What Can the Righteous Do?

January 26, 2020                      NOTES NOT EDITED

What Can the Righteous Do?

Psalm 11, esp v. 3 

SIS— As the moral foundations of our country continue to crumble, the Church must rise up and be the solution.

One of the most iconic (or, well-known) buildings in the world is the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy. It is actually a “bell tower” for the Cathedral of Pisa.  Construction began in 1172 and took almost 200 years to complete.  History records that it began leaning almost as soon as construction began.  The problem:  a faulty foundation that was too soft to support the Tower’s weight.  It has leaned as much as 5 degrees, reduced by modern engineering to just under 4 degrees. It was closed in the past because of the danger of it falling over.  The reduction in the lean now has engineers confident it is safe and it has reopened.  A major earthquake could bring it down, however.  Enjoy your tour!

The foundations of America’s infrastructure—roads, bridges, ports, aviation, drinking water, and such—also have problems with crumbling foundations.  According to a 2017 report from the American Society of Civil Engineers, America’s foundations barely get a passing grade.  The engineers gave America’s infrastructure foundations a “D+.”  Literally, America’s foundations are crumbling.

I’ve thought quite a bit about the cracking and crumbling of America’s foundations for a few years now.  The present fiasco with the impeachment of the president, demonstrates the seriousness of the cracks in our national foundation.  I’m not talking about our brick, mortar, or steel structures, but more the crumbling of our moral and social foundations.

People have varied opinions about this “impeachment.”  Some are for it.  Some are against it.  Many are just tired of hearing about it.  If you disliked Trump before the impeachment, you likely dislike him now.  If you liked Trump before the impeachment, you likely continue to support him now.  Politics used to be about debate, but not anymore, it’s about defending your party at all costs.  Politics is about power—gaining it and keeping it!

So, the “impeachment circus” is not about politics for me.  I see something much more sinister at play.  I see the results of the “crumbling of America’s foundations.”  I see the results the cracking and eroding of America’s moral foundations, for decades. 
 

I’m not that old, just tipping the scale of a half-century by about a decade.  I remember when I was a child, even into my teen years, nobody debated whether or not a baby in the womb was a human being whose life was as sacred as that of any adult.  Now, in just a few decades, we debate whether or not it is “acceptable” to just let a baby die on the delivery room table if they are wanted.  That’s no small change in thinking!  When I was a child, it would have been utterly unthinkable, utterly and totally inconceivable, that the Supreme Court would one day “legalize” the marriage between a man and a man or a woman and a woman!  That’s not small change in the moral and ethical thinking of our collective society.  But, the moral collapse has now gone so far—much further than the stereotypical evils of Sodom and Gomorrah—so far, indeed, that we are now “seriously and politically” debating whether there is a difference between “male and female!”  The moral collapse of our society has pushed us to the very brink of self-annihilating absurdity! 

I think it was Billy Graham who said, “If God does not punish America for her sins, He’ll have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah.”  Our moral collapse is more severe and more dangerous the the lean of the Tower of Pisa!  

I could go on at some great length outlining the moral collapse of our country, but if it is not obvious to any thinking person that we have had a serious moral deviation, then I’m not sure that a list of our moral deficits a mile long would likely be anymore persuasive.

Our Founding Fathers knew that America could not survive if we abandoned the Judeo-Christian foundations.  Again, I could quote a litany of sermons and speeches supporting the fact that our Founders realized that faith in God is essentially to freedom.  I’ll quote just one Founding Father—One of the oft-quoted—Thomas Jefferson.  

On Panel 3 of Jefferson’s Memorial we read:  God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that his justice cannot sleep forever.Notice that, like all our 200 Founding Fathers, Jefferson realized that political freedom was built on a moral foundations, and that moral foundation is the God of the Bible.  Ignoring that moral foundation was something that Jefferson said made Him, “tremble.”

I am “trembling” today as I watch our nation’s foundations crumble.  I tremble, but I am not hopeless nor do I feel helpless.  I have a plan.  It is a plan arising out of our text this morning.  In Psalm 11:3 David cried out:  “When the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?”

