Sermon preview, week of January 30, 2024

When God Shows Up, Idols are Made Foolish.

At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: “Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these…

This Sunday’s order

Sunday
Preaching
FBC Muncie

The reading1 Kings 18:20-40

At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: “Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God and that you are turning their hearts back again.” 1 King 18:36-37

This week we look at an Old Testament story that could be a Hollywood production. It has drama, tension, a showdown, pyrotechnics, and an amazing twist. 1 Kings 18:20-40 is about a showdown between the prophets of Baal and the prophet Elijah, who is the prophet of the Lord. The people of God were living a double life. They were professing that they belonged to God but they were serving another god. Elijah in this showdown, makes them choose between God and false gods. Who will they choose?

Read 1 Kings 18:20-40

20So Ahab summoned all the Israelites and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel. 21Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him. But if Baal is God, follow him.”
But the people did not answer a word. 22Then Elijah said to the people, “I am the only remaining prophet of the LORD, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets. 23Get two bulls for us. Let the prophets of Baal choose one bull for themselves, cut it into pieces, and place it on the wood but not light the fire. And I will prepare the other bull and place it on the wood but not light the fire. 24Then you may call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The God who answers by fire, He is God.”
And all the people answered, “What you say is good.” 25Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Since you are so numerous, choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first. Then call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire.” 26And they took the bull that was given them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, shouting, “O Baal, answer us!”
But there was no sound, and no one answered as they leaped around the altar they had made. 27At noon Elijah began to taunt them, saying, “Shout louder, for he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or occupied, or on a journey. Perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened!” 28So they shouted louder and cut themselves with knives and lances, as was their custom, until the blood gushed over them. 29Midday passed, and they kept on raving until the time of the evening sacrifice. But there was no response; no one answered, no one paid attention. 30Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people approached him, and he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been torn down. 31And Elijah took twelve stones, one for each tribe of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come and said, “Israel shall be your name.” 32And with the stones, Elijah built an altar in the name of the LORD. Then he dug a trench around the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed. 33Next, he arranged the wood, cut up the bull, placed it on the wood, 34and said, “Fill four waterpots and pour the water on the offering and on the wood.”
“Do it a second time,” he said, and they did it a second time.
“Do it a third time,” he said, and they did it a third time. 35So the water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench. 36At the time of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet approached the altar and said, “O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and have done all these things at Your command. 37Answer me, O LORD! Answer me, so that this people will know that You, the LORD, are God, and that You have turned their hearts back again.” 38Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water in the trench. 39When all the people saw this, they fell facedown and said, “The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!” 40Then Elijah ordered them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let a single one escape.” So they seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered them there.

Berean Standard Bible, public domain

Our text for this week reminds us that we must choose between serving the one true God and false gods or idols. Join us this Sunday as we find out what it means, “When God Shows Up, Idols Are Made Foolish.”

First Baptist Church Muncie · 309 East Adams Street, Muncie, IN 47305 · https://www.fbcmuncie.org/post/when-god-shows-up-idols-are-made-foolish