Our scripture reading today is from 1 Kings chapter 18. 1 Kings 18, we'll begin reading at verse 41. It's page 382, if you're using the Pew Bible. Today we come to the final part of the encounter on Mount Carmel between Elijah the prophet of the Lord and the prophets of Baal. It was a contest to determine who is God, and with the endorsement of the northern kingdom of Israel, or I should say the endorsement of the leadership, the king and his wife of the northern kingdom of Israel, the nation had largely turned away from the Lord and had begun worshiping Baal, a false god. And as we saw last time, the purpose of this contest was not simply to answer the academic question about the identity of the true God. God's goal in this, Elijah's goal in this was a gracious one. The intent was to turn the hearts of the people back to the Lord. It was to move them to repent from their foolish and fruitless idolatry, which, if they continued in it, would only end in their own destruction. By turning back to God, they would receive his pardon. and once again receive the blessings that they had lost. This is what a gracious God, who is a loving father, wants for his people. It is what God wants for us. Israel foolishly thought their worship of Baal would bring them the blessings that really only come from the Lord. They worshiped Baal to gain rain and crops, but God withholds rain for three and a half years and shows them that it's he and not Baal who gives rain and who holds it back. So we now come to the finale of this extraordinary event. Baal has proven to be unresponsive and impotent and his prophets have been exposed as the frauds that they are. When the people see this, their hearts are turned and they confess with one voice that the Lord is God. And the 450 prophets of Baal received the death sentence. There's just one more thing now that needs to happen. The lost blessings of God will now be returned. The rain that has been withheld will now be restored. It's time now for the grace of God to literally shower down upon his people in all of its fullness. So with that, let's hear from God's Word. Again, this is 1 Kings chapter 18, and I'll begin reading at verse 41. And Elijah said to Ahab, go up, eat and drink, for there is a sound of the rushing of rain. 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. And he said to his servant, go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up and looked and said, there's nothing. And he said, go up again, seven times. 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. And in a little while the heavens grew black with clouds and wind and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel. And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah, and he gathered up his garment and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel." May God add his blessing to this reading of his word. Psalm 65 is a short psalm of praise to God for his many blessings. In it, King David speaks of how God hears prayer how he atones for sin, how he blesses his people with prosperity and abundance. I want to read to you a couple of verses from it. Listen to these words because I think they're fitting for the passage that we just read. This is Psalm 65 beginning at verse 9. David writes, you visit the earth and water it. You greatly enrich it. The river of God is full of water. You provide their grain, for so you have prepared it. You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers, and blessing its growth. The psalm goes on to speak about the abundance of produce and livestock that this rain will allow. These gifts, this grace, is what God has been promising all along in his covenant with his people. The promise to be their God and they would be his people. And implied in this is that among other things, God would be their provider. This is the sort of thing that God wants to be to us. And he wants it because he loves us. He wants us to live and to enjoy him and to enjoy the good things that he gives. And what's amazing is that God still wants this. He wants us to have these things even after we ignore him. and have been unfaithful to him. Even then, he takes no pleasure in our being cut off from him and from the good things that he gives. Even though Israel had so brazenly set God aside, a God who had been a father to them, husband to them, loving them with the deepest of love. Even though they pushed him away and decided to go with someone else, even then he loves them and he makes it his mission to bring them back so that they can once again enjoy his grace. Through his prophet, God turns his people back to him, he forgives their sin, he restores their relationship, a relationship that had been broken. And now they're about to enjoy again God's rich favor and his blessings. So let's look at what this soon appearance of God's grace means for these people. How are they to live? What attitudes should they now have that their relationship with God has been restored? And as they anticipate the imminent return of God's blessings. We