Let’s read this Psalm and see what we can do.  David, the Psalmist was speaking about the moral foundations of the nation of Israel that were crumbling under the rule of Saul (as they had crumbled under many bad leaders).  God had an answer for David when he faced the crumbling foundations of Israel. God has an answer for us today as we face the crumbling foundations of America.  [READ PSALM]

What can we do?  Our godly plan has three parts.

1.  We can WORSHIP (v. 4a)

Here’s a key issue raised by this Psalm.  It will be helpful throughout the coming years to remember it:  “When the outlook is most bleak, the uplook is most essential.”

Worship focuses our attention on our “Solution,” not our “situations.” On Our Christ, not our crisis!

One cannot achieve the level of confidence for the future that David expresses in this Psalm if one does not worship regularly and enthusiastically.  

David was no “Morning Only Believer.” David declared in Ps. 92:

A psalm. A song for the Sabbath day.

1 It is good to praise Yahweh, to sing praise to Your name, Most High, 2 to declare Your faithful love in the morning and Your faithfulness at night.

Worship for David was not only an attitude (which we see throughout Psalms), but it was an “all day affair” on the Sabbath.  In fact, the ancient title for Psalm 92 is: “A Psalm. A Song for the Sabbath Day.”

Notice it was a “Sabbath DAY,” not a Sabbath hour, or Sabbath morning.  I would venture to say that the weakness displayed in most churches is because we have modeled our worship after “McDonald’s Drive Thru,” instead of the Master’s Word.

McDonald’s keeps a record of how long the average person spends in the drive-through process and they have it down to less than a couple of minutes.  Less time means more money.

But, when it comes to worship, “less time means more struggles.”

One hour once a week will never build the kind of trust in God that will get you through the tough times of life.

As we experience the crumbling of America’s social, economic and moral foundations, what can we, the people of God do?  First and foremost, “we can worship.”  We can enthusiastically praise the one that is “In His Holy temple.”

2.  We can WAIT (vv. 1, 4b-6)

One of the greatest weapons for victory in life that a believer has is “patience”—The ability to “wait” for God to show up with a blessing.

We could learn a lot from a Kindergarten teacher about patience.

A teacher was helping one of her kindergarten students put on his boots one winter? He asked for help and she soon learned why. With her pulling and him pushing, the boots still didn't want to go on. When the second boot was on, she had worked up a sweat. She almost whimpered when the little boy said, "Teacher, they're on the wrong feet." She looked and sure enough, they were. It wasn't any easier pulling the boots off than it was putting them on. She managed to keep her cool as together they worked to get the boots back on -- this time on the right feet. He then announced, "These aren't my boots." She bit her tongue rather than get right in his face and scream, "Why didn't you say so?" like she wanted to. Once again she struggled to help him pull the ill-fitting boots off. He then said, "They're my brother's boots. My Mom made me wear them." She didn't know if she should laugh or cry. She mustered up the grace and courage she had left to wrestle the boots on his feet again. She said, "Now, where are your mittens?" He said, "I stuffed them in the toes of my boots.”

Patience is essential to gaining victory over difficult circumstances.  In this Psalm, David teaches us that during times of national upheaval, like we see in America and the world today, we need to learn to “WAIT” on God.  David “waited” for God to work out a solution for his situation.  As we experience the crumbling of America’s foundations all around us, we, the people of God can and must, “WAIT.”  We really have no option but to TRUST God.

David didn’t run out ahead of God.  He waited patiently for God.  David stood his ground and said with great confidence:

“In the Lord I take refuge.”

SO OFTEN when we experience difficult circumstances—like the crumbling foundations of American society—we feel the urge to do exactly what David’s counselors (whoever they were) suggested:

“Flee!  Fly away quickly like a frightened little bird.”

That’s our human impulse when faced with difficulty or danger:  flee.  But, David did not give in to his human urge.  Instead, he stayed in the safest place in the universe:  the refuge of the Lord.

[GRAMMAR POWER] The word translated “I take refuge” is in a particularly construction (perfect stem) in Hebrew that means “a completed action with continuing results.”

