Bible reading 1 Kings 18:30-39 (ESV)
Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been thrown down. Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, “Israel shall be your name,” and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord. And he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two seahs of seed. And he put the wood in order and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, “Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.” And he said, “Do it a second time.” And they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time.” And they did it a third time. And the water ran around the altar and filled the trench also with water. And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.” Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
Observation questions - What did Elijah do to the altar before he prayed?
- What specific request did Elijah make of God in his prayer?
- How did God respond to Elijah’s prayer?
- According to the sermon, what was the real reason God sent a drought in Israel? [53:01]
Interpretation questions - Why do you think Elijah drenched the altar in water during a severe drought? What might that action have symbolized?
- The sermon says, “Money functions as a clear diagnostic: spending patterns reveal ultimate loyalties.” How does the story of Elijah and the drought illustrate this principle?
- The sermon states, “Jesus is either Lord of all or He isn’t Lord at all.” [41:33] How does the concept of lordship connect to the story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal?
- What does the fire from heaven reveal about God’s character and His desire for His people?
Application questions - Where is it “dry and desperate” in your life right now? [56:41] How might God be using that dryness to reveal where your trust truly lies?
- The sermon says, “Spending habits offer clearer testimony than words about what rules a life.” [37:34] What do your bank statements from the last month say about what you truly value?
- If Jesus is Lord of all, not just a compartmentalized add-on, what is one practical area of your life (schedule, relationships, finances) where you need to surrender control to Him this week?
- The sermon challenges that “the tithe surfaced as a biblical metric that repeatedly recurs across Scripture to measure and form faithfulness.” How might regular, intentional giving reshape your heart’s dependence on God rather than your own resources?
- Elijah prayed boldly for God to reveal Himself. What would it look like for you to pray expectantly for God to “disrupt” areas where you rely on yourself rather than Him? [01:15:27]
- The sermon says vocalizing our needs “trains the heart to stop rehearsing problems and to start rehearsing trust.” [19:19] What specific anxiety or need do you need to speak aloud to God this week as an act of transfer and trust?
- Where have you been treating Jesus as “number seven” instead of making Him Lord of all? What would it look like to repent and reorder your priorities around His lordship this week?
