Let's open our Bibles together
to 1 Kings chapter 18. 1 Kings chapter 18. Look at verse 17 here of 1 Kings 18. The title of the message is,
Art Thou He that Troubleth Israel? Art Thou He that Troubleth Israel?
Look at verse 17. It came to pass when Ahab saw
Elijah that Ahab said unto him, he asked that question, Art Thou
He that Troubleth Israel? Now what Ahab is asking Elijah
the prophet is this, are you here to create trouble? Are you
here to disturb our peace? Are you here to cause a great
calamity? If you go back to verse 1 of
1 Kings 18, you'll see that the Lord had spoken to Elijah. The Lord had spoken to Elijah
and told him, go and show thyself unto Ahab. And Elijah answers
that call and he goes. I was in the study
yesterday and I was just trying to put myself in that situation. What would that be like in our
day? I thought, okay, what if the
first day I was here at Wheelersburg, what if a man or a woman were
to come up and say, art thou he that troubleth Wheelersburg? Your presence here will cause
nothing but trouble. You'll disturb our peace. You'll
just cause a big calamity." I thought, what would my response
be to that? What was Elijah's response? Look
at verse 18. I think he answered and he said,
I have not troubled Israel, but thou, and thy father's house,
in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and
thou hast followed Balaam. You followed a false god. Look at verse 21. Elijah just
gets to the heart of the matter. Elijah came unto all the people
and he said, how long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him. But if Baal, then
follow him. And the people answered him,
not a word. What's at stake here? Is it Elijah's
reputation? Is it Ahab's opinion of Elijah? No, my friends, this is what's
at stake. Who God is. Who is Almighty God. If the Lord be God, follow Him. Follow Him. You know, you would
think this would not be a common thing. But throughout God's Word,
we see his prophets' questions. Last week, we saw those men that
found fault with Daniel. Why'd they find fault with Daniel?
Because he went in his bedroom and he prayed unto God. And they
found fault with him. I wonder what they would have
said about Noah. Now you think about that. There he was building
an ark. As God had instructed him, he's
building that ark, this giant boat, and it's never rained upon
the earth. I'm just confident people probably
went by and took cheap shots at him all day long. Why is he
out there building a boat? Don't you know people questioned
him? Look with me to the New Testament.
Turn to Acts chapter 16. Acts 16. We're beginning with verse 16. Acts 16, verse 16. It came to pass, as we went to
prayer, a certain damsel, possessed with a spirit of divination,
met us, which brought her masters much gain, by soothsaying. And the same followed Paul and
us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the Most
High God, which show unto us the way of salvation. And she
did this for many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned
and said to the Spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ
to come out of her. And he came out of her the same
hour. And when her masters, verse 19,
when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone,
they caught Paul and Silas and they drew them into the marketplace
unto the rulers and brought them to the magistrates saying, These
men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city. Isn't that the same thing that
was said of Elijah back there in the Old Testament? Art thou
he that troubleth Israel? You men are just here causing
trouble. Look, verse 21, and they teach
customs which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to
observe, being Romans. And the multitude rose up against
them, and the magistrates rent off their clothes and commanded
to beat them. And when they had laid many stripes
on them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to
keep them safely. Kind of hard to believe they
were really worried about their safety when they'd just ripped off their
clothes and beat them, isn't it? But that's to keep them safely. Who having received such a charge
thrust them into the inner prison and made their feet fast in the
stalks. They trouble our city. Paul and Silas trouble our city. You know, the men who profited,
here's what was, these men were profiting from this woman and
their hope of gain was gone. That's when they took Paul and
Silas before these magistrates and said, they said, we're so
concerned about the good of our city and the well-being of others,
we're just really concerned about this and we're gonna charge these
men with making a public disturbance. That's basically what happened.