When we place our lives into God’s care and the Holy Spirit unites with our spirit, nothing ABSOLUTELY NOTHING can change our standing with God.  We are absolutely safe and secure no matter what happens around us.  We simply need to WAIT on God to bring about a resolution to our situation.

We can have absolute trust in God because once we step out into His grace—that is receive the free gift of salvation He offers—nothing can ever change our eternal situation. That’s why the Holy Spirit uses the “Hebrew perfect tense” to describe our refuge.

We call this in theology, “eternal security of the believer.”  Notice that the Psalmist emphasizes the “throne” of God.  David, the shepherd king know first-hand what power came from sitting on the throne of Israel.  The throne symbolizes power – a “heavenly throne” symbolizes “absolute power.”

As we WAIT on the Lord, we are not being idle—we are being smart. We may not see how God is working in any given situation, but we can be assured that He is in fact working.

Notice how David, the Psalmist, describes what is taking place as we WAIT on the Lord in vv. 4b-6:

The Lord’s throne is in heaven. His eyes watch; He examines  everyone. ⁵ The Lord examines the righteous and the wicked. He hates the lover of violence. ⁶ He will rain burning coals  and sulfur on the wicked; a scorching wind will be their portion.

The word, “examine,” is used in both 4b and 5, but in two different ways.  The original word can have a general sense of “testing or trying, as with testing the purity of a metal,” or it can have the positive meaning of “approving.”  

In regard to all men, none escape God’s watchful eyes, but in the case of the righteous, we “pass the test and are approved of God,” whereas the wicked fail God’s test and He pours out His wrath in the most horrible way.

In verse 6, the word for “scorching wind” describes what Middle Easterners call, a “sirocco” (sharab in modern Heb.).  These winds come between the season changes of spring to summer and summer to fall.  They are incredibly devastating to plants.  Over night plants can be scorched and withered as if in a fire during the night. 

As we experience the crumbling foundations of American society as evidenced by the erosion of our Judeo-Christian values, we must not only WORSHIP, but we must WAIT on the Lord.  “God is on his heavenly throne.”  God is the King of Kings.

But, God Almighty, Yahweh, is no mere territorial or provincial king, but Yahweh is the Creator-King, the Sustainer-King.  While earthly kings wield great power, God the King wields absolute power.

As we see our nation crumbling down around our ears in every way possible to measure, we can flee like a bird that has no power, or we can trust in our Heavenly Father who has ultimate, immeasurable, inexhaustible strength.

Trust requires that we inspect God’s Book and see how God has performed in the past.  David’s confidence in the present came from his understanding of how God had worked in the past.

Time and time again throughout the Holy Record, God has demonstrated He is powerful enough to solve our problems, and loving enough to want to solve our problems.  

By every measure, God is fully trustworthy.  In fact, when you feel tempted to give up on God and “flee like a bird,” ask yourself: “To where are you going to flee.”  If God is not trustworthy, who or want can you trust?

Waiting on God is like letting the mighty wind of the Holy Spirit fill the sail of faith and drive us ever forward. Waiting on God is not about shutting down, but about soaring upward.  Isaiah 40:31 says 

But those who trust in the LORD will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint.

When we wait upon the Lord we move forward empowered by the Presence of the One Who Sits On the Throne of the Cosmos.

These are desperate times.  It is easy to conclude there is nothing the people of God can do.  We could just throw up our hands and “flee to the mountains” sitting idle and hoping for the rapture.  Or, we can WORSHIP God enthusiastically and WAIT on God patiently.  We can (and should) 

3.  WORK for God diligently (v 7).

⁷ For the Lord is righteous; He loves righteous deeds.

We do not have the right to simply don our ascension robes, sit cross-legged on a mountain and wait for Jesus to come rescue us. We, as God’s people the church, have a duty to the Sovereign God of Creation to work to build “His Kingdom, on earth as it is in heaven.”

There is much we can do.  We can WORSHIP.  We can WAIT on God as He fulfills His plan, and we can WORK.  One of my favorite hymns of the church is:

We’ll work ‘til Jesus Comes // We’ll work ‘til Jesus Comes

We’ll work ‘til Jesus Comes // And we’ll be gathered home.

