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Decision Time · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

0:00
Let's turn again to the chapter we read in 1 Kings 18.
0:05
And we find the challenge in verse 21 that Elijah is throwing out towards Israel.
0:14
! And Elijah came near to all the people and said,
0:18
How long will you go limping between two different opinions?
0:22
If the Lord is God, follow him.
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But if Baal, then follow him.
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And the people did not answer him a word.
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As a boy growing up, Elijah was one of my favorite characters in the Bible
0:42
because he seemed to be tough as nails.
0:45
And he seemed to be just a man who was utterly fearless and would do anything and go anywhere.
0:52
And that one mission was to serve God.
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And he was, I suppose, like a lot of young boys, Elijah was a hero to us.
1:01
And I used to think it was very fitting that when God was taking, as he took Enoch,
1:08
he also took Elijah, that he was to take this incredible servant of his out of this world, never meeting death.
1:16
But Elijah, although he may appear otherworldly to us,
1:21
because sometimes when you read through Elijah,
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apart from the one lapse that he had when he ran away from Jezebel,
1:29
everything else about his life was unbelievably passionate, zealous.
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And you'd almost think he was kind of different to us.
1:37
But he wasn't.
1:38
James, in his letter, tells us, Elijah was exactly like you and me,
1:43
with the same passions, the same kind of character.
1:47
They're no different to the likes of you and me.
1:50
So James tells us this.
1:54
Now in this chapter that we meet here, there's a crisis has come in the land.
2:01
And the idolatry of Israel is just beginning to overwhelm the whole place.
2:06
And because of that idolatry, God has sent a drought on the land,
2:12
so that they were without water for three years.
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And it's in light of this that Elijah comes to bring this challenge to Israel.
2:23
And they have to make a decision.
2:24
Now you and I know life is full of decision making.
2:28
We're always having to make decisions.
2:30
Some of these decisions are so small, we don't realize that they're actually decisions.
2:34
The likes of, what am I going to eat?
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Or if you have leisure time, will I read?
2:39
Will I watch something?
2:40
Will I go for a walk?
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These are the kind of sort of little decisions that we make within the day
2:47
that have no great consequences at all.
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But then there are bigger choices, bigger decisions.
2:53
The likes of, when it comes to marriage, who you're marrying,
2:57
where you're going to live, the job you're going to have.
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These are much bigger choices, bigger decisions.
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But the biggest decision, the biggest choice that anybody could ever make
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is what we do with the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Do we follow him?
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Or do we push him away?
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Do we side with Jesus?
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Do we ask Jesus to be our Lord and our King?
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Or do we walk away from Jesus?
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Do we push Jesus aside every time that he comes near us in the Gospel or in Providence?
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What is our reaction to Jesus?
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Because we're always making a decision at these times,
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either accepting or rejecting.
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And so we find that Israel has come to this point where a choice has to be made.
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Now as we read here,
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Ab was searching the whole land for Elijah
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because he blamed Elijah for the drought.
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You see, Elijah, according to God's word,
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had come to Ab and said to him,
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As the Lord God lives, there will be no rain for three years.
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Because Ab was leading Israel in a downward spiral of idolatry.
4:11
It was getting worse and worse and worse.
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And they were going further and further and further away from God.
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And so God said,
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My judgment.
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And this was a judgment in order to bring Israel back to repentance,
4:25
to turn again to God.
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But it was doing the very opposite.
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And you know,
4:31
when we look at our own country,
4:32
our own land,
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can we not see a similar picture?
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Because you and I were very conscious.
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Things are not improving.
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Despite all the advances in technology and medicine
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and all these,
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and we're thankful for all these advances that are being made
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and do make life better.
4:50
As a nation,
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it's not getting better.
4:53
It's not getting any safer.
4:55
It's not getting any wealthier.
4:57
It's not getting...
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We're struggling.
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Even our politicians will talk about
5:01
us being broken as a society.
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And God is speaking to us
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through these things.
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And rather than turning to God
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and repenting of where we are,
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that's what should be happening nationally.
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It's like digging our heels in and saying,
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No, we won't.
