Richvale Community Church
Sunday, August 30, 2026
- Good morning…Have you ever done something out of the Ordinary? stepped out on a limb?Pam’s parents, Henry and Lorraine— .Are celebrating 60 years of marriage—and Pam’s mom 80th this year.Some big milestones!Well, this past week Pam’s family went parasailing—And they didn’t want to be left out the fun and .. so joined themThey sent us photos..Pretty amazing!…they have really raised the bar for doing adventurous things..We are in our sermon Series …hearing God through the noise.. we looking at the life of Elijah…Today we talking aboutLiving Courageously..What does that mean?—What is courage?Courage has been described as“ grace under pressure”.Mark Twain said that..Courage is the mastery of fear, not the absence of fear.Mark TwainIn other words Courage is stepping out in faith ….. it moving forward through life… in spite..of our doubts and fears…it’s leaning intomgrace…The truth is that we’ve all had moments we’ve needed courage ..…The story of Elijah is one of Courage..Elijah lived during one of the darkest spiritual periods in the history of Israel.Things in the Northern Kingdom were not okay.King Ahab and Queen Jezebel had led the people of God into apostasy.They had killed or driven away the prophets of the Lord and established the worship of Baal and Asherah in the high places.Baal was the god that controlled the rain.was associated with fertility.The People of Israel descended into spiritual darkness..This is when..God raises up Elijah with a message…“That God was going to stop the rain at his word”and… For three years and half years there was no rain in Israel.We’ve experienced drought here in Northern California… but nothing like thisDrought in the mid Middle East, hit’s different ly..it meant pure survival.It was extreme hardship..And during those three years, while the nation was experiencing the consequences of its rebellionElijah was experiencing God’s miraculous provision—“But here’s what is astonishing” Is youYou would assume that a severe Famine would get the people attention - there would be a movement to repentance… but that is not the case.. …people became more complacentWe told..
1 Kings 18:1–2 ESV 1 After many days the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain upon the earth.” 2 So Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria.You have wonder …Why did the famine not produce change in Israel?— C.S Lewis once said..Pain is God’s megaphone to rouse a deaf world. —C. S. LewisC. S. LewisIt is true that..Pain has a way of getting out attention.… but pain doesn’t bring transformation..We learn that..External pressure can being discomfort and at the some time not produce transformation.And that's why God sends Elijah back to Israel..To deliverance the a word God…The reason Elijah is sent is that..God isn't simply looking for an apology.He is looking for changed heart through real repentance....It is going to take faith, repentance…obedience, and courage.. to bring Israel back to the Lord..T/s— How do we live with COURAGE — it BEGINS WHEN we1. KNOW WHAT GOD HAS SAIDThis past week we had our missionaries’ prayer meeting…our weekly prayer t the church.The focus of our prayer was courage and boldness for our missionaries.It is a great prayer..It takes courage and boldness to share The Gospel …Whether overseers…or college campuses where ever our missionaries serve..But it takes also courage—for us to be the church…to be witness or God in our neighborhoods snd communities too..Paul asked the church in Ephesus to prayer boldness.In Ephesians 6:19:Asked that he would be given the wordsTo speak… “...to boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel.”We need the words and we need courage … to speaker Gods word today..But courage— looks different for each of us..We see this in our text..In verse 3, we are introduced to Obadiah.This is not the prophet Obadiah.Obadiah worked for king Ahab as his administrator..He worked behind the scenes, faithfully serving God in a difficult environment.Let's read our text.1 Kings 18:3–6 ESV 3 And Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly, 4 and when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave and fed them with bread and water.) 5 And Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs of water and to all the valleys. Perhaps we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, and not lose some of the animals.” 6 So they divided the land between them to pass through it. Ahab went in one direction by himself, and Obadiah went in another direction by himself.Obadiah is the kings chief steward in charge of the king’s business.. …He front row seat to it all the evil and wickedness that Ahab and Jezebel…had done.. in the land..But —He is a righteous man……while Jezebel is killing the prophets of Yahweh,Obadiah secretly hiding the prophets.. in caves and providing them with food and water….That’s courage.Notice that Obadiah—Courage looked very different from Elijah’s…He is not like a Elijah confronting the King with the word of God.. not experiencing signs and wonders…It”s different..Courage doesnt all look the same..Sometimes courage looks like Obadiah quietly doing what is right when nobody is watching…Sometimes courage is staying faithful… .. showing up.Sometimes courage is raising your children according to Scripture… when the culture is teaching them something completely different.Sometimes courage is taking a step back,“No, I’m not going to live like that.”