Rain, Grace, and Second Chances

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Speaker: Steve Estes
Scripture: 1 Kings 18:41-46
May 26, 2024

1 Kings 18:41-46: And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.” So Ahab went off to eat and drink, but Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees.

“Go and look toward the sea,” he told his servant. And he went up and looked. “There is nothing there,” he said. Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.” The seventh time the servant reported, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.”

So Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’” Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain came on and Ahab rode off to Jezreel. The power of the LORD came upon Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.

Sermon Outline

1. Ahab and Elijah

2. The text’s first great lessons come by watching Elijah pray

• Prayer in public must be fueled by prayer in private

• Prayer must follow (not just precede) our spiritual accomplishments

• Prayer should major on God’s agenda, not ours

• Prayer should be in earnest

3. The text’s final great lesson comes by watching Elijah run

• Ahab’s ill-desert

• God’s grace