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We'll go further away from God.
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And that's exactly what was happening here
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in the time of Ahab and Elijah.
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So chapter 18 opens here with
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God telling Elijah to show himself
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to Ahab because he was going to send rain.
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And as we could see there,
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the land was in a crisis.
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There was so much drought
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and people were suffering.
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People would be dying because of the famine,
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because there wouldn't be the crops
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due to the lack of water.
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And what is King Ahab doing at this point?
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When his people are in a crisis,
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he's looking for a bit of grass and water
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for his mules and horses.
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No word about the people.
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All he's concerned about are his mules
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and his horses.
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He's looking for a bit of grass
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and water for them.
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And it's here we see,
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here's this king who's supposed to be
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caring for the people,
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looking after the people.
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But he's so self-centered,
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so self-obsessed,
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that his horses and his mules
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count far more to him
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than the people that he's looking after.
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And you know,
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it's almost like the picture
6:35
of the rich man and Lazarus.
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Remember the rich man
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and he had all the wealth
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and he was there indulging himself
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in all his finery
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and the beggar Lazarus at the door
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starving, full of sores
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and he had no word of him.
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And you know,
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the sinful heart
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that becomes self-obsessed,
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can't see others,
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can't empathize with others,
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can't sympathize,
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void of compassion.
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And it's an awful picture
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of how we can go.
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Anyway,
7:08
we see here
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that the time has come
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there's to be a showdown.
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And we've got to remember
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it's a fearful thing
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to be instrumental
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in leading people away
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from the Lord.
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And it's a,
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I'm not going to go bad,
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I'm not making this
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any political sermon
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in any shape or form,
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but you know,
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when you think of our
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our governments
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and the policies
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that they are passing,
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the laws that pass,
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everything that takes us
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further away from God,
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everything that pushes God
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further out
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is not to our well-being,
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it's to our detriment.
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And it's an awesome responsibility
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before God
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for people to do that
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because one day
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they're going to have to
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stand before him
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and to give an account
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as we all have
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for everything
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that they've done.
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Well,
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the thing is,
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Ahab was somebody
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who had sold himself
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to sin,
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to idolatry.
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But bad and all
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though Ahab was,
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he was nothing like his wife.
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Jezebel was the power
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behind the throne.
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She was utterly evil.
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She was the one
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who was just,
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she had a hatred
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for God
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and for the cause
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of Christ.
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And she was just
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somebody who wanted
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to obliterate,
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out of the land,
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everybody
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that followed the Lord.
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Bad and all
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though Ahab was,
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he wasn't that bad
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because we find
8:31
as we look at the life
8:32
of Ahab,
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there was a side
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somewhere in him
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because he knew,
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he knew who God was.
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There was a God consciousness
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in Ahab
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that was not in Jezebel.
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And we find
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that there's a period
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later on
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where Ahab
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actually
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humbles himself
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before God
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because of the judgment
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that's going to come.
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And God said,
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because Ahab
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has humbled himself
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in this way,
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I won't bring it
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in his day
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but in his family's day.
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So you see
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that bad and all
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though he was,
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there was this
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God side,
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God awareness
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in his heart.
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But as I said,
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he was nothing
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like his wife
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who was the power
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behind the throne.
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And we see
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another instance
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of this
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is that
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the chief man
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that Ahab had,
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the man
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who was his governor,
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like his lieutenant,
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his main man
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in operations
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was Obadiah
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who was a devout
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God-fearing man.
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And there's no doubt
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that Ahab
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had to intercede
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or had to plead
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for Obadiah's life
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when Jezebel
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was doing a purge
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of trying to remove
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all the God-fearing people
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in the nation.
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So you see
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there was this
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side to him.
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And Obadiah
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tells us
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there was a period
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when Ahab
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was killing
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all the prophets,
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when Jezebel
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was killing
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all the prophets
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of God,
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that Obadiah
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took a hundred
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prophets
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and hid
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fifty in one cave,
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fifty in another,
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and he fed them
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with bread and water,
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probably out of
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his own expenses.
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But the thing is
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he tells us
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in verse 13
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that Ahab
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actually knew
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what he did.
