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Series B – Twenty-Fourth Sunday After Pentecost – Sunday, November 8, 2015 | Pr. Chris Rosebrough

Welcome to the Teaching Ministry of Kongsvinger Lutheran Church. Kongsvinger is a beacon for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and is located on the plains of Northwestern Minnesota. We proclaim Christ and Him crucified for our sins and salvation by grace through faith alone, and now, here’s a message from Pastor Chris Rosebrough:

Time Stamp	Transcript
0:29	in the name of Jesus
0:32	So based on our readings you would think
0:34	today is Widow Sunday
0:37	in a way it is I think maybe that’d be a
0:39	good thing to call it in the future when
0:41	these readings come back around we’re
0:43	going to take a look at our Old
0:45	Testament text today and we’re going to
0:46	look at the Widow of Zarephath and the
0:48	story therein and I’m going to be
0:51	addressing a problem that exists well as
0:54	a result of our sinful nature oftentimes
0:56	when we approach the scripture we are
0:59	looking for ourselves there and we’re
1:02	trying to find a way to basically say
1:04	I’ve done my part therefore I have
1:07	earned something from God and so you
1:10	read the scripture and you look at this
1:12	miracle of the Widow of Zarephath and
1:15	you’re looking for something that you
1:16	can hang on to it’s something that you
1:18	can apply to your life so that you can
1:19	say Haha I’ve done my part therefore God
1:24	owes me this is a wicked way of
1:25	approaching scripture and this robs
1:27	Jesus of his glory salvation and all of
1:30	God’s gifts are given to us by grace
1:34	through faith
1:35	not a result of works and so let me read
1:38	to you the story of the wood of
1:40	Zarephath as the way some people today
1:42	would read it they read this story and
1:45	say look here’s the Prophet Elijah he
1:47	has been sent to the Widow of Zarephath
1:49	and well she’s got nothing she’s
1:52	literally on the brink of destitution
1:54	about to die her and her son and then
1:57	Elijah says to her go and bake for me
2:00	some bread
2:01	and she says well I have none he says
2:03	just give it to me first give me the
2:06	first fruits give me a tithe and then
2:08	God will bless the rest and you’ll be
2:10	okay
2:11	that is not what this text says
2:14	and unfortunately there are a lot of
2:15	people who read this text this way and
2:17	we as Sinners well we want to read it
2:20	this way ourselves but if we pay close
2:22	attention to this text we’re going to
2:24	find out that this has nothing to do
2:26	with her tithing her giving the first
2:29	fruits her somehow doing her part first
2:31	and then God will do the rest
2:34	the text explicitly teaches against this
2:37	if you pay attention so let’s return to
2:39	First Kings chapter 17 and we’ll look at
2:41	verses 8 through 16. here’s what it says
2:44	the word of the Lord came to him that
2:45	would be the Prophet Elijah arise and go
2:48	to Zarephath which belongs to sidon a
2:50	little bit of context here in the
2:52	previous chapter well actually the
2:54	beginning of this chapter the Lord made
2:56	it clear to the people of Israel who
2:58	were steeped in idolatry and worshiping
3:00	Baal and ashtareth that well they
3:04	weren’t going to have any rain until
3:05	Elijah said so
3:07	and the reason why this is significant
3:09	is because according to the mythology
3:11	but all is the well the king of the air
3:14	he’s the one who brings the rain and the
3:16	rain is the thing that brings us the
3:17	crops so who’s ultimately responsible
3:19	for feeding you well it’s not Yahweh the
3:22	one true God it’s but all and so Israel
3:26	steeped in idolatry worships this false
3:29	demonic God which by the way also
3:32	demanded human sacrifice
3:34	and he says that’s it you guys think the
3:36	ball is the one who’s bringing you the
3:38	rain not so it’s not going to rain until
3:40	I say so and until Elijah says so for me
3:44	and so well if it’s not raining you know
3:47	what happens crops fail Brooks dry up
3:49	and things like that and since it was
3:52	not going to rain until Elijah since
3:55	said so Elijah becomes Israel’s Most
3:58	Wanted every Saturday night they show
4:00	video of him on television have you seen
4:03	this man right and he was hiding out in
4:06	the brook cherith and there were Ravens
4:08	that were feeding him miraculously quite
4:10	the story well eventually the brook
4:12	Cherry while it dries out and there’s no
4:15	food so God sends Elijah into enemy
4:19	territory into Pagan territory outside
4:22	of Israel a place where idolatry is well
4:25	running rampant if you would in order
4:28	for him to hide out he’s got to find a
4:30	safe house and so God provides a safe
4:32	house for him in the house of the Widow
4:35	of Zarephath and here’s what it says the
4:36	Lord said to Elijah rise go to Zarephath
