I Kings 18:1-16
Choose Whom You Will Serve

Introduction
1. We choose on what level we live our Christian life.
2. I Kings 18:1-16 there are two types of believers…but we must choose!

What type of believer are you?
I. THE COMMITTED BELIEVER 18:1, 2, 8, 16
Bases His Life on the Word of God
God continues to teach Elijah. We discover 6 characteristics of a committed Christian:
A. The Providence And it came to pass
1.In God’s appointed time. God cannot be hurried.
2.The amount of time that Elijah stayed in Zarephath was decided by God. There are no accidents or happen chances with God. God is in control, even when it appears that He is out of control.
B. The Patience After many days
1.Elijah was a man of action.
2.Elijah has been sitting in seclusion from month to month and year to year. Now it has been nearly 3 ½ years.
3.God often has to slow us down to get our attention, and make us into what He has in mind.
4.Live Today! Be, therefore, not anxious about tomorrow; for tomorrow will be anxious for the thing of itself. Sufficient unto the day is its own evil. (Matt. 6:34) So many Christians never enjoy living because they are all weighted down with tomorrow’s problems.
C. The Proclamation The Word of the Lord came to Elijah (17:2, 5, 8, 16)
1. He did not move until confirmed by the Word of the Lord!
2.“God show thyself unto Ahab and I will send rain.” God has not forgotten Elijah.
3.Absolute Truth: You can get out your umbrellas, raincoat, and boots, because it is going to rain!
4.Build your whole life around Truth, which is found in the Word of God!
D. The Procedure 2a Obedience…Elijah went to show himself to Ahab.
1.Absolute, unwavering obedience is the key to the Christian life.
2.Do you know what obedience even looks like? Illus. of training a dog to stay (he doesn’t move until commanded). A father to his son: “Why didn’t you do it?” Son: “I didn’t want to.”
E. The Priority 8 Behold, Elijah is here.
1.Nothing will stop Elijah from doing the will of God.
2.Obadiah: Go tell King Ahab that Elijah is here.
3.The king of kings has spoken and I am here as His messenger!
F. The Placement 16 I will show myself unto him today.
1.This God is an active, living God.
2.Before whom I stand (17:1) Nothing has changed! God is still God and Elijah recognizes that he is to do His bidding.
3.He feared man so little because he feared (stood in awe of) God so much.

What type of believer are you?
II. THE COMPROMISING BELIEVER 18:2b-16
Bases His Life on the Ways of the Godless
A. Words of Commendation
1.The Plague 4-6 there was a severe famine in Samaria Let’s survey the land: Note the barren land burnt by drought…the animals are thin. It looks like the Death Angel has passed over. These are struggling from one day to the next.
2.The Purpose: This is the Rod of God to have Israel turn around. The vivid illustration is to show that Baal worship is dry and dead. This is to bring them back to God.
3.The Pain The crisis cries out. The people are more ready to listen to God!
4.The Paradox Obadiah…who was the governor of the house Fear God greatly (2b) Favored the prophets he took 100 prophets and hid them in two groups of 50, and fed them bread and water. (4) This is what he was known for (v. 13).
Here was a ‘God fearer’ who at one time took a stand, and made an impact for God, but no more. It looks like he sold out for position, power, and pride.
B. Words of Condemnation
1.His Relationships Governor of the house of Ahab (he would be second in command)
*Wrong People 4 Ahab and Jezebel were very, very wicked people. Obadiah’s job called for him to work with them, and keep company with them. This would muffle his witness. To keep his position he would have to keep silent about his religion or his God. He could not protest their evil and keep his job or his life! Show me who you hang with and I’ll tell you about your spiritual life. Who you associate with affects your walk with God!
*Wrong Purpose 5 Find grass for horses, mules and beasts.. Basing his life on the ways of the godless he was doing the wrong thing! This was God’s man wandering about the country with Ahab trying to find food for horses and mules. He should have been addressing the cause for the famine. He should have been praying and calling for repentance. Hang with the wrong crowd and you will soon forget why you are here!
2. His Righteousness 7-10
a. Proud In What means he did not think himself guilty of any
sin that merited severe chastisement. (Mal. 1:6, 7; 2:17; 3:7 In what way…)
*Obadiah wanted excused because of his supposed righteous character. We can be
so full of pride. Obadiah would have killed him (v. 10). His eyes were on man
instead of God.
b. Preference…He had the wrong Lord He said, My Lord (v. 7) but he is not
willing to practice it. Go and tell thy lord Obadiah may have wished to appear that
Elijah was Lord (he stood in God’s place), but his actions proved otherwise. He
would go for Ahab to gather grass. He wouldn’t go for God. The cost was too
great!!
c. Performance…Our present spiritual condition is not determined by what we
did in the past, but what we are willing to do in the present!
3. His Refusal 12-14
Go tell thy lord…Elijah is here!
a.He questions the integrity of God. 12 How untrustworthy Obadiah was of God! It is reflected in the influence that Baalism had on him. He had been around Baal people. He had listened to them so much that it had warped his view of God. You can’t eat out of a garbage can and not smell like garbage.
b.He was caught up in past performance. 13 Haven’t you heard what I have done? One time I really shined! Generally, those who do the least boast the most!
c.He can’t because he doesn’t want to. He is so full of himself (limitations) he misses what God had called him to do. 14 He will die!!
4. His Reluctance 15, 16
a.We never hear of Obadiah again.
b.He ran his errand, but went back to Ahab. There is no champion to help Elijah on Mt. Carmel. There is no one to point Israel back to Jehovah.

OUR CHOICE:
Commitment…Based on God’s Word will shake your world!!
Compromise…Based on the Godless World will never find fulfillment…will always be occupied with finding food for horses and mules. They will never be wrapped up in that which is eternal and lasting!