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Has it not been
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told, my lord,
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what I did
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when Jezebel
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killed the prophets?
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So Ahab knew
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what Obadiah
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was doing.
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So that shows us
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that there was
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this other side
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to Ahab
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who was totally
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different
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to his wife.
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Anyway,
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the time comes
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and Elijah
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meets Obadiah
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and tells him,
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go tell Ahab
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that I'm going
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to meet him
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today.
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And Obadiah
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says,
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I can't.
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I can't do that
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because
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Ahab has searched
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the whole land
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and the land
10:46
is round about
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and I know
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what's going
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to happen
10:48
because when
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I go and
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tell Ahab,
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Elijah's going
10:52
to meet you,
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the spirit
10:54
of the Lord
10:54
will take you
10:54
away.
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And then Ahab's
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going to kill
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me for this.
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But Elijah
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gives his word
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and he said,
11:02
I am going
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to meet Ahab
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today.
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And it's very
11:06
interesting how
11:07
Ahab addresses
11:09
Elijah
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in verse 17.
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When Ahab
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saw Elijah,
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Ahab said
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to him,
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is it you,
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you troubler
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of Israel?
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Isn't it
11:22
incredible
11:23
how sin
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distorts
11:25
the picture?
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The one
11:27
person
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who was
11:28
capable
11:31
of turning
11:31
things,
11:32
this great
11:32
man of
11:33
prayer,
11:34
and yet
11:34
Ahab
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is the one
11:36
who has
11:36
caused
11:37
all the
11:38
havoc
11:38
and yet
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he blames
11:39
Elijah.
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You see,
11:40
that's what
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sin does.
11:42
Sin distorts
11:43
our understanding.
11:45
There's no
11:46
discernment,
11:46
there's no
11:47
awareness,
11:47
there's no
11:48
spiritual
11:48
understanding.
11:50
And we can
11:50
see it so
11:51
often what
11:52
people call
11:52
evil good
11:53
and good
11:54
evil,
11:54
and that's
11:54
the way
11:55
they look
11:55
at it.
11:55
And they
11:56
genuinely
11:56
think because
11:57
sin has
11:58
so distorted
11:59
their thinking,
12:00
they think
12:00
good is
12:00
evil and
12:01
evil is
12:01
good.
12:02
And we
12:02
see it,
12:03
we see it
12:03
in our
12:04
own
12:05
nation.
12:06
Anyway,
12:07
Elijah is
12:08
saying enough
12:09
is enough.
12:10
And Elijah
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says,
12:11
you're the
12:11
one who
12:12
has troubled
12:12
Israel.
12:13
And he
12:14
said to
12:15
Ahab,
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I'm throwing
12:16
down a
12:17
challenge to
12:18
you and
12:19
to the
12:19
whole of
12:20
Israel.
12:21
Enough is
12:22
enough.
12:23
And I want
12:23
you to meet
12:24
on Mount
12:24
Carmel,
12:25
all the
12:26
prophets of
12:26
Baal and
12:27
the prophets
12:28
of the
12:28
Asherah,
12:28
that would
12:29
be 850
12:30
altogether,
12:30
450
12:31
prophets of
12:32
Baal and
12:32
400 of
12:33
the Asherah.
12:34
and I
12:35
will meet
12:36
and where
12:37
there's going
12:37
to be a
12:37
challenge to
12:39
see who
12:39
is the
12:40
living and
12:41
the true
12:41
God.
12:43
And so we
12:44
find that
12:44
they gather
12:45
together,
12:46
there's to
12:46
be two
12:47
altars and
12:48
two sacrifices
12:49
and two
12:50
bulls,
12:51
one,
12:51
Elijah is
12:52
going to
12:52
sacrifice one
12:53
bull and
12:54
the prophets
12:54
of Baal will
12:55
sacrifice another.
12:56
And there's no
12:57
doubt that
12:57
Elijah in
12:59
planning for
13:00
this would
13:01
have,
13:01
or because
13:01
people wonder
13:02
where does the
13:02
water come?