4:38	which belongs to sidon dwell there hide
4:41	out behold I have commanded a widow
4:45	there to feed you
4:48	a widow
4:50	widow’s got nothing
4:53	widows are really poor no one’s going to
4:55	look for Elijah there because widows
4:57	aren’t supposed to have the means to be
4:59	able to do things but you’ll notice here
5:00	it says that the Lord has commanded this
5:03	Widow to feed him
5:06	now it doesn’t say how
5:08	maybe it was a dream maybe it was a
5:09	direct Revelation it doesn’t say how the
5:11	Lord told her this but being a widow not
5:14	having enough food of your own and then
5:17	being told by none other than the god of
5:19	Israel
5:20	that you are to provide for a prophet of
5:24	God and feed him that’s quite the
5:26	command now keep this in mind with the
5:29	Lord commands the Lord supplies
5:31	right so God is not being cruel
5:34	so Elijah Rose went to Zarephath and
5:37	when he came to the gate of the city
5:38	Behold a widow was there Gathering
5:41	sticks now Elijah’s got to figure out is
5:43	this the right widow or is this the
5:45	wrong Widow you know there’s lots of
5:47	widows you know so how do we know this
5:50	is the right one so he engages her in
5:52	conversation to kind of test to see if
5:54	she’s the one whom the Lord has
5:55	commanded
5:57	for her to feed him so he called to her
5:59	and said bring me a little water in a
6:01	vessel so that I might drink
6:04	she doesn’t complain she gets right to
6:06	it so as she was going to bring it
6:09	all right he called to her and said
6:10	while you’re at it bring me a morsel of
6:13	bread in your hand
6:15	she stops
6:17	she said as Yahweh your God Lives I have
6:22	nothing baked only a handful of flour in
6:24	a jar and a little oil in a jug and now
6:28	I’m gathering a couple two sticks so
6:30	that I might go in and prepare it for
6:32	myself and my son
6:34	so that we may eat it and die they’re on
6:37	the brink of starvation they’re in the
6:39	brink of starvation so he’s asked for
6:42	something that is like Way Beyond her
6:44	means
6:45	in fact it’s so dire they’re down to
6:47	their last meal we’re Gathering up
6:49	sticks for firewood once we bake this
6:52	thing this is all we got and after that
6:54	the only thing that we’re looking at is
6:56	death itself that’s what she’s saying
7:00	so Elijah said to her
7:03	do not fear
7:05	go and do as you have said by the way
7:07	he’s not saying go ahead and go do your
7:08	thing and go die that’s not what he’s
7:10	saying you that would be rude he says go
7:13	and do what you’ve said make a cake
7:15	right make this but he says make a cake
7:19	of it bring it to me for thus says but
7:22	first make a cake of it bring it to me
7:23	and
7:24	and afterwards make something for
7:26	yourself for thus says the Lord the god
7:28	of Israel the jar of flowers shall not
7:31	be spent the jug of oil shall not be
7:33	empty until the day that the Lord sends
7:36	rain upon the earth now you notice he
7:38	says first make a little cake of it and
7:40	bring it to me he’s not saying if you
7:44	make a cake of it and bring it to me
7:46	then God will multiply the rest
7:50	he doesn’t say that at all this is not a
7:52	conditional statement he’s making an
7:54	exclusive non-revocable promise and he’s
7:58	not speaking on his own authority he’s
8:00	speaking via direct Revelation from God
8:02	because the Lord said the jar of flower
8:05	shall not be spent the jug of oil shall
8:08	not be empty doesn’t matter if she gives
8:11	him the first little cake that comes out
8:13	of the oven or if she ends up making it
8:15	and giving it to somebody else it
8:17	doesn’t matter the sure and certain
8:19	promise of God is unconditional it’s not
8:22	based on a condition
8:24	your jar of flour will not run out your
8:27	jar of oil will not run out
8:29	so go ahead and make some for me first
8:31	I’m hungry I’ve been on the road for a
8:33	while and then go ahead and make some
8:35	for yourself
8:36	absolute Promise This is Gospel this is
8:39	not law she did not fulfill some
8:42	requirement in order to earn the miracle
8:45	the miracle was promised to her
8:47	unconditionally
8:50	just the same way the gospel has
8:52	promised to us unconditionally
8:54	so
8:57	she went
8:59	and she did as Elijah said
9:02	I want you to think about the craziness
9:04	of the situation
9:06	so what you’re saying Elijah is is that
9:08	I’m down to my last bit of flour
9:10	I’m down to my last bit of oil and
9:13	you’re telling me that the Lord says
9:14	we’re not going to run out of any of
9:16	this stuff so go ahead and make you some
9:17	first
9:20	but she did it
9:22	and by doing that as crazy as it sounds
9:25	what does that tell you about her
9:29	she believed
9:31	she trusted the word of the Lord in the
9:34	mouth of Elijah
9:37	doesn’t make any sense
9:39	seems kind of odd
9:41	but you know what
9:43	all right
9:44	the Lord commanded me to feed you
