Baptism Day

June 23, 2019 was another wonderful day in the life of Merry Oaks Baptist Church.  Mr. Wayne Kennedy and Mr. Alan Sears were baptized in the Jordan Lake by their pastor.

Here is the message that was preached prior to adjourning to the lake...

By This I Know

1 Kings 17:24 And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth. [1]

I.   By This

     A. God Knew

     B. Woman Suspected

II. I Know

     A. Right Witness

     B. Only God

III. Truth

     A. Speak

     B. Word

Introduction:  This is the third week of our series on the Holy Spirit’s entering the church.  Traditionally this is the third Sunday after Pentecost.  After the morning message, we are leaving here to go to the Jordan, Lake that is, to baptize two men.

Today we are continuing our study of the Spirit but we are taking a little detour back into 1 Kings to discuss definite occurrences in the Old Testament when The Holy Spirit showed up.  Elijah was a prophet who was endued with power from on high but he was easily led into periods of depression when his witness was threatened.  The Holy Spirit is a member of the Trinity.  That means He is omnipotent or all powerful because He is all God yet He can be quenched into inactivity by a believer’s decision to disallow His gifts.

Studying Elijah helps me to better understand the person of The Holy Spirit.  Knowing Elijah helps me to more understand The Holy Spirit’s moods.  Both can only do what they are allowed to do.  Both do whatever God commands as long as the believer gives weigh to their self control.

Even the way Elijah left was miraculous.  He was one of only two that left this life without passing through death.  A chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and Elijah was taken to heaven by a whirlwind of fire.  To this Elijah’s successor Elisha said, My Father, My Father, the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof.

While studying The Revelation we discussed the two witnesses that were killed during the great tribulation and resurrected to be taken up to heaven.  The theory of who those witnesses might be was discussed.  Some believe the two Revelation witnesses could be Enoch and Elijah because, as the Bible says, Hebrews 9:27  “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” [2]  Neither Enoch nor Elijah died yet, right?  Others think the two witnesses might be Elijah and Moses because these two appeared with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration all in glorified bodies while Jesus and the three recognized them.  Either way, it seems people believe Elijah will be one of the two witnesses.  Who knows?  God knows!

Scripture:  The scripture is 1 Kings 17:24.  When you have found it please rise to your feet for the reading of God’s written word.

Prayer: Please be seated

Message:  A little background is necessary here.  Please refer back to 1 Kings 17:1.  In verses 1 Kings 17:1-7, Elijah had prophesied to King Ahab that there would be no rain for three years.  Elijah believed this but when the time came for the brook to dry up and the birds stopped feeding him, Elijah needed reassurance.

In verse 8 God told Elijah to go to Zarephath where he would find a widow who would feed and nourish him.  Elijah believed God to be true to His word so he demanded the woman to bring him something to eat and drink.  Seems like the widow woman was not so in tune with God as she would later be.  At first she refused him bread thinking that she and her son would eat what was left and then die but Elijah did not take no for an answer this time.

In verse 12 she said, “As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.” [3]

Notice here that she understood that God was Lord to Elijah but she wasn’t quite ready to let God be Lord over her; not yet anyway.

Often times we are reassured a little when a little test comes and God brings us through.  The woman fed Elijah.  The flour didn’t run out.  Everything that God spoke through and to Elijah was again proved to be truth.  Elijah surely felt vindicated as God followed through with what He had promised Elijah.

But only God knows when or whether we are really ready to lay down our lives for Him.  Surrender more often comes to us by degrees than by disaster.  At least that is the way it is for me.  You might think I would have said here that is the way it was for me, but there are still those parts that I refuse Him.  Otherwise He would be able to do more with me but I hold out.  Do you?  Have you given up yet?

The woman was not yet convinced even though she had been spared starvation.  Now she was about to lose that which she loved more than her own life.  Let’s read starting at 17 – 21.

In verse 20 it seems that Elijah himself was almost questioning God’s intentions.  God, did you really do this?  Did you bring this evil on this woman who you told me to come to, to take care of me by taking her only son?  Three times Elijah stretched himself over the child.  Three days Jesus was in that tomb.  Three!

Elijah returned the son to the mother alive.  And now are to our focal text.  Now by this I know that thou are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in thy mouth is truth.

By this…  God already knew.  He always does.  His truth is the only truth.  He can be trusted with you because He loves you.  The question is do you know that you can trust Him.

I know…  Now the woman knew and now Elijah knew more than before the test.  She knew that Elijah indeed did speak as God gave word.  And yes, now the mother refers not to God as your Lord but the Lord.  The only God; My Lord!

Truth…  That which Elijah spoke was truth from the only source of truth.  John 14:6, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” [4]

Fast forward now to Luke 7:11-17.  Here we have another grieving widow who was mother to an only son who laid dead.  This time it is not a prophet who raises the dead but Jesus.

What will it take to make me finally totally surrender and totally trust Him?  Are you there yet?

Prayer:

Invitation: We will leave this place now and go to the Jordan to witness two men who are making a public profession that they do indeed follow Jesus as Lord.  They are following Jesus in baptism as a witness that they want to continue to follow Jesus with the rest of their lives.

You will see them descend into the water as a symbol of descending into the death to sin and they will be pulled from the water as a symbol of God pulling us into a new life of following only Him.

Let us adjourn to the Jordan…

[1] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (1995). (electronic ed. of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version., 1 Ki 17:24). Bellingham WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
[2] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (1995). (electronic ed. of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version., Heb 9:27). Bellingham WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
[3] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (1995). (electronic ed. of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version., 1 Ki 17:12). Bellingham WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
[4] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (1995). (electronic ed. of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version., Jn 14:6). Bellingham WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.