Date: Fifth Sunday after Pentecost, June 27, 2010
Text: 1 Kings 19:9b-21
Title: God's presence
"And after the fire the sound of a low whisper."
When a person gets addicted to drugs, his high needs to get more and more intense. He’s not satisfied with what used to satisfy him, or his body gets used to it and requires more.
They say there’s the same phenomena with movies, and a host of other human experiences. In movies, as special effects get more stunning, the special effects of old fail to satisfy.
Can Christians fall into the same category? Can a Christian experience something in life, something they feel was of God—a gift, an answered prayer, some exceptional event—and then they are not satisfied with their relationship with God unless things in their lives continue to escalate—unless they recognize even greater gifts from Him, even more dazzling answers to prayers, events which become like heroine to the former marijuana smoker?
Elijah was one of the Old Testament prophets, whom the Lord used to do big things. Where our Old Testament lesson picks up in the book of 1 Kings, Elijah had only recently had one of the Bible’s Top Ten experiences, when he challenged the prophets of the false god, Baal, to the coolest contest. When the prophets of Baal could not summon their god—no matter how hard they danced and appealed to him—Elijah taunted them that he must be busy, or traveling, or some other thing which is completely silly when talking about a god.
Then, Elijah called on the true God. In a tremendous show of power, the true God, the Lord of Hosts, reigned fire upon the sacrifices which the false god, Baal, had left untouched, and the true God burned up the animal offerings, and the wood on which they sat, and the stones on which the wood was placed, and the dust underneath the stones, and the water that was in the trench around the whole shebang.
And, this nifty event just happened to come soon after Elijah had predicted a drought, which came to pass, which was followed-up by a jar of flour that continued to pour flour way after it should have been emptied, which was followed-up by Elijah’s raising a boy from the dead.
Do you think that, maybe, Elijah was getting strung out on the drugs of these fantastic things that the Lord was doing in his life?
Now, Elijah got to feeling sorry for himself. He was feeling like he was the last Lutheran in the land. As today’s lesson opened, we hear the Lord asking Elijah what he’s up to. Elijah replied, "The people of Israel have forsaken your covenant . . . and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away."
If the Lord were like us, He might have replied, "Having a pity-party, are we, Elijah?" Being the Lord, He doesn’t play the wise-guy, but He instructs Elijah to take a stand upon the mount before Him, and He would let Elijah know that he wasn’t abandoned and alone.
First, a great and strong wind arose, busting up rocks and tearing apart the mountain, in an awesome show of power. But, God wasn’t in the wind.
Next, an earthquake—another great display of power. But, God wasn’t in the earthquake. Third, a fire—more powerful special-effects. But, the Lord wasn’t in that, either.
Finally, after the natural wonders of wind and earthquake and fire, the supernatural wonder of this: "the sound of a low whisper." And, when Elijah heard the whisper, He knew the voice of the Lord. And, knowing the voice of the Lord, Elijah knew the presence of the Lord. No longer feeling abandoned and alone, he walked to the entrance of the cave for a proper conversation with his Lord.
When people tell me about amazing experiences in their lives—times when they have vividly seen God’s power at work in some answered prayer, a gift that came at just the right time, some exceptional event that they believe could only have been worked by their Lord—I listen closely and appreciate the faith that it takes to attribute these things to the Lord, but then, if the conversation feels right to do so, I’ll ask, "So, what does this mean to you?"
We humans are prone to being Elijah, for whom God was really real in all of his fantastic experiences. We say things like, "Now I know that God is real, because He did this for me," and, "I truly believe that He answers prayer, because He sure did answer that one," and, "I can trust that He gives me good things since He gave such a wonderful gift to me just when I needed it."
Take careful note. In these answers, God isn’t real, or a giver of gifts, or a doer of good things because that is His nature. Rather, God is real, and a giver and a doer, because He did it for me—because He dazzled me.
I don’t blame Elijah for needing more and more and more from God; that’s the sinful nature of every human: feed me, satisfy me, dazzle me. More, more, more.
God set Elijah straight. In the still, small voice in which He truly came to Elijah, He taught Elijah where to find Him: not in nature’s events—wind, quake, or fire—but, in the supernatural event of His personal presence—in His Word.
Dear Christians, is God real because you really felt Him; because you saw an answer to a prayer; because you experienced something that only God can do? The answer is no.
You know and trust that God is real by His coming to you in the whisper of His Word. His Word doesn’t impress your senses as does the sending of fire upon the earth to defeat false prophets, or keeping a jar of flour flowing. The Word of God impresses your heart with the sure and certain hope of the forgiveness of your sins, the gift of eternal life, the salvation from death, devil, and damnation—everything accomplished by the shed blood of Jesus.
Can God produce amazing events in your life? Can God answer prayers in ways that are so vivid you know that only He could have done it? Can God so dazzle you that you know it had to be Him? Yes, yes, and yes. But, does God promise to dazzle you with these things? Does He vow to make the next experience bigger than the last? Can you count on Him to keep on doing giving you gifts that make your life full of good stuff? No, no, and no.
If you build your faith on seeing answers to your prayers, what kind of faith will you have when God’s answers to your prayers are a bunch of noes, and you don’t feel like He is answering you? If you build your faith upon God working dazzling things in your life, what happens to your faith if these things cease? Would that mean that God’s love for you has ceased? Would that mean that you must have done something so that you no longer deserve His special attention? Would that mean that you must not have enough faith?
