Lessons About Life of Obedience and Giving

In this part of the sermon: The sermon briefly reviews previous lessons from 1 Kings 17:8-16, highlighting God's sovereignty, trustworthiness, judgments, and inscrutability. It also reiterates lessons on the…

The long months of training for an athlete to become strong for a contest are compared to God's testing and discipline of faith in His servants, preparing them for spiritual conquests like Elijah's on Mount Carmel.

Faith must be tested and tried in order to grow. Prophet, if he is to believe God, that tremendous conquest on Carmel must come to Carmel a man strong in faith. And just as the muscles of an athlete are made strong for the contest over the long months and weeks of day by day training, so whenever one of God's servants rises to the occasion of a conquest of faith, it is because there have been many little disciplines of faith along the way. And so in this paragraph we see the Lord testing the faith of the prophet as he tests our faith in order that it may grow and be strengthened.

4:53 - 5:34 Read in full sermon

The point: When a word of divine authority comes, whether revealing sin or directing a course of obedience, do not delay, but give immediate obedience.

The practice of delaying obedience by saying 'manana' (tomorrow) is described as maintaining a 'semblance of submission' while harboring 'stubbornness and rebellion,' which ultimately leads to a desensitized conscience.

We say, well, Lord, I thank you for speaking to me about that issue. Now, that's your word and it's speaking to me. But Lord, manana, tomorrow. In other words, what we're doing is we're maintaining the semblance of submission while maintaining the attitude.

14:19 - 14:39 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin argues that true obedience is immediate, citing Elijah's prompt action and the psalmist's haste. He warns that delayed obedience is a form of disobedience, often a…

Augustine's struggle with his concubine and his prayer 'Lord, deliver me from this, but not yet' is used as an example of delayed obedience and the human tendency to procrastinate on God's commands.

A word has come from the Lord, either directly as we've been reading his word or as the word has been read or indirectly as one of his servants has been expounding that word. And God has nailed an issue in our lives. And we said, Lord, I've got to do something about that tomorrow. Augustine said when he was keeping his concubine in his conscience, terrified him.

15:54 - 16:20 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The sermon highlights that Elijah's and the widow's obedience was unquestioned, despite the commands being personally costly and seemingly cruel. This type of obedience, Martin…

Martin conjectures that the widow recognized Elijah as a prophet due to his reputation from the drought and his 'wild looking,' 'hippie looking' physical appearance, which might have marked him as a man of God.

I've got a sneaking suspicion that the way she knew is that the reputation of this fellow, when the heavens have been shut up now for at least a year, had gone out through that whole area. And when people ask, Well, how come this drought? And being in the area that had some relatives down there, Jezebel's father, no doubt the word had gone out into this whole area. That's my own conjecture.

18:55 - 19:16 Read in full sermon

The point: When the path of obedience looks difficult, fill your mind not with thoughts of the difficulty, but with the greatness of the God who marked it.

Abraham's willingness to offer Isaac, believing God was able to raise him from the dead, illustrates unquestioned obedience rooted in faith in God's character, rather than questioning the difficulty of the command.

And he did it. Now, what? Processes of thought in the mind of Abraham as he walked up to that mountain to plunge the knife into the breast of his only son. Yea, he that gladly received the promises was offering up his only begotten son, even he to whom it was said in Isaac, shall thy seed be called, accounting that God is able to raise up even from the dead, from whence he did also in a figure receive him back.

22:26 - 22:58 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin asserts that true obedience is complete, not partial, and that partial obedience is disobedience. He uses Saul's incomplete obedience in 1 Samuel 15 to demonstrate that…

The story of King Saul sparing Agag and the best of the Amalekites' livestock, despite God's command to utterly destroy everything, is used as a clear example of how partial obedience is viewed by God as complete rebellion and a revelation of a corrupt heart.

That is a revelation of our real character. And I want to show you a clear example of this. So that's not my speculation that makes this statement. In First Samuel, chapter 15, we have an example of the fact that the prophet

25:11 - 25:24 Read in full sermon

The point: Be prepared for personal 'Gethsemanes' where rendering complete obedience will cost you dearly, even severing dearest ties or denying lusts.

