A Still, Small Voice 1 Kings 19:7-14

Transcription

1 A Still, Small Voice 1 Kings 19:7-14 Also available are a text-only version of the outline at Or an audio podcast at This is a pdf file of the PowerPoint notes for the message by Pastor Dave Tiejen on Sunday, March 19, 2017, continuing his series on Elijah.

2 The story is amazing The children reciting (video clip from The Nativity Story)

3 The saying is attractive

4 The saying is attractive My hope for my children must be that they respond to the still, small voice of God in their own hearts. Andrew Young

5 The saying is attractive It is the still, small voice that the soul needs, not the deafening blast of doom. William Dean Howells

6 The saying is attractive Undoubtedly, we render our consciences callous by evil indulgences; but we cannot subdue the still, small voice. Henry Ward Beecher

7 The saying is attractive Prayer is listening to the still, small voice of God, listening with the ears of our hearts. Richard Foster

8 The scene is illuminating

9 The prophet s bitter place 1 Kings 19:9 ESV There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said to him, What are you doing here, Elijah?

10 The prophet s bitter place He was chased He was crushed Revealing his focus

11 The prophet s bitter place 1 He Kings was 19:10 chased ESV He was crushed He said, I have been very jealous for the Revealing his focus LORD, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.

12 The prophet s bitter place He was chased He was crushed Revealing his focus

13 The prophet s bitter place Self-righteousness is feeling we deserve the credit. Self-pity, the twin of self-righteousness, often comes from feeling we are not getting noticed, not getting the credit. R. T. Kendall

14 The prophet s bitter place He was chased He was crushed Revealing his focus Revealing his failure

15 The prophet s bitter place The Elijah complex is the feeling of being the only one standing for truth and not getting credit for it. R. T. Kendall

16 The prophet s bitter place He was chased He was crushed Revealing his focus Revealing his failure

17 The Lord s better path 1 Kings 19:11-13 ESV And he said, Go out and stand on the mount before the LORD. And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake....

18 The Lord s better path 1 Kings 19:11-13 ESV... And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, What are you doing here, Elijah?

19 The Lord s better path Some signs repeated Wind Genesis 8, Exodus 10, 14 Earthquake Exodus 19, 1 Samuel 14 Fire Genesis 19, Exodus 3, 13 One sign revealed A gentle whisper, a sound of gentle blowing

20 The church s best perspective His reign is sovereign Avoid the source of Elijah s fear: life around me God s people irrelevant? God s people illegal?

21 The church s best perspective Pope Benedict XVI said we are living through a period of disruption comparable to the fall of the Roman Empire. Rod Dreber

22 The church s best perspective His reign is sovereign Avoid the source of Elijah s fear: life around me God s people irrelevant? God s people illegal? God s people incoherent?

23 The church s best perspective Younger Americans have cast aside coherent, biblically-consistent Christianity for a shallow, feel-good counterfeit: Moralistic Therapeutic Deism. Christian Smith

24 The church s best perspective His reign is sovereign Avoid the source of Elijah s fear: life around me God s people irrelevant? God s people illegal? God s people incoherent?

25 The church s best perspective In my travels to Christian colleges, both Evangelical and Catholic, I hear the same thing from professors: Our students are coming to us from churches, families and Christian schools knowing next to nothing about their faith. Contemporary American Christianity is a house built on sand. Rod Dreber

26 The church s best perspective His reign is sovereign Avoid the source of Elijah s fear: life around me God s people irrelevant? God s people illegal? God s people incoherent?

27 The church s best perspective His reign is sovereign Avoid the source of Elijah s fear: life around me God s people irrelevant? God s people illegal? God s people incoherent? Affirm the source of Elijah s: Lord above me

28 The church s best perspective Where there is faithfulness to God, His mercy and grace will be glorified; and where there is unfaithfulness, His justice will be glorified. Robert Ellsworth

29 The church s best perspective His reign is sovereign Avoid the source of Elijah s fear: life around me God s people irrelevant? God s people illegal? God s people incoherent? Affirm the source of Elijah s: Lord above me

30 The church s best perspective His reign is sovereign His revelation is Scripture Indictment and invitation Through His servants Through His Son

31 The church s best perspective His reign is sovereign His revelation is Scripture Hebrews 1:1-2 ESV Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

32 The church s best perspective His reign is sovereign His revelation is Scripture Indictment and invitation Through His servants Through His Son

33 The church s best perspective The route back from this black pit of despair is not by running from God or circumstances. Nor is it by exciting and ecstatic experiences similar to a great wind, earthquake or fire. It is to hear again the still, small voice of God s Spirit speaking to us through His Word. Phillip Keller