9:48	did he not yeah he did and now the Lord
9:51	is saying that he’s going to be the one
9:52	providing all the food for you
9:55	all right I believe you and she went and
9:58	she did and she did as Elijah said and
10:00	she and he and her household you can
10:05	also say family eight for many days
10:10	in other words you’ve got this
10:12	unconditional promise so she not only
10:14	took advantage of this she and her and
10:16	her boy ate says her family also ate she
10:19	invited the neighbors over she invited
10:21	some of her extended family over
10:22	barbecue at my place
10:24	of course we only got bread you know but
10:27	that’s okay we got lots of it an
10:29	unending Supply would you like seconds
10:31	thirds that’s how Grace is is it not
10:34	always giving us what we need and a
10:36	little bit more to share with others
10:38	and so the idea is this
10:41	is that this was not something she did
10:43	to earn this miracle and we misread this
10:46	text if we turn it into a text like that
10:48	and unfortunately I’ve heard this text
10:49	preached in the context of why you need
10:52	to tithe
10:54	there’s pastors around the country who
10:56	use this text and basically say see she
10:58	had to give to Elijah first so you need
10:59	to give Elijah first and then God’s
11:01	going to give to you this is not a
11:02	tithing text this is a gospel text this
11:04	is a text about the promises of God and
11:07	the faithfulness of God and the mercy
11:09	and the grace and the abundance of God
11:11	as he cares For Those whom he loves
11:13	remember what we read in our Psalm Psalm
11:18	146 verse 9 the Lord watches over the
11:20	sojourners the Lord upholds the Widow
11:23	and the fatherless but the Way of the
11:26	Wicked he brings to ruin
11:28	now the question is is it talking about
11:30	literal widows here
11:33	in one sense yes God does care for
11:36	literal widows but in another sense
11:38	think of it this way if you were to
11:40	think of this Widow of Zarephath is much
11:43	like well Christ’s bride the church
11:48	the church before Christ is betrothed to
11:52	his church
11:53	the church is utterly poverty-stricken
11:58	completely in need
12:01	wearing thread-worn clothes at best that
12:05	can barely cover anything up and
12:07	starving to death This is how Christ
12:09	finds his bride the church
12:11	what does Jesus say
12:13	in The Sermon on the Mount Matthew 5
12:15	verse 3 blessed are the poor in spirit
12:17	that means the bankrupt blessed are the
12:21	poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom
12:23	of heaven
12:25	and so Christ finds US each and every
12:28	one of us
12:30	literally in complete desperation and
12:34	need
12:36	complete desperation and you know what
12:39	God does
12:41	he gets his hands dirty
12:43	he’s born of the Virgin Mary
12:45	lives a perfectly sinless life
12:48	is crucified for us under Pontius Pilate
12:50	see the gospel says believe and you will
12:52	live believe and you will live
12:56	it’s a command is it not believe this
12:59	and you will live but see what the
13:00	gospel commands the gospel provides
13:03	God commanded the Widow of Zarephath to
13:06	feed Elijah and God commands you to
13:09	believe and live
13:10	but we are dead in trespasses and sins
13:14	and so what does God do through the
13:15	preaching of his word he raises us to
13:18	life and he gives us faith
13:20	and then he sustains us on our way in
13:23	this short sojourn of a life of ours
13:26	poor
13:28	sin riddled in complete need
13:32	stained with sin
13:33	he gives us his righteousness
13:36	covers us up washes Us in the blood of
13:39	the lamb and makes a spotless white snow
13:42	he provides for all of our needs What He
13:45	commands he gives he says believe in you
13:47	will live and so I will give you Faith
13:49	so that you can believe and you will
13:51	believe not just in nothing but you will
13:53	believe in me who has come into your
13:56	situation
13:57	has lived among you worked hard
14:02	and without sin
14:03	and then took your sin upon myself
14:07	and then died this is what God does for
14:09	you
14:10	he gives you everything you need so that
14:13	you can get through the Famine of this
14:15	lifetime he finds you in complete
14:19	despair
14:20	and he feeds you richly from his table
14:22	with his own body and blood washes away
14:25	your sins and the Waters of your baptism
14:27	and so this is not a text about you
14:29	doing your part and then God doing the
14:31	rest this is a text that teaches us that
14:34	whatever God commands of you he per
14:37	first provides and gives to you richly
14:39	out of his abundance so that you might
14:42	live rather than die
14:44	and when we understand that correctly
14:47	we will say nothing to you Lord I bring
14:51	nothing
14:54	to your cross I cling
14:57	in the name of Jesus amen
15:00	[Music]

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