Only God Ever
Series: Stand Alone Sermons
June 16, 2024
Dave Smith
“So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone. But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.” —Joshua 24:14-15 (NLT) This Sunday, we take a break from our series on 1 Peter to share in a “stand alone” sermon for Father’s Day. While we are discussing fathers, we want to wish all of our dads a very Happy Father’s Day this Sunday. On behalf of your kids… thanks for all you do for us and thanks for being the best dad ever. We look together at a familiar story from 1 Kings 18 as Elijah goes toe-to-toe with 450 prophets of Baal in what seems to be, on the surface, a question of whose God is the best. But in reality, it is God using His prophet to try to wake up His people from their spiritual slumber as their apathy and indifference had marginalized their commitment to the one true God.
Episode Notes
Joshua 24:14-15
BIG IDEA: We must avoid falling asleep in our spiritual walk… WE NEED TO WAKE UP!
Romans 13:11b-12 - …you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living.
The CHOICE is DEMANDED (vs. 20-21)
So Ahab summoned all the people of Israel and the prophets to Mount Carmel. Then Elijah stood in front of them and said, “How much longer will you waver, hobbling between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him! But if Baal is God, then follow him!” But the people were completely silent. —1 Kings 18:20-21
- A blunt question - How long will you waver?
Matthew 12:25 - Jesus knew their thoughts and replied, “Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A town or family splintered by feuding will fall apart.
- An crucial decision - choose a side
- A silent response - indifference, apathy or fear
The CHALLENGE is DESCRIBED (vs. 22-24)
Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only prophet of the Lord who is left, but Baal has 450 prophets. Now bring two bulls. The prophets of Baal may choose whichever one they wish and cut it into pieces and lay it on the wood of their altar, but without setting fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood on the altar, but not set fire to it. Then call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by setting fire to the wood is the true God!” And all the people agreed. —1 Kings 18:22-24
- Odds are established - 450 Baal Prophets, 1 Prophet of the Lord God
- Rules are outlined - You pray to your god, I will pray to mine
- Victory is defined - the God who responds is the one true God
The CHAMPION is DECLARED (vs. 37-39)
37 O Lord, answer me! Answer me so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God and that you have brought them back to yourself.”
38 Immediately the fire of the Lord flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench! 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, “The Lord—he is God! Yes, the Lord is God!” —1 Kings 18:37-39
- God is honored - in Elijah’s request
Matthew 6:7-8 - “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!
- God is glorified - by His own response
- God is worshiped - through the people’s repentance
REVELATION 3:1b-3 - “I know all the things you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive—but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what little remains, for even what is left is almost dead. I find that your actions do not meet the requirements of my God. 3 Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and turn to me again. If you don’t wake up, I will come to you suddenly, as unexpected as a thief.
NEXT STEP: A FEW WORDS OF ADVICE
--Don't ignore the alarm - stop justifying
--Don't hit the snooze bar - stop hesitating
--Don't be an Eggo - stop waffling
EPHESIANS 5:10-14 - Try to learn what pleases the Lord. Have no part in the things that people in darkness do, which produce nothing good. Instead, tell everyone how wrong those things are. Actually, it is shameful to even talk about the things those people do in secret. 13 But the light makes clear how wrong those things are. 14 Yes, everything is made clear by the light. This is why we say,
“Wake up, you who are sleeping! Rise from death, and Christ will shine on you.”
Content Copyright Belongs to New Horizons Christian Church
6607