see, I think, four things in this passage. And so I've got four points for us this morning. This moment in time for them is a time of positivity. I'm going to be doing some alliteration here this morning. Time for positivity, time for prayer, it's a time for patience, and it's a time for preparation. So first, a time for positivity, or we could say it's a time for cheerful hope. And we see this in verses 41 and 42. Elijah says to Ahab, go up, eat and drink, for there is a sound of the rushing of rain. Now, we can only imagine what was going through Ahab's head at this particular moment. Before Elijah said these words to him, He had witnessed the death of 450 prophets of Baal. He's probably wondering what's going to happen next. After all, he and his wife had been the chief promoters of Baal and the false religion surrounding this god. And so Ahab had to be wondering what was going to happen to him. What was Elijah going to say or do next? Have you ever had one of those experiences where you've been called into the principal's office? Can't say I ever did. Or into a meeting with your boss and you're wondering, what did I do? And then to your relief, you hear positive words of praise and encouragement. I don't know, maybe you didn't hear words, positive words. But I think that's what's going on here with Ahab. But instead of Elijah calling for the death of Ahab as he did for those prophets of Baal, he speaks positive words designed to bring encouragement and hope. Ahab, rain is coming. Eat and drink. You know, there are other times in scripture when times of mourning give way to times of rejoicing. And at those times, God instructs the people to feast, to eat and drink and rejoice. The three and a half years of mourning had now come to an end for the northern kingdom of Israel. The drought had passed. The grace of God's reign was on its way. Showers of blessing were about to fall. And so it was now a time to get rid of the sackcloth and hold a feast." We can imagine Ahab's relief at these words. Relief not only that the three and a half year dry spell was finally over, but relief that the judgment of God had passed him by. Ahab had reason for hope. He had a reason to have a positive outlook about the future. The grace of God had been extended to him. He and his nation were spared and not only spared but loved and soon to be blessed once again. Verse 42 tells us that Abraham did what Elijah told him to do. He went and ate and drank. He believed Elijah's words. God still speaks. positive and encouraging words today. He has spoken them to us. To us who, like the Northern Kingdom of Israel, are sinners. People who are prone to be idolaters, fully deserving God's judgment. But to us, God has announced good news. As God sent Elijah to Ahab and the Israelites, so he has sent his son to us to turn our hearts back to him, to forgive our sins. Jesus, who is the Christ, died on a cross to pay the price for our sin. And he has sent the Spirit of God to transform our hearts, to bring us back to him. And as a result, the blessing of resurrection and eternal life in the kingdom of God has been promised to all who believe in all who turn to him. And so we who believe in Jesus, we do have reason to eat and drink and celebrate We have reason to be joyful people. All of us who trust in Jesus Christ have good reason to be positive about life. Not some vague optimism that everything will somehow work out in the end, but rather a positive outlook that's grounded in the fact that Jesus has died and he has risen from the grave and he's promised to come again to bring with him all of the blessings of God. More blessings than we can imagine. So be encouraged. Well, in addition to being a time of positivity, this time of anticipated grace is also a time for prayer. Verse 42 says that Elijah went to the top of Mount Carmel, he bowed himself down on the earth, put his face between his knees, This was a posture of humble worship and of prayer. Well, what was it that Elijah was praying for? We're not actually told here. We can venture a reasonable guess from the context, but thankfully in the New Testament, in chapter five of the book of James, James tells us plainly that Elijah was praying for rain. Now at first hearing, that may sound a bit odd to us. Right? Elijah had announced to Ahab that rain was coming. And we can be sure that Elijah didn't come up with this information all on his own. It should be clear to us by now that the one who controls the weather is not Elijah. It's not Baal. It's God and God alone. Elijah was only God's mouthpiece through whom God spoke to the people. Elijah was not speaking or doing anything on his own initiative. And so the question that arises here is that if God had already announced to Elijah that he was going to send rain, why would Elijah pray for that? And that's a good question. And it speaks to the heart of what prayer is all about. If God knows what we need, even before we ask, And if he intends to give these things to us, then why pray for them? Isn't that a bit redundant or doesn't it seem like we're pestering God to do something he's already said he's going to do? Now, I'm not going to give a full answer to that question this morning except to say that God delights in our prayers. and he chooses to work through our prayers. There's some mystery here. It's true that he has his sovereign plans for us that will come to pass. God's plans and purposes can never be thwarted. But it's also true, as James says in chapter four, verse two of his letter, that we have not, Because we ask not. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches that God will care for us as he cares for the birds of the air and the flowers of the field. But then he also teaches there that we're to pray for our daily bread. We know that God's kingdom will come in all of its fullness, because that's what God has told us. But again, Jesus teaches us to pray, thy kingdom come. All this is to say that our prayers matter. They are an important means by which God brings about his purposes for us and for his world. This is why scripture teaches us to pray according to God's will. As God's people, our goals should be his goals and our desires should be his desires. Why would we even want something that God doesn't want? He's wiser than we are. His purposes are better than ours are. He wants what is good for us. even more than we want it for ourselves. He sent his own son to die for us so that we can have all things. That's what the Apostle Paul says in Romans 8. And so the question for us is, do we believe that? Are we praying according to that? If you're a believer in Christ, then it's okay to pray that God will bless you and give you good things. Because that's his purpose for you. That's his plan for you. In fact, he's working right now all things together for your good. Now, the exact timing when we will receive all of his blessings in full That timing may not be what you and I prefer. God may call you or he may call me to serve him through hardship and through suffering, just as he called Jesus to serve him through hardship. But rest assured, God's blessing is coming your way. just as it came to Jesus who, after he suffered, rose from the dead and now sits at the right hand of God in all power and glory. That glory has been promised to every one of us who trusts in Christ. But my point is that all of this comes about through the prayers of God's people. Elijah knew it was the will of God to bless Israel with rain. And so he prays for it. Are we people of prayer? I know I'm preaching to the choir here and not just the literal choir. Cause I know most of you and I know you're praying in your homes and in your small groups and in Bible studies. I see you praying in the hallway with one another. And so this morning, I just want to encourage you to keep on. It's not for nothing. God hears our prayers. He responds to them, just as he did to Elijah's prayer. We may not have the specific information that Elijah had about the weather on that particular day, but God has told us a lot about his will, and we should be praying according to it. All that God has promised for you will come about. Ask for it. And so in the face of the announcement of God's grace, we have reason to be positive and hopeful, and we have reason to pray for its arrival. But also, and this ties into some things that I've just said, It's also a time for patience. In verses 43 and 44, after Elijah prays, he says to his servant to go back and look for any sign of rain. Now from the top of Mount Carmel, looking east, you can see the Mediterranean Sea. And so he says, go up now, look toward the sea. Well, the first time he comes back, he tells Elijah, nope, nothing, didn't see a thing. And we might thought that Elijah would get discouraged by this and say, well, maybe I got it wrong, or maybe this time God's not going to come through like he said he would. But Elijah doesn't do that. We don't know how long this took, but Elijah sends his servant back to look seven times until he finally comes back with a report about a tiny cloud rising from the sea. There's no magic in the number seven here. It's not like Elijah was performing some kind of a ritual. What he's doing is quietly waiting in patience for God to answer his prayer and to do what he said he would do. God has his timing. He's not our servant. We're his. He doesn't jump when we say jump, but he will do what he has promised. We're reminded here of the persistent widow in Jesus' parable. She persisted in her pursuit of justice, even though the judge in the parable was uncaring and unjust. And the point is that God is not uncaring, nor is he unjust. He's good. He's kind. He's generous. And so he has every intent to do good for us. So much more than this unjust judge who, with much reluctance, finally responded to this woman. So much more we can expect God to respond to our prayers at the proper time, even if we have to wait for it. Don't give up on God just because you don't get an instant response to your prayers. The Apostle Peter in his second