil, parts the River Jordan with his cloak, and rides a fiery chariot into Heaven!

b. How about you? Have you given up on yourself? Have you allowed one or several setbacks to blind you to your successes? Do you doubt that God has great things in store for you? My friends, God does not make junk. You are handcrafted by a loving Father in Heaven. God believes in you. So believe in God, and get ready because someday you too will ride that fiery chariot to victory!

C. He lost faith in others.

1. Peanuts Comic Strip

a. One year around Christmas time Charles Schulz told this tale in the Peanuts Comic Strip: In panel number one, Lucy and Linus are holding hands and smiling. Lucy says loudly, “We’re brother and sister and we love each other!” In panel two Charlie Brown just can’t believe his eyes and ears. After all, Lucy and Linus never get along. Lucy is always picking on her little brother and very often mean to him. They show very little love to each other. So Charlie Brown says, “You’re hypocrites, that’s what you are! Do you really think you can fool Santa Claus this way?” In the next panel Lucy and Linus are still smiling and holding hands. As they walk away Lucy says quietly, “Why not? We’re a couple of sharp kids, and he’s just an old man.” In the final panel Charlie Brown cries out, “I weep for our generation!”

b. A lot of us weep for the hypocrisy, the unfaithfulness, dishonesty, selfishness, cruelty, and greed of not only our generation, but of society and the world in general. It is hard at times to watch the daily news and not become a skeptic. Perverts molest and kill children. Parents kill their children. Neighbors argue over a hedge and one shoots the other. Terrorists continue to kill innocent people. And at times there seems to be no justice as clever lawyers get lawbreakers off. And even in our own everyday lives, people disappoint us. A co-worker belittles you. A relative fails you. A child lies to you. It is easy for us at times, because we focus just on the negative events, to lose faith in others.

2. Woman who returned Jason’s wallet

a. Every so often someone restores your faith in human nature. A number of summers ago I was working at my home office. The doorbell rang. There stood a woman holding a paper sack. She asked, “Is this where Jason O’Neal lives?” “Yes,” I replied, “he’s my oldest son.” She said, “Then I’ll just leave this for him. I found it in the road.” “What is it?” I asked. “It’s his wallet,” she replied. “Then could I have your name and address so that he can thank you?” I asked. She turned and as she left replied, “It’s not necessary. I just believe as my Lord said, ‘Do for others as you would like them to do for you.’” (Luke 6:31 NLT) Sure enough in the sack was Jason’s wallet. And everything was there: His identification, his driver’s license, his credit cards and money!

b. A young adult stopped to see some friends, goofed off in their front yard and forgot that he had left his walled on the hood of his car. A woman returned it. There are a lot of good people out there. Sometimes it is a stranger, but quite often the caring person is someone we know as family or friend. And they have been there for us even at the tough times.

3. Today’s Scripture: I Kings 19:10 & 14

a. Elijah’s second mistake was that he lost faith in others. Twice in today’s Scripture lesson he says, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” (I Kings 19:10 & 14) Poor Elijah. He is saying, “I am the only one left… I am the only decent, moral person left. The rest are a bunch of bums you can’t trust.”

b. We’ve all been there. And like Elijah we’re wrong. God in verse 18 reminds Elijah that there were still some 7,000 people who had not bowed down to Baal. There were still 7,000 people who believed in God! Elijah was not alone. And neither are you and I. There are still some decent, loving, God fearing folks out there! And look around, you can find them right here in this building.

D. He lost faith in God.

1. Woman sues God.

a. Betty Penrose was very upset when her home was struck by lightning, and burned down. She complained to her boss a lawyer named Russell H. Tansie. So he filed a lawsuit in her behalf against God. She sued God for $100,000 for not protecting her home. Some judge actually heard this case! And the judge ruled as follows: Because the defendant, God, did not show up in court, at least in any way that this judge could detect a physical presence, the suit was found in Ms. Penrose’s favor. But even the judge had to admit, “Good luck in collecting on this!”

b. Now we might find Ms. Penrose and her lawyer to be a bit disgusting. However, we all have to admit that there are times in which bad things happen to us, and we do not understand why God allows them to happen. At those moments we cry out, “Where are you God?”