13:03
Well,
13:03
Mount Carmel
13:04
is just
13:05
beside the
13:05
Mediterranean
13:06
Sea.
13:07
And there's
13:07
no doubt
13:08
that Elijah,
13:09
in order to
13:09
prove what
13:10
was happening,
13:10
would have
13:11
asked people
13:12
to bring up
13:12
water from
13:13
salt water
13:14
from the
13:15
Mediterranean
13:15
because he
13:17
was going to
13:17
soak the
13:18
sacrifice as
13:19
well,
13:19
just to
13:20
prove to
13:20
the people
13:21
what was
13:21
happening.
13:23
And so
13:23
everybody
13:24
comes together
13:25
to watch.
13:27
Now,
13:27
I wouldn't
13:27
imagine the
13:28
whole of
13:28
Israel would
13:29
have been
13:29
there,
13:30
but
13:30
representatives
13:31
from all
13:32
the different
13:32
tribes would
13:33
have been
13:34
there.
13:35
And Elijah
13:36
throws down
13:37
this challenge
13:38
to Israel.
13:39
How long
13:40
will you go
13:41
limping between
13:42
two different
13:44
opinions?
13:45
If the
13:45
Lord is God,
13:46
follow him.
13:47
If Baal is
13:48
God,
13:49
follow him.
13:50
And the
13:50
God who
13:50
answers by
13:51
fire,
13:52
he is
13:53
the Lord.
13:54
And the
13:54
people initially
13:55
said nothing,
13:56
but then when
13:56
he threw out
13:58
the challenge
13:58
again,
13:59
they said,
13:59
more or less,
14:00
they said,
14:00
this is
14:02
well spoken
14:03
or this
14:03
is a fair
14:04
challenge.
14:07
And you
14:07
know,
14:08
it's a
14:09
solemn
14:10
thought because
14:11
this challenge
14:12
that Elijah
14:15
threw out
14:15
is a challenge
14:16
that is relevant
14:17
today as well.
14:19
Probably nearly
14:20
3,000,
14:21
not far off,
14:22
3,000 years
14:23
ago,
14:23
when that
14:24
challenge
14:24
boomed out
14:25
across
14:25
Carmel,
14:26
it echoes
14:27
out to this
14:28
very day.
14:30
How long
14:31
will you
14:31
go limping
14:32
between
14:32
two?
14:33
How long
14:34
will you
14:34
go halting
14:35
between
14:36
two decisions?
14:37
If the
14:38
Lord is
14:39
God,
14:39
follow him.
14:42
And can I
14:43
say that
14:43
that's a
14:44
question that
14:46
we have to
14:46
ask ourselves
14:47
today.
14:48
If the
14:48
Lord is
14:49
God,
14:49
if you're
14:50
here today
14:50
and you
14:51
have never
14:51
yet begun
14:52
to follow
14:52
the Lord,
14:53
you have to
14:54
ask yourself
14:54
why not?
14:56
Now I
14:57
don't believe
14:57
there's anybody
14:58
in here
14:58
today who
14:59
isn't at
15:00
one level
15:01
or another
15:01
interested
15:02
at some
15:04
point.
15:05
There's some
15:05
level of
15:06
interest in
15:07
your heart
15:08
or it's
15:09
not very
15:10
likely that
15:10
you would
15:11
be here
15:11
today.
15:13
But the
15:13
thing is,
15:14
it's not
15:15
enough simply
15:16
just to
15:17
come to
15:18
church.
15:19
It's
15:19
important that
15:20
we deal
15:21
with what
15:21
we see
15:22
and what
15:22
we hear
15:23
and what
15:23
God requires
15:24
of us
15:25
because he's
15:26
our maker.
15:26
He's
15:27
the one
15:27
who we
15:27
have to
15:28
give an
15:28
account to
15:29
at the
15:29
end of
15:29
the day
15:30
and he
15:30
has made
15:31
a provision
15:31
for us
15:32
in Jesus
15:33
Christ so
15:34
that everything
15:34
can be right.
15:35
At the moment
15:36
it's all
15:36
wrong.
15:37
The Lord
15:38
alone can
15:39
make it
15:39
right.