letter tells us that the Lord is not slow in keeping his promises. Everything's happening according to plan. The fullness of God's grace will come to us. There will be, or there should be, no doubt about this in our minds. His showers of blessings will fall. Don't count the Lord's delay as being slowness or unresponsiveness or a lack of caring. God has sent his son for you, for me. He will do for you all that he has promised. So wait for him with patience. That brings us to the last point. We've spoken of the time of anticipated grace as being one for positivity and prayer and patience. It's also a time for preparation. In verse 44, Elijah instructs Ahab to prepare the chariot, to prepare his chariot and get going because apparently the coming rain was going to be so heavy that he wouldn't be able to travel. I don't know if you've ever gotten caught in a downpour. I remember in 1972, ancient history, the remnants of Hurricane Agnes hit Long Island and I was driving to work The water came down with such force that I couldn't even see what was right in front of me. So I had to pull over and wait until the rain lightened up. Well, the rain that was about to fall on the northern kingdom of Israel was not going to be a light sprinkle. It would be yet one more demonstration of God's great power God was about to make a dramatic statement so that there would be no mistake about where this rain came from. And the people were to make ready for its coming. Once again, Ahab believed Elijah and he got in his chariot and rode to Jezreel. And even Elijah took his own counsel. and in the strength of God's spirit, ran to Jezreel himself. That's about 25 miles. So Elijah ran a marathon that day. When Jesus comes again to bless his people, he too will come with a display of great power and glory so that his identity will be unmistakable. Jesus says in Matthew 24, tells us about what that day will be like, and when you read it, it's breathtaking. Up until that day, he says there will be false Christs who will come performing signs and wonders, trying to lead people astray. But he tells us not to be fooled, because nothing will compare with the magnitude of his return. And in that chapter and in the next, Jesus also warns us to be ready, to be prepared for when he comes. And what he means by that is that we are to be living our lives as disciples. We are to be living out our faith. in obedience to his commands. We're to be going about the business that our master has called us to do, living as people who really believe that he's the Christ and that he's coming again to shower us with his grace, just as he said. And so my question for all of us is, are we prepared for the return of the Lord? Are we living lives of faithfulness? Today is Mother's Day, as has already been mentioned, and I haven't said anything about moms or grandmothers yet. But you have an important place in all of this. You have a role in seeing that your children and grandchildren understand these things, that from a young age, they know the grace of God. And so they put their hope in him and seek him in prayer. And they learn to be patient and to wait for God's timing and that they're prepared for the coming of Jesus by living lives of faithfulness to him. A well-known statistic says that 80% of people who come to Christ do so before the age of 18. Moms, dads, and grandparents have an enormous influence on what their child comes to believe. What you teach and how you live are important and effective. powerful instruments of grace used by God to raise up the next generation of his people. So know that what you're doing has value, even though there may be days when you wonder. But to all of us today, consider well what God has done in Jesus Christ. Consider his death, his resurrection, Consider the outpouring of His Spirit. Take note of His greatness and His power. And know that He's done these things out of His grace to turn us to Him just as He did Israel. And trust as well that the fullness of His grace is still to come. Jesus will return as He said. This is what He promised. So live lives that anticipate this. Because when he comes, there's going to be such a downpour of blessings that all the rivers and lakes and oceans will not be able to contain it. May God give us grace to faithfully and patiently wait for the fullness of his grace. Let's pray. God in heaven, how great you are and how wondrous is your grace. We bow before you and acknowledge that we are unworthy of your love. And we can do nothing but give thanks and praise for what you have done for us in your son. Oh, Lord, we pray for your spirit. We pray for hearts that are believing. We pray for hearts that are willing to serve you, to love you as you have loved us, to declare your glory to a watching world, to the lives we live so that people will know truly that we are disciples of Jesus Christ, that we believe the things that he has has told us. We long for his coming, Lord. We pray for it. We pray until that day. Keep us faithful. We pray this in his name. Amen.