Here 2 There
Part 1 – Fear 2 Faith
I Kings 19:1-18
ICEBREAKER: As a child what fears do you remember having?
- What insight, principles or observations did you take away from this Sunday’s message?
Context: Leading up to this week’s passage, Elijah had proven himself to be a powerful man of God standing up to the evil king, Ahab and his queen Jezebel. He prayed for God to stop the rain for three years (1 Kings 17-18) and he called down fire to consume an entire altar leading to the death of 450 prophets of Baal. (1 Kings 18) Yet when Jezebel vowed to have him killed, he “ran for his life.” (1 Kings 19:3)
Fear
1 Kings 19:1–9 (NIV) Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.” 3 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” 5 Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” 6 He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. 7 The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” 8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. 9There he went into a cave and spent the night.
1. Despite having seen God do miracles in the past, why do you think Elijah ran?
2. Even though God nourished and encouraged him during his journey, why do you think he continued to run? Why do you think God allowed Elijah to continue running? (consider the Prodigal Son)
3. Why would Elijah hide in a cave? What is your initial response to fearful situations; do you run, hide or other?
Pastor Brian pointed out that when we run in fear, we too may hide in a proverbial “cave”. He mentions three from the text.
The Cave of Bitterness –
1 Kings 9:14 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
In Exodus and Numbers, God rescues the children of Israel from the Pharaoh with many miracles and manifestations including plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, manna, pillar of light to lead them and many more. Yet fear seized them too.
Numbers 13:30–14:4 Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” 31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” 32 And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. 33 We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.” 14 1That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. 2 All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness! 3 Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” 4 And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”
4. What are some of the issues that created fear for these people? (vs 31, 33, 14:3)
5. Why do you think these people would rather return to slavery than face their current challenge? What does this say about their spiritual condition?
6. What are some of the issues that create fear for us today?
7. Why do people today stay in an unhealthy situation rather than challenge it or leave it?
The Cave of Despair –
1 Kings 19:3–5 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” 5 Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.
Numbers 11:13-15 “Where am I to get meat to give to all these people? For they weep before me, saying, ‘Give us meat that we may eat!’ 14 I alone am not able to carry all this people, because it is too burdensome for me. 15 So if You are going to deal thus with me, please kill me at once, If I have found favor in Your sight, and do not let me see my wretchedness.”
8. Have you ever been without hope? If yes, what did you do about it?
9. What role, if any, can my expectations play in creating my despair?
10. What should we do when we find ourselves in the cave of despair?
The Cave of Complacency –
1 Kings 19:9 There he went into a cave and spent the night.
11. What are ways we can try to ignore or distract ourselves from facing fearful situations?
I Am With You
1 Kings 19:11-13 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
12. What did God do to get him to face his fear? Describe a time when you needed a dramatic event to get your attention to address your fear or negative circumstance.
Faith
“Go Back!” 1 Kings 19:15-18 The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. 17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. 18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”
Luke 22:41–44 He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” 43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.
13. Did God remove the cup as Jesus had asked?
14. What would have been the result had Jesus not moved through His fearful situation? How does this demonstrate Jesus’ trust in God’s plan?
15. What fears might God be calling you to work through today so you can become more like Him?