Yes, these are troubled times indeed.  Our nation is in a shambles.  The Christian foundations of our country are crumbling.  Like David we may cry out, “What can the righteous do?”  Well, we can work.

We, the people of God, can work like we have never worked before.

These are days of “golden opportunity” for the church.  The darker the outlook, the brighter the light of the church will shine.  Look at verse 7 where David concludes his answer to the question:  “When the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?”  

7 For the LORD is righteous; He loves righteous deeds.

I’m not a really big fan of the way Robert Schuller goes about church at the Crystal Cathedral down the road a piece in Garden Grove.  But, I do love his basic strategy for how to grow a church Schuller had a simple strategy for successful church growth:

“Find a need and fill it.  Find a hurt and heal it!” [slide]

You can argue with some of Schuller’s theology, and many do, but you cannot question his strategy.  This is the essence of the gospel message:  Jesus came to meet our deepest need—the need for salvation.

Beyond that, Jesus commissioned us to feed the poor, clothe the naked, and visit the lonely.  We are called to “do righteous deeds.”  Jesus echoed these words here in this Psalm when He said,

Mat. 5:16  Let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

What can we do church?  We can “work.” We can be like a righteous factory turning out good deed after good deed.  We should not despair in these desperate times, because if we will set our hearts and hands to WORK, God will bring us a great harvest of souls!

If we want to see revival in the midst of the crumbling foundations of America we must WORK!

The situation for David was desperate, our situation is today.  David cried out, “What can the righteous do?”  God answered: WORSHIP.  WAIT.  and WORK.

Bitter days may be ahead for the nation,
but the best days are ahead for the Church, if we will worship, we will wait on God, and we will work!

On Fire

January 19, 2020                       NOTES NOT EDITED
On Fire!

1Kings 18:16-46

SIS: We need to pray down the power of heaven to set fire the altars of our devotion so that we might make a difference in the world for Christ.

Twenty-five years ago I first preached from the text in 1Kings 18, beginning in verse 16. I was fascinated by the courage of the Prophet Elijah as he faced off with 450 false prophets of Baal (and 400 prophets of Asherah, Baals female counterpart). This was a life or death challenge when Elijah threw down the gauntlet before 850 sword wielding private puppets of the evil King and Queen, Ahab and Jezebel. Elijah’s only weapon would be prayer.

There are many important elements to this story, a godly prophet, ungodly prophets, knives, swords and even blood.  But, the key ingredient in this story—the climax—is fire falling from heaven!  Fire is often associated in the Bible with God.  God rained down fire and brimstone on wicked Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19:24); God appeared to Moses in a burning bush (Ex. 3;2); God is called a “consuming fire” (Heb. 12:29.  In several places God is referred to as a “purifying or refining fire” (Zech. 13:9; Mal. 3:3).  In the prophetic portrait of John in the Revelation, the Lord is described as having eyes of fliery fiery flames (1:14).  Fire has had a long association with God, even for those blind philosophers searching for God by another name.

Heraclitus, one of the very earliest philosophers considered fire to be the “arche,” or the creating, driving principle of the cosmos. 

We all know the power of fire, especially here in Southern California. The Woolsey Fire last year marched right up to the edge of the church property, even scorching railroad ties lining the hillside.  As I speak, wildfires are raging in Australia, now having consumed over 12 million acres, displacing people and killing millions of animals.

Fire is an apt metaphor for God’s power, especially His judgment.  It is also a great metaphor for the “cleansing power of God’s mercy and grace.”  Who has not watched a Western movie where someone is shot and needs “trail surgery” to survive.  The “Trail Surgeon” is a fellow cowboy and the “Trail Scalpel” is the trusty long knife.  Before the Trail Surgeon begins to dig the bullet out of the victim’s side, he holds the knife over a campfire to sterilize it.  I remember this same procedure many times as a kid when Dad would hold a needle over a match to “sterilize” it before digging a splinter out of my finger.

