God’s Gentle Whisper Stills Our Doubts - 1 Kings 19:9-18 - 8/13 Sermon

“Elijah said to Ahab.” If you had a neighbor who shouted and screamed all the time, who had been arrested several times for acts of violence, you probably would not knock on their door and say, “Could you please quiet down?” This is just what Elijah did. Ahab practically made Baal worship a state religion. He killed 100s of Israelites who worshipped God. He was violent. Elijah (This is the first time the Bible mentions Elijah) marches into Ahab’s court and says, “Because of your sin, God will send a famine to this land.” What gave Elijah such confidence?

A famine. Have you ever been hungry before? Yes, of course! You’ve gone all day without eating. You’ve skipped breakfast and lunch. You stomach has grumbled. A person can survive at least 40 days with no food. Have you ever gone a whole day without eating? 40 days? Let me ask that again. Have you ever been hungry? I don’t think any of us have been truly hungry. The famine Elijah foretold was bad news for Elijah himself too! I would imagine starving isn’t fun. How could Elijah be content in such distress?

Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there. With ravens and a ravine, God promises to feed Elijah. Elijah was confident as he talked to Ahab, he was content even in a famine because he had God’s promise to feed him with ravens.

However, you and I are not Elijah. God does not use ravens to pay our bills, deliver Little Caesar pizzas, or bring us free groceries. He has not promised to do that. Maybe you are thinking, “Pastor, how in the world does this story apply to me? It’s great that Jesus used ravens to help Elijah. But he doesn’t do that with me!” In the Gospel reading, Jesus fed more than 5000 people. You could also say that story doesn’t apply to us, correct? Jesus doesn’t stand at our fridge and make one loaf of bread stretch for a whole month. God could do that, right? But he doesn’t. Why?

God doesn’t need to. God doesn’t need to send ravens to feed us or make one loaf of bread last a month. We already have what we need to live. What we want, what we think we need, is sometimes much different from what we actually need. Elijah was homeless. He lived in a ravine; ravens brought him food. Even if you or I became homeless here in Burlington, or had a tough time, God uses the government to supply over 10 food banks that hand out food. You would have what you need to eat. The truth is this: we have far more blessings in our life than what we actually need. God’s generosity and grace don’t end there.

Our verse of the day is Romans 8:32, “" He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?" Even if you were the poorest person in the world and had absolutely nothing, do you know what you would still own? Through Jesus you would still have eternal riches. Jesus gave his life to save you from sin and death and hell. You have: Forgiveness. Eternal life. Paradise in heaven. Wealth that makes you richer than a billionaire. We could be content in our Savior.

How was Elijah able to remain content? Look at v. 1, he says, in a paraphrase, “I serve the God of Israel, the living God.” Elijah was content in the Living God. Elijah knew that no matter what happened, God would preserve his life in eternity. We have a Living God. We can be content in the Living God because in him our greatest need is met: sin. He forgives our sins by the blood he shed on the cross. “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?" The verse goes from greater to lesser. No matter what our circumstance is, in poverty or plenty, in pain or peace, we can be content in the Living God who saves our soul.

So (Elijah) did what the LORD had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook. Elijah didn’t have steaks or a palace. But he had what he needed. He was able to live in poverty, with just a little bit of food, and be content in the Loving God.

Do you know what contentment is? Being satisfied. In a state of peaceful happiness. A Christian has a better reason for contentment than anyone else in the world. Eternal happiness is ours.

Paul says in 1 Timothy 6, “But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.” Food and clothing. Everything else in this life is extra, blessings on top of what God gives us. And I promise you: God will provide you will food and clothing. How can I promise you this? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?   

I hear the theme of this sermon, “Content in the living God,” I read about Elijah and the ravens, Jesus feeding 5000, and I think, “What about when life gets really bad or miserable?” What if the heart report from the cardiologist is bad news? What if a horrible tragedy takes away your loved one? What if God chooses to take you home to heaven? What if the sadness of life becomes too great?” Sometimes, what we need is to come home to heaven. Sometimes, what we need is to let go of this life and turn to God. God promises to give us what we need. That means this life isn’t always fun.

Content in the living God. The God who saves our soul, who died for our sins, will give you what you need in this life. Finally, when our last hour comes, he’ll give us what we truly need: eternal life in heaven.