And think about that. That multitude, all they had
done was healed a woman. All they had done is called out
an evil spirit from this woman, and the multitude rose up together
against them, ripped their clothes off of them, tore their clothes
off of them, and commanded them to be beaten. And after they'd
done that, after they'd laid those stripes on them, they took
them to the jailer and charged him to keep him safely, and again,
he took that seriously. He put him in the prison, he
thrust him into the inner part of the prison. That word thrust,
it means like to throw, okay? Threw him into the inner part
of the prison and put him in the stocks. Again, for what? For healing
a woman. Our Lord, in Luke chapter eight,
remember that Gadarene man? That fellow that was possessed
with the devils, he wore no clothes. He dwelt among the tombs and
no man, it says no man could tame him. They would bind him
with chains and he would break those chains asunder. And our Lord healed him. Our
Lord crossed over to the other side and he healed him. What
was the people's response? Did they rejoice? Were they thankful? I mean, everybody had to know
who this man was. What was their response? Scripture says, when they saw
the man seated, that's how he is now. When they saw the man
clothed, he's no longer naked. When they saw this man in his
right mind. Wouldn't you think that would
be a time to rejoice and glorify God in healing this man? No. The whole multitude of the country
round about besought him to depart. They didn't ask the devils to
leave. They asked our Lord. That was their prayer, that he
leave. The Lord of glories, think about
that. Depart from us. We don't want you here. Isn't that a frightening indictment
on man? In Matthew 21 verse 23, our Lord
was in the temple teaching and the chief priest and the scribes
came in and they asked the Lord, by what authority do you do these
things? Can you imagine that? Asking
God in human flesh, what authority do you have to do these things? And you know, ultimately, men
brought false charges against the Lord. They brought false
witnesses. And could you ask the question, In all these situations, what
good? What good could come from these
things? What good could come from two
men being cast in prison? What good could come? What happened after Ahab made
that statement to Elijah? Remember that when he said, art
thou he that troubleth Israel? You reckon Elijah's feelings
were hurt when he said that? Aren't thou he that troubled
Israel? Do you think his reputation as a prophet was damaged in any
way? Oh, my friends, there is so much
more at stake here. After those prophets of Baal
made fools of themselves, Remember that? They were cutting themselves
and shouting and jumping up and down on that altar. None answered. Not a word. And afterwards, Elijah
rebuilt that altar with 12 stones at the time of the evening sacrifice. Elijah the prophet, he came near. And listen to this prayer. 63 words. 63 words. Lord God of Abraham, Isaac,
and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in
Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these
things at thy word. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that
this people may know what? That thou art the Lord God. And that thou hast turned their
heart back again. And then what happened? In that
prayer the fire fell from heaven and it consumed the burnt sacrifice
and the wood and the stones and it licked up the water that was
left in the trench and when the people saw it they fell on their
faces and they said this, the Lord He is the God. The Lord, He is the God. What happened? What happened? Almighty God was glorified. What happened to Daniel back
there when he was cast into that den of lions? Remember what was
said, Daniel, thy God. He is able to deliver thee. And what happened? God delivered
Daniel, didn't he? He delivered him and he destroyed
every enemy. They were cast into that pit
and their bones ground to powder. The lions had the mastery over
them. What about Noah? Noah, the preacher
of righteousness. That's what God's word said.
God spared not the old world. God destroyed the world with
the exception of eight souls. He saved Noah, the eighth person,
a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the
word of the ungodly. Eight souls were saved. You ever wonder why God would
be merciful to any? And yet he is. Noah and his family
were delivered. What happened in the case of
Paul and Silas? They healed that woman, remember
that? And those magistrates, they had them beaten and cast
into prison. Are these men here just causing
trouble? Is that what that was? God's
messenger? And we read that prison guard,
he gladly took them and put them in the innermost part of the
prison. Put their feet in the stocks.
What's the rest of that story? Turn to Acts. Turn back there
to Acts 16 again. God sent an earthquake, shook
the very foundation of that prison. And I don't doubt it shook the
foundation of every man that was in that prison. And we read
that their bands were loosed and that prison guard, that old
hardened prison guard woke up in the middle of the night and
he drew out his sword and he would have taken his own life. But Paul and Silas cried with
a loud voice, and they said, do thyself no harm. We're all
here. And the guard asked that question,
sirs, what must I do to be saved? The reply, believe. Believe, believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ. And they spoke unto him. They
spoke unto him the word of the Lord. I ask you again, what good,
what good could come from that? Isn't that just, isn't that just
miraculous is the word, isn't it? Look at verse 33 of Acts
16. He took them, this one that had
just cast them into the innermost part of the prison, this one
that had laid stripes on them, he now took them the same hour
of the night and he washed their stripes and was baptized. He, in all
of his straight way, and when he had brought them into the
house, he said, meet before them rejoicing, rejoicing, believing
in God with all his house. These men, being Jews, do exceedingly
trouble our city. You know, maybe for those who
suffered loss, they troubled the city. Maybe for the magistrates, You reckon that jailer, you reckon
he said anything about them troubling the city? Huh? Not that jailer. Not his family. They weren't
troubled, were they? We just read it. They rejoiced. They heard the word of the Lord.