Fire has a leading role in our text of the great revival under Elijah. Fire is a symbol of God’s power and presence.  If we want to see a wildfires of revival sweep across our nation, we need to have the kind of faith that Elijah had that day on Mt. Carmel.

Let’s read about praying fire down from heaven (1Kngs 18:36-39).

What Elijah accomplished that day under the most challenging and desperate of circumstances is nothing less than miraculous.  Miraculous is a word that is perhaps used too often and too broadly, much like the word, hero.  But, miraculous certainly applies to Elijah’s event that day in every sense of the world.

I believe the same miraculous power God exhibited in Elijah’s life that day is available for each of us today.  Daring discipleship even in the face of the great challenges of our day will bring the same results as they did that day for Elijah.  We just need to be “On Fire” for the Lord.

Faith that is On Fire has three components.

1.  First, On Fire Faith Makes the Right CHOICE (16-22)

¹⁶ Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him. Then Ahab went to meet Elijah. ¹⁷ When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is that you, you destroyer of Israel?”  ¹⁸ He replied, “I have not destroyed Israel, but you and your father’s house have, because you have abandoned the Lord’s commands and followed the Baals.  ¹⁹ Now summon all Israel to meet me at Mount Carmel,  along with the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah  who eat at Jezebel’s table.” ²⁰ So Ahab summoned all the Israelites and gathered the prophets at Mount Carmel. ²¹ Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you hesitate between two opinions?  If Yahweh is God, follow Him. But if Baal, follow him.”  But the people didn’t answer him a word.

So, here are the “sides” in this Mt. Carmel Contest.  Verse 16 mentions, Ahab, the King of Israel (the Northern Ten Tribes).  Ahab holds the distinction of being the “most wicked king” in Israel’s history. One great preacher in a famous sermon titled, “Pay Day Someday,” called Ahab, “That vile human toad that squatted on the throne of Israel.” Ahab had won the honor of “Most Wicked King,” from another wicked King named, “Omri.” Omri happened to be Ahab’s father.  Omri arranged the marriage of his son to Jezebel, a very wicked woman from the pagan nation of Tyre.  Together, Ahab and Jezebel raised wickedness and idolatry to a new high—or should I say, new low.  450 prophets of Baal served in the court of Ahab.  The female counterpart of Baal was Asherah.  400 false prophets of Asherah enjoyed dining with the wicked queen, Jezebel (v19).

Those are the players on the side of evil.  An evil king.  An evil queen. 450 evil prophets of Baal.  400 evil prophets of Asherah.  On God’s side, one lonely prophet named Elijah.  The deck seemed terribly stacked against good.  We see this same situation today.

As we think of the number of cases at the Supreme Court that have gone against the righteous precepts of God’s Word.  Think of 1962 in the case, Engel versus Vitale.  The court decision removed prayer from public schools.  A year later in Abington Township School District v. Schempp the court outlawed Bible reading in public schools.  These attacks upon faith laid the foundation for the worst decision of the Court in the history of America, Roe versus Wade, 1972.  Now, the Court removed the right to life for an unborn child.  Closer to our day we have seen the Court stand against traditional marriage and promoting gay rights by legalizing same-sex marriage.  We will soon see the Court officially declare that man and woman, male and female, are archaic categories and should be—and will be—illegal in our country.  It certainly seems that there are more false prophets of Baal and Asherah setting the course for our nation than prophets of Almighty God pushing back against this godlessness.

More and more we see the political and judicial machine of our nation line up on the side of evil against the Church.

A crowd had gathered that day watching what was taking place.  They saw the teams line up to prepare for a fight.  850 false prophets carrying knives and swords (we will learn later) and an old prophet who was hated by Ahab because Elijah had prophesized a draught three year earlier.  Israel, under the curse of God, was in a desperate situation.  Baal was the fertility god but as the people looked around barren soil parched by years of drought, they were open to perhaps changing sides.  In other words, their allegiance was as wavering as a feather in a windstorm.  Many in the crowd had been with God.  Then they switched to Baal, and now they were wavering somewhere in the middle.  Elijah called for a “clear choice.”  He challenged them

Vs 21: “How long will you hesitate between two opinions?  If Yahweh is God, follow Him. But if Baal, follow him.”

