The Last Supper

1 Kings 17:8-16New International Version (NIV)

8 Then the word of the Lord came to him: 9 “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.” 10 So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” 11 As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.”

12 “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.”

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. 14 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’”

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. 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.

Many of those whom Jesus met that had an understanding of the Old Testament often compared Jesus to Elijah.  The gospels tell us the story of Jesus talking to Moses and Elijah in front of the disciples.  Elijah is an important figure in the Jewish tradition.  Elijah’s prophetic ability was likened to Christ’s which made it one of the reasons many Jewish followers believed Christ would be an earthly king.  Little did they know, Christ turned out to be more in common with the widow than an earthly ruler.  The message this morning will focus on the widow and how God called her to service despite the fact she had little to offer, in her mind.

Our scripture starts by God instructing Elijah to head to Zarephath where God had already called a widow to help take care of Elijah.  This is important because it shows us that God called this woman from the get-go despite the fact that she had nothing.  I am sure this woman most likely scoffed at God’s calling, as we all often do, because she felt she did not have much to offer.  Yet, God knew and understood that she could make a difference even if she didn’t think so.  Jennie shared a story with the kids at youth group this past week about a young woman she read about.  This young woman’s mother abandoned her and her younger brother at the age of 13.  She was now homeless and had to raise her brother.  Along came a scumbag of a man and allowed her and her brother to move in with him, and his wife, if this young lady would become his girlfriend.  The wife of this man thought this to also be ok as she accommodated the relationship.  This went on for a few years until the young lady could find a way out.  Through all of the garbage, the young lady found her passion.  She loved to dance but could not afford to go to any dance academies.  The young lady then resorted to stripping.  She was good at it and it made her a lot of money so then she was able to go to a dance academy.  This is where she met her instructor that invited her to attend church.  The young lady politely declined because just like the widow, she didn’t feel she had anything to offer to God.  She thought her profession and past would not allow for a relationship with God.  The dance instructor then asked the young woman to coffee and over the course of several conversations over coffee the instructor convinced the young woman that God did in fact love her and had great plans for her.  This young woman now leads her own ministry that helps exotic dancers to know that God does in fact love them and that there may be a better way.  But she doesn’t do it by calling these young women sinners and making them feel guilty for what they are doing.  She doesn’t stand in front of these clubs with signs and yell bousterous and rude things at them.  She does it by making them feel the love of God through compassion and understanding.  There are many other ministries that have followed suit that take care packages, meals and makeup to the young ladies.  Some took the time to get to know this young woman and in turn, she was able to realize just how much God loved her.

I tell you that story because it is incredibly relevant to the widow in our scripture.  This woman had nothing.  The drought in the area limited those that were able to help her.  When Elijah stumbled to the front gates of Zarephath she was there finding enough sticks to cook the very last meal her son and her would eat.  She was preparing their last supper and yet God called her to help Elijah.  After Elijah asks for some water and bread, she responds by saying that she doesn’t even have a biscuit for him to eat.  She knows that God lives because He called her and she knows that but she feels she has nothing to offer.  Both literally and figuratively speaking, she feels she has absolutely nothing left to give.  She is preparing for the hopelessness of death.  She is headed home to prepare this meagre last meal.  She has nothing to offer God or Elijah.  She is still fighting for the survival of herself and of her son despite the outcome looking so meager.  She is actively engaging in her survival despite the potential outcome still headed towards helplessness and death.  This woman is fighting and yet she is also a realist.  She knows what she is up against.  The one thing she did not consider was the power, mercy and love of God.  That is, until Elijah entered the picture.  

The weary traveler who was forced to leave where he was staying because the brook from which he was drinking from dried up now enters the widow's life.  After their initial conversation, Elijah comforts her by telling her to not be afraid.  This resonates with the story I just shared with you because it took the dance instructor several conversations to help the young woman to no longer be afraid.  I truly believe this also resonates with all of us.  What keeps us from God?  Why do we stray away from His love and our church family?  Why are we so nervous about coming back?  Why are some people so intimidated by coming to church?  It’s fear.  It is the fear of rejection or gossip.  It is the fear of what people may think about our past.  It is the fear of what others will think when we return.  Why are some people apprehensive about bringing young kids to church?  For fear of what people will think, say or do.  I read an article this week about a youth pastor who took his youth group to a corn maze in Pennsylvania and in the middle of this maze were couches and a large projection screen.  The screen comes on to a short film about young kids drinking and driving and then it shows their mangled car wrapped around a tree.  Then it switches the perspective of the kids, some of which are going to the bright lights of heaven and others being damned to the fiery pits of eternal torture.  The afterlife consequences of a life lived with or without Jesus.  The article went on to say that a man then gave an emotionally charged speech that encouraged, if not forced, these kids to pray that Jesus enter their hearts immediately.  The writer of the article, John Pavlovitz had this to say, “I don’t think we should use dimly lit haunted houses or glorified rock show worship services to force an immediate decision.  If someone’s faith is authentic, it will be chosen in the naked, natural light of day, without bells or whistles or bands or devils.  Church isn’t a used car sale, and we shouldn’t be trying to close a deal, afraid of buyers remorse setting in.  We’re sharing with people the good news of a God who adores them and invites them to respond to that love through their lives.”  I agree with what the writer says, for the most part.  My faith was sparked by one of those “rock show worship concerts.”  An event that I am eternally thankful for but I also had to encounter some very difficult times in my faith in order to authenticate it over time.  I see the reasoning behind my experience and the experience of the corn maze but this type of forced faith doesn’t last.    

“Do not be afraid.” is what Elijah told the widow.  He did not want her to do this out of fear.  Faith based on fear will crumble.  Faith needs to be authentic and fear prohibits that from happening.  How did the dance instructor get the young woman to see what God had in store for her?  It wasn’t through threats or fears.  It was through compassion, love and understanding.  Making someone afraid of you so they will listen will undoubtedly end.  Fear fades.  We get over those fears so the reasons to follow become shallow and wavering.  The widow had nothing to offer.  The exotic dancer had nothing to offer.  Paul had nothing to offer.  The Bible is flooded with examples of what God can do with those who think they do not have anything to offer. Do not be afraid.  Elijah appears to be pretty demanding of the widow despite her current state and I think that is important.  It is important because we all need an Elijah that helps stir us to action.  The widow did not realize what she was capable of until God and Elijah stepped in to help her see her potential.  We all need to be “Elijahs” just like the dance instructor was for the exotic dancer.  And we do that by living in a manner that facilitates compassion, respect, love and understanding. Amen.