The gospel was revealed unto them. Turn with me to Philippians. Philippians chapter one. Philippians chapter one. Begin reading in verse 12, Philippians
one. I would that you should understand,
brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen
out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel. so that my bonds
in Christ are manifest in all the palace and in all other places. And many of the brethren in the
Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to
speak the word without fear. You know, persecution for the
sake of Christ has often meant the carrying out of the gospel
to other places. Paul says, that's what Paul just
said there. He said, the things that happened to me, they've
fallen out unto the furtherance of the gospel. Think about this. Paul at this time, he's not in
prison for breaking the law. He's in prison for preaching
God's Word. You know, it could be that our
discomfort may be used by God to bring eternal comfort to others,
to bring the gospel to others. And this is ultimately, listen,
this is ultimately displayed by our Lord. Again, He was asked by that multitude
of folks there when He healed the Gadarene man, depart from
us. Go away. The chief priest and the scribes,
they came in and they asked the Lord again, they said, by what
authority do you do these things? Can you imagine? Who gave you the authority? Scripture declares this, for
by Him were all things made. By Him were all things created
that are in heaven, that are in earth, visible, invisible,
whether they be thrones or dominions, principalities or powers. All
things were created by Him and all things were created for Him. In Matthew 28 verse 18 we read,
Jesus came and spoke to them saying, By what authority? All power, all authority has
been given to me in heaven and on earth. What authority? By virtue of who he is. He's almighty God. And through
the scriptures, God's messengers and his people, his sheep have
often been accused falsely as troublemakers. You know there's always going
to be a generous share of the self-righteous. Those seeking
preeminence. We read about the scribes and
would-be religious leaders over and over again in God's Word. Those that oppose themselves.
Pharisees. Our Lord warned us of Pharisees. Turn to Matthew. Chapter 13. Matthew 13. I'm sorry, Matthew 23. Look at verse 23 of Matthew 23. Woe unto you, scribes, Pharisees,
hypocrites. He said, you pay tithe of mint,
anise, cumin, but you've omitted the weightier things of the law,
judgment, mercy, faith. These ought to have been done
and not to leave the other undone. You blind guides which strain
at a gnat and swallow a camel. Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites! You make clean the outside of
the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion
and excess. Now blind Pharisee, cleanse first
that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside
of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites, for you're like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed
appear beautiful outward, but within are full of dead men's
bones and of all uncleanness. Even so, ye also outwardly appear
righteous unto men, but within you're full of hypocrisy and
iniquity. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites, because you build the tombs of the prophets and
garish the sepulchers of the righteous, and say, if we had
been in the days of our fathers, we would have not been partakers
with them in the blood of the prophets. Wherefore, ye be witnesses
unto yourselves that ye are the children of them which killed
the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of
your fathers, ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can
ye escape the damnation of hell?" But again, there's so much more,
so much more at stake. Look at 1 Peter 2. 1 Peter 2. Turn here with me and we'll close. The salvation, here's what's
at stake. The salvation of God's people. Do you have 1 Peter 2? Look here
at Christ. Look at the Lord Jesus Christ
as our example. 1 Peter 2 verse 20. What glory is it when you be
buffeted for your faults, you shall take it patiently? But
if when you do well and suffer for it, you take it patiently.
This is acceptable with God. For even here unto where you
called, because Christ also suffered
for us, leaving us an example that you
should follow in his steps. The Lord Jesus Christ, We're all Pharisees by nature. We're all self-righteous Pharisees
by nature. And yet Christ suffered for us. That's what we just read there.
The Lord Jesus Christ suffered for us. He suffered for us to
fulfill the law. He suffered for us to satisfy
God's justice. He suffered to make reconciliation
for the sins of his people. And he leaves us an example of
grace, of faith, of love, of zeal. Look at verse 22, who did
no sin. We can't even enter into that.
What that must be to do no sin. Neither was guile found in his
mouth. Lord Jesus Christ didn't look
like anyone else. I believe he looked like a sinful
man just like we look like. He wasn't. He was born of a sinful
woman. He kept company with sinful men. He's described as a man of sorrows
and acquainted with grief. And ultimately, he was crucified
and slain. There was no guile found in his
mouth. The Pharisees and the scribes,
they continually tried to find it. They continually tried to
find fault with him. The Lord of Glories stood before
them and all they could find interest
in was a way to trip him up, try to trip him up. Just a word of deceit, just one
tiny little error in his doctrine. Verse 23, who when he was reviled, when he was criticized, when
he was abused, he reviled not again. And when he suffered,
he threatened not, but committed himself to him that judges righteously. He was reviled. The Lord Jesus
Christ was reviled. He was scourged. He was beaten. He was spat upon. They took those
reeds and they smote him with them. Scripture says he gave
his back to the smiters. He gave his beard to those that
would pluck it out. His cheek to those that would
pluck out his beard. And rather than call upon his
father, to send 10,000 angels. Think about that there in the
garden. He spoke and they fell backward. Those men fell backward. How he was, what he endured on
the cross, and what was his response to that? He prayed for them. He prayed to the Father. He said,
forgive them, for they know not what they do. Verse 24, who his own self bear our sins
in his own body on the tree that we being dead to sins should
live unto righteousness by whose stripes ye are healed. As he hung on the cross, he bore the sins of his people. He bore the sins of his elect. Which ones? All of them. Original
sin, actual sin, every act of sin of his people. And he did
it by himself. when he had by himself, huh? Verse 25, for ye were a sheep
going astray, but are now returned unto the shepherd and bishop
of your souls. That's not troubling, is it?
That's not troubling. Not for his sheep, it's not.
No, we rejoice in it, don't we? We rejoice in Him. In Him. All right.