Sunday Sermon - Knowing God

The readings this morning came from Luke 7:11-17


Jesus Raises a Widow’s Son

11 Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. 12 As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.”

14 Then he went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on, and the bearers stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” 15 The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.

16 They were all filled with awe and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.” 17 This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country.

and 1 Kings 17:17-24


17 Some time later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing. 18 She said to Elijah, “What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?”

19 “Give me your son,” Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed. 20 Then he cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, have you brought tragedy even on this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?” 21 Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, let this boy’s life return to him!”

22 The Lord heard Elijah’s cry, and the boy’s life returned to him, and he lived. 23 Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, “Look, your son is alive!”

24 Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth.”

Who or what inspires you, gets you excited, motivates you? We are all made to worship so we all pick something or someone we think is worthy. Why did God give us this need.? Who did He mean to be the object of our attentions?

Elijah put his faith in God and talked to a foreign woman (something that Jews wouldn't normally do at that time). The woman trusted Elijah's God and shared her last scrap of food with him. Both saw God at work.

We can know of God but we can't know God until we put our faith in Him and trust Him to provide all we need.

Both women in today's readings lost their only sons but had them restored to them through faith.

God wants to do more for us than just provide our needs. He wants to give us a new life, an abundant life. Because of our sins we are as dead as the widows' sons but Jesus calls us to rise up and live.

Do you worship the God you know about or the God that created you, knows you and gives you life?

Richard.