The Bible records the crowd’s response, “But the people didn’t answer.”  Why, because they felt safer not making a choice until they saw who came out on top—and looking at 850 armed false prophets lined up against 1 prophet of God, the people had their doubts.

The people chose to “not choose” which is itself a choice.  Many people live as if there are three choices in life:  1. Choose to follow the evil ways of the world; or 2) Simply avoid choosing and simply waver back and forth as the situation in life requires; and 3) to stand boldly for God and daringly defiant of the wicked ways of the world. 

In fact there are only two groups in life—and in eternity.  There are sheep who boldly live for God and goats who either live in open rebellion or simply fail to accept the free gift of eternal life that God offers through Jesus Christ.  The Bible makes this clear (Mt. 25),

 ³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels 5with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.  ³² All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  ³³ He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on the left. ³⁴ Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

God or Baal.  Heaven or Hell.  Only one choice is the “right” choice.

It is not possible to “sit on the fence” in regard to the offer of salvation God makes to each of us.  The Fence separating the lost man from the man of faith is very strong . You can't bust through in your own strength; you must go through the gate.  The fence is also very thin.  No one can walk on this fence for very long.  Sooner or later you come down on one side or the other.  You must make a choice . . . INDECISION IS AS DEADLY AS OPEN REBELLION!

I stood alone at the bar of God // in the hush of the twilight dim.

And faced the question which pierced my heart?

What will you do with Him?

Crowned or Crucified?  Which shall it be,

No other choice was offered me

I knelt in tears at the feet of Christ // In the hush of the twilight dim.

And all that I was, or hoped or sought, // Surrendered unto Him.

Everyone will one day stand at the bar of God and judgment will be based upon one question:  “What Did You Do With Him? With Jesus?” On Fire faith starts with the choice to accept God’s gift of eternal life and engage in bold faith daringly defying the minions of evil.

2.  On Fire Faith Takes Necessary Chances (23-39)

What Elijah does that day on Mt. Carmel almost defies description.  There was only one outcome that would be certain after Elijah’s challenge:  death.  Either he was going to die or the 850 false prophets with swords were going to die, and the crowd was probably putting their money on the false prophets. Elijah was either bold and daring or hopelessly naïve and soon-to-be dead.  Here’s Elijah’s bold challenge (vv 23-24):

²³ Let two bulls be given to us. They are to choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and place it on the wood but not light the fire. I will prepare the other bull and place it on the wood but not light the fire. ²⁴ Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of Yahweh.  The God who answers with fire, He is God.”

Let me repeat something you have heard me say several times in various ways:  There is no safe road to heaven.  The key to eternal life was forged in the shape of a cross.  The prophet Isaiah reminds us of the path that we must walk as bold believers daringly defying the minions of evil.  The NLT gives us a clear understanding of Isaiah’s exhortation, which we examined in last week’s sermon:

^{Isaiah 43:2(NLT)}  When you go through deep waters, I will be with you.

When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up;

the flames will not consume you

Notice that Isaiah says, “when,” not “if.”  When you pass through deep waters; when you go through rushing rivers; and when you walk through the fire of oppression.  Not if, but when.  There is not safe path to heaven.  All roads to heaven must pass through the cross, and earth knows no greater burden than that of “carrying the cross of Christ.”  The cross counts for everything, and the cross costs everything! 

Satan is not the worst enemy to faith, safety is.  Satan has been defeated by Christ, but when we seek safety we sacrifice obedience to Christ. 