15:40
And so he
15:41
says,
15:41
come on.
15:43
Now maybe
15:44
there are
15:44
people,
15:45
might even
15:45
be people
15:46
here today
15:46
are saying,
15:47
well you
15:47
know,
15:47
I intend
15:48
one day
15:49
to get
15:49
this sorted.
15:50
It's my,
15:50
as sure
15:51
as I'm
15:52
sitting here,
15:53
one day
15:53
it's my
15:54
aim to
15:55
become a
15:55
Christian.
15:56
I want to
15:56
get,
15:56
before I
15:57
die,
15:57
I'm going
15:58
to get
15:58
this sorted.
16:00
But right
16:00
now,
16:01
don't push
16:02
it.
16:03
Because
16:04
if I
16:05
became a
16:06
Christian
16:06
just now,
16:07
it's going
16:08
to really
16:08
interfere
16:09
with my
16:10
schedule,
16:11
with the
16:11
plans I
16:12
have.
16:12
I have
16:13
certain
16:13
things I'm
16:13
going to
16:14
do.
16:15
Can you
16:15
not leave
16:16
it another
16:16
year or
16:16
two?
16:17
And honestly,
16:19
I have
16:19
every intention
16:20
of seeing
16:21
to this,
16:22
it's one of
16:22
the things,
16:23
it's on
16:23
my to-do
16:24
list.
16:25
Well,
16:26
the thing
16:26
is,
16:28
we can't
16:28
guarantee a
16:29
day or
16:29
an hour.
16:31
And the
16:31
very fact
16:32
that today
16:33
you might
16:34
be saying,
16:34
I do
16:34
want to
16:35
be a
16:35
Christian
16:36
at some
16:36
point,
16:38
there might
16:39
come,
16:39
the Lord
16:39
might spare
16:40
you a
16:40
few years,
16:42
and in a
16:43
few years
16:43
you might
16:43
not want
16:44
to think
16:44
like that.
16:45
I sadly
16:45
know people,
16:47
and there
16:47
was a day
16:47
that they
16:48
appeared
16:48
interested,
16:49
and today
16:50
they're as
16:51
far away
16:51
with not
16:52
as far
16:53
as I
16:53
can see,
16:54
no interest
16:54
at all.
16:56
That's a
16:56
solemn thing,
16:57
it's a
16:57
challenging
16:58
thing.
16:59
So God
17:00
is saying
17:00
to us
17:00
today,
17:01
this is
17:02
absolutely
17:02
essential,
17:05
and it's
17:05
important
17:05
that we
17:07
confess the
17:08
Lord Jesus
17:08
Christ.
17:10
And can I
17:10
say to
17:10
those who
17:11
have come
17:12
to faith,
17:13
and there
17:13
might be
17:14
some here
17:14
like that
17:15
today,
17:15
you've
17:16
come to
17:16
faith in
17:17
the Lord
17:17
Jesus Christ,
17:17
you've
17:18
come to
17:18
trust him.
17:18
you love
17:20
Jesus,
17:21
but you've
17:22
never
17:22
publicly
17:23
confessed him.
17:25
We had a
17:25
communion last
17:26
week,
17:27
and that's
17:27
the time
17:28
for the
17:28
public
17:29
confession.
17:31
Because remember
17:31
what the
17:32
scripture says,
17:33
we are to
17:34
believe in
17:35
our heart
17:35
and confess
17:37
with our
17:38
mouth that
17:39
Jesus Christ
17:40
is Lord.
17:42
And Jesus
17:42
wants that
17:43
public
17:44
confession.
17:45
That's what
17:45
you do when
17:46
you come
17:46
before the
17:47
church
17:47
says,
17:47
it's not
17:48
a big
17:50
question,
17:51
all the
17:51
session
17:52
wants is
17:53
to hear
17:53
your
17:54
confession,
17:55
that you
17:55
love the
17:56
Lord Jesus
17:57
Christ,
17:58
and that
17:58
he is
17:59
your
18:00
savior.
18:02
And so
18:02
it's
18:03
important,
18:04
some people
18:05
they just
18:06
say,
18:06
I can't
18:07
do it.
