What God Ordains Is Always Good :: 1 Kings 17:8-16
What God ordains is always good: The proof is once again right here in our Old Testament reading, where we read: The jar of flour did not end; neither did the jug of oil decrease, according to the word of Yahweh (v 16).
Isn’t that amazing!
Brothers and sisters in Christ, these things are written so that you will believe that what God ordains is always good. These things are written to remind you of the promise. These things are written so that what he speaks, you will hear that with just the Word of Yahweh, there always is more than enough! He goes out into the world, makes himself known in word and deed, and then saves the weak and the meek. What God ordains is always good. This is the bottom line today.
We learn this truth from all of our readings on this Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity, but it’s especially prominent in 1 Kings 17 where there is no end ... no decrease. The word of the Lord, according to Elijah, urges us again to stop doubting what God does for us through his Word and sacraments. He urges us again to recognize the role of his Word and sacraments in our lives and to receive them in faith.
WHAT GOD ORDAINS IS ALWAYS GOOD: HIS WORD AND PROMISE PROVIDES ALL THAT’S NECESSARY TO GIVE US LIFE.
This is our theme.
1.
Though she was broke ... though the world around her suffered drought brought on by the world’s idolatry and unbelief ... though she had only a handful of flour, and a sprinkling of oil, just enough to fix what she thought would be one last loaf of bread ... though she had more than one mouth to feed ... though she had just enough energy to gather wood for one last fire ... according to the Word of the Lord, the Widow of Zarephath learned that what God ordains is always good: The mercies of our gracious Father never run dry; they are new every morning; he always provides. And because of God’s eternal word, she and her household and Elijah ate for days, sustaining them.
God promises to provide. And then he delivers to us life.
Of course, believing that isn’t actually easy, is it? Let’s face it, life in this world is hard. It hurts. Too often we are left wondering how a morsel of bread and sip of wine combined with God’s Word can keep us alive. Mysteries confuse us. Too often, we refuse to believe in the mysteries of miracles. Miracles seen too often don’t seem like miracles any more, do they?
But even as we struggle to believe, the truth remains that what God ordains in baptism and the Lord's supper is always good.
Other times God’s word is just hard to listen to. Sometimes, all we ever seem to hear is the law and God’s word of judgment. Few people actually like listening to the Law. It stings. They definitely don’t like judgment. So we turn our ears away from his Word. We turn our lives away from what he ordains. We tell ourselves our way is good ... not that that is; because it isn’t.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, hear the Word and repent.
Again, God is calling us to turn away from ourselves. God is calling us like Ahab to turn away from our false gods. What he ordains is always good. His Word and promises deliver life.
2.
That’s exactly what was happening when Elijah met the Widow of Zarephath. To protect the faithful from his wrath against King Ahab, the Lord ordained Elijah to do God’s will. First, he had Elijah stop at the brook Cherith, where he was sustained by ravens. [Then, as the drought God ordained to punish Ahab devastated Israel], the word of Yahweh came to Elijah, saying, Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widowed woman there to sustain you (v 8).
Indeed, what God ordains is always good. It always provides all we need to sustain our life.
The ensuing interaction between Elijah and the widow is fascinating on many levels.
First, it’s noteworthy that the Lord told Elijah he had commanded a widow to sustain him. Think about that for a moment: A widow ... of all people. We’re supposed to care for the widows, not the other way around. Then note that the widow seems to know nothing of this. Although she is eager to do it, and that she does lament that she has nothing to give him ... that she has only a handful of flour and a sprinkle of oil, just enough to make one last loaf of bread for her and her son before they die ... nevertheless she actually wants to help. People who have faith, give and give and give. That’s amazing!
Do you think this poor widow of little faith knows the Word of the Lord actually provides?
3.
Here, we see that what God ordains through Word and sacraments is always good.
First, in the waters of baptism, God places his name on us, calling us Christian, one of his own, incorporating us into the death and resurrection of his son, our Lord Jesus. With the water, the powerful Word of God destroys the sin within us and raises us from death into eternal life. It then refreshes us to come forth to the altar where we are not left helpless and alone. Here he feeds us. In the feast that never ends, the Word of God satisfies our hunger and thirst for righteousness. As the Psalmist reminds us, he gladdens the soul of his servants (Ps 86:4) even when they don’t know they are hungry and thirsty.
Consider that poor woman. The drought had so parched the land, she and her son were left destitute. Her response to Elijah shows us just how desperate she was. When Elijah asked for water and food, the widow responded ... Behold, as Yahweh your God lives, I don’t have a cake but only the fullness of a palm of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And behold, I’m gathering a couple pieces of wood that I may go in and make it for me and my son. Then we will eat it and die (v 12).
That’s how weak she had become without word and sacrament. Her handful of food represented her total supply during a drought. Yet she is willing to give her all.
Then Elijah said to her, Don’t fear! Go and do as you have said. But surely, make a small cake for me with the first portion, then bring it to me. [Then], make some for you and for your son, because thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel: The jar of flour will not end, and the jug of oil will not decrease until the day Yahweh gives rain upon the face of the earth (vv 15-16).
4.
And there you have it! The promise! God’s powerful promise! The promise he can never change! The Word of God is not simply black ink on a white page. It is speaking and working. It does more than simply share information with you. It comes to fulfillment in water and bread.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, he said he will nourish and strengthen your faith in him in the supper, and he does. Don’t you long for it?
As surely as He lives, God’s means of grace possess power and life. As surely as He lives, the Word of God achieves the purposes for which he sends it: To save all who will believe. As Jesus told us in our Gospel reading from Matthew 6: If God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
The widow is living proof. And God will do the same for you.
She listened and obeyed the Word of the Lord. She baked a cake, and God in turn fed and nourished her as promised. She and Elijah and her household ate for days. The jar of flour did not end; neither did the jug of oil decrease, according to the word of Yahweh that he spoke by the hand of Elijah (v 15b-16).
And the same holds true for you.
5.
The promise of the Lord should be inspiring obedience within you. The word of the Lord continues to urge us to respond to all that Christ commanded: making disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them to obey all that he commanded, receiving his Word and sacraments that give us life ... because they do!
This is the Gospel ... God’s good word for you that works for you. God’s mighty word acts for us ... within us ... through us ... for his glory and our good. It gives us faith that ... in the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ ... Jesus did in fact redeem us from all of God’s wrath. Just as the widow performed an unbelievable act of mercy and charity, so too God now leads us to trust his promise, and finally and forever seek his word and sacraments with grateful hearts ... because as we sang ...
What God ordains is always good. This truth remains unshaken.
Though sorrow, need, or death be mine, I shall not be forsaken.
I fear no harm. For with his arm, he shall embrace and shield me;
So to my God I yield me (LSB 760 st 6)
... in Jesus’ name.