Preached by Jay Shelbrack, 2/4/2007
Click on triangle for streaming audio

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

or to download audio, right-click here with your mouse and select “Save Target As” or “Save Link As.”

Wavering Between Two Opinions: Calling Out the Remnant – Outline
The international calling out of God’s remnant is evident in one man’s struggle to not waver between two opinions. This is a character study on Elijah preached at a house church of the remnant in Madison, Wisconsin. The parallels with the lives of disciples today are remarkable. Many disciples around the world are asking this question; “If my religious leaders are not following Jesus’ standard, what should I do?” This sermon has the answers to the lack of clarity in your Christian life. For any disciple wandering around in a cave of confusion, this is a very plain, practical and powerful lesson.

1 Kings 16:29-33 Ahab, King of Israel married Jezebel, an idolater who led him and the people astray.
- See the depths that Israel had fallen to. Have you fallen?

1 Kings 17:1 Elijah telling Ahab that there will be no rain for three years was a slap in the face to the followers of the false fertility gods.

1 Kings 18:1-4 Elijah and Obadiah
- Prophets of the Lord are hiding in caves. Does this sound similar to your life? Were you once zealous for God yet in the last three years have you been hiding out, afraid to stand up and speak out for what is right?

Three years later…
1 Kings 18:16-42 Elijah on Mount Carmel (The Lord God vs. Baal)
- Elijah thought it was just him and God. Imagine following God alone.
- Elijah taunts hundreds of false prophets.
- Many disciples should be able to look back at the last few years of their lives and see the parallels. Is your church in a drought… with no fruit (baptisms).
- Maybe you have convictions, but you don’t speak out about what is godly.
- We need prophets to step up and say, “enough!” Otherwise you’ll get choked out by the worries of this life and then your heart gets hardened.
- God wants you to make a decision; “Are you going to stay in the cave and hide, watching what others are going to do, or will you get back in the battle fighting the good fight of the faith?”
- When disciples are in hiding, they avoid accountability. When there is no accountability, you start to focus on pleasing self, not God or others. You can get bitter and complacent.
- What we need to do is call people back to God’s standard. Find the remnant. If your minister is not doing this, remember: your minister is not the standard. Jesus is the standard. Go where God’s standard is being lived out.
- Elijah had to step out on faith. We need to step out on faith too.

1 Kings 19 Elijah Flees to Horeb
- Elijah is afraid, but the Lord feeds and strengthens him. Then he goes and makes a disciple, Elisha.
- You take that step of faith and challenge people to follow God and you will take some hits because it’s a battle (persecution). Welcome to the battle. But God will still do great things, and he can use you.
- If people call you divisive but all you are doing is calling people to God’s standard, then you are not crazy or divisive. God didn’t change the rules. But Satan wants to make you feel alone. In Elijah’s day, there were still seven thousand people who had not bowed down to Baal (but Elijah didn’t know this at first and became discouraged). So if you are totally committed to Jesus, you are not alone. God knows it’s difficult for you to step out on faith and do whatever it takes to be in a ministry of committed disciples. You may feel alone at first and he can even relate to that. After the disciples deserted Jesus, he went to the cross for us.
- Your relationship with God needs to sustain you.

1 Kings 19:15
- Do not quit the battle. God says to Elijah, “Go back,” so that he could develop conviction and faith for the rest of his life. Elijah needed to go back in the battle to face his fears. So do we: engage in the battle.
- We need to get healed and get help to get healed (discipling).
- When you get back in the battle you remember that you do have a purpose in God’s mission field. Change your focus and see that you can help the hurting people.
- God calls us back into the battle so that people can be rescued.
- Wake up. God is doing miraculous things. We need to do something too. Face your fears, trust God. Get back in the battle.

Categories: Sermons
1 Comment »