I Kings 17:17-24
When Something Precious Dies

Introduction
1. What can you do when something precious dies?
2. I Kings 17:17-24 The widow suddenly loses her most prized possession. Her son dies!

When something precious dies…what can we do? 3 phases to sanity:
I. THE DISTRESS 17:18
A. The Bitterness 18a
1. Expect an initial human response.
2. It is easy to listen to the flesh. The soldier lost his arm in battle and he is still bitter. He
can’t go on.
3. When our hopes, dreams and plans die it is so easy to become bitter. Bitterness will eat
the heart out of today and destroy your tomorrows!
B. The Blame
“Elijah, what have I to do with thee, O man of God.” The purpose partially of this miracle
is to prove that Elijah was God’s man and prepare Elijah for his future ministry.
1.With bitterness usually comes blame. Instead of yielding to God’s hand, how quickly we are to point an accusing finger, usually at someone and often at God. “It’s Your Fault!”
2.Adam and Eve sinned, “It’s your fault!” “It’s that woman You gave me!”
3.Blame: The marriage is on the rocks: “It’s your fault!” The child dies: “You should have…” “It’s your fault.” Your son or daughter is on drugs: “It’s your fault.” It’s easy when hopes and dreams die to point the finger of blame.
C. The Burden 18b
1. The burden is the guilt of sin that has been committed.
2. Perhaps some past sin that weighed heavily on her surfaces. The death of her son
brought these to mind. Guilt! Satan loves to bring up the past!!
3. Elijah was living in her house. God could see. ‘My sin has killed my son.’ How many
Christians today are robbed by guilt! If you are lost you are guilty!
4. Only forgiveness can cure guilt! Forgiveness: my sins are GONE!

When something precious dies…what can we do? 3 phases to sanity:
II. THE DIRECTION 17:19-22
A. The Presentation 19
1.“Give me thy son.” Elijah is speaking with the authority from God. She gave him.
2.“Give Me your bitterness, your blame, your burden. Give Me your disappointment. Give Me your failure.”
3.Song: Give Them All To Jesus Are you tired of chasing pretty rainbows. Are you tired of spinning round and round. Take all the shattered dreams of your life and at the feet of Jesus lay them down. Give them all. Give them all. Give them all to Jesus shattered dreams, wounded hearts, broken toys. He will turn your sorrows into joy.
4.He took him from her. So often we carry that which is dead. Casting all your cares upon Him because He cares for you.
B.The Prayer 20 (James 5:17)
1.A Passionate Prayer He cried He prayed earnestly. He meant business!
2.A Personal Prayer My God Elijah knew God intimately and had spent time with Him.
3.A Purposeful Prayer Hast Thou He saw this death as part of a Divine Plan.
*Elijah doesn’t ask why? It is so easy to do when that which is precious dies. Why does my father have cancer? Why did my best friend have to die? Why did she or he leave?
*Elijah doesn’t ask because it is none of his business. It’s not for me to know His plan. It’s up to me to live one day at a time and take one step at a time! Why? Some things I won’t understand until I see Jesus. It’s enough to know that my Father makes no
mistakes. He has a bigger plan. It’s up to us to rest on His wisdom, not ours! Our
perspective is so limited and His is so boundless!!
4. A Painful Prayer Elijah is touched by the pain of the widow. His prayer touched his
heart!
C. The Procedure 21
1.The way Elijah proceeded had never been done in recorded Scripture. This was Elijah’s way. Elisha in II Kings bends over the Shuminite 2 times. What we do isn’t nearly as important as what God must do. Elijah is totally helpless. Move over and see what God can do!
2.So it is with the Gospel: Mankind is dead in trespass and sin. Only God can make one alive! Hear the compassion and concern!
3.He prays again. He prayed for the impossible! Why pray for the impossible? As David said at the illness unto death of his son: Who knows what God will do?
4.The boy is really dead. His soul has departed his body.
D. The Power 22
1.This is an exception. In the thousands of years covered in the Bible how many times is the dead raised?? The ultimate purpose isn’t to make a dead boy come alive. It is to substantiate the ministry of this prophet.
2.We have a prayer hearing, prayer answering God!
3.Only God can make that which is dead to live (Eph. 2:5, 8, 9). This is the record God has given to us eternal life. This life is in His Son. He that has the Son has life. He that has not the Son has not life. (I John 5:11, 12)

When something precious dies…what can we do? 3 phases to sanity:
III. THE DELIGHT 17:23, 24
IT WORKS!
A. The Restoration 23 The Proof:
“See, your son lives!”
B. The Relating 24 The Product:
What is the product of dreams that die?
1.The Trial Produced Life 22 the trial that breathed death in the end brought abundant life!
2.The Trial Produced Joy 23 (James 1:2; I Peter 4:13, 14) What an encouragement when tried!!
3.The Trial Produced An Opportunity For Service Sometimes we pray for God to use us more, but seldom anticipate Him answering the prayer through trials.
4.The Trial Produced Proof of a Prophet 24 The trial really certified: Thou art a man of God…the word of the Lord is in your mouth. Elijah’s ministry was confirmed!
Do you claim to be a Christian? Trials put God on display!
5.The Trial Produced Spiritual Knowledge 23

Has Something Precious Died?
Release!…Let Go!…Get up!
You can be a living testimony before a discouraged, defeated world.
The world is looking for a living illustration of the power of God!

Are you dead in your sins? Only God can make you alive!!