When we sacrifice obedience TO Christ, we sacrifice victory IN Christ.  Jesus told a story that story that illustrates this point (Luke 19:12-24  NLT):

¹² He said, “A nobleman was called away to a distant empire to be crowned king and then return. ¹³ Before he left, he called together ten of his servants and divided among them ten pounds of silver, saying, ‘Invest this for me while I am gone.’ ¹⁴ But his people hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We do not want him to be our king.’ ¹⁵ “After he was crowned king, he returned and called in the servants to whom he had given the money. He wanted to find out what their profits were. ¹⁶ The first servant reported, ‘Master, I invested your money and made ten times the original amount!’  ¹⁷ “ ‘Well done!’ the king exclaimed. ‘You are a good servant. You have been faithful with the little I entrusted to you, so you will be governor of ten cities as your reward.’ ¹⁸ “The next servant reported, ‘Master, I invested your money and made five times the original amount.’ ¹⁹ “ ‘Well done!’ the king said. ‘You will be governor over five cities.’ ²⁰ “But the third servant brought back only the original amount of money and said, ‘Master, I hid your money and kept it safe. ²¹ I was afraid because you are a hard man to deal with, taking what isn’t yours and harvesting crops you didn’t plant.’  ²² “ ‘You wicked servant!’ the king roared. ‘Your own words condemn you. If you knew that I’m a hard man who takes what isn’t mine and harvests crops I didn’t plant, ²³ why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’ ²⁴ “Then, turning to the others standing nearby, the king ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one who has ten pounds.’

The man or woman who sacrifices obedience for safety loses everything! I read once that there is only one risk that should be avoided at all costs, “not taking any risks!” Anybody hear of a young man named Mark Zuckenberg?  He dropped out of Harvard to start FaceBook.  Quite a risk.  He said this, “The biggest risk is not taking any risk... In a world that’s changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks.”

This parable we read sets out the expectations Jesus has for those who claim to be His followers.  Jesus, the Nobleman in the story admonishes us, “Invest this for me while I am gone” (v13). 
Faith that is “On Fire” takes great CHANCES.

Elijah was investing his life in service to God and, as far as he could see from a human perspective, it was more than likely he would not come down off that mountain alive.  But, he chose to serve God not seek his own safety. Someone has said this about risk versus safety:  “A ship in harbour is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.” – (William G.T. Shedd) Don’t seek safety. Seek obedience.

On Fire faith is On Fire because it takes necessary chances.

3.  On Fire Faith Enjoys a Great Celebration (41-45)

Verse 26 tells us that the false prophets “called upon Baal from morning to noon, but Baal never answered.  They danced ecstatically calling out in loud voices.  Baal never answered.  After several hours Elijah pours salt into their wounded worship by saying, “Shout louder!  Maybe Baal’s in deep thought, or has wandered away (euphemism for relieving oneself), or travelling” (v27).

This sent the false prophets into a frenzy so that “slashed themselves with swords . . . until their blood flowed” (v28).  Still, no fire and no answer from Baal. 

Then Elijah took the stage, so to speak.  Just for heightened affect, Elijah floods the sacrifice and the altar with water (vv 32-34).  He floods the altar not just once; not twice; but three times!  Elijah wanted to make sure that when the altar burst into flames it could only be by the Hand of Almighty God and not spontaneous combustion—or some other such naturalistic explanation.

Then, verse 36, says Elijah prayed.  I said earlier that the prophets of Baal and Asherah were armed with swords and spears, and Elijah stood alone.  Well, that is true from a human perspective, but from a faith perspective we are never alone when we are standing for—and with—Almighty God!  And, we never face the forces of evil without being armed.  Like Elijah, we are armed with prayer!  This could easily be an entire sermon all by itself.  As someone has wisely said, “The child of God can do great things when they pray, but can do nothing of note UNTIL they pray!” Prayer plugs a believer into the power of Almighty God—and what great power that is!

BOOM!  THE FIRE FELL!

³⁸ Then Yahweh’s fire fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. ³⁹ When all the people saw it, they fell facedown and said, “Yahweh, He is God! Yahweh, He is God!”

God’s fire fell to consume the sacrifice and His judgment fell to consume the false prophets who had led Israel into evil, chaos, and hardship.  Look at verse 40:

⁴⁰ Then Elijah ordered them, “Seize the prophets of Baal!  Do not let even one of them escape.” So they seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the Wadi Kishon  and slaughtered them there.

Make no mistake about this:  those that rebel against God and refuse the salvation He offers freely by His grace, will face an eternity of torment—I don’t like to point this out, but as they say, “That’s a fact Jack!”