18:08
Well,
18:08
think of
18:08
what Jesus
18:09
has done
18:09
for you.
18:11
Because there's
18:11
going to
18:11
come a day
18:12
when you
18:12
have to
18:13
meet him.
18:14
And he's
18:15
going to
18:15
say to
18:15
you,
18:15
think of
18:16
all I
18:16
did for
18:17
you.
18:18
And all
18:18
I asked
18:19
you to
18:19
do was
18:20
to publicly
18:21
confess my
18:23
name.
18:25
And maybe
18:25
you're saying,
18:26
oh, I'm
18:28
not worthy
18:28
to do
18:29
that.
18:29
None of
18:30
us are.
18:31
There's
18:31
not one
18:32
single
18:32
passion who
18:33
is worthy.
18:34
All the
18:34
worthiness
18:35
belongs to
18:35
Jesus.
18:37
It's for
18:37
unworthy
18:38
people that
18:40
the Lord's
18:41
Supper has
18:41
been given.
18:43
And it's
18:43
a wonderful
18:45
privilege.
18:45
church.
18:46
So,
18:47
I want
18:48
you,
18:48
if you
18:48
love the
18:49
Lord and
18:49
have never
18:49
done so,
18:50
to think
18:50
seriously and
18:52
pray for the
18:52
grace to
18:53
do that when
18:54
the next
18:54
communion comes.
18:57
So anyway,
18:58
we find,
18:59
and just in a
18:59
word,
19:00
we find that
19:01
the prophets
19:01
of Baal,
19:02
they shout,
19:03
they dance,
19:04
they sing,
19:05
they call,
19:05
and nothing
19:07
happens.
19:08
Nothing
19:08
happens.
19:10
Elijah begins
19:11
to mock
19:11
them.
19:11
I might
19:12
be sleeping.
19:14
And of
19:15
course,
19:16
nothing
19:16
happens.
19:17
They cut
19:17
themselves,
19:18
the self-mutilation,
19:20
all the process
19:20
that goes on.
19:22
And of
19:22
course,
19:23
Baal is a
19:24
dead God.
19:25
Nothing.
19:26
And then
19:26
Elijah rebuilds
19:28
the altar of
19:28
God,
19:29
puts the
19:30
slain bullock
19:32
on the top,
19:33
the wood,
19:34
everything on
19:34
there,
19:35
and then he
19:35
asks that
19:36
they'd be
19:36
soaked with
19:37
water.
19:38
and then
19:39
prays to
19:40
the Lord,
19:41
and the
19:41
Lord answers
19:42
with fire.
19:44
And the
19:45
people just
19:46
fall down
19:46
on their
19:46
faces.
19:48
It must
19:49
have been
19:49
the most
19:49
extraordinary,
19:50
awesome spectacle
19:51
that they'd
19:53
ever seen
19:53
in their
19:54
lives.
19:55
This
19:55
visual
19:56
representation
19:57
of the
19:57
power of
19:58
God,
19:59
answering
20:00
the call
20:00
of this
20:01
lonesome
20:02
prophet,
20:04
Lord,
20:06
show that
20:06
you are
20:07
God.
20:08
By sending
20:09
down fire
20:10
on the
20:10
sacrifice.
20:11
And the
20:12
fire came
20:12
down,
20:12
consumed the
20:13
bull,
20:14
consumed the
20:15
wood,
20:15
consumed even
20:16
the stones,
20:18
dried up,
20:18
nothing left,
20:19
obliterated.
20:21
And the
20:22
people fall
20:22
down on
20:23
their faces
20:23
saying,
20:23
the Lord,
20:24
he is
20:24
God.
20:26
The Lord,
20:27
he is
20:27
God.
20:28
I hope
20:29
today that
20:29
that's what
20:30
you're seeing
20:30
in your
20:31
heart.
20:32
The Lord,
20:32
he is
20:33
God.
20:33
The Lord
20:33
is my
20:34
God.
20:36
Because
20:36
the
20:38
alternative
20:39
doesn't
20:39
bear
20:40
thinking.