2. Sycamore Tree

a. But if we look, we see that God always provides a way out, around, or through problems. To every negative happening in life, God has a positive answer. To death there is Eternal Life. To doubt there is hope, and most especially the hope that our Bible gives us in the resurrection! To defeat there is always a new door opening that leads to victory!

b. Chris and I have a place in Star Valley, Arizona. We have often visited the Tonto Natural Bridge. One summer, Chris, Matt, Sarah and I hiked the Pine Creek trail through the cave-like bridge and then through the steep Pine Creek Canyon. The evidence of the powerful and destructive force of water was ever present. Huge boulders, and some even house size, were tumbled and piled like a child’s building blocks! And then we saw a magnificent lesson! A sycamore tree had grown northward at a 45-degree angle between two large boulders. Despite the difficulties it apparently had grown quite large. Then in times past the tree was caught in a raging flood. A great wall of water had caught the tree in its grasp and knocked it down and then broken it over the cabin-sized boulder to its south. Its roots were now pulled up, undermined, and laid bare. Only one root appeared to have survived. The tree had obviously been broken at one point along its trunk. The bark was totally scoured away on one side for about ten feet. Somehow the tree had mended itself at this scoured and broken point. And after this terrible flood the tree was bent over like a huge “U”. The tree should have died. But there where it lay on the boulder it grew a new trunk! At a 90-degree angle it had put forth a branch that had now grown to be a huge trunk that reached some 40 feet up! This trunk had many wonderful branches and leaves upon it. It was a large and lush green canopy! This tree though now shaped like a huge “S’ was truly alive and one of the largest trees in the canyon! This sycamore tree is a testimony to the faithfulness of God to take care of His creation. And that includes you! You can trust God to find a way for you through your difficulties.

3. Today’s Scripture: I Kings 19:15-17

a. Elijah’s final mistake was that he lost faith in God. God had to remind Elijah that the corrupt King Ahab and the evil Queen Jezebel were nothing compared to the might of God. God was saying to Elijah and God is saying to us: “I am still in control. I can be counted on. I will pull down those who are evil, and lift up the righteous!”

b. In verses 15 to 17 God tells Elijah to step out in faith. Anoint in the name of the Lord two new kings, and a new prophet, and God’s judgment will come! You can count on it.

E. Conclusion

1. Recap (Elijah made three mistakes:)

a. He lost faith in himself.

b. He lost faith in others.

c. He lost faith in God.

2. Affirm your faith!

a. Elijah learned from his mistakes, and once again he had faith in himself, others, and God! And Elijah would leave this life triumphantly in a fiery chariot!

b. You and I, also, can have faith and live victoriously! Believe in yourself, trust that there are those who do care, and above all trust in God!

I Kings 19:1-18 NIV

¹Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. ²So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”

³Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, ⁴while he himself went a day’s journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” ⁵Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep.

All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” ⁶He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. ⁷The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” ⁸So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. ⁹There he went into a cave and spent the night.

And the word of the LORD came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” ¹⁰He replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

¹¹The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. ¹²After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. ¹³When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” ¹⁴He replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

¹⁵The LORD said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. ¹⁶Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. ¹⁷Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. ¹⁸Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him.”

I Kings 19:1-18 NRSV

¹Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. ²Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life like the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.” ³Then he was afraid; he got up and fled for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongs to Judah; he left his servant there.

⁴But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a solitary broom tree. He asked that he might die: “It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors.” ⁵Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said to him, “Get up and eat.” ⁶He looked, and there at his head was a cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again. ⁷The angel of the LORD came a second time, touched him, and said, “Get up and eat, otherwise the journey will be too much for you.” ⁸He got up, and ate and drank; then he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God. ⁹At that place he came to a cave, and spent the night there.

Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” ¹⁰He answered, “I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.”

¹¹He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; ¹²and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. ¹³When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” ¹⁴He answered, “I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.” ¹⁵Then the LORD said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king over Aram. ¹⁶Also you shall anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel; and you shall anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah as prophet in your place. ¹⁷Whoever escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall kill; and whoever escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall kill. ¹⁸Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”

Elijah’s Three Mistakes:

1. He lost faith in himself.

2. He lost faith in others.

3. He lost faith in God.

The Lesson Elijah learned:

(Affirm your faith!)

1. Believe in yourself!

2. Trust that there are those

who do care about you!

3. And above all trust in God!