Sermon for 7/17/22: Fifth Sunday After Trinity

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Where Is God? Where Are You?

I Kings 19:11-21

 

 

Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

Is anyone surprised that Peter falls down in repentant fear when he realizes he is in the presence of almighty God? It’s kind of difficult to ignore when your boat is sinking beneath your feet under the weight of the largest catch of fish you’ve ever seen in your life. Is anyone surprised that Peter left everything sitting on the shore and immediately began to follow Jesus? After witnessing such a powerful miracle, how could you not?! Well… not so fast.

In the Old Testament text, Elijah had just triumphed over 450 prophets of Baal in a huge God vs. Baal showdown; an all-consuming, fire-from-heaven display made it abundantly clear that God was completely in charge and Lord of all. Unfortunately, though, even after such a huge display of power and might, some people still refused to believe. That powerful miracle didn’t change a thing for some folks. In fact, wicked queen Jezebel sent word to Elijah, letting him know that by the same time tomorrow he would suffer the same deadly fate as those 450 Baal prophets he had just slaughtered. If something as powerful and miraculous as all-consuming fire from heaven and the subsequent slaughter of 450 false prophets won’t convince people to turn from their evil and turn back to God, then what hope does he have for any kind of evangelistic success in this foul and wicked place? In sorrow and fear, Elijah heads for the hills, eventually hiding in the cave. Elijah cries out to God and asks that God just end it now and kill him.

But you know the rest of this story. It’s when Elijah finally settles down in his little cave hiding spot that the very Word of God comes to Elijah and asks why he is not where God called him be. God frames it this way so that Elijah might repent. But Elijah didn’t repent. He wasn’t sorry for running away. When things didn’t go the way he had planned or thought they should go, he lost it. “Israel has rejected me and rejected You. They’ve torn down the altars and killed all your faithful prophets and are worshiping false gods. Now they want to kill me. There’s no hope for these people! There’s no point!”

This is when God tells Elijah to go stand outside on top of the mountain so that God can show him something. By means of mighty miracles and terrifying displays of power, God teaches Elijah a lesson about Himself and how He works. God very clearly demonstrates that He’s not in the mighty things that man looks to. He’s not in the mighty rock-shattering winds. He’s not in the terrifying earthquake. He’s not in the fire. God wasn’t in any of those huge, awe-inspiring, terrifying things. Instead, God whispers to Elijah in the faintest whisper.

We understand what God is telling Elijah, but do we understand it in our own lives? Might we miss the almighty presence and peace of God because we’re too busy looking for the mighty and miraculous instead of the lowly whispers already in our midst? You may not want to admit it, but it’s very easy to become weak in the faith when things aren’t going as great as we think they should. We always seem to need a sign or proof from God. His Word and Promise is never quite good enough for us. You may not want to admit it, but that doesn’t make it any less true.

It’s easy to point the finger at all those hypocrites. But what about you? Would the exercise of your faith in this fallen and sinful world be somehow different if God just gave you some kind of powerful miracle or display? Do you need a sign before you will fully commit to trusting in Him?  If you need proof, look no further than this cross! Here is where God in the flesh died! Here in the midst of all this terrifying tragedy and tribulation is the love that God has for you, on full display for all the world to see! Here is almighty God in the flesh, in the absolute last place you’d think to look for the Almighty. Yet here He is! “O, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God.”

Where does God call you to be? Maybe the better question is: Where do you flee when the trials and tribulations hit? Does God ever have to tap you on the shoulder and say, “What are you doing here?” Look to the font, the altar, the pulpit, and the lectern. Here is this same almighty God who conquered sin, death, and the devil. Here He is, in the lowest, simplest, and most unexpected, over-looked places. Here is where your God and Lord is! He’s right where He calls you to be! He’s right where He Himself promises to be. He’s right where He points you and directs you; He draws near to you in order that you would draw near to Him. Wars, rumors of war, plagues, fears of getting sick…none of that has ever kept God from His people.

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ: Here is Immanuel, God graciously present even now in your midst…for you. May this real presence and peace of Christ be your desire, your assurance, and your peace all your remaining days and into all eternity. In the name of the Father and of the Son (+) and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The peace of God which passes all understanding will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus always. Amen.