20:41
Now,
20:41
we find
20:41
that Elijah
20:42
orders that
20:43
they get
20:44
all the
20:44
prophets of
20:45
Baal,
20:45
and they're
20:46
taking them
20:46
down to
20:46
the brook,
20:47
and they're
20:47
slaughtered,
20:48
and people
20:48
say,
20:48
oh my
20:49
goodness,
20:49
that's
20:50
harsh,
20:50
that's
20:51
brutal.
20:52
So it
20:52
is.
20:54
But the
20:55
point that
20:55
Elijah is
20:56
so on
20:57
fire for
20:58
the Lord,
20:59
he's saying
20:59
if they
21:00
continue to
21:01
live,
21:02
they will
21:03
continue to
21:04
take people
21:04
away from
21:05
the God,
21:06
and they
21:07
will lead
21:07
people to
21:08
hell,
21:08
they're doing
21:08
the devil's
21:09
work.
21:10
And so
21:10
there is a
21:11
pictorial
21:12
representation
21:12
here of
21:13
the judgment
21:14
that faces
21:14
those who
21:15
spend their
21:16
life taking
21:17
people away
21:17
from God.
21:18
It's an
21:18
hopeful
21:18
thought.
21:20
There are
21:20
people today,
21:21
and you
21:21
know and I
21:22
know,
21:22
there are
21:23
people who
21:23
give their
21:23
lives.
21:24
God gives
21:25
them their
21:26
life,
21:26
sustains
21:27
them,
21:27
blesses
21:28
them,
21:28
and yet they
21:29
give all
21:29
their time and
21:30
energy in
21:31
trying to
21:32
lead people
21:33
away from
21:33
God.
21:33
There is
21:34
no God.
21:36
What an
21:37
end,
21:39
unless God
21:39
has first
21:40
mercy on
21:41
their soul.
21:43
But the
21:43
wonderful thing
21:44
for us
21:44
today is
21:45
the fire
21:46
of God's
21:47
wrath has
21:47
fallen on
21:48
his son,
21:50
and his
21:50
son was
21:50
consumed on
21:51
the cross
21:52
in order
21:54
that we
21:54
can go
21:55
free.
21:56
And all
21:56
we have
21:57
to do
21:57
is accept
21:59
and believe.
22:01
well will
22:02
you?
22:04
Let's
22:04
pray.
22:05
Lord our
22:06
God,
22:06
we pray to
22:07
bless us.
22:09
And we
22:09
give thanks
22:10
that you
22:10
are God
22:11
of heaven
22:11
and earth,
22:12
and that
22:13
you have
22:13
set before
22:14
us life
22:14
and death,
22:15
and you
22:16
have shown
22:16
us the
22:17
way of
22:17
salvation.
22:19
And we
22:19
pray that
22:19
we will
22:20
not have
22:20
resistant
22:21
hearts,
22:22
but hearts
22:23
that are
22:23
molded,
22:24
and hearts
22:25
that are
22:25
willing to
22:27
be
22:27
embracing
22:29
Jesus as
22:30
Lord and
22:31
Saviour.
22:32
Lord,
22:33
bless and
22:33
pity us,
22:34
shine on
22:35
us with
22:35
thy face.
22:37
Have
22:37
mercy upon
22:38
us,
22:38
we pray.
22:38
Take us
22:39
to our
22:39
home safely,
22:40
forgiving us
22:40
of every
22:41
sin.
22:42
In
22:42
Jesus'
22:42
name we
22:43
ask it.
22:43
Amen.
22:46
We're
22:46
going to
22:46
conclude
22:47
singing in
22:47
the 80th
22:48
Psalm,
22:49
Psalm
22:49
number
22:49
80,
22:50
and this
22:51
is from
22:51
the
22:51
Scottish
22:51
Psalter,
22:53
Psalm
22:53
80,
22:54
from the
22:54
Scottish
22:55
Psalter,
22:55
and we're
22:56
going to
22:57
sing the
22:57
last three
22:58
verses of
22:59
the
22:59
Psalm.
