Hi,
Here’s yesterday’s sermon.
Discovering Hidden Treasures: Lessons from Little-Known Bible Stories
Luke 8:10 (NLT) "He replied, 'You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables to teach the others so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled: "When they look, they won’t really see. When they hear, they won’t understand."'
Introduction
- "In the vast ocean of Scripture, hidden gems await discovery, each story is rich with God's eternal truths, inviting us into deeper faith, courageous action, and a broader vision of mission."
[Pro 25:2 NLT] 2 It is God's privilege to conceal things and the king's privilege to discover them.
1. The Four Lepers at the Gate of Samaria (2 Kings 7:3-9)
[2Ki 7:3-11 NLT] 3 Now there were four men with leprosy sitting at the entrance of the city gates. "Why should we sit here waiting to die?" they asked each other. 4 "We will starve if we stay here, but with the famine in the city, we will starve if we go back there. So we might as well go out and surrender to the Aramean army. If they let us live, so much the better. But if they kill us, we would have died anyway." 5 So at twilight they set out for the camp of the Arameans. But when they came to the edge of the camp, no one was there! 6 For the Lord had caused the Aramean army to hear the clatter of speeding chariots and the galloping of horses and the sounds of a great army approaching. "The king of Israel has hired the Hittites and Egyptians to attack us!" they cried to one another. 7 So they panicked and ran into the night, abandoning their tents, horses, donkeys, and everything else, as they fled for their lives. 8 When the lepers arrived at the edge of the camp, they went into one tent after another, eating and drinking wine; and they carried off silver and gold and clothing and hid it. 9 Finally, they said to each other, "This is not right. This is a day of good news, and we aren't sharing it with anyone! If we wait until morning, some calamity will certainly fall upon us. Come on, let's go back and tell the people at the palace." 10 So they went back to the city and told the gatekeepers what had happened. "We went out to the Aramean camp," they said, "and no one was there! The horses and donkeys were tethered and the tents were all in order, but there wasn't a single person around!" 11 Then the gatekeepers shouted the news to the people in the palace.
- **Courage in Desperation**: Their dire situation pushed them beyond the limits of societal bounds, teaching us the value of courage when all seems lost.
- **Unexpected Provision**: Their discovery speaks to God's provision in unexpected places, encouraging us to trust in God's abundance even in scarcity.
- **Responsibility to Share**: The lepers' decision to share their findings highlights the duty of those who have received God's grace to extend it to others.
Key Verse: 2 Kings 7:9 (NLT) - "Finally, they said to each other, ‘This is not right. This is a day of good news, and we aren’t sharing it with anyone!’"
2. The Faith of the Phoenician Woman (Matthew 15:21-28)
[Mat 15:21-28 NLT] 21 Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Gentile woman who lived there came to him, pleading, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! For my daughter is possessed by a demon that torments her severely." 23 But Jesus gave her no reply, not even a word. Then his disciples urged him to send her away. "Tell her to go away," they said. "She is bothering us with all her begging." 24 Then Jesus said to the woman, "I was sent only to help God's lost sheep--the people of Israel." 25 But she came and worshiped him, pleading again, "Lord, help me!" 26 Jesus responded, "It isn't right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs." 27 She replied, "That's true, Lord, but even dogs are allowed to eat the scraps that fall beneath their masters' table." 28 "Dear woman," Jesus said to her, "your faith is great. Your request is granted." And her daughter was instantly healed.
- **Cross-Cultural Faith**: Her story exemplifies a faith that transcends cultural and ethnic barriers, illustrating the universal call of the Gospel.
- **Persistence in Prayer**: Her unwavering persistence in the face of rejection models for us a faith that refuses to be silenced, urging us to be tenacious in our prayers.
- **Jesus's Cosmic Mission**: This interaction reveals Jesus's mission to bring salvation beyond the Jewish people, foreshadowing the global scope of the Gospel.
Key Verse: Matthew 15:28 (NLT) - "Then Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, your faith is great! Your request is granted.’ And her daughter was instantly healed."
3. Obadiah Hiding the Prophets (1 Kings 18:3-4)
[1Ki 18:1-4 NLT] 1 Later on, in the third year of the drought, the LORD said to Elijah, "Go and present yourself to King Ahab. Tell him that I will soon send rain!" 2 So Elijah went to appear before Ahab. Meanwhile, the famine had become very severe in Samaria. 3 So Ahab summoned Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. (Obadiah was a devoted follower of the LORD. 4 Once when Jezebel had tried to kill all the LORD's prophets, Obadiah had hidden 100 of them in two caves. He put fifty prophets in each cave and supplied them with food and water.)
- **Courage Amidst Crisis**: Obadiah's actions demonstrate the courage to do what is right, even under the threat of persecution, inspiring us to stand firm in our convictions.
- **Preservation of Faith**: By hiding the prophets, Obadiah played a crucial role in preserving the faith and ensuring the continuation of God's work, reminding us of our role in safeguarding the truth for future generations.
- **Fear of the Lord**: His reverence for God motivated his actions, emphasizing the importance of a deep, reverential fear of the Lord as the foundation for godly action.
Key Verse: 1 Kings 18:4 (NLT) - "While Jezebel was killing off the Lord’s prophets, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them in two caves..."
Interconnected Themes
- **Faith That Crosses Boundaries**: Each story, in its unique way, illustrates faith that transcends societal, cultural, or economic boundaries, embodying the inclusive nature of God's kingdom.
- **Courage to Act**: From the lepers' decision to explore the Syrian camp, the Phoenician woman's bold approach to Jesus, to Obadiah's risk in hiding the prophets, each narrative showcases the courage to act on faith, even when faced with great personal risk.
- **The Call to Share and Preserve the Faith**: Whether it's sharing the good news of a miraculous provision, persisting in faith to bring healing, or protecting the carriers of God's word, each story compels us to share and preserve the faith entrusted to us.
Conclusion
Let us be inspired by these hidden treasures to live out our faith with boldness, persistence, and a commitment to the mission."
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Sunday: Discovering Hidden Treasures: Lessons from Little-Known Bible Stories