Faith Temple Church
Sunday Morning Worship-3.08

      • Romans 15:13NKJV

  • You Are Good
  • oh happy day
  • Way Maker
  • You Deserve It
  • Song

      • 2 Kings 4:38–41NKJV

      • 2 Kings 4:44NKJV

  • The Poisoned Pot: A Call for Divine Intervention

    Bible Passage: 2 Ki 4:38–41

    Just like the sons of the prophets in Gilgal, we often find ourselves in a "famine." In our hunger for growth, success, or even spirituality, we are tempted to gather "wild vines" from the world around us. We throw them into our lives, thinking they look harmless, only to find they have poisoned the whole batch.
    Every part of our lives a double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
    “You have been trying to find pleasure in the world, and you have found wild vines… you have gathered wild gourds, a lap full, almost a heart full.You have been shredding death into the pot, and now you cannot feel as you used to feel, the poison is getting to your soul. 
    Summary: In 2 Kings 4:38–41, the prophet Elisha returns to Gilgal amidst a famine and the dire needs of the prophets. During a meal preparation, wild gourds mistakenly turned the stew deadly. Elisha’s immediate and miraculous remedy using flour demonstrates God's readiness to alleviate suffering and provide in desperate times, showcasing His concern for both our physical and spiritual sustenance.
    Application: This sermon can encourage believers to actively seek God's intervention in their lives when faced with seemingly insurmountable problems. In our daily struggles, whether they involve personal challenges or communal needs, we can bring our troubles to God, trusting in His ability to provide and heal. This message can empower congregants to rely on the Lord's provision and engage in acts of faith themselves, knowing that God is attentive to their cries for help.
    Teaching: The main teaching is that in moments of crisis, God calls us to bring our troubles to Him. Through obedience and faith, we can witness miraculous provisions and healing. Elisha's actions serve as a powerful reminder of God’s compassion and ability to redeem situations that seem beyond repair.
    How this passage could point to Christ: This passage illustrates God's faithful provision, prefiguring how Christ satisfies our spiritual hunger and heals our brokenness. Just as Elisha ended the threat of death with a simple act, Christ ultimately turns our despair into hope, showcasing God's greater plan of salvation through Him, where He offers abundant life to all who trust in Him.
    Big Idea: God desires to intervene in our crises, turning our hopeless situations into opportunities for salvation and sustenance through faith.
    Recommended Study: In preparing your sermon, consider researching the significance of Elisha's miracles within the context of Israel's history, especially in times of famine. Logos can help you find relevant theological resources that discuss God’s ongoing covenantal faithfulness through both Elisha and Jesus. Additionally, explore Hebrew word studies related to terms for 'death' and 'life' in this passage as they reveal deeper theological implications.

    1. In Life We Will Face Famine

    2 Kings 4:38 “And Elisha returned to Gilgal, and there was a famine in the land. Now the sons of the prophets were sitting before him; and he said to his servant, “Put on the large pot, and boil stew for the sons of the prophets.”” 1 Peter 4:12 “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;”
    Due to the famine they picked up wild gourds They did this out of Ingnorance!
    Good Intentions  cannot neutralize/or stop toxic ingredients.
    A. Be careful in times of famine, because everything looks good.
    B. Beware for fast gratification: Quick will kill you fast. Parable of the houses, took time on the foundation house won’t last through the storm.
    Take your time!!
    Matthew 7:24–27 ““Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.””
    C.
    You could emphasize how Elisha’s return to Gilgal during a famine highlights the dire circumstances faced by the sons of the prophets. This is where we first see their desperate hunger, which serves as a metaphor for spiritual starvation without God. Stress that God is inviting us to seek Him immediately when we face desperate situations instead of relying on our own strength. This mirrors our need to bring our struggles to Christ, who provides all that we need for life and godliness.

    2. Steer Clear Of Poisonous Pursuits

    2 Kings 4:39–40 “So one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered from it a lapful of wild gourds, and came and sliced them into the pot of stew, though they did not know what they were. Then they served it to the men to eat. Now it happened, as they were eating the stew, that they cried out and said, “Man of God, there is death in the pot!” And they could not eat it.”
    A. How can I recognize a poisonous pursuit? A poisonous pursuit is that goes against God’s Word, anything that God does not get pleasure out of.
    **  Ignorance of what we are consuming (media, philosophy, company) doesn't stop the poison from working.
    The Pursuit of Control: The anxious need to manage every outcome. This is a poisonous pursuit because it attempts to replace God’s sovereignty with human worry.
    The Pursuit of Profit at any Cost: Prioritizing financial gain over integrity or family, leading to what the Bible calls "piercing oneself with many griefs." 
    Perhaps focus on the overzealous attempt of the man gathering gourds, seeking sustenance without discernment, resulting in poison permeating their meal. This reflects the dangers of addressing problems without seeking God’s guidance. Encourage the congregation to be cautious and to seek God’s wisdom first rather than impulsively trying to fix crises on their own terms. This points to our need for Christ’s wisdom in all aspects of our lives.

    3. The Symbolism of the "Flour"

    2 Kings 4:41 “So he said, “Then bring some flour.” And he put it into the pot, and said, “Serve it to the people, that they may eat.” And there was nothing harmful in the pot.” Demonstrating God’s ability to transform a lethal situation into one of nourishment and life.
     Only a miracle (The flour/grace) can transform a pot of death back into a source of life.
    : Many commentators view the flour as a symbol of Christ or the Word of God, which, when "cast" into the bitter and poisonous experiences of life, brings healing and restoration.A Type of Christ
    : While the "wild gourds" brought death, the "meal" (flour) represents the pure and nourishing truth that sustains the soul.The Wholesome vs. the Wild
    Maybe discuss how Elisha’s simple act of adding flour and trusting in God’s power to purify the stew symbolizes divine intervention in our lives. This act points to how Christ purifies and restores us, taking on our sin and giving us life. Encourage believers to have faith in God’s miraculous provisions, turning hopeless situations into demonstrations of divine grace and salvation. This is where we can see Christ’s redemptive work most clearly.
    The pieces were to cut up to pick it all out, we would have to throw the whole pot out! Elisha instructs them don’t throw it out put the flour in! We living in a day they want Jesus out of everywhere out of politics, schools, children’s lives, out of the marriage, out of the Home.
    Flour is what you need to make bread, Jesus says I am the bread of life!
    If you want good success put Christ in it!!
    Bring meal.’ Good wholesome food was cast into the poisonous stuff, and by God’s gracious working it killed the poison; and the Church must cast the blessed gospel of the grace of God into the poisoned pottage, and false doctrine will not be able to destroy men’s souls as it now does.” (Spurgeon)
    The Celebration: "No Harm in the Pot"
    : You can celebrate that when Jesus enters a situation—be it a "poisoned" marriage, a "poisoned" mind, or a "poisoned" soul—He doesn't just dilute the toxin; He removes the "harm" entirely.The Ultimate Antidote
    : Highlight that while the "wild vine" represents the curse of sin and the world's deceptive offerings, Jesus is the "True Vine" whose presence turns a funeral meal into a feast of fellowship. From Curse to Blessing.
    John 6:51 “I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.””
    John 6:35 “And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.”
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