… Obadiah courage was note less than..it was different callings....both were equally important in God’s economy ..But their Courage came from the same source..Both Elijah and Obadiah were listening to Gods voice..In Elijah's life, God's voice is explicit.The text repeatedly says, “The word of the LORD came to Elijah.”God told him where to go. God told him what to do.God told him when to move.Elijah heard God clearly and directly.But when we come to Obadiah, it's different.We're never told, “The LORD spoke to him directly”It is Implied....that he heard God voice..Bu what Obadiah did.In rescuing the prophets..He risked his position, his reputation, and potentially his life …When Elijah meets Obadiah he learns something about himself…Elijah thought that he was all alone… That he was the last prophet alive….But God had been working in Israel all along… through other people…… While Elijah was are the brook and in the widow a house.God had been preparing people, preserving people, and working through people—even when Elijah couldn't see it.Here is the thing… we also can have the wrong assumptions… presuppositions..We can feel we all alone …no body understands..There is a good chance that you not aOne in yoirmstruggleWe learn from Elijah that..We may not see what God is doing.We may not understand why God is allowing something.We may not know who else God is working through.But you can trust the God who sees what you cannot see.Because God is always doing more than you can see from where you stand.T/sCOURAGE BEGINS WHEN YOU..1. KNOW WHAT GOD HAS SAID2. TRUST WHO GOD ISEvery relationship is built on trust.Trust is foundational.Whether it’s a marriage,a friendship,a relationship at work,whenever people are involved, trust becomes an issue.And here's the thing about trust:It takes a long time to build, but it can be lost in a moment.When I first came to this church, I had 16 years of ministry experience. I had years of education and training. But none of that automatically meant people trusted me.There was still an element of trust that had to be established.You don't build trust simply by telling people you're trustworthy.You build trust by consistently living in a way that proves it.And that's what makes the conversation between Obadiah and Ahab so interesting.… it took Obadiah trusting in Elijah..When Obadiah goes back to King Ahab and tells him, “I have found Elijah.”But He was concerned about this…becauseHe knew what Ahab was like. He was afraid that Elijah might disappear before Ahab could meet him.But Elijah keeps his word.He shows uAnd now these two men finally meet.It’s an interesting intersection..And what is the first thing Ahab says to Elijah?“Is it you, you troubler of Israel?”Ahab looks at Elijah and says, “You're the problem.”There is a lot of irony in those words…Ahab had led Israel into idolatry.Ahab had rejected the word of God.Ahab had partnered with Jezebel in destroying the prophets of God.And yet when Ahab looks at Elijah, he blames the messenger instead of confronting his own character.That's what sin does.Sin has a way of making us see the problem everywhere except in ourselves.Elijah clears the record…1 Kings 18:18 ESV 18 And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you have, and your father’s house, because you have abandoned the commandments of the Lord and followed the Baals.thenenemy often like a to confuse matters… change the narrative… change the blame..Elijah speaks truth…. preaching is truth on fire… that what happens…when the gospel is proclaim Ed.What Israel needed Confrontation of the condition of their own hearts.In verse 20 We have the show down on mt Carmel..Ahab gathers Israel and the prophets together at Mount Carmel. And Elijah stands before the people.1 Kings 18:20–25 ESV 20 So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. 21 And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word. 22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men. 23 Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it. 24 And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, he is God.” And all the people answered, “It is well spoken.” 25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many, and call upon the name of your god, but put no fire to it.”Elijah is a man of few words— and you have Love the directness of Elijah.He’s not trying to win a popularity contest.He’s not trying to make everybody comfortable.He’s trying to wake them up.