This 3-sermon series unpacks the stories of two Old Testament heroes (Elijah and Elisha) and one Old Testament jerk (King Ahab). The stories unfold from 1 Kings 16 through 2 Kings 10. Preaching these in 3 successive weeks provides a great opportunity to re-engage your congregation in Bible reading. Each of these sermons can also stand alone and fit almost anywhere in the preaching calendar. But if you are a lectionary preacher, the best fit is 3 of the 4 Sundays from C Proper 4 through Proper 8.
Blessings, Tim
1 Kings 17 - 2 Kings 19
Thesis: The Bible’s story of Elijah teaches us to find courage to speak the truth, that we can “pray our commute,” that God even cares for moody people, that God’s voice is soft, and we can expect to hear the Spirit say “Go back the way you came.”
The main thread of this sermon is the reading of a lot of story-telling scripture, by two alternating readers. This reading is interrupted for several short teaching times targeted at:
Courageously speaking truth
Praying your commute
Realizing that God even tolerates moody people
Expecting God to speak softly
Expecting God to send you back the way you came
1 Kings 16, 2 Cor 6.14
Thesis: From Ahab’s story we learn 1) God requires undivided loyalty, 2) be careful who we marry (including the dangers of "missionary dating,") and 3) when we're bothered by the killing God sanctions in the Old Testament, we need to look at it in the broader context, especially including Jesus - the most accurate representation of God we have.
1 Kings 19 to 2 Kings 10
Thesis: God’s way is to call us to a pure and holy passion and he wants us to drop what we’re doing and follow.
This sermon extends from God's call on Elisha's life to God's call on our lives, tying both to a call for us to build a life full of pure and holy passion for God. It also deals with how to get the pure and holy passion back when you're in a low season of life. And it also includes some time on the Shunammite woman story.
Blessings, Tim