Because He Lives Week 4 - Life Is Worth Living
Read
1 Kings 19:1-18
19 Ahab told Jezebel everything that Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “May the gods punish me and do so severely if I don’t make your life like the life of one of them by this time tomorrow!” 3 Then Elijah became afraid and immediately ran for his life. When he came to Beer-sheba that belonged to Judah, he left his servant there, 4 but he went on a day’s journey into the wilderness. He sat down under a broom tree and prayed that he might die. He said, “I have had enough! Lord, take my life, for I’m no better than my ancestors.” 5 Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. Suddenly, an angel touched him. The angel told him, “Get up and eat.” 6 Then he looked, and there at his head was a loaf of bread baked over hot stones, and a jug of water. So he ate and drank and lay down again. 7 Then the angel of the Lord returned for a second time and touched him. He said, “Get up and eat, or the journey will be too much for you.” 8 So he got up, ate, and drank. Then on the strength from that food, he walked forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mountain of God. 9 He entered a cave there and spent the night. Suddenly, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of Armies, but the Israelites have abandoned your covenant, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are looking for me to take my life.”
11 Then he said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the Lord’s presence.” At that moment, the Lord passed by. A great and mighty wind was tearing at the mountains and was shattering cliffs 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. 12 After the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was a voice, a soft whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Suddenly, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14 “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of Armies,” he replied, “but the Israelites have abandoned your covenant, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they’re looking for me to take my life.” 15 Then the Lord said to him, “Go and return by the way you came to the Wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive, you are to anoint Hazael as king over Aram. 16 You are to anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel and Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel-meholah as prophet in your place. 17 Then Jehu will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Jehu. 18 But I will leave seven thousand in Israel—every knee that has not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
Summary
Welcome back to our final sermon in our Because He Lives Series. This week we will focus on: Because He Lives – Life Is Worth Living. When we say we wish we were dead, we are wanting to play God. Many of us have been frustrated, scared, disillusioned, and have had maybe a brief thought of, I wish I was not here. We find ourselves in good company when we feel this way. We can see how David felt in the Psalms and today we will see this in the life of Elijah. He may have asked the question, “why is life worth living?” Well, the answer is, because we live to glorify God not to glorify ourselves. It is God who provides the strength to get from day to day. God also positions us to be sensitive to hear His instructions. We see Elijah going through these thoughts just days after the victory at Mount Carmel.
Point one is found in verses 3-9. God Provides Strength By Meeting Us Where We Are. The strength we need to get through each day, does not come from us, it comes from the Lord. He is the one that places us where He can protect us and provide for us. If He chooses to take us to the wilderness, He does not just leave us there. He provides us with strength that comes from the resurrection power of Christ.
Our second point is found in verses 10-14. God Positions Us To Be Sensitive. We are to be sensitive to His Word, to our feelings, and to His purpose. It does not matter where we find ourselves, God will always meet us there. He can use the dark night of the soul to position us to better hear His voice. We can’t allow the wrong voices to speak into our lives. We need to focus on His voice above all others. While our feelings are important, they cannot sway us to do something outside of God’s will for our lives. Our purpose is never to assist the enemy for our own demise. We do not give him an opportunity to ruin our lives.
Our final point is found in verses 15-18. God’s Purpose Is Sufficient. God’s purpose does not include us dying at our own hands or our own desires. His purpose is always to support us and sustain us during our troubled times. We never give up, because our strength is not found in ourselves, it is found in Christ.
Discussion
When have you felt the most discouraged? Share
How did the Lord get you through that discouragement? Share
How do you hear the Lord speaking to you? Share
What do you have to do to position yourself to hear from the Lord? Share
How has God’s provision in your life helped you encourage others? Share
Announcements
Join me as we pray, that everyone who calls BT their Church will be a part of our Renovation Initiative.
Pray that we meet and exceed our secondary financial goal.
We are planning a series to promote Community, please help me pray for new CG leaders that will lead new CG’s that will form during this next series!
Let’s continue to pray for each other and send prayer requests through our WhatsApp thread. If you are a CG Leader and are not on our WhatsApp thread please contact Meichelle at meichelle.vasquez@bt.church
Pastor Isuaro Medina
Isauro.medina@bt.church
Cell: (956) 984-9380
