God's Got It: Even Exchange

Pericope: 1 Kings 17:7-15

Sermon Text: 1 Kings 17:16 For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the LORD spoken by Elijah.

Sermon Title: God’s Got It Pt 7 Even Exchange

Introduction:  The return policy at retail stores has changed over the years.  They used to be very strict. You could only bring something back if it was within a few days of purchase. You most certainly had to have your receipt. There could be no damage to the item. You needed to have the original package and tags.

        Later things changed. Walmart change the game. Bring it back anytime, any condition with or without the receipt. Now things are leveling out with a more equitable return policy for the store and the customer since people were taking advantage of the policy. Now in some stores after a certain time it's an even exchange. No money back – but a gift card so you can buy/exchange for something else in the store for equal or lesser value.

In our text this morning we see a case of an even exchange.

Elijah, who was just fed by the raven beside the brook that dried up, was commanded to go to a widow woman who would supply his next meal.

Point 1:  Even exchange happens in the winter of life.  Vs. 7 Sometime later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land.

When Elijah approached the widow it was winter in her life. It was winter in the entire region. Everyone was still living in famine. Elijah had prophesied. The land was dry and famine was abound. The widow had reached the end of hope and said winter had gotten the best of her and her son. She was simply going to fix her last meal for her and her son and she was going to die. But Elijah called for her to exchange what she had in the winter of her life.

One of the most difficult times in life is winter. When winter blows into your life, life itself is frozen in place. The flow of finances stops. The flow of relationships stops. The flow of creativity stops. The flow of making it through the day seems to get frozen in place.

Even in the natural you do not see winter as a time to plant. But winter is necessary. Winter is required to rejuvenate the earth. Winter is necessary and despite how we feel about winter, winter is a valuable time of life. AND WINTER IS WHEN YOU MUST MAKE AN EVEN EXCHANGE.  

Point 2:  Even exchange happens when you plant a seed. Vs. 13 - Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. 

Who plants in the winter? Elijah was asking her to plant the seed in the middle of the winter of her life. Who asks that? Who does that? The person who asked was Elijah. He was not afraid to ask because he had just been fed by a raven. A dirty bird had just supplied. Now Elijah could ask the widow to plant a seed of her last bread because he had made it through the winter of his life. In fact it was not the widows last it was actually her first. Explain.

Who was the widow? Notice the text deliberately identifies her status in life and place in life. She is a widow meaning her main source of income, her husband is dead. Second, she has a son but he is not capable of providing or else she would not have declared this their final meal. The place is Zarephath of Sidon. The writer wants you to know this is outside the Israelite territory. This is Baal’s territory.  God is about to send a message through to unlikely characters – an unbelieving widow and her unbelieving son.

Point 3:  Even exchange happens when you obey. 15 She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family.

Obedience to God's word and the man of God can grow faith in the most ardent unbeliever. When the woman obeyed God her blessings started. She exchanged her seed out of obedience. vs15 She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. 16 For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the LORD spoken by Elijah. I believe she obeyed because of the available options. Don't obey die. Don't believe obey and that don't work…die. So why not. Sometimes God has to bring you to a similar situation/circumstance in your life. All options are gone… Touch the hem of his garment… moment in life and obedience will bring you out.

Point 4:  God will upset the natural order to give you an even exchange.

a)  Weather: Famine

b)  Place: Zeraphat

c)  Spiritual: God vs Baal

Life application

1.  Plant a seed when you don't feel like it

2.  Plant the seed when it makes no natural sense

3.  Plant a seed wrapped in faith in God