23:02
Psalm
23:02
80,
23:04
from
23:04
verse,
23:07
from
23:07
verse,
23:08
it's
23:08
verse 17,
23:09
maybe I
23:09
put the
23:10
wrong,
23:10
did I,
23:10
if I
23:10
put 19,
23:11
I'm
23:11
sorry,
23:12
it's
23:12
verses
23:12
17 to
23:14
the end,
23:15
the last
23:15
three
23:16
verses of
23:16
the
23:16
Psalm.
23:19
O let
23:20
thy hand
23:20
be still
23:21
upon the
23:21
man of
23:22
thy
23:22
right
23:22
hand,
23:23
the
23:24
son of
23:24
man,
23:24
whom
23:25
for
23:25
thyself
23:26
thou
23:26
made
23:26
us
23:26
strong
23:27
to
23:27
stand,
23:28
so
23:28
henceforth
23:29
we
23:29
will
23:29
not
23:30
go
23:30
back,
23:30
nor
23:30
turn
23:31
from
23:31
thee
23:31
at
23:32
all,
23:33
oh,
23:33
do
23:33
thou
23:33
quicken
23:34
us,
23:34
and we
23:34
upon
23:34
thy
23:35
name
23:35
will
23:35
call,
23:36
turn
23:36
us
23:37
again,
23:37
Lord
23:37
God
23:38
of
23:38
hosts,
23:38
and
23:38
upon
23:39
us
23:39
about
23:39
safe,
23:40
to
23:40
make
23:41
thy
23:41
countenance
23:42
to
23:42
shine,
23:43
and so
23:44
we
23:44
shall
23:44
be
23:45
safe.
23:46
Verses
23:46
17 to
23:47
the
23:47
end
23:47
of
23:47
Psalm
23:55
!
23:57
Oh,
23:57
let thy hand
23:59
be still upon
24:02
the man of thy right hand,
24:06
the man of thy right hand,
24:12
the son of man who
24:16
call thyself,
24:19
a
24:19
mede
24:20
strong
24:21
to
24:21
stand,
24:22
a
24:23
mede
24:24
strong
24:24
to
24:25
stand,
24:25
a
24:27
mede
24:27
strong
24:28
to
24:28
stand,
24:29
a
24:29
mede
24:30
strong
24:31
to
24:32
stand.
24:35
Oh,
24:35
hand
24:36
from
24:36
the
24:37
evil
24:38
Lord
24:39
go
24:40
back,
24:41
nor
24:42
turn
24:42
from
24:43
me
24:43
at
24:44
all,
24:45
nor
24:45
turn
24:46
from
24:47
me
24:48
at
24:49
all,
24:51
O,
24:51
do thy
24:53
quicken
24:55
us
24:56
and
24:57
we
24:58
upon
24:59
thy
24:59
name
25:00
will
25:00
come,
25:02
upon
25:02
thy
25:03
name
25:04
will
25:04
come,
25:06
upon
25:07
thy
25:07
name
25:07
will
25:08
come,
25:09
upon
25:09
thy
25:10
name
25:11
will
25:12
fall.
25:14
Hark
25:15
us
25:16
again,
25:17
Lord God
25:19
of
25:20
holds,
25:21
and
25:22
upon
25:23
us
25:23
our
25:23
save,
25:25
and
25:25
upon
25:27
us
25:28
our
25:29
save,
25:31
through
25:32
it
25:33
thy
25:33
fountain
25:34
and
25:35
to
25:37
shine,
25:38
and
25:38
so
25:39
we
25:39
shall
25:40
be
25:40
saved,
25:42
and
25:44
so
25:44
we
25:45
shall
25:45
be
25:46
saved,
25:47
and
25:48
so
25:48
we
25:50
shall
25:51
be
25:52
saved.
25:54
I'll go to the door on my left.
25:56
Now may the grace,
25:57
mercy,
25:57
and peace of God,
25:59
the Father,
25:59
Son,
26:00
and Holy Spirit,
26:01
rest and abide upon each one of you,
26:03
now and forevermore.
26:05
Amen.
26:05
Amen.
26:05
Amen.
26:05
Thank you.
26:35
Thank you.