BALD PROPHET: Part 5

"CHILDLIKE AWE: Resurrection"

with Adam Waters

October 14, 2007

Introduction

SATAN HAS FOOLED YOU.

Somewhere along the line you have been tricked into fearing things. Leading psychiatrists around the country have documented over 2,000 fears. Anything from the #13 to peanut butter sticking ot the top of your mouth. There is even a fear of phobia's. BUT, these same people will tell you that there are only 2 fears that you are born with: 1)the fear of falling and 2)the fear of loud noises. These are the only 2 God-given fears. ALL OTHERS you have learned. Which means you can unlearn them. This sermon series is about us approaching our Father with child-like awe. Basically we are trying to get you to "download a whole new opporating system for your brain."
· Jerry Seinfeld in one of his famous standup routines talks about how talking in front of a large crowd is people’s #1 fear… and death was #2. DEATH was #2!!!
· Why are we so afraid of dying?
· Here is a true saying: “No one who has died is worried about it anymore.”
· As with our view of Scripture being stories that should really and truly awe us because we believe in the power of God, the same is true here.
· Our view of death should take shape in our view of God. Is He the almighty who has power over life and death and time… then, he has the power to resurrect.

SCRIPTURE: Elisha and the Woman from Shunem (2Kings 4:8-37)
8 One day Elisha went to the town of Shunem. A wealthy woman lived there, and she urged him to come to her home for a meal. After that, whenever he passed that way, he would stop there for something to eat. 9 She said to her husband, “I am sure this man who stops in from time to time is a holy man of God. 10 Let’s build a small room for him on the roof and furnish it with a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp. Then he will have a place to stay whenever he comes by.” 11 One day Elisha returned to Shunem, and he went up to this upper room to rest. 12 He said to his servant Gehazi, “Tell the woman from Shunem I want to speak to her.” When she appeared, 13 Elisha said to Gehazi, “Tell her, ‘We appreciate the kind concern you have shown us. What can we do for you? Can we put in a good word for you to the king or to the commander of the army?’” “No,” she replied, “my family takes good care of me.” 14 Later Elisha asked Gehazi, “What can we do for her?” Gehazi replied, “She doesn’t have a son, and her husband is an old man.” 15 “Call her back again,” Elisha told him. When the woman returned, Elisha said to her as she stood in the doorway, 16 “Next year at this time you will be holding a son in your arms!” “No, my lord!” she cried. “O man of God, don’t deceive me and get my hopes up like that.” 17 But sure enough, the woman soon became pregnant. And at that time the following year she had a son, just as Elisha had said. 18 One day when her child was older, he went out to help his father, who was working with the harvesters. 19 Suddenly he cried out, “My head hurts! My head hurts!” His father said to one of the servants, “Carry him home to his mother.” 20 So the servant took him home, and his mother held him on her lap. But around noontime he died. 21 She carried him up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, then shut the door and left him there. 22 She sent a message to her husband: “Send one of the servants and a donkey so that I can hurry to the man of God and come right back.” 23 “Why go today?” he asked. “It is neither a new moon festival nor a Sabbath.” But she said, “It will be all right.” 24 So she saddled the donkey and said to the servant, “Hurry! Don’t slow down unless I tell you to.” 25 As she approached the man of God at Mount Carmel, Elisha saw her in the distance. He said to Gehazi, “Look, the woman from Shunem is coming. 26 Run out to meet her and ask her, ‘Is everything all right with you, your husband, and your child?’” “Yes,” the woman told Gehazi, “everything is fine.” 27 But when she came to the man of God at the mountain, she fell to the ground before him and caught hold of his feet. Gehazi began to push her away, but the man of God said, “Leave her alone. She is deeply troubled, but the Lord has not told me what it is.” 28 Then she said, “Did I ask you for a son, my lord? And didn’t I say, ‘Don’t deceive me and get my hopes up’?” 29 Then Elisha said to Gehazi, “Get ready to travel; take my staff and go! Don’t talk to anyone along the way. Go quickly and lay the staff on the child’s face.” 30 But the boy’s mother said, “As surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I won’t go home unless you go with me.” So Elisha returned with her. 31 Gehazi hurried on ahead and laid the staff on the child’s face, but nothing happened. There was no sign of life. He returned to meet Elisha and told him, “The child is still dead.” 32 When Elisha arrived, the child was indeed dead, lying there on the prophet’s bed. 33 He went in alone and shut the door behind him and prayed to the Lord. 34 Then he lay down on the child’s body, placing his mouth on the child’s mouth, his eyes on the child’s eyes, and his hands on the child’s hands. And as he stretched out on him, the child’s body began to grow warm again! 35 Elisha got up, walked back and forth across the room once, and then stretched himself out again on the child. This time the boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes! 36 Then Elisha summoned Gehazi. “Call the child’s mother!” he said. And when she came in, Elisha said, “Here, take your son!” 37 She fell at his feet and bowed before him, overwhelmed with gratitude. Then she took her son in her arms and carried him downstairs

CHILDLIKE AWE: Stories of Resurrection
— Elisha and the boy.
— Matthew 9/Mark 5 “Jesus and the girl.”
— John 11 “Lazarus”
— 2Kings 13:21 “Elisha’s bones”
— Matthew 28 “Jesus raises himself.”
— 1 Corinthians 15:53-57 “For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
— GOD HAS THE POWER TO “Resurrect” YOU AFTER YOU DIE.

CHALLENGE:
o We do not see people raised from the dead because we DO NOT TRY! Oh but there’s more to be learned than that…
o Physical resurrection only lasts a short time as amazing as it is. Spiritual resurrection is more powerful… and lasts for eternity.