God set Elijah straight. He didn’t dazzle Elijah to show Elijah that he was not abandoned and alone. He gave Elijah His Word.
Your faith is built upon Jesus Christ, who is the very Word of God. Your faith finds the Lord where the Lord speaks—where He promises to be: in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the spoken forgiveness of sins, the washing of Holy Baptism, and the eating and drinking of the Lord’s Supper.
Be dazzled by these three, for God works miracles which only eyes of faith can see. He takes you, who were dead, and makes you alive. He does it through the Word—a veritable whisper, when compared to wind, quake, and fire.
Knowing the voice of the Lord, Elijah knew the presence of the Lord. So do you. Jesus’ voice assures you of His faithful presence. Your baptism into His death and resurrection is the dazzling miracle for your own resurrection. His feeding you upon His living body and blood is the food which never runs out, but keeps you strong for this life, until you see Him in Paradise. Look for Him, every time you look, in His Word, Baptism, and Communion. Be dazzled by Him, for these are His supernatural gifts for you eternal life.
You are not alone, you little Elijahs. Hear the Lord Jesus whisper to you: "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Amen.
If the Lord were like us, He might have replied, "Having a pity-party, are we, Elijah?" Being the Lord, He doesn’t play the wise-guy, but He instructs Elijah to take a stand upon the mount before Him, and He would let Elijah know that he wasn’t abandoned and alone.
First, a great and strong wind arose, busting up rocks and tearing apart the mountain, in an awesome show of power. But, God wasn’t in the wind.
Next, an earthquake—another great display of power. But, God wasn’t in the earthquake. Third, a fire—more powerful special-effects. But, the Lord wasn’t in that, either.
Finally, after the natural wonders of wind and earthquake and fire, the supernatural wonder of this: "the sound of a low whisper." And, when Elijah heard the whisper, He knew the voice of the Lord. And, knowing the voice of the Lord, Elijah knew the presence of the Lord. No longer feeling abandoned and alone, he walked to the entrance of the cave for a proper conversation with his Lord.
When people tell me about amazing experiences in their lives—times when they have vividly seen God’s power at work in some answered prayer, a gift that came at just the right time, some exceptional event that they believe could only have been worked by their Lord—I listen closely and appreciate the faith that it takes to attribute these things to the Lord, but then, if the conversation feels right to do so, I’ll ask, "So, what does this mean to you?"
We humans are prone to being Elijah, for whom God was really real in all of his fantastic experiences. We say things like, "Now I know that God is real, because He did this for me," and, "I truly believe that He answers prayer, because He sure did answer that one," and, "I can trust that He gives me good things since He gave such a wonderful gift to me just when I needed it."
Take careful note. In these answers, God isn’t real, or a giver of gifts, or a doer of good things because that is His nature. Rather, God is real, and a giver and a doer, because He did it for me—because He dazzled me.
I don’t blame Elijah for needing more and more and more from God; that’s the sinful nature of every human: feed me, satisfy me, dazzle me. More, more, more.
God set Elijah straight. In the still, small voice in which He truly came to Elijah, He taught Elijah where to find Him: not in nature’s events—wind, quake, or fire—but, in the supernatural event of His personal presence—in His Word.
Dear Christians, is God real because you really felt Him; because you saw an answer to a prayer; because you experienced something that only God can do? The answer is no.
You know and trust that God is real by His coming to you in the whisper of His Word. His Word doesn’t impress your senses as does the sending of fire upon the earth to defeat false prophets, or keeping a jar of flour flowing. The Word of God impresses your heart with the sure and certain hope of the forgiveness of your sins, the gift of eternal life, the salvation from death, devil, and damnation—everything accomplished by the shed blood of Jesus.
Can God produce amazing events in your life? Can God answer prayers in ways that are so vivid you know that only He could have done it? Can God so dazzle you that you know it had to be Him? Yes, yes, and yes. But, does God promise to dazzle you with these things? Does He vow to make the next experience bigger than the last? Can you count on Him to keep on doing giving you gifts that make your life full of good stuff? No, no, and no.
If you build your faith on seeing answers to your prayers, what kind of faith will you have when God’s answers to your prayers are a bunch of noes, and you don’t feel like He is answering you? If you build your faith upon God working dazzling things in your life, what happens to your faith if these things cease? Would that mean that God’s love for you has ceased? Would that mean that you must have done something so that you no longer deserve His special attention? Would that mean that you must not have enough faith?
God set Elijah straight. He didn’t dazzle Elijah to show Elijah that he was not abandoned and alone. He gave Elijah His Word.
Your faith is built upon Jesus Christ, who is the very Word of God. Your faith finds the Lord where the Lord speaks—where He promises to be: in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the spoken forgiveness of sins, the washing of Holy Baptism, and the eating and drinking of the Lord’s Supper.
Be dazzled by these three, for God works miracles which only eyes of faith can see. He takes you, who were dead, and makes you alive. He does it through the Word—a veritable whisper, when compared to wind, quake, and fire.
Knowing the voice of the Lord, Elijah knew the presence of the Lord. So do you. Jesus’ voice assures you of His faithful presence. Your baptism into His death and resurrection is the dazzling miracle for your own resurrection. His feeding you upon His living body and blood is the food which never runs out, but keeps you strong for this life, until you see Him in Paradise. Look for Him, every time you look, in His Word, Baptism, and Communion. Be dazzled by Him, for these are His supernatural gifts for you eternal life.
You are not alone, you little Elijahs. Hear the Lord Jesus whisper to you: "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Amen.