Jesus' agony in Gethsemane, sweating drops of blood while praying 'Not my will, but thine be done,' is presented as the ultimate example of complete obedience, demonstrating that even perfect obedience can be costly and agonizing.

And one of the great problems we face as God's people is this whole matter of incomplete, partial obedience, which in the sight of God is the essence of rebellion to his revealed will. It is this kind of obedience that our blessed Lord rendered to the Father, and at times it cost him. In Gethsemane. In Gethsemane, the rendering of this kind of complete obedience cost him sweat drops of blood.

31:23 - 31:49 Read in full sermon

Driving home: It's the principle of Matthew 6, 33. First, the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things.

Martin conjectures that the widow's barrel of meal and cruise of oil were completely emptied when she made the cake for Elijah, emphasizing that her act of giving was a step of faith, giving up what she could see for God's unseen promise, before the miracle of replenishment occurred.

And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah, and she and he and her house did eat many days. Now I can't prove this because scripture doesn't state it very clearly. But the whole implication of this passage and then taking other portions where the principle of how God deals with men is brought into focus, my own conviction is this, I can't say the word clearly teaches it, this is conjecture. I throw it out for you to accept or reject.

37:07 - 37:33 Read in full sermon

The point: If you fail to give God His due and seek first the kingdom, God will ensure you get 'holes in your bag' (financial or other losses) because He loves you too much to let you get away with it.

God's judgment on those who prioritize their own needs over His kingdom (from Haggai) is illustrated by the metaphor of 'putting your money in a bag with holes in it,' signifying that God will cause their resources to leak away.

I've got to have good security for me and my family, then the house of God. You know what God said to them? Among other things, He said, in the meantime, you know what you're doing? You're putting your money in a bag with holes in it.

44:46 - 45:02 Read in full sermon

The point: If you fail to give God His due and seek first the kingdom, God will ensure you get 'holes in your bag' (financial or other losses) because He loves you too much to let you get away with it.

Martin shares a personal story about his father, who worked Sundays to provide for his family but found that every penny earned this way went out in unexpected medical bills, illustrating God's principle of 'holes in the bag' for those who neglect His due.

My own parents never forget it. My dad, who knew better, with a growing family, working on a machine. That's how he started, worked his way up to where he is, and is executive now in Schick Electric Shaver. He said, well, I have to work Sundays to provide for the family.

45:47 - 46:07 Read in full sermon

The point: When a need arises to minister to someone else, even if it means denying personal relaxation, give to God first, and He will graciously meet your own needs.

A poem is quoted to beautifully capture the principle that sharing one's comfort, bearing others' burdens, and lavishing help on the wounded often results in God meeting one's own needs and enriching the heart.

God graciously, time after time, meets your own need in ways that you've never expected. There's a wonderful poem that I read in one of the commentators in preparing for tonight, and I want to share it with you. I'm not much of a poem reader, but this captures this principle of the secret of giving in the life of a Christian. Is thy cruise of comfort failing?

47:20 - 47:43 Read in full sermon

The point: As an infant church, prioritize giving to extend God's kingdom elsewhere (e.g., church planting) before meeting all your own needs, trusting God to supply funds beyond what hoarding could amass.

The church's commitment to support a new church plant in Pennsylvania, even while lacking its own building, is presented as a practical application of the 'give to me first' principle, trusting God for provision for their own needs.

And we're taking the responsibility to see a church started up there in Pennsylvania, committed ourselves for at least fifty dollars a month. Isn't that ridiculous? To be pouring out money to support another work, and we don't even have our own church? Why, it's obvious the way you build your own church is you just let the world go to hell for a while.

50:34 - 50:57 Read in full sermon

The point: Fight the battle of prioritizing God's kingdom (e.g., attending prayer meeting when tired) over personal comfort, as seeking first the kingdom leads to spiritual and physical refreshment.

Jesus' physical weariness and subsequent refreshment after ministering to the Samaritan woman is used to illustrate how giving of oneself to others' needs, even when tired, results in God's supernatural refreshment.

Jesus said, no, I've got some other business to take care of. And after he had drawn out his soul to that woman in a state of physical weariness, some of you perhaps don't know what that is. Some of you I know do. Drawing out your soul to people in need is draining.

55:03 - 55:22 Read in full sermon