“How long?”How long are you going to live like this?How long are you going to say you belong to God while giving your heart to something else?How long are you going to keep one foot in faith and one foot in the culture?How long are you going to say,“I believe God,”but live as though God doesn’t exist?And then Elijah says:> “If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.”Now here’s something interesting.The people don’t answer him.Verse 21 says:> “And the people did not answer him a word.”Silence.Here is the thing about spiritual compromise— is not necessary — infatic — it often expressed simply in indifference or Silence..The reason is that it Is difficult to defend a divided heart.They want God.But they don’t want to give up Baal.They want heaven.But they don’t want holiness.They want God’s blessing.But they don’t want God’s authority.They want God to be part of their life.They just don’t want Him to be Lord of their life.And Elijah says: ..You have to choose.And then comes the contest.Two altars.Two sacrifices.Two groups of prophets.One question:Who is really God?The prophets of Baal go first.They prepare their sacrifice.They call on Baal.Nothing happens.So they get louder.They cry out.They dance.They cut themselves.They go on for hours.And Elijah begins to mock them.1 Kings 18:27 ESV 27 And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.”we have to clarify.. Elijah is not mocking them personallybut the gods whom they had put there trust in—He wants them to see how foolish it is!!They respond ..they shout louder.But nothing happens.Why?Because Baal isn’t there.That’s the point.A false god cannot answer prayer.And here’s where this becomes very personal.Because most of us aren’t tempted to bow down to a statue of Baal.Our idols are much more sophisticated.We worship success.Approval.Money.Comfort.Control.Politics.Relationships.Career.Possessions.Entertainment.Even our children can become idols.And here’s how you know something has become an idol:It begins to tell you how to live.Whatever controls your decisions has become your functional god.Elijah asks us the same question:Who are you going to trust?AFTER EVERYTHING FAILS ELIJAH GATHERS THE PEOPLEThen Elijah steps forward.Verse 30:1 Kings 18:30 ESV 30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been thrown down.Elijah repairs the altar of the LORD that had been thrown down.He takes twelve stones.He builds the altar.He places the sacrifice on it.And then, just to make the situation absolutely impossible to explain naturally, he has them pour water over the sacrifice.Once.Twice.Three times.The trench fills with water.And then Elijah prays.And notice his prayer.It isn’t long.It isn’t complicated.It isn’t theatrical.Verse 36:1 Kings 18:36–37 ESV 36 And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. 37 Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.”> “What happens when Elijah calls on the a lord..God shows up..Fire falls….The people fall on their faces.And they cry:> “The LORD, he is God; the LORD, he is God.”WHAT IS HAPPENING?God isn’t simply proving that Elijah is right.God is calling His people back.That’s why the question isn’t merely:“Do you believe in God?”The question is:“Will you trust God enough to follow Him?”BecauseBiblical faith is more than intellectual agreement… IT CONVITION.WIERSBE SAYS..Faith is not some kind of nebulous feeling that we work up; faith is confidence that God’s Word is true, and conviction that acting on that Word will bring His blessing.Warren W. WiersbeThat’s courage.T/sCOURAGE BEGINS WHEN YOU..1. KNOW WHAT GOD HAS SAID2. TRUST WHO GOD IS3. ACT ON WHAT GOD SAYSThere is a well known story about the YOUNG girl who showed up to a church prayer meeting carrying an umbrella.There had been a long drought, and the church had gathered to pray for rain.As everyone arrived, one little girl walked in carrying an umbrella.Someone asked her, “Why did you bring an umbrella?”She replied, “Because we’re here to pray for rain.”THSTS WHAT YOU CALL FAITH..—-It is one thing to attend a prayer meeting —it is another to carry an umbrella..There is a difference between knowing God's promises and actually stepping out in faith.The Welsh preacher Martyn Lloyd-Jones once said there are three essential elements in faith:believing,being persuaded,and acting.It engages..,,The mind pThe heartthe willYou hear what God has said.You become convinced that God can be trusted.And then—you act.In other words Courageous Faith steps forward before it sees the whole picture.Imagine being Elijah standing on Mount Carmel.The fire has fallen.The prophets of Baal have been exposed.The people have fallen on their faces and declared, “The LORD, He is God!”What a moment!You can almost imagine the adrenaline.After everything that has happened, you might think the story is over.But it's not.Because the drought is still there.The land is still dry.The heavens are still closed.God had sent fire—but He had not yet sent rain.There is a space between what God had promised and what he WOULDMDO…In the mean time Elijah tells Ahab to get ready for rain…..1 Kings 18:41–43 ESV 41 And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is a sound of the rushing of rain.” 42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Mount Carmel. And he bowed himself down on the earth and put his face between his knees. 