The people of Israel were ecstatic and responded with worshipful hearts to God when the fire of God’s promise fell at the behest of God’s prophet.  But . . . now listen to this . . . the story isn’t over!

Remember I said that Ahab hated Elijah because Elijah prophesied three years of drought.  Crops had dried up.  People were hungry.  The economy was as dry as burnt toast.  People desperately prayed for rain, hoping that Baal, the fertility god, would send it.  He didn’t send rain.  In fact, the earth continued to dry and die.

Now, look what happens when the people finally surrender to Yahweh, the Only True God.

⁴¹ Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a rainstorm.” ⁴² So Ahab went to eat and drink, but Elijah went up to the summit of Carmel.  He bowed down on the ground and put his face between his knees.  ⁴³ Then he said to his servant, “Go up and look toward the sea.” So he went up, looked, and said, “There’s nothing.” Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.” ⁴⁴ On the seventh  time, he reported, “There’s a cloud as small as a man’s hand coming from the sea.” Then Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Get your chariot ready and go down so the rain doesn’t stop you.’ ”

⁴⁵ In a little while, the sky grew dark with clouds and wind, and there was a downpour.

The parched dry soil of Israel received the abundance of life-giving rain.  The tattered, torn, bruised, and hope-starved people soon would celebrate a bumper crop of joy!

When God’s people make a solemn, absolute choice to obey God and not man; and when God’s people step out with bold, daring, On Fire faith to challenge the minions of evil in our world; then, God will send His blessings like, “a downpour.” This reminds us of
Malachi’s promise (Mal. 3:10):

Test Me in this way,” says the Lord of Hosts. “See if I will not open the floodgates of heaven and pour out a blessing for you without measure.

Specifically, Malachi is referencing the giving of the tithe, but broadly Malachi 3:10 speaks of living a life of bold, daring, On Fire faith in general.

The one who makes the choice and takes the chance enjoys the celebration.

[Close] Earlier I said that what Elijah accomplished on Mt. Carmel in the face of great danger was nothing short of miraculous.  Let me add this:  nothing short of the miraculous is going to turn your life around.  Nothing short of God invading your life miraculously with His grace, will bring lasting and meaningful change in your life.  The same is true for our nation.  Nothing short of a miraculous intervention by God will save our nation.  My fear is this:  do we really believe God will miraculously send His fire from heaven?

 I am encouraged about a story I read over two decades ago. ARNOLD LEMERAND was getting out of his car on this Sunday near a construction site where young children were playing.  He realized something was wrong.  An 1800 lb. cast iron pipe had rolled off the stack and pinned 5 year-old Philip Toth underneath.  He was not immediately crushed because the ground was soft.  But, he was suffocating.  Arnold looked around for help. No one was around but the children.  He did what he had to do.  He lifted the 1800 lb. pipe off Philip's head and a couple girls pulled the boy from under the pipe.  Later Lemerand said, “I thought the pipe weighed maybe 300 to 400 pounds.”  This would have still been a superhuman feat.  It actually weighed 1800 pounds.  The deadlift record under ideal conditions after years of training is only about 1100 pounds. After the incident Arnold went back to the site to show his sons what had happened.  He couldn't budge the pipe.  His burly sons together couldn't budge the pipe. A police officer tried to budge the pipe, as did various reporters and photographers.  Nobody could budge the pipe.  Later, at an AP news interview, the reporter asked about Arnold's strength and general health, or if he had any regular health practice he followed.  His answer was, "I try to avoid heavy lifting!"  (Arnold 56 yrs old had had a heart attack 6 yrs before!)

Can you imagine how much great work you could accomplish in this world if you determined today that you can “do all things through Christ Who strengthens you?”  Can you imagine how “On Fire” you would become to the empire of evil if you trusted God as much as Elijah trusted him?

Will you join me today in praying that God would give you a “On Fire Faith” that poses a real and present danger to the forces of evil in our world?  Ask God to set your giving “on fire.”  Ask God to set your worship attendance “on fire.”  Ask God to set your prayer life on fire.  God’s fire falls on On Fire faith.