43 And he said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” And he went up and looked and said, “There is nothing.” And he said, “Go again,” seven times.Now here’s the remarkable thing.There is no rain yet.The sky isn’t full of clouds.The ground isn’t wet.The drought hasn’t visibly ended.But Elijah says:“I hear rain.”How?Because God had already said:“I will send rain upon the earth.”Elijah is acting on God’s Word before he sees the evidence.That’s faith.There are times in life when you have to make a decision based on what God has said rather than what you can see..We are an agricultural community.. Farmer are amazing..A farmer understands Faith.You put a seed into the ground.And then you cover it up.You put it in dirt.And then you walk away.You can’t see it.You can’t control it.You can’t check on it every five minutes.You trust that something is happening underneath the surface.And eventually you see evidence.But for a while—nothing.Faith often feels like that.You pray.Nothing.You obey.Nothing.You wait.Nothing.You wonder,“God, are You doing anything?”And God says,“Trust Me.”Look at verse 43.Elijah tells his servant:> “Go up now, look toward the sea.”The servant goes.He comes back.“Nothing.”Elijah says,“Go again.”He goes again.“Nothing.”Again.“Nothing.”Seven times!!Can you imagine being that servant?After the third time you’re thinking,“Maybe Elijah needs a new hobby.”But Elijah keeps praying.Keeps sending him.Keeps trusting.And finally,1 Kings 18:44 ESV 44 And at the seventh time he said, “Behold, a little cloud like a man’s hand is rising from the sea.” And he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down, lest the rain stop you.’ ”A tiny cloud.That’s it.A little cloud.And Elijah says —that is enough..> “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot, and go down, lest the rain stop you.’”And then the sky becomes dark.The wind rises.And the rain comes.That’s often how faith works.Maybe you find yourself waitng today..You’ve prayed.You’ve obeyed.You’ve done what you know God has asked you to do.But you’re still waiting.Waiting for God to make sense of something that doesn’t make sense.And the temptation is to think:“Because I can’t see God working, God must not be working.”But 1 Kings 18 reminds us:God can be working before you see the evidence.The cloud may still be on the horizon.The answer may still be forming.The work may be happening underneath the surface.God has not forgotten you.CONCLUSIONThe question that Elijah asks Israel.. question that really has rung out through the ages.. Elijah stands before the people1 Kings 18:21 ESV 21 , “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.”That is a question that we all have to wrestle with… How long do we vacillate between Faith and fear?Imagine a line drawn on the ground in the sand..On one side of the line is fear.On the other side is courage.Israel stood at that line once… when they reached the edge of the Promised Land.They had seen what God had done.They had heard what God had promised.They knew God was with them.But when they saw the giants and the fortified cities, fear took over.They got right up to the line—and they wouldn't cross it.—- They Ended up wandering in the wilderness for 40 years..And that's what we see the story of Elijah.Both men came to a moment where they had to decideObadiah stood in a difficult place. He was serving in Ahab's household while secretly protecting God's prophets.Elijah stood before Ahab and the prophets of Baal..They both had to ask …Will I stay on this side of the line, or will I cross it?They trusted God..And that's really what courage is.Courage is acting on what we know—even when we don't know what will happen next.And maybe you're standing at that line today.You know what God has said.You know what is right.You know what obedience looks like.But you're afraid of what might happen if you step across.We can have courage today — the reason is that… We don’t go alone..Because Jesus has already gone before you.Jesus stepped into our world.He faced rejection.He faced suffering.He faced the cross.And in the garden, Jesus Himself stood at a line.He knew what was coming.He felt the weight of it.He had already crossed the line of obedience for us.He went to the cross.He died in our place.And He rose again.Here is the thing....when God calls us to step out in faith, we are not stepping into an unknown future hoping that God will be faithful…You're stepping forward because you already know He is faithful.The cross has settled that.Today we trust God..Trust the God who has already proven His faithfulness in Jesus.And then—cross the line. 1 Kings 18:1–2ESV
Ephesians 6:19ESV
1 Kings 18:3–6ESV
1 Kings 18:18ESV
2 Corinthians 7:10ESV
1 Kings 18:20–25ESV
1 Kings 18:27ESV
1 Kings 18:30ESV
1 Kings 18:36–37ESV
1 Kings 18:41–43ESV
1 Kings 18:44ESV
1 Kings